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The CCP’s new ‘unity’ law turns China’s repression into a global threat
The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) wants to consume. For decades, the regime has systematically targeted anyone who dares to exist outside its rigid ideological mold. Under Xi Jinping, this obsession has reached a fever pitch. We are witnessing a relentless campaign to completely erase the civilizations and freedoms of Uyghurs, Tibetans, Southern Mongolians, and Hong Kongers.
Now, the regime has codified this cultural erasure into law. On July 1, 2026, the so-called "Law on Promoting Ethnic Unity and Progress" took effect. Do not be deceived by its Orwellian title. This is not about unity; it is an attempt to dismantle civilizations. It is a blueprint for genocide set in stone, designed to flatten every distinctive element of individual identity until nothing remains but forced devotion to the State.
This legislation is a totalizing dragnet designed to permanently silence every group under Beijing’s shadow. Beyond Uyghurs and Tibetans, it actively targets the cultural preservation of Southern Mongolians, the basic rights of Hong Kongers, the existence of Falun Gong practitioners, and the survival of independent Chinese interfaith communities who refuse to bow to state-mandated ideological conformity.
Furthermore, this internal erasure is a direct precursor to external aggression. This same totalitarian playbook poses an existential threat to the vibrant democracy of Taiwan and stands as a warning to free societies everywhere. If the world fails to recognize that domestic subjugation is the foundation for global authoritarian expansion, it risks validating a blueprint meant to challenge freedom far beyond Asia. Under this law, for Uyghur girls, refusing to intermarry with Han Chinese can be treated as a criminal act. Education in one’s mother tongue is effectively outlawed, replaced entirely by state-mandated Mandarin. Parents are legally obligated to program their children to "love the CCP," while citizens are incentivized to spy on their neighbors and report any deviation from state-approved thought.
For me, this nightmare is not an abstract political concept. It is a bleeding, personal wound.
In September 2018, just six days after I spoke out on a panel in Washington, D.C. exposing the reality of China’s concentration camps, the CCP retaliated. They abducted my sister, Dr. Gulshan Abbas, a retired medical professional who has never committed a crime in her life. She was sentenced on baseless, fabricated charges in a secret sham trial. She had just turned sixty-four years old, two weeks ago. For nearly eight agonizing years, my family has been forced to sit and count the days of her wrongful detention, enduring her absence as a direct consequence of my freedom of speech.
My sister’s stolen life is the true face of the CCP’s "ethnic unity."
Yet, Article 63 carries a global threat to free speech and sovereignty, stating that "Organizations and individuals outside the territory of the P.R.C." who undermine its version of ethnic unity will be pursued. This brazen power grab grants the CCP the absurd right to target anyone, anywhere on Earth. Speak out against genocide or defend basic human rights from Washington, London, or Tokyo, and Beijing now claims the authority to freeze your assets or place a bounty on your head.
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Just three months ago, on March 30th, the terrifying reality of China's transnational repression targeted my husband, Abdulhakim Idris, a U.S. citizen and the Executive Director of the Center for Uyghur Studies. He landed in Malaysia for a lawful academic trip to launch the Malay-language edition of his book "Menace: China’s Colonization of the Islamic World and Uyghur Genocide" exposing the CCP’s crimes against Uyghur people. Under intense pressure from the Chinese government, Malaysian authorities seized him. He was detained in an airport detention cell for almost 22 hours, denied sufficient food and water, stripped of his American passport, and finally forced onto a plane back to the United States under escort.
If this is what the CCP can orchestrate before Article 63 takes effect, it is deeply alarming how emboldened they will become once they claim a legal pretext to hunt dissidents globally. We have already seen them place bounties on Hong Kong activists using similar extraterritorial clauses. This law will rapidly accelerate that danger, casting a chilling shadow over international academia, journalism, and human rights advocacy. The United Nations High commissioner for human rights, Volker Türk, Human Rights experts, and democratic leaders around the world have raised alarm bells over this law, warning that it violates the fundamental tenets of international law and state sovereignty. Condemnation is not enough.
On July 1st, the CCP dropped the mask, declaring war on diversity, truth, and global freedom. We cannot wait for the next activist to be extradited or silenced. Democratic governments must act immediately to issue a collective warning to Beijing: we will not tolerate totalitarian laws on our soil, and we will protect our citizens from transnational repression. The world must stand firm, because when something this wicked comes, silence is complicity.
ROBERT MAGINNIS: Trump’s Ankara remarks reveal a grand strategy hiding in plain sight
Seated beside Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on the eve of the NATO summit in Ankara, President Donald Trump did more than field reporters’ questions. His remarks ranged across Iran, Ukraine, NATO, Turkey, Greenland and China, touching nearly every front of American strategic interest.
To most commentators, the press conference looked like another freewheeling exchange with reporters. To a strategist, it looked like something else entirely: the public emergence of an American grand strategy.
I spent years working on strategy and policy at the national level in the Pentagon. Grand strategies rarely announce themselves in formal National Security Strategy documents; more often, they emerge through repeated decisions and presidential statements that gradually expose an underlying logic, and that logic was unusually visible in Ankara this week.
TRUMP CALLS OUT NATO AHEAD OF SUMMIT, CALLING IT 'RIDICULOUS' FOR US TO PERSIST ON 'ONE SIDED PATH'
Deterrence before diplomacy
The first principle is deterrence before diplomacy. Trump's frustration with NATO allies over the Iran war was unmistakable. He told reporters that "Italy turned us down and Germany turned us down and France turned us down," then asked why the United States should keep spending hundreds of billions of dollars on allies who "are not there for us."
That was classic Trump, but it was more than a grievance. It revealed how he measures alliances: not by communiqués or polite statements, but by whether allies show up when America acts. In Trump's mind, loyalty is operational, not sentimental.
The broader point is sound: Diplomacy without credible power rarely succeeds. Force restores deterrence, deterrence creates leverage, and leverage creates the conditions for negotiation. Tehran, Moscow, Beijing and Pyongyang are all watching whether America still has the will to act.
The same logic carried into Trump's discussion of Ukraine. If credible strength creates diplomatic leverage with Iran, he appears to believe it can also help end Europe's bloodiest conflict since World War II.
Ending wars from strength
DON’T LOOK NOW, BUT PRESIDENT TRUMP MAY HAVE SAVED UKRAINE. JUST ASK THE RUSSIANS
The second principle is that wars must be concluded from positions of strength rather than managed indefinitely. Trump said he had spoken with both Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelenskyy. "I think they both want to make a deal," he told reporters, adding that he hoped the war would be settled "hopefully soon."
No serious strategist should assume peace is simple, imminent or cost-free. Russia remains the aggressor, and any settlement that rewards conquest would invite more danger, not less. Still, grand strategy seeks outcomes rather than endless commitment; the real question is whether diplomacy is backed by enough leverage to produce a durable and just settlement.
Alliances as multipliers, not dependencies
The third principle is that alliances must become multipliers, not dependencies. NATO remains indispensable, but no alliance stays healthy if one nation carries a disproportionate share of the burden while others expect permanent American underwriting.
That is why NATO's defense-industrial announcements in Ankara matter. European allies sought to show Trump they are turning higher defense spending into real military capability. The Netherlands, for instance, is investing with Britain in new amphibious ships, joining 10 allies to replace aging AWACS aircraft, and leading European production of American Stinger, AMRAAM and PAC-3 missiles. That is more than accounting. It is strategic capacity.
The Ukraine war has exposed an uncomfortable reality: Modern wars are won by industrial endurance, not tactics alone. Missiles must be replaced, interceptors manufactured, and production automated for speed rather than headlines. Grand strategy requires factories and the political will to sustain output; defense spending that never becomes deployable combat power is merely a budget line.
Geography still shapes strategy
The fourth principle is that geography still shapes strategy, even in an age increasingly defined by advanced computing systems, cyber operations and space capabilities. Turkey is a difficult ally, but it is also strategically indispensable, sitting at the crossroads of the Black Sea, the Middle East and NATO's southern flank.
That explains Trump's willingness to revisit U.S.-Turkish defense issues. He said the United States is "going to be taking the sanctions off," referring to penalties imposed after Turkey purchased Russia's S-400 system, and called the question of selling Turkey F-35 fighter jets "certainly something we will consider." Turkey's Russian purchase created real security problems, and Israel and Congress both have objections. But the strategic logic is plain: Geography has consequences.
The same is true in the Arctic. Trump's renewed Greenland remarks were controversial, but they fit the same pattern. He said Greenland "should be controlled by the United States, not by Denmark," arguing Denmark does little for a territory vital to American security. Greenland once anchored America's Cold War shield against Soviet bombers; today, it sits astride Arctic sea routes contested by Russia and eyed by China, making its geography more consequential, not less.
Strategic prioritization and the China question
Every successful grand strategy requires disciplined prioritization. America cannot do everything everywhere forever. Every carrier strike group, Patriot battery and trained brigade committed in one theater is unavailable somewhere else. Grand strategy is the disciplined ordering of finite national resources.
That brings the discussion back to China. As Europe assumes greater responsibility for its own defense, America gains the flexibility to focus on the defining competition of this century: Communist China, which may become the most consequential objective of Trump’s emerging strategic framework.
Beijing is fusing machine-learning systems, autonomous platforms, cyber capabilities and advanced manufacturing into a strategy to challenge American leadership. In "Preparing for World War III," I argued that Ukraine, the Middle East, the Arctic, North Korea and China's military rise cannot be viewed in isolation; they are connected demands on finite American power. In "The New AI Cold War," I argued that machine intelligence is becoming the central arena of that competition, and America cannot prevail if it stays overextended while capable allies underinvest in their own defense.
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The future balance of power will not be determined by rhetoric alone. It will be shaped by industrial capacity, technological advantage, alliance reliability and national will.
Whether one supports President Trump's policies or not, strategists should recognize what is taking shape. Grand strategies rarely announce themselves in a single speech; they emerge through repeated decisions that gradually reveal an underlying logic. Ankara suggested that such a logic now exists: deterrence backed by industrial strength, alliances built on reciprocity, geography respected rather than ignored, and American power organized around the defining competition of this century.
America may be witnessing the emergence of a grand strategy before it has been formally written. Grand strategies are not ultimately measured by speeches, summits or press conferences. They are measured by whether they preserve peace, deter aggression, strengthen alliances and secure the nation for the generation that follows.
Ankara offered a glimpse of that strategy. History will determine whether it succeeds.
All hands on deck: The unlikely workforce that can rebuild America’s fleet
America's shipbuilding industry is facing a crisis of terrifying proportions. In a recent stark warning, Senator Tim Sheehy exposed just how far we have fallen behind, noting that China is currently building ships 230 times faster than the United States and completing repairs 90% faster.
While a depleted military branch like the Army might be rebuilt in a year or two, Sheehy correctly pointed out that resurrecting our maritime industrial base is a much deeper, long-term challenge. Over the last three decades, we have allowed our shipbuilding capabilities to atrophy, trading vital heavy industry and shipyard space for waterfront condos and short-term financial optimization.
President Donald Trump took a critical first step to reverse this dangerous trend by signing the Executive Order Restoring America's Maritime Dominance in April 2025. This bold directive demands equally bold, innovative ideas to rapidly develop the next generation of American shipbuilders. To meet this national security imperative and answer the President’s call, we must look to an untapped, yet highly viable, labor pool: the thousands of individuals currently in our state prison systems who are ready to reintegrate into society and contribute to the American Dream.
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If turning to incarcerated individuals to rebuild our naval capabilities sounds overly radical, we need only look across the Atlantic to see the concept already in action. The United Kingdom has recently recognized that conventional labor markets cannot meet the urgent demands of modern defense manufacturing, and is evaluating plans for prisoners to potentially help build warships to bolster British defenses. Facing their own acute workforce shortages and the pressing need to recapitalize the Royal Navy, British defense planners could tap into the prison population to manufacture essential components for their fleet.
Here at home, the proposal is straightforward yet deeply strategic: train inmates in high-demand, highly specialized maritime trades, such as welding, pipefitting, and fabricating, and strategically deploy them to shipyards. By uniting public safety and corrections leaders, the maritime industry, and the workforce sector, we can rapidly field the labor necessary to rebuild our fleet.
A coordinated, multi-state effort across regions with established shipbuilding footprints could realistically yield 10,000 new, skilled employees following initial training rounds. This breaks down to an average of just 575 rigorously screened candidates per maritime state, an entirely manageable figure for state correctional agencies.
TRUMP TAPS ACTING LABOR SECRETARY KEITH SONDERLING FOR PERMANENT ROLE PENDING SENATE CONFIRMATION
Critics may immediately point to security regulations as an insurmountable roadblock, specifically the Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC). Anyone requiring unescorted access to secure areas of a shipyard, which are governed by the Maritime Transportation Security Act, must hold a TWIC card administered by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA). Because a criminal record can serve as an interim or permanent disqualifying factor, candidates for this shipbuilding initiative would require a targeted TSA waiver.
However, the profound national security and defense implications of restoring our maritime dominance provide the flexibility needed to pilot this program. Ironically, the candidates selected for this initiative would undergo far more rigorous screening, documentation, and continuous supervision by law enforcement than nearly any other group of standard TWIC applicants.
To ensure the utmost security and productivity, this initiative must be structured as an elite "honors program" behind prison walls. In partnership with the TSA and the maritime industry, participating prisons would select only the most dedicated, lowest-level offenders to enter these specific training verticals. Correctional agencies would provide the necessary administrative support, helping inmates secure birth certificates, social security cards, and TWIC applications utilizing their earliest possible release dates.
The logistics of deployment are also imminently solvable. In some locations, a "work detail" model could be established, similar to existing programs where inmates are transported to work on military bases. Furthermore, prisons could partner with scalable training providers and organized labor, such as boilermakers and pipefitters, to ensure that the instruction aligns perfectly with the precise labor needs of major shipyards.
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Beyond addressing the sheer arithmetic of our labor shortage, this "second chance hiring" initiative promises profound public safety benefits. By equipping incarcerated individuals with a skilled trade and long-term career options, we will dramatically reduce recidivism and crime in our communities. The prevailing wages earned by these workers will enable them to pay court-ordered restitution and child support, frequently leading to family reunification. Ultimately, this program will remove the crushing anchors of unemployment and poverty that typically burden people with criminal records, transforming them into vital contributors to our national defense.
The United States cannot afford to remain complacent while adversaries rapidly outpace our naval capabilities. The maritime workforce shortage is a severe vulnerability, and traditional recruitment methods alone will not close the gap fast enough. As Great Britain is already proving, the workforce we need may be waiting right behind our prison walls. When the maritime industry, correctional leaders, and the federal government convene to eliminate operational barriers, we can forge a solution that is additive to shipyard productivity.
This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to uplift America and secure our shores. By granting a second chance to those who have earned it through rigorous screening and hard work, we can rebuild our fleet, restore our maritime dominance, and prove that American resilience is as strong as ever. It is time to get to work. We need all hands on deck.
America 250 attendees rally behind Trump's July 4 speech: 'What we needed to hear'
Two days after President Donald Trump's Fourth of July address, attendees at the Great American State Fair told Fox News Digital they saw the speech as patriotic, not partisan.
"He's talking about taking down communism," David from New Jersey said.
"That's the definition of our whole country. Built on capitalism, that's our whole country. If that's what he was talking about, I don't think that's political at all. It's just about the freedom that we have here. If it wasn't for that, we wouldn't be here."
Thousands of Americans packed the National Mall on Saturday to celebrate the nation's 250th anniversary, touring exhibits from all 50 states despite sweltering heat and severe thunderstorms that temporarily paused celebrations.
TRUMP SET TO DELIVER 'HISTORIC' SPEECH CELEBRATING AMERICA'S 250TH ANNIVERSARY
Hours later, President Donald Trump delivered his 37-minute address, honoring veterans and the nation's founding while declaring that "no dream in history is bigger" than the American experiment and adding, "We don't want communists in our country," before a record-setting fireworks display.
Matt from Florida said that while others may have disliked Trump's speech, he saw it as a tribute to veterans and Medal of Honor recipients.
"It's really nice to see him share the stage instead of just giving a speech and going away like most presidents do," he said. "It was just nice to actually see him treat the whole thing as a giant event as opposed to just a limelight on himself."
MEDIA ATTACKS DONALD TRUMP'S FOURTH OF JULY CELEBRATION, CLAIMING IT 'SULLIED' AMERICA 250
Ed and Linda from Ohio said they missed Trump's speech while waiting for the fireworks, but Ed said he supports the president "100 percent," while Linda added, "You should be able to rise above your political opinion and still enjoy the country's Fourth of July."
Doug and Karen from Texas said they approved of President Trump's message.
"It wasn't too political, it was what we needed to hear," Doug said.
"It was good," Karen added. "People need to hear it."
LEE GREENWOOD SAYS HE'S 'VERY PROUD' TO STAND NEXT TO TRUMP DURING AMERICA'S 250TH CELEBRATION
Kim from Michigan called July 4 "a political holiday," saying people will always find something to criticize.
"Throughout our history, it's been about our politics and what we stand for as a people, and what we believe in and what we're willing to fight for," she said.
Priya from California said politics naturally belongs in a Fourth of July speech, adding that America must change course "from a very negative direction that the country has gone."
"I think there's an intricate part that politics play obviously in the 250 years that we have been a nation," she said. "For it to last another 250 and hopefully beyond, we have to pay attention to that. We have to understand the political climate and what it's going to take for this nation to last and be prosperous."
Trump says Iran ceasefire is 'over' after Iranian attacks trigger massive US response
President Donald Trump said the tentative ceasefire with Iran is "over" after an intense bombing campaign overnight that followed Iranian attacks on commercial shipping.
"For me? I think it's over," Trump told reporters during a meeting with Secretary-General Mark Rutte at the NATO Summit in Ankara, Turkey, Wednesday. "I don't want to deal with them anymore, they're scum."
He said talks with Iran could continue, but they're a waste of time. "They're liars, they're cheats. They're sick people."
US CLAWS BACK KEY CONCESSION TO IRAN AFTER FRESH ATTACKS ON COMMERCIAL SHIPS IN STRAIT OF HORMUZ
The comments may signal an end to weeks of talks that followed both sides signing a memorandum of understanding, in which they agreed to allow traffic to resume in the Strait of Hormuz and spend 60 days negotiating at a long term peace deal.
But Iran struck at least three commercial vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz Monday and Tuesday, and the U.S. military responded with strikes on more than 80 targets in Iran.
"We attacked very powerfully last night the very dangerous people from Iran," Trump said.
He noted that the U.S. had given Iranians a week off from negotiations for the funeral of slain Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
"We said, go and do your funeral stuff," he said. "And instead of that, they started shooting rockets at ships yesterday."
He continued to insist the U.S. would "denuclearize" Iran and likened the country's leadership to cancer. "You know what you do? You've got to cut out cancer early."
TRUMP ENTERS FINAL NATO SUMMIT DAY AS UKRAINE, DEFENSE SPENDING TAKE CENTER STAGE
On Tuesday the U.S. clawed back oil sanctions waivers — a key concession offered to Iran as part of the memorandum of understanding.
British maritime authorities confirmed a vessel was struck by a projectile near the coast of Oman Monday, while Iranian state media reported the ship had ignored warnings from Iranian forces. The attack reportedly caused a fire on board, but there were no immediate reports of fatalities.
A second vessel, the Saudi-flagged crude tanker Wedyan, also sustained damage near the Strait of Hormuz, a U.S. official confirmed.
On Tuesday, the U.K. Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) reported that another tanker transiting the Strait of Hormuz had been struck by an unidentified projectile.
Iran has insisted it should play a leading role in managing traffic through the Strait of Hormuz and has sought to collect fees from commercial vessels transiting the strategic waterway. The Trump administration has rejected that position, insisting the strait remain open to free international navigation.
Dem civil war hits primary debate stage in fiery battleground showdown: 'What are you hiding?'
The high-stakes fight between the left-wing and the center-left establishment for the future of the Democratic Party took center stage Tuesday in battleground Michigan.
That's where moderate Rep. Haley Stevens, who is backed by Senate Minority Leader Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and the party establishment, faced off in a fiery Senate nomination debate against former Wayne County Health Department Director Abdul El-Sayed, a far-left candidate endorsed by progressive champions Sen. Bernie Sanders I-Vt., and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y.
The sharpest exchanges centered on campaign money, outside spending and U.S. policy toward Israel, with El-Sayed repeatedly accusing Stevens of benefiting from millions of dollars in outside spending from pro-Israel and corporate-aligned groups.
"If you want your politics dictated by AIPAC or Chuck Schumer, then I'm not your guy," El-Sayed said, arguing the Democratic Party would not change if it continued to elect leaders who take money from corporations. Stevens countered by accusing El-Sayed of benefiting from Republican efforts to boost him in the primary. "What my opponent needs to answer is, why is the GOP spending thousands of dollars to prop up his campaign, saying that he will make Mike Rogers the next U.S. senator?" Stevens said.
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The showdown came four weeks before Michigan's primary, with the winner taking on former Republican Rep. Mike Rogers, who is on a glide path to the GOP nomination, in the crucial midterm battle to succeed retiring Democratic Sen. Gary Peters.
The rare open Senate seat is a top Republican target and is a must-hold for the Democrats as they aim to win back the Senate majority from the GOP, which currently controls the chamber with a slim 53-47 margin.
The anti-establishment El-Sayed, who has been sharply critical of Israel, blamed AIPAC's influence in American politics and accused politicians, like Stevens, of being "bought off by AIPAC" on Tuesday night. "So long as our politicians continue to be bought off by AIPAC do not be surprised when we fight wars that are in their best interest," El-Sayed said.
LEFT-WING ACTIVISTS HECKLE PRO-ISRAEL DEMOCRAT HALEY STEVENS AT MICHIGAN CONVENTION
Stevens, meanwhile, sought to flip El-Sayed’s attacks over outside spending back onto him, pressing the progressive candidate to release his tax returns and accusing him of being less than transparent about who was funding his own campaign and career.
"Well, look, transparency is also important, and this is why I have released my tax returns. My opponent, Abdul, he said that transparency is key, but yet he hasn't released his tax returns," Stevens said. "Abdul, you talk about getting money out of politics and putting money in people's pockets. But who is putting money in yours? What are you hiding?"
Stevens, who agreed with El-Sayed on an immediate end to U.S. involvement in Iran, also drew a contrast between herself and her opponent by emphasizing her support for a two-state solution.
"The difference between my opponent and myself on this issue is that I believe in a two-state solution," Stevens said. "I can say that Israel has a right to peacefully exist alongside the people of Palestine and in Gaza."
Immigration enforcement also became a flashpoint during the debate, with El-Sayed saying ICE needed to be abolished and accusing Stevens of shifting her tone to be more aggressive towards the agency Tuesday night than she has in the past.
Stevens responded by accusing El-Sayed of using "Republican tactics," saying a House vote El-Sayed referenced, claiming Stevens "voted to thank ICE and increase their budget," was a "cynical" move by the GOP to include condemnation for an antisemitic terrorist attack in Boulder, Colorado alongside funding for the federal immigration agency.
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"There was a bill on the House floor to condemn an antisemitic terrorist attack that in Boulder, Colorado, that killed an individual and injured a Holocaust survivor. Instead of bringing us together, Republicans put in a cynical point about thanking ICE," Stevens said in response to El-Sayed's claims she is a supporter of ICE. "I am always going to stand up to violence, and I just wish my opponent wouldn't pursue the cynical approaches of Republicans when we do need to be united."
On child care, Stevens pointed to expanding grants and paid family leave, while El-Sayed called for making child care "100% free" and paying for it by taxing billionaire wealth. The debate also featured a lengthy exchange on artificial intelligence and data centers. El-Sayed called for stricter federal guardrails, union labor requirements, community benefit agreements and an "FDA for AI's," while Stevens said data centers should be forced to pay utility and water bills, so Michigan families are not stuck with higher costs.
Tuesday night's debate was held two days after progressive state Sen. Mallory McMorrow, once the third major Democrat in the primary, suspended her campaign.
McMorrow, who has seen her national profile expand in recent years and was running as a progressive in an ideological space between El-Sayed and Stevens, suspended her campaign amid faltering poll numbers and fundraising that weren't keeping pace with her two main rivals.
McMorrow pledged to fully support whichever Democrat wins the primary and will ultimately face-off with Rogers, who is running for the Senate for a second straight cycle after losing in 2024 to now-Sen. Elissa Slotkin by a razor-thin margin.
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Following McMorrow's exit from the race, Stevens praised her fellow Democrat by calling her an "important voice" for policies that benefit Michigan families. Stevens, who has been backed by millions in super PAC spending, including big bucks from Israel-aligned groups, argued that she is the strongest Democratic candidate to win the primary and defeat Rogers in November.
El-Sayed praised McMorrow for having the "courage" to challenge what he described as a rigged political system, accusing Democratic Party insiders of spending millions to influence the primary. While he did not name specific groups, his remarks appeared to reference corporate PACs and establishment party leaders such as Schumer.
El-Sayed, who, if elected, would make history as the nation's first Muslim senator, is an epidemiologist who unsuccessfully ran for governor as an insurgent candidate in 2018. He has made support for "Medicare-for-all" a major component of his campaign.
The far-left candidate has also called for abolishing Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), and is a vocal critic of Israel amid its war with Hamas — even characterizing Israel's actions in Gaza as "genocide" against Palestinians. And El-Sayed, who served as a top surrogate on Sanders' 2020 presidential campaign, has vowed not to accept PAC donations.
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Schumer and the party establishment view Stevens as more electable than El-Sayed, who has sparked controversy with his past comments. They worry that El-Sayed as the party's nominee would jeopardize the Democrat-controlled Senate seat by pushing the party too far to the left in a state that President Donald Trump carried two years ago by just over one percentage point.
A victory by El-Sayed over Stevens in next month's primary would give the far left a major win on a statewide stage, and likely further boost their momentum in the battle for the Democratic Party's future.
On Tuesday night, Stevens leaned into her congressional record, tenure in the Obama administration's U.S. Auto Rescue Task Force, her manufacturing background, and bipartisan efforts in Congress, including work on legislation aimed at blocking Chinese cars from undercutting American automakers.
"We can build affordable cars here in Michigan without having the Chinese come in and eat our lunch. Not on my watch," Stevens said.
El-Sayed leaned on being a political outsider who refuses corporate and Super PAC donations, while he pointed to his UAW endorsement and argued that Democrats need to be more aggressive in confronting Wall Street and corporate influence across many areas.
"There's a reason that the UAW has endorsed me in this race," El-Sayed said, arguing that corporations are "a lot more interested in a quarterly bottom line than they are in the long term sustainability of manufacturing."
Trump enters final NATO summit day as Ukraine, defense spending take center stage
President Donald Trump enters the final day of the NATO summit Wednesday as alliance leaders seek to project unity on defense spending, support for Ukraine and the future of transatlantic security following a series of headline-making announcements and bilateral meetings during the opening day of the gathering.
Trump will join fellow NATO leaders for the summit's only plenary session before holding bilateral meetings with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa. He is expected to conclude the summit with a press conference before departing Ankara, Turkey, for Washington.
The final day comes after Trump used Tuesday's bilateral meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan to announce the United States would lift sanctions on Turkey, saying, "We don't sanction friends." Trump also signaled he is prepared to move forward with the sale of F-35 stealth fighter jets to Ankara despite years of U.S. opposition stemming from Turkey's purchase of the Russian-made S-400 air defense system.
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Wednesday's agenda is expected to focus on the alliance's efforts to strengthen collective defense as members continue implementing higher defense spending commitments and coordinate support for Ukraine more than four years after Russia's full-scale invasion.
Trump's meeting with Zelenskyy will be among the day's most closely watched events as Kyiv continues pressing allies for military assistance and air defense capabilities while seeking to maintain Western backing for its war effort against Russia.
Kyiv has warned it is running critically low on Patriot interceptor missiles, which Ukrainian officials describe as the country's most effective defense against Russia's ballistic missile attacks. Ukrainian officials said none of the ballistic missiles launched during a massive barrage this week could be intercepted because of dwindling supplies.
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Ahead of the summit, Ukrainian officials appealed to nearly 40 partner nations to immediately transfer Patriot interceptors from their existing stockpiles while longer-term production catches up. Kyiv also has secured European backing for hundreds of Patriot missiles financed by Germany, though many of those deliveries are not expected for months or years, underscoring Ukraine's push for allies to bridge the gap with existing inventories.
Trump also is expected to meet with Syrian President al-Sharaa, whose government has sought closer engagement with Washington following the collapse of Bashar al-Assad's regime, a shift that has reshaped the security landscape in the Middle East and created new opportunities for U.S.-Turkish cooperation.
Trump is expected to cap the summit with a press conference outlining the administration's priorities for the alliance and any agreements reached during the two-day gathering before departing Turkey Wednesday afternoon.
Wednesday's discussions also are expected to focus on how allies turn 2025's landmark commitment to spend 5% of gross domestic product on defense and defense-related investments into tangible military capabilities.
NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte has urged member nations to present "clear, concrete and credible plans" for meeting the target, arguing the alliance must accelerate the production of weapons, ammunition and military infrastructure to deter Russia.
The final day also follows another round of criticism from Trump aimed at European allies. Speaking Tuesday, the president again questioned whether NATO members were doing enough to support the United States and suggested he could withdraw U.S. troops from Europe as he renewed his push for U.S. control of Greenland.
"With all the money we spend to help them with Russia … we don't have to spend any money. We could remove all of our soldiers out of Europe," Trump said. He also complained that despite America's investment in European security, "you would think they'd be very willing to do something to help us, and they really weren't."
Tyler Robinson's and Lance Twiggs' DNA both allegedly found on key evidence in Charlie Kirk's assassination
PROVO, Utah — A towel and screwdriver recovered during the investigation into Charlie Kirk’s assassination allegedly had his suspected killer Tyler Robinson’s DNA on it — along with that of his former lover and roommate, Lance Twiggs.
Robinson, 23, allegedly used the towel to conceal the suspected murder weapon in the woods near Utah Valley University on Sept. 10, 2025.
He is accused of fatally shooting the 31-year-old Kirk during a Turning Point USA event at the school that day.
CHARLIE KIRK'S FAMILY COMES FACE TO FACE WITH ACCUSED ASSASSIN FOR FIRST TIME
It’s unclear what the screwdriver was for, but police testified at Robinson’s preliminary hearing this week that they found it near an alleged sniper’s perch overlooking the TPUSA event.
Both Twiggs and Robinson provided buccal swabs to law enforcement that were used to build their full DNA profiles.
Robinson's preliminary hearing began Monday and is expected to take all week. Prosecutors must establish probable cause in order for the judge to green light the path to trial on a slew of charges, including aggravated murder, which carries the potential death penalty.
David Hull, of the Utah Department of Public Safety, returned to the witness stand Tuesday morning as prosecutors played surveillance video they allege shows Robinson making his way around campus before and after the shooting, as well as coming and going in his Dodge Challenger.
The second witness of the day, Sgt. Jennifer Faumuina with the State Bureau of Investigations, led the evidence response team processing the scenes at UVU after the shooting.
Faumuina testified that her team recovered a screwdriver from the campus’ Losee Center rooftop, where Robinson is alleged to have fired the shot that killed Kirk.
She also testified that her team recovered the suspected murder weapon, a Mauser 98 bolt-action rifle wrapped in a dark-colored towel nearby. It had been retrofitted to fire .30-06 rounds, consistent with the caliber of bullet fragments recovered during Kirk’s autopsy.
Faumuina testified that both the towel and the screwdriver had DNA consistent with the same two males — Robinson and Twiggs.
In a handwritten note and text messages, Robinson is alleged to have confessed to the crime to Twiggs, who lived with him at the time and is cooperating with investigators. Twiggs has not been charged with a crime, and the alleged presence of his DNA on the evidence is expected to strengthen the case against Robinson.
CHARLIE KIRK ASSASSINATION: TIMELINE OF UTAH CAMPUS SHOOTING, TYLER ROBINSON CHARGED
Later Tuesday, FBI forensic analyst Amanda Bakker testified that Robinson is likely the majority donor in mixed DNA samples found on both items. Twiggs is believed to be the minority contributor on both.
Prosecutor Ryan McBride objected multiple times during Bakker’s lengthy questioning from defense attorney Michael Burt, arguing that the defense went well "beyond the scope of determining probable cause."
At one point, Judge Tony Graf Jr. asked how far he intended to go in a line of questioning, to which Burt responded he had one more question before moving on.
CHARLIE KIRK'S PARENTS, WIDOW TO ATTEND TYLER ROBINSON'S PRELIMINARY HEARING NEXT WEEK
"I’ll hold them to that," McBride said, prompting laughter inside the courtroom.
As the DNA questioning dragged on for much of the afternoon, Erika Kirk at one point shook her head as she listened to Burt grilling Bakker.
Observers in the gallery, including Erika Kirk, intently watched as Bakker explained a graph displaying specific DNA markers.
Kirk leaned forward and tilted her head as she listened to testimony.
Robinson was also listening and fidgeting. A member of Robinson’s family yawned.
Kirk’s father occasionally took notes.
Robinson has not yet entered a plea.
If prosecutors prevail in establishing probable cause, which experts say is widely expected, he would be asked to do so.
"Barring the prosecutor somehow forgetting how to get to the courthouse, there's no realistic chance the state fails to establish probable cause," Maryland attorney Randolph Rice, who represented the family of Rachel Morin, told Fox News Digital Tuesday.
US Navy identifies sailor lost in Arabian Sea after helicopter's emergency water landing
The U.S. Navy on Tuesday identified Cmdr. Gabriel Edwards as the sailor lost at sea after an MH-60S helicopter made an emergency water landing in the Arabian Sea last week.
Edwards, the commanding officer of Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron 5 (HSC-5), went missing after the helicopter assigned to the USS George H.W. Bush made an emergency water landing on July 1, according to the Navy.
Three of the helicopter's four crew members were successfully recovered, but the Navy suspended its search for the missing sailor on Sunday.
NAVY SUSPENDS SEARCH FOR SAILOR WHO WENT MISSING WHEN HELICOPTER WENT DOWN IN ARABIAN SEA
According to the Navy, the search for Edwards lasted more than 102 hours and covered more than 14,000 square miles.
"The thoughts and prayers of every member of the Carrier Strike Group 10 team are with the Edwards family," Rear Adm. Todd Cimicata, commander of Carrier Strike Group 10, said in a statement.
"While we are far from home, our heartfelt support remains at your side," Cimicata continued. "Gabe’s legacy as a husband, father, friend and fearless leader will never be forgotten. We are thankful to each who carry a unique and indelible part of Gabe’s memory with us as we continue this important mission."
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Acting Secretary of the Navy Hung Cao said he has directed that Edwards be posthumously promoted to the rank of captain.
"I am deeply grateful to every sailor and airman who took part in the search and who continue to support his family, friends, and shipmates," Cao said in a statement.
Edwards, a native of Oakland, Oregon, graduated from Norfolk State University in 2006 before earning his Wings of Gold as a Navy helicopter pilot in 2008, according to the Navy. He assumed command of HSC-5 in July 2025.
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Edwards is survived by his wife, Rebecca, and two children, the Navy said.
"We are profoundly grateful to every Sailor, aviator, and Airman who devoted countless hours, extraordinary skill, and unwavering determination in the effort to bring Gabe home," Rebecca Edwards said in a statement.
"Gabe has dedicated his life to serving his country with honor, courage, and commitment," she continued. "He led with humility, integrity, and compassion, always putting his people before himself. To those who served alongside him, he was a respected leader and mentor. To our family, he is the love of my life, an extraordinary father to his children, and the foundation of our home. His greatest joy was always his family."
During his career, Edwards logged more than 2,000 flight hours in multiple Navy helicopter platforms and had been selected for promotion to captain, according to the Navy.
HSC-5 is currently deployed to the Middle East aboard the USS George H.W. Bush. The Navy said mental health professionals, chaplains and other support personnel are assisting members of the squadron and the ship's crew.
The Navy said the cause of the incident remains under investigation and that there is no indication the emergency water landing resulted from hostile action.
US Soccer officials barred by FIFA from Belgium World Cup match over apparent protocol violations: report
FIFA issued suspensions to at least two key members of the U.S. Soccer Federation ahead of Monday's World Cup matchup with Belgium, according to multiple reports.
ESPN reported that team manager Sam Zapatka and U.S. Soccer Federation Vice President of Security Frank Pannell were the two staff members barred from the match. The U.S. went on to suffer a 4-1 loss to Belgium, ending its 2026 World Cup run.
The tournament's governing body did not provide a reason for the suspensions.
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ESPN, citing sources, also reported that the suspensions were likely tied to incidents that occurred during Team USA's victory over Bosnia and Herzegovina last week in the Round of 32. The alleged violations involved FIFA match protocols and individuals possibly entering restricted areas. There were no known physical altercations.
USA ADVANCES IN WORLD CUP AFTER CONTROVERSIAL RED CARD VS BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA
After joining the U.S. Soccer Federation in 2015, Zapatka was named team administrative manager in 2020.
While U.S. Soccer did not reveal why the suspensions were imposed, it stressed Tuesday that they were not connected to the appeal process surrounding star striker Folarin Balogun's one-match red-card suspension.
Belgium challenged FIFA's decision to lift Balogun's suspension, but the governing body ultimately stood by its original ruling, allowing Team USA's forward to take the field.
President Donald Trump said Monday that he watched the controversial play and later called FIFA President Gianni Infantino to discuss the red card.
"I spoke with Gianni," Trump told reporters at the White House.
"All I did was, I asked for a review, because I didn’t think it was a foul," the president said. "And again, I’m good at this stuff. I didn’t think it was a foul. I thought it was two great athletes who crashed into each other and got entangled."
With the victory over the U.S., Belgium advanced to the quarterfinals and will face Spain on Friday at Los Angeles Stadium.
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