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Canadian accused of attacking teen over 'Trump' and 'ICE' pants ordered deported: DHS
A Canadian woman accused of attacking a teenager over his "Trump" and "ICE" pants has been ordered to be deported back to the Great White North.
An immigration judge in Texas ordered Kaitlyn Tracey deported to Canada on Tuesday, after she allegedly approached a group of teens on New Jersey's Point Pleasant boardwalk over Fourth of July weekend and struck one of the girls, the Department of Homeland Security said.
A spokesperson for DHS previously told Fox News Digital that Tracey entered the U.S. on an April 2024 visa and stayed past the Sept. 6, 2024 expiry date.
POLICE SAY CANADIAN WOMAN SLAPPED TEEN OVER TRUMP AND ICE CLOTHING BEFORE ICE DETAINED HER
"She overstayed her visa and failed to depart," the spokesperson said.
"She received full due process and was ordered removed on Aug. 4 by an immigration judge to her home country of Canada. ICE will return her home as soon as possible," a spokesperson said on Wednesday.
A probable cause affidavit by law enforcement states that Tracey allegedly slapped the victim across her face and body."
Tracey started yelling at the teen because she was wearing "patriotic colored sweatpants with political wording," police added, stating that the young woman was wearing sweatpants that read "Trump" and "ICE."
Tracey reportedly took issue with the group's "patriotic colored sweatpants with political wording," police said.
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Surveillance footage showed Tracey hitting the teen twice with an open hand, once in the face and once in the body, before fleeing the scene, investigators said.
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The Point Pleasant Beach Police Department previously said officers responded to an assault report after a woman allegedly hit a juvenile.
Tracey was arrested days after the incident and charged with endangering the welfare of a child, simple assault, harassment and obstruction.
"Under President Trump and Secretary Mullin, ICE is targeting the worst of the worst," a DHS spokesperson said. "Nearly 70% of ICE arrests are of illegal aliens charged or convicted of a crime in the U.S. Our message is clear: if you come into our country illegally and break our laws, we will find you, we will arrest you, and we will deport you."
Michigan Gov Whitmer congratulates El-Sayed, expressing support after backing his opponent in Dem primary
Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer on Wednesday expressed her support for state Democratic U.S. Senate primary winner Abdul El-Sayed after backing his opponent, U.S. Rep. Haley Stevens, in the contest.
"Congratulations to Jocelyn Benson, Abdul El-Sayed, and every Democrat who won up and down the ballot in this primary. They’ve got my support as we fight like hell together to win in November," Whitmer wrote in a post on X.
"Together, let’s stop MAGA Republicans so we can get to work and deliver results for the people of Michigan," she added.
El-Sayed edged out Stevens by about 1% in the close contest.
The congresswoman congratulated her opponent and extended her support.
EL-SAYED CAMPAIGN BACKED BY OVER $100,000 FROM DOZENS OF MEMBERS OF GROUP WITH ALLEGED TERROR TIES
"I love Michigan and am so proud to have put up my hand to serve. I spoke with Abdul a few moments ago to offer him my full support as we work to defeat Mike Rogers this November. Thank you, Michigan," Stevens wrote in a post on X.
El-Sayed shared her post and wrote, "Putting your hand up to participate in democracy is no easy thing. Thank you for running, Congresswoman. Looking forward to uniting this fall to beat Mike Rogers. Because what unites us is so much bigger than what divides us."
DEMS' LEFTWARD LURCH GETS LEGS AS EL-SAYED'S MICHIGAN SENATE VICTORY SPARKS PARTY DEBATE
Former U.S. Rep. Mike Rogers, the Republican who lost the 2024 Michigan U.S. Senate race to Democrat Elissa Slotkin, is running for U.S. Senate in the state again this year.
Prince William faces 'work-shy' criticism but is secretly running monarchy like a CEO, expert says
Prince William has been branded "work-shy" for years, but one royal expert says the heir to the British throne is quietly executing a CEO-style strategy designed to secure the monarchy's future.
Dan Wakeford, founder of Celebrity Intelligence, told Fox News Digital that the father of three isn't fazed by critics as he continues to prioritize his family while placing less emphasis on tradition and more on key engagements aimed at strengthening the institution.
"William is extremely good at setting boundaries and not working during the holidays, protecting his kids’ privacy and his wife’s mental health," said Wakeford. "There’s some criticism of that. Some critics snipe at that and think that he’s ‘work-shy’ or a little bit lazy. But I think William is working more like a CEO and being very strategic with his time."
"He studies the monarchy in a way to help make it survive and keeps a boundary around his real life and his relationships so that he doesn’t get burned out, and he can do the best job possible," Wakeford shared. "And the poll numbers show that he’s extremely popular, and he’s doing a good job."
The royal family’s working ranks have grown increasingly slimmed down in recent years. In 2019, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor stepped back from public duties following a disastrous televised interview in which he attempted to explain his friendship with late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. He lost his title of prince and other honors in 2025.
In 2020, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, made their exit as working royals and moved to California. While King Charles has maintained a full schedule, he continues to undergo cancer treatment.
WATCH: PRINCE WILLIAM'S BOUNDARIES ARE STRENGTHENING THE MONARCHY: EXPERT
Catherine Mayer, author of "Divide & Rule," previously told People magazine that the senior royals "are all stretched thin — and none of them are young," adding that "William and Catherine carry the whole thing."
"William is the very antithesis of 'work-shy,'" Christopher Andersen, author of "Kate!" told Fox News Digital.
"The Prince and Princess of Wales want to make a real impact by raising awareness of mental health, cancer research and other causes they're prioritizing," Andersen said.
"Does William want to be the first king to run the monarchy like a CEO? Well, it's been called 'The Firm' for decades, hasn't it? The royal family is worth billions, including extensive prime real estate holdings. To say it should be taken seriously as a business enterprise is a colossal understatement."
William has long faced criticism for taking on fewer engagements than other senior royals, earning the "work-shy" label. Last year, The Sunday Times reported that Princess Anne wanted her nephew to take on more "bread-and-butter" engagements as he prepares for the throne, citing unnamed sources close to the princess. Fox News Digital reached out to Buckingham Palace for comment at the time.
Journalist Emily Andrews previously reported that William once confronted her about an article she wrote titled "Work Shy Wills." According to Andrews, William told her there were "a lot of things we hadn't seen behind the scenes."
"Princess Anne will always do more engagements," British broadcaster and photographer Helena Chard told Fox News Digital. "That’s her job. But William has the monarch’s permission to prioritize his young family. And in 2026, that stability is part of the job.
"Preparing to run the monarchy like a CEO doesn’t mean less work. It means different work. Forget 400 meet-and-greets. We’re getting 10-year projects. We’re talking about big goals, big partnerships and measurable, real outcomes."
"King Charles is like the custodian," Chard continued. "His mission is to preserve and consider a slimmed-down monarchy. Prince William, the strategist, is making the monarchy indispensable for the next 50 years. The traditional charity work is not going anywhere. Charities still need royal visits to raise money and profile. However, there will be more efficient, targeted visits."
Wakeford noted that William's workload cannot be judged solely by the number of public appearances he makes.
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The royal family's website says the Prince of Wales carries out official duties in support of the king while overseeing charitable projects in Britain and abroad. He leads long-term initiatives, including Homewards and the Earthshot Prize. He's also responsible for leading the Duchy of Cornwall.
The Times also reported that William plans to sell about 20% of the Duchy of Cornwall's estate over the next decade to help fund housing, environmental and renewable energy projects.
"A major part of his duty is to raise a future king," British royals expert Hilary Fordwich told Fox News Digital. "His focus on being a good father to Prince George is critically important. Prince William and his family present a strong visual image, which is a significant asset in the age of social media."
"Princess Catherine is by his side, emphasizing family stability. Their appeal lies not so much in the volume of events but in making the monarchy more modern and stable."
Some royal experts have cautioned that if the monarchy becomes too focused on metrics, branding and management, it could risk losing the mystique and tradition that make it unique.
"The question needs to be asked: Does Britain want a royal family run like a business?" royal broadcaster Ian Pelham Turner told Fox News Digital.
"Why should William wish to change the principles of royalty devised over 800 years? The view I come back to constantly is that the royal family should never forget. It is the blood, sweat and tears of the British taxpayers who finance the royal family. Although King Charles understands this, the jury is out on William. The lazy label attached to William in the past may have spurred him into action. But his alleged new style for the future could change many things."
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William's reported plans to modernize the monarchy won't spell the end of royal pomp and pageantry, Andersen argued.
"William and Kate are both keenly aware of how important it is to keep up appearances and centuries-old traditions," he said. "No matter how business-savvy William is as king, or how smoothly the monarchy runs, the public probably won’t see it. What they’ll see, what the royal family wants them to see, is the familiar, magical fairy tale."
Primary showdown: Conservative firebrand Marsha Blackburn eyes governor's office in Tennessee
Conservative firebrand Sen. Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee is aiming to change her work address from Washington D.C. to Nashville.
The former longtime congresswoman and two-term senator with a robust national profile thanks to her regular cable news appearances is the front-runner in Thursday's Republican gubernatorial primary, in the race to succeed term-limited GOP Gov. Bill Lee.
The Republican face-off for governor of Tennessee, where Democrats haven't won a gubernatorial election in two decades, takes top billing as the red-leaning southeastern state holds nominating contests for state and federal offices.
DEMOCRACY ’26: STAY UP TO DATE WITH THE FOX NEWS ELECTION HUB
Blackburn is considered the frontrunner in a race that also includes four-term Rep. John Rose, who like Blackburn is a staunch Capitol Hill supporter of President Donald Trump, and state Rep. Monty Fritts.
Even though the president handed out endorsements in other GOP gubernatorial primaries this cycle, Trump remained neutral in the Tennessee contest.
"Unfortunately, she’s running for governor. She’s running for governor of Tennessee. I’d love her not to, I begged her," Trump said in January. "‘I said, ‘Marsha, don’t. We don’t want to lose you in the Senate.’"
But the president has said Blackburn would be a good governor, and also noted that Rose has been a staunch loyalist.
Even though she didn't land Trump's endorsement, Blackburn has showcased her support for him.
"As President Trump sends power and authority back to the states, I'm ready to deliver for the people of the Volunteer State and make our state America's conservative leader," she wrote on the eve of the primary in a social media post that included a photo of her and Trump.
Five Democrats, including Memphis City Councilwoman Jerri Green, are bidding for their party's gubernatorial nomination.
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Tennessee's other U.S. senator, Republican Bill Hagerty, is unopposed in the GOP primary as he seeks a second six-year term in the Senate.
Five Democrats are vying to challenge Hagerty in the general election. Then-Sen. Al Gore's re-election 36 years ago was the last time a Democrat won a Senate contest in Tennessee.
In U.S. House battles, Memphis voters will cast ballots for their Democratic and Republican nominees using a new GOP-drawn congressional district map that created an extra right-leaning seat and forced longtime Democratic Rep. Steve Cohen to not seek re-election.
Meanwhile, two-term Republican Rep. Andy Ogles, a major Trump ally in the House who is backed by the president, is facing a stiff primary challenge from Tennessee Agriculture Commissioner Charlie Hatcher, who was endorsed earlier this week by Lee. The race has seen a large infusion of money from outside groups.
Madison Brooks’ mom slams attempt to ban pink at trial for slain LSU student: ‘We wear it to honor her’
"It's not about anyone except for Madison," says Ashley Baustert.
She is the mother to the Louisiana State University student Madison Brooks, who was allegedly gang-raped before she was hit by a car and killed after a night out in 2023.
She wants to ensure her daughter's accused attackers are held accountable.
Brooks, 19, was a student at LSU when she was hit by a car and killed after a group of men allegedly raped her, then dumped her out of a vehicle on a Baton Rouge, Louisiana highway in 2023, and drove off.
LSU DEATH: MADISON BROOKS' LAST TEXT TO MOM WHO 'KNEW SOMETHING TERRIBLE HAPPENED'
The driver of the vehicle that hit her stayed on scene and was cleared of charges.
WATCH: LEFT FOR DEAD THE CASE OF MADISON BROOKS A NANCY GRACE INVESTIGATION
"Maddie felt safe that night, she thought these were her friends and I think a lot of selfish choices were made that night and ultimately it led in a horrific ending," Baustert told Fox News Digital on Wednesday.
ICE ARRESTS ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT ACCUSED OF RAPE, MULTIPLE SEX CRIMES AFTER RELEASE FROM MARYLAND JAIL
On top of the unimaginable grief of losing her child, Baustert has been dragged through an ongoing legal marathon in her fight to hold her daughter's alleged attackers accountable.
"It's very challenging," Baustert said. "I have to just keep the course and stay positive and pray that justice will in the end prevail."
Desmond Carter, 21, one of the men accused of raping Brooks, is asking an East Baton Rouge Parish judge to ban spectators from wearing pink in court. His defense claims the color—which supporters wear to honor Brooks—could bias or intimidate the jury.
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Baustert is strongly pushing back against the motion.
"We are not disruptive, we are very peaceful, and it's really just about Maddie's favorite color," Baustert said. "We wear it to honor her. It's not about anyone except for Madison."
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A judge will make a decision on Thursday, Louisiana First News reported.
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"I hope that she disagrees with the defendant's attorney and allows us to peacefully wear pink. I feel that if she agrees with them, I think it's going to cause more of an outrage," Baustert said.
WATCH: Madison Brooks case: Nancy Grace previews exclusive new Fox Nation special, 'Left for Dead'
Brooks was a sophomore at LSU and was pursuing a communications degree when she was killed.
Prior to her enrollment at LSU, she "graduated from Saint Scholastica Academy in 2021, where she was an honor roll student, cheerleader, member of Doves for Life, Spirit Club, and the Fellowship of Christian Athletes," the LSU Foundation says.
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Baustert said, "Nothing will bring Madison back, but we remain committed to honoring her life and ensuring that her voice is never forgotten."
Fox News Digital has reached out to Carter's attorney.
He is scheduled to appear before a judge on Aug. 17.
‘The Shack’ author expects more Christian criticism with sequel, but will take it in stride
Some Christians dismissed author William P. Young’s novel "The Shack" as heresy for its portrayal of the Holy Trinity, and he said he expects more pushback on his sequel.
"The Shack," which was also adapted into a major motion picture in 2017, tells the heartbreaking story of a father, Mack, whose daughter is kidnapped and killed while on a camping trip. In the midst of his grief, Mack discovers a letter in his mailbox from God, who implores him to visit a shack. Once there, he meets a diverse Holy Trinity. Papa is a middle-aged Black woman, Jesus is a Middle Eastern carpenter, and the Holy Spirit is an Asian woman named Sarayu.
Some Christians balked at the unorthodox portrayals, saying Young sorely misrepresented the nature of God. America magazine's David E. Nantais wrote at the time that the book had become "both a fascination and an object of contempt to millions of Christians" because it literally portrayed the Trinity as three persons.
Young's sequel, "Return to the Shack: A Journey into Redemption," is out on bookshelves in October. And he expects Christians to again make some noise because of the subject matter.
"You know, I don't brace for any of it," Young told Fox News Digital. "Yes, it'll probably happen. But yes, if you're going to have something out in public purview, you'll always find people who don't like it. And that's fine with me. I think — and I did get considerable but not overwhelming pushback from my own people — because of my history as a missionary kid, a preacher's kid."
An additional aspect of his new novel that may raise eyebrows is how the child murderer, simply named J, is portrayed. J is now a death row inmate, and Young gives him a more humanized storyline in the sequel, including references to his childhood and abusive father. Young said he decided to go that route because of what he experienced through his own broken relationship with his dad.
In candid interviews since "The Shack" was released, Young has described his father as angry, distant, and strict. His novel helped him repair their relationship and show mercy toward his father.
"He was allowed only to be a failed father," Young told Fox News Digital. "And so I finally released him from my expectations and allowed him to become something greater than a failure to my expectations and greater than being my dad. And that was to finally become a human being. And when that happened, suddenly his story mattered."
Young shared that some of the prisoners in the sequel are modeled after death row inmates he befriended at the Riverbend Maximum Security Institution in Nashville, Tennessee, so he felt compelled to view them through a sympathetic lens, too.
"That's just one of the layers that's going on," Young said. "But I think that death row inmates would be one of the most related to as animals, put into category. Like the guys say, 'We're only known for the worst day of our lives.'"
JD VANCE REVEALS WHAT DREW HIM BACK TO GOD AFTER SEEING CHRISTIANS HAD LIFE ‘FIGURED OUT’
"We're talking about human beings who've come from very diverse backgrounds and situations and trauma being a very centerpiece, abuse being a centerpiece," he added.
Young says, however, that people should not use that as an excuse for the choices they make. He surmised that some of the Christians who took issue with his first book have "a fear-based religion."
"And there is no fear in love, that's a Scripture out of the New Testament," he said. "So any degree of fear, that's in your sense of the transcendent, in your sense of the higher power, your sense of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Any fear indicates that your theology, your religion is seriously flawed. And because people are afraid, they're going to react out of their fear."
Young sympathized with some of the reaction, however. Over the years, he's admitted to marital infidelity and how that impacted his own walk with God.
"If it hadn't been for that kind of monumental failure — when you get caught you have to either run or face it. I think it's by the grace of God that I faced it," Young told Oregon Live in 2015.
"And I get that, because I've been there and done that," he told Fox Digital. "You know, I went through enough crap and did enough harm and had to deal with the consequences of that in my own life, that I know who I am now. And I'm not a book, and I'm not a movie. That's not my identity."
"My identity is outside of that," Young continued. "And so, you know, sometimes I think if people are bothered by something, it means something is in them that needs to be addressed and it becomes an invitation. And I'm excited for that to happen in people's lives. If I can walk on the holy ground of their story a little bit, I'm honored."
Young said he "absolutely" believes in miracles, like Mack receiving a letter from God.
"I absolutely believe something like that could happen," he said. "Like I've said, I've never heard God speak audibly, but I believe that God is in union with every single person who's ever been conceived. And God is not mute, but God is not coercive. And if you want to see what the character and nature of God is like, look at Jesus, read the Gospel, read John or one of the gospels, and you'll see how love lives in this world."
"So I'm one of those who is — I don't like a purpose-driven life — I like a spirit-indwelt, moment-by-moment participatory life," he continued. "And I'm good with that."
Gen Keane questions whether Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Qatar can be trusted in Iran talks
Retired Army Gen. Jack Keane questioned whether Pakistan, Qatar and Saudi Arabia can be trusted to help shape negotiations with Iran, accusing the regional partners of steering President Donald Trump away from military pressure while leaving the United States and Israel to bear the risks of confronting Tehran.
Keane, a Fox News senior strategic analyst and former Army vice chief of staff, said during a Monday appearance on Fox News’ "America’s Newsroom" that Pakistan and Qatar were "compromised" as mediators because, in his view, they favor Iran over the United States.
"It is well known in the Middle East region, by our intelligence services, by all the players, that the Pakistanis and the Qataris are compromised because they favor Iran at the expense of the United States," Keane said. "This is historical. This is not new."
NUCLEAR EXPERTS URGE TRUMP NOT TO LET IRAN STEER TALKS AWAY FROM REGIME'S ATOMIC THREAT
Keane’s criticism contrasts with Trump’s public praise for Islamabad.
Trump said April 26 during a phone interview with Fox News that he had "great respect for Pakistan" because its officials had "been terrific" and "really tried" to advance negotiations with Iran. He added that Pakistan would remain involved in the process.
While speaking to reporters after the G7 summit in France on June 18, Trump also credited Pakistan and Qatar with helping advance the negotiations that produced the U.S.–Iran memorandum of understanding.
White House spokesperson Anna Kelly also defended the administration’s regional partners, telling Fox News Digital that, "President Trump has great relationships with leaders from Pakistan, Qatar and Saudi Arabia, and he appreciates the involvement of all of our regional partners who are assisting with negotiations."
"If Iran cannot agree to a good deal with the United States, the fault will lie squarely with the regime, who will suffer the consequences," Kelly added.
Mediators were preparing a second memorandum focused exclusively on the Strait of Hormuz, Wednesday reports indicated, potentially separating the immediate maritime crisis from the broader dispute over Iran’s nuclear activities.
Keane, a former four-star general, argued that their involvement may have contributed to Washington misunderstanding Iran’s intentions.
"And yet they’re mediators," Keane said. "So their influence here, I think, had played a part in misleading the United States in terms of Iran’s real intentions."
Pakistan and Qatar have played formal roles in the diplomatic process.
A June 22 joint statement from the two countries said they were mediating talks between the United States and Iran under the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding. The framework established working groups on nuclear issues, sanctions, monitoring and dispute resolution, as well as a mechanism intended to prevent incidents involving commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz.
Pakistan declined to comment on Keane’s criticism. The Saudi and Qatari embassies in Washington did not respond by the time of publication.
Raza Rumi, editor-at-large of Pakistan’s The Friday Times, disputed Keane’s characterization, arguing that Islamabad’s working relationship with Tehran does not make it a compromised mediator.
IS THIS TRUMP’S LAST ‘LAST CHANCE’? CEASELESS STRING OF BROKEN CEASEFIRES FUELS DOUBT OVER IRAN DEAL
"Successful mediators are often those that enjoy channels of communication with all sides," Rumi told Fox News Digital, saying Pakistan’s approach is shaped more by geography, security and economic concerns than ideological alignment with Iran.
He noted that Pakistan shares a long border with Iran and wants to prevent further instability, while also maintaining longstanding ties with the United States and close partnerships with Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. Rumi also pointed to the exchange of strikes between Pakistan and Iran in January 2024 as evidence that relations between the neighbors are not uniformly close.
"The suggestion that Pakistan somehow caused Washington to misunderstand Tehran’s intentions is difficult to substantiate," Rumi said. "It would be a considerable stretch to attribute any American misreading of Iran’s intentions to Pakistani mediation."
Keane directed even sharper criticism at Saudi Arabia, saying that Riyadh denied the United States access to Saudi airspace and a U.S. air base during preparations for a possible operation to forcibly reopen the Strait of Hormuz. He also claimed Saudi officials had repeatedly persuaded Trump not to resume major military operations against Iran.
"The fact of the matter is, the Saudis are not willing to sacrifice to rid the Middle East region of Iran’s aggression," Keane said, describing the potential costs as casualties and damage to Saudi oil infrastructure.
"They’re willing for us to make that sacrifice, for sure," he added. "They’re willing for Israel to make that sacrifice, for sure."
His remarks highlighted a broader debate over whether Saudi caution represents an unwillingness to confront Tehran or a strategic effort to prevent an open-ended regional war.
GULF COUNTRIES STRONGLY CONDEMN IRAN'S DRONE ATTACK ON BAHRAIN AS RISING TENSIONS THREATEN MOU
Salman Al-Ansari, a Saudi geopolitical analyst, rejected the suggestion that Riyadh is unwilling to confront Iran, saying the Kingdom distinguishes between credible deterrence and military action without clear objectives.
"Saudi Arabia supports confronting Iranian aggression, but not an open-ended regional war without clear objectives or an endgame," Al-Ansari told Fox News Digital.
"Riyadh favors diplomacy backed by credible deterrence, but any agreement must be enforceable and verifiable, addressing Iran’s nuclear program, its proxies, and freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz," he added.
A Gulf affairs analyst who requested anonymity because of the sensitivity of the issue offered a different assessment, saying Saudi leaders fear that a wider confrontation would expose the Kingdom’s critical infrastructure to Iranian retaliation.
"Saudi Arabia believes it should appease Iran because it is deeply concerned about the consequences of a broader confrontation," the analyst said. "Riyadh fears the damage Iran could inflict on the Kingdom’s infrastructure and has therefore favored restraint and negotiations over a decisive military campaign."
The analyst described a widening divide among Gulf states, arguing that Saudi Arabia and Qatar favor accommodation while the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Kuwait support stronger pressure on Iran.
Richard Goldberg, a senior adviser at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies think tank and former National Security Council official, said during a separate Fox News appearance Wednesday, that Washington continues to depend on Saudi infrastructure even as disagreements persist over military strategy.
"When we talk about the Gulf states, we talk about Saudi Arabia and General Keane’s comments, remember, we also are relying on Saudi Arabia with their overland pipelines to keep us in the game here," Goldberg said. "The fact that they’re at maximum capacity moving through the Red Sea also allows us to continue the strangulation strategy."
TRUMP WARNS IRAN FIGHTING ISN'T OVER AS HE VOWS US WILL 'WIN' AS TALKS FADE
The debate comes as the United States and Iran continue negotiations over the Strait of Hormuz.
Oman, Pakistan, Qatar and Saudi Arabia all have been involved in the diplomatic effort, while reports Wednesday indicated that mediators were working on an interim arrangement that could establish separate shipping routes through Iranian and Omani waters as broader nuclear negotiations continue.
The central question is whether those negotiations can produce an enforceable agreement or merely allow Tehran to preserve its leverage over the waterway.
Keane said he remained doubtful that Iran was prepared to surrender meaningful control.
"They are not going to give up the Strait of Hormuz," he said. "They think it’s a strategic asset."
He predicted Iran would seek to retain some degree of control over the waterway and warned that reaching an agreement on Iran’s nuclear program would be even more difficult.
"My gut feeling here is no," Keane said when asked whether Iran was prepared to reach and implement a substantive agreement. "The president is not going to make a bad deal here."
Senate moves to unshackle America's drivers from California's 'climate zealots'
FIRST ON FOX: Senate Republicans are launching a multi-front effort targeting the legal framework they say allows California to exert outsized influence over vehicle and equipment emissions standards beyond its borders, creating economic and consumer consequences.
Republicans argue California has become the nation's de facto emissions regulator — as manufacturers rarely create separate product lines for the Golden State and instead are inclined to build to California’s standards, creating implicit national requirements.
Sen. Cynthia Lummis, R-Wyo. — a top member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee (EPW) — is leading the effort alongside Sens. Eric Schmitt, R-Mo., Jon Husted, R-Ohio, and Pete Ricketts, R-Neb. They argue EPA waivers granted to California during the Obama and Biden administrations under the Clean Air Act have turned narrow environmental exceptions into de facto climate regulation advancing the state's sweeping climate agenda.
"California's climate zealots have run roughshod over the rest of the country for too long," Lummis told Fox News Digital.
"Under Governor Newsom, Sacramento has decided it can dictate what Wyoming families drive and what equipment our small businesses use. That ends today."
Last year, lawmakers successfully rescinded three Biden-era EPA waivers allowing California to create emissions standards for trucks, cars and buses that they said gave the state outsized regulatory control. Thursday’s package goes a step further by targeting earlier EPA decisions they say laid the legal foundation for those now-rescinded regulations.
Each resolution uses the Congressional Review Act (CRA) to nullify a different EPA waiver. The CRA gives Congress the power to check agencies' executive power.
NEWSOM, WALZ URGE CONGRESS TO BLOCK ANTI-CLIMATE BILL IN THEIR ‘WOKE’ CRUSADE
Because the CRA bars agencies from issuing rules that are "substantially the same" without new authorization from Congress, Republicans argue overturning the waivers would prevent future administrations from simply reinstating them — which targets the legal foundation of such carveouts.
Collectively, the package targets California's authority over gas-powered lawn equipment, passenger vehicle emissions standards, the Advanced Clean Cars program and the original 2009 EPA waiver allowing Sacramento to regulate greenhouse gas emissions from automobiles.
In the 1960s, the Clean Air Act gave California a narrow carve-out to seek EPA waivers for emissions rules that could be stricter than federal standards — but critics say the exemption, originally intended to address severe Los Angeles smog, has been weaponized to force manufacturing changes that reverberate across the country.
Andrew Bray, an executive with the National Association of Landscape Professionals, whose members rely on small off-road engines affected by the waivers, said he supports a responsible transition to lower-emission equipment — but underlined that it must come from "practical innovation" and not government mandates.
TRUMP’S REINDUSTRIALIZATION AGENDA FACES ITS BIGGEST HURDLE — AMERICANS
"This resolution is a critical step in securing the flexibility businesses need while technology continuess to advance," Bray said. Michael Lee of the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America added that the legislative process, not state-specific fiats with "nationwide consequences," is the way to address the situation.
The four lawmakers leading the fight said in a release that California regulators have "abandoned any pretense of addressing local air quality and turned the waiver process into a backdoor for imposing a radical climate agenda on the entire country… without a single vote in Congress."
Lummis' resolution would rescind a 2025 waiver granted just before President Donald Trump took office that she said allowed California to phase out gas-powered small engines such as chainsaws and leaf blowers.
In doing so, manufacturers would no longer be inclined to transition to electric or zero-emission models.
TRUMP'S EPA CHIEF PUSHES BACK ON CLIMATE SKEPTICS BEING LABELED 'SCIENCE DENIERS'
Lummis' resolution targets a 2025 EPA waiver that allowed California to move toward phasing out new gas-powered small engines such as chainsaws, leaf blowers and lawn mowers. Supporters say repealing the waiver would remove regulatory pressure encouraging manufacturers to transition those products toward zero-emission technology.
Husted’s resolution targets a 2022 EPA waiver that restored California’s authority to continue its Advanced Clean Cars program.
"Ohioans shouldn’t be forced to follow California’s lead when it comes to policies that make everyday life more expensive and less convenient," he told Fox News Digital on Thursday.
Ricketts said the situation is proof that the Obama-Biden era of "overregulation and red tape" continues to cost Nebraskans and Americans writ large millions of dollars, citing his state's massive agricultural industry as an example of regulatory reverberations from Sacramento.
EUROPE'S 'GREEN IDEOLOGY' CLIMATE AGENDA RISKS CRUSHING ITS INDUSTRY, ENVIRONMENT MINISTER WARNS
"They used California policies as a backdoor EV mandate and even tried to control how we cut our grass," he said. His CRA resolution targets an Obama-era waiver originally authorizing the clean car program, while Schmitt seeks repeal of a waiver granted just months after President George W. Bush left office that allows California to enforce greenhouse gas emissions standards for new passenger vehicles beginning with the 2009 model year.
Schmitt said the waivers allow Sacramento to "continue to punish" manufacturers around the country and affect consumer choice and costs through their "climate alarmist rules."
Together, Republicans say the four resolutions represent Congress' broadest effort yet to unshackle states and manufacturers from California's emissions framework by targeting not only individual regulations but the EPA decisions they argue made those regulations possible.
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Opponents are expected to counter that the effort would undermine California's longstanding authority under the Clean Air Act to adopt stricter environmental standards.
Fox News Digital reached out to former Presidents Barack Obama and Joe Biden, as well as California Gov. Gavin Newsom, for comment.
EXCLUSIVE: Illegal immigrant's hit-and-run on 'kind' elderly woman triggers ICE action: 'Could hear screaming'
FIRST ON FOX: An illegal immigrant’s alleged hit-and-run that critically injured an elderly woman outside her Miami-Dade home prompted U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to urge local authorities to "cooperate with us and not release this criminal from jail."
Seventy-four-year-old Geraldine Byrd, who neighbors described as "kind" and friendly, is on life support in critical condition after authorities say she was run over by illegal immigrant Tomas Raymundo Brito, according to CBS Miami.
The outlet reported that Brito allegedly struck Byrd twice outside her home early Sunday morning. Byrd had stepped out of her car to open her gate when Brito allegedly struck her vehicle, causing it to spin into Byrd before his truck allegedly struck her again, trapping her underneath the vehicle.
Neighbors were reportedly alerted to the crash by the sound of a loud boom. One neighbor, Kristina Diaz, told NBC 6 South Florida that "we could hear screaming, we could hear everybody yelling, ‘Where is she? Oh, she’s underneath the car. Call 911.’"
MAN CHARGED IN CRASH THAT KILLED MOTHER AND TWO YOUNG SONS HAS ICE DETAINER, PRIOR DWI CONVICTIONS
The same neighbor told the outlet that Byrd "would always send my daughter gifts for her birthday. So, she was a very kind woman." Speaking in Spanish, another neighbor, Flor Ortiz, told CBS Miami that she and Byrd "do not speak the same language, but we always greet each other. She is a good person."
After the incident, Brito allegedly got out of the truck and fled the scene. A family member of Byrd’s reportedly chased him down and found him hiding in a shed. After his arrest, Brito reportedly admitted he was the driver and said he drank five beers before the incident.
Byrd was airlifted to a nearby hospital and remains on life support in critical condition, according to the Department of Homeland Security.
Brito was charged with leaving the scene of a crash causing serious bodily injury and driving without a license.
ICE LODGES DETAINER FOR ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT ACCUSED OF TRYING TO DISARM VIRGINIA POLICE OFFICER
Fox News Digital learned that ICE lodged a detainer with the Miami-Dade Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center the same day Brito was arrested.
Brito entered the U.S. illegally at an unknown date and location, according to DHS. He is a Guatemalan national.
"This criminal illegal alien from Guatemala is charged with hit-and-run after a drunk-driving accident that sent a 74-year-old woman to the hospital in critical condition in Miami-Dade County," Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin said in a statement to Fox News Digital.
"He should have never been allowed in our communities or on our streets," Mullin continued, adding, "ICE is asking officials in Miami-Dade County to cooperate with us and not release this criminal from jail, and to turn him over to ICE custody so we can remove him from our country."
Mullin added that "thanks to the strong leadership of President Donald Trump, ICE is unleashed to go after criminal illegal aliens like this one so that we can make America safe again."
A spokesperson for the Miami-Dade Corrections and Rehabilitation Department confirmed with Fox News Digital that the department had received ICE's request and that Brito is currently in custody.
The spokesperson told Fox News Digital that "Miami-Dade County honors these detainer requests in accordance with the law by holding the individual for the authorized 48-hour period."
The spokesperson said that "if ICE does not take custody of the individual within that timeframe, the individual is released as required by law."
"Miami-Dade County and the Miami-Dade Corrections and Rehabilitation Department comply with all applicable laws regarding immigration detainer requests and do not deny detainer requests submitted by federal authorities," the spokesperson added.
NEW MAINE LAW LIMITS POLICE COOPERATION WITH FEDERAL IMMIGRATION OFFICIALS
Miami-Dade County is not a sanctuary jurisdiction, and Florida law prohibits sanctuary policies. The Miami-Dade Sheriff's Office also participates in ICE's 287(g) program under state law.
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Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava, a Democrat, has previously criticized ICE’s "Alligator Alcatraz" detention center, which closed down this June. Upon the center’s closure, Cava released a statement alleging that "people, including some of our own residents," had been "held there without meaningful due process."
She added that "immigrants helped build Miami-Dade County, and our community has always believed that public safety, the rule of law, and respect for human dignity can go hand in hand."
Rand Paul predicts Fauci contempt vote will pass, vows swift DOJ referral
Senate Republicans are readying immediate ramifications for Dr. Anthony Fauci's refusal to testify last week in the upper chamber, and the leader of the push believes the votes are there to pull it off.
Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., and his Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs are slated to decide whether to hold Fauci in contempt of Congress for declining to answer lawmakers’ questions after being subpoenaed to testify, and, instead, invoking the Fifth Amendment on Thursday morning.
"I think there is a very good chance that we will win the vote," Paul told Fox News Digital.
RAND PAUL SEEKS CONTEMPT CHARGES AFTER FAUCI INVOKES FIFTH AMENDMENT MORE THAN 100 TIMES
And if successful, Paul wants to get the Department of Justice (DOJ) involved swiftly.
"The next step will be when we send the referral over directly to the Department of Justice," he said.
Paul unveiled the contempt resolution on Tuesday, which stipulated that once reported from committee, it would be sent to the U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia.
The Kentucky Republican has spent years challenging Fauci, who previously served as the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) director and played a major role in the country’s policy and messaging on COVID-19 during the pandemic.
WATCH: RAND PAUL SAYS THERE'S ONE THING AMERICANS HAVE NEVER HEARD FROM FAUCI
He’s charged that Fauci should be thrown in prison and sought to compel him to admit that the virus sprang from a lab leak in Wuhan, China, in connection to risky research allegedly funded under his direction.
Last week’s hearing was meant to be the ultimate battle between the two and the pinnacle of Paul’s yearslong crusade against Fauci. But that didn’t happen when Fauci, under advice from his lawyers, pleaded the Fifth Amendment well over 100 times during the hearing.
"Although it pains me to do so because of the respect I have for the legislative branch of government, and my decades-long record of cooperating with Congress under the advice of my attorneys, I will invoke my right under the Fifth Amendment of the Constitution to refrain from answering your questions," Fauci said.
TOP 5 MOMENTS FROM FAUCI'S HEARING: PAUL BOOTS LAWYER, MORENO ERUPTS AS CONTEMPT VOTE LOOMS
Those became the last words that the former chief medical advisor to the president uttered in the hearing beyond invoking his constitutional rights.
That prompted Paul to tee up a vote on contempt charges against him in a bid to compel Fauci to speak. The lawmaker also cast doubt on whether Fauci’s invocation of the Fifth Amendment comported with his sweeping pardon from former President Joe Biden on his way out of office.
Biden granted Fauci a full and unconditional pardon for all actions taken between Jan. 1, 2014, and Jan. 19, 2025.
"I think there's another legal question that the courts may have to decide upon, and that is whether or not a presidential pardon offers you complete immunity," Paul said as the hearing closed.
When asked to expand on the legal question looming over Fauci’s pardon, Paul declined. "It’s a good legal discussion, and we will make those legal points to DOJ in sending the referral over," Paul said.