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Joe Lieberman, the founding chair of No Labels, on Sunday tried to ease doubts that the third-party group was going to act as a spoiler in the 2024 presidential race, saying it will only launch a bipartisan, third-party presidential ticket if there is a realistic chance of winning. Lieberman, a former U.S. senator from Connecticut, appeared on "Fox News Sunday" to discuss how the centrist group is challenging the political status quo of the two-party system and offering Americans an alternative to the likely rematch between President Biden and former President Donald Trump. "The American people are telling us on polling we’re doing and discussions we’re having that they’ve lost confidence in the two major parties, and by large numbers they don’t want to have to choose again between President Trump and President Biden," said Lieberman. The American people want a "third choice," according to Lieberman, because the two parties, along with Biden and Trump, "are not giving them hope" that the government will do something about important issues such as crime, the economy, Ukraine and China. THE SPEAKER'S LOBBY: ELECTION STRATEGY IF 2024 IS A TRUMP VS. BIDEN REMATCH But Lieberman, who has turned Independent since he was the Democratic Party’s nominee for vice president in the 2000 presidential election, said the group will only launch a third-party bipartisan ballot "if we think it has a realistic chance to win." "We’re not going to be a spoiler," Lieberman said. CORNEL WEST ROASTS DEMS AS ‘SPOILER’ POLLS ROIL THE LEFT: NEITHER PARTY HOLDS ‘OWNERSHIP’ OF THE VOTERS Democratic groups, however, have voiced fear that a potential third-party campaign will take Independent voters away from Biden and spoil the election in favor of Trump. "If we run it's going to be a bipartisan ticket, so not only will we have concluded that it really can win, but because it's bipartisan we’re confident it’s going to take equally from both parties so the idea that we’re going to spoil it and re-elect President Trump just isn’t realistic," Lieberman said. The former senator said No Labels already has a bipartisan nominating convention scheduled for April 2024 in Dallas, Texas.

The following is a transcript of an interview with Reps. Nancy Mace, Republican of South Carolina, and Ro Khanna, Democrat of California, that aired on "Face the Nation" on August 27, 2023.

The Osprey aircraft, which was conducting a training exercise, was carrying 23 personnel, the U.S. Marines said.

Polls show Donald Trump leading Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, his nearest rival for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, by about 40 points. You might think this would cause the former president's GOP rivals to attack him in an attempt to eat into that support, which stands at north of 50% of the primary vote.

An Air Force program shows how the Pentagon is starting to embrace the potential of a rapidly emerging technology, with far-reaching implications for war-fighting tactics, military culture and the defense industry.

The Air Force’s pilotless XQ-58A Valkyrie experimental aircraft is run by artificial intelligence.

Vivek Ramaswamy invoked Ronald Reagan’s “morning in America” theme to mock a generation of Republicans he views as out of touch.

Former Vice President Mike Pence and Vivek Ramaswamy scuffled on the debate stage on Wednesday over diverging ideas about the current state of the country.

A coalition of unions and civic groups is pushing one of the world’s largest automakers to protect and train workers in return for federal money under President Biden’s signature laws.

Chung Eui-sun, left, executive chairman of Hyundai Motor Group; Gov. Brian Kemp of Georgia, center; and José Muñoz, president and chief operating officer of Hyundai at the official groundbreaking for Hyundai’s plant in Ellabell, Ga., in 2022.

Republican candidate brands himself as an ‘outsider’ but has close links to prominent figures Leonard Leo and Peter Thiel Vivek Ramaswamy has described himself as an “outsider”, accusing rivals for the Republican presidential nomination of being “bought and paid for” by donors and special interests. But the 38-year-old Ohio-based venture capitalist, whose sharp-elbowed and angry display stood out in the first Republican debate this week, has his own close ties to influential figures from both sides of the political aisle. Continue reading...

It makes for entertaining TV, but the attention afforded the former president makes a mockery of America and its justice system It would be a relief not to see or hear anything more from Donald Trump for a while. Unfortunately, that is unlikely. When he was finally brought to book last week at Fulton County Jail, Georgia, on multiple charges of racketeering and conspiracy, the former president should have been refused bail. That might have shut him up for a while. But showing an undeserved leniency characteristic of the legal proceedings against him to date, prosecutors allowed inmate P01135809 to walk away with a $200,000 bond – despite his recent, blatant attempts to intimidate witnesses and judges. It’s far from clear, in any case, that the American people want Trump to be silenced or an end to the gripping, often surreal, dark-sided reality show in which he stars. With typical chutzpah, Trump timed his surrender at the jail to maximise live cable news coverage. The result was nationwide publicity for his bogus claim to be the victim of a vendetta by President Biden, the Democrats and the “deep state”. Turning the tables with customary brazenness, he said they were guilty of 2024 election interference – exactly what he himself stands accused of after 2020. Continue reading...

The campaign for President in 2024 won’t all play out in New Hampshire diners and corn fields in Iowa. That’s to say nothing of steel towns in Pennsylvania and dairy farms in Wisconsin. Let’s presume that President Biden and former President Trump face each other in a 2020 rematch. The battle for the presidency may emerge in two forms. For Democrats who oppose former President Trump: various courtrooms in New York, Miami, Washington, DC and Atlanta. For Republicans who disapprove of President Biden, the venues are closed-door depositions, committee hearings and maybe even articles of impeachment on the House floor. Democrats think they have the goods on former President Trump on a variety of charges in court – ranging from allegedly stealing secret documents to potentially trying to steal the election.  THE HITCHHIKER’S GUIDE TO WHERE WE STAND WITH IMPEACHMENT Republicans think they have the goods on President Biden as they probe Hunter Biden, Biden family businesses and potential links to Mr. Biden himself. It’s unclear if either of these strategies - or hopes of each side – pays dividends with the electorate. But it’s something which party loyalists on both sides watch closely. And Republicans and Democrats alike are agog that the other side isn’t as outraged at the purported transgressions as they are. Much has been written about the legal woes facing former President Trump and what it means for the 2024 campaign. Let’s explore the Biden family investigations and consequences for next year. Most Congressional Republicans are determined to link President Biden to some of the legal issues surrounding the president’s son. The torpedoed plea deal for Hunter Biden coupled with testimony from IRS whistleblowers, a closed-door transcript by former Hunter Biden business associate Devon Archer and empaneling of Delaware U.S. Attorney David Weiss fuels the outrage. Most Republicans demanded a special counsel to investigate Hunter Biden. But they were aghast when Attorney General Merrick Garland appointed Weiss – architect of the now nullified plea agreement. Weiss offered House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, a series of four dates to testify about his inquiry of Hunter Biden and the plea arrangement this fall. But it’s now far from clear if Weiss will ever appear after becoming special counsel. Most special counsels speak to Congress after their inquiries are complete. As special counsel, Weiss has complete authority to decide whether to testify to Congress. Democrats continue to stand by Weiss. They applaud his independence and argue they have no reservations with his ability to serve. They also remind people that former President Trump nominated Weiss for his post as Senate-confirmed U.S. Attorney for Delaware. "It’s just the judicial process taking place," said Rep. Ami Bera, D-Calif., on Fox. However, Bera conceded that such allegations and an inquiry wasn’t good for the country. "Let the legal process take place if there was wrongdoing," said Bera. But Congressional Republicans won’t do that. They see an opportunity to go for the jugular with President Biden. And if nothing else, their anti-Biden Republican base compels them to move in that direction. AUGUST IS OFTEN THE STRANGEST MONTH IN POLITICS, AND THIS YEAR IS NO DIFFERENT "They’ve made it an industry as a family of monetizing access to high people in government," said Rep. Nick Langworthy, R-N.Y. "The evidence just continues to pile up. But it’s a web of lies and deceit as the President continues to deny this involvement." So what shall we look for? There’s always the possibility of Weiss’s testimony – although unlikely. House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., wants Archer to testify in public soon. There’s also the possibility that Weiss’s investigation doesn’t take that long since he already probed Hunter Biden. That said, some Republicans believe the creation of a special counsel - be it Weiss or someone else - could serve as a way to stymie Congress from investigating further. And Jordan and Comer would like to hear from Garland to explain what went into the decision to appoint Weiss – especially if Weiss won’t appear. That brings us to the push by some Republicans to begin an impeachment inquiry. On FOX Business recently, Comer said he intended to subpoena the Biden family. That may be problematic amid Weiss’s inquest. But a House vote to launch a formal impeachment inquiry – and thus call witnesses like the Bidens – could give the House more even footing. To wit: Republicans want to know more about the cryptic firms tied to the Biden family. There are more than 20 shell firms associated with the Bidens. The cryptic names sometimes echo one another. Rosemont Seneca Partners. Rosemont Seneca Bohai. Rosemont Seneca Thornton. Fox asked forensic accountant Bruce Dubinsky to review the Biden family bank records released by the House Oversight panel. Dubinsky initially focused on the sheer number of shell firms in which the Bidens were involved. "A shell company is just that. Just a shell. It doesn’t have typically an operating business," said Dubinsky. "They’re used in nefarious ways to either launder money or hide a transaction." In other words, the mere existence of these firms presents a red flag. "$20 million flows through these accounts, these fake businesses," alleged Rep. Tim Burchett, R-Tenn., on Fox. Republicans have focused in particular on Yelena Baturina, one of the wealthiest women in Russia. Records from the Oversight panel show Baturina wired Rosemont Seneca Thornton $3.5 million in 2014. $2.5 million of that then appears to have gone to Rosemont Seneca Bohai. Baturina then dined with Mr. Biden in Washington when he was vice president in 2014. "You see $3.5 million moving, coming inbound from Russia. And then it moves in two transactions to Devon Archer and one of Hunter Biden’s companies. That dollar for dollar - that is the signature of a problem," said Dubinsky. It’s also unclear whether these firms provided a good or service. Republicans believe the linchpin is to demonstrate the commodity was access to the President when he served as Vice President. Of course, drawing a straight line between all of this and alleged corruption by President Biden is hard to do – even if it’s true. But from a political standpoint, it doesn’t necessarily have to be true or go back to the president to inflict damage.  CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Republicans know this encourages their base and makes good on various political promises. Moreover, this is not necessarily a winning political strategy heading into 2024 for the GOP. It’s far from clear if the public is buying into the Republican arguments. And regardless, the ultra high-profile legal travails of former President Trump could overshadow anything House Republicans do in their investigation of the current president.

The Trump 2024 presidential campaign confirmed to Fox News on Saturday that they have pulled in nearly $20 million in fundraising over the last three weeks, which coincides with the federal indictment in Washington, D.C. and mugshot from Atlanta seen around the world. Former President Trump’s camp said of the almost $20 million, $7.1 million was collected after his mugshot was taken in Atlanta on Thursday evening. Trump’s team said they raked in $4.18 million on Friday, which was the highest grossing day of the entire campaign. DONALD TRUMP MAKES FIRST POST ON X IN OVER TWO YEARS AFTER BEING BOOKED INTO JAIL The campaign added that they expect to cross the $20 million mark in fundraising in a few days. "Organic money has skyrocketed, especially after President Trump tweeted out the picture along with the website," the campaign told Fox News. The spike in fundraising also appears to be fueled, in part, by merchandise they have been selling through their online store. CONSERVATIVES UNLOAD AFTER TRUMP BOOKED INTO GEORGIA JAIL IN 4TH INDICTMENT: ‘SICKENING’ Once Trump was taken into custody, the campaign started selling shirts, posters, bumper stickers and beverage coolers, all with Trump’s mugshot. The items also include the tagline, "NEVER SURRENDER!" Politico first reported the Trump fundraising news on Saturday evening, which was confirmed by his campaign team to Fox News.

Texas has sent a 10th bus with migrants to Los Angeles on Saturday, days after its mayor harshly criticized the southern state for sending migrants. According to FOX Los Angeles, the bus had a total of 39 migrants, which included 12 families and 21 children. The 10th bus was sent five days after the previous bus, according to the outlet. Los Angeles Governor Karen Bass criticized Texas Governor Greg Abbott when the ninth bus was sent when Tropical Storm Hillary was impacting the city, saying "LA has not extended an invitation asking for people to come. This is a political act." The Los Angeles City Council voted in June to make the city a sanctuary city for immigrants. LOS ANGELES MAYOR ACCUSES ABBOTT OF BUSSING MIGRANTS FROM TEXAS TO CALIFORNIA DURING TROPICAL STORM HILARY On Tuesday, Bass again condemned Abbott for sending the buses. "This evening, Los Angeles received another bus from Texas. That means that while we were urging Angelenos to stay safe, the Governor of Texas was sending a bus with families and toddlers straight towards us KNOWING they’d have to drive right into an unprecedented storm," Bass tweeted on X. "Evil." Abbott's press secretary, Andrew Mahaleris, previously told Fox News Digital the migrants all signed a voluntary consent waiver before boarding. LA MAYOR SAYS CITY REACHING OUT TO CITY'S HOMELESS POPULATION IN RIVERBED AREAS AHEAD OF HILARY "Bus drivers receive updated weather conditions along their routes and for their destination ahead of and while en route to the sanctuary cities," Mahaleris said. "Yesterday's bus rerouted out of an abundance of caution and took a cautious path to Los Angeles to keep all on board safe. Migrants willingly chose to go to Los Angeles, having signed a voluntary consent waiver available in multiple languages upon boarding that they agreed on the destination. And they were processed and released by the federal government, who are dumping them at historic levels in Texas border towns because of the Biden-made crisis."  "Each bus is stocked with food and water and makes stops along the trip to refuel and switch drivers," Mahaleris continued. "Migrants are allowed to purchase any needed provisions or disembark at any of these stops. Instead of complaining about Texas providing much-needed relief to our overrun and overwhelmed border communities, Mayor Bass needs to call on President Biden to step up and do his job to secure the border—something he continues failing to do." To date, Texas has bused over 30,000 migrants to Democratic-led cities across the United States.

The Florida governor was reluctant to attack the former president too directly as he navigated the tricky waters of the Republican primary.

Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida took questions at a machine shop in Estherville, Iowa, on Friday. Ethan Masters, left, in a gray T-shirt and shorts, asked him a probing question.

Rep. Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.) on Saturday hit back at Vivek Ramaswamy for labeling her part of “the modern KKK,” calling the Republican presidential candidate's comment "backwards and harmful."

“We typically don’t engage in these bad-faith attacks but yesterday a line was crossed. A GOP candidate referred to Ayanna as ‘a modern grand wizard of the KKK’ because she speaks out against racial injustice,” Pressley’s team said in a fundraising pitch. “This is backwards and harmful, but that is the point.”

A progressive elected to the House in 2018, Pressley was the first woman of color elected to the Boston City Council and is the first Black woman to represent the state in Congress.

"There is nothing more racist than to assume the color of someone’s skin dictates something about the content of their viewpoints, which is what Ayanna Pressley peddles to Americans," Ramaswamy's campaign spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin told POLITICO in a statement. "What’s really stunning, is that now she is trying to make money off of it."

Ramaswamy's comment came during a campaign stop in Iowa on Friday, as he tacked on to his argument that progressives exhibit racism when they criticize people of color for not appropriately supporting racial equity.

When he was asked if critics would blame him for supporting white supremacy, he responded by quoting a previous comment of Pressley’s that she did not want any more Black individuals who did not want to be a Black voice, according to NBC News. He then critically quoted author Ibram X. Kendi’s book “How to Be an Anti-Racist,” which conservatives have frequently criticized as pushing critical race theory.

“These are the words of the modern grand wizards of the modern KKK,” Ramaswamy said, according to NBC.

Lisa Kashinsky contributed to this report.

A progressive elected to the House in 2018, Pressley was the first woman of color elected to the Boston City Council and is the first Black woman to represent the state in Congress.

The Biden administration on Friday rolled out new guidance to provide expanded access to voter registration during naturalization ceremonies of new U.S. citizens – part of a broader push by the federal government to increase voter registration that has raised concerns from Republicans. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that it is updating its policy manual "to increase awareness and expand access to voter registration during naturalization ceremonies" at which eligible foreign nationals become U.S. citizens and are then able to vote in elections, including federal elections.  The new guidance "affirms that USCIS provides access to voter registration services at each administrative naturalization ceremony, including information regarding points-of-contact for voting and voter registration." It also tells officials that offices should request state or local government election offices attend ceremonies to distribute and collect registration applications. It says offices will coordinate with "non-partisan, non-governmental organizations" for such services when state and local government officials are not available. DHS ANNOUNCES $77 MILLION MORE IN FUNDING TO NGOS, COMMUNITIES HIT BY MIGRANT SURGE Those organizations offering the services should have "the opportunity to introduce themselves and address the naturalization candidates before the ceremony."  "The ability to vote in federal elections is a fundamental right that comes with U.S. citizenship," the agency, which primarily deals with legal immigration, said in a policy alert. "All individuals naturalized at an administrative naturalization ceremony are immediately eligible to register to vote." "In furtherance of its long-standing goal of encouraging newly naturalized U.S. citizens to exercise their right to vote, USCIS has historically provided access to voter registration services at the conclusion of administrative ceremonies." BIDEN CAMPAIGN CO-CHAIR DECLARES PRESIDENT DEMOCRATIC NOMINEE BEFORE SINGLE VOTE CAST The new guidance originates from President Biden’s March 2021 executive order on "promoting access to voting" and orders agency heads to "evaluate ways in which the agency can, as appropriate and consistent with applicable law, promote voter registration and voter participation."  Earlier this year it announced that in line with that order, USCIS would issue guidance, "including providing a clear roadmap for how to successfully partner with state and local election administration officials and nonpartisan organizations to provide voter registration applications to all new Americans." The broader multi-agency push launched by the executive order has caused controversy with some Republicans in Congress, who have expressed concern about federal overreach and have called for more information to be released by the administration. Republicans in the House had called for the strategic plan to be made public and argued that Biden "has no legal basis to order all federal agencies to engage in voter registration, nor does he have the authority to order any federal agency to engage in efforts to promote voter participation." Former Deputy DHS Assistant Secretary Michael Bars, who served in the Trump administration, told Fox News Digital that conservative lawmakers in the House should deny funding for what he called an "unlawful executive order directing federal agencies to conduct registration drives for partisan voter turnout, whereby political appointees are ostensibly deputized to register and mobilize voters."  "This is a function of political parties and candidates – not state, local or federal government," said Bars, who now serves as executive director of the Election Transparency Initiative. Election reform has previously been a flashpoint between Republicans and Democrats. Democrats in 2021 attempted to pass the For the People Act, which would have overhauled the voting process, including requiring states to automatically register voters, and restored voting right to felons.  Republicans rejected it as a "hostile takeover" by Democrats to federalize state and local elections. The bill passed the then-Democrat controlled House but failed to advance in the Senate.

Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., on Friday pushed back against some left-wing critics of singer Oliver Anthony's viral sensation "Rich Men North of Richmond."  In a Substack post, Murphy observed that conservatives have celebrated Anthony as a working-class hero while many progressives have mocked him as another "right-wing zealot." The senator remarked that both sides have politicized Anthony and his music, with the "political establishment" treating him as either "with us" or "against us."  "I saw it somewhat differently, and I think so did many people outside of the political establishment," wrote Murphy, a progressive Democrat. "For instance, probe the positive replies on social media to the song, and you won’t just find rural white conservatives, but urban young black men too. Anthony’s lyrics don’t add much color to what he considers this "new world" to be, but the viral reaction to the song suggests most people have a pretty good idea what he’s referencing." Anthony's song is a lament for the working class he characterizes as kicked around too long. He sings in "Rich Men" about working "overtime hours for bulls--- pay," high taxation, substance abuse, the suicide epidemic and other social ills.  OLIVER ANTHONY LAUGHS AT SONG'S DEBATE MOMENT, HITS CONSERVATIVES FOR SAYING HE'S ONE O FTHEM: ‘AGGRAVATING’ "There is a growing spiritual emptiness in American life, in which profit matters more than character, virtual connection has replaced real connection, everything not nailed down has been turned into a commodity, and the personal meaning that comes from true economic agency has been stolen from millions of families," Murphy wrote.  But while Murphy identified several themes of Anthony's song he agreed with, the Democratic lawmaker said he was frustrated by how Anthony "carelessly and incorrectly labels boilerplate conservative complaints, like food stamps and taxes, as the culprits for his economic and spiritual malaise." "And it is likely that some of those cheering Anthony's critique are angry at a "new world" where women and immigrants have more power," he added. "But the truth is, if Anthony and his friends are having trouble making ends meet, that’s because political and economic elites have deliberately created an economy that is rigged to incentivize low wages and high shareholder returns – not because some other poor people are getting nutritional assistance for themselves or their children." Murphy goes on to blame "neoliberal economic policies" for creating a life that feels "empty and devoid of meaning," while defending "gender equality" and "continued immigration"as positive goods that are "nothing to fear." And he urges Democrats not to mock Anthony but rather to consider how they might reach the "white, conservative working-class men" who resonate with his song.  COUNTRY SINGER SAYS OLIVER ANTHONY'S HIT SONG GOES BACK TO ‘ROOTS’ OF THE GENRE: ‘JUST SPEAKS A LOT OF TRUTH’ "The question then becomes: should Anthony’s misplaced blame be a reason to ridicule and dismiss him and his song’s enthusiasts outright, a route eagerly taken by many of his critics?" Murphy asks of the left. "Why not instead view the reaction to his song as an opportunity to engage with his followers on the song’s critique of modern life and force a real conversation about whether it is the politics of the right or the left that are the best antidote to the social ills that Anthony laments (and through his own scapegoating, exposes)? Why not see the reaction to his song as a chance not to simply deepen the existing trenches between right and left, but instead engage in a conversion exercise in order to grow our coalition?" Anthony, speaking for himself in an emotional video on Friday, rejected Republicans and conservative media who have tried to "act like we're buddies" and criticized the left for mischaracterizing his message. "The one thing that has bothered me is seeing people wrap politics up into this," he said in the 10-minute video. "It's aggravating seeing people on conservative news try to identify with me like I'm one of them. It's aggravating seeing certain musicians and politicians act like we're buddies and act like we're fighting the same struggle here, like that we're trying to present the same message."  He said it was funny that his song was featured at Wednesday night's Republican presidential debate on Fox News when moderator Martha MacCallum asked Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis why "Rich Men" was resonating so strongly with people.  DESANTIS' RESPONSE TO VIRAL ‘RICH MEN’ SONG QUESTION GETS LOUD REACTION FROM CROWD "It was funny seeing my song in the presidential debate, because I wrote that song about those people, so for them to have to sit there and listen to that, that cracks me up," he said, laughing. "It was funny kind of seeing the response to it, like that song has nothing to do with Joe Biden, you know? It's a lot bigger than Joe Biden. That song is written about the people on that stage and a lot more too, not just them." Anthony said the left had also mischaracterized some of his lyrics as an attack on the poor, pointing to some of his other music that showed he defends those in poverty. Some liberal sites took exception to his line about welfare and paying for overweight people's "fudge rounds," interpreting it as punching down. ABC News said that critics heard "racially tinged dog whistles" in parts of the song. "It references the inefficiencies of the government because of the politicians within it that are engulfed in bribes and extortion," Anthony said. "If we can fuel a proxy war in a foreign land, but we can't take care of our own, that's all the song's trying to say." "This isn't a Republican and Democrat thing," he added. "This isn't even a United States thing. This has been a global response, and don't let anybody tell you otherwise. It's my belief that divine intervention has put me in this position and this point in time to get a message across, and that's all there is to it. I'm nobody special." Fox News' David Rutz contributed to this report.

Republican candidate and biotech entrepreneur names Twitter CEO when asked about potential advisers should he win election The Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy has said that he wants Elon Musk as an adviser if he becomes president. The billionaire biotech entrepreneur was in Newton, Iowa, campaigning at a town hall on Friday when he was asked about whom he would want as advisers for his potential presidency. Continue reading...

Never Back Down, the super PAC backing Ron DeSantis' presidential campaign, made major additions to its advertising reservations Friday, spending more than $12 million booking airtime in the fall, mostly in Iowa.

The U.S. Department of Justice is weighing potential charges against Sen. Bob Menendez, D-N.J., following a yearslong federal criminal probe into his dealings with foreign regulators, according to a new report. Detailed by people familiar with the matter, prosecutors are likely to meet with the senator's lawyers in the coming weeks ahead of a final decision, the Wall Street Journal reported. Menendez, who serves as chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, a position he held from 2013 to 2015 and again has been in since 2021, has been under investigation by the U.S. attorney's office for the Southern District of New York. The probe, which involves several federal organizations, investigated lavish gifts Menendez's wife, Nadine Arslanian, allegedly received from a New Jersey food producer that obtained an exclusive contract with the Egyptian government to certify halal food exports across the globe. DEMOCRAT SEN. BOB MENENDEZ SETS UP DEFENSE FUND AMID CRIMINAL PROBE INTO GIFTS TO HIS WIFE: REPORT Egyptian officials and the New Jersey businessman who secured the contract were hosted by Menendez in his office in 2018, according to the Journal. A year later, the businessman became the "sole certifier of halal meat exported from the U.S. to Egypt," the outlet noted. "Details about any potential criminal charges couldn’t be learned. It also couldn’t be determined whether other individuals under scrutiny, including Arslanian, are in jeopardy of being prosecuted," the outlet added. The inquiry considered whether Menendez may have improperly used his position on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee to influence the deal. The committee controls roughly $2 billion in U.S. aid to Egypt, according to an NBC report earlier this year. In a statement to the Journal, a Menendez spokeswoman said, "As stated previously, the senator remains confident this matter will be successfully resolved." Federal investigators opened the probe into Menendez last October and gave no indication of how long it was expected to continue. The Journal noted that the current probe dates back to at least 2019, when the New Jersey home of Wael Hana, an associate of Menendez's wife who worked to establish the halal business that won the contract with Egypt, was searched by federal investigators. SEN. BOB MENENDEZ 'AWARE' OF ONGOING FEDERAL INVESTIGATION "Any allegations about cars, apartments, cash, and jewelry being provided by anyone associated with ISEG Halal to Senator Menendez or his wife at all, let alone in exchange for any kind of favorable treatment, are totally without basis," a spokeswoman for Hana said in a previous statement. During an April appearance on CNN, Menendez insisted the investigation wouldn't amount to anything. "If anyone looks at my history on Egypt, they would know that by both denying aid to Egypt, denying arms sales to Egypt, criticizing its human-rights record, I am not in a position to be helpful to anyone as it relates to Egypt," he said in relation to the contract between the two parties. In April, Menendez established a legal defense fund to help pay for tens of thousands of dollars in legal fees relating to the federal criminal probe. If charged, Menendez, a former member of the House who has served in the Senate since 2006, could continue to serve in the upper chamber. He is up for re-election in 2024. Menendez was previously indicted on federal bribery charges in 2016. That case related to a wealthy Florida eye doctor and longtime friend who gave generous donations to Menedez and allegedly received benefits in return. CLICK TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP The Department of Justice dropped those charges in 2018, however, and the new probe was unrelated to that case. Fox News Digital reached out to Menendez's office for additional comment, but they did not immediately respond. Fox News' Anders Hagstrom contributed to this report.

A codefendant in the Georgia election fraud case facing former President Donald Trump is being held without bail.  Black Voices for Trump leader Harrison Floyd is being held at Fulton County Jail in Atlanta, Georgia, after turning himself in on Thursday.  "I do find that based on the open charge against you there are grounds for bond to be denied at this point," Judge Emily Richardson said.  BIDEN CALLS TRUMP A 'HANDSOME GUY' AFTER HE SAW FORMER PRESIDENT'S MUGSHOT ON TV She continued, "So I’m going to go ahead and find that you are at risk to commit additional felonies and a potential risk to flee the jurisdiction." Richardson made the decision on the grounds that Floyd was deemed a flight risk.  Floyd is facing charges of influencing witnesses, conspiracy to commit solicitation of false statements and writings and violating the Georgia RICO Act.  TRUMP SAYS TAKING MUGSHOT WAS ‘NOT A COMFORTABLE FEELING, ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU’VE DONE NOTHING WRONG'  Among the 19 co-defendants, Floyd is the only individual not to strike a bond agreement ahead of surrendering to authorities.  He represented himself in court, saying that legal counsel was too expensive. Trump turned himself on Thursday night after being charged with 13 counts stemming from the state probe into his alleged efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election in the state. The court had set Trump’s bail at $200,000. He was quickly processed and released. Trump told Fox News Digital that officials had insisted on the picture, which assumed iconic status almost immediately among his detractors and supporters. He added: "It is not a comfortable feeling — especially when you’ve done nothing wrong."

For months, Evangelina Hernandez watched helplessly as her autistic twin sons regressed -- their screaming, biting and scratching worsening. The Wichita, Kansas, resident couldn't afford the $3,000 monthly tab for their 10 prescriptions or their doctor visits without Medicaid.

"The First Amendment allows us to say a lot of deplorable and dangerous things," says Vanderbilt Law Professor Francesca Procaccini. "But it does not allow us to obstruct the fair, safe, effective administration of justice. If [Trump] crosses the line from insult to intimidation, then we have a problem."

MILWAUKEE—Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley says she understands what "real national security is" – something she says makes her the most prepared to take on the Oval Office and strengthen America’s standing on the world stage. Haley, who served as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations during the Trump administration, told Fox News Digital that she knows the "dangers" of the "new axis of evil." NIKKI HALEY DECLARES 'BIOLOGICAL MALES DON'T BELONG' IN GIRLS' LOCKER ROOMS DURING PRIMARY DEBATE "At the United Nations, I didn’t deal with one country – I dealt with 193," she said. "I’ve sat across the table and negotiated with China and Russia. I know the dangers of Iran and North Korea." Haley told Fox News Digital that, if elected president, she will bring a foreign policy with "moral clarity on who our friends are and who our enemies are." "We need to know the difference between good and evil," she said. "And that doesn’t mean you allow Ukraine to get eaten up by Russia. It doesn’t mean you give Taiwan to China. It doesn’t mean that you stop funding Israel." She added: "It means that you have an American president that understands you can’t be narcissistic and think you’re going to survive on your own."  Haley stressed the importance of relationships with U.S. allies. NIKKI HALEY MAKES CASE FOR WHY SHE THINKS TRUMP CAN'T WIN 2024 ELECTION "In order to have allies, we’ve got to make sure we’re taking on those enemies so that we can keep Americans safe," Haley said, while stressing she has already fostered those relationships. "The greatest threat facing the United States, number one, is China," she said. "But let’s understand there is a new axis of evil. It is Russia, it is Iran, and it is North Korea." "They want to destroy America. They want to destroy our friends," she said. "We need to be smart, we need to be strategic, and we need to understand what real national security is."  With regard to China’s ambitions to take Taiwan, Haley told Fox News Digital that her "biggest fear" is "the time we have to wait until the next president takes office."  "But until that time, America has never looked as weak as we do right now," she said. "Joe Biden has been trying to appease Putin, he has been trying to appease Xi Jinping – we are watching that and that is why China thinks they can invade Taiwan." Haley said that point is "why it is so important that Ukraine win this because if Ukraine wins, it will send the biggest message to China on invading Taiwan."  HALEY CALLS FOR 'CONSENSUS' ON ISSUE OF ABORTION, AS PENCE SAYS THAT IS 'THE OPPOSITE OF LEADERSHIP' Current and former officials familiar with U.S. and allied intelligence tell Fox News that China could invade Taiwan before the next U.S. presidential election, while others say Beijing could attempt to take Taiwan by 2027.  "If Ukraine loses, Russia is going to do exactly what they said they're going to do – they are going to go into Poland and the Baltics – which is a world war – and that will give a green light to China with Taiwan."  She added: "We can never let that happen." Haley said during her time as ambassador to the United Nations, the Trump administration let adversaries know there would "be hell to pay." Haley said former President Trump was "strong in D.C." and said she was "strong at the United Nations."  "We let them know there would be hell to pay – these enemies of ours need to understand if they do anything that jeopardizes America or our friends, there will be hell to pay and there will be a price to pay," she said.  "When they think we’re weak, they’re going to have a free for all," she warned. "And that’s what they’re doing under President Biden." But beyond her experience on the world stage, Haley highlighted her tenure as governor of South Carolina.  "I've been a two-term governor that took a double-digit unemployment state and turned it into an economic powerhouse," she told Fox News Digital. "When you talk about the economy and inflation, you look at the fact that Biden didn't just do this to us, Republicans did this to us, too."  "I mean, you saw on the stage, you've got Ron DeSantis, Mike Pence, Tim Scott, they all voted to raise the debt ceiling. You've got Donald Trump, who basically spent like a drunken sailor, with $8 trillion that went toward our debt," she continued. "I think it's time for an accountant in the White House. We have to make sure that we stop the spending, we stop the borrowing, we eliminate the earmarks."  She added: "I'll veto any spending bill that doesn't take us back to pre-COVID levels." Fox News' Joseph Wulfsohn contributed to this report.

Given President Trump's style, he is likely to run afoul of the terms of his bail. It's yet another uncharted area, says CNN's Michael Smerconish: how to reconcile Trump's First Amendment rights - with the court's desire to hold a fair and unbiased trial.

The last of former President Donald Trump's co-defendants charges in a racketeering scheme to overturn Georgia's 2020 election results have surrendered. They include an Illinois pastor and Kanye West's former publicist.