Author: NOVA Corp

FIRST ON FOX: Sensitive U.S. military positions in the Middle East may have been exposed through commercial satellite imagery ahead of an Iranian strike that wounded American troops, House Select Committee on China Chairman John Moolenaar warned in a new letter raising national security concerns.

In the letter, obtained by Fox News Digital, Moolenaar said Airbus satellite imagery may have been the original source of images later published by a China-based company, MizarVision, which released high-resolution, annotated views of U.S. military aircraft at Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia.

Moolenaar pointed to a sequence in which the firm publicly identified U.S. aircraft at the base shortly before Iran launched a March 27 missile and drone strike on the installation.

The attack wounded at least 12 U.S. service members — two critically — and damaged multiple high-value aircraft, including KC-135 refueling tankers and an E-3G Sentry airborne warning and control system aircraft.

RUBIO SAYS US MAY NEED TO ‘REEXAMINE’ NATO MEMBERSHIP AFTER ALLIES BLOCKED BASING, AIRSPACE HELP

Moolenaar said the timing and level of detail in the imagery raise questions about whether publicly available satellite data could be used by adversaries to identify and target U.S. military assets, warning that such images risk becoming “targeting data for enemy forces.”

While commercial satellite imagery is widely available and often used for research and transparency, the letter warns that near-real-time, high-resolution images of active operations could provide adversaries with actionable intelligence.

Moolenaar urged War Secretary Pete Hegseth to press Airbus to restrict the release of such imagery, noting that other companies, including Planet Labs, have voluntarily withheld images of the region at the request of the U.S. government.

The push highlights a broader debate over whether limiting access to commercial satellite imagery during wartime is necessary to protect U.S. troops or risks restricting open-source intelligence.

A technical analysis conducted with a satellite systems expert found Airbus satellites were the “most plausible” source of the imagery, according to the letter, identifying multiple windows in which they were positioned to capture images of the base.

The letter also cites a “high likelihood” that Airbus imagery was made available prior to the conflict, though it does not establish how the images were obtained or whether Airbus provided them directly.

HEGSETH ANNOUNCES PENTAGON PROBE INTO DEADLY STRIKE ON IRANIAN SCHOOL

The letter also cites a satellite imagery expert who said the images were unlikely to have originated from Chinese satellites given their known capabilities, further narrowing the pool of potential providers.

Commercial satellite imagery often is distributed through complex global licensing networks, meaning images captured by one company can pass through multiple intermediaries before being accessed or published by third parties.

Moolenaar also pointed to Airbus’ business ties in China, including a joint venture with entities linked to the Chinese Academy of Sciences, raising concerns about how satellite imagery could flow through networks connected to Beijing.

The concerns come amid broader scrutiny from the committee over Airbus’ ties to China. 

In a December 2025 letter, Moolenaar warned that Airbus’ work with Chinese firms linked to military development could risk advancing Beijing’s aerospace capabilities and said the French government had limited the committee’s ability to obtain information about Airbus’ operations.

The episode highlights the expanding role of open-source intelligence in modern warfare, where commercially available satellite imagery can offer near real-time insight into military operations and, in some cases, expose sensitive positions during active conflicts.

At the same time, such imagery has become a key tool for journalists, researchers and governments, often used to track conflicts and verify military activity—raising questions about how to balance transparency with security during wartime.

Airbus and the Pentagon could not immediately be reached for comment. 

Rep. Teresa Leger Fernandez, N.M., introduced an expulsion resolution against Rep. Tony Gonzales, R-Texas, on Tuesday after the embattled lawmaker failed to meet her deadline to resign from Congress. 

Gonzales announced his plans on Monday to “file his retirement” but did not specify when he planned to step aside.

The Texas Republican’s plans to resign come after he admitted to an extramarital affair with a former staffer earlier this year after repeatedly denying the allegations.

Teresa Leger Fernandez vowed to introduce an expulsion resolution targeting Gonzales if he did not resign by Tuesday at 2 p.m. Eastern time. 

REP TONY GONZALES ANNOUNCES HE WILL NOT SEEK RE-ELECTION AMID HOUSE ETHICS INVESTIGATION INTO AFFAIR

Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, R-Fla., said on social media that she expected Gonzales to formally announce his resignation later on Tuesday.

Gonzales suspended his re-election campaign in March after House GOP leadership called on him to exit the race. 

He was also under investigation by the House Ethics Committee. 

This is a developing story and will be updated.

Residents in Fairfax County, Virginia expressed frustrations with a slew of violent crimes committed by illegal aliens in recent months while at the same time voicing skepticism over President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown.

“I’m not team ICE, but I do agree that if you’re out here committing crimes, then you don’t want to be here,” one respondent said, referring to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), the agency at the heart of Trump’s detention and deportation efforts.

“So, I think they should leave the people that are just chilling alone, but if you’re out here committing crimes, yeah, you might have to go.”

In particular, residents raised alarm about cases like the murder of Stephanie Minter — a woman stabbed to death at a bus stop in February at the hands of an illegal alien from Sierra Leone — a repeat offender with a lengthy criminal history.

DHS SLAMS ‘INSANE’ 5-YEAR PLEA DEAL FOR ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS WHO ADMITTED FATAL STABBING IN VIRGINIA

Abdul Jalloh, 32, had been arrested more than 30 times, according to the Department of Homeland Security, but was still released by Virginia authorities.

To some, Minter’s death is a clear indicator of a need for reform.

“I’ll tell you this. Someone that’s been arrested 30 times and has been let back out and can commit a crime like this? Something has to change. Something is not working,” one Fairfax resident told Fox News Digital.

ICE PRESSURES SPANBERGER AS FAIRFAX MURDER SUSPECTS TRIGGER NEW DETAINERS IN ‘SANCTUARY’ CLASH

“If it’s the 30th time, I don’t know what justification they have for why they’re not sent back or given some sort of harsher punishment,” another said.

Fairfax County has made headlines for a string of murders similar to Minter’s case.

Earlier this month, authorities charged 28-year-old Guatemala native Misael Lopez Gomez with the murder of his 3-month-old daughter. His arrest comes on the heels of a separate attack by Anibal Armando Chavarria Muy, 38, another Guatemalan man charged with fatally stabbing a man in his home.

ANGEL MOM RIPS SANCTUARY STATE AFTER DAUGHTER’S ALLEGED KILLER WALKED FREE

According to the Department of Homeland Security, three out of every four suspects charged with murder in Fairfax County are illegal aliens.

Other Fairfax residents approached by Fox News Digital said they believed the state needed to coordinate its law enforcement efforts more tightly.

“The new governor — she needs to do better to work with the Fairfax police department. It’s up to her too. She’s a new one,” a commentator said, referring to Gov. Abigail Spanberger, who assumed office in November.

DEM SENATOR WARNS DEPORTATION COULD LET VIRGINIA WOMAN’S ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT KILLER ‘ESCAPE ACCOUNTABILITY’

While Spanberger has repeatedly said Virginia is not a sanctuary state, a state that prevents local law enforcement from partnering with federal immigration enforcement efforts, Spanberger rescinded local-federal coordination requirements as one of her first actions as governor.

She argued that Virginia’s resources would be better spent enforcing its own laws.

“Virginians have been deprived of critical public safety and local law enforcement to divert their limited resources for use in enforcing federal civil immigration laws,” Spanberger said in a press release.

MEET THE FAIRFAX KILLERS: TOP VIOLENT ILLEGAL ALIEN CRIMINALS WREAKING HAVOC ON MAJOR AMERICAN SUBURB

“Federal authorities should enforce federal civil immigration laws — law enforcement in the Commonwealth should prioritize the safety and security of all residents in Virginia, the enforcement of local and state laws and coordination with federal entities on criminal matters,” she added.

Spanberger signed her executive order on Jan. 17 — the same day she took office.

Although some residents said they had reservations about federal immigration policies, they suggested illegal aliens with criminal histories probably shouldn’t raise controversy.

“I do think that’s a good place to start. People that are committing crimes actively now, who are not supposed to be here? I mean, yeah. That’s reasonable,” another resident said.

U.S. immigration authorities reportedly detained former Brazilian intelligence chief Alexandre Ramagem in Florida on Monday, months after Brazil sentenced him to prison for his role in a plot to keep former President Jair Bolsonaro in power after the 2022 election.

Brazilian authorities said Ramagem fled the country in September 2025, shortly after being sentenced to 16 years in prison. But Ramagem’s supporters argue that he has an active asylum claim in the United States and should not be deported.

In a statement announcing Ramagem’s detention, the Brazilian Federal Police did not name him directly but referenced the crimes he was convicted of.

“The detainee is considered a fugitive from Brazilian justice after convictions to crimes including participation in an armed criminal organization, a coup d’état, and the attempted violent abolition of the rule of law,” the Federal Police said in a statement.

ERIC SWALWELL UNDER FEDERAL INVESTIGATION OVER ALLEGED UNAUTHORIZED NANNY HIRE

Brazilian Senator Jorge Seif, an ally of Bolsonaro, shared on social media that Ramagem was detained by U.S. authorities. Seif is pushing for Ramagem’s release, arguing that he should be granted political asylum.

“The political persecution against President Bolsonaro, his sons and his allies is now hitting an elected lawmaker in foreign soil,” Seif said. “In our document (to the U.S. embassy) we showed all the reasons that justify and defend the concession of political asylum to Ramagem and his family.”

Brazilian authorities said the detention was the result of “international police cooperation,” not directly tied to his conviction.

Brazilian journalist Paulo Figueiredo, a friend of Ramagem, shared on X that he was detained after being stopped by police for a “minor traffic violation.” Authorities then referred Ramagem to ICE. Figueiredo claimed that Ramagem currently has an asylum request with the United States.

BOLSONARO DYNASTY EYES COMEBACK AS BRAZIL’S SOCIALIST PRESIDENT FACES CHALLENGE FROM JAILED RIVAL’S SON

Figueiredo wrote that Immigrex, a visa consulting company where he is a partner, will provide full services to Ramagem.

“Our expectation is that he will be released as quickly as possible, and at this time we see no risk of deportation. The ICE process is also bureaucratic and depends on formal processing within the agency’s system before the next steps can be taken,” Figueiredo wrote on X.

On Monday, The Associated Press reported that Ramagem was listed on ICE’s online detainee database, but a Fox News Digital search on Tuesday found his name was not listed.

Fox News Digital reached out to the Department of Homeland Security and Immigration and Customs Enforcement for comment.

Brazilian authorities say the coup led by Bolsonaro and his supporters began months before the 2022 election, when they alleged that there was a strong chance that the election was rigged against Bolsonaro. When President Luiz Inácio de Silva won the election, Bolsonaro did not concede. He was later convicted of attempting to overthrow the government and is currently serving a 27-year sentence for his role in the coup.

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani spoke at one of his proposed government-run grocery stores on Tuesday, touting what he described as a “grand experiment” that would reduce the cost of everyday items like bread and eggs.

The socialist mayor, who has promised to open one such store in each borough, said the city will subsidize basic grocery items while a private operator runs the stores under city rules requiring lower prices.

“New York City it is time for a grand experiment once again, just as LaGuardia used government to respond to the challenges of the Great Depression, we will use government to respond to rising prices and unaffordable groceries,” Mamdani said at La Marqueta in East Harlem on Tuesday.

STRAPPED NEW YORKERS SWARM CHAOTIC MAMDANI-INSPIRED FREE GROCERY STORE POP-UP: WE’RE ‘IN PAIN’

The 9,000-square-foot store in East Harlem will be constructed from the ground up on a nearby vacant, city-owned lot and is expected to open by 2029, while the first city-owned grocery store is expected to open in late 2027. Mamdani has allocated $70 million in capital funds for the development of the five sites.

The Harlem grocery store will cost $30 million to build, according to the New York Times.

Mamdani invoked former Mayor Fiorello LaGuardia, noting the site once housed a city-run market created during the Great Depression to lower food costs.

“Now, here’s how it works. The city will subsidize a core set of staples. A private operator will run the store, but the answer to the standards that the city will set these standards include requirements that at our stores, bread will be cheaper, eggs will be cheaper, grocery shopping will no longer be an unsolvable equation, and workers will be treated with dignity,” Mamdani said.

MAMDANI MOVES TO SIDELINE NYC POLICE WITH NEW SAFETY OFFICE UNDER SWEEPING OVERHAUL

Mamdani said grocery prices in New York City have risen nearly 66% over the past decade, significantly outpacing the national average. The city-owned grocery initiative is designed to lower costs on everyday staples by using public ownership to eliminate costs that are currently passed on to consumers, he said.

“The difference in this approach is that we are not hoping for affordability. We’re guaranteeing affordability in the contract we will have with a private operator,” Mamdani said.

“Now, at its peak, La Marqueta serves 25,000 customers per day. We hope to make a similar impact here in this very neighborhood,” Mamdani said. “Continuing Fiorello LaGuardia legacy. This is what we mean by a new era when New Yorkers are being priced out of their groceries. Government will step in and deliver affordability,” he added.

Mamdani said the city-run stores would be part of a broader “ecosystem” and would not replace existing grocers, including bodegas and neighborhood supermarkets, amid questions about their impact on small businesses.

House Democrats on Tuesday unveiled a long-shot bill in a possible attempt to remove President Trump from office using the 25th Amendment.

The 10-page legislation, introduced by House Judiciary Committee ranking member Jamie Raskin, D-Md., would create a 17-member commission to assess whether the amendment could be used to boot Trump from the White House.

The panel would be composed of several physicians and former high-ranking executive officials appointed by congressional leaders from both parties.

“[T]he Commission shall carry out a medical examination of the President to determine whether the President is mentally or physically unable to discharge the powers and duties of the office,” the bill states.

TRUMP’S THREAT TO END IRANIAN ‘CIVILIZATION’ SPARKS UPROAR ON CAPITOL HILL

Democratic and Republican leaders of each chamber of Congress would select four physicians and four psychiatrists to serve on the commission. The 16 appointed members would then vote to select an additional member to chair the body.

Many House and Senate Democrats have called for Trump to be removed from office or impeached after he wrote that a “whole civilization will die tonight” in a social media post regarding the war in Iran. Raskin cited Trump’s “increasingly volatile, incoherent, and alarming public statements” during the ongoing conflict.

“We have a solemn duty to play our defined role under the 25th Amendment by setting up this body to act alongside the Vice President and the Cabinet,” Raskin said in a statement. “Public trust in Donald Trump’s ability to meet the duties of his office has dropped to unprecedented lows as he threatens to destroy entire civilizations, unleashes chaos in the Middle East while violating Congressional war powers, aggressively insults the Pope of the Catholic Church, and sends out artistic renderings online likening himself to Jesus Christ.”

SENATE DEM ACCUSES TRUMP OF BEING ‘UNFIT FOR OFFICE,’ JOINS GROWING CALL TO IMPEACH, OUST PRESIDENT

The legislation has 50 Democratic co-sponsors.

The White House pushed back on Raskin’s claims, asserting that Trump’s cognitive ability has not deteriorated, while also criticizing Democrats over former President Joe Biden’s mental lapses during his time in office.

“Lightweight Jamie Raskin is a stupid person’s idea of a smart person,” White House spokesman Davis Ingle told Fox News Digital. “President Trump’s sharpness, unmatched energy, and historic accessibility stand in stark contrast to what we saw during the last administration, when Democrats like Raskin intentionally covered up Joe Biden’s serious mental and physical decline from the American people.”

Trump defended his statements, saying he did not follow through with his threats because Iran agreed to a two-week ceasefire. He noted that his remarks “brought [Iran] to the table, with the exception of the one thing which I believe that they’re going to give up on.”

“Remember, what do they say to us? For years, I’ve had to listen to them say, ‘Death to America,’ right?” Trump said on “Sunday Morning Futures,” referencing Tehran’s rallying cry. “They say, ‘Death to America, death to Israel, America is a Satan, we will destroy America, death to America.’ Now, does anybody ever complain to you when they say that? I think that’s a big step worse—‘Death to America.’”

Rep. Eric Swalwell, who announced he will resign from Congress on Monday, is facing mounting criticism over a series of sexual misconduct allegations, but another, decade-old scandal over the California Democrat’s ties to a suspected Chinese spy has also been revived amid reports the FBI is weighing whether to release documents on the matter.

The sexual misconduct claims, including from a former Swalwell staffer, have renewed scrutiny of the congressman’s past ties to suspected Chinese operative Christine Fang as critics and social media commentators demand the FBI release files related to Fang.

Article III Project President Mike Davis, a vocal Trump ally, said Congress must vote to release the investigative files — similar to how it voted to release Jeffrey Epstein’s case files — saying the FBI was legally barred from doing it without the legislative branch’s approval.

“It’s time for Congress to vote to release Eric Swalwell’s FBI file, which we must presume exists after his affair with a Chinese spy,” Davis wrote on X. “His counter-intelligence risks must be staggering.”

CALIFORNIA REPORTER CLAIMS ERIC SWALWELL’S CONDUCT ‘WAS KNOWN,’ RAISES QUESTIONS ABOUT LOCAL SUPPORT

ERIC SWALWELL ACCUSED OF PAYING NANNY WITH CAMPAIGN FUNDS WHILE SHE LACKED WORK AUTHORIZATION

Right-wing social media influencers with large followings have also piled on in the wake of the new misconduct claims against Swalwell.

“He needs to face legal consequences,” wrote Eric Daugherty. “Removal from public office is the bare minimum. And release the Fang Fang files. Don’t hold back.”

“Release the Fang Fang Files !!!” wrote influencer Catturd.

DEM SENATOR RIPPED FOR ‘SMEAR’ OF FEMALE ACTIVIST ADVOCATING FOR SWALWELL’S ACCUSERS: ‘VERY BAD LOOK’

Swalwell has denied the new sexual misconduct allegations, calling them “absolutely false” in a video statement.

The claims against Swalwell, who was one of the leading Democratic California gubernatorial candidates before ending his campaign, came on the heels of The Washington Post reporting in March that the FBI was mulling releasing redacted investigative files related to Swalwell’s prior ties to Fang. 

Axios reported in 2020 that Fang, a suspected Chinese intelligence operative, aimed to develop ties with California politicians, including Swalwell. Fang fled the country and never faced charges.

Swalwell sent a cease-and-desist letter to FBI Director Kash Patel upon news that the FBI was weighing a file release, suggesting it would violate his First Amendment rights, a federal statute about records releases and a Department of Justice internal policy. In response to the legal threat, the FBI said in a statement to Fox News Digital that file reviews were normal.

“This FBI, being the most transparent in history, prepares documents for numerous different reasons, including for release to different agencies and departments to further review investigations that may have been opened under previous administrations,” an FBI spokesperson said.

After Swalwell announced he would resign from Congress, Patel, his longtime political foe, called on the public to submit tips to the bureau about Swalwell and invited the California Democrat to meet for an interview.

Erica Knight, a Patel spokeswoman, suggested Swalwell had a hypocritical view of federal investigative files, alluding to Democrats’ demands for documents related to Epstein’s sex trafficking cases.

“Democrats said releasing files = transparency and accountability. Now Democrats say releasing files = weaponization and smear campaigns,” Knight wrote on X. “The only variable that changed is whose name is in the file.”

SENATE DEMOCRAT AVOIDS ANSWERING WHETHER SWALWELL SHOULD RESIGN FROM CONGRESS

Fox News Digital reached out to the FBI for an update on the status of the Fang files and reached out to the DOJ about Swalwell’s legal threat.

Swalwell has been dogged by his past ties with Fang for years despite never facing charges over the matter. Swalwell cut ties with Fang in 2015 after he was alerted by the FBI about her, he has previously said. 

The DOJ brought no charges against him and the House Ethics Committee found no evidence of wrongdoing on Swalwell’s part, according to a published letter the panel wrote to Swalwell in 2023 saying it had concluded a two-year investigation.

The committee announced Monday it opened a new investigation into Swalwell based on what it said were “allegations that he may have engaged in sexual misconduct, including towards an employee working under his supervision.”

Swalwell suspended his gubernatorial campaign on Sunday and announced he would resign from Congress on Monday following a San Francisco Chronicle report detailing allegations from a former staffer who accused him of assaulting her twice while she was allegedly too intoxicated to consent to relations with him. 

When news broke of his alleged misconduct with women, some immediately raised Swalwell’s ties to Fang.

“Wait is this the Fang Fang guy?” asked Barstool Sports President David Portnoy.

Swalwell has defended his association with Fang, saying in a CNN interview in 2020 that he was “shocked” when authorities told him about her. He said he offered to cooperate with the FBI at the time.

In response to the report last month that the FBI was considering releasing the investigative files, Swalwell also put out a public statement accusing the bureau of attempting to interfere with his now-terminated gubernatorial campaign.

“Through great reporting, we now know the outrageous ends the White House will go to target political opponents,” Swalwell had said. “The reason Trump is so desperately trying to stop me is not because I’m running for Governor of California but because now I’m the favorite.”

Fox News Digital reached out to Swalwell’s office for comment.

Anger over the sexual abuse allegations that led to Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., resigning from Congress is reaching a fever pitch as one critic claimed the saga exposes “how politics really works” in the United States.

While maintaining his innocence, Swalwell, a seven-term congressman and former Democratic presidential candidate, announced Monday he would resign from Congress following sexual assault allegations from multiple former staffers. On the same day, Rep. Tony Gonzales, R-Texas, who admitted to an affair with a staffer who later died by suicide, also announced his resignation from Congress. Their departures have prompted new calls to purge Congress of perpetrators of sexual abuse.

After Swalwell announced his resignation, Dale Stark, a political pundit and veteran, reacted, “The Swalwell saga perfectly shows how politics really works in America. They’ve had this dirt on him for years and sat on it until he stepped out of line.”

Stark added that this “explains why no matter who you vote for, you get the same results,” adding, “One nation under blackmail.”

ERIC SWALWELL ACCUSED OF PAYING NANNY WITH CAMPAIGN FUNDS WHILE SHE LACKED WORK AUTHORIZATION

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis took a similar line, decrying the Democratic leadership for not taking action against Swalwell sooner.

“The Democrat Party was aware of this guy’s behavior but never said anything until the party was threatened with getting shut out of the governor race,” DeSantis wrote.

Until these allegations surfaced, Swalwell was a frontrunner in the California gubernatorial race to succeed term-limited Gov. Gavin Newsom. Swalwell announced he was suspending his campaign for governor on Sunday. His sudden ouster, however, has many speculating that deeper forces are at play.

Conservative pundit and podcaster Michael Knowles suggested Swalwell’s ouster was the result of political maneuvering by the Democrats.  

“So the Dems improve their chances in the CA gov race and also avoid putting their members on record in a vote to expel, and all it cost them was a replaceable congressman, whose seat will now be filled by another Dem,” he wrote. “Gotta give the devils their due: they’re good at the game.”

Kari Lake, a former Republican candidate for both Arizona governor and senator, reacted that she is “glad Eric Swalwell is finally on his way out of Congress,” but cautioned, “He should take the rest of the creeps with him. Washington is infested with them.”

“The American people are fed up with this depraved, disgusting behavior from our so-called leaders,” she wrote on X. “It’s time to restore basic decency, respect, & real accountability in our nation’s capital.”

SWALWELL’S ‘BEST FRIEND’ IN CONGRESS TURNS ON HIM AFTER BOMBSHELL ALLEGATIONS TORPEDO HIS POLITICAL CAREER

Pundit Scott Jennings reacted, “Democrats and people in the media are openly admitting something shameful and horrifying: They ALL KNEW about Eric Swalwell.”

“They said nothing, leaving the victims to suffer in silence. But why? The answer is obvious,” he went on. “To protect this Looney Tunes Eric Swalwell because he was good at going out and attacking Donald Trump. I mean, let’s be honest, that’s why he was under their protection.”

Meanwhile, some suggested that there are more members of Congress who must be ousted.

SWALWELL’S FORMER DEM RIVAL UNLOADS ON HIS ‘LIGHTWEIGHT’ CAREER AS SEXUAL ASSAULT ALLEGATIONS EMERGE

Madison Cawthorn, a former Republican congressman who sparked backlash after alleging he was invited to an orgy by fellow lawmakers and had witnessed cocaine use, wrote a cryptic post that “Swalwell is not the only one.”

“I warned you all about what goes on in Washington. Why is everyone acting surprised?” Cawthorn wrote on X.

A two-month legal battle over an iconic symbol of the LGBTQ+ movement has ended, with a settlement approving its restoration and New York City’s mayor hailing the decision as a “victory.”

The Trump administration agreed under a settlement on Monday to restore the Pride flag to Stonewall National Monument’s federal flagpole within seven days and maintain it there, removing it only for maintenance or other practical purposes. A judge approved the agreement, resolving the dispute over the flag’s removal.

The Stonewall National Monument was first designated by President Barack Obama in 2016, protecting the Stonewall Inn in New York City as a historic site – becoming the first U.S. national monument dedicated to LGBTQ history. 

FIRED YOSEMITE WORKER SUES NATIONAL PARK SERVICE AFTER HANGING MASSIVE TRANSGENDER FLAG ACROSS EL CAPITAN

The ruling reins in the Trump administration’s push to eliminate diversity-related programs across national parks, after the flag’s removal in February sparked protests from Democratic leaders and activists and escalated into a broader political flashpoint.

“This is a victory for the LGBTQ+ community and for our entire city,” wrote Mayor Zohran Mamdani in an X on Monday. “It’s a reminder that New Yorkers won’t let our history be rewritten.”

He added that, “Our administration will keep working to ensure LGBTQ+ New Yorkers can live safely and with dignity in our city.”

Fox News Digital reached out to the mayor’s office for comment on Tuesday. 

MASSACHUSETTS DROPS CONTROVERSIAL GENDER IDEOLOGY MANDATE FOR LICENSING FOSTER CARE PARENTS

At the time of the flag removal, Mamdani said he was “outraged,” calling for the country to live up to the legacy the Stonewall Inn represents, while a Department of Interior spokesperson previously told Fox News Digital that “city leaders seem more focused on theatrics than solutions.”

“Hundreds of families in New York City went without power during this year’s severe cold weather, people are being found dead on the streets, and trash has piled up so high it towers over city residents. This is Mayor Mamdani and city officials’ New York City,” the spokesperson said at the time.

They added, “it would be a better use of their time to get the trash buildup off city streets, ensure there are no more avoidable deaths, and work to keep the power on for the people of New York City.”

The Washington Litigation Group (WLG), which initiated legal proceedings, announced the agreement through a press release, writing, the decision “confirms that the Pride flag falls within the law and NPS policy.”

JUDGE DEALS BLOW TO TRUMP ADMINISTRATION, ORDERS SLAVERY EXHIBIT RESTORED AT ICONIC PHILLY LANDMARK

“The government has acknowledged what we argued from day one: the Pride flag belongs at Stonewall,” wrote WLG lead counsel Alexander Kristofcak. “The flag will be restored and it will fly officially and permanently. And we will remain vigilant to ensure that the government sticks to the deal.”

Fox News Digital reached out to WLG for additional comment. 

“The removal of the Pride flag from Stonewall was an attempt to erase LGBTQ+ history and undermine the rule of law,” said Andrew Berman, executive director of Village Preservation. “This settlement restores both.”

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer celebrated the decision on X, writing, “the administration was forced to settle and heed our demands that the pride flag at Stonewall National Monument will always fly freely and proudly.”

In December, National Park Service (NPS) units were instructed to purge gift stores at parks, removing any items that promote DEI and gender ideological extremism.

Many NPS gift shops are located in visitor centers, which are common in major parks. Some can be found in smaller or remote parks.

Most shops are run by nonprofit partners of the NPS, with funds benefiting visitors and the parks.

Fox News Digital’s Andrew Mark Miller contributed to this report.

Another woman accused Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., of rape Tuesday, just hours before the embattled lawmaker is expected to resign from the House.

“He raped me. And he choked me. And while he was choking me, I lost consciousness. And I thought I died,” Lonna Drewes said Tuesday, while describing an incident that she alleged took place in Swalwell’s hotel room in 2018.

Drewes said she was working as a model and software engineer in Beverly Hills when she met Swalwell and continued to stay in contact socially. When meeting him the third time, Drewes alleged that Swalwell drugged her drink and proceeded to rape her in his hotel room. 

Drewes came forward after four women alleged Swalwell committed sexual misconduct and rape, including at least one incident involving a former staffer, as reported by CNN and the San Francisco Chronicle.

The announcement came during a news conference in Beverly Hills, Calif., organized by the woman’s attorneys, Lisa Bloom and Arick Fudali.

Drewes’ attorneys said they would be submitting a report to law enforcement.

Swalwell has repeatedly denied any criminal wrongdoing and has promised to fight “false” accusations.

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., said he expected Swalwell to offer his resignation letter on Tuesday.

When asked whether he agreed with the decision of Swalwell and scandal-plagued Rep. Tony Gonzales, R-Texas, to resign, Jeffries replied, “Yes.”

This is a developing story and will be updated.