Author: NOVA Corp

New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani condemned an alleged ISIS-inspired bomb plot outside Gracie Mansion but did not use the phrase “radical Islamic terror,” reviving long-running criticism from the Obama era that some Democratic leaders avoid the term.

Two suspects were arrested after allegedly throwing improvised explosive devices near the mansion during a protest Saturday, with one reportedly telling authorities he was inspired by ISIS. Mamdani later described the attempted attack as “terrorism” but did not reference radical Islam in his initial public remarks.

Several Republican lawmakers and political rivals criticized Mamdani’s choice of words.

“There is absolutely no excuse for any public official to equivocate or be confused here,” New York State Sen. Steve Chan, R-Brooklyn, told Fox News Digital on Tuesday.

DRAMATIC VIDEO SHOWS NYPD TACKLING MAN WHO THREW ‘IGNITED DEVICE’ NEAR NYC MAYOR’S HOME DURING PROTEST CLASH

“Anyone who throws a bomb is not a protester: they are a terrorist, plain and simple and elected officials need to call it like it is,” Chan said, adding that he commends the NYPD for their brave and swift action at the scene.

Authorities said the two suspects, Emir Balat and Ibrahim Kayumi, both from the Philadelphia suburbs, allegedly threw improvised explosive devices containing a compound known as the “Mother of Satan” during the protest, with one reportedly admitting he was inspired by the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS).

Greg Kelly, the son of former NYPD commissioner Ray Kelly — who led New York through the aftermath of both 9/11 and the 1993 World Trade Center bombing — critiqued Mamdani for calling out the protest as led by an alleged “white supremacist” but whiffing on the ideology behind suspected ISIS-supporters’ actions.

“Imagine that: a bomb goes off in New York City, laid by ISIS-inspired terrorists. The mayor points at White supremacy as the problem; White supremacy if only we could get rid of those White supremacists,” Kelly said on his 77WABC radio program.

After the attack, Mamdani held a press conference with NYPD Commissioner Jessica S. Tisch and called out the “vile protest” against Islam led by January 6 defendant Jake Lang that allegedly spurred the two boys to attack the scene.

“New York City will never tolerate violence, whether from protests or counter protests,” Mamdani said, going on to condemn the arrested suspects for “coming here to commit an act of terrorism” in return.

However, New York Democratic scion Andrew Cuomo — the former three-term governor and mayoral candidate — lambasted Mamdani’s response as well.

HERO NYPD OFFICERS HONORED FOR FOILING ALLEGED ISIS-INSPIRED TERROR PLOT NEAR GRACIE MANSION

“Had the bomb gone off… [it] literally would have done horrific damage. And the police, ironically, were closest to the bomb. Not Jake Lang,” he said.

“The mayor puts out a statement condemning Jake Lang. I agree. And in the second part of the statement, condemns the terrorists. There is no moral equivalency: Jake Lang; bigot, hateful, of course. Yes, I agree — terrorists who bring a bomb to kill people? They are not equivalent, and this city has no tolerance for terrorism or attempted terrorists and that statement has to be made loud and clear,” Cuomo said.

Hours later, Mamdani returned with a statement posted to social media that cited ISIS.

“Emir Balat and Ibrahim Kayumi have been charged with committing a heinous act of terrorism and proclaiming their allegiance to ISIS. They should be held fully accountable for their actions,” the statement read in part.

A few minutes later, former Mayor Eric Adams posted his own more thorough response to the situation, saying that “no one should be surprised.”

“After years of hateful rhetoric and incitement, attempts to justify attacks on Jews in Israel, praise for violence like the killing of a CEO, and chants about ‘globalizing the intifada’ and ‘Death to America,’ words have now escalated into violence on the streets of New York City, with explosives being thrown,” Adams said.

He identified a “serious radicalization problem” on both political fringes and said it is troubling to see an emphasis on young people being radicalized.

“If we don’t confront it, this will only get worse,” Adams said.

SUSPECT IN NYC TERROR PROBE PLANNED ATTACK ‘BIGGER THAN THE BOSTON MARATHON BOMBING,’ PROSECUTORS SAY

One of the two alleged terrorists arrested was still a student at Neshaminy High School in Neshaminy, Pennsylvania.

Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick, R-Pa., the longtime Bucks County moderate, said in a statement that authorities in Middletown Township were investigating the situation near the boys’ homes.

“Authorities have indicated that there is no known threat to the surrounding community, and the situation remains under the control of law enforcement. The activity was not related to immigration enforcement,” Fitzpatrick said.

In a letter to parents, Neshaminy superintendent Jason Bowman said the school is in contact with law enforcement and that there is no threat to other students at this time.

President Donald Trump made what he described as the left’s refusal to call out “Radical Islamic Terrorism” a centerpiece of his 2016 platform, when he regularly criticized former President Barack Obama for failing to fully identify such attacks.

“Radical islamic terrorism, and people dont like saying that and our president refuses to use the term. Every time another event happens I say I wonder if he’ll say it this time,” Trump said during a campaign rally in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and went on to criticize his 2016 opponent, former first lady Hillary Clinton, along similar lines.

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

A judge in Fulton County, Georgia, ruled Monday that District Attorney Fani Willis cannot participate in a fight over President Donald Trump’s and his co-defendants’ attempts to recoup millions of dollars in legal fees spent during her failed racketeering case against them.

Judge Scott McAfee said in an order that because Willis was already “wholly disqualified” from the prosecution, she could not be party to the battle over what amounted to $16.8 million in fees sought by Trump and his co-defendants. Trump requested Willis’ office reimburse him more than $6.2 million in attorney fees and costs earlier this year. 

 McAfee’s order marks a victory for Trump in his yearslong feud with Willis, who he said was a “rabid partisan” on a “witch hunt” during the prosecution.

The defendants, whom Willis criminally charged with conspiring to illegally overturn the 2020 election results in Georgia, are pushing for legal fees based on a state law passed in 2025 that allows them to be paid back for cases in which prosecutors are disqualified.

JONATHAN TURLEY: FANI WILLIS’ CASE AGAINST TRUMP COLLAPSES UNDER ITS OWN INSANITY

McAfee said Fulton County could be involved since the money would come out of the county’s budget, but Willis’ lawyers argued in court filings that she too should have a say.

“Without intervention by the District Attorney, any award would violate basic fundamental notions of due process by denying her an opportunity to be heard or even challenge the reasonableness of the claimed attorney fees before it is taken from her budget,” the lawyers wrote.

Trump’s lead attorney in the case, Steve Sadow, said in a statement that McAfee’s decision was correct.

“Judge McAfee has properly denied DA Willis’ motion to intervene in POTUS’ action for reimbursement of attorney fees because her disqualification for improper conduct bars Willis and her office from any further participation in this dismissed, lawfare case,” Sadow said. 

Willis brought a sprawling Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations case against Trump and 18 co-defendants in August 2023, alleging they conspired to interfere with the 2020 election, but the case was whittled down significantly because of plea deals and dismissed charges.

The biggest blow to the prosecution came in 2024, however, when the Georgia Court of Appeals disqualified Willis, finding that an undisclosed romantic relationship she had with her lead prosecutor, Nathan Wade, presented a conflict of interest. Her disqualification flipped the case into the hands of the Georgia Prosecuting Attorneys’ Council to decide what to do with it. The council’s director, Peter Skandalakis, moved to dismiss the case, and McAfee granted his request.

“In my professional judgment, the citizens of Georgia are not served by pursuing this case in full for another five to ten years,” Skandalakis said.

Fox News Digital reached out to the White House for comment.

President Donald Trump’s Federal Reserve chair nominee, Kevin Warsh, will meet Tuesday with Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., the Republican who has been holding up his nomination amid GOP concerns tied to a criminal probe involving Fed Chair Jerome Powell.

Tillis told Fox News Digital he supports Warsh, whom Trump tapped in January, but said he wants the Powell investigation resolved before he can vote to move the nomination forward.

On Jan. 11, Powell confirmed that the Justice Department had opened a criminal investigation into his congressional testimony related to the renovation of the Federal Reserve’s two historic main buildings on Washington, D.C.’s National Mall. 

TRUMP NOMINATES KEVIN WARSH TO SUCCEED JEROME POWELL AS FEDERAL RESERVE CHAIR

“I have very few questions. I’m a real fan of [Warsh] and I’m hoping we can get disposed of the Powell investigation, so I’d be in a position to vote for him,” Tillis told Fox News Digital.

“I have no problems at all with him. I’m looking forward to meeting him, because, like I said, I’ve been a fan,” he added.

Tillis has vowed to block any Federal Reserve nominee until the Trump administration concludes its criminal probe involving Powell. As a member of the Senate Banking Committee, his hold is especially consequential. Overriding it would require a discharge vote on the Senate floor, an extraordinary step that needs 60 votes and is widely seen as a long shot.

Trump tapped Warsh to succeed Powell, whose term as chair ends in May, but he must first win Senate confirmation by a simple majority — a process that typically starts with a hearing and vote in the Senate Banking Committee.

TRUMP’S FED PICK KEVIN WARSH FACES UNEXPECTED ROADBLOCK OVER ONGOING POWELL PROBE

Warsh’s potential ascent to the top of the world’s most powerful central bank comes at a turbulent moment for the Federal Reserve. 

With the Justice Department conducting a criminal probe involving Powell, the Supreme Court weighing limits on the Fed’s independence and rising cost-of-living pressures testing Trump’s economic agenda, the stakes for the next chair are intensifying.

What began as tension over interest-rate policy has spiraled into a broader confrontation, marking one of the most challenging stretches of Powell’s eight-year tenure leading the Fed.

Powell called the DOJ investigation “unprecedented” in a video statement and another example of what he described as Trump’s ongoing threats lobbed at the central bank. His unusually public response, after days of private consultation with advisors, marked a sharp departure from his typically measured approach.

TRUMP VS THE FEDERAL RESERVE: HOW THE CLASH REACHED UNCHARTED TERRITORY

Powell, widely viewed as one of the most crisis-tested Federal Reserve chairs in modern U.S. history, built his career as a lawyer and investment banker in New York before entering public service in the administration of President George H.W. Bush. 

He joined the Federal Reserve’s Board of Governors in 2012 and was nominated by Trump to lead the central bank in 2017.

Like Powell, Warsh is not an economist by training. Instead, he brings a background in law and finance that has shaped his views on the Federal Reserve.

He earned a bachelor’s degree in public policy from Stanford University in 1992 and a law degree from Harvard in 1995. He built his career at Morgan Stanley and, at 35, became the youngest person to serve on the Fed’s board in 2006.

Though he stepped down in 2011, he was widely recognized as the Fed’s key liaison to Wall Street during the 2008 financial crisis. He previously worked in the Bush administration as a special assistant to the president for economic policy and executive secretary at the National Economic Council.

Warsh was among Trump’s leading candidates to replace Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen in 2017. However, Trump ultimately appointed Powell to the role.

During the first year of President Donald Trump’s second term, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations Houston arrested 414 illegal aliens charged or convicted for child sex offenses. 

The figure amounts to nearly twice as much as the 211 arrested during the final year of President Joe Biden’s tenure, according to a press release.

“As a group, the arrested criminal illegal aliens accounted for 761 child sex offenses and 525 other criminal offenses ranging from homicide to robbery,” ICE noted in the release.

The Trump administration has been working to crack down on illegal immigration since he returned to office last year.

MAN ACCUSED OF SPRAYING ANTI-ICE GRAFFITI AT OKLAHOMA CAPITOL IS REGISTERED CHILD SEX OFFENDER; CHARGES FILED

One of the individuals arrested was a man who unlawfully reentered the country a whopping 12 times, according to ICE.

“Juan Leonardo Garcia Ibarra, a 48-year-old criminal illegal alien from Mexico, arrested by ICE April 4, 2025… has illegally reentered the U.S. 12 times and been convicted of sexual indecency with a child, aggravated assault, cruelty toward a child, DWI and felony illegal reentry, and three times for illegal entry. ICE officers deported Garcia to Mexico on April 7, 2025,” the press release noted.

PITTSBURGH BOOKSTORE HANDS OUT FREE ‘ANTI-ICE WHISTLES,’ OWNER SAYS SHE’S NOT WORRIED ABOUT LOSING FOLLOWERS

Another one of the individuals arrested, Andrew Mark Watson, is from the United Kingdom.

He was “arrested by ICE Dec. 5, 2025,” according to the release, which noted that he “has been convicted of two counts of possession of child sexual abuse material and sexually exploiting a minor. Watson remains in ICE custody at the IAH Secure Adult Detention Facility in Livingston pending disposition of his immigration proceedings.”

BIDEN-APPOINTED JUDGE IN THE HOT SEAT AFTER DHS FIRES BACK AT ‘FALSE’ CLAIMS ABOUT ICE FACILITY

Another one of the individuals arrested was Alex Samuel Lara Diaz, a 35-year-old previously deported criminal illegal alien from Honduras. He was arrested by ICE on Oct. 29, 2025, and was convicted of aggravated sexual assault of a minor. 

“He is also wanted in Honduras for homicide. ICE officers deported Lara Diaz to Honduras on Dec. 13, 2025, and he was turned over to Honduran authorities to be prosecuted for homicide,” the ICE press release noted.

Gabriel Martinez, ICE ERO Houston acting field office director, noted, “While elected officials and media pundits across the country were zealously trying to manipulate the American public with fake news stories about ICE’s public safety mission, the brave men and women of ICE were quietly going about their business to arrest and remove more than 400 dangerous child predators from our local communities.”

“Thanks to their tireless efforts, parents across Southeast Texas can sleep a little better tonight knowing that these pedophiles and child rapists are no longer a threat to their children,” Martinez said.

FIRST ON FOX – The Justice Department says it is speeding up settlement offers for people exposed to contaminated drinking water at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, under a compensation program created by Congress in 2022.

The law, formally titled the Sergeant First Class Heath Robinson Honoring our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics Act of 2022, includes the Camp Lejeune Justice Act.

The statute allows service members, their families and others who lived or worked at the base between 1953 and 1987 to seek compensation if they developed cancer or other illnesses tied to the water supply on the base. 

Between 1953 and 1987, three of the base’s eight water systems contained contaminated water.

POISONED PROMISES: CAMP LEJEUNE FAMILIES STILL WAIT FOR JUSTICE DECADES AFTER TOXIC WATER SCANDAL

The Justice Department and the Department of the Navy launched the “Elective Option” settlement program in 2023. The program is designed as an alternative to litigation, offering faster payouts to people with qualifying illnesses.

Payments under the program range from $100,000 to $550,000 depending on the illness. Officials say victims can possibly qualify even if they were not assigned to a specific part of the base known to have received contaminated water.

According to the DOJ, Associate Attorney General Stanley Woodward has recently taken responsibility for approving settlement offers under the Camp Lejeune Justice Act. In the last three weeks, Woodward approved 649 settlement offers totaling about $175 million.

That represents more than a 25% increase in approved offers since the Elective Option program began in September 2023.

Overall, the Justice Department says it has approved 2,531 settlement offers through the program, totaling roughly $691 million.

DOJ officials also tell Fox News that more than $414 million in settlements has been paid out since Jan. 27, 2025, and offers continue to be approved on a weekly basis as the department works through a massive backlog of claims. 

The estimated face value of claims submitted to the Department of the Navy now exceeds $335 trillion.

TRUMP AND FIRST LADY ATTEND DIGNIFIED TRANSFER OF 6 US TROOPS KILLED IN KUWAIT

Behind the scenes, top leadership at the DOJ also recently changed who has authority to approve these settlements.

When the Elective Option program was announced in September 2023, then-Associate Attorney General Vanita Gupta delegated settlement authority to senior officials in the Civil Division. That authority was later passed down to a career manager.

Earlier this year, on Feb. 10, Woodward revoked that delegation and took control of the approval process. 

Justice Department officials say the move is part of a broader effort to accelerate settlement offers and move claims through the system more quickly.

Rep. Eric Burlison, R-Mo., is endorsing Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton for U.S. Senate.

Paxton is facing off against incumbent Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, in the Lone Star State’s GOP U.S. Senate primary runoff.

“Ken Paxton is a proven conservative fighter who will be a champion for the people of Texas in Washington,” Burlison, a member of the House Freedom Caucus, said in a statement obtained by Fox News Digital.

CORNYN, PAXTON READY TO GO FOR THE THROAT IN 2ND ACT OF BRUTAL PRIMARY CAMPAIGN

“During the Biden Administration, Ken led the national legal charge to stop the Biden Border Crisis and stop the far-left agenda. He’s fought for Texans’ rights against woke corporations and the Austin political establishment. In the Senate, he will continue to be a fearless conservative who will never back down. That’s why I’m proud to wholeheartedly endorse his campaign,” Burlison added.

While Cornyn and Paxton were the top finishers in the primary, no candidate won a majority, so the two men will go head-to-head in a runoff primary election later this year.

President Donald Trump indicated that he plans to endorse one of the two men but has held off on choosing. Trump notably endorsed Burlison during his 2024 re-election campaign, describing him as a “warrior” for the MAGA movement.

PAXTON VOWS HE’S ‘STAYING IN THIS RACE’ EVEN IF TRUMP BACKS CORNYN IN TEXAS GOP CLASH

“The Republican Primary Race for the United States Senate in the Great State of Texas, a State I LOVE and won 3 times in Record Numbers (the HIGHEST vote ever recorded, by far!!!), cannot, for the good of the Party, and our Country, itself, be allowed to go on any longer. IT MUST STOP NOW! We have an easy to beat, Radical Left Opponent, and we have to TOTALLY FOCUS on putting him away, quickly and decisively!” Trump declared in the Truth Social post.

“Both John and Ken ran great races, but not good enough. Now, this one, must be PERFECT! My Endorsements within the Republican Party have been virtually insurmountable! It is such an honor to realize and say that almost everyone I Endorse WINS, and wins by a lot, especially in Texas! I will be making my Endorsement soon, and will be asking the candidate that I don’t Endorse to immediately DROP OUT OF THE RACE! Is that fair? We must win in November!!! Thank you for your attention to this matter,” the president added in the post.

‘THE RIGHT THING’: PAXTON, CORNYN TRADE BLOWS IN TEXAS PRIMARY BUT UNITE FOR TRUMP’S IRAN STRIKES

Texas state Rep. James Talarico defeated U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett in the Texas Democratic U.S. Senate primary.

Rep. Erin Houchin, R-Ind., was in college when her father was “raking up thousands of dollars of debt” while battling a crippling gambling addiction she says was brought on by medication to treat his Parkinson’s disease diagnosis.

Now, the Indiana Republican is working to make sure other American families can seek help for their loved ones before facing the same monetary problems.

“The POINTS Act is about helping people who are struggling with gambling addiction, by utilizing existing excise tax revenue to issue grants to states and jurisdictions, including Indian tribes across the country, for the use of education and training on preventing and treating gambling addiction,” Houchin told Fox News Digital.

Her bipartisan bill, the Providing Opportunities for Individuals in Need of Treatment and Support (POINTS) Act, is a rare bipartisan initiative in Congress being co-led with Rep. Andrea Salinas, D-Ore.

BILL MAHER LAMENTS RISE OF GAMBLING CULTURE AMONG YOUNG AMERICANS DURING ‘REAL TIME’

It’s an issue Houchin said she is passionate about, given her own family history — which she said is “not unique.”

“Unfortunately, many families across the country have had similar experiences, if not from Parkinson’s, but from other illnesses and just suffering from addiction in general,” she said. “And it can cripple families and ruin their future if it’s not treated.”

Her own father was 55 when he was diagnosed with Parkinson’s, Houchin said, and the gambling addiction set in soon after.

JOHN RICH SAYS GAMBLING ADDICTION BECAME ‘GROSS’ MISUSE OF GOD-GIVEN SUCCESS

“My mom would tell stories that, you know, they often would go out west if they’d take a vacation, and it would be difficult for her to get him through the airport at Las Vegas because of the casino that’s right there as you pass through,” Houchin said.

She told Fox News Digital that her father’s doctors knew little about why the medication caused his gambling addiction, but suggested it took her family years to financially recover.

“My mom just let me know that she just paid off a second mortgage, took her about 10 to 15 years to pay it off, around $91,000 of gambling debt that my dad had raked up over the course of his illness after being prescribed this medication,” Houchin said. “So we want other families to have the support system necessary to have the resources to treat gambling addiction.”

Her legislation, which is also backed by Reps. Mariannette Miller-Meeks, R-Iowa, and Troy Carter, D-La., would create a first-of-its-kind federal fund dedicated to specifically addressing gambling addiction.

She also pointed out that it would not be funded by any new taxes on Americans.

“This is existing excise taxes that are going to be distributed in the form of grants for states that adhere to the principles in the POINTS Act, which is providing resources, not just to healthcare professionals, but also for families on how to access gambling addiction treatment,” Houchin said.

Both she and Salinas also argued the legislation was critical now, given the meteoric rise of sports betting via apps and other easily accessible means.

“As sports betting and online gambling continue to expand across the country, we have a responsibility to ensure people struggling with addiction are not left behind. Gambling addiction can devastate individuals and families, yet too many communities still lack the resources needed to provide prevention, treatment, and recovery support,” Salinas told Fox News Digital.

“The POINTS Act helps close that gap by investing existing gambling excise tax revenue into programs that expand care, raise awareness, and connect people to the help they need.”

The family of Ashton Minter believes it’s time to vote a Virginia county attorney out of office after he allegedly let her suspected killer out of prison — even in the face of a long rap sheet multiple times.

“Steve Descano completely failed Stephanie. He’s failed other people, and he will continue to fail other people unless he is just voted out of office,” Ashton Minter, one of Stephanie Minter’s brothers, told local reporters.

Another one of her siblings, Gary Minter, echoed his thoughts.

“It should never have happened. [Jalloh should’ve] never been out in the streets,” Gary said.

VIRGINIA MURDER SUSPECT IN BUS STOP STABBING HAD LENGTHY CRIMINAL HISTORY, MULTIPLE DROPPED CHARGES

Ashton Minter was stabbed to death at a bus stop late last month in Fairfax, Virginia. She was discovered with multiple stab wounds to her upper body, according to reports from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

Security camera footage at the scene led authorities to charge Abdul Jalloh, 32, with second-degree murder for Minter’s death. Ahead of the attack, Fairfax County Descano’s office was reportedly warned several times about Jalloh and his conduct. But despite 30 prior arrests, Descano opted to release him.

Jalloh reportedly arrived in the United States illegally in 2012 from Sierra Leone. Despite receiving an order of removal in 2020, he was not deported.

MIKE DAVIS: VIRGINIA RETURNS TO THE CONFEDERACY WITH A SEDITIOUS CONSPIRACY AGAINST ICE

According to the Department of Homeland Security, Jalloh has been charged with rape, malicious wounding, assault, drug possession, identity theft, trespassing, larceny, firing a weapon and more.

Cheryl Minter, Ashton’s mother, expressed alarm that Jalloh’s record hadn’t stopped his release.

“I just know that what is in your heart, it’s got to be horrible to be able to do things like that and allow somebody, anybody back onto a street that’s capable of what they’re saying,” Cheryl Minter said.

VIRGINIA DEMS PUSH ANTI-ICE BILLS DAYS AFTER SPANBERGER REJECTS DETAINER FOR ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT MURDER SUSPECT

Descano, the Fairfax County attorney, was sworn into office in Jan. 2020 and has made leniency reforms a focus of his tenure.

According to his webpage on the Fairfax County government website, Descano aimed at “mitigating racial and socioeconomic disparities and countering mass incarceration in Fairfax County’s justice system.” He has also led efforts to end cash bail in the county.

Prior to his time as an attorney, Descano served as a U.S. Army Aviation Officer.

SPANBERGER REFUSES TO HONOR ICE DETAINER IN MURDER CASE, ESCALATING SHOWDOWN WITH TRUMP DHS

His handling of Jalloh has drawn condemnation from both local and federal voices.

“Under no circumstances should repeat violent offenders be released back into our communities,” Rep. Rob Wittman, R-Va., wrote in a post to X following the news of Minter’s death.

DHS similarly condemned Jalloh’s past releases and urged Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger to hold Jalloh in custody.

“We are calling on Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger and Virginia’s sanctuary politicians to commit to not releasing this murderer and violent career criminal from their jail without notifying ICE,” DHS Deputy Assistant Secretary Lauren Bis said in a statement.

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

A week and a half into the U.S. and Israeli strikes against Iran, the latest national public opinion poll indicates that more than half of American voters oppose U.S. military action.

But the survey from Quinnipiac University in Connecticut is the latest to indicate a wide partisan divide when it comes to support for the U.S. military operation, known as Epic Fury, which has resulted in the death of Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and the decimation of the country’s military.

Fifty-three percent of voters questioned in the poll, which was conducted Friday through Sunday, said they oppose the U.S. military action against Iran, which was ordered by President Donald Trump, with 40% supporting the operation.

The Quinnipiac poll joins other recent surveys from NPR/PBS/Marist (44%–55%), CBS News (44%–56%), NBC News (41%–54%), Washington Post (39%–52%), CNN (41%–59%), and Reuters/Ipsos (27%–43%), in indicating minority support for U.S. military action.

HEAD HERE FOR FOX NEWS LIVE UPDATES ON THE ATTACK ON IRAN

But the latest Fox News poll, conducted Feb. 28–March 2, showed Americans split at 50% in their support or opposition to the fighting.

And three other national polls conducted over the past week and a half indicated majority or plurality support for the operation.

The surveys highlight the divergence between Democrats and Republicans over the fighting.

TRUMP’S TWO WORD ANSWER AFTER IRAN PICKS NEW SUPREME LEADER

More than 8 in 10 Republicans surveyed by Fox News said they approved of the U.S. use of force against Iran, with 6 in 10 saying the president’s actions on Iran are making the U.S. safer. 

But nearly 8 in 10 Democrats and 6 in 10 independents disapproved of the U.S. strikes and said things are less safe because of Trump’s performance.

The vast majority of Democrats surveyed by Quinnipiac University, as well as 6-in-10 independents, said they opposed the strikes on Iran, with 85% of Republicans supporting the military action.

A majority (55%) questioned by Quinnipiac said they didn’t think Iran posed an imminent military threat to the U.S. before the attacks, with nearly four in ten disagreeing. 

Again, there was a partisan divide, with 83% of Democrats and 63% of independents saying Iran didn’t pose an imminent threat, while nearly three quarters of Republicans said Tehran did pose an imminent threat.

But there was no partisan gap when it came to the possibility of sending U.S. ground troops into Iran.

HEAD HERE TO CHECK OUT THE LATEST FOX NEWS POLLS 

Nearly three quarters of voters opposed sending U.S. ground troops into Iran, including 95% of Democrats, 75% of independents and 52% of Republicans.

Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth have repeatedly not ruled out using ground troops in Iran.

Asked how long the fighting between the U.S. and Iran, which has retaliated with strikes against Israel and other nations in the volatile Middle East, will last, just 3% of Quinnipiac pollees said days, 18% offered weeks, 32% guessed months, 13% thought the attacks could last a year, and just over a quarter said more than a year.

“Very soon,” Trump said at a news conference Monday, when asked when the strikes would end. “Look, everything they have is gone, including their leadership.”

And the president described the operation as an “excursion.”

Quinnipiac University Polling Analyst Peter Malloy noted that “perhaps compelled by memories of long wars, Americans see no early end to the enormous upheaval in the Middle East.”

Trump recently dismissed the polling on Iran, telling the New York Post March 2: “I don’t care about polling. I have to do the right thing. I have to do the right thing. This should have been done a long time ago.”

Trump’s overall approval rating stood at 37% in the Quinnipiac poll, with 57% giving the president a thumbs down on the job he’s doing in the White House.

The president stood at 43% approval in the Fox News poll, and at 44% in the NBC News survey. An average of the latest national surveys that gauged the president’s performance put Trump at 43% approval and 54% disapproval.

War Secretary Pete Hegseth said Tuesday that Russia “should not be involved” in the escalating conflict between the United States, Israel and Iran, even as analysts point to Russian military activity that aligns with reports Moscow may be aiding Tehran.

“The president maintains strong relationships with world leaders, which creates opportunities and options for us in very dynamic ways,” Hegseth said when asked about President Donald Trump’s recent call with Russian President Vladimir Putin. 

But as it relates to the Middle East conflict, he added, Russia “should not be involved.”

IRAN LAUNCHES SATELLITES ON RUSSIAN ROCKETS AS MOSCOW-TEHRAN TIES DEEPEN

The administration’s messaging comes amid reports that Russia has provided information that could help Iran identify U.S. military assets in the Middle East. Moscow has not publicly confirmed the claims. 

Intelligence assessments have reportedly said Russia provided Iran with information that could help identify the locations of American warships, aircraft and other military assets. Officials reportedly stressed there is no public evidence that Moscow is directing Iranian strikes, but said the information could assist Tehran’s targeting efforts.

The scope, timing and operational impact of that information have not been publicly detailed.

While there is no public evidence definitively proving Russia is providing real-time targeting data, George Barros, a Russia expert at the Institute for the Study of War, said open-source indicators are consistent with the type of support described in the reports.

Barros pointed to Russian military reconnaissance satellites, including Cosmos-2550, a radar and electronic signature spacecraft that recently passed over the Persian Gulf and Arabian Sea — areas where U.S. forces have been operating.

“They’re specialized for naval reconnaissance and detecting ships, because the radar signature off the water really pings it quite well,” Barros said. “These are known capabilities of the Russians.”

Such radar systems can detect maritime targets and electronic emissions that reveal force positioning. Barros said those capabilities align with known gaps in Iran’s own space-based intelligence collection.

Although he cautioned that he does not have dispositive proof of real-time targeting support, Barros said the convergence of Russian reconnaissance capabilities, satellite positioning and reported cooperation “makes total sense.”

Trump on Monday described his recent conversation with Putin as “very good” and “constructive,” saying the Russian leader “wants to be very constructive.” Trump suggested Moscow could be more helpful by helping bring the war in Ukraine to an end.

Iran’s foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, acknowledged over the weekend that Russia is assisting Iran “in many different directions” in its war with the United States and Israel. Pressed on whether that includes intelligence sharing, Araghchi said, “They are helping us in many different directions,” but added, “I don’t have any detailed information.”

AS UKRAINE WAR DRAGS ON, TRUMP HITS PUTIN BY SQUEEZING RUSSIA’S PROXIES

Beyond intelligence collection, analysts say battlefield patterns suggest tactical cross-pollination between Russia and Iran. 

During the war in Ukraine, Iran supplied Russia with Shahed one-way attack drones, which Moscow deployed extensively against Ukrainian cities and infrastructure. Over time, Russian forces refined strike packages combining drones, cruise missiles and ballistic missiles to overwhelm integrated Western air defense systems.

“The Russians got really, really good at learning how to launch drones against integrated Western air defense systems,” Barros said.

Those lessons, he said, appear to have informed Iranian strike tactics in the Middle East, where Tehran has launched large-scale combined missile and drone attacks against U.S. and allied targets.

If confirmed, Barros argued, intelligence sharing that materially supports Iranian targeting would amount to Moscow acting as a “co-belligerent.”

“The Russians are coming out with Iran as a co-belligerent,” he said, adding that the Kremlin has long viewed the United States as a geopolitical adversary.

At the same time, Russia remains constrained in how far it can go. 

Russian ground forces are tied down in Ukraine and are not in a position to deploy to assist Iran. Analysts say any Russian support is far more likely to come in the form of intelligence sharing, technology transfers or drone production rather than boots on the ground.

One potential avenue involves drone manufacturing.

Russia operates large-scale Shahed-derived drone production facilities that were initially enabled by Iranian technology transfers. If Iran’s domestic drone factories are degraded by strikes, Russian production could theoretically help sustain Tehran’s aerial campaign, though there is no confirmed evidence that such transfers are occurring.

Defense officials have publicly downplayed the operational impact of any reported Russian assistance, saying U.S. commanders are tracking foreign intelligence activity and factoring it into planning.

The contrast between Trump’s characterization of Putin as “constructive” and Hegseth’s warning that Russia should stay out of the conflict underscores the delicate balance the administration is attempting to strike — pursuing diplomacy in Ukraine while confronting the possibility of deeper cooperation between Moscow and Tehran in the Middle East.

For now, analysts say the evidence stops short of conclusive proof. But the alignment of Russian reconnaissance capabilities, battlefield tactics refined in Ukraine and Tehran’s own acknowledgment of assistance has intensified scrutiny of Moscow’s role as the regional war unfolds.

Russia has not publicly responded to the allegation of intelligence sharing with Iran, but has broadly called for de-escalation of the conflict. 

The Russian embassy could not immediately be reached for comment.