Author: NOVA Corp

Another radical far-left candidate backed by socialist New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani is under fire after a resurfaced social media clip shows her appearing to suggest that America deserved the September 11, 2001, terror attacks.

Aber Kawas is the Muslim daughter of illegal aliens who is now the Democratic nominee for the New York State Senate District 12. Like Mamdani, Kawas is a socialist.

“The system of capitalism and racism and White supremacy… and Islamophobia have all been used to colonize lands, to take resources from other people and so this is a long trajectory, and we’re just seeing the manifestations of that continuation with 9/11,” she said in a 2017 episode of the Asian American Writers’ Association podcast titled “Islamophobia beyond 9/11 with Aber Kawas.”

She then downplayed the horrific attack.

DEMOCRATS TEAM UP WITH FAR-LEFT STREAMER WHO ONCE SAID ‘AMERICA DESERVED 9/11’

“The idea we have to apologize for a terror attack that a couple of people did and then there is no apology or reparations for genocides and for slavery… is something I find reprehensible,” she said.

The radical candidate addressed her comments during a November 2025 interview, downplaying them as out-of-context attacks from the political right, calling them “cherry-picked comments.”

“I’ve always been outspoken about the wrongful scapegoating of Muslim Americans, both before and after 9/11, and in this interview I was speaking about the harmful notion that Muslims should have to apologize for an act of violence they have nothing to do with,” Kawas told Fox News Digital Thursday morning.

“Our resounding victory this week shows that the people of Queens simply don’t buy into this kind of desperate, Islamophobic smear, and want leaders in office who aren’t afraid to call out bigotry, racism, and double standards.”

Kawas, who describes herself as a Palestinian American and Muslim community activist, made Gaza a central issue of her campaign. She said in her victory speech that “another world is possible,” and that is “a world where Gaza is free to live.”

She has also reportedly been affiliated with the Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR), which has previously been designated as a terrorist organization in some U.S. states and other countries.

MAMDANI-BACKED SOCIALIST WITH HISTORY OF ANTI-AMERICAN RHETORIC WINS VICIOUS DEM PRIMARY RACE

Her father, Jordanian national Abdelkareem Kawas, came to the United States on a tourist visa in 1989 and never left, according to the New York Post. He was later deported after a conviction for real estate fraud and a prison stint.

Kawas made this story central to her campaign and portrayed it on the trail as cruel persecution by immigration authorities of her father.

New York State Senate District 12 comprises western Queens, including Astoria.

It is a deeply blue district, and Kawas was vying for the seat against Democratic Assemblyman Steven Raga, whom she defeated handily. Incumbent State Sen. Michael Gianaris is stepping down when his term ends.

In a district that is deeply blue, Kawas is likely to stroll to victory in November, which will send her to Albany come January.

President Donald Trump announced Thursday that he is nominating Chris Klomp to serve as deputy secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

Trump said he made the decision in conjunction with HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. and Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz.

“It is my Great Honor to announce the nomination of Chris Klomp … as our next Deputy Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS)! His rapid rise in my Administration proves that he is a potential STAR. Chris is a Strong and Inspiring Leader and a Highly Successful Entrepreneur. Everywhere Chris goes, he earns TRUST. He is a person of principle, and is deeply committed to serving the AMERICAN People — and fixing our broken Healthcare System,” Trump wrote in a Thursday Truth Social post.

ROBERT F KENNEDY JR: THE FUTURE OF MEDICINE SHOULD BE BUILT IN AMERICA

Klomp’s LinkedIn profile indicates that he is “Chief Counselor of HHS,” “Deputy Administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services,” “Director of the Center for Medicare, CMS,” and “Senior Advisor to the Secretary, HHS.”

Trump continued post: “HHS is a massive and complex organization, but Chris knows exactly how to run it. He is doing a FANTASTIC job leading Medicare, and overseeing day-to-day operations. Secretary Kennedy, Dr. Oz, and I made this decision together!”

FOX NEWS POLL: VOTERS EMBRACE HEALTH AGENDA WHILE RATING RFK JR NEGATIVELY

“Chris’ experience building a BIG business gave him the TOUGHNESS to drive desperately needed major reforms, including my Historic MOST FAVORED NATION Drug Pricing Policy, to finally stop foreign freeriding off the backs of the American People. It is time for other countries to pay their fair share, and they’re doing so! Our Drug Prices have come down MASSIVELY in the last year,” he added.

OBAMA-APPOINTED JUDGE TORPEDOES TRUMP’S BID TO FIGHT OBESITY AS WHITE HOUSE WARNS IT WON’T BE ‘FINAL SAY’

“Chris puts AMERICA FIRST, and will reform Healthcare to Make America Great and Healthy Again. Congratulations Chris!” the president said in the post.

Former Trump White House counselor and Fox News contributor Kellyanne Conway said Tuesday’s Democratic primary results do not signal a broader political shift, arguing the victories reflect the politics of only a handful of districts.

She told Fox News Digital that candidates she characterized as “anti-America” may find success in “very curated, specific districts” but are unlikely to win over the country at larger scale.

The comments came after a slate of progressive and socialist candidates scored high-profile victories in Tuesday’s Democratic primaries. Those wins fueled renewed debate over whether the Democratic Party is shifting further to the left ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.

NY SOCIALIST SURGE COULD PUSH DEM VOTERS TO DEFECT, GOP GOVERNOR CANDIDATE PREDICTS

Asked whether she expects more progressive candidates to win elections, Conway pointed to what she described as “a lot of anti-American, anti-Israel candidates winning” in Tuesday’s Democratic primaries.

She claims their appeal to some blocs of voters would remain limited and jurisdictional.

“I don’t think that plays everywhere,” Conway said. “That’s not aligned with the values of this country. It’ll happen in very curated, specific districts, but it won’t happen everywhere.”

MAMDANI-BACKED SOCIALIST CANDIDATE STORMS OUT OF LIVE INTERVIEW WHEN CONFRONTED WITH OLD SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS

Conway made the remarks while attending a Capitol Hill ceremony commemorating the nation’s upcoming 250th anniversary, where organizers completed a time capsule to be preserved for the next 250 years.

She said she hopes “all Americans are very excited” to celebrate the country’s milestone before weighing in on the Democratic primary results.

Conway also cited a recent poll on patriotism, saying she was “very disturbed” in results that found 90% of Republicans say they are extremely or very proud to be American, compared to only 29% of Democrats.

Conway said the results reinforced her belief that the Democratic Party’s activist wing is increasingly out of step with most Americans, arguing that patriotism remains a defining issue for many voters heading into the midterm elections.

When asked whether she was surprised by the primary loss of her ex-husband, anti-Trump conservative attorney George Conway, the former top White House aide replied, “Not at all.”

Conway, a prominent critic of President Donald Trump, was running to replace retiring Rep. Jerry Nadler, D-N,Y., but lost his bid.

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez accused President Donald Trump of a “betrayal” after the Supreme Court handed his administration a pair of immigration wins involving Temporary Protected Status and asylum claims.

The Supreme Court on Thursday allowed the Trump administration to end Temporary Protected Status, or TPS, for Haitian and Syrian migrants, clearing the way for the administration to remove legal protections that have allowed many Haitians to remain and work in the U.S. since Haiti’s 2010 earthquake and many Syrians since the country’s civil war prompted a TPS designation in 2012.

Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., told Fox News Digital the TPS decision targets the very people Trump supporters were told would not be the focus of his aggressive immigration deportation agenda.

SUPREME COURT HANDS TRUMP TWO MAJOR IMMIGRATION VICTORIES

“I think it’s really sad because these decisions are targeting exactly the kind of people that Republican voters said that they did not want targeted in the Trump administration’s immigration policy,” Ocasio-Cortez said.

She argued the ruling marked “a reversal of President Trump’s promise to only go after, quote unquote, criminals and rapists.”

“This decision to overturn TPS targets nurses, it targets health care workers, it targets domestic workers, cleaners, people who work in restaurants,” she said, calling it “a real betrayal of President Trump’s promise.”

Ocasio-Cortez also argued the ruling would hurt U.S. citizens by raising prices, making it harder to find workers, while also breaking up longstanding communities.

House Democratic Caucus Chair Pete Aguilar, D-Calif., criticized Trump and Republicans over the asylum ruling, saying the president has “time and time again” attacked a process that has been part of U.S. law for decades.

“People are fleeing terrible conditions and they have a lawful right to declare asylum,” Aguilar said.

AOC TELLS VOTERS WORRIED ABOUT GROCERY PRICES TO JUST ‘WAIT UNTIL THE FARMS ARE EMPTY’ FROM DEPORTATIONS

“Temporary Protected Status was always meant to be temporary,” White House Deputy Press Secretary Abigail Jackson said on Thursday. “It was never meant to be a pathway to permanent status or citizenship…our asylum system, for years, has been abused and exploited by bad actors…this ruling is a step in the right direction towards clearing up our asylum system and making sure that people can’t enter our country who shouldn’t be here — and that people who are here, who shouldn’t be here, should be deported.”

Asked what Democrats’ next step would be on TPS, Aguilar pointed to legislation he said Democrats forced through the House by discharge petition.

“Democrats led legislation in order to bring certainty to that. It’s sitting over in the Senate,” Aguilar said. “We forced a discharge petition, and were successful because we believe in governing.”

Aguilar appeared to be referring to House-passed legislation aimed at extending TPS protections for Haitians.

Rep. Shomari Figures, D-Ala., said he had not yet read the full decisions but was “beyond the point of being surprised by almost any decision that comes out of court.”

Figures defended TPS for Haiti, citing natural disasters, political instability and violence.

“There’s not a country that I think TPS is designed at its core that’s more deserving of that than the situations we currently see in Haiti,” Figures said.

House Democrats offered sharply different takes Wednesday after a surge in socialism proved victorious in the Democratic Party when three far-left candidates swept the floor in key races in New York’s primary elections.

The new wave of socialist candidates, who were backed by the Democratic Socialists of America, beat out moderate Democrats in Tuesday night’s race has fueled mixed reactions from lawmakers over whether these new ideals will be at the center of the entire Democratic Party.

“It’s sort of dismissed as a fluke or an outlier, but whenever more moderate Democrats win, people say that that’s a blueprint for Democrats to continue winning,” Rep. Ayanna Pressley, D-Mass., said when asked about what the streak of progressive wins means for the Democratic Party.

She continued, “So people should take heed.”

RISING SOCIALIST STARS ON TRACK TO CONGRESS: WHO ARE DARIALIZA AVILA CHEVALIER, BRAD LANDER AND CLAIRE VALDEZ?

Other Democrats quickly distanced themselves from the far-left movement, or at least the socialist identity.

“I’m a capitalist, not a socialist,” Rep. Thomas Suozzi, D-N.Y., told Fox News Digital. “And I believe in safety, not lawlessness. And I’m proud of America. I’m not ashamed of America.”

 Rep. Gregory Meeks, D-N.Y., struck a similar note.

“Now for me, you know, I believe in capitalism, so I’m not a socialist,” Meeks said. “So I don’t know whether that’s an issue or not.”

The debate comes as New York City’s socialist Mayor Zohran Mamdani dominated in the primaries as he endorsed three candidates — Darializa Avila Chevalier, Brad Lander and Claire Valdez — who won their key races by promoting the same socialist agenda Mamdani has in their campaigns.

FAR-LEFT SURGE: MAMDANI-BACKED CANDIDATES OUST DEM ESTABLISHMENT INCUMBENTS

Some Democrats attribute the trend of far-left progressive voting to only being popular in a place like New York.

“I think what happens in New York City is sort of just what happens in New York City,” Rep. Joseph Morelle, D-N.Y. said. “I don’t think it’s necessarily an indication of anything outside New York City. Their politics is somewhat unique.”

Progressive Democrat Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., agreed with Pressley that the election results in New York indicate a larger movement within their party.

“Fabulous energy, momentum, giant repudiation of special interests, including the impact of others,” Jayapal said when asked how she feels about the election results. 

She continued, “And real energy for us to continue to turn out young people and make sure that we’re getting everyone voting and committed to a government that actually works for working people.

The divide shows a broader ongoing debate within the Democratic Party over whether far-left ideology will take over as the blueprint for the party, and whether these progressive campaigns can be a legitimate roadmap to national success for the party.

 NY DEM SAYS HE ‘DISAGREES’ WITH MAMDANI, MAKES COMPARISON TO TRUMP

Suozzi used economic concerns as an example of needing to find some middle ground between extremes in both parties — calling for people to focus on solutions to better the lives of Americans rather than working to dismantle entire systems.

“They’re saying ‘the whole system sucks, let’s tear it down,’” Suozzi said. “I don’t believe that’s the right answer. I believe that we, those of us that disagree with the DSA and those of us who disagree with MAGA, have to do a better job of saying, ‘Yes, you have reasons to have economic insecurity. We understand that.’” 

“We have to do a better job of understanding, saying that we understand what people are going through and proposing solutions that will make their lives better,” he said.

Pressley argued Democrats should embrace the momentum she believes the New York results represent, saying voters want leaders willing to aggressively pursue their agenda.

“What the American people want to see right now and going forward is that we know how to be the fighters in the room and that when we have the power, we’re not afraid to use it,” Pressley said.

Sen. Elissa Slotkin, D-Mich., said she believes the Democratic Party is in need of “new leadership,” arguing that the party never completely recovered after its losses in the 2024 elections. 

During an appearance on SiriusXM’s “Straight Shooter” on Wednesday, the senator told host Stephen A. Smith, “Every day there’s a debate within the party about the path forward.”

“That’s why I believe we need significant new leadership. The old models are no longer working, and that includes the Democratic Party,” she said.

Slotkin explained that new leaders are needed in both the House and the Senate, adding that her party needs to center its focus more on a few key issues.

DEMOCRATIC SENATOR SAYS PARTY IS LACKING LEADERSHIP, STRATEGY FOLLOWING DEFEAT TO TRUMP

“Democrats were soundly defeated in 2024. I was in a swing state, and I won that same year. To me, the lesson was simple. Democrats had too many priorities. They tried to make everyone happy and answer every question. When you prioritize everything, no one knows what you actually stand for,” Slotkin said.

“Donald Trump came in with one clear message. He said, ‘I’m going to make your life more affordable. I’m going to put more money in your pocket.’ He won because he kept his message simple and focused on the issue Americans cared most about,” she added.

Earlier this week, Slotkin said in a speech that Democrats need to get back to basics by addressing issues such as the economy and education.

SEN. SLOTKIN SAYS DEM SOCIALIST NYC CANDIDATE MAMDANI REPRESENTS ‘NEW GENERATION’ OF LEADERS YOUNG VOTERS WANT

“We just need to show people that what we care about is an economy where if you work hard and play by the rules, you get ahead and your kids do better,” she said at the time.

Slotkin’s call for new leadership comes as Democratic socialists and other progressive candidates posted several victories in New York’s Democratic primaries this week, backed by New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani, whose campaign has emphasized affordability and improving conditions for working-class residents.

Democratic National Committee Chair Ken Martin has sought to ease tensions within the party since taking office in February 2025. However, Slotkin suggested a broader change in party leadership would be necessary to produce a meaningful shift.

A group of Democratic senators had sought to replace Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., over how he handled last year’s government shutdown, The Wall Street Journal reported in March.

Democrats in the Senate will elect a party leader after November’s general election through a secret ballot.

Following a catastrophic set of earthquakes that left at least 235 people dead in Venezuela, the Trump administration has activated a government-wide humanitarian response, pledging $150 million in aid and deploying U.S. Navy warships to assist in life-saving rescue operations.

The rapid mobilization Thursday comes after back-to-back magnitude 7.2 and 7.5 earthquakes rocked northern Venezuela roughly 120 miles west of Caracas Wednesday night. 

The rare earthquake “doublet” injured more than 940 people and turned the state of La Guaira into a disaster zone, while forcing the closure of the damaged Simón Bolívar International Airport, according to Venezuela’s Health Ministry.

US RESCUE TEAMS TO DESCEND ON HARD-HIT CARIBBEAN AFTER CATASTROPHIC HURRICANE MELISSA’S IMPACT

The U.S. Department of State announced on Thursday it is mobilizing $150 million in aid, which includes $50 million in new bilateral awards for relief partners on the ground — such as Samaritan’s Purse, Catholic Relief Services and World Vision — along with a $100 million contribution to a United Nations humanitarian pooled fund.

To spearhead efforts on the ground, the State Department has deployed a regional Disaster Assistance Response Team alongside two highly specialized urban search-and-rescue teams from fire departments in Fairfax County, Virginia, and Los Angeles County, California. 

U.S. WARSHIPS TO PATROL INTERNATIONAL WATERS AROUND VENEZUELA AS TRUMP VOWS TO STOP CARTELS

U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) said it is surging assigned U.S. military forces to the region, directing the USS Fort Lauderdale and the USS Billings to Venezuela to back the State Department-led operations.

The USS Fort Lauderdale will serve as a “floating command center” with a flight deck to support heavy-lift helicopters and a well deck to launch landing craft, according to SOUTHCOM.

Meanwhile, the agile USS Billings will provide critical support close to the shorelines to accelerate the disaster response missions.

SOUTHCOM said it is also sending rotary-wing aircraft, which will provide critical life-saving airlift support, transporting U.S. government response personnel, search and rescue teams and partners during relief operations.

Amid the crisis, the State Department emphasized that the safety of U.S. citizens remains the administration’s highest priority.

“The Trump Administration has no higher priority than the safety and security of Americans. The Department of State is working tirelessly to provide consular assistance to U.S. citizens and their families in the affected areas,” officials wrote in a statement. “The United States remains steadfast in its commitment to helping Venezuela recover from this devastating disaster and will continue to explore additional ways to provide meaningful assistance during this critical time.”

U.S. citizens in Venezuela are urged to enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) and can contact the State Department 24/7 at 202-501-4444 for emergency assistance.

Family members in the U.S. seeking information on loved ones can call toll-free at 888-407-4747.

Rep. Harriet Hageman, R-Wyo., is sounding the alarm over polling revealing that a record-low number of Americans were “very proud” of their country last year.

“In Gallup’s 25-year patriotism survey, just 17 percent, or less than 1 in 5 American adults, reported that they were ‘very proud’ of being an American,” Hageman said in a recent floor speech.

“Our excitement for America has been dimmed by accusations of an unacceptable morality, our self-image tarnished by a novel self-flagellation,” she added.

Hageman’s speech, set to be delivered in the coming week, argues that the country has a distinct cultural identity that merits preservation and urges readers to rekindle their appreciation of it on America’s 250th Independence Day.

STUNNINGLY LOW PERCENTAGE OF ADULTS IN US THINK AMERICA STANDS ABOVE EVERY OTHER NATION: POLL

“We must stop pretending that America is just an idea, or that we have no shared culture worth fighting for,” Hageman wrote.

“This does not mean that we reject other cultures or traditions. America has, in fact, been one of the most gracious countries in history to welcome people from across the globe to our shores.  By inviting those who seek to make our country home, however, we are not obligated to subjugate our American history, culture and traditions for theirs.  We instead welcome them here to partake in and succeed in the American way of life.”

Gallup’s 2025 findings record that only 36% of Democrats said they were “very proud” of the U.S., down from 62% the year before. Comparatively, Republicans recorded much higher levels at 92 percent among respondents.

Independents also hit a low point, with just 53% expressing a great deal of pride, a seven-point drop from a year prior.

ONLY 27 PERCENT OF DEMOCRATS WILL DISPLAY AMERICAN FLAG ON JULY 4: POLL

Hageman said she believes the findings reflect the thinking of the Democratic Party and attempts to reinterpret the country’s founding.

“My friends on the other side of the aisle have worked mightily to weaponize our history with slavery to indict our nation as irredeemable,” Hageman said.

“Today, the left reveres 1619 as the year of America’s true founding. The year the first slaves were imported to America has become the defining moment for a new generation of cultural revolutionaries hellbent to tear our society apart.”

Hageman said she believes the trend is reversible. In particular, she said a sense of patriotism could be restored through a renewed focus on the country’s founding.

WHAT THE FOUNDING FATHERS WOULD TELL AOC ABOUT THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION

“I hope that by focusing on America’s 250th anniversary – and looking back over that history with honesty and accuracy — we will reverse these declines,” Hageman said.

“I am, in fact, optimistic that those festivities we’ve already enjoyed are currently inspiring a new sense of purpose in our national identity. And I believe we are on the right track to making America proud again.”

FIRST ON FOX: Attorneys representing a French national who recently admitted to illegally casting a ballot in the 2022 federal midterm elections told Fox News Digital that he thought he was allowed to vote because he was automatically registered when he received his New Jersey driver’s license.

Eliezer Kadoch, 39, of Toms River, pleaded guilty to voting by an alien in a federal election before U.S. Magistrate Judge J. Brandon Day in Trenton federal court, according to a statement from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey.

Though Kadoch is a citizen of France and has never held U.S. citizenship, he illegally voted on Nov. 8, 2022, during an election that was held in part to elect members of the U.S. House of Representatives, according to court documents.

FOUR NONCITIZENS CHARGED WITH ILLEGALLY VOTING IN 2020, 2022 AND 2024 FEDERAL ELECTIONS IN NEW JERSEY

Attorney Yosef Jacobovitch, who is representing Kadoch, told Fox News Digital that when his client cast the ballot, he “mistakenly believed” he was legally permitted to vote because he had been automatically registered when he obtained his New Jersey driver’s license.

“Mr. Kadoch accepted responsibility for his actions,” Jacobovitch said. “… There was never any intent to violate the law or cast an unlawful ballot. Unfortunately, the offense to which he pleaded guilty does not require proof of criminal intent, and he now fully understands that.”

Kadoch now faces up to six months in federal prison and a $100,000 fine, according to officials. His sentencing is scheduled for Oct. 26.

SUPREME COURT HANDS TRUMP TWO MAJOR IMMIGRATION VICTORIES

The America First Police Institute (AFPI) reported that issuing driver’s licenses to noncitizens, combined with automatic voter registration, can result in them being added to voter rolls.

In recent years, the nonprofit said numerous states — including Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Louisiana, Michigan, Montana, Ohio, Tennessee, Texas, Utah and Virginia — investigated the issue and identified noncitizens on their voter rolls.

Model legislation drafted by AFPI suggested solutions including requiring proof of citizenship to vote, and implementing audit requirements to ensure that noncitizens are not on the voter rolls.

U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer noted the case was brought by the United States Attorney’s Office’s Election Integrity Task Force, a coalition of federal law enforcement partners dedicated to preserving and protecting the integrity of elections in New Jersey.

The investigation was a joint effort involving special agents from the FBI, Homeland Security Investigations and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.

Kadoch’s immigration status was not publicly released.

The New Jersey Department of State, New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission, Ocean County Clerk’s Office and AFPI did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s requests for comment.

Utah Gov. Spencer Cox on Thursday issued a temporary, statewide restriction on fireworks for the upcoming Fourth of July holiday, citing “historic” and “extraordinary” wildfire conditions across the state.

Cox, a Republican, signed an executive order declaring a state of emergency, temporarily suspending state law to allow the state forester to ban the discharge of fireworks within municipal boundaries between July 2 and July 5.

As America’s 250th anniversary approaches, 94% of Utah is facing severe or extreme drought.

RESIDENTS WAKE UP SCREAMING AS COPS RACE TO RESCUE THEM FROM LATE-NIGHT APARTMENT BLAZE: VIDEO

The state has already seen 354 wildfires scorch nearly 142,000 acres this season, with more than 75% of the wildfires having been caused by humans.

While the mandate snuffs out some of the holiday excitement, it offers a potential compromise for residents wanting to celebrate. 

Local municipal leaders, working alongside their fire chiefs, are granted the authority to designate specific “safe areas” where fireworks will still be permitted.

FIRE DEPARTMENTS TURN TO AI TO DETECT WILDFIRES FASTER

If local leaders do not designate these areas, the state forester’s closure remains in full effect.

“Nothing about this decision was easy,” Cox wrote in a statement, acknowledging that Utahns typically enjoy celebrating with pyrotechnics. “But this year is different. We are seeing fire behavior that even our most experienced firefighters say they’ve never witnessed before.”

In a statement posted to X, Cox added, “Our goal is to make sure our neighborhoods and communities are still standing on July 5.”

COLORADO UTILIZING GRAZING CATTLE TO HELP PREVENT WILDFIRES IN AT-RISK AREAS

Utah State Forester Jamie Barnes warned that prolonged drought, critically dry vegetation and extreme weather are causing blazes to spread faster and behave in ways that “defy historical expectations.”

To deter preventable fires, the Utah Department of Public Safety is ramping up patrols in high-risk areas, and officials warn that sparking an illegal wildfire could lead to significant criminal and civil consequences.

State officials plan to re-evaluate the wildfire danger after the Independence Day weekend to determine if similar restrictions will be necessary for the state’s Pioneer Day holiday from July 22 to July 25. 

Residents are urged to check local restrictions, sign up for emergency alerts and report any suspicious activity immediately.

Cox’s office did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.