Category: USA Politics

The Virginia Supreme Court heard arguments Monday on a Republican challenge to a congressional redistricting plan approved by voters last week that could help Democrats win as many as four additional U.S. House seats and turn a 6-5 delegate edge to 10-1.

“The proposed amendment is invalid for several reasons, any one of which is sufficient to invalidate the proposed amendment and require invalidation of the vote,” Thomas McCarthy, lawyer for the Republican challenge, concluded in the hour-long hearing on Monday.

The Republicans contend that the Democrat-led General Assembly violated procedural requirements by placing a constitutional amendment before voters to authorize mid-decade redistricting. If the court agrees that lawmakers broke the rules, it could invalidate the amendment and render last week’s statewide vote meaningless.

“It’s often said ours is a government of laws, not of men,” McCarthy continued. “Sadly, that’s not the case if a bare partisan majority can circumvent the constitutional amendment process and undermine the rights of the people in whom all government power ultimately rests – also, that partisan majority can transform our system from a nonpartisan one where the voters elected representatives into a partisan one where the representatives select their voters.”

GOP FRACTURES OVER VIRGINIA REDISTRICTING MAP HANDING DEMOCRATS 10-1 EDGE

“We ask that the court enforce the constitutional amendment process by affirming the decision below, declaring the proposed amendment invalid and enjoin certification of the election,” he added.

Lawyers for Democratic legislative leaders urged the Virginia Supreme Court to uphold the amendment and clear the way for the new map, arguing voters and lawmakers followed every step required by the state Constitution. In rebuttal, attorney Matthew Seligman said, “The people did, in fact, validly ratify the proposed amendment last Tuesday,” and argued challengers were trying to undo a democratic process that had already been completed through legislative approval and a statewide vote.

Notably, the justices acknowledged the courts in Virginia only permitted the vote to be held amid the legal challenge.

DEMOCRATS’ CHAIR VOWS TO FIGHT ‘TOOTH AND NAIL’ TO STOP TRUMP, REPUBLICANS, IN REDISTRICTING BATTLE

Seligman also argued to the justices the challengers’ case depended on reading limits into the Constitution that are not actually there. He argued the General Assembly controls its own procedures, that nothing in the Constitution barred lawmakers from acting as they did in special session, and that the legal meaning of “election” supports the state’s position that the amendment was passed before the relevant November election.

He closed by saying that federal law and court precedent back the view that Election Day is a single day in November, defeating the challengers’ argument.

The Virginia court proceedings mark the latest twist in a national redistricting battle between Republicans and Democrats seeking an advantage in a November election that will determine whether Republicans maintain their narrow majority in the House.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Iran’s foreign minister met with Russian President Vladimir Putin Monday as U.S.–Iran negotiations appeared to collapse, raising the risk of further escalation in the Strait of Hormuz — a critical global oil choke point.

Abbas Araghchi arrived in Moscow for talks with Putin as diplomatic efforts to end the conflict between Iran and Washington remain stalled.

“We see how courageously and heroically the people of Iran are fighting for their independence, for their sovereignty,” Putin said at the meeting in St. Petersburg, Russia, according to Russian state news agencies.

“The significance of this conversation is hard to overestimate in terms of how the situation around Iran and in the Middle East is developing,” Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told reporters earlier.

RUSSIA, CHINA VETO UN RESOLUTION AIMED AT REOPENING STRAIT OF HORMUZ, HOURS BEFORE TRUMP DEADLINE

The visit comes just days after Araghchi held talks with Pakistani mediators, where he said Iran had shared its position on ending the war but questioned whether the U.S. was “truly serious about diplomacy.”

President Donald Trump has pushed back sharply on that characterization, signaling Washington believes it holds the advantage.

The meeting comes at a pivotal moment, as tensions at sea intensify and scrutiny grows over Russia’s role following reports Moscow may have shared intelligence with Tehran during the conflict.

War Secretary Pete Hegseth warned in March that Russia “should not be involved” in the escalating war, as reports emerged suggesting Moscow may be providing intelligence to Iran on U.S. military positions in the region.

U.S. officials say they are closely tracking any potential intelligence-sharing between Russia and Iran, while downplaying the confirmed operational impact. Still, the possibility of Russian support — whether through intelligence, technology transfers or other assistance — has raised concerns that Moscow could indirectly influence the battlefield without committing forces.

Araghchi has acknowledged that Russia is assisting Iran “in many different directions,” though he has not publicly detailed the scope of that cooperation.

Russia has positioned itself as a potential mediator in the conflict, offering to help restore calm following U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran — actions Moscow has publicly condemned.

The Kremlin also has proposed storing Iran’s enriched uranium as part of a potential effort to ease tensions, though the U.S. has not taken up the offer.

The outreach comes as ties between Moscow and Iran have deepened in recent years. Iran in 2025 finalized a 20-year strategic partnership agreement with Russia, which is building two additional nuclear reactors at Iran’s Bushehr facility — the country’s only nuclear power plant.

At the same time, Iran has supported Russia’s war effort in Ukraine, supplying Shahed drones that Moscow has used in strikes against Ukrainian targets.

“If they want to talk, all they have to do is call,” Trump said over the weekend, adding that the U.S. has “all the cards.”

Trump also has pointed to what he described as “tremendous infighting and confusion” within Iran’s leadership, arguing Iran is under internal pressure as the conflict drags on.

The president canceled a planned trip by special envoy Steve Witkoff and adviser Jared Kushner to Pakistan, where they had been expected to participate in mediated talks with Iranian officials.

Trump said the trip would have been a waste of time, arguing there was no reason for U.S. officials to make an 18-hour flight when negotiations could take place remotely.

Both sides have since traded blame for the breakdown in talks, with Iran accusing the U.S. of making “excessive demands,” while the Trump administration has insisted Iran must return to negotiations on U.S. terms.

Attempts at mediation, including efforts in Pakistan, have failed to produce progress, with both sides refusing to compromise on core issues such as Iran’s nuclear program and control of the Strait of Hormuz.

As diplomacy falters, the confrontation has increasingly shifted to the water.

The U.S. has enforced a naval blockade targeting Iranian shipping, while Iran has restricted and at times threatened traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, triggering a high-stakes standoff over one of the world’s most vital energy corridors.

Roughly one-fifth of global oil supply passes through the narrow waterway, making disruptions there a direct threat to global markets.

TRUMP SEEKS WARSHIPS FROM OTHER COUNTRIES TO HELP SECURE STRAIT OF HORMUZ

Oil prices already have risen as tensions escalate and shipping traffic declines amid uncertainty over whether the strait will remain fully open.

Iran has floated a potential off-ramp, proposing to reopen the strait if the U.S. lifts its blockade and agrees to defer nuclear negotiations — a framework the Trump administration has shown little willingness to accept.

At the same time, Iran’s outreach to Moscow is drawing renewed scrutiny over Russia’s role in the conflict.

Araghchi has acknowledged that Russia is assisting Iran “in many different directions,” though he has not publicly detailed the scope of that cooperation.

The meeting with Putin now signals Iran may be seeking to deepen that relationship as leverage — or as an alternative diplomatic channel — as direct talks with Washington falter.

With both sides dug in and pressure building at sea, the conflict is increasingly defined by a three-way dynamic: stalled diplomacy, rising military risk in the Strait of Hormuz and the growing question of how far Russia is willing to align itself with Iran.

Analysts warn that without a breakthrough, the standoff risks sliding further toward a broader confrontation — with global economic consequences tied directly to the fate of the world’s most important oil transit route.

Fox News Digital has reached out to the Iranian mission to the United Nations, the Russian embassy and the White House for comment.

Former President Barack Obama sparked an online firestorm over the weekend after his X post discussing the “motive” of the White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner shooter went viral.

“Although we don’t yet have the details about the motives behind last night’s shooting at the White House Correspondents Dinner, it’s incumbent upon all us to reject the idea that violence has any place in our democracy,” Obama posted on X on Sunday evening, roughly 24 hours after President Trump and top officials were whisked out of the Washington Hilton Hotel when shots rang out from a man who stormed security during the White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner.

“It’s also a sobering reminder of the courage and sacrifice that the U.S. Secret Service Agents show every day. I’m grateful to them — and thankful that the agent who was shot is going to be okay.”

Obama’s post has been viewed nearly 52 million times and sparked outrage from conservatives, who pointed to a manifesto left by the shooter and other details of the attack that they say show the motive was to harm Trump and his Cabinet.

WHCD SHOOTING SUSPECT PLANNED TO TARGET TRUMP OFFICIALS, MANIFESTO REVEALS

“Let’s not pretend to be this clueless about motive, @BarackObama,” EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin posted on X. “The attempted assassin put out an anti-Trump manifesto about wanting to kill Trump Admin officials, minutes before trying to storm a ballroom filled with the President, VP, Cabinet, and many others from his Admin.”

Former FBI Co-Deputy Director Dan Bongino simply replied, “Are you kidding?”

“There is a manifesto, and this is why you are the problem,” Rep. Abe Hamadeh, R-Ariz., posted on X. 

“Oh come on,” reacted former Department of Homeland Security press secretary Tricia McLaughlin. “There is no ambiguity. It was a politically motivated attack driven by anti-Trump and anti-Christian bile. It’s wrong to downplay or obscure the obvious motive.”

Journalist Emma-Jo Morris posted on X, “It’s crazy how irrelevant Obama has become. Just reduced to posting bluesky-tier cope and meaningless cliches, ‘incumbent upon all’ etc.”

WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENTS’ DINNER SUSPECT CHECKED INTO HILTON HOTEL ONE DAY BEFORE THE SHOOTING: SOURCES

The Republican National Committee commented, “You are so SICK! Law enforcement officers confirmed this radicalized Leftist was targeting President Trump and his administration last night. Why are you lying?”

Popular independent journalist Nick Shirley also joined in, urging Obama to “call it out for what it is.”

“Wdym by ‘although’? It’s obvious what the motive was,” wrote Shirley.

Heritage Foundation media fellow Tim Young took a similar line, telling the former president, “Don’t pretend you don’t know.”

“The details were out early this morning and it was clear he was a leftist trying to harm as many people in Trump’s cabinet as possible,” Young wrote.

WHO IS COLE ALLEN? CALIFORNIA MAN NAMED AS SUSPECT IN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENTS’ DINNER SHOOTING

“Agreed on condemning political violence, but you know what his motives were,” “Charlie Kirk Show” Executive Producer Andrew Kolvet posted on X.

“This is a lie—the gunman’s manifesto was published six hours ago,” political commentator Batya Ungar-Sargon posted on X. “But it’s also a confession—an admission that the motive is damning to President Obama’s side, hence the need to lie.”

Authorities have identified Cole Allen, a 31-year-old California resident, as the suspect who allegedly opened fire during the annual event attended by Trump and senior administration officials. Federal law enforcement officials confirmed to Fox News Digital that after Allen’s arrest, he said he intended to target Trump administration officials and had prepared a manifesto detailing his intent, while also sharing anti-Trump and anti-Christian rhetoric on social media.

U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro told reporters at a news conference after the shooting that Allen has been charged with two counts of using a firearm during a crime of violence and assault on a federal officer using a dangerous weapon. Pirro also said more charges are expected. 

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

The Supreme Court handed down a victory for the Republican Party on Monday, striking down a lower court’s ruling that had blocked Texas’ plans for redrawing its congressional districts.

The court hung its order on reasoning from a previous ruling in Abbott v. League of United Latin American Citizens, but did not elaborate. The three liberal justices, Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan, and Ketanji Brown Jackson, dissented from the decision.

The decision comes after the Supreme Court temporarily greenlit the state’s map in December and California’s map in February. Both states spearheaded the mid-cycle redistricting fights that have now been cropping up across the country. The high court’s approval of both states’ maps, giving Republicans and Democrats five-seat advantages, respectively, served to cancel each other’s efforts out ahead of the 2026 midterms.

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, a Republican, had asked the Supreme Court last year to pause a three-judge panel’s ruling in the Western District of Texas that found 2-1 that race was too much of a factor in its redraw.

The Department of Justice also chimed in, telling the high court to intervene and reverse the decision, saying Texas’ choice to change its map was driven by purely “partisan objectives,” not racial objectives, which could violate the Voting Rights Act.

The voting rights groups who challenged Texas and Abbott claimed that the map was an illegal racial gerrymander, but the high court found in December 6-3 that the groups could not offer an alternative map that served Texas’ political needs.

The high court said in the unsigned order that the lower court should not have “interfered with an active primary campaign, causing much confusion and upsetting the delicate federal-state balance in elections.”

This is a developing story. Check back soon for updates.

Republicans are rushing to give President Donald Trump’s controversial ballroom addition to the White House the congressional go-ahead after a shooting at the White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner.

Lawmakers argue that Trump’s desire to build a ballroom at the White House — which ground to a halt after being snarled in litigation — would provide an ideal secure venue for future events following the shooting at the Washington Hilton on Saturday.

Sen. Tim Sheehy, R-Mont., announced he would try to fast-track a bill to give congressional approval for construction of the ballroom in the Senate when the upper chamber returns this week.

HOUSE GOP PUSHES BACK ON SENATE’S ‘SKINNY’ PLAN TO END RECORD-BREAKING DHS SHUTDOWN

He argued that “a president of any party should be able to host events in a secure area without attendees worrying about their safety.”

“It is an embarrassment to the strongest nation on Earth that we cannot host gatherings in our nation’s capital, including ones attended by our president, without the threat of violence and attempted assassinations,” Sheehy said in a statement.

It’s an about-face on Capitol Hill for Republicans, who, since Trump first announced his plans to build a ballroom last year, have largely kept their distance from the issue.

And it’s one spurred by the shooting on Saturday night, when Cole Allen was subdued by federal law enforcement after exchanging gunfire near the ballroom of the Washington Hilton, where Trump and his Cabinet, along with hundreds of guests, were seated for the annual White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner.

But a lawsuit and an ensuing court-ordered injunction against the 90,000-square-foot, $400 million gilded behemoth — which was being built where the White House’s East Wing once stood — have thrown the future of the project into question.

SENATE GOP RAMS THROUGH BLUEPRINT TO BANKROLL ICE, BORDER PATROL THROUGH END OF TRUMP ERA

A federal court ordered in March that the construction end without congressional approval. That ruling was later appealed to allow construction to continue below ground for what Trump previously described as a “shed” for a military complex.

After the shooting, Trump pushed for construction to continue.

“We need the ballroom,” Trump said at a news conference Saturday night. “That’s why Secret Service, that’s why the military are demanding it.”

TRUMP ADMIN URGES RESTORING BALLROOM CONSTRUCTION IN EMERGENCY MOTION: ‘TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE’

Now Republicans are getting involved. Reps. Lauren Boebert, R-Colo., and Randy Fine, R-Fla., like Sheehy, are planning to introduce legislation that would give congressional approval to the project.

“I don’t believe congressional approval is required for the project, but if it’ll keep activist judges on the sideline, so be it,” Boebert said on X.

The latest legislative push in the lower chamber comes during a week full of deadlines and must-do items for House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La. Among them is consideration of the Senate’s budget blueprint to fund immigration operations for the remainder of Trump’s presidency.

At least one lawmaker, Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, wants any consideration of the blueprint to “provide for construction of a secure ballroom on White House grounds.”

For now, it’s not entirely a partisan issue.

Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., one of the few Democrats at the White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner, argued that rancor between the aisles should be put aside to support ballroom construction.

“That venue wasn’t built to accommodate an event with the line of succession for the U.S. government,” Fetterman said on X. “After witnessing last night, drop the TDS and build the White House ballroom for events exactly like these.”

FIRST ON FOX: Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis revealed the new redistricted congressional map for the state, which shows the GOP gaining an extra four seats.

Should the state legislature, which holds a Republican majority in both the state House and Senate, approve the redrawing, it would then return to DeSantis to be signed into law and would apply to the 2026 midterms.

“Florida got shortchanged in the 2020 Census, and we’ve been fighting for fair representation ever since,” DeSantis told Fox News Digital. “Our population has since grown dramatically, and we have moved from a Democrat majority to a 1.5 million Republican advantage. Drawing maps based on race, which is reflected in our current congressional districts, is unconstitutional and should be prohibited.”

“Our new map for 2026 makes good on my promise to conduct mid-decade redistricting, and it more fairly represents the makeup of Florida today,” DeSantis added.

REPUBLICAN GOVERNOR SIGNS INTO LAW TRUMP-BACKED CONGRESSIONAL REDISTRICTING MAP

Currently, the Florida delegation to Congress is represented by 20 Republicans and seven Democrats, with an eighth Democratic seat vacant following the resignation of former Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick.

The redistricted map proposal comes after Virginia recently approved a constitutional amendment that would allow the state to redraw Virginia’s congressional districts and flip four GOP seats to the Democratic side. 

Virginia’s new proposed map was praised by Democrats, including Gov. Abigail Spanberger and former President Barack Obama.

GOP GOVERNOR NOMINEE PUSHES REDISTRICTING TO OUST STATE’S LONE HOUSE DEM

“Virginia voters have spoken, and tonight they approved a temporary measure to push back against a President who claims he is ‘entitled’ to more Republican seats in Congress,” Spanberger said in a statement. “Virginians watched other states go along with those demands without voter input — and we refused to let that stand. We responded the right way: at the ballot box.”

Ffity-one and a half percent of Virginia voters approved the amendment last week. Projections show 10 seats that likely will be won by Democrats, and just one by a Republican to represent the entirety of Virginia in Congress. 

Currently, Democrats hold six seats in Virginia while Republicans hold five.

NEW YORK, CALIFORNIA PROJECTED TO LOSE 6 HOUSE SEATS TO RED STATES AFTER 2030, CENSUS ANALYSIS SHOWS

A source familiar with DeSantis’ new map told Fox News Digital that the redistricting proposal isn’t as closely tied to Virginia’s recent sway toward Democratic seats, and that the decision is more related to the population increases.

“The governor has been planning this long before what took place in Virginia, and continues to be adamant that Floridians deserve fair representation that accurately reflects the state’s changing population and demographics,” the source told Fox News Digital. 

California implemented a similar strategy with the implementation of Prop 50, which temporarily allows the far-left Democratic assembly in the state to draw new congressional maps.

MARYLAND HOUSE APPROVES NEW CONGRESSIONAL MAP AS SENATE LEADERS WARN OF RISKS

The new California legislature-drawn maps show Democratic-leaning seats favoring four that were previously held by Republicans, with projections showing Democrats will hold as many as 48 seats in Congress while the GOP could have as few as four.

DeSantis faced opposition from House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., who is the most likely pick to serve as speaker of the House should Democrats take back the majority in November.

“Our message to Florida Republicans is F around and find out,” Jeffries said. “If they go down the road of a DeSantis dummymander, the Florida Republicans are gonna find themselves in the same situation as Texas Republicans, who are on the run right now.

VIRGINIA REPUBLICANS CHARGE ‘POWER GRAB’ AS DEMOCRAT WHO BACKED REDISTRICTING RUNS FOR CONGRESS

“Under no circumstances are Texas Republicans picking up five seats. They’ll be fortunate if they get two or three. While in California, we are going to get all five,” Jeffries added.

During a news conference in Florida, DeSantis responded to Jeffries’ comments with an invitation to come down to the Sunshine State and campaign for Democratic congressional candidates, implying the state’s Republican majority would hold strong in the midterm.

“Please. Be my guest. I will pay for you to come down to Florida to campaign,” DeSantis said. “I’ll put you up in the Florida governor’s mansion. We will take you fishing.”

REPUBLICANS APPEAL JUDGE’S DECISION REJECTING NEW YORK CITY GOP DISTRICT LINES

“We’ll do all this stuff. There’s nothing that could be better for Republicans in Florida than to see Jeffries, Hakeem Jeffries, everywhere around this state,” DeSantis added.

The redistricting fight has been bolstered across red and blue states as both parties attempt to take control of a Congress led by very slim majorities.

House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., encouraged Florida’s redistricting attempt, saying that the state “has the right to do so. 

“Florida has the right and the intention to do it. And my view is that they should,” Johnson said last week. 

FIRST ON FOX: A new pair of reports is shedding fresh light on how teachers unions across the country have quietly poured more than $1 billion into political causes over the past decade, with a top education watchdog warning the spending reflects a growing focus on activism rather than classroom priorities.

According to research from Defending Education, national teachers unions alone have directed roughly $669 million toward left-wing political groups, advocacy organizations and campaigns since 2015. When state and local affiliates are included, that figure balloons to more than $1 billion in total political spending.

The reports track spending from the two largest unions, the National Education Association (NEA) and the American Federation of Teachers (AFT), as well as their state-level affiliates, using federal filings and campaign finance records.

“These entities are a political machine,” Rhyen Staley, research director at Defending Education, told Fox News Digital.

NATION’S 2 LARGEST TEACHERS UNIONS FUNNELED NEARLY $50M TO LEFT-WING GROUPS, WATCHDOG REPORT SAYS

“Show me your budget and I will show you what you value; and what the teachers unions value is political power and advancing a left wing, social justice agenda. Parents, families, and communities have little to no counter to the influence that teachers union dollars have on state and local campaigns. Gone are the days of unions just advocating for higher wages, better working conditions, and good health insurance; they are a political machine focused on fomenting a ‘political revolution.’”

The Defending Education report found the unions’ political spending stretches across a vast network of progressive organizations and political committees, including the State Engagement Fund, which received more than $60 million, and For Our Future Action Fund and its affiliates, which pulled in more than $40 million.

Unions also directed tens of millions toward major Democratic-aligned political committees, including the Senate Majority PAC and House Majority PAC.

MOST RADICAL COURSES, CURRICULUM THAT RECEIVED FEDERAL FUNDING IN 2025

In addition, the report found more than $85 million went directly to Democratic Party entities at the federal, state and local levels, not including individual candidate contributions.

At the same time, unions funded a wide range of progressive causes, from climate initiatives to ballot campaigns opposing school choice, often routing money through nonprofit groups and political action committees.

Some of the progressive groups in the report who took money from the nation’s most powerful teachers unions include: Color of Change + PAC, Indivisible, National Center for Transgender Equality, Planned Parenthood, Sixteen Thirty Fund, New Venture Fund and the Human Rights Campaign Foundation.

Defending Education President Nicole Neily argued the findings challenge long-standing assumptions about how union dues are used.

“It’s time to dispense with the myth that unions care whatsoever about teachers’ best interests. Educators are victims of a bait-and-switch: instead of their dues going to advocate for increased pay or improved working environments, they’re being spent advancing a hard-left political agenda, underwriting causes such as climate change, gender activism, and abortion (as well as supporting progressive politicians at all levels),” Neily said.

“Given the outsized role that unions have played in the education system over the past fifty years, greater transparency on union spending is absolutely critical so that policymakers and teachers themselves can make informed decisions about the role that these entities should — or should not — play in the future.”

The spending revelations come as unions and allied organizations ramp up mobilization efforts ahead of May Day protests, which critics have previously warned could serve as a major political organizing push.

As Fox News Digital previously reported, teachers unions have played a role in preparing for large-scale demonstrations, with activists framing the events as part of a broader “political revolution.”

“It’s very clear that teachers unions seek to destroy our country by turning our students against it,” Teacher Freedom Alliance CEO Ryan Walters told Fox News Digital earlier this year.

Fox News Digital reached out to the NEA and AFT for comment.

Just days before an apparent assassination attempt on President Donald Trump’s life, one of the Democratic Party’s leaders called for “maximum warfare” against Republicans.

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., made the inflammatory remark while warning Gov. Ron DeSantis, R-Fla., against redrawing the state’s congressional map ahead of November’s midterm elections.

Jeffries said that if DeSantis attempted to counter Democratic gains in Virginia following the state’s aggressive gerrymander, Democrats would continue to ratchet up pressure on Republicans nationwide.

“We are in an era of maximum warfare. Everywhere, all the time,” Jeffries said Wednesday at a news conference.

DALLAS MAYOR WARNS RISING POLITICAL VIOLENCE COULD MEAN ICE FACILITY ATTACK ‘WON’T BE THE LAST’

Three days later, a California man allegedly attempted to assassinate the president Saturday evening at the annual White House Correspondents’ Dinner at the Washington Hilton in Washington, D.C.

Cole Allen, 31, is accused of storming a Secret Service checkpoint while armed and intending to enter the hotel ballroom to kill Trump and administration officials. The alleged assassin was armed with a shotgun, handgun and several knives and opened fire on federal agents before being subdued.

A Secret Service officer wearing a ballistic vest, whom Allen allegedly shot at close range, was released from the hospital Sunday.

The gunman allegedly prepared a manifesto before the attack that included anti-Trump and anti-Christian messages, several law enforcement officials told Fox News. He is expected to be arraigned on several federal gun charges Monday.

After the shooting, Republicans called on Democratic lawmakers to refrain from using warlike rhetoric to criticize Trump that could incite violence. The GOP made similar pleas in 2024 after two attempts on the president’s life in Butler, Pa., and at his golf club in Doral, Fla.

But top Democrats have argued that Republicans, too, have used plenty of inflammatory statements to describe their opponents.

“America will not be lectured about civility by far-right extremists in Congress,” Jeffries wrote on social media Sunday, adding that “now is a time to unify.”

A White House aide notably used the same “maximum warfare” language toward Democrats during an interview with The New York Times last year.

When asked to describe the White House’s midterms strategy, the anonymous staffer said, “Maximum warfare, everywhere, all the time.”

EXPERT WARNS DEMOCRATS RISK BACKLASH OVER FAILURE TO CONDEMN VIOLENT RHETORIC IN THEIR RANKS

Fox News Digital reached out to Jeffries’ office before publication.

Jeffries’ defiant social media post came after he unequivocally denounced political violence during an interview with Fox News Sunday.

“It is certainly the case that violence is never the answer, whether it’s targeted at the right, the left or the center,” Jeffries told Fox News’ Shannon Bream.

When asked how leaders can combat increasing political violence, Jeffries said elected officials must “set the most appropriate example” in their rhetoric. 

“Whatever your ideological perspective is, we all love America, and we all want to make sure that this country is the best that it can possibly be,” he added.

Some Democrats have issued clear appeals to the left to refrain from using violence to achieve their political aims.

“Please stop trying to murder the president,” Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, D-Wash., wrote on social media.

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani issued his first veto Friday, halting City Council bill Int. 175-B that would have forced the NYPD to publicize plans for handling protests near schools and other educational facilities.

It is the latest sign of Mamdani’s growing clash with Council leadership, deepening an early power struggle with Council Speaker Julie Menin over policing, public safety and free speech.

“The problem is how widely this bill defines an educational institution and the constitutional concerns it raises regarding New Yorkers’ fundamental right to protest,” Mamdani wrote in a statement. “As the bill is written, everywhere from universities to museums to teaching hospitals could face restrictions.”

“This could impact workers protesting ICE, or college students demanding their school divest from fossil fuels or demonstrating in support of Palestinian rights,” he continued.

ISRAELI COMEDIAN DROPS OUT OF PASSOVER EVENT AFTER LEARNING OF MAMDANI’S ATTENDANCE

“Int. 175-B is not a narrow public safety measure; it is a piece of legislation that has alarmed much of the labor movement, reproductive rights groups, and immigration advocates, among others, across this City. Nearly a dozen unions have raised the alarm about its impact on their ability to organize,” the mayor added.

Menin is going to work to whip up votes to override Mamdani on the bill, which finished just four votes shy of being veto-proof, passing last month 30-19.

“Ensuring students can enter and exit their schools without fear of harassment or intimidation should not be controversial,” Menin wrote in a statement. “This bill simply requires the NYPD to clearly outline how it will ensure safe access when there are threats of obstruction or physical injury, while fully protecting First Amendment rights.”

HOUSE REPUBLICANS DEMAND TRUMP ADMIN DENY MAMDANI FEDERAL SECURITY CLEARANCE

The bill, sponsored by Councilman Eric Dinowitz, would have required police to submit a protest-response plan to the mayor and speaker and post it online. It also would have required the police commissioner to provide a public point of contact for any effort to manage demonstrations near educational sites.

Dinowitz pushed back on claims that the bill threatened free speech.

“Should students be harassed on the way to school? I think the answer is no,” he told The New York Times.

MAMDANI RIPPED BY RIVALS FOR UNPOPULAR STANCE DURING FIERY NYC DEBATE: ‘YOU WON’T SUPPORT ISRAEL’

Opponents on the left said the measure would expand protest policing and chill protected speech.

The fight also exposed one of the biggest political fault lines at City Hall: how to respond to protests tied to Israel and the war in Gaza. The issue gained momentum after a heated protest outside a Manhattan synagogue last fall, where some demonstrators shouted, “Death to the IDF,” and, “Globalize the intifada.”

“Sending the message to New Yorkers that we have something to worry about with regard to protest by or near schools, libraries, teaching hospitals is absolutely the wrong message for these times, especially when the Trump regime is coming at protest with a sledgehammer,” New York Civil Liberties Union Executive Director Donna Lieberman told the Times.

Jewish groups, including UJA-Federation of New York, blasted the veto, rebuking the “profound failure of City Hall to demonstrate to all New Yorkers that our safety is a priority.”

“At a time when Jewish and other communities across our city are facing heightened threats, this legislation represented a crucial step toward ensuring that every school and community institution can be better protected,” the group wrote in a statement.

Mamdani and Menin — the city’s first Jewish speaker — had shown signs this week of trying to cool things down, including a Thursday dinner to discuss the pending veto and other issues, the Times reported. Friday’s decision suggested the détente may not last.

The Justice Department is pressing the leading opposition to President Donald Trump’s $400 million privately funded ballroom project, calling on lawyers for the National Trust for Historic Preservation (NTHP) to drop their lawsuit.

“[Y]our lawsuit puts the lives of the president, his family, and his staff at grave risk,” Brett Shumate, assistant attorney general in DOJ’s Civil Division, wrote in a Sunday letter to opposing counsel, shared on X by acting Attorney General Todd Blanche.

“Enough is enough,” Shumate continued. “Your client should voluntarily dismiss this frivolous lawsuit today in light of last night’s assassination attempt on President Trump.”

Shumate vowed that if the NTHP did not move to dismiss by 9 a.m. Monday, he would move to dissolve the injunction against the ballroom’s construction and to dismiss the case.

WALZ REPEATS DEBUNKED CLAIM THAT TRUMP CONSIDERS WHITE HOUSE BALLROOM ‘TOP PRIORITY’

“It’s time to build the ballroom,” Blanche agreed, in his X post, echoing Trump’s words during the impromptu White House briefing after dodging his third assassination attempt by a gunman who rushed the White House Correspondents’ Dinner Saturday night.

“The shooter targeted President Trump at the Washington Hilton, the only ballroom in Washington, D.C., suitable to host large gatherings for the President, where another shooter targeted President Reagan 45 years ago,” Shumate noted in his letter to Greg B. Craig of Foley Hoag LLP, pointing to the historical context of former President Ronald Reagan’s near-assassination at the same location.

“As history proves, that venue is demonstrably unsafe for the President of the United States because its size presents extraordinary security challenges for the Secret Service.

“[Saturday’s] assassination attempt on President Trump proves, yet again, that the White House ballroom is essential for the safety and security of the President, his family, his cabinet, and his staff.”

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“I hope [Saturday’s] narrow miss will help you finally realize that filing a lawsuit that literally serves no purpose except to stop President Trump no matter the cost,” Shumate wrote.

The NTHP sued the National Park Service in December, a week after the White House finished demolishing the East Wing for a 90,000-square-foot (8,400-square-meter) ballroom.

The group claimed Trump exceeded his authority when he demolished the East Wing — built in 1902 during Theodore Roosevelt’s presidency and expanded in 1942 — arguing the president needed congressional authorization to do so.

WHITE HOUSE TOUTS TRUMP’S ‘BOLD VISION’ FOR TOWERING INDEPENDENCE ARCH FOR AMERICA 250

Trump has said the president has historically had say over the White House remodeling, and has long noted that Congress does not have to pay for the privately funded project.

A lower court had issued a March 31 injunction to halt ballroom construction, but it also paused that injunction to allow for an appeal.

The White House argued the obstruction left the White House “open and exposed,” threatening security for the building, the president and his family and staff.

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“When the White House ballroom is complete, President Trump and his successors will no longer need to venture beyond the safety of the White House perimeter to attend large gatherings at the Washington Hilton ballroom,” Shumate wrote.

Forcing the president and Cabinet to attend events outside the White House grounds is too dangerous in this political climate, Trump himself argued Sunday night on CBS’ “60 Minutes.”

“I’m building a safe ballroom,” Trump said. “And one of the reasons I’m building it is exactly what happened last night.

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“This is exactly why the military, and this is exactly why Secret Service and all law enforcement want it.

“Because you have maybe 1,000 hotel rooms above the ballroom we were in [Saturday] night. And I’m not knocking it. I’m just saying in terms of maximum security – it’s not the best thing. You can do it, but you can have problems like this.”

The obstruction by lawsuits is potentially delaying the project, Trump added.

“I wish it could be even sooner,” Trump said. “We’re months ahead of schedule, but it doesn’t open till ’28.”