The crash that killed a Pennsylvania state trooper, allegedly caused by an illegal immigrant truck driver, exposed failures at the intersection of highway safety and immigration enforcement, the architect of Pennsylvania’s move-over law said.

Michael Bon, a 33-year-old Haitian national who entered the U.S. under former President Joe Biden’s mass parole program, according to the Department of Homeland Security, was arrested after his big rig plowed into Pennsylvania State Trooper Michael Pahira Jr. on Interstate 81.

State Sen. Doug Mastriano, R-Gettysburg, whose district encompasses a large swath of Interstate 81’s heavily truck-trafficked corridor, said his law was meant to prevent tragedies like this, many of which have happened in or near his district.

Mastriano said Bon’s immigration status made the tragedy doubly preventable.

ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT TRUCK DRIVER CHARGED IN DEATH OF TROOPER WHO MOVED HOME TO CARE FOR MOM WITH CANCER

Mastriano said his move-over law came about in 2019 as one of his first efforts after being elected to the legislature.

“I heard from Tom Bricker, a tow truck operator at Abe’s Towing out of Chambersburg,” he said. “He told me all the close calls he’s had, all the friends of his that have been killed or injured by people crashing into the tow trucks … especially on 81, since that goes through our area.”

VIRGINIA BUS CRASH THAT KILLED FIVE INVOLVED DRIVER WHO DOESN’T SPEAK ENGLISH, SEAN DUFFY SAYS

After Bricker visited Mastriano, tow trucker Tyler Laudenslager was struck and killed on Interstate 81 west of Lebanon, prompting his move-over legislation, which Democratic then-Gov. Tom Wolf signed.

Since then, Pennsylvania motorists have been required to move over for tow trucks and other emergency vehicles or slow to a safe speed, something Bon allegedly did not do when he struck Pahira’s cruiser.

“Trooper Michael should be alive today, had the federal government enforce their own laws protecting the border, making sure only people coming in legally can be on the roads,” he said, noting the nexus of his law and immigration enforcement policies.

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Another Mastriano bill passed in 2022 allows tow trucks to use police-issued blue lights while stopped to get motorists to pay attention. The senator said it came about after meeting with Bricker and other tow truck drivers and learned of a pilot program of the sort in the Midwest.

Mastriano said Bon, who had been living in Brockton, Massachusetts, and was issued a CDL by the Bay State’s Registry of Motor Vehicles (RMV), drifted out of his lane when he struck Pahira, as the trooper was conducting an unrelated commercial-vehicle inspection south of Frackville.

With Massachusetts and Pennsylvania among the states that have faced cases involving CDLs issued to immigrants in the country illegally, Mastriano said states have authority to address motor vehicle policy.

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro’s administration previously faulted DHS, whose agency maintains the SAVE registry that identifies a noncitizen’s immigration status, which PennDOT uses to determine licensure eligibility.

When asked about states like Pennsylvania faulting the federal government in part for the problem, Mastriano said the “finger-pointing” must stop.

“Josh Shapiro, please fix this. You have a lot of power here in Pennsylvania, and you’re the governor, and so exercise that power. Ask your secretary of transportation to update records to make sure anyone receiving CDL licenses is somebody who’s here legally and understands the language and can control a vehicle,” he said.

“A lot of mistakes were done and people need to be held responsible and to just shift the blame now to the federal government for a state government problem is just wrong,” he said.

Massachusetts and Pennsylvania both defended their licensing systems, telling Fox News Digital they relied on the federal SAVE database to verify Bon’s eligibility.

“This defendant should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law,” a Healey administration RMV spokesperson said, echoing the Shapiro administration’s defense of the federal SAVE database and noting it is federally operated.

“Every non-U.S. citizen who applies for a commercial learner’s permit or driver’s license in Pennsylvania must provide proof of identity and … lawful presence in the United States, which is verified with the federal SAVE database, administered by [USCIS],” Shapiro spokeswoman Rosie Lapowsky said.

Under Massachusetts’ procedure, Bon would have been rejected upon any attempted renewal for 2027, a source familiar with Beacon Hill’s policies said.

When asked, as a state lawmaker, what the federal government can do about states where these cases have become common, Mastriano said respecting federalism, the idea that states have semi-autonomy, is important but can make it “tough” to manage.

Mastriano pointed to the federal government’s use of highway funding to encourage state compliance with the 55-mph speed limit during the 1970s gasoline crisis.

The same strategy could be used today, he suggested.

Referring to the Eisenhower Interstate and Defense Highways Act’s inclusion of “defense” concerns, Mastriano said resources could also be allocated by Washington to improve highways based on their linkage between military outposts.

In the case of Interstate 81, where Pahira and many others have been killed, he noted that Letterkenny Army Depot in his district, the U.S. Army War College and Tobyhanna Army Depot are located along it, which he said could spur funding for more lanes and better conditions.

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Lapowsky noted PennDOT has paused all issuances of such licenses following a Sept. 29, 2025, federal order.

Since Bon’s crash, another illegal immigrant has been arrested after authorities said he struck and killed a motorist changing a flat tire on Interstate 80 in Illinois.

FIRST ON FOX: A top Senate Republican accused both The New York Times and high-level Senate Democrats of working together to delay publishing allegations against Maine Senate Democratic candidate Graham Platner until they could do maximum damage.

Stories and allegations against Platner have been piling up for nearly a year, inflicting incremental damage to his candidacy with each report published.

It started with the unearthed footage of him dancing intoxicated, sporting a tattoo of Nazi iconography on his chest last fall, and culminated this week in a bombshell report that Platner allegedly raped his ex-girlfriend, Jenny Racicot. But it was a story from The New York Times in June that sowed deep doubts among Democrats in Washington, D.C., about his candidacy.

NEW YORK TIMES UNDER SCRUTINY OVER GRAHAM PLATNER COVERAGE AS ACCUSERS SPEAK OUT AGAINST PAPER

Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C., who chairs the Senate Republicans’ campaign apparatus, the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC), accused Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and the media outlet of working together to sit on that bombshell story against Platner to buy time to replace him.

“We should have seen this information long ago,” Scott said. “But what they’ve done is they’ve made a decision to keep him in the race as long as possible so that they had more time to make the necessary change to try to hold onto that power and, frankly, gain power in Maine.”

“Whether or not Chuck Schumer wanted this candidate or not, the fact of the matter is the Democratic Party decided that this was the hill they were all willing to die on,” he continued.

KINGMAKER MAMDANI CALLS ON PLATNER TO ‘DROP OUT OF THE RACE’ AFTER RAPE ALLEGATION

Scott was referring to The Times report in which multiple women that Platner had relationships with, including Racicot, alleged that he knew about his Nazi tattoo well before reports surfaced that he denied, that he displayed “unsettling behavior” with women and was an intimidating presence with flashes of violence.

The Times denied Scott’s claims.

“The Senator’s speculation is flatly untrue,” Times spokesperson Charlie Stadtlander told Fox News Digital.

That same story sparks an emergency meeting with Democratic high command, Platner’s top supporters in the Senate and the Chair of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC), Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., to determine if more damning information was set to come out.

SANDERS BREAKS SILENCE ON PLATNER, CALLS ON SCANDAL-PLAGUED PROGRESSIVE TO ‘STEP ASIDE’

A source familiar told Fox News Digital that the DSCC “had no involvement” in the story. Schumer did not respond to a request for comment.

Still, Scott contended that the story and alleged collusion were “critical pieces of the puzzle,” particularly in the aftermath of Platner’s latest scandal that has seen his entire base of support among Democratic lawmakers and organizations virtually melt away overnight.

And, he charged that their sudden dismissal of Platner was indicative of their desire to beat Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, to regain power in the upper chamber after months of accepting allegation after allegation.

“Those allegations and realities have been real and true the entire time that Democrats knew it,” Scott said. “And what makes it worse is that you say they’re all lining up to get away from him now, but they all lined up to support him earlier.”

“And what that tells me is that their primary objective is power over principle, and politics over policy,” he continued. “They are more interested in stealing the power so they can control the public.”

President Donald Trump said Wednesday the U.S. will give Ukraine a license to manufacture Patriot air defense systems, a move that could mark a significant shift from supplying Kyiv with American-made weapons to helping Ukraine produce them itself.

Trump made the comments while meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, as Kyiv continues to press Western allies for additional air defense capabilities to counter Russian missile and drone attacks.

Trump’s announcement comes as Patriot interceptors have become one of Ukraine’s most urgent military needs. The U.S.-made Patriot system is widely regarded as Ukraine’s most capable defense against Russian ballistic missile attacks and has played a central role in protecting Kyiv and other critical infrastructure.

TRUMP ENTERS FINAL NATO SUMMIT DAY AS UKRAINE, DEFENSE SPENDING TAKE CENTER STAGE

Asked whether he would allow Patriot interceptors to be made in Europe and whether he was comfortable licensing the technology, Trump said the two leaders would discuss it.

“We’re going to talk about that,” Trump said. “Look, it’s a defensive weapon, which I like better than an offensive weapon. It’s the best.” 

Minutes later, Trump went further, saying the U.S. would give Ukraine a license to make Patriots.

“We’re going to give a license to you to make Patriots,” Trump said. “That’s pretty cool. Right? This way you can’t complain that we’re not giving them enough. I’d say make them yourself.” 

TRUMP COULD HAND PRIZED STEALTH JETS TO NATO ALLY ONCE SEEN AS ALLIANCE HEADACHE

“We haven’t informed the company of that yet, but that’ll work out all right,” he added. “You know, I’m sure they’ll be thrilled, but, you know, they’ll be able to do it. You’ll be able to figure that out.” 

Ukrainian officials have warned that supplies of Patriot interceptors have fallen to dangerously low levels, leaving the country increasingly vulnerable as Russia intensifies missile strikes. Zelenskyy arrived at the NATO summit seeking additional Patriot interceptors from allies while also pressing for longer-term solutions to expand production, arguing that current manufacturing cannot keep pace with Russia’s growing missile campaign.

It was not immediately clear whether Trump was referring to Patriot interceptor missiles, the broader Patriot air defense system, or production in Ukraine, Europe or both.

Trump’s comment that the administration had not yet informed the company also raised questions about how far along the licensing plan is and what role RTX, the defense contractor that manufactures Patriot systems, would play in any future arrangement.

The Patriot system has been one of Ukraine’s most sought-after air defense platforms as Russia continues launching missile and drone barrages against Ukrainian cities, energy infrastructure and military targets.

Any effort to expand Patriot production would face significant industrial hurdles. 

RTX serves as the prime contractor for the Patriot air defense system, manufacturing its radars, launchers and the PAC-2 GEM-T interceptor, while Lockheed Martin builds the newer PAC-3 Missile Segment Enhancement interceptor, which is designed to defeat ballistic missiles. The interceptors are among the world’s most sophisticated air defense weapons, relying on hundreds of specialized suppliers and complex manufacturing processes.

Fox News Digital has reached out to RTX and Lockheed Martin for comment.

Defense officials and industry executives have said it could take more than two years to produce a Patriot interceptor, underscoring why the U.S. and its allies have struggled to replenish stockpiles as demand has surged amid conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East.

One leftist lawmaker is ramping up her attacks on the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) after an immigration officer fatally shot an illegal alien during an enforcement operation in Houston on Tuesday.

Rep. Delia Ramirez, D-Ill., declared DHS the “greatest threat to our safety” in a social media post, arguing that Mexican national Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, who allegedly resisted arrest during an attempted traffic stop, was the agency’s latest victim.

DHS said Salgado Araujo was shot in self-defense after he allegedly attempted to run over a federal agent with his vehicle, prompting the officer to open fire.

“The greatest threat to our safety is DHS,” Ramirez, a Chicago-based lawmaker who has called for the abolition of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), wrote Tuesday. “CBP and ICE continue to violently attack our neighbors and trample the rights of our residents.”

ICE SAYS OFFICER SHOT AND KILLED ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT WHO TRIED TO RAM HIM WITH CAR IN HOUSTON

Democrats have recently taken a hard line against DHS — a sprawling agency that oversees everything from the Secret Service to the Coast Guard and TSA — over its immigration enforcement and border security functions.

Top Democrats refused to fund the department earlier this year following the Trump administration’s controversial Minneapolis immigration enforcement surge that led to the killing of two Americans by federal officers.

The party’s hardball tactics led to the longest partial government shutdown in history and later prompted Republicans to pass a second “big beautiful bill” that funded ICE and CBP for the rest of President Donald Trump’s term.

Ramirez did not mention DHS’ statement that Salgado Araujo allegedly evaded arrest while federal authorities attempted to pull him over or that he was not authorized to be in the country.

“From information we are receiving, he rammed an ICE law enforcement vehicle, refused to follow multiple verbal commands, and weaponized his vehicle in an attempt to run over an ICE law enforcement officer, resulting in our officer firing his weapon in self-defense,” DHS wrote in a statement.

“The driver was struck, and emergency services were immediately contacted,” the department continued. “The driver was transported to the hospital where he passed away from his injuries.”

ILLEGAL ALIEN ON THE RUN AFTER ALLEGEDLY RAMMING ICE VEHICLE IN PENNSYLVANIA, PROMPTING AGENT TO FIRE WEAPON

A spokesperson for Ramirez did not immediately respond to a request for comment on DHS’s account.

DHS said the department’s Office of Inspector General is probing the shooting. The FBI’s Houston Office launched a separate investigation into the “potential assault” of the ICE officer, according to DHS’ statement.

Rep. Sylvia Garcia, D-Texas, who represents the Magnolia Park neighborhood where Salgado Araujo was shot, issued a more measured statement.

“ICE has released an initial account, but the facts must be independently and thoroughly investigated, including the circumstances that led to the use of deadly force,” Garcia wrote on social media. “All available footage, communications, and other evidence should be preserved and reviewed as part of a full and impartial investigation.”

Ramirez, who is associated with the far-left cohort known as the “Squad,” also called on the Republican-controlled House to pass her Melt ICE Act, which would effectively defund the agency while laying out a timeline to shutter all immigration detention facilities and releasing detained illegal aliens.

The legislation is sponsored by fellow “Squad” members, Reps. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., Summer Lee, D-Pa., Ayanna Pressley, D-Mass., and Ilhan Omar, D-Minn. It has no clear path to passage amid widespread opposition from Republicans and likely from some Democrats.

Ramirez’s ICE abolition advocacy comes as she has not commented on a spate of illegal aliens with criminal backgrounds who were arrested in her home state of Illinois in June.

Federal agents recently arrested Venezuelan national Mercedes Moreno Occhipinti, who allegedly assisted in a 2024 mass shooting involving Tren de Aragua members at a house party in Chicago.

Last month, authorities also detained Noe Moreno-Salazar, an illegal alien from Mexico, in St. Charles, Ill. He was previously convicted of sexual abuse and aggravated unlawful use of a loaded weapon, among other offenses, according to DHS.

Ramirez also did not appear to comment on the March killing of 18-year-old Sheridan Gorman by a Venezuelan illegal alien in Chicago — an incident that sparked outrage over the perpetrator’s previous arrest.

Fox News Digital reached out to DHS for comment.

Greenland is “not for sale,” Denmark’s prime minister said Wednesday, vowing to defend the Danish territory after President Donald Trump again said the United States should control the Arctic island for NATO defense.

Denmark is “ready to defend every inch of NATO including our own territory,” Denmark’s Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said at the NATO summit in Ankara, Turkey, adding she would call on NATO allies to honor their commitment to defend each other.

“We hope that all, including all allies, will respect the Greenland people’s right for self-determination,” she continued. “And we are sovereign states and we need everybody to respect our territorial integrity and our sovereignty.

“Greenland is of course not for sale.”

TRUMP MAKES FRESH GREENLAND PLAY AFTER XI TALKS AS CHINA’S ARCTIC AMBITIONS LOOM

Trump continues to stress Greenland “is very important” for the U.S. but not for Denmark, declaring, “We need it for protection of the world, not just the United States.”

Also, Denmark is coming up short in its support for Greenland, which remains a strategic target for both Russia and China.

“That’s what hurt my relationship with NATO,” Trump said Tuesday of the refusal to grant his request for annexation of the strategic land.

“Denmark doesn’t spend money to really help Greenland, but it’s an important part for the United States. And it’s surrounded by China ships and Russian ships.”

GREENLAND TALKS ON ‘GOOD TRAJECTORY,’ WHITE HOUSE SAYS AMID TRUMP TAKEOVER PUSH

For global security, Greenland “should be controlled by the United States, not by Denmark,” Trump added.

“They wouldn’t go along with it,” Trump lamented. “And with all the money we spend to help them with Russia. And we don’t have to spend any money, we could remove all of our soldiers out of Europe because, as you probably noticed, Europe is a very different place than it was 20 years ago. A lot different.”

Greenland is a semiautonomous territory of Denmark, a NATO ally. Trump’s push for U.S. control has repeatedly angered Danish and Greenlandic officials, who have insisted the island’s future should be decided by its people.

Icelandic Prime Minister Kristrun Frostadottir also weighed in Wednesday, saying Greenland’s people “do not wish to be a part of the United States” and urging NATO leaders to stay focused on Russia.

TRUMP CALLS OUT NATO AHEAD OF SUMMIT, CALLING IT ‘RIDICULOUS’ FOR US TO PERSIST ON ‘ONE SIDED PATH’

The dispute injected a tense territorial confrontation into a summit already shaped by Trump’s demands that allies spend more on defense and take greater responsibility for Europe’s security as the U.S. shifts its focus.

NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte sought to emphasize the alliance’s recent defense spending increases, telling Trump that European allies and Canada had made major new commitments.

“I would argue that without you in this chair, this would not have happened,” Rutte told Trump. “Grab the win. It’s there.”

Trump, however, continued criticizing allies over both Greenland and Iran, where he ordered overnight U.S. strikes after attacks on merchant ships in the Strait of Hormuz. Rutte backed the U.S. strikes, telling Trump they were “absolutely necessary.”

The NATO summit is also expected to address Ukraine’s war against Russia, with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy pressing allies for deeper support and renewed consideration of Ukraine’s bid to join the alliance.

But Trump’s comments on Greenland underscored a growing challenge for NATO leaders: projecting unity against outside threats while managing disputes inside the alliance itself.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

FIRST ON FOX: The YMCA is facing renewed pressure to change its policies on transgender access to sex-segregated locker rooms, sports teams and overnight accommodations after the American Parents Coalition (APC) argued the organization’s rules conflict with the Supreme Court‘s recent Title IX rulings.

The coalition argued the nonprofit, which operates about 2,600 locations nationwide and receives more than $600 million annually in government funding, should update its policies to align with the Supreme Court’s interpretation of Title IX because it accepts taxpayer funding.

In a letter sent this week to YMCA President and CEO Suzanne McCormick and the organization’s board of directors, APC urged the organization to revise its policies governing sports, bathrooms, locker rooms and overnight accommodations following the Supreme Court’s June 30 decisions in West Virginia v. B.P.J. and Little v. Hecox. In a 9-0 decision, the Supreme Court ruled that states can limit women’s and girls’ sports to biological females and that Title IX’s use of the word “sex” refers to biological sex.

CONSERVATIVES HAIL JUSTICE THOMAS FOR ‘TRUTH BOMB’ ABOUT RULING PROTECTING WOMEN’S SPORTS

“The Supreme Court has drawn an unmistakable line by reaffirming that Title IX’s protections are rooted in biological sex,” American Parents Coalition Executive Director Alleigh Marré said in a statement. “The YMCA has ignored parents’ concerns for far too long while maintaining policies that undermine the privacy, safety, and fairness Title IX was enacted to protect. The Court’s decisions should serve as a wake-up call for every federally funded institution.”

The coalition is calling on YMCA leadership to rescind policies allowing biological males to participate in female sports or access female-only bathrooms, locker rooms and overnight accommodations, publish updated policies recognizing sex-based protections for women and girls, and publicly affirm the organization’s commitment to complying with Title IX.

“The Supreme Court has now made clear that biological sex is the legally operative distinction under Title IX,” the letter states. “The YMCA faces a choice. It can restore policies that protect women and girls, rebuild parents’ trust, and align its practices with the law as interpreted by the highest court in the land.”

BIDEN OFFICIALS CIRCUMVENTED COURT ORDER IN TITLE IX CASES, INCLUDING MALES IN GIRLS’ SPORTS, DOCS SHOW

The letter marks the latest step in APC’s yearlong campaign targeting the YMCA’s transgender inclusion policies. Last year, the organization filed Title IX complaints with the Departments of Education, Health and Human Services, and Housing and Urban Development, alleging the YMCA’s policies violated federal civil rights law. It also asked Congress to investigate the YMCA’s use of federal funding.

APC argues that although the Supreme Court’s recent rulings focused on women’s sports, the Court’s reasoning extends to other sex-separated spaces. The group contends YMCA policies allowing individuals to use bathrooms, locker rooms, overnight accommodations and participate on sports teams according to their gender identity are inconsistent with the Court’s interpretation of Title IX.

The coalition also alleges the YMCA removed or revised webpages describing some of its gender identity policies after they received public scrutiny while leaving the underlying policies unchanged. APC further claims some YMCA camps continue allowing counselors to stay in cabins that correspond with their gender identity rather than their biological sex.

TRUMP CABINET MEMBER SCRAPS OBAMA-ERA GENDER IDENTITY HOUSING RULE, CITES ‘BIOLOGICAL REALITY’

A Fox News Digital review found several local YMCA associations, including the YMCA of Metropolitan Detroit, Lakeland Hills YMCA in New Jersey and the Gateway Region YMCA, maintain policies allowing members to use bathrooms and locker rooms that correspond with their gender identity.

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The renewed criticism comes a month after controversy at a San Francisco YMCA drew national attention. After months of complaints from some members regarding a transgender woman using the women’s locker room at the Stonestown branch, the facility adopted updated locker room guidelines emphasizing that nudity should be “discreet, limited, and brief” while instructing members to respect others’ privacy and personal space. The revised rules addressed conduct inside the locker room but did not change the YMCA’s policy allowing transgender members to access facilities consistent with their gender identity.

The YMCA did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment on APC’s allegations or whether it plans to review its policies following the Supreme Court’s decisions.

Graham Platner, Maine’s embattled Democratic Senate nominee who stands accused of rape, made a Reddit post in 2013 where he criticized victims of rape.

“Holy f—, how about people just take some responsibility for themselves and not get so f—ed up they wind up having sex with someone they don’t mean to?” Platner wrote in 2013, responding to another user who expressed disappointment that women couldn’t get intoxicated without fearing sexual assault.

“Men and women, you make a choice to consume enough of a substance to lose your self control. So if you don’t want to be in a comprising [sic.] situation, act like an adult for f—s sake,” Platner continued. “Rape is a real thing, if you’re so worried about it to buy Kevlar underwear you’d think you might not get blacked out f—ed up around people you aren’t comfortable with.”

EXPLOSIVE SEXUAL ASSAULT ALLEGATION ROCKS PLATNER CAMPAIGN AHEAD OF KEY DEADLINE IN CRUCIAL SENATE RACE

Jenny Racicot, Platner’s former girlfriend, accused him of raping her in late 2021, saying he broke into her home while intoxicated and forced her to have sex despite her objections. Platner has denied the allegation, which Politico first reported July 6.

“I remember him grabbing my pelvis and being really forceful of me,” Racicot told Politico. “I remember the specific moment where I thought to myself, like, ‘This is no longer my choice.’”

“One of the reasons I didn’t come forward sooner was the huge moral conflict that I had between supporting his politics, but not supporting him as a person,” she continued.

NEW YORK TIMES UNDER SCRUTINY OVER GRAHAM PLATNER COVERAGE AS ACCUSERS SPEAK OUT AGAINST PAPER

Lyndsey Fifield, also one of Platner’s ex-girlfriends, corroborated the claim that Platner abused alcohol, telling the New York Times in June he “too often self medicated with alcohol, and was a far from perfect boyfriend.” She also accused Platner of emotional abuse and intimidation, allegations he denies as well.

“You can’t be that way in private and not have it translate into how you would govern or how you would legislate,” Fifield said. “It terrifies me to think of him having any type of power politically, because what is he going to do with the women in his office?”

HOW GRAHAM PLATNER’S CAMPAIGN UNRAVELED: FROM REDDIT POSTS TO RAPE ALLEGATION

Platner has so far resisted calls to drop out of the Senate race despite a number of high-profile Democrats rescinding their endorsements. Platner must withdraw by July 13 for Democrats to be able to select a replacement candidate by July 27. 

If Platner does decide to stay in the race, a different Reddit post where he criticized Republicans for supporting candidates accused of sexual assault could come back to haunt him.

“Ah yes, the old ‘I’ll vote for the sexual predator/corrupt candidate scheme because he’s a Republican’ game,” Platner wrote in 2018, responding to a now deleted post on a firearms subreddit.

The Platner campaign did not respond to a request for comment when reached by Fox News Digital on Wednesday.

The Maine Democratic Party issued a stern warning to U.S. Senate primary winner Graham Platner, telling him and his campaign that they have “no role” in choosing his replacement.

Platner has not yet withdrawn from the race, and is still the state’s Democrat nominee for U.S. Senate, despite mounting pressure from state and national Democrats to drop out after a woman who previously dated him accused him of sexual assault in a Politico report published Monday. Platner has denied the allegations, but said he is looking at “the best path forward,” as he understood the political fallout the accusation would create.

“The Maine Democratic Party has been working around the clock to develop a process to replace our U.S. Senate nominee that is open, inclusive, transparent, and fair,” state party Executive Director Devon Murphy-Anderson said in a video posted to X amid myriad newly surfaced allegations levied against Platner with less than a week before the deadline to lock in the candidate to challenge incumbent Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine.

“The integrity of this process is just as important as the outcome, and we are committed to ensuring that Democrats across our state can have confidence in both,” Murphy-Anderson continued. “Unfortunately, Graham Platner’s team has repeatedly reached out to us in an attempt to put their thumb on the scale of what this process looks like. We have repeatedly reiterated to Graham Platner’s team that they have no role in determining our next Democratic nominee for the U.S. Senate, nor in determining what this process looks like.”

WHAT HAPPENS NEXT IF PLATNER DROPS OUT? HERE’S WHO COULD REPLACE HIM ON THE BALLOT AND HOW IT WOULD WORK

Amid the fight with the Maine party leaders, an official for the Platner campaign said it “has reached out to the party to try and understand what this process would look like” and “at no point has the campaign tried to ‘put its finger on the scale.’”

The official added that thousands of Maine residents voted and volunteered for Platner and they should play a role in the decision.

“While Graham wouldn’t want to be a part of the process, he would want to make sure the voters and volunteers make this decision — not the political establishment,” the statement said.

GRAHAM PLATNER’S CHANCES OF DROPPING OUT SKYROCKET TO 94% AFTER PARTY REVOLT: KALSHI

Fox News Digital has made multiple attempts to reach out to Platner’s campaign for further comment, and also reached out to the Maine Democratic Party.

EXPLOSIVE SEXUAL ASSAULT ALLEGATION ROCKS PLATNER CAMPAIGN AHEAD OF KEY DEADLINE IN CRUCIAL SENATE RACE

Maine Democratic Party leaders called on Platner to withdraw Monday, saying “multiple women have made serious, credible allegations against Graham Platner” and that the party “stands with women and survivors.” The party noted that no replacement process can begin unless Platner suspends his campaig, while stating that “in no scenario is there a legal possibility for a nominee to be selected by an individual campaign.”

“The sooner this process can begin, the more time we will have to administer an intentional and inclusive process for Mainers and Democrats,” the party said.

“We are entrusted with deciding who represents our values and who carries our banner,” the party said. “That responsibility requires judgment, leadership, and a willingness to act when circumstances demand it.”

The timing is critical. According to the Maine Democratic Party, the deadline set by the secretary of state for a nominee to withdraw is July 13, and the deadline for a new nominee to be submitted is July 27. If Platner does not withdraw by the July 13 deadline, Democrats would not have the option to name a replacement.

Names of potential replacements floated in media reports include former Maine Senate President Troy Jackson, Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows and Nirav Shah, the former director of the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention.

The race is one of Democrats’ top pickup opportunities as they seek to defeat Collins, a five-term Republican incumbent, and regain control of the Senate.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Former acting Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf sent a letter to House lawmakers Tuesday urging them to investigate the “growing role that Chinese-linked actors and foreign criminal organizations are playing in the proliferation of hemp-derived tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) products and illegal marijuana operations” in the U.S., which he says are “putting our youth and adults at risk.” 

The message addressed to Rep. John Moolenaar, R-Mich., and Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif. — the chairman and ranking member of the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party, respectively — states that “Beyond the serious public health implications, there is mounting evidence that this issue also presents a significant national security concern.” 

“What began as a narrowly tailored effort to legalize industrial hemp and non-intoxicating cannabidiol (CBD) products has evolved into a dangerous and unregulated market for high-potency THC hemp products that are being sold across the country with little to no oversight,” Wolf wrote. “These products are frequently marketed as gummies, candies, beverages and vapes, often packaged and promoted in ways that appeal to children. They lack acceptable age restrictions, labeling requirements and safety standards.” 

Wolf cited a warning from the White House’s 2026 National Drug Control Strategy, which described how “the marijuana trade in the United States is no longer a scattered, low-level problem; it has been co-opted and industrialized by sophisticated, transnational criminal organizations, particularly those with ties to China.”

CHAD WOLF: CLOSE THE BACKDOOR DRUG PIPELINE THAT’S EMBOLDENING ENEMIES AND HARMING THE PUBLIC

“These groups systematically exploit states where marijuana has been legalized under state law, leveraging these markets and lax regulations to establish massive, unlicensed cultivation operations. A stark illustration of this is Oklahoma, where law enforcement estimates that Chinese criminal groups run more than 80% of the state’s thousands of marijuana and hemp farms,” the National Drug Control Strategy document says. 

“These operations are not just agricultural; they are hubs of poly-crime involving human trafficking of exploited laborers, sophisticated money laundering, and the use of dangerous, unregistered pesticides that threaten public health and the environment,” it adds. 

DOJ CHARGES SEVEN CHINESE NATIONALS IN MULTI-MILLION DOLLAR MARIJUANA TRAFFICKING RING

Wolf referenced how China “has been linked to the export of fentanyl, synthetic narcotics and illicit supply chain materials that have devastated American communities” and that “the intoxicating THC hemp market now risks becoming another avenue through which Chinese-linked actors exploit regulatory loopholes and weak enforcement mechanisms to profit at the expense of the health and safety of the American people.”

“Congress acted last year, with bipartisan support and President Trump’s signature, to close loopholes involving intoxicating THC hemp products and restore the original intent of federal hemp legislation,” he said in the letter. “However, efforts are now underway to weaken, delay or roll back those protections before they fully take effect. This would not only undermine public health and law enforcement objectives, but could further embolden foreign criminal actors seeking to exploit the American marketplace and harm American families.” 

He concluded the letter by asking the committee to “investigate China’s involvement in the intoxicating THC hemp supply chain, including financing, chemical manufacturing, illegal cultivation operations, money laundering activity and ties to the array of criminal organizations operating within the United States.” 

President Donald Trump threatened Wednesday to end U.S. trade with Spain after criticizing the NATO ally for refusing to commit to the alliance’s new defense spending target.

Speaking during the NATO summit, Trump repeatedly singled out Spain, calling the country a “wasted cause” and urging an end to trade with one of America’s European allies.

“Spain is a wasted cause,” Trump said. “We don’t want to do any trade business with Spain anymore, by the way.”

Trump went further, saying, “Cut off all trade with Spain, please, including visits.”

MOST TRUMP SUPPORTERS STILL BACK NATO DESPITE YEARS OF TRUMP’S CRITICISM, NEW POLL FINDS

The president’s comments came after NATO leaders backed a new defense spending benchmark calling on allies to invest 5% of gross domestic product in defense and defense-related expenditures. Spain was the lone member of the alliance to publicly reject committing to the full target, instead negotiating flexibility in how it will meet NATO capability goals.

Trump argued Spain has benefited from the alliance while failing to contribute its fair share.

“They don’t participate, they don’t pay. I don’t want anything to do with Spain,” Trump said.

He later added, “I don’t want to do any more trade with him. All right? Take it immediately. Don’t even talk to them.”

Trump also predicted Spain would eventually seek to restore trade ties with the United States.

TRUMP’S PERSONAL FEUDS WITH ALLIES FROM ITALY TO ISRAEL REVEAL HOW PERSONALITY DRIVES HIS FOREIGN POLICY

“They’re hostile about it, and let’s see how hostile they remain when they call up and they, ‘Please, please, we want to trade with you, sir,’” Trump said. “They make so much money with us and we’re going to see that they make a lot less. I want no business with them.”

The remarks represent an escalation of Trump’s longstanding criticism of NATO allies that spend less on defense. 

Throughout both of his administrations, Trump has argued that countries failing to meet alliance spending commitments unfairly rely on the United States for their security.

Any effort to significantly restrict trade with Spain, however, could present legal and diplomatic hurdles. Spain is a member of the European Union, which negotiates trade policy as a customs union rather than through separate bilateral trade agreements with individual member states.

It was not immediately clear whether Trump was announcing a formal policy or expressing his frustration with Spain’s position on NATO spending. The White House had not immediately provided details on whether the administration is considering trade restrictions targeting Spain.

The U.S. and Spain maintain a significant trading relationship. 

The two countries traded roughly $47 billion in goods in 2025, with the United States exporting about $26 billion worth of goods to Spain and importing about $21 billion from Spain, according to U.S. Census Bureau data. Spain exports pharmaceuticals, machinery, chemicals, food products and vehicles to the U.S., while the United States exports energy products, machinery, aerospace equipment and chemicals to Spain.

Fox News Digital has reached out to the White House, the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative and the Spanish embassy for comment.

Trump’s criticism of Spain also comes after months of growing friction between Washington and Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez over national security and foreign policy.

Earlier in 2026, Sánchez condemned the U.S.-Israeli military campaign against Iran as an “extraordinary mistake” and called for de-escalation, while Spain refused to allow the U.S. to use the jointly operated Rota Naval Base and Morón Air Base to support offensive operations against Iran under Operation Epic Fury. 

Spanish officials argued the strikes lacked international legal backing and said the bases could not be used for unilateral military action.