Fox News RSS Feed

Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has broken staffing records this spring, the agency announced, reaching 21,471 agents — the most in the agency’s 102-year history.

Agency leadership has said it has plans to go further.

"Surpassing 21,000 agents is a milestone, but we aren’t stopping here and are committed to growing our workforce and providing the tools and resources needed for CBP’s mission," Human Resources Management Assistant Commissioner Andrea Bright said in a statement to Fox News Digital.

The staffing record adds another benchmark for assessing the seriousness with which the Trump administration is addressing border security.

MASSIVE MEXICO-CALIFORNIA BORDER BUSTS UNCOVER EYE-POPPING AMOUNT OF DRUGS: ‘REMAIN VIGILANT’

Already, immigration levels have dropped precipitously in President Donald Trump's first year and a half back in office, decreasing more than 87% from levels in October 2024.

But Republicans in Congress have also shored up those efforts by flooding the agency with cash through Trump’s signature Big Beautiful Bill as well as recent efforts to fund the Department of Homeland Security through the end of the administration.

The two bills included $64 billion and $26 billion for CBP, respectively. A large portion of the second bill is set aside for agency manpower.

BORDER PATROL COULD FACE KEY RECRUITMENT CHANGE AS CONGRESS DEBATES NEXT IMMIGRATION MOVES

"Our focus is on bringing in top talent and supporting our agents so they can succeed," Bright said.

In order to reach its personnel goals, the agency has worked to include competitive salaries, benefits and hiring incentives that can reach upwards of $60,000 for agents in eligible locations, CBP officials said.

In particular, the agency has hopes to attract talent from former U.S. servicemembers.

U.S. Border Patrol Chief Rosario Vasquez believes the record-breaking staffing levels are evidence that those efforts are paying off.

ARREST OF GANG MEMBER CONVICTED OF MURDER PUTS DEM STATE’S SANCTUARY POLICIES ON BLAST

"This record-setting achievement highlights the effectiveness of our recruitment efforts," Vasquez said.

"We are building a stronger workforce every day, and our progress toward 25,000 agents will further enhance our ability to protect our borders and serve the nation," she continued.

from Latest & Breaking News on Fox News https://ift.tt/gKAHV9v
via IFTTT

Fox News RSS Feed

New York City's socialist Mayor Zohran Mamdani did it again.

One year after sending political shock waves across the country with his New York City Democratic primary victory on his way to winning election as mayor of the nation's most populous city, Mamdani tested the limits of his political powers.

And he easily passed the test, upending the Democratic Party establishment as a trio of Mamdani-endorsed far-left congressional candidates won their primaries over more moderate incumbents and rivals.

Mamdani was the biggest winner on Tuesday, but President Donald Trump also covered his bases, as New York, Maryland, Utah and South Carolina held primaries and runoff elections.

DEMOCRACY ’26: STAY UP TO DATE WITH THE FOX NEWS ELECTION HUB

Democrats lurching left

The mayor's most shocking victory came in New York's 13th Congressional District, where Mamdani-backed candidate Darializa Avila Chevalier, a 32-year-old community organizer and democratic socialist, narrowly topped incumbent Democrat Adriano Espaillat, the 71-year-old Congressional Hispanic Caucus chair and the first Dominican American elected to the U.S. House.

Espaillat, who has been in Congress for a decade, was supported by a slew of party leaders, including New York Gov. Kathy Hochul.

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

In the race to succeed retiring Democratic Rep. Nydia Velazquez, Mamdani-endorsed state Assembly Member Claire Valdez, who is also aligned with the Democratic Socialists of America, downed Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso by double digits. Reynoso, who was supported by Velazquez, was downed by more than 20 points.

"Tonight, we haven't just won an election. We have declared that this movement is durable -- that it is growing, and that it will not stop until working people are no longer asked to just build the table, no longer just offered a seat at the table, but will run the table," Valdez said in declaring victory.

And a third Mamdani-backed congressional candidate, progressive Brad Lander, crushed incumbent Democratic Rep. Dan Goldman. Lander, the former New York City comptroller, ran against Mamdani last year in the crowded Democratic primary field but became one of his biggest backers in the general election.

Chevalier, Valdez, and Lander showcased the mayor's platform of focusing on affordability in a city with one of the nation's highest costs of living. And all three were very critical of Israel.

MAMDANI STANDS BY FELLOW SOCIALIST CANDIDATE DESPITE RESURFACED FAR-LEFT, ANTI-AMERICAN POSTS

Lander, who is Jewish, said in his victory speech, "You can criticize Israel and not be antisemitic. You can be an anti-Zionist and not be antisemitic

It was a risky bet for Mamdani, just six months into his tenure as New York City mayor, to take on the establishment, but he comes out of the primary as an emboldened kingmaker in the party.

Mamdani, who campaigned relentlessly for all three congressional candidates, had emphasized that the Democratic Party "must change."

And on Tuesday night, at the Valdez primary celebration, the mayor said, "Let's hear it for a politics...that will never forget working people. For a politics that is ready to write a new chapter in our party's history, and for a politics that realizes the old politics that got us to this crisis, is not the politics that's going to get us out of this crisis."

Progressive Rep. Ro Khanna of California, a potential 2028 Democratic presidential contender, said that the results in New York City "shows we have a new party."

But the results also give Republicans, who have long cast Mamdani as a radical, more ammunition to use him as a cudgel as they work to hold their razor-thin House majority in this year's midterm elections.

REPUBLICANS RELENTLESSLY USE MAMDANI AS SOCIALIST CUDGEL TO BASH VULNERABLE DEMOCRATS

"Tonight wasn't just a bad night for so-called 'Leader' Hakeem Jeffries. It was the night the Democrat establishment officially surrendered to Zohran Mamdani and the socialist wing of their party. Every House Democrat, in safe and competitive districts alike, will now answer to the radicals calling the shots. And Americans should be terrified by where the Democrat Party is headed," National Republican Congressional Committee spokesman Mike Marinella argued in a statement.

Trump wins again

The power of the Trump endorsement in GOP primaries was tested again, this time in New York.

And the president prevailed.

Trump-backed first-time candidate Anthony Constantino, a businessman and former boxer, defeated Robert Smullen, a retired Marine Corps colonel and New York assemblyman who had the backing of the state party, in the upstate New York race to succeed retiring GOP Rep. Elise Stefanik.

Meanwhile, in South Carolina's Republican gubernatorial runoff, Trump couldn't lose.

That's because he endorsed both candidates in the race to succeed term-limited GOP Gov. Henry McMaster.

State Attorney General Alan Wilson defeated Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette in a landslide.

TRUMP CAN'T LOSE IN HIGH PROFILE REPUBLICAN RUNOFF

Trump endorsed Evette late last month, a week and a half before the gubernatorial primary.

Evette finished on top of a crowded field of contenders in the primary election, with Wilson second. The field also included Reps. Nancy Mace and Ralph Norman, and multimillionaire businessman Rom Reddy. Since no candidate won a majority of the vote, as the top two finishers, Evette and Wilson advanced to Tuesday's runoff.

Mace and Norman endorsed Wilson after failing to advance to the runoff. And Wilson was also backed a week ago by Sen. Ted Cruz, the conservative firebrand from Texas.

Trump, meanwhile, made an 11th-hour endorsement on Friday, backing Wilson in addition to his earlier endorsement of Evette, in what appeared to be a move by the president to hedge his bet.

Wilson, who topped Evette by a more than two-to-one margin as the votes continued to be counted, gave a shout-out to the president in his victory speech.

"I believe he recognized what we’ve been doing," Wilson said of Trump. "I think he saw the fight in our campaign and the energy in our campaign. I think he likes a fight. I think that’s what won him over."

from Latest & Breaking News on Fox News https://ift.tt/Dtmz0TZ
via IFTTT

Fox News RSS Feed

It’s worth taking a closer look at President Trump’s diatribe against The New York Times.

The story by reporter Neil MacFarquhar is not unlike 500 other stories you’ve read, making the same point: 

What did the so-called "deal" with Iran–running a page and a half – actually accomplish compared to Trump’s original goals for the war?

"Neither the war nor the agreement ended what U.S. and Israeli officials regard as the main threats emanating from Iran. The country’s nuclear program, while heavily damaged, was not eliminated — its fate punted to future negotiation."

RELATED: REPUBLICANS BREAK WITH TRUMP TO REBUKE IRAN WAR — BUT IT WON'T CHANGE POLICY

"I think it’s better that it go to American farmers than the Iranian terrorist regime," said conservative Fox News contributor Marc Thiessen, who has a personal relationship with Trump but has broken with him on this issue.

Hell, Republican senators are saying this out loud. 

They are especially steamed that not only does Trump plan to unfreeze $300 billion in Iranian assets, he has just waived oil sanctions on the Iranians for 60 days, enabling them to earn about $10 billion by selling oil on the open market.

By the way, while JD Vance has claimed a breakthrough in nuclear discussions, Iran flatly denies this, a foreign ministry spokesperson saying the theocratic dictatorship has made "no new commitments" involving nuclear inspections.

What this underscores is that for all the hatred expressed for the Times, he actually craves its approval.

It’s the paper he read growing up in Queens and building towers in Manhattan.

The president – who is again threatening to wipe out Iran if the country misbehaves – balked at the Times headline reporting that "What Changed After Almost Four Months of War? Analysts Say Not Much." Not much?

"Their Military is DONE, their Navy is GONE, their Air Force is GONE, their Launching Pads, Missiles, Drones and Manufacturing of same, is almost GONE, their top two sets of Leaders are GONE, their Inflation is at 250%, their Economy is BROKEN, their Soldiers aren’t being paid, the Hormuz Strait is OPEN, THE OIL IS GUSHING, and the U.S. Stock Market and Jobs are at record HIGHS.

That’s what’s CHANGED, you corrupt and unethical cowards, and MORE!!"

An hour and a half later, Trump posted that the paper is using "FAKE & MADE UP ‘FACTS" about the war — which he called "TREASONOUS."

Treason, of course, is a capital crime, with a maximum penalty of death.

Trump said he will be adding that complaint to his lawsuit against the "Criminals" running the Times.

RELATED: TRUMP THREATENS TO ADD NY TIMES' 'TREASONOUS' IRAN WAR COVERAGE TO $15B DEFAMATION LAWSUIT

I guess this is where I say The New York Times is not run by criminals. You may vehemently disagree with its coverage, it is certainly a liberal paper, and its editorial page says he lost the war, but they are not crooks.

I could find no public comment by The Times. But last fall, when Trump refiled his $15-billion suit against the paper, a spokesperson said: "This is merely an attempt to stifle independent reporting and generate P.R. attention, but The New York Times will not be deterred by intimidation tactics."

At the same time, the Trump Justice Department has withdrawn, at least for now, subpoenas that would force reporters from the Wall Street Journal and Washington Post to testify before a grand jury in Virginia. 

This happened after the news outlets fought them in sealed filings. 

A Post spokesperson called this "a clear violation of constitutionally guaranteed press freedoms" and "another sign of the government seeking to compel journalists to become instruments of its investigations."

On the algae front, Trump said yesterday he would sue ABC for its reporting on the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, which has been a fiasco and killed a couple of ducks. 

He now blames it on vandalism. The president alleges ABC "failed to report that their close ‘friends,’ Democrats Obama and Biden, spent over 100 Million Dollars on the Reflecting Pool, and it never worked."

Doesn’t sound like much of a lawsuit to me.

For what it’s worth, the Obama administration spent about $35 million on the pool and the work was finished in 2012.

ABC anchor and reporter Jonathan Karl ran a segment on the Reflecting Pool, pulling out a slice of peeling paint to demonstrate the deterioration. 

So is he now going to be prosecuted? That seems way over the line.  

"We didn’t peel it away, it was floating there," Karl said on "Good Morning America."

The job was done by a no-bid contractor for $15 million, about nine times the original estimate. 

But Trump says, "I like their money, which will be given to the U.S. Treasury." ABC paid $16 million to settle a 2024 defamation suit involving use of the word "rape."

Trump’s frequent shifting of positions, which can change by the day or even the hour, makes him a challenge to cover. 

Of course, he transforms his stance without a hint of embarrassment. Of course, the U.S.-Israeli attack on Iran was wildly successful. 

But it’s hardly radical to report that things are in limbo as Trump threatens bombing again – which I just don’t see happening. 

Sometimes the Trumpian rhetoric is just for show. After ripping Jon Karl at a presser for one of his questions, Trump called him over and quietly said, "We’re good."  

Meanwhile, "Regime Change," the book published yesterday by Maggie Haberman and Jonathan Swan, both New York Times reporters, has sparked some criticism from the press.

Days before their scheduled interview, Trump called Haberman a "third-rate reporter." She described that as a "hip check," meaning he wanted to lay down a marker.

But when he sat down with the duo, he was "in a convivial mood," the book says, and started talking to them about trees he wants to order. "I know how to buy good trees, Maples."

"And then the planned ballroom. And also an anecdote about golfer Gary Player.

"We had questions we needed to ask him," Haberman says, and he mostly answered them. "But we did not want the interview to turn into an ‘open mic night’ where he would simply pontificate at length."

The hour-long session went well – until the end, when the president scolded Haberman. 

"I’m tired of winning and winning and winning and just getting bad f—-- press. It’s about time that you tell the truth."

"Routinely," Haberman said on the "Daily Show," the only person really challenging him aggressively – and not rudely or unprofessionally – is Kaitlan Collins," the CNN anchor who also covers the White House. 

"And she takes an enormous amount of s—, and she keeps a total straight face. But she doesn’t have backup."

That sounds like a not-so-subtle invitation for other White House correspondents to defend themselves–and controversy always helps sell books. 

from Latest & Breaking News on Fox News https://ift.tt/BAEY4Mw
via IFTTT

Fox News RSS Feed

On July 4th, Americans will celebrate the 250th birthday of our great nation. For two-and-a-half centuries, the United States has been a beacon to people everywhere seeking freedom – of religion, speech, assembly and others enumerated in the Bill of Rights, the first 10 amendments to our Constitution.

The allure of America, and those promised rights, has never faded. Our country attracts millions of people each year who hope to live under that umbrella of freedom, and who want a shot at the American Dream.

What is the American Dream? The term was first coined in 1931 by historian James Truslow Adams, who wrote in his book "The Epic of America" about a society in which each person, no matter their parentage or origin, is free to pursue their dreams and ambitions, bound only by their own capabilities. That promise, articulated at the height of the Great Depression, when faith in the country was at rock bottom, was as true and uplifting then as it is now.

I have met hundreds of people who embody that promise: a cab driver from Egypt who arrived penniless in our country, but whose son is getting a master’s degree in engineering, or our doorman from China who barely speaks English, but whose daughter just became a doctor. I’ve talked to new immigrants from Cuba and Yemen and other repressive nations who delight in their newfound freedom, and who cannot understand how so many Americans don’t value the opportunities offered by our country.

AMERICA 250 EVENTS TAKING PLACE THIS SUMMER CALLED 'ONCE-IN-A-LIFETIME' TRAVEL OPPORTUNITIES

Those (mostly young) people have been persuaded by politicians on the left that the American Dream is dead. Progressive Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders and his ideological sidekicks would have you believe that it is impossible to get ahead in the U.S. because the deck is stacked against you. On his 2025 "Oligarchy Tour," Bernie claimed the American Dream has "turned into a nightmare" and that "billionaires have rigged the system to avoid being accountable to us."

Democratic Socialist New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, accompanying Bernie on the stump, goes to the same dark place, telling audiences that the "right wing's entire political agenda …[involves] a politics that involves lying to and screwing over working and middle class Americans so that they can steal from our healthcare, Social Security, and veterans' benefits to pay for tax cuts for the wealthiest and bailouts for their crypto billionaire friends."

Bernie and his cynical followers are having an impact. A recent Gallup poll commissioned by the Milken Center for Advancing the American Dream found only 46% of Americans either "strongly agree" or "somewhat agree" with the idea that "everyone in this country has the opportunity to achieve the American Dream," down from 51% in 2024.

AOC’S BILLIONAIRE ATTACK SELLS GEN Z A SMALLER, SADDER AMERICAN DREAM

This is tragic, because it is that sense of boundless opportunity that has inspired the great entrepreneurs and innovations that continue to put the United States ahead of other countries. Elon Musk came to the United States from his native South Africa, by way of Canada, because he saw this country as the best place to build an electric vehicle business, and to reimagine space travel. 

Sergey Mikhailovich Brin, co-founder of Google, came to the U.S. at the age of 6 from Russia because his father, a mathematics professor, feared growing antisemitism there. Sergey, who went to a public high school and then to the University of Maryland, is now an extremely wealthy man, having helped build the world’s foremost search engine.

There are countless examples of people with extraordinary talents coming to the U.S. with empty pockets and climbing to greatness. But there are also many, many ordinary people in our country who work hard to educate their children and to provide for their families and who also achieve the American Dream. Some of those inspiring stories are being published each day in the New York Post, at the behest of the Milken Institute.

KELSEY GRAMMER SHARES THE KEY TO ACHIEVING THE 'AMERICAN DREAM'

One remarkable story comes from a Hasbro executive, Matt Proulx, who was one of 13 kids, 11 of whom were adopted. His parents took in foster children – 250 over the years – many of whom were rescued from dire situations. His folks, even as his dad was dying, adopted three more children who were about to be split up and sent to different families; according to Matt, despite their rough childhood, "they’re actually thriving." As to the American Dream? "I live it every day. I literally had nothing. Came from dirt … but the house was always full of love."

CLICK HERE FOR MORE FOX NEWS OPINION

Does everyone have a shot at the Dream? Not entirely. If education is critical to unleashing the power of every individual, the failures of our schools gravely restrict the goal of universal opportunity. When more than half of Black kids in New York don’t learn how to read, that group will struggle to access the American Dream. Such shortcomings should cause universal outrage, but Democrat politicians sacrifice the wellbeing of – especially – minority kids they claim to care about in exchange for tens of millions of campaign dollars every year. Shame on them.

Why does the left want to undermine confidence in the American Dream? Because they want power, and they know that building and then overseeing a giant welfare state catering to those who have given up, grants them power. A nation of self-directed, independent and successful people will not turn to Bernie Sanders or the government for help, but a nation of people without hope will be content to feed at the trough of Uncle Sam.

Will the United States endure for another 250 years? Only if we fight for our nation’s original compact, where everyone works hard, helps grow the economy and supplies the funds to support those who legitimately cannot provide for themselves, whom former President Ronald Reagan called "the truly needy."

As we celebrate America’s birth with fireworks and bike parades, let us celebrate the values that have made her the envy of the world and that will guarantee her future, for another 250 years.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM LIZ PEEK

from Latest & Breaking News on Fox News https://ift.tt/OtQB4Fq
via IFTTT

Fox News RSS Feed

The Democrats are lurching to the left. 

And having a fine time doing it. 

Socialism is no longer a dirty word. 

In fact, it's becoming the party’s calling card.

MAMDANI'S POLITICAL EARTHQUAKE ROCKS DEMOCRATS, DIVIDING PARTY ON PATH FORWARD

The atmosphere changed when Zohran Mamdani came out of nowhere to trounce Andrew Cuomo and wind up in New York's Gracie Mansion. 

Not only is he the city's first Muslim mayor and anti-Israel, but he is a self-proclaimed socialist.

Here's the problem: While that might be an asset in blue cities, it's a huge albatross in a national or statewide election.

DEMOCRATIC SOCIALIST MAYORAL NOMINEE CREATES GROWING HEADACHE FOR VULNERABLE NEW YORK DEMOCRATS

Most voters in these contests are not willing to march under the socialist banner. 

In these broader elections, what helps in a Democratic primary is a poison pill. 

So how did this come about?

THE FAR LEFT HAVE TAKEN CONTROL OF THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY PLATFORM, AND IT’S TURNING VOTERS OFF

Turns out that liberal and independent voters are fed up with the Democratic establishment. They feel it's a party of elitists playing the same old rhetorical game and not delivering for the working class. They resent the empty promises and the obsession with pronouns, "pregnant people" and trans men playing women's sports. They feel abandoned. 

But in intra-party contests, the secret ingredient seems to be charisma. Mamdani won over New Yorkers by campaigning his heart out. 

After promising such benefits as free buses and government-run grocery stores, he has run smack into reality, where he needs help from Albany to achieve even a fraction of his goals.

SOCIALIST SURGE: MAMDANI FLEXES GROWING POLITICAL MUSCLE AS HE TAKES ON DEMOCRATIC PARTY ESTABLISHMENT

And while Mamdani made no secret of being anti-Israel and tried to mend fences with Jewish voters, he worked against Democratic incumbents in pushing pro-Palestinian candidates for Congress. 

He's not alone. In Washington, voters elected Janeese Lewis George, who is also a proud socialist. (Winning the Democratic primary here is tantamount to election.) She promised government help for child care and tougher regulation of utilities. So D.C. has its own Mamdani. 

And Seattle elected as mayor Katie Wilson, co-founder of the Transit Riders Union. She promised affordable housing, reduced homelessness and to "Trump-proof Seattle," especially on being a sanctuary city.

FETTERMAN CALLS OUT 'ABSOLUTE SOCIALIST' SEATTLE MAYOR AND 'AVOWED COMMUNIST' GRAHAM PLATNER

AOC was the first ultra-liberal to capitalize on this, defeating a longtime incumbent and now so famous from social media that she's flirting with a presidential run. 

Another case study is Maine's Graham Platner, a Marine veteran who has survived a series of scandals (Nazi tattoo, sexting other women) that would have knocked out most candidates. In the primary, he trounced the state's 78-year-old governor, and many liberals are willing to overlook his admittedly checkered past. 

Platner has acknowledged having problems with alcohol, PTSD, and being a bad boyfriend after returning from Iraq and Afghanistan.

LEFT, LEFTER AND LEFTIST: DEMOCRATS COULD BE DEFINED BY RADICAL, BIG CITY MAYORS 

The defining characteristics of these new-wave socialists: They tend to be younger and generate excitement on the trail. 

The MAGA coalition has been broader, at least until the Iran war, soaring prices and the never-ending warfare over the Jeffrey Epstein files. 

But that required Donald Trump first getting elected and then bending the Republican Party to his will. His retribution against GOP candidates who defied him, knocking them off in primaries, has sent an unmistakable message to Republicans that dissent leads to political death.

But it's hard to see the capital-S socialists prevailing in a general election. Most voters still recoil from anything that reeks of socialism, however well it may play in New York, Washington and Seattle. 

The Dems are leaderless at the moment, though that may change after the midterms. But for now, the new-wave socialists look to be clobbered in almost any general election contest. Even given Trump's current unpopularity, they can swim in blue waters but not in the larger green ocean of voters who head the other way from the turbulent tide of socialism. 

from Latest & Breaking News on Fox News https://ift.tt/mJFaOpH
via IFTTT

Fox News RSS Feed

In 1979, American indecision and the abandonment of a loyal ally helped pave the way for the rise of Islamist terrorism and the loss of pro-Western Iran to the Soviet camp. In 2026, the same reluctance to support Iran's pro-democracy opposition and its recognized leadership has once again strengthened Islamist forces, leaving America humiliated and strategically diminished while the struggle between radical Islamism and Iranian nationalism continues beneath the surface.

Many Iranians view 1979’s revolt as the beginning of a regime built on violence and terrorism. During the uprising, Trump voiced support for the Iranians while continuing to pursue a deal with Tehran. Yet many regime opponents later thanked Trump and Netanyahu for confronting Ali Khamenei, whom they regarded as the principal symbol of repression and bloodshed in Iran.

Reasonable people can support or oppose the agreement. Yet several realities should not be ignored. Throughout history, dictators and terrorist movements have not changed their nature simply because others chose to negotiate with them. A dictator does not become a friend of freedom overnight, and a terrorist organization does not suddenly begin handing flowers and chocolates to the very people it has oppressed and humiliated.

The belief that Iran's barbaric ruling system can fundamentally change without dismantling its destructive ideological foundations and propaganda machinery is unrealistic. The structure remains intact. The institutions that sustain the regime remain in place. Eliminating a few commanders or military assets does not dismantle a deeply entrenched junta and ideological system.

TRUMP IRAN FRAMEWORK GAMBLES ON DIPLOMACY DESPITE WARNING TEHRAN WILL 'LIE AND CHEAT'

The elimination of Qassem Soleimani and Ali Khamenei dealt a significant blow to the regime's prestige and morale. Yet because the broader structure survived, those who inherited power are now seeking survival and time. They offer promises that may appeal to Trump, but many Iranians do not believe them.

As a result, Trump, once viewed by many Iranians as a hero for confronting Tehran’s dictator, is now seen by many of those same people as having abandoned their cause in favor of another deal with the regime. Many opponents of the regime believe that another agreement has come at the expense of those who lost their lives during the uprising.

One of Trump's most significant achievements during his first term was the elimination of Soleimani, the architect of Iran's regional terror network. If the deaths of Imad Mughniyeh and Osama bin Laden were major milestones in the fight against Islamic terrorism, then the elimination of Soleimani was arguably even more consequential.

IRAN ADMITS EXTRAORDINARY NEW DETAIL IN KHAMENEI STRIKE, TRUMP 'OFFERED WAY OUT': EXPERT

Yet Soleimani's demise did not destroy the structure he helped build. Ahmad Vahidi, now one of the most influential figures in the post-Khamenei order, remained part of the system. The overseas terrorist apparatus of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and the Quds Force continues to exist.

Soleimani's end did not wreck the structure he built. The terrorist network survived. As a result, many fear that the agreement, much like previous diplomatic openings with Tehran, will encourage a renewed sense of impunity within the regime's security establishment.

Another important development was the weakening of Tehran's proxy network and the reduction of its regional influence. When Israel perceived an existential threat to its survival, Mossad — under the leadership of Yossi Cohen and later David Barnea — succeeded in significantly damaging the Islamic Republic's transnational terror network throughout the so-called Shiite Crescent.

WATCH: CRUZ SOUNDS ALARM ON TRUMP IRAN DEAL, WARNS AGAINST HANDING BILLIONS TO 'THEOCRATIC LUNATICS'

Yet the network has not disappeared. The regime's "4H" axis — Hamas, Hezbollah, the Houthis and Iraq's Hashd al-Shaabi militias — remains intact, and Tehran continues to rely on these groups to create pressure on Israel whenever necessary.

A third important factor was Trump's support for Israel in the face of direct Iranian missile and drone attacks. The threats made by Khamenei against Israel and the Jewish people echoed rhetoric previously associated with some of the most notorious dictators of the modern era. Factually, Khamenei was one of the principal figures behind the forces responsible for the atrocities of October 7, 2023.

For decades, the regime relied on proxy groups to confront Israel. Yet it eventually crossed a historic threshold by launching direct missile and drone attacks against the Jewish state. In the eyes of many opponents of the regime, this demonstrated the true nature of Tehran's ambitions.

JD VANCE CLARIFIES FROZEN IRANIAN ASSETS, US STANCE ON RELEASE CONDITIONS

Many Iranians welcomed efforts by Israel and the United States to weaken the Islamic Republic and the IRGC, hoping that increased pressure on the regime would bring Iran closer to freedom and democracy. From that perspective, President Trump's support for Israel remains one of the most significant and commendable aspects of his Middle East policy.

Yet the greatest danger remains. If the regime is given an opportunity to rebuild, neither its terrorist infrastructure nor its ambitions of regional domination will disappear. Within the ideological framework established by Khomeini, hostility toward the United States and Israel remains a central principle. The regime may change its tactics for survival, but it does not abandon its long-term objectives.

If Tehran succeeds in buying time and recovering its strength, the same network of Islamist terrorism will reemerge. The regime's "4H" axis — Hamas, Hezbollah, the Houthis and Hashd al-Shaabi — will remain in place alongside other terrorist organizations linked to Tehran's regional strategy. Many Iranians believe the previous Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) strengthened the regime's terrorist infrastructure rather than benefiting ordinary citizens. Critics fear new financial relief will produce the same result.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE FOX NEWS OPINION

Ultimately, the issue is not whether an agreement is signed or rejected. The real issue is preventing the reconstruction of the transnational terrorist infrastructure that could once again threaten American interests, U.S. allies and regional stability.

Ironically and regrettably, President Trump's willingness to reach another agreement with Tehran demonstrates that there is no genuine desire in Washington to pursue regime change in Iran. Critics argue that peaceful coexistence with this cancerous regime in the heart of the Middle East is simply not possible. In actuality, the regime may change its tactics, but it cannot change its nature.

The regime also faces a growing internal crisis, and the forces that fueled the uprising have not disappeared. Many Iranians believe that the aspirations of the protest movement were ultimately ignored and that the current agreement has diverted attention from the central struggle inside Iran.

Iran’s future will ultimately be determined not by agreements signed abroad, but by the continuing struggle between a regime fighting for survival and a society demanding political change.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM ERFAN FARD

from Latest & Breaking News on Fox News https://ift.tt/2U3E4zW
via IFTTT

Fox News RSS Feed

Britain’s Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced Monday that he will resign following a mounting revolt inside the Labour Party after devastating local election losses, the resignation of government ministers and growing pressure from senior members of his own cabinet.

Starmer said he would step down as prime minister and Labour leader after concluding he could no longer unite the party, but is expected to remain in office until a successor is chosen.

The resignation follows weeks of turmoil inside Britain’s ruling party after Labour lost roughly 1,500 council seats and control of more than 25 councils in local elections last month, according to reporting from U.K. outlets. The losses were fueled by major gains from Nigel Farage’s Reform UK party in Labour’s traditional strongholds and by Green Party advances in urban areas.

FARAGE'S REFORM UK BEATS OUT ESTABLISHMENT PARTIES IN 'EARTHQUAKE' ELECTIONS

Starmer’s domestic troubles deepened after a damaging dispute with President Donald Trump over the Iran conflict earlier this year. The British prime minister initially resisted U.S. requests to use British bases during military operations against Iran, prompting Trump to criticize him publicly, saying: "This is not Winston Churchill that we’re dealing with," on March 3.

But after initially drawing a hard line, Starmer later approved limited defensive cooperation with the U.S., angering anti-war lawmakers inside his own party while still failing to satisfy critics who accused him of indecision and weak leadership.

Public frustration over the episode surfaced in YouGov focus groups and polling commentary, where voters described Starmer as "weak," "indecisive" and overly reactive to Washington.

AS EPSTEIN-LINKED APPOINTMENT SPARKS BACKLASH, UK PM STARMER FACES PARTY REVOLT AMID RESIGNATION CALLS

The crisis escalated days after the local election results after two Labour ministers resigned publicly and called for a leadership transition.

Jess Phillips resigned from her government role after Starmer reportedly refused to step aside during a cabinet meeting. Phillips said Labour needed leadership with more "gusto" and warned the government was failing to deliver the change voters expected, according to The Guardian.

Miatta Fahnbulleh also resigned and called for what she described as an "orderly transition," according to U.K. media reports Tuesday.

More than 80 Labour MPs publicly called for Starmer to resign, Steven Swinford, political editor at The Times, wrote on X, "What is striking is the fact that they hail from all wings of the party," adding that roughly a third were centrists, while others came from Labour’s soft-left and hard-left factions.

Senior cabinet ministers were also reportedly pressuring Starmer privately to establish a timetable for his departure. Senior Labour figures, including Yvette Cooper and Ed Miliband, had urged Starmer to consider stepping aside to avoid further political damage, The Guardian reported. 

John Healey defended Starmer publicly before the resignation announcement, saying, "More instability is not in Britain’s interest. Our full focus must be on security."

UK TO RELEASE FILES RELATED TO FORMER AMBASSADOR'S JEFFREY EPSTEIN TIES

The political crisis also intensified scrutiny over Starmer’s broader leadership and decision-making.

His government faced criticism over Britain’s handling of the ongoing U.S.-Iran crisis, with opponents accusing him of appearing indecisive after reports that the U.K. initially resisted some American military requests before partially backtracking. Public frustration over the issue has surfaced in recent polling and voter focus groups published by YouGov.

Starmer also faced criticism over his appointment of Peter Mandelson as ambassador to Washington, reviving media scrutiny surrounding Mandelson’s past association with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. 

Attention now turns to a potentially divisive Labour leadership contest.

Wes Streeting is viewed as a leading contender from the party’s centrist wing, while Andy Burnham remains popular among Labour’s grassroots having recently won a seat in Parliament. Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner is also expected to play a major role in shaping the succession battle.

from Latest & Breaking News on Fox News https://ift.tt/IoePfjp
via IFTTT