FOX NEWS – Politics | Politics & Government

ROCKY MOUNT, N.C. — Vice President JD Vance traveled to North Carolina and hosted an event Friday to tout the economy, advocate for Republicans to win elections in the Tar Heel State, and touch on the situation in Iran.  Vance was also joined by former RNC chairman and GOP Senate nominee Michael Whatley and Small Business Association Administrator Kelly Loeffler at a local event space."In just a very brief time, we've seen new home purchases rise to their highest level in five years," Vance said. "Since the last time Donald Trump was president, we've seen the cost of rents drop for six months in a row." "We've seen the average tax refund that's going to come to the people of North Carolina, about $3,700 per family," Vance added. "And we see interest rates that are the lowest they've been since the last time that Donald J. Trump was president."VANCE TELLS MINNEAPOLIS TO ‘STOP FIGHTING’ ICE AS WHITE HOUSE DOUBLES DOWN ON CRACKDOWNVance was introduced by Loeffler, the former Georgia senator whom Trump appointed to lead small business advocacy as head of the SBA last February. "Together, we're cleaning up massive, wasteful spending and the abuse of government programs," Loeffler told the audience. "And you've seen that the fraud that sent your hard-earned tax dollars overseas and the Democrats open borders, defund the police agendas that invited violent crime into what should be safe communities, taking the lives of innocent victims like arenas."Vance addressed the situation in Iran, both to the crowd and in response to a question posed by an AP reporter. The vice president pointed to nuclear capability in Iran as the primary reason for the U.S. engagement.NC SENATE SHOWDOWN ESCALATES AS TRUMP RALLIES BEHIND WHATLEY TO KEEP GOP SEAT"You all know that right now, we are engaged in a military operation to ensure, as the president has said repeatedly, that Iran can never have a nuclear weapon," Vance said. "That is a simple, simple principle and standard. Frankly, every president. Has taken affirmative steps to ensure that Iran can never have a nuclear weapon."When asked what he advised the president before strikes began in Iran, Vance said he wasn’t giving out information from classified briefings in the situation room."I'm not going to show up here and in front of God and everybody else, tell you exactly what I said in that classified room, partially because I don't want to go to… [TheTopNews] Read More.

The top executive of a public relations and political consulting firm who is married to a former top Department of Homeland Security (DHS) spokesperson, is demanding an apology from Senate Democrats for allegations he used his wife to improperly secure lucrative contracts from the agency.In a letter Thursday addressed to Sens. Peter Welch, D-Vt., and Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., Benjamin Yoho took aim at a figure mentioned by Sen. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., claiming his company, The Strategy Group for Media, had secured $143 million in subcontracts.Yoho clarified that The Strategy Group for Media had been hired for media work at DHS, but not to the degree Schiff had outlined."We provided limited production services, for which we received $226,137.17 for video and audio production, a sum representing approximately one-tenth of one percent of the contract value [Schiff] referenced," Yoho wrote in his letter.HAKEEM JEFFRIES SAYS DEMS WILL NOT BACK FUNDING BILL FOR 'KILLING MACHINE' DHS EVEN IF NOEM IS FIREDHe also noted that the services didn’t directly go to DHS."The facts are The Strategy Group for Media was hired by Safe America Media LLC to serve as a subcontractor to them for production work," Yoho explained, referring to a separate company partnering with the agency.Yoho is married to Tricia McLaughlin, the former assistant secretary for public affairs at DHS who left her job last month.DHS DEFENDS MCLAUGHLIN AFTER ALLEGATIONS HUSBAND'S COMPANY PROFITED MILLIONS FROM AD CONTRACTS: 'BASELESS'The pair’s connection to DHS came under scrutiny in the Senate when former DHS Secretary Kristi Noem was probed by lawmakers about a $220 million ad campaign she had used to highlight the agency’s work. Democrats like Schiff hinted that some of that $220 million figure had ended up lining the pockets of those with close ties to the agency.HOUSE GOP LEADER LAUNCHES SENATE BID AS TRUMP TAPS MARKWAYNE MULLIN FOR DHS"This statement is factually incorrect, and I respectfully request that you have your colleague correct the official record and issue an apology," Yoho wrote.Noem was removed as head of DHS shortly after President Donald Trump learned she told senators that he had approved the $220 million DHS ad campaign that featured her prominently throughout. Reports surfaced after the hearings saying that Trump was "furious" with Noem over her performance in bicameral Judiciary Committee hearings earlier this month, particularly over a contract for an advertisement that Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., and others grilled her on.Trump reportedly took… [TheTopNews] Read More.

ROCKY MOUNT, N.C. — Vice President JD Vance hinted at targeting California as the next state where major fraud investigations will take place and revealed that fraud discovered in the Minneapolis area has "probably been $19 billion at least" since the administration began investigating in the Twin Cities.  In January, Vance announced an interagency task force within the Department of Justice that specifically targets fraud, and reports suggest the vice president will soon lead a new task force established through a Trump executive order. "We know there's a lot of fraud in California, and we're trying to get to the bottom of exactly what it looks like and what we've done in the Trump administration," Vance said in response to a question by Fox News Digital following his speech Friday afternoon at the Power House event center that focused on the economy, public safety and election integrity. "And the president has really empowered us to do this, is to take the first national look at the way the American people have been defrauded over many, many years."In January, President Donald Trump was critical of California, announcing that the "fraud investigation of California has begun," and said that the state was "more corrupt than Minnesota."COMER TO SAY TIM WALZ 'ENABLED FRAUD,' FAILED WHISTLEBLOWERS IN BOMBSHELL MINNESOTA HEARINGDemocratic California Gov. Gavin Newsom defended the Golden State's fraud protection in February, saying that California's Franchise Tax Board has blocked billions in fraud in recent years."In the actual world where adults govern — Gavin Newsom has been cleaning house," a spokesperson for Newsom told Fox News Digital. "Since taking office, he’s blocked over $125 BILLION in fraud, arrested criminal parasites leaching off of taxpayers, and protected taxpayers from the exact kind of scam artists Trump celebrates, excuses, and pardons."Gavin Newsom runs a state," the spokesperson added. "Donald Trump runs his mouth. Again and again, we’ve shown that the programs they are attempting to call out are programs the FEDERAL GOVERNMENT is administering, not the state. We suggest they get their house in order."Vance on Friday pointed to fraud that has occurred in Minnesota, telling Fox News Digital and reporters that taxpayer dollars are footing the bill for the illegal misuse of funds.JD VANCE SPEARHEADS 'WAR ON FRAUD,' PROMISES TO ROOT OUT TAXPAYER MONEY 'STOLEN' BY ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS"You asked about Minnesota, [and] we think that there's probably been $19 billion at least to fraud just committed in Minneapolis… [TheTopNews] Read More.

Ric Grenell's successor as the president of the Trump Kennedy Center was revealed Friday afternoon after President Donald Trump took to Truth Social to make the announcement.The change will officially be announced on Monday as the Trump Kennedy Center’s board meets to officially suspend its activities and launch construction efforts.Grenell, who has a background in foreign policy and assumed control of the center in February of last year in addition to his special envoy role, is being replaced by Matt Floca, the Trump Kennedy Center’s current vice president of facilities operations.US JUDGE ORDERS SUSPECT DETAINED FOR THREATENING TO KILL RICHARD GRENELLA person familiar with Grenell’s thinking said the transition was a result of the construction-focused shift for the organization and consistent with plans President Donald Trump outlined in posts to social media at the beginning of February."I have determined that the fastest way to bring the Trump Kennedy Center to the highest level of success, beauty and grandeur is to cease entertainment operations for an approximately two-year period of time," Trump said in a post to Truth Social last month.The source added that the change in the Trump Kennedy Center’s leadership is reflective of the organization’s focus for the time being."I mean the whole thing is turning into a construction zone," the source said. "It’s going to be a construction zone and [Ric is] not a construction guy."WASHINGTON NATIONAL OPERA TO DEPART TRUMP–KENNEDY CENTER AMID REPORTED FINANCIAL DIFFICULTIESTrump also highlighted Floca’s new appointment online."As Vice President of Operations, Matt has helped us achieve tremendous progress in bringing the Center to the highest level of Excellence! A Complete Reconstruction of THE TRUMP KENNEDY CENTER will begin after the July 4th Celebration," Trump wrote.He went on to praise Grenell's performance in the executive role, saying, "Ric Grenell has done an excellent job in helping to coordinate various elements of the Center during the transition period, and I want to thank him for the outstanding work he has done." The renovations are slated to cost $257 million, according to figures approved by Congress in Trump’s signature Big Beautiful Bill last year.Grenell declined to respond to inquiries about what his next role would be. [TheTopNews] Read More.

The Cuban government is in talks with Trump administration officials, the country's president said Friday, as Havana works to halt a potential regime change as it deals with a spilling energy crisis. In a 90-minute news conference broadcast by state media, Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel said talks with Washington were aimed at finding solutions to the political differences that divide the communist island and the United States, The New York Times reported. However, changes to Cuba's political system are off-limits, Lianys Torres Rivera, Cuba’s chief of mission in the United States, told POLITICO in an interview.MILLIONS LOSE POWER ACROSS CUBA AS TRUMP SANCTIONS CONTINUE TO FUEL ONGOING ENERGY CRISISCuba's economy has struggled following the U.S. capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro from his home in Caracas at the start of the year. The Trump administration immediately cut off oil exports to the island.A number of key sectors across the island are under considerable strain, including its transportation, health and education systems, Torres Rivera said. She noted that as many as 11,000 children are on waiting lists for surgeries and procedures at health clinics. "They have no money. They have no anything right now," President Donald Trump said in February. "Maybe we’ll have a friendly takeover of Cuba."Trump has said a deal with Havana "would be very easily made."In January, Trump declared a national emergency via an executive order over Cuba, accusing the communist regime of aligning with hostile foreign powers and terrorist groups.FAMILY MEMBER OF AMERICAN KILLED BY CUBAN FORCES IN BOAT SHOOTOUT SAYS HE WAS ON 'DIABOLICAL' MISSIONLast week, he said Cuba was "negotiating with [Secretary of State] Marco [Rubio] and myself and some others. And I would think a deal would be made very easily with Cuba."Trump has charged Rubio, the son of Cuban immigrants and someone who has actively championed regime change, with negotiations with Cuba. Friday was the first time the Cuban government formerly acknowledged talks with Washington. Amid talks, Rubio’s main counterpart has been Raul Rodriguez Castro, the grandson of Raul Castro, the island's de facto leader and its former president. Díaz-Canel said the talks with the United States were needed, in part, "to determine the willingness of both sides to take concrete actions," the Times reported. He added that he would soon welcome an FBI team to take part in the investigation stemming from 10 Cubans who lived in the United States who got into a firefight with the Cuban coast… [TheTopNews] Read More.