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The clock is ticking: DHS shutdown endangers FIFA World Cup security preparations
In less than three months, the United States will welcome the world for the largest sporting event in the history of mankind: the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Our nation will be hosting 78 matches across 11 U.S. host cities in a 40-day period during America’s 250th birthday. This showcase of American exceptionalism is projected to bring in more than 5 million visitors and produce $30 billion in economic output.
And yet, President Donald Trump’s White House Task Force on the FIFA World Cup 2026 is being stifled in ensuring the safety and security of the event because a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) shutdown is limiting DHS’s ability to prepare for this unprecedented global tournament.
When Congress failed to fund DHS more than a month ago, critical agencies such as the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), and the United States Coast Guard (USCG) were forced to operate with limited resources, unpaid staff and suspend certain operations.
Each of these agencies, as well as all of the 23 components housed within DHS, are vitally important to the White House FIFA Task Force’s whole-of-government approach to protect U.S. citizens and international visitors alike.
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Right now, the DHS shutdown is hampering the department’s ability to prepare for the largest influx of visitors in American history. This shutdown is not merely a matter of bureaucratic inconvenience; it is a direct threat to our national security.
The first kick-off is less than 80 days away. The longer this shutdown continues, the more gaps there may be in our security and operational planning, preparedness, and coordination. Our ability to deliver a safe World Cup suffers every day that Congress refuses to fund us.
As millions of visitors arrive for the World Cup, America’s airports, cities and ports need to be ready. The shutdown is making that nearly impossible.
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TSA will play a vitally important role in making sure soccer fans the world over can move throughout the country free of harm. As of today, nearly 95% of TSA employees are working without pay, and the financial strain is causing callout rates to double nationwide, with more than 450 officers quitting since the shutdown began.
With fewer officers showing up, TSA has had to consolidate or reduce the number of checkpoints at some airports, creating significantly longer lines for all passengers. Each officer must screen more travelers, increasing the risk of missed threats. At John F. Kennedy International Airport and Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, callout rates have reached 40%. It is even worse at William P. Hobby Airport in Houston (55%).
Now imagine that scenario happening during the busiest travel season in American history — where each of those metropolitan areas will be hosting World Cup games this summer.
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In addition, plans for new checkpoint screening technology upgrades at World Cup gateway airports risk being delayed or canceled with a prolonged shutdown. World Cup-specific staffing, canine deployments and coordination with airport and law enforcement partners are all falling victim to travel restrictions, approval delays and canceled training sessions.
TSA’s Federal Air Marshal Service’s efforts to assess vulnerabilities and deploy Counter-UAS (unmanned aircraft system) capabilities at transportation venues are also at risk. Prolonged shutdown delays or cancels planned security assessments, procurement of C-UAS systems and training on new equipment, which directly affect our ability to detect and mitigate drone threats around key transportation hubs.
If Congress does not act, we risk missing threats at our most bustling airports, just as fans from every corner of the globe arrive.
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The majority of DHS training and exercises for first responders and cybersecurity are on hold. limiting our ability to prepare for physical and cyber threats during the World Cup. Furloughs and reduced staffing impacts DHS’s ability to conduct security assessments, compromise our intelligence posture and hinders collaboration with our partners during this critical planning phrase.
The Coast Guard is scheduled to protect America’s harbors and waterways during the World Cup. With nearly 75% of its specialized civilian workforce furloughed and no money for contracts or training, the Coast Guard faces skill gaps and a risk of mission failure. The Coast Guard must mobilize about 1,000 security forces and support personnel for World Cup events, but without funding, they cannot pay for equipment or conduct advanced training.
The longer DHS is forced to operate without funding, the increased likelihood that America’s security and the tournament’s success are at risk. Partisan politics are jeopardizing the safety of our communities and the success of this historic event.
It does not have to be this way. The bottom line is this: Congress must act now. End the shutdown. Restore DHS funding. Give DHS the necessary resources to deliver a safe, secure and unforgettable World Cup. The clock is ticking. The world will be watching. Congress owes it to the American people to ensure that the World Cup kickstarts the beginning of The Golden Age of America in stunning — and safe — fashion.
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Joe Biden’s Daughter Just Dropped Massive Public Bombshell On Her Dad
The Biden family is facing another round of scrutiny — this time after a former Democratic insider revealed that Ashley Biden threatened her with legal action over allegations involving the 2024 presidential campaign.
Lindy Li, a former Democratic fundraiser with deep ties to the party’s donor network, says Ashley Biden threatened to sue her after Li began publicly alleging that Democratic officials and people close to former President Joe Biden concealed concerns about his condition while he was seeking reelection.
“They wanted to scare me. That was the goal,” Li told Fox News Digital.
Li, who previously raised money for Biden, former Vice President Kamala Harris and other Democrats, details the confrontation in her new book, “Unburdened.”
According to Li, the clash erupted in February 2025 after she began speaking publicly about what she described as serious internal concerns surrounding Biden’s age and his ability to continue campaigning for another term.
Li has since become one of the Democratic Party’s most outspoken former insiders, alleging that senior figures failed to adequately confront concerns surrounding Biden before he ultimately abandoned his reelection campaign.
Ashley Biden strongly disputed Li’s allegations and threatened legal action in a since-deleted Instagram post, according to screenshots Li provided to Fox News Digital.
Li described the tone of the message as so aggressive that it “bordered on parody.”
According to Li, Ashley Biden called her a liar and asked whether she was “ready for a lawsuit.”
But the threatened courtroom showdown never happened.
Li said the Instagram post disappeared roughly a day later, and no lawsuit was ultimately filed.
Li also challenged Ashley Biden’s apparent claim that she did not know her. She provided Fox News with photographs showing the two women together on multiple occasions.
“Doesn’t even pass the smell test,” Li said.
Li’s accusations carry added significance because she was not simply an outside observer of Democratic politics.
Before her break with the party, she operated inside influential Democratic fundraising circles, working with major donors and Democratic National Committee officials while helping raise money for both Biden and Harris.
According to Li, everything changed when she began publicly questioning whether Biden should remain the Democratic presidential nominee in 2024.
Li said she appeared on Fox News host Shannon Bream’s program on the same day Biden ultimately announced that he was ending his reelection campaign. During the appearance, Li argued that Biden needed to step aside.
“When I went on Shannon’s show to say Biden needs to step aside — and three hours later he did — my access immediately vanished and all my fears about speaking up were justified,” Li told Fox News.
Before that, Li said, she had been invited to White House events as frequently as every few weeks.
After she spoke out, she said those invitations stopped.
Li has characterized the abrupt loss of access as retaliation for her criticism. Fox News reported her account but did not independently establish that she was deliberately punished for speaking out.
The legal threat from Ashley Biden also prompted Li to consult attorneys.
According to Li, her lawyers did not believe a lawsuit was likely to move forward. She said one attorney suggested litigation could potentially open the door to discovery involving internal discussions about the former president.
Li maintains that her public statements about Biden and the Democratic Party were truthful and says she still does not know what specific statement Ashley Biden believed could form the basis of a legal case against her.
The episode adds another chapter to the continuing dispute over what Democratic officials and Biden’s inner circle knew about concerns surrounding the former president during the 2024 campaign — and how those concerns were handled publicly.
Biden ended his reelection campaign on July 21, 2024, following weeks of mounting pressure from fellow Democrats after his June debate against Donald Trump. He endorsed Harris shortly afterward, and she became the Democratic nominee before losing the November election to Trump.
But Biden’s withdrawal did not end the controversy.
Former aides, journalists and Democratic officials have since offered differing accounts of what senior figures knew, when they knew it, and whether concerns surrounding Biden were adequately disclosed to voters.
Li’s account now puts a deeply personal dimension on that broader dispute: a former Democratic fundraiser says that after she began speaking publicly about what she witnessed, the president’s own daughter threatened to take her to court.
The lawsuit never came.
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Democrat Congressman Stuns Party, Endorses GOP Colleague
Retiring Democratic Rep. Jared Golden is breaking ranks with his own party again — this time by endorsing a Republican in one of the most closely watched House races of the 2026 midterms.
Golden, who represents Maine’s 2nd Congressional District, announced his support Monday for Republican Rep. Mike Lawler of New York, delivering a rare cross-party endorsement as Lawler fights to hold onto his Hudson Valley seat against Democratic challenger Cait Conley.
Golden made his case in an opinion piece published by The Journal News, arguing that his firsthand experience working alongside Lawler convinced him that the Republican deserves another term.
The endorsement is particularly notable because Democrats are actively trying to defeat Lawler and capture his seat as part of their broader effort to win control of the House.
Golden is going in the opposite direction.
Rather than automatically backing his party’s nominee, the retiring Democrat pointed to Lawler’s bipartisan record and their work together in Congress as the reasons he is supporting the Republican incumbent.
The endorsement is also the latest example of Golden separating himself from Democratic leadership.
Earlier this month, Golden crossed party lines on procedural votes connected to legislation affecting the lobster industry as well as a package of sanctions against Russia.
Now he is taking the considerably more unusual step of endorsing a Republican congressional candidate over a Democrat.
Golden specifically highlighted Lawler’s work on collective bargaining rights for federal employees and Affordable Care Act premium tax credits.
But one issue appears to have carried particular weight for the Maine Democrat: the lobster industry.
Golden and Lawler worked together on the Northeast Lobstermen Protection Act, legislation designed to extend the current regulatory framework governing the American lobster and Jonah crab fisheries through 2035.
The legislation centers on a long-running dispute involving federal protections for the endangered North Atlantic right whale and the regulations imposed on commercial fishing operations in response.
For Maine, where the lobster industry represents an important part of the state’s coastal economy and identity, the issue has carried enormous political significance.
For Lawler, whose district is in New York’s Hudson Valley, there was far less obvious political upside.
That was precisely Golden’s point.
Lawler joined Golden in championing the legislation despite representing a district without Maine’s direct economic dependence on lobster fishing.
The House ultimately approved the measure in a bipartisan 219-196 vote on September 1. The legislation was subsequently sent to the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation.
Golden argued that Lawler’s involvement demonstrated the kind of cross-party cooperation he believes has become increasingly uncommon in Washington.
“He got no votes in this and no headlines back home,” Golden wrote. “He signed on because a historic American industry, thousands of fishing families, and the principle that federal rules should be built on facts were all on the line.”
The endorsement carries additional significance because Golden himself has developed a reputation for departing from his party on some high-profile votes and policy disputes.
He announced last year that he would not seek a fifth term in Congress, meaning he is making the endorsement during the final months of his House career.
Golden has said political hostility and dysfunction contributed to his decision to leave Congress, and his endorsement of Lawler centers heavily on his stated belief that lawmakers should be willing to work across party lines.
Lawler represents New York’s 17th Congressional District, a politically competitive Hudson Valley seat that both parties view as important in the fight for control of the House.
The district supported Kamala Harris in the 2024 presidential election even as voters returned Lawler to Congress, underscoring its competitive political makeup. Current race ratings have likewise treated the Lawler-Conley contest as highly competitive.
That makes Golden’s decision particularly consequential politically.
This isn’t an endorsement of a Republican running in a district Democrats have effectively conceded.
It’s an endorsement in a seat Democrats are actively trying to flip.
And it comes from a sitting Democratic member of Congress.
Golden’s decision therefore gives Lawler something relatively uncommon in today’s deeply divided political environment: a Democratic colleague publicly making the case for his reelection.
Golden’s reasoning ultimately comes down to what he says he personally witnessed while serving alongside Lawler.
The two lawmakers worked together on legislation that directly affected Golden’s constituents even though Lawler had relatively little immediate political incentive to become involved.
For Golden, that was enough to cross party lines once again.
This time, however, he isn’t simply joining Republicans on a congressional vote.
He’s asking voters in one of America’s competitive House districts to send one of them back to Washington.
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Trumps Drops Brilliant Midterm Plan That Dems Feared The Most
President Donald Trump is preparing to jump directly into the final six weeks of the 2026 midterm battle, as Republicans deploy a massive campaign war chest and an aggressive turnout operation in their fight to maintain control of Congress.
James Blair, Trump’s political director and one of the president’s top midterm strategists, laid out the Republican closing strategy during an interview with Breitbart News Saturday.
The plan combines a national political message, direct contrasts between candidates, a major push to reach less-frequent Republican voters and hundreds of millions of dollars potentially flowing into some of the country’s most consequential House and Senate contests.
Blair described the strategy as “twofold,” arguing that Republicans cannot treat congressional races as purely national elections or entirely local contests.
“Elections are not all national and they’re not all local,” Blair said. “It’s a little bit of both.”
Republicans plan to tie Democratic candidates to positions taken by the national Democratic Party while simultaneously forcing voters to compare the records and positions of the individual candidates running in their districts and states.
The strategy is designed in part to prevent Democrats competing in politically divided states and districts from distancing themselves from unpopular positions associated with their national party.
But perhaps the biggest weapon Republicans intend to deploy during the closing stretch is Trump himself.
Blair said the president will become “extremely active” during the final six weeks before Election Day, with Trump’s appearances and political activity increasingly coordinated with the beginning of early and mail voting across the country.
The GOP isn’t planning to wait until Election Day to mobilize its voters, either.
Republicans are encouraging supporters to cast ballots as soon as voting becomes available in their states, representing a continued shift from the party’s historical emphasis on Election Day voting.
“Vote now by mail if you want to. Vote in person early if that’s your preference. Don’t wait till Election Day,” Blair said.
A major target of that operation will be what Blair described as “low- and mid-propensity” Republican voters.
Those are voters who turned out for Trump during presidential elections but historically have been less reliable participants when his name isn’t directly on the ballot during midterm elections.
Trump’s political team believes the president has a unique ability to reach those voters, making his involvement a central piece of the Republican turnout operation.
The stakes could hardly be higher.
Republicans are fighting to maintain their congressional majorities in an intensely competitive political environment, particularly in the House.
The Cook Political Report’s September 11 ratings classified **21 House races as Toss Ups**, along with nine Lean Democratic and seven Lean Republican contests.
A Cook survey conducted September 8-11 among 1,052 likely voters across 37 competitive congressional districts found Democrats ahead 49% to 47% on the generic congressional ballot in those districts.
That makes the battle for turnout especially consequential.
But Republicans enter the closing stretch with another major advantage: money.
The National Republican Congressional Committee raised **$13.5 million in August** and finished the month with roughly a **$13 million cash advantage** over its Democratic counterpart.
Axios reported that it represented the largest cash advantage the NRCC has ever held at this stage of a midterm election cycle.
And considerably more money could soon enter the fight.
Earlier this month, Trump said his MAGA Inc. super PAC could direct between **$400 million and $500 million** toward helping Republican candidates during the midterms.
“I’m going to spend whatever amount o
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