Eric Adams drops out of NYC mayoral race as Mamdani gains ground

New York City Mayor Eric Adams dropped out of the city’s mayoral race on Sunday, halting his re-election campaign just five weeks before Election Day.

Adams announced his decision in a nearly nine-minute video posted on social media, offering no clues about his plans after leaving office.

ZOHRAN MAMDANI LANDS KEY ENDORSEMENT IN NEW YORK CITY MAYORAL RACE

"It’s been an honor to be your mayor," Adams said in his announcement, as he highlighted what he described as achievements related to crime reduction, housing affordability and economic recovery during his time in office.

"And yet despite all that we have achieved, I cannot continue my re-election campaign," he said, adding that he was unable to raise the funds for a "serious campaign." 

The move followed weeks of speculation he might clear the way for former Gov. Andrew Cuomo in a contest where Democratic nominee Zohran Mamdani, a democratic socialist, has gained momentum.

NEW POLL REVEALS MAMDANI STILL HOLDS COMMANDING DOUBLE-DIGIT LEAD OVER RIVALS IN NYC MAYORAL RACE

Adams has also trailed both Mamdani and Cuomo significantly in campaign fundraising and spending. 

Mamdani and Cuomo's campaign did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment.

Adams' exit comes as New York City eyes the potential election of 33-year-old democratic socialist upstart Mamdani.

Mamdani's ascent has drawn national notice: President Donald Trump told reporters earlier this month he’d "like to see two people drop out" of the NYC mayoral race to improve the chances of beating Mamdani.

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The Trump administration has slammed Mamdani’s economic agenda, casting it as a threat to business and growth. The White House did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment.

Mamdani has placed affordability at the center of his campaign to lead America’s largest city, pitching ideas such as free buses, city-owned grocery stores, and rent freezes for tenants in rent-stabilized apartments. 

Those proposals have energized progressive voters but rattled Wall Street, where executives warn they could drive investment out of New York and weaken the city’s tax base.

TREASURY’S BESSENT WARNS NYC: NO BAILOUT UNDER MAMDANI – ‘DROP DEAD’

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said on Wednesday that Mamdani’s proposals risk driving New York City into financial crisis, warning that if the city turns to Washington for a bailout, it won’t receive one.

"You can’t enact policies like this and expect to be bailed out," Bessent said during an interview with FOX Business' Maria Bartiromo on "Mornings with Maria."

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"And are you going to give them that bailout?" Bartiromo pressed.

"It will be the same thing that Gerald Ford said. Drop dead," Bessent said.

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Trump officials ask Supreme Court to uphold ban on birthright citizenship

The Trump administration asks the court to clear the way for the order, which has faced a series of legal challenges.

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Hungarian official touts 'golden age' of US relationship, credits Trump with boosting NATO and investment

UNITED NATIONS — A Hungarian official sat down with Fox News Digital at the United Nations this week as his country is poised to follow the U.S. in declaring Antifa a terrorist organization. He said the move highlights the strengthening ties between the U.S. and Hungary now that the Biden administration has ended.

"I think this is another issue which shows that the current Trump administration and the government of Prime Minister [Viktor] Orbán are close to each other when it comes to major political issues," Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó told Fox News Digital. "It was obvious that we do consider Antifa as an extremist organization, spreading an extremism ideology based on which they encourage their members and activists to attack innocent people. And this is simply unacceptable."

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, a strong ally of President Donald Trump, said in a radio interview on Sept. 19 that it was time for Budapest to follow "the American model," according to The Associated Press.

TRUMP CALLS ANTIFA ‘TERRORIST GROUP,’ FUELING FIGHT OVER FREE SPEECH AND LIMITS OF LAW ENFORCEMENT

Szijjártó also referenced an incident in 2023 in which Antifa activists assaulted individuals who they believed to be part of a far-right event in Budapest, the AP.

The outlet noted that one of the alleged assailants was Italian Antifascist activist Ilaria Salis, who has since become a member of the European Parliament, giving her immunity from prosecution. Szijjártó told Fox News Digital it was a "shame" that Hungary could not take legal action against her.

"The European Parliament has proved again that it is a super over-ideologized and over-politicized body [ruled] by the extremist, liberal, very aggressive extremist liberal mainstream," he said.

While Hungary has called on the European Union to also declare Antifa a terrorist organization, Szijjártó told Fox News Digital that he has "less hope" that the EU will act. 

EX-ANTIFA ACTIVIST PRAISES TRUMP’S DECISION TO LABEL GROUP DOMESTIC TERRORISTS

As Hungary faces challenges in Europe, it is seeing an improved relationship with the U.S., with Szijjártó hailing it as a "golden age."

"Under the Democrat administration, we Hungarians were considered as enemies. There was a very hostile approach by the Democrat administration," Szijjártó said, referring to former President Joe Biden's White House. "And since President Trump has been in office, this thing has totally, totally changed … We are basically experiencing the golden age of this U. S.-Hungary relationship."

Hungary also backs Trump’s call for greater NATO spending as the alliance faces renewed pressure over recent incursions into the airspace of Denmark, Estonia and Poland. Some of the incidents have been connected to Russia.

When speaking with Fox News Digital, Szijjártó emphasized Hungary’s view of NATO as "a very important pillar of European security."

ZELENSKYY SAYS TRUMP SHOWED HE WANTS TO SUPPORT UKRAINE ‘TO THE VERY END’

"We do hope that NATO will further strengthen in the future. We have agreed with the approach of President Trump arguing in favor of increasing the share of defense spending of the allies' GDPs," Szijjártó said. 

Amid rising tensions between NATO and Russia, Hungary is uniquely aware of the dire risks of a confrontation between the two parties. 

Hungary shares a border with Ukraine and has witnessed the impact of Kyiv’s war with Russia up close. Szijjártó cautioned that a showdown between NATO and Russia could spark World War III. However, Hungary sees Trump as a likely peacemaker in the region.

"President Trump is the only hope to make peace," Szijjártó told Fox News Digital. He went on to say that the U.S.-Russia talks must continue to get the world to a stable place.

"Whenever there is a civilized, high-level Russia-U.S. engagement, then the security situation of the world is improving. Whenever there is [a] lack of U.S.-Russia talks, then the global security situation deteriorates," Szijjártó said.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Luigi Mangione moves to dismiss death penalty, federal case citing Bondi comments

Lawyers for Luigi Mangione are again asking a federal judge in New York to block the Justice Department's attempt to seek the death penalty if he is convicted in the assassination of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, arguing that the government is pursuing capital punishment for political purposes and that top officials have inappropriately discussed the proceedings outside of court.

Mangione, a 27-year-old former Ivy Leaguer from a wealthy Maryland family, allegedly stalked Thompson to New York City, then shot him in the back on a sidewalk just steps from a hotel where the victim was supposed to meet Wall Street investors for a shareholder conference later that morning.

After a photo of the grinning suspect went viral, police found him in Altoona, Pennsylvania, where he was arrested five days after the Dec. 4 ambush.

MANGIONE SUPPORTERS PUSH 'JURY NULLIFICATION' AS UNITEDHEALTHCARE CEO ASSASSINATION TRIAL LOOMS

In a 118-page motion filed Saturday, Mangione's lawyers accused the Trump administration of using his case to launch the president's renewed push to expand the use of capital punishment and "to demonstrate its loathing of the prior administration" after former President Joe Biden removed 37 out of 40 inmates from the federal death row before leaving office.

"Luigi Mangione is a 27-year-old Italian-American dual citizen whose beautiful, promising life has been derailed," six attorneys for Mangione claimed in the motion. "Born in Maryland into a large, close, loving family, he is now fighting for his life against a government that seeks to execute him."

They also took issue with how Attorney General Pam Bondi has discussed the case and the Justice Department's push for capital punishment online and in the media.

In particular, they singled out a comment she made on "Fox News Sunday" in April: "I was a capital prosecutor. I tried death penalty cases throughout my career. If there was ever a death case, this is one."

"This statement alone is enough to prejudice the entirety of this case," Mangione's lawyers wrote. "The Attorney General of the United States is telling the public that based on her personal experience as a capital prosecutor who tried death penalty cases throughout her career that Mangione is guilty and should be executed."

LUIGI MANGIONE DEFENSE SHARED SAME RECORDS THEY CLAIMED CONSTITUTED PRIVACY VIOLATION: PROSECUTORS

According to his lawyers, the Justice Department and law enforcement leaders have "serially violated his constitutional rights." They claim he was "overcharged" with a death penalty-eligible offense and noted that a New York judge recently threw out state-level terror charges brought by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg.

He now faces a top state charge of second-degree murder. Federally, he is accused of stalking, murder through use of a firearm and other gun charges.

They identified "six ways" they say his constitutional rights have been violated:

LUIGI MANGIONE’S LAWYERS SLAM ‘VAGUE’ ALLEGATIONS, DEMAND FEDS SHOW THEIR HAND IN ‘BAREBONES’ CEO MURDER CASE

Additionally, the defense accused New York City leaders of overhyping and overcharging the state case, leaking details about a "manifesto," a term they don't want used, and anti-health insurance industry messages written on bullet casings connected to the murder.

The defense is asking for the court to dismiss the federal indictment outright, block the government from seeking the death penalty or strike the Justice Department's notice of intent to seek the death penalty.

Federal prosecutors previously shot back that the defense has no authority over how prosecutors present evidence to a grand jury.

Thompson, 50, was a Minnesota father of two visiting New York City for a publicly announced shareholder conference.

Mangione faces charges in New York, Pennsylvania and federal court in connection with the slaying and the suspected murder weapon, which had 3D-printed parts. He has pleaded not guilty.

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Man detained at Kirk memorial site was allegedly found with gun, knife and expired credentials inside stadium

Arizona officials announced charges Saturday against the man the Secret Service allegedly caught carrying a gun and a knife inside State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, on Friday. 

The stadium is where Charlie Kirk’s memorial event is set to take place Sunday. Joshua Runkles was identified Saturday by the Arizona Department of Public Safety as the armed individual. He was charged with impersonating a law enforcement officer – a felony – and carrying a weapon into a prohibited place, which is a misdemeanor. 

Secret Service spokesperson Anthony Guglielmi previously said the man was detained "in the stadium, but it was prior to the setup of any secure perimeter." 

The individual allegedly told Secret Service agents that he was at the site to provide private security, The Washington Post also reported, citing a law enforcement official familiar with the matter. 

A federal source familiar with the investigation told Fox News that the man is a former law enforcement member from another state. 

LIVE UPDATES: CHARLIE KIRK MEMORIAL IN ARIZONA EXPECTED TO DRAW 100,000, WITH TRUMP AND VANCE HEADLINING  

"He came and identified himself with expired credentials. They are going through his background and trying to figure out what he was up to there," the federal source added. 

Guglielmi said to Fox News Digital: "The U.S. Secret Service in coordination with local law enforcement in Glendale, Arizona, is investigating an individual who was observed exhibiting suspicious behavior at State Farm Stadium." 

"The individual was approached by Secret Service and stated during the encounter that he was a member of law enforcement and that he was armed. The individual is not a member of authorized law enforcement working the event and is currently in custody," Guglielmi added. 

CHARLIE KIRK'S MEMORIAL: WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT THE EVENT IN ARIZONA 

The development comes as police are expecting approximately 100,000 people to attend Kirk’s memorial service at State Farm Stadium and an overflow arena on Sunday, Sept. 21, according to media reports.  

State Farm Stadium has fixed seating for 63,400 and can expand to over 73,000 for larger events, according to the venue. 

The Department of Homeland Security also designated the memorial service as a "Special Event Assessment Rating Level 1," which is "reserved for events of the highest national significance" and the same severity as the Super Bowl.  

Erika Kirk, who is Charlie Kirk’s widow, President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance are among those set to speak at the event. 

Fox News' Jeff Paul, Alex Nitzberg and Michael Ruiz contributed to this report. 

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DAVID MARCUS: Jimmy Kimmel is on the fast train to Keith Olbermann-style oblivion

If Jimmy Kimmel is curious about what his future holds, he should consider the fate of another obstinate jerk who insisted on insulting half the country during his television heyday: Keith Olbermann.

Kimmel is in hot water, and out of a job for now, because he clearly intimated that the alleged murderer of Charlie Kirk was a pro-MAGA conservative, a disgusting lie that not only insults conservative Americans, but insinuates that Kirk's murder was in some way his own fault.

HOLDING ABC'S JIMMY KIMMEL ACCOUNTABLE ISN'T 'CANCEL CULTURE' — IT'S BASIC FAIRNESS

Much to the chagrin of Democrats, it now turns out that Kimmel wasn’t suspended owing to any supposed threats from Federal Communications Chairman Brendan Carr, but rather because when his bosses at ABC told him to apologize for lying on air, he flatly refused.

Kimmel's pride and abject hatred of President Donald Trump and his MAGA movement are clearly more important to him than respecting his audience, much less keeping his estimated $15 million salary. And that is where the Keith Olbermann cautionary tale comes in.

Olbermann was once a beloved sportscaster who decided to switch to doing news commentary on MSNBC. It worked for a while, but at some point his unrelenting bitterness and sarcasm turned off the viewers, and that turned off the folks who signed his paycheck. Now, Olbermann posts unhinged social media screeds that are so full of vitriol you want to send a wellness check over to his Central Park pad.

This is basically what Jimmy Kimmel has turned his one-time comedy show into. It is little more than an extended anti-Trump TV ad. His audience rarely laughs, but dutifully claps at his statements. They are really applauding themselves, for being good anti-Trump people.

Kimmel’s schtick at this point, if you can even call it that, has turned into being a one-note, Trump-hating angry clown. And now that his show has been pulled, he has become something even more pathetic, a sad clown. Operas have been written about such characters.

Like Olbermann, Kimmel is now very disappointed and depressed about the fact that, by insulting half the country, he lost his gig. Apparently, it is those of us who make up that half that he is so disappointed in.

Kimmel should take some time and check out the X feed of Olbermann, who is now arguably the most pathetic poster on the platform. Is this really where Kimmel wants his career to land, as a bitter old man screaming at clouds?

How hard would it be for Kimmel to do his show on Monday and just say, "Hey, I made it look like I was saying Charlie Kirk’s assassin was pro-MAGA. That’s my bad. I worded it poorly and I apologize?"

That is probably all it would take for him to get his job back, even if he continued to use it as an anti-Trump platform. But for Kimmel and his ilk, attacking Trump is worth it even though it does Trump no harm.

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Obsession is a dangerous thing, especially, it seems, when it comes to Trump. Look at Liz Cheney, who threw away being the third most powerful Republican in the House of Representatives, and for what? To publicly insult Trump and his voters? Why?

Like Olbermann, Cheney could still be an important voice in our discourse if only she could have shown the slightest bit of respect for the millions of voters who put Trump in office.

It may not be too late for Kimmel to turn this disaster around, and honestly, it could be very good for the country if he did. It might help to give permission to his most loyal and liberal fans to take it easy on their Republican friends and family. To remember we are all Americans.

Unfortunately, Kimmel is getting bad advice from the people in his industry who are rallying around him as if he is a martyr. This is all the more galling because Charlie Kirk, the object of his mirth and scorn, actually was martyred, for real. 

Just apologize Jimmy. Don’t fall into oblivion by becoming the next Keith Olbermann. Just apologize, otherwise the only joke left to tell will be:

Knock, knock.

Who's there?

Not Jimmy Kimmel.

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Brett James, ‘Jesus, Take the Wheel’ songwriter, dies in North Carolina plane crash

Grammy-winning country songwriter Brett James, known for penning hits like "Jesus, Take the Wheel" and "When The Sun Goes Down," has died in a plane crash in North Carolina. He was 57.

"A Cirrus SR22T crashed in a field in Franklin, North Carolina, around 3 p.m. local time on Thursday, Sept. 18. Three people were on board," the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) told Fox News Digital.

The FAA confirmed that the plane was registered to James under his legal name, Brett James Cornelius. It's unclear whether he was piloting the aircraft at the time of the crash. 

COUNTRY SINGER CONNER SMITH RETURNS TO THE STAGE FOLLOWING TRAGIC CRASH THAT LEFT ELDERLY WOMAN DEAD

The North Carolina State Highway Patrol confirmed his death, as well as the deaths of two other individuals aboard the plane, according to The Associated Press. 

The FAA and National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) are investigating the incident.

The plane took off from Nashville’s John C. Tune Airport before crashing under still-undetermined circumstances in the woods of Franklin. Authorities have yet to release additional details regarding the cause of the crash.

James’ illustrious career spanned decades, as he became one of the most successful and beloved songwriters in Nashville. 

He worked on more than 500 songs recorded by artists like Faith Hill, Kelly Clarkson, Luke Bryan, Keith Urban and Meghan Trainor.

James' first major success was in 2001 when his song "Who I Am" was recorded by Jessica Andrews and hit No. 1 on the country charts. 

RISING COUNTRY STAR CANCELS MULTIPLE SHOWS TO GRIEVE AFTER FACING MISDEMEANOR CHARGE IN DEADLY NASHVILLE CRASH

His writing continued to dominate with songs like "Jesus, Take the Wheel", which not only earned Carrie Underwood a Grammy but also became an anthem of modern country music. 

James additionally co-wrote "Cowboy Casanova" for Underwood and "Out Last Night" for Kenny Chesney, among numerous other chart-toppers.

In 2020, James was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame. The official social media page for the organization shared a heartfelt tribute to the country songwriter following the news of his death.

"We mourn the untimely loss of Hall of Fame member Brett James ('Jesus Take The Wheel' / ‘When The Sun Goes Down’), a 2020 inductee who was killed in a small-engine airplane crash on Sept. 18."

In 2020, James recorded his own album. He previously explained to the Grand Ole Opry, "At my stage in life, I’m not going to write about driving around in pickup trucks, chasing girls. It needed to feel more classic, lyrically. They all wound up being love songs, but hopefully love songs with a twist, that haven’t all been written before."

James was born in Oklahoma City and moved to Nashville to pursue music after leaving medical school. His songwriting career skyrocketed, and he quickly established himself as one of the most influential writers in Nashville.

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Jason Aldean took a moment during his Thursday night concert at Pinnacle Bank Arena to pay tribute to his late friend.

"This next song is one of those early ones that really helped define my career and let people know who we were and what we were about," Aldean said in a video shared on his X account. "We got a little bit of sad news tonight right before we came on stage. A longtime friend of ours, the guy that wrote this song, we found out today died in a plane crash in North Carolina."

"He also wrote this next song, which ended up being one of the biggest songs of my career," Aldean pointed out. "So tonight we want to send this out to our friend that we lost tonight, our boy Mr. Brett James."

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Aldean additionally shared on X, "Heartbroken to hear of the loss of my friend Brett James tonight. I had nothing but love and respect for that guy and he helped change my life. Honored to have met him and worked with him."

He also wrote the song "I Hold On" for country star Dierks Bentley, who shared a heartfelt tribute to James.

"When I sing that song live, I’m always thinking of my dad, but I also think about that day we wrote it," Bentley posted on Instagram with a photo of the two. "He just got it, just lit into it. It was one of the first times we wrote and I decided to drop the most meaningful and necessary idea of a song I had on him, because I felt like God was telling me to do so. Our friendship and that song changed my life. Prayers for his family."

Just months before his untimely death, James shared a heartfelt moment with his loved ones. On June 16, he was all smiles as he posted a family photo.

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"Such an amazing Father’s Day!!" James captioned the Instagram post.

James is survived by his wife, Sandra Cornelius, and their children.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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