Trump was 'one door away' from danger, GOP lawmakers says as he demands Secret Service explanation

EXCLUSIVE: President Donald Trump was "one door away" from danger at the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner, a GOP lawmaker said, as he demands answers from the Secret Service over what he described as a major security lapse.

House Homeland Security Committee member Carlos Gimenez, R-Fla., who previously investigated security failures at the Butler, Pa., rally where Trump was targeted, said the latest incident raises similar concerns about gaps in Secret Service protection.

Gimenez, who examined the Butler site firsthand, told Fox News Digital that security at the Washington Hilton — where the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner was held and where President Ronald Reagan was shot in 1981 — showed troubling vulnerabilities as well.

Gimenez said things have changed since then in some positive ways, as crowds can’t regularly get as close to a president as John Hinckley Jr. was able to when he attempted to kill the president, reportedly to impress Jodie Foster.

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"Mr. Brady got injured pretty severely — but it was a long time ago and things tend to kind of fade away into history and from memory. So I am not sure [of an apples-to-apples comparison]," he said, pivoting back to examining any "glaring holes" in the security posture at Trump’s event.

"If there were, why, and why weren't they caught? And who is responsible for that? And does the Secret Service have the training needed in order to account for and to make [adjustments]."

He questioned whether the Secret Service has the training and preplanning needed to prevent similar threats.

Gimenez dismissed any notions that Hilton itself was liable for the breaches, saying that when a president is threatened, the onus falls on his detail.

"It’s not the job of the Hilton hotel to protect the president and so again it all falls on Secret Service," he said while underlining that the rank-and-file officers are very brave and that they all did their jobs Saturday and stopped suspect Cole Allen quickly with no injuries beyond an agent hit in his vest.

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"My question is how did how in the world did that would-be assassin get that far, where he was basically one door away from God knows what. Those are questions that need to be answered."

Gimenez said that for events such as the WHCA dinner, "you have to account for the what-if," noting that the USSS may go through hours and days of "boredom" but need to be ready for an instantaneous threat.

"That doesn't mean you're going to think of every contingency, but you should be thinking of most and make it very, very difficult for any would-be assassin to get one door away from the president."

"Those are the concerns I have now – and those are the concerns I had in Butler."

He said that in both cases there were things that went both right and wrong.

Efforts to stop Allen went right, but allowing someone like him to get all the way to the sub-basement ballroom unfettered went wrong, Gimenez said.

When asked about his Butler special committee and whether a similar panel will be formed now, Gimenez said he’s heard rumblings about such, while reiterating that members of his staff had no problem getting into the various pre-parties without passing magnetometers or additional security, showing there remains a lot to examine.

He said he expects any panel to demand a classified briefing with USSS brass, and give "situational awareness" of the agency’s posture that night.

"It’s frankly rather amazing that we don't have a facility like that in the White House for state dinners, et cetera, for the most powerful country in the world, right?"

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In that regard, Gimenez said Trump is "ahead of the game" in a lot of areas and that his ballroom plans for the East Wing may have directly mitigated threats posed by using a public hotel in the business district with multiple entrances.

At the same time, he said procedures must be examined to see whether the USSS has fallen into a pattern of "what used to work in the past is good enough for what's working and what threats are today."

"We need to get to the bottom of it and see how the Secret Service is adapting to the new threat environment, which changes every single day."

After former USSS Director Kimberly Cheatle left the agency following the Butler failures, Gimenez said it will be important to look at what improvements, if any, have been undertaken by the new leadership in the two years since, analyzing their own worthiness.

On the ballroom debate, Gimenez said anyone who examines the plans seriously and apolitically will find that this is exactly the kind of solution needed for such threats.

"Putting my doctor hat on, I will say that the validity to those lawsuits is based on Trump Derangement Syndrome -- So [critics] need help, OK… The White House, which is a site of many official functions, and especially state dinners, when we're bringing in dignitaries and heads of states from around the world, needs a ballroom."

He said the "temporary tent" set up in the garden is an embarrassment for a first-world country.Fox News Digital reached out to the USSS for comment.

Fox News Digital’s Hannah Brennan contributed to this report.

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Crockett ripped for latest 'low IQ' jab at paralyzed Texas governor following ‘Hot Wheels’ fallout

Outgoing Texas Democratic Rep. Jasmine Crockett is drawing fresh criticism after appearing to mock Texas Gov. Greg Abbott’s disability, reopening scrutiny over her past remarks about the paralyzed governor.

"It was a tree that ended up making [Abbott] a part of the DEI class, just so y’all know. He is DEI, yes, because he is uniquely-abled or actually he ain’t abled, child," said Crockett in a video posted to her X account on Wednesday. 

Crockett claimed Abbott became "wealthy after legislation allowed him to sue" following an incident when a tree fell and crippled him while on a jog. The incident left Abbott partially paralyzed and wheelchair-bound at the age of 26.

Crockett’s comments on Abbott's disability follow outrage over her "Governor Hot Wheels" remark in 2025, which the lawmaker denied was tied to the Republican governor's disability. 

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The office of the governor directed Fox News Digital to Abbott’s X post when approached for additional comment on the matter. 

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"Uniquely abled," wrote the governor along with an AI photo of him in a superhero suit while in his wheelchair.

Critics called the remarks "low IQ" on social media or responded with their own mockery and confusion. 

"'I only mocked a paraplegic and suddenly people have a problem with me,'" said Fox News Contributor Joe Concha quipped on X.

"Uh. What." one account posted. 

"How does she think of this ridiculous stuff she says," another account posted. 

"DEI? Disgraced Jasmine Crockett claims Governor Abbott is a DEI hire as a result of his disability," X account Amuse wrote.

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Fox News Digital reached out to Crockett's office on Thursday for additional comment.

Last year, Crockett landed in hot water for another comment about Abbott that was viewed as a jab at his disability. 

"We in these hot a-- Texas streets, honey. Y’all know we got Governor Hot Wheels down there, come on now! And the only thing hot about him is that he is a hot a-- mess, honey!" she said, laughing.

Crockett issued a statement at the time, without an apology, and said she "wasn’t thinking about the governor’s condition," but his policies to deport illegal immigrants. 

"At no point did I mention or allude to his condition. So, I’m even more appalled that the very people who unequivocally support Trump—a man known for racially insensitive nicknames and mocking those with disabilities—are now outraged," she added. 

Crockett launched a Senate bid but lost the Democratic primary in March and did not seek re-election to her House seat, bringing her time in Congress to an end in 2027.

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What's the point? Why one area in Wisconsin has a very specific speed limit

It’s not a typo.

One Wisconsin county has set one area's speed limit to 17.3 mph in an eye-catching move aimed at jolting drivers into staying alert in a high-traffic work zone.

Officials in Outagamie County rolled out the unusual speed limit at the county’s Recycling and Solid Waste facility, where a constant flow of trucks, contractors and residents creates a busy and sometimes hazardous environment.

County leaders say the oddly specific number is intentional — and psychological.

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"Why 17.3? Because it makes you pause. It makes you look twice," officials said in a social media post announcing the change. The goal, they say, is to snap drivers out of "autopilot" and force them to pay closer attention to speed and safety while behind the wheel.

The site sees steady traffic from large hauling vehicles and smaller passenger cars, often moving in tight quarters.

The county believes the unconventional speed limit is a small change that will get drivers to slow down, stay alert and watch out for others.

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Whether it catches on elsewhere remains to be seen, but for now, 17.3 mph is turning heads in Wisconsin.

"Worked last weekend when I was there. Made us laugh," one user replied to the post.

Other users, however, were skeptical of the move.

"Sounds like something outagamie would do," another user wrote. "Plus you’ll get speeding for 17.4 and impeding traffic at 17.2, everyone gonna be paying up."

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US eyes first-ever hypersonic Dark Eagle deployment as Iran pushes beyond strike range

The U.S. military has explored deploying its new Dark Eagle hypersonic weapon to the Middle East, according to a report, as the Army begins fielding the long-range system after years of delays.

U.S. Central Command has requested deployment of the Army’s Long Range Hypersonic Weapon, known as Dark Eagle, to the Middle East, according to a Bloomberg report citing a person with direct knowledge of the matter.

A defense official told Fox News Digital the system has reached initial operational capability, marking the first time the U.S. has a land-based hypersonic weapon available for potential use.

The request was driven in part by concerns that Iranian ballistic missile launchers have been moved beyond the range of existing U.S. systems, including the Army’s Precision Strike Missile, which can strike targets more than 300 miles away, according to the Bloomberg report.

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It reflects growing concern that existing U.S. strike capabilities may not be sufficient to reach key Iranian missile assets, while also highlighting a major milestone for the Army as it fields its first land-based hypersonic weapon. If deployed, Dark Eagle would significantly expand the U.S. military’s ability to strike distant, hard-to-reach targets with little warning, marking a shift in how the Pentagon can project power in the region.

The Army began fielding the system to one of its multidomain task forces in December 2025 following testing and live-fire exercises, according to the official, placing the weapon within specialized units designed to carry out long-range precision strikes across multiple domains.

Individual Dark Eagle missiles are estimated to cost around $15 million each, though earlier analyses have placed the cost significantly higher, while a single battery — including launchers and support equipment — is estimated at roughly $2.7 billion.

No deployment of the system to the Middle East has been publicly announced, and officials have not confirmed any request. The U.S. and Iran are still currently adhering to a ceasefire in hopes of broader negotiations on Iran's nuclear program.

Dark Eagle is designed to travel at hypersonic speeds while maneuvering in flight, allowing it to strike targets at much longer ranges — potentially exceeding 1,700 miles — and with far less warning than traditional missiles.

That combination of speed and range makes it particularly suited for targeting mobile or hardened systems, such as missile launchers, that are difficult to reach with existing weapons.

Unlike traditional ballistic missiles, hypersonic weapons can maneuver in flight, making them more difficult to track and intercept.

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The reported request comes as the Pentagon continues efforts to accelerate its hypersonic weapons programs amid concerns about competition with China and Russia.

The U.S. has spent years developing hypersonic weapons, though some programs have faced delays, testing constraints and shifting priorities as the Pentagon works to advance the technology.

China and Russia already have fielded hypersonic systems, underscoring the growing importance of weapons designed to travel at extreme speeds while maneuvering in flight, making them more difficult to detect and intercept.

"Fielding and scaling hypersonic weapons is a top priority for the War Department — and we are delivering at a  rapid speed," a Pentagon official told Fox News Digital. "'Scaled hypersonics' has been designated as one of the Department’s critical technology areas by Chief Technology Officer Emil Michael to focus resources on delivering cost-effective and lethal hypersonic solutions to the warfighter." 

"The Department’s Test Resource Management Center (TRMC) is working to upgrade test facilities and establish new, nontraditional testing locations," the official said. "Simultaneously, the Department is placing its acquisition system on a ‘wartime footing’ to forge a robust, responsive industrial base capable of rapidly delivering these advanced technologies."

U.S. Central Command declined to comment to Fox News Digital. 

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Mamdani says if he speaks to King Charles, he'd tell him to return controversial gem to India

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani said that if he has a chance to speak with King Charles during a 9/11 memorial event in New York City on Wednesday, he will ask the British monarch to return a controversial 105.6-carat diamond to India.

Mamdani was taking questions from reporters when he was asked what he’d say if King Charles happened to stop and chat at the event, a wreath laying at Ground Zero to honor those killed on 9/11 ahead of the 25th anniversary of the attacks.

"You know, if I was to speak to the king separately from that, I would probably encourage him to return the Koh-i-Noor diamond," Mamdani said, after first saying that he was focused primarily on the evening's memorial event.

The diamond, which is now set in the crown of the Queen Mother that was worn by Queen Elizabeth, the wife of King George VI and mother to Queen Elizabeth II, has a controversial history.

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The Koh-i-Noor, which means "Mountain of Light," was likely discovered in South India in the 13th century and is believed to have changed hands countless times over the following centuries.

In 1849, the gem wound up in Britain’s possession following its annexation of the Punjab and forcing its 10-year-old king to sign the Treaty of Lahore, requiring him to hand sovereignty — and the diamond — over to the British, according to Smithsonian Magazine.

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The diamond became part of Britain’s Crown Jewels and was worn by several queens before it was set in the front of the crown of the Queen Mother worn by Queen Elizabeth, in which the gem has remained as it sits on display in the Tower of London.

India is one of several countries that have pushed for Britain to return the gem. Other countries laying claim to the famous diamond include Pakistan, Iran and Afghanistan.

So far, neither Britain nor the royal family has given any indication that the diamond would be returned.

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May Day protests to take place Friday as agitators across the US push 'Workers Over Billionaires' motto

Agitators and protesters are expected to gather in cities across the country Friday for May Day, boycotting work, school and shopping in demonstrations driven by the "Workers Over Billionaires" motto.

Nearly 500 organizations are planning more than 750 events, including roughly 200 virtual events, that will take place in New York, Washington D.C., Minneapolis, Chicago, Los Angeles and other metropolitan cities.

"On May 1, 2026, workers, students, and families rally, march, and take action across the country to demand a nation that puts workers over billionaires, with many refusing business as usual through No School. No Work. No Shopping," May Day Strong, which is the main organizer of the demonstrations, describes the event. 

May Day’s roots trace back to the 19th Century, when Marxists, socialists and labor unions called for a day of strikes in Paris and later became a national holiday in the Soviet Union after the 1917 Bolshevik Revolution.

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The first May Day protest occurred in 1886, with Chicago at the center of the demonstrations. At the time, several hundred thousand unions, socialists, anarchists and reformers took to the streets to advocate for the eight-hour workday. 

Several days later, the protests turned deadly. 

On May 3, 1886, violent agitators at the McCormick Harvesting Machine Company clashed with police, who opened fire on the crowd, killing at least two, according to reports.

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The following day at Haymarket Square in Chicago, an unknown agitator threw a bomb at police, killing one officer instantly and leading to a violent battle that killed several more law enforcement officers and protesters. 

The riot became known as the "Haymaker Affair," and the events led to the executions and hangings of the Haymarket Martyrs, a trial which is still debated over injustice and controversy today. 

Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson has already endorsed the events taking place this Friday, saying that "meaningful solidarity and community resistance" are cornerstones of the historic demonstration.

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"Encouraging participation allows Chicagoans to honor our history while advocating for our future," Johnson said. "We look forward to a day of meaningful solidarity and community resistance to the forces trying to tear us apart."

"The history of May Day in America is rooted in Chicago," Johnson added. "It was in our city that workers organized around the simple demand of an eight-hour workday and raised the consciousness of a gilded nation through the Haymarket Strike." 

With the central theme surrounding the American worker against the billionaire class, economists are skeptical that a single-day boycott has any impact at all on large companies and the so-called elite.

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"If you're talking about [non-perishable activities], like going to the movies, you'll go see the same movie on Saturday," University of Maryland Economics Professor Emeritus and former chief economist at the U.S. International Trade Commission Peter Morici told Fox News Digital. 

Morici noted that if consumers boycott purchases for a single day, they will purchase the same products and shop at the same venues regardless of a one-day strike.

"Somebody will go to store B instead of store A," Morici explained. "All this is a bad storm and a way for the left wing getting everybody riled up."

"It's not a hit on the billionaires," Morici added. "You're angry about your circumstances. So what do you do? You burn the place down and make your circumstances worse. The local shops that are going without a day. The very people they want us to patronize are the people that could get hurt."

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Speaker Johnson one step closer to renewing controversial spy program after conservatives fall in line

House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., is one step closer to averting a lapse in a controversial surveillance program after GOP privacy hawks fell in line to back a procedural measure amid weeks of infighting.

House lawmakers approved a test vote teeing up a three-year extension of Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) for a vote on final passage as early as Wednesday evening. The procedural measure also includes a Senate-passed budget resolution funding immigration enforcement for the rest of President Donald Trump's term.

GOP leadership held the vote open for more than two hours as they worked to flip dozens of conservative holdouts. In order to get the rule adopted, leadership agreed to punt consideration of a third piece of legislation known as the farm bill, which includes agriculture and nutrition priorities.

Every Republican present ultimately voted yes during the marathon session in a major victory for Johnson. He could afford to lose just a handful of GOP defections given House Republicans’ razor-thin majority.

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The successful procedural vote came after a sustained lobbying campaign from the Trump administration and Republican leadership to sell GOP privacy hawks on an extension of the spy law.

"This is by far the most collaborative effort that I've seen on FISA, and we've had a number of these kinds of fights," Rep. Warren Davidson, R-Ohio, a leading FISA skeptic, told reporters earlier this week. "So I think it's a very collaborative work product, and that's why I say I support it."

"It's not to say I don't think there's other reforms that I would support, but I think this is a good win, and we should focus on a broader set of reforms that apply way beyond the scope of 702," the Ohio Republican added.

House conservatives also appeared to soften their opposition after leadership included language permanently banning central bank digital currencies (CBDC) in the procedural measure.

GOP privacy hawks have long pushed for adding a CBDC ban to a legislative vehicle, casting it as a necessary effort to ward off government surveillance.

But Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., has warned that any FISA renewal bill with CBDC language is "dead on arrival" in the Senate. 

"They know that," Thune told reporters Tuesday, referring to House Republicans.

The Senate could also move to pass a rival FISA plan and force the House to swallow it ahead of Thursday’s deadline to extend the spy law.

"FISA is critical to our national defense and our national security," Sen. Mike Rounds, R-S.D., told Fox News. "If we lose FISA, we lose the ability to defend this country the way that it should be defended. We use that information to find out what the bad guys are doing, where they're at, what they're looking to attack, what their strategies are."

"I know we've got folks out there that are concerned about protecting Americans and so forth," Rounds added. "We really need them to take a look at the other side of this, which is, are you going to hurt Americans?"

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Johnson is also seeking to clear the Senate budget resolution as soon as Wednesday evening.

Leadership has scheduled a vote on the measure, but it is not clear if House Republicans will support the resolution without modifications. Democrats are expected to line up in opposition to the measure, citing concerns about funding immigration enforcement absent sweeping reforms.

Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, R-Fla., is still vowing to strip out controversial pesticide language from the farm bill, arguing it would block lawsuits against some pesticide manufacturers.

"On behalf of all the moms and dads that aren’t in office, I am not going to be bullied into supporting a bill that is providing protections and immunity to corporations that are responsible for giving children and adults cancer," Luna wrote on social media. "This is literally above party affiliation."

Trump has urged House Republicans to quickly pass the Senate’s budget blueprint to fund immigration enforcement.

"It is imperative that Congress immediately fund DHS and its critical operations to protect the Homeland," the White House Office of Management and Budget wrote in a memo to Hill offices on Tuesday that was obtained by Fox News Digital. "Failure to pass the budget resolution will jeopardize paychecks for the DHS personnel that keep the Homeland safe."

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