Senate talks show signs of progress as government shutdown grinds into 2nd month

There has been a noticeable shift in the Senate over the last week, with lawmakers on either side of the aisle talking more about how to get out of the government shutdown.

But it’s not blanket optimism and neither side is ready to announce that an off-ramp to the 31-day shutdown has been finalized. And ultimately, how well the bipartisan talks are going depends on who you ask.

Republican and Democrat rank-and-file members, particularly members of the Senate Appropriations Committee, have started talking more as the week has progressed. There are talks of extending the House-passed continuing resolution (CR) to allow time to finish appropriations bills, and Senate Democrats are socializing a package of funding bills among their members.

JOHNSON WARNS AGAINST TRUMP'S DEMAND FOR SENATE TO GO 'NUCLEAR' TO END SHUTDOWN

However, the reality is that Senate Democrats again blocked the GOP’s CR for a 13th time, and lawmakers only got one chance to vote on the bill before leaving Washington, D.C., on Thursday.

And Senate Democrats are still largely entrenched in their position that expiring Obamacare subsidies must be dealt with before the government reopens, even with the offer of a vote on the matter after the CR is passed.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., was encouraged by Senate Democrats socializing spending bills on their side of the aisle, but he still contended that given the amount of time it takes to process funding bills on the floor, the best option was to reopen the government.

"Unfortunately, doing all that takes a while," Thune said. "Even if you got consent, it still, it’d take a while to move those bills across the floor. So we've got to reopen the government."

Sen. John Hoeven, R-N.D., said that his Democratic counterparts were beginning to realize that time was running out to actually fund the government through the appropriations process, which is a generally bipartisan affair in the upper chamber given the 60-vote filibuster threshold.

When asked if he felt closer to an end to the shutdown now than a month ago, he said, "Yes."

"I was hoping we'd break the logjam this week, and if we don't get it done this week," Hoeven said, "I'm sure hoping it gets done next week."

THUNE, GOP REJECT PUSHING 'RIFLE-SHOT' GOVERNMENT FUNDING BILLS DURING SHUTDOWN

However, the conversations have not yet evolved into high-level talks with Republican and Democratic leadership, nor have they made their way into the Oval Office.

Thune noted earlier in the week that President Donald Trump offered to speak with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., next week — only after the government reopens.

"They always say, ‘Do it later, do it later,’" Schumer said. "Later, to quote Martin Luther King Jr., and his letter from the Birmingham Jail, means never."

And Trump, for many Senate Democrats, will be a key player in how the shutdown ends. They argue that his input is inevitably the end-all-be-all for an agreement Republicans might concoct on the Hill.

SCHUMER, DEMS CALL 'BULL----' ON TRUMP ADMINISTRATION OVER FOOD STAMP SHUTDOWN THREAT

"Ultimately, you need him," Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., said. "I mean, this is — they're not going to move until Trump tells them to move. So until you hear something real from Donald Trump, it doesn't feel like anything is real."

And Republicans view that the only true way that the shutdown ends is if Schumer unlocks the votes needed to break the filibuster threshold in the Senate, or if a handful of Senate Democrats defect.

"Well, I don't know what else to do," Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., said. "I voted 13 times to open the government up. Most of my colleagues have, I think probably the shutdown is not going to end until my friend, Senator Schumer, takes his ego out back and shoots it."

Still, lawmakers believe that talks are good and need to continue in order for the off-ramp out of the shutdown to be finished.

That, plus the added pressure of food benefits running dry for millions, federal workers going without pay and flights getting delayed or canceled, could see both sides move closer toward the middle.

"There’s talks about talks," Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, said. "But we need talks to yield results, right?"

When asked if there had been any progress, Murkowski said, "I’ll go check," before the senators-only elevator door slid shut. Lawmakers left town for the weekend shortly after.

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Darius Rucker is 'so against' his kids becoming musicians like him despite their interest

Darius Rucker hopes his kids won't follow in his footsteps.

Rucker revealed that two of his three kids want to be musicians, which isn't the path he'd have chosen for them.

The "Come Back Song" crooner told Taste of Country that while his kids are doing "awesome," he's struggling with their career choices. "My two youngest all of a sudden want to be musicians, which I am so against that," Rucker told the outlet.

"Because it's such a hard business," he added. "Even if you have a little bit of success, you're chasing that forever."

DARIUS RUCKER REVEALS MOMENT HE SHIFTED FROM ROCK TO COUNTRY

Rucker shares a daughter, Carolyn, with his ex, Elizabeth Ann Phillips. The country music star also shares two kids, Daniella and Jack, with ex-wife Beth Leonard. Daniella and Jack have both set their sights on a career in the music industry.

"I wanted them to be doctors and lawyers and such, but, you know, we'll see," Rucker explained.

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Rucker's career success began when he was a member of Hootie & the Blowfish. The group reunited for a tour celebrating the 30th anniversary of the album "Cracked Rear View" in 2024. According to Rucker, "Cracked Rear View" is one of the "top 10-selling studio records of all time."

After releasing four more albums with Hootie & the Blowfish, Rucker embarked on his solo journey when the group went on hiatus in 2008.

Since his transition into the country music world, Rucker has released hit songs, including "Wagon Wheel," "Come Back Song," "Alright" and "Don't Think I Don't Think About It."

WATCH: DARIUS RUCKER HASN'T ‘DONE ENOUGH’ IN MUSIC INDUSTRY

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Rucker previously told Fox News Digital he feels he hasn't done enough in his music career.

"I think the thing that keeps me working so hard is I always feel like I haven't done enough," he said after receiving a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2023.

Rucker said he realized he had made it when he was asked to become a member of the Grand Ole Opry.

"That was really when I was like, ‘This is really working. This is happening. People get it,' and that was pretty cool," Rucker recalled.

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NJ Republican Ciattarelli moves forward with lawsuit against Mikie Sherrill over ‘baseless’ opioid claims

New Jersey Republican gubernatorial candidate Jack Ciattarelli reaffirmed his plans to sue his Democratic opponent, Rep. Mikie Sherrill, over her allegedly defamatory claim that he contributed to the deaths of "tens of thousands of New Jerseyans" during the opioid crisis.

"It's a baseless, reckless lie," Ciattarelli said Tuesday on "America's Newsroom."

"I just got approval yesterday from the regulators that we can go ahead with our lawsuit immediately, which is what I plan to do. … We're not going to tolerate that kind of lie. The whole campaign has been based on a stack of lies."

Ciattarelli made his initial legal threat after a debate earlier this month, when Sherrill fired off the accusation that he "made his millions" by "working with some of the worst offenders and saying that opioids were safe."

JACK CIATTARELLI DEMANDS MIKIE SHERRILL 'COME CLEAN' AS EXPLOSIVE ACCUSATIONS FLY IN NJ GOVERNOR'S RACE

"[He was] putting out propaganda, publishing their propaganda while tens of thousands of New Jerseyans died," Sherrill said at the time.

"And as if that wasn't enough, then he was paid to develop an app so that people who are addicted could more easily get access to opioids. And so as he made millions, as these opioid companies made billions, tens of thousands of New Jerseyans died," she added.

Ciattarelli fired back, accusing Sherrill of showing apathy toward the fentanyl crisis related to illegal immigration under the Biden administration.

NJ DEM MIKIE SHERRILL DOUBLES DOWN ON CLAIM THAT CIATTARELLI ‘COMPLICIT’ IN OPIOID DEATHS OF THOUSANDS

Ciattarelli's campaign strategist, Chris Russell, released a statement shortly after the debate announcing the legal action, prompting a response from Sherrill campaign communications director Sean Higgins:

"Jack's reaction is to hide behind a lawsuit, not to take responsibility. What’s reckless and irresponsible is Jack Ciattarelli making millions of dollars profiting off the pain of New Jerseyans — publishing misinformation about the dangers of opioid addiction and developing an app to coach patients to ask doctors for more drugs," Higgins argued.

"As he was making millions, the Big Pharma companies made billions, and tens of thousands of New Jerseyans died. He is clearly unfit to lead and protect this state, and owes the people of New Jersey answers," he added.

Sherrill also doubled down on the claims during a press conference about the opioid epidemic.

"So you heard it, Jack made millions," she said. "The opioid companies made billions, and thousands of New Jerseyans were dying."

When pressed by a reporter on whether she believed Ciattarelli was personally responsible for the opioid deaths, she said, "I think we've laid out the case that Jack is complicit with these opioid companies, in league with these opioid companies."

When pressed again, she replied, "I think he is right there with the people that again paid billions of dollars, so I think that the line is pretty clear."

Ciattarelli's pursuit of a defamation case comes as the contentious New Jersey governor’s race enters its final week before Election Day.

Ciattarelli pointed to past Republican success in New Jersey’s gubernatorial races, noting that GOP candidates often come close or win narrowly in their first attempts, and said he believes he has a shot at victory.

"A win is a win, and I believe we're going to come out victorious," he said.

Fox News' Peter Pinedo, Greg Norman and Paul Steinhauser contributed to this report.

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Fox News AI Newsletter: Conservative activist reaches 'breaking point' with Google

IN TODAY’S NEWSLETTER:

- Robby Starbuck on why he sued Google: 'Outrageously false’ information through artificial intelligence
- Federal judges acknowledge court ruling errors tied to staffers’ AI use after Grassley inquiry
- Meta cuts 600 jobs amid AI expansion push — as automation replaces human staff

'CRAZY' CLAIMS: Conservative activist Robby Starbuck spoke out about the "crazy" situation that prompted him to file a lawsuit against Google on Wednesday seeking at least $15 million, alleging the company’s artificial intelligence programs defamed him by falsely portraying him as a "monster" to millions of users.

ROBOT JUSTICE FAIL: Two federal judges admitted that members of their staff used artificial intelligence to prepare court orders over the summer that contained errors.

'TALENTED GROUP': Meta is cutting around 600 jobs within its artificial intelligence unit, a move it says aims to boost efficiency.

SILICON SHOWDOWN: Palantir CEO Alex Karp said his company is in an artificial intelligence arms race with its competitors, after reaching a deal with Lumen Technologies in which Palantir will deploy AI throughout Lumen's digital communications network and enhance data use and effectiveness.

HOMEGROWN POWER: Apple is now building and shipping American-made artificial intelligence servers in the United States — a move that has the technology giant answering President Donald Trump’s call to on shore manufacturing.

HUMANS ONLY: An Ohio lawmaker is taking aim at artificial intelligence in a way few expected. Rep. Thaddeus Claggett has introduced House Bill 469, which would make it illegal for AI systems to be treated like people. The proposal would officially label them as "nonsentient entities," cutting off any path toward legal personhood.

MACHINE AGE: Amazon is not wasting any time on its future ambitions for automation and how artificial intelligence (AI) technology could reshape its workforce.

BEYOND THE GRAVE: Suzanne Somers’ widower Alan Hamel, who shared a demonstration of the AI twin of the actress following her death from breast cancer in 2023 earlier this year, said this week it was originally her idea.

FEARLESS FUTURE: I know that many of you are afraid that AI is going to take your job. And you might be right. The 2025 Global State of AI at Work report just confirmed what we’re all sensing. AI isn’t the future. It is now. But before you panic, let me offer a new way to look at this. Instead of fearing what’s coming, maybe it’s time to think outside the box. Nearly three out of five companies say they’re hiring for AI-related roles this year. And most of these jobs don’t require a computer science degree or even coding skills.

MANNERS VS MACHINE: Do rude prompts really get better answers? Short answer: sometimes. A 2025 arXiv study tested 50 questions rewritten in five tones and found that rude prompts slightly outperformed polite ones with ChatGPT-4o. Accuracy rose from 80.8% for very polite to 84.8% for very rude. The sample was small, yet the pattern was clear.

TRAP SET: A watchdog group in Long Island, New York, used Artificial Intelligence (AI) to bust an elementary school music teacher who allegedly sent sexually explicit messages to someone whom he believed was a 13-year-old girl online.

CASH FROM CODE: A Michigan woman’s decision to let artificial intelligence (AI) pick her lottery numbers has paid off in a big way. Tammy Carvey, 45, of Wyandotte, won a Powerball jackpot of $100,000 and says ChatGPT was the secret weapon behind her lucky numbers. She bought her ticket online at MichiganLottery.com for the Sept. 6 drawing, according to the Michigan Lottery.

SECRETS STOLEN: Millions of private messages meant to stay secret are now public. Two AI companion apps, Chattee Chat and GiMe Chat, have exposed more than 43 million intimate messages and over 600,000 images and videos after a major data leak discovered by Cybernews, a leading cybersecurity research group known for uncovering major data breaches and privacy risks worldwide. The exposure revealed just how vulnerable you can be when you trust AI companions with deeply personal interactions.

TECH TURNED WEAPON: Artificial intelligence may be smarter than ever, but that power could be turned against us. Former Google CEO Eric Schmidt is sounding the alarm, warning that AI systems can be hacked and retrained in ways that make them dangerous.

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Jen Psaki urges Democrats to 'burn' DNC talking points, 'talk like a human being'

MSNBC host Jen Psaki urged members of the Democratic Party to "burn" Democratic National Committee (DNC) talking points and to speak "like a human being with a heart." 

"People just have to become a little bit more relaxed, let go of the talking points, which — it's funny, in part of my transition from being a communications ex-person to being on television is we would have officials on and I would finish an interview and I’d say, ‘We can’t have that person on again. They like literally read a list of talking points.’ There is a letting-go and being a little freer and not being so preservationist with how you talk about things, the words you use to talk about things. Just talk like a human being with a heart. That’s it," Psaki told the co-hosts of the "I've Had It" podcast on Tuesday. 

Psaki referenced former President Barack Obama, whom she worked for, and said the former president urged politicians to say what they think and not always rely on polling or talking points.

"Don’t start with what the polling says. Don’t start with what the talking points say that are given to you by the DNC or wherever it is. First of all, no offense to the DNC — burn the talking points in the ground, you know? Start with what is your view personally. You’re a leader. You’re educated. You’re informed. And just say that. And it sounds simple, but a lot of people don’t do that," Psaki said.

SEN. SLOTKIN CLAIMS DEMOCRATS ARE TOO WORRIED ABOUT 'P---ING OFF PEOPLE ON THE INTERNET'

The MSNBC host and former Biden White House press secretary has called on Democrats to avoid scripted talking points following President Donald Trump's victory in 2024 and suggested lawmakers "decide what you think authentically" during an appearance on The Bulwark's "The Focus Group" podcast in March.

Psaki criticized the Democratic Party on how it failed to reach voters while appearing on comedian Jon Stewart's "The Weekly Show" podcast in February. She called out Democrats' elite language and told them to "cross authoritarianism and oligarchy out of every script. Nobody talks this way."

The MSNBC host suggested Vice President JD Vance was "scarier" than Trump and that Usha Vance may feel similarly during her conversation with the "I've Had it" hosts on Tuesday.

EX-BIDEN STAFFER JEN PSAKI WONDERS WHY TRUMP 'SPENT A WEEK HIDING' IN SEGMENT ABOUT HEALTH RUMORS

"I think the little Manchurian candidate, JD Vance, wants to be president more than anything else," Psaki said. "I always wonder what's going on in the mind of his wife. Like, are you OK? Please blink four times. We'll come over here. We'll save you."

"And that he's willing to do anything to get there. And your whole iteration you just outlined, I mean, he's scarier in certain ways in some ways. And he's young and ambitious and agile in the sense that he's a chameleon who makes himself whatever he thinks the audience wants to hear from him."

The podcast episode's description also referenced this joke, stating, "Usha Vance, please blink twice if you need help."

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'No plans' for Trump-Putin meeting 'in the near future,' senior official says

President Donald Trump has no plans to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin, a senior White House official told Fox News Digital on Tuesday.

News that the meeting will not happen comes just days after Trump had said he planned to meet with Putin in Budapest, Hungary in the coming weeks. Prior to that meeting, Secretary of State Marco Rubio was scheduled to meet with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov this week.

"Secretary Rubio and Foreign Minister Lavrov had a productive call. Therefore, an additional in-person meeting between the Secretary and Foreign Minister is not necessary, and there are no plans for President Trump to meet with President Putin in the immediate future," the official said.

Trump had indicated the Rubio-Lavrov meeting would be the stepping stone toward a top-level meeting.

TRUMP THREATENS TO 'SPEAK' WITH PUTIN ON GIVING UKRAINE TOMAHAWK MISSILES AS RUSSIA HITS HOSPITAL

"President Putin and I will then meet in an agreed-upon location, Budapest, Hungary, to see if we can bring this ‘inglorious’ war, between Russia and Ukraine, to an end," he wrote on X. "President Zelenskyy and I will be meeting tomorrow, in the Oval Office, where we will discuss my conversation with President Putin, and much more. I believe great progress was made with today’s telephone conversation."

KREMLIN WARNS IT 'COULD END BADLY FOR EVERYONE' IF US SUPPLIES UKRAINE LONG-RANGE MISSILES

Trump met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the White House last week. The wartime leader asked Trump to supply Tomahawk missiles and other top-level defense weapons to Ukraine.

Acquiring Tomahawk missiles is a top priority for Zelenskyy, as the sophisticated weaponry would be able to reach far beyond Moscow and could change Ukraine’s ability to hit not only more of Russia’s military complex but its oil industry, which largely funds its war chest.

Trump made no mention of offering the weapons to Zelenskyy following their meeting, however.

Trump remains committed to securing peace in Ukraine. During a Tuesday lunch at the White House with Republican lawmakers, he emphasized that he had won peace in eight conflicts since taking office.

"We're working on number nine," he said.

Fox News' Caitlin McFall contributed to this report.

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3 killed in US strike on Colombian ELN vessel smuggling narcotics, Hegseth says

Three alleged narco-terrorists were killed in a U.S. strike on a drug smuggling vessel affiliated with Colombia’s National Liberation Army, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth announced Sunday.

The "lethal kinetic strike" happened Friday in international waters at the direction of President Donald Trump, Hegseth wrote in a post on X.

"The vessel was known by our intelligence to be involved in illicit narcotics smuggling, was traveling along a known narco-trafficking route, and was transporting substantial amounts of narcotics," Hegseth wrote. "There were three male narco-terrorists aboard the vessel during the strike—which was conducted in international waters."

"All three terrorists were killed and no U.S. forces were harmed in this strike," he added.

TRUMP’S WAR ON CARTELS ENTERS NEW PHASE AS EXPERTS PREDICT WHAT’S NEXT

Hegseth also shared unclassified video showing the moment of the strike.

Colombia’s Ejército de Liberación Nacional (ELN) is a Designated Terrorist Organization. Hegseth likened the Colombian rebel group to the Al Qaeda terror group founded by Osama bin Laden in Afghanistan.

"These cartels are the Al Qaeda of the Western Hemisphere, using violence, murder and terrorism to impose their will, threaten our national security and poison our people," Hegseth wrote. "The United States military will treat these organizations like the terrorists they are—they will be hunted, and killed, just like Al Qaeda."

Colombian President Gustavo Petro disputed that the vessel was affiliated with ELN, calling it a fishing boat that belonged to a "humble family."

"The fisherman's boat from Santa Marta was not from the ELN; it belonged to a humble family, lovers of the sea, from which they drew their food," Petro wrote in a post on X. "What do you say to that family? Explain to me why you helped assassinate a humble fisherman from Santa Marta, the land where Bolívar died, and which they say is the heart of the world."

"What do you say to the family of the fisherman Alejandro Carranza? He was a humble human being," Petro continued.

TRUMP TOUTS ANOTHER US STRIKE NEAR VENEZUELA THAT KILLED SIX ALLEGED DRUG SMUGGLERS

The Friday strike brings the death toll from the Trump administration’s military campaign against suspected drug-smuggling vessels in the region to at least 31. The operations began last month and are part of Trump’s broader effort to dismantle transnational cartels by force.

On Thursday, the U.S. military carried out a strike on what Trump later called a "very large drug-carrying submarine" in the Caribbean, killing two suspected narco-terrorists and capturing two others alive.

Fox News previously confirmed that two survivors were rescued by the U.S. Navy after the strike and were being held aboard an American warship.

A separate strike on Tuesday killed six suspected smugglers aboard a vessel off the coast of Venezuela.

Fox News Digital’s Louis Casiano and Jasmine Baehr contributed to this report.

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Fox News Entertainment Newsletter: Diane Keaton's cause of death revealed, Prince Andrew gives up royal titles

Welcome to the Fox News Entertainment Newsletter.

TOP 3:

- Diane Keaton's family reveals her cause of death

- Prince Andrew gives up royal title with King Charles' support

- KISS founding member Ace Frehley dead at 74

BEHIND THE SCENES - Jennifer Lopez admits turning down iconic film role that still 'haunts' her.

ANGELS RETURN - Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show stuns as Gigi Hadid, Emily Ratajkowski and Behati Prinsloo turn heads on runway.

RECKONING PAST - Alec Baldwin’s head-on crash with tree caps year of scandal and controversy.

MAMA DRAMA - Kim Kardashian hits back at parenting police after 12-year-old daughter's fashion sparks criticism.

SOUND OFF - Forrest Frank pushes back at Jelly Roll over controversial debate on music, money and faith.

TUSCAN ESCAPE - Rachael Ray shuns NYC chaos for peaceful Italian countryside paradise.

MISSED SIGNS - Selma Blair exposes how doctors missed her MS for decades despite clear warning signs.

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Piastri & Norris collide as Verstappen wins sprint

McLaren team-mates Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris crash out of the United States Grand Prix sprint race in a collision just after the start.

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Alex Murdaugh’s double life: How greed and corruption brought down Lowcountry legal empire

The rise and fall of disgraced South Carolina legal scion Alex Murdaugh continues to captivate the country years after his double murder conviction, in a case that uncovered decades of deceit, greed and power.

The story of the Murdaugh family’s downfall is being retold in Hulu’s new limited series, "Murdaugh: Death in the Family," an eight-part dramatization of one of the most infamous true-crime stories in recent history. 

On June 7, 2021, Murdaugh called 911 to report that he had found his wife, Maggie, and youngest son, Paul, shot to death in an apparent homicide on the family’s sprawling Lowcountry estate. 

ALEX MURDAUGH’S MONEY MAN PAYS THE PRICE AFTER ADMITTING ROLE IN MILLION-DOLLAR CRIME SCHEME

The phone call ignited a shocking chain of events that ultimately uncovered Murdaugh’s long history of lies and deceit, culminating in him murdering his wife and son. 

"I think it’s oftentimes hard for people to compartmentalize what we think and the person we think we knew," Mark Tinsley, an attorney who testified in the criminal case against Murdaugh, told Fox News Digital. "I think there’s probably a group of people that still find it hard to believe that the facade that they saw wasn’t real." 

Murdaugh hailed from one of the most prolific legal families in South Carolina, making him a powerful figure in local politics leveraged by name-recognition. 

'UNTOUCHABLE' ALEX MURDAUGH COMPARED TO TED BUNDY FOR INDIGNANCE AT FAMILY MURDER SENTENCING

However, his family was not without controversy. 

In 2018, the family’s longtime housekeeper, Gloria Satterfield, mysteriously fell to her death at the Murdaughs' home. 

Three years later, Paul, who was 19 at the time, boarded his family’s boat with a group of friends for a night of drinking on the water. Hours later, the vessel careened into a nearby bridge, ejecting 19-year-old Mallory Beach into the dark water. 

ALEX MURDAUGH APPEAL CHALLENGING MURDER CONVICTIONS FACES STATE PUSHBACK OVER JURY INFLUENCE CLAIMS

Beach’s body was found days later, with the family ultimately filing a wrongful death lawsuit against the Murdaughs. Following intense public pressure, Paul was hit with state charges in connection with Beach’s death. 

Two years later, on the night of Maggie and Paul’s murders, investigators responded to Murdaugh’s 911 call from the family’s home in Colleton County. The bodies of both mother and son were found near the dog kennels in the backyard of the estate, where they were pronounced dead at the scene. 

While Murdaugh initially told authorities he was not present at the kennels that night, a Snapchat video recorded by Paul confirmed his father was at the scene of the crime inside the time frame when investigators believed the pair were killed. 

ELIZABETH BANKS TAKES ON KAREN READ ROLE, JOINING DENNIS QUAID AND PATRICIA ARQUETTE IN TRUE CRIME REALM

In September 2021, Murdaugh attempted to stage his own shooting in an effort to award Buster, his surviving son, a $10 million life insurance payment. The plot failed when Curtis Edward Smith grazed Murdaugh’s head with a bullet. 

However, it was Satterfield’s death that ultimately led investigators to discover Murdaugh’s web of lies, after it became known that he had stolen $4.3 million in insurance settlement funds meant to be awarded to her grieving family.

"I knew that he had done some things that were not necessarily above board in the way [the Satterfield case] was handled," Tinsley said. "But it turned out it was a lot worse than what I had thought it was. By the time of the roadside shooting, I knew the full scope of what had happened, and there was a lot there." 

CULT LEADER CHARLES MANSON CONFESSED TO ADDITIONAL MURDERS IN NEWLY REVEALED PHONE CALL

One month later, Murdaugh was arrested on charges stemming from defrauding the Satterfield family while at a drug rehab facility in Orlando, Florida, according to The Associated Press. Shortly after, prosecutors announced 27 new charges against Murdaugh, alleging that he stole nearly $5 million from multiple victims.

In the months leading up to Murdaugh’s indictment for the killings of his wife and son, prosecutors amassed dozens of charges alleging the disgraced attorney stole millions of dollars from clients and victims’ families to maintain his painkiller pill addiction. 

He was charged with the deaths of Maggie and Paul on July 14, 2022, sparking a months-long trial that ended with a guilty verdict. 

Murdaugh was sentenced in 2023 to two consecutive life sentences for murdering his wife and son. He is also serving an additional 40 years in prison for his financial crimes and remains in custody at a maximum security prison in South Carolina – marking the end of a legal dynasty that ruled over the Lowcountry for decades. 

Murdaugh's attorney, the prosecution and Hulu did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment. 

"I think that overall, most people get it," Tinsley told Fox News Digital. "Most people understand, and most people see through his web of lies and deception." 

The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

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Ex-Alabama star Damien Harris explains why Crimson Tide doesn't want teams to fear them

The 2025 college football season got off to an inauspicious start for the Alabama Crimson Tide, as they shockingly lost to Florida State. 

That prompted former Heisman Trophy winner Johnny Manziel to tell Fox News Digital that "ain’t nobody scared" of the Crimson Tide anymore. He wasn’t the only one, as the post-Nick Saban era under Kalen DeBoer didn’t seem to have the same fear factor, especially considering their 9-4 record in 2024 with some surprising losses sprinkled in. 

But Alabama has been an entirely different team since their opening game against the Seminoles, ripping off five straight wins with the last three against ranked opponents – Georgia, Vanderbilt, who they lost to last season, and Missouri. 

CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM

Damien Harris, the ex-Crimson Tide star running back and current college football analyst, was the perfect man for Fox News Digital to talk to about this Alabama resurgence – one he called "nothing short of amazing."

"You talk about bouncing back from a loss to Vandy a year ago, bouncing back from a Week 1 loss on the road in a hostile environment," he said while highlighting his partnership with Dr Pepper. "They’ve done nothing but take accountability. They’ve done nothing but increase what their standard is – I won’t even say try to get back to the Alabama standard. But have their own iteration of what the Alabama standard is. They’ve gotten better every single week."

The fear of the Crimson Tide, who now rank No. 6 on the AP Top 25 poll entering this crucial week against No. 11 Tennessee in Tuscaloosa, is certainly returning, if it left at all. 

COLLEGE FOOTBALL LEGEND NICK SABAN CLAIMS NIL HAS 'HURT' THE SEC WHILE HELPING NORTHERN SCHOOLS

Harris, though, explained why he used to love playing against teams that didn’t fear Alabama. And he believes this program thinks the exact same.

"It makes me think of when I got a certain age and I looked at my mom and told her I wasn’t scared of her anymore," he said, smiling. "You know what she said to me? ‘You ain’t gotta be scared to get your butt torn out the frame.’ You ain’t gotta be scared. This whooping is going to feel all the same.

"[Vanderbilt quarterback] Diego Pavia, he wasn’t scared going into Tuscaloosa because he beat Alabama before. Doesn’t matter, he didn’t come out with a win. Georgia, they weren’t afraid of Alabama playing at night in front of a blackout, they weren’t afraid. What does that mean? What does that got to do with anything? If you don’t fear Alabama anymore, if you don’t respect Alabama anymore, that’s perfectly fine. That’s OK. Why? Because that’s not what Alabama cares about. 

"We don’t want people to be afraid of Alabama. We want people to walk into Alabama thinking they’re going to win. All the same, doesn’t matter."

That mindset appears to be what the Crimson Tide are showcasing these past few weeks, in particular, because they’ve had to play two road SEC games, which are always tough. But they came away with wins in each of them, while getting some revenge on the Commodores on Oct. 4. 

Harris has been impressed by Ty Simpson, the Crimson Tide quarterback who he feels should be the Heisman favorite early this season given his production. Simpson has totaled 1,689 yards through the air with 16 touchdowns to just one interception, while also rushing for two scores.

"The most glaring thing is they’re doing it without [star receiver] Ryan Williams. It’s all been on the shoulders of Ty Simpson and Kalen DeBoer," Harris added. "They’ve taken this team, almost grabbed them by the collar if you will, and said, ‘Listen, we’re better than this. Turn around, look yourself in the mirror and assess how you played last year.’

JOHNNY MANZIEL: 'AIN'T NOBODY SCARED' OF ALABAMA AFTER SHOCKING FLORIDA STATE UPSET LOSS

"Ty Simpson should be the Heisman favorite. This Alabama wide receiver group has emerged themselves as the best wide receiver group in all of college football, again without Ryan Williams. You look at how dynamic this offense becomes, how they’re two-fold with the addition of Jam Miller. This defense is playing better than we’ve given them credit for. They made Missouri, the No. 4 total offense in the country, they looked pedestrian. So, you want to talk about X’s and O’s, yeah, they’re doing it on the football field with scheme, with gameplan, with a formula, with everybody doing their job. But they also have the type of hunger that I know and understand."

Perhaps the outside noise is fuel for this year’s Crimson Tide squad, a group hungry, like Harris said, to get to the College Football Playoff and prove once again that they are worthy of winning the national championship. 

Then again, this group appears so close-knit that outside detractors, haters, doubters – they’re all one and the same when the focus is purely inside the locker room. 

"What have they done? They’ve grabbed each other in the locker room, they’ve each other closer and said, ‘We’re all we got and we’re all we need.’ If you’re not in this locker room sweating with us, bleeding with us, hurting with us, watching all this film that we’re watching. If you’re not in here with us, your opinion don’t matter, what you think of us doesn’t matter and you can’t do anything that can help us win football games," Harris said. 

FUELING RIVALRIES

While Harris provides fine analysis of the college football game throughout the season, he’s completely invested in his No. 6 Crimson Tide, especially this week as they host No. 11 Tennessee in Tuscaloosa. 

Dr Pepper is hosting a special game day event to debut "The Pepper Portal," which is a first-of-its-kind fan experience connecting rival college towns before the big game. Harris will be representing the Crimson Tide, while current Patriots quarterback Josh Dobbs, an ex-Volunteers signal caller, will be on the road with him. 

These two will be engaging with fans through the Pepper Portal, meeting local NIL talent onsite and sharing their thoughts for who will come out victorious on Saturday night. 

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Atlanta’s city-run grocery sees early success, sparking debate over government’s role

Whether Atlanta’s city-run grocery store becomes a blueprint or a cautionary tale remains to be seen. But as cities nationwide grapple with rising food prices and shrinking access to affordable groceries, the project is testing how far local governments can go to fill the gap.

Azalea Fresh Market opened on Aug. 28 inside the historic Olympia Building in downtown Atlanta. It’s the city’s first government-run grocery store, offering fresh and locally made foods rather than packaged or convenience items.

While city officials say that the focus on fresh and affordable food is especially critical in the neighborhood it serves, critics warn that government-subsidized stores could undercut private small grocers, distort food prices, harm consumer choice and ultimately weaken competition.

BUY NOW, PAY LATER USAGE FOR GROCERIES NEARLY DOUBLES AS CONSUMERS STRUGGLE WITH FOOD COSTS

The downtown grocery store is located in an area the Department of Agriculture classifies as both low-income and low-access, meaning many residents live far from full-service grocery stores. The store, which is open from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. every day, is also expected to open two restaurants. 

"Azalea Fresh Market is proof that when we work together as a city, we can deliver real solutions that change lives," Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens told Fox News Digital. In less than two months, the store has served more than 20,000 customers, evidence, he says, of how strong the need was in a neighborhood "long underserved by grocers."

"In its first month, fresh produce made up 11.6% of total sales, exceeding the national average of 10% and highlighting a community demand for healthier food options," Dickens said. 

"What started as an innovative idea to tackle food deserts is now a thriving grocery store serving hundreds of residents every day with healthy food options," he added.

The early success in Atlanta comes as similar ideas gain momentum elsewhere, including in New York City, where Democratic mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani has championed city-owned grocery stores as part of his controversial campaign platform.

Mamdani, a 33-year-old democratic socialist upstart, has placed affordability at the center of his agenda to lead America’s largest city. He has campaigned on free buses, rent freezes for tenants in rent-stabilized apartments and city-owned grocery stores.

The three-term assembly member says the city-run grocery stores will not only address rising food prices, but food deserts.

MAMDANI DEFENDS CITY-RUN GROCERY PLAN, SAYS STORE OWNERS CAN BE 'PARTNERS'

Mamdani, whose district includes the Queensbridge Houses, the largest public housing project in North America, says residents there have long-requested low-cost grocery options.

Some of Mamdani’s most vocal critics, though, have come from Wall Street titans, who argue his proposals threaten the financial backbone of the city. The standoff reflects a broader struggle over New York City’s identity, between progressives seeking reform and the financial forces that have long shaped it.

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

Beyond Wall Street, critics argue the economics don’t add up, warning that government-run groceries could ultimately hurt the very communities they aim to help.

"Affordability and grocery costs are valid pressure points for Americans. It is absolutely true that prices are too high, but opening government-owned and operated grocery stores will have disastrous consequences for not only consumers but also for local competition," explained Nicole Huyer, a senior research associate at the Heritage Foundation’s Thomas A. Roe Institute for Economic Policy Studies.

Huyer said taxpayers would ultimately shoulder the cost of artificially low prices, while small businesses would struggle to compete. She pointed to failed government-run stores in Erie, Kansas, and Baldwin, Florida, as cautionary examples.

For now, Atlanta’s grocery experiment remains a test case, one watched closely by cities like New York and, more recently, Boston.

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Democrats threaten to see Trump team 'in court' over 'illegal' firings as shutdown battle escalates

Congressional Democrats from Maryland and Virginia warned on Tuesday that they would sue over the administration’s planned firings and threats of no back pay for furloughed workers.

Both have been used as pressure points by the White House to get Senate Democrats to budge from their dug-in position and vote to reopen the government, but until late last week, no direct action had been taken.

Late last month, the OMB circulated a memo that there would be reductions in force (RIFs) beyond the typical furloughs during a government shutdown. It had remained a threat until last week, when OMB Director Russ Vought announced on X on the 10th day of the shutdown, "The RIFs have begun." 

WHITE HOUSE ESCALATES SHUTDOWN CONSEQUENCES AS DEMOCRATS SHOW NO SIGNS OF BUDGING: ‘KAMIKAZE ATTACK’

Flash forward to Day 14, and Senate Democrats from Maryland and Virginia, states home to tens of thousands of federal employees, showed no signs of caving from their shutdown position despite the firings.

"When they tell you when they tell you that the shutdown is making them fire these federal employees, do not believe it for a moment," Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., said. "That is a big lie. It is a big fat lie. It is also illegal. And we will see them in court."

The lawmakers also railed against threats that furloughed federal workers would not receive back pay. The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimated that roughly 750,000 nonessential federal employees could be furloughed, and their estimated back pay could cost up to $400 million per day.

The threat runs counter to a law President Donald Trump signed in 2019 that required furloughed workers to receive back pay in future shutdowns.

"The idea that he doesn't understand that everybody has to get paid back shows maybe how short his memory span is, or how [he] arbitrarily wants to pick and choose," Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., said.

SENATE SET FOR NEW VOTE TO END SHUTDOWN, BUT GRIDLOCK OVER OBAMACARE SUBSIDIES REMAINS

While the lawmakers threatened actions in the courts, Rob Shriver, who formerly served as acting director of the Office of Personnel Management under the Biden administration before taking a position at the non-profit legal services and public policy research organization Democracy Forward, said that a lawsuit was already in motion.

"As soon as Russ Vought tweeted on Friday, we were on our way back to court to file an emergency motion to stop those unlawful RIFs right in their tracks," Shriver said. "A hearing on that motion is tomorrow, and no matter what happens, we will continue to fight these illegal RIFs."

Still, despite the threats from the administration, there has been little progress toward reopening the government. The Senate will again vote on House Republicans’ continuing resolution (CR) Tuesday night, which has so far failed seven times. Both sides are firmly rooted in their positions.

TRUMP SAYS GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN LAYOFFS ARE 'UP TO' DEMS AS STANDOFF CONTINUES

Senate Democrats, led by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., want a firm deal in place to extend expiring Obamacare subsidies before open enrollment begins on Nov. 1, while Senate Republicans argue that they are open to negotiating a deal only after the government reopens.

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And the actions and threats from the Trump administration appeared to only further steel Democrats’ resolve on the issue.

"The message we have today is very simple, very simple," Van Hollen said. "Donald Trump and Russ Vought: stop attacking federal employees. Stop attacking the American people and start negotiating to reopen the federal government and address the looming healthcare crisis that is upon us."

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Bondi announces arrest of 'coward' who allegedly threatened conservative influencer following Kirk's murder

U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi said a "coward hiding behind a keyboard" was arrested this week for allegedly sending a threatening letter to conservative influencer Benny Johnson in the wake of Charlie Kirk’s assassination. 

George Isbell Jr., 69, was taken into custody on Tuesday in San Diego, California. He will be federally charged with mailing a threatening communication, according to Bondi. On his website, Johnson said he resides in Tampa, Florida, where the announcement of the arrest was made Friday.

"Benny is a well-known media personality, carrying a message very similar to Charlie's. Grounded largely in faith and love of country. Just days after Charlie's assassination, Benny received a letter at his home where he and Kate are raising their beautiful, beautiful young family," Bondi said. "The author of this letter made it very clear that he hated Benny because of his views, and he wanted Benny dead." 

"This was a coward hiding behind a keyboard who thought he could get away with this. That's why we're standing up here today. You are not going to get away with threatening people in this way. And I'm proud to announce that we have arrested the author of this letter," Bondi added. 

BONDI ISSUES BOLD WARNING TO WOULD-BE COPYCATS AFTER KIRK, ZARUTSKA MURDERS 

She said earlier that, "we've been living through a horrific cycle of political violence in this country." 

"We are going to catch you if you think you can do something like this," Bondi declared. "We don't care if you're across the country in California, we will find you. We will arrest you, we will extradite you, and we will bring you to justice. We cannot allow this political violence to continue any longer. This arrest will serve as a reminder to many — do not do this. We will find you." 

U.S. Attorney Gregory Kehoe for the Middle District of Florida told reporters Friday that Johnson "immediately contacted" the Tampa Police Department after receiving the letter. The FBI and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement assisted in the investigation, while the U.S. Postal Service determined the letter originated from San Diego, California, Kehoe added. 

BONDI DECLARES ‘NEW ERA OF POLITICAL VIOLENCE’ AS FEDERAL AGENTS DEPLOY TO ICE FACILITIES NATIONWIDE 

Fingerprints that were obtained from the letter led investigators to Isbell, according to Kehoe. 

"According to the complaint, on or about Sept. 18, Isbell mailed a letter from San Diego threatening to injure his victim, a media personality located in Tampa, Florida, and telling his victim that the victim needed ‘to be exterminated,’" the Justice Department said in a statement Friday.

"In the letter, he referenced one of the victim’s friends, Mr. Charlie Kirk, a conservative political activist who had recently been killed during a public engagement on a college campus. After writing that he hoped that the American flag ‘strangles the life out of you,’ the letter went on to state: ‘Maybe someone will blow your head off!!! We can hope! Planning any public engagements? Love to see your head explode and your blood stain the concrete red. What a sight!’" the Justice Department added.

If convicted, Isbell could face a maximum sentence of five years.

Johnson told Fox News Digital on Friday afternoon, "The major question here is, how many of us need to die? And, you know, until people take it seriously?"

Speaking alongside Bondi in Florida, Johnson said, "I don't want political violence. I want peace in my nation." 

"I love this country. I want to be able to debate like Charlie did. I want to be able to raise my family in peace. That is our birthright. But you cannot make peace with evil as a Christian. You cannot unite with people who want you dead. I want unity in this nation," he added. 

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Brooklyn theater to stream show for band that chanted 'Up Hamas' at concert days after Oct 7 remembrance

A theater in Brooklyn is set to host a livestream of the controversial Irish punk band Kneecap’s concert, just days after Israel marked two years since the Oct. 7 attacks and after the group canceled their U.S. tour following backlash over antisemitic comments. 

Brooklyn’s Kings Theatre plans to host a livestream of Kneecap’s performance from "a secret location in Ireland" on Friday, Oct. 10. The band faced international condemnation after chanting "f--- Israel, free Palestine" during a 2025 Coachella performance, which led to the loss their U.S. Visa sponsor. 

Kneecap member Mo Chara, real name Liam O’Hanna, was tried in the U.K. under the Terrorism Act after he allegedly raised a Hezbollah flag while exclaiming, "Up Hamas, up Hezbollah" at a Nov. 2024 concert. The case was later dismissed in court. 

PROTESTERS ATTEMPT TO JUSTIFY HAMAS ATTACK ON ISRAEL WITH 'COLUMBIA INTIFADA' NEWSPAPER ON OCT 7 ANNIVERSARY

Kneecap canceled its planned 15-date U.S. tour, originally slated to begin Oct. 1, amid the court case. The band also sparked backlash over a 2023 social media post.

"Solidarity with the Palestinian struggle," the band posted on X on Oct.8, 2023, one day after the Hamas attack on Israel.

The concert livestream comes on the heels of remembrances marking two years since the deadly terrorist attack, which left more than 1,200 Israelis dead — the deadliest day for Jews since the Holocaust. Militants attacked the Nova music festival, raided homes across southern Israel, murdered and abducted civilians, and carried out widespread sexual assaults, according to the Israeli government and survivor testimony.

UK WARNS PALESTINIAN PROTEST GROUP TO STAND DOWN AFTER SYNAGOGUE ATTACK: 'RESPECT THE GRIEF OF BRITISH JEWS'

Brooklyn is home to the largest Jewish population in New York City, with over 460,000 Jews living in the borough. The watchdog group StopAntisemitism blasted Kings Theatre for hosting the concert stream.

"More Jewish New Yorkers live in Brooklyn than in any other borough, and it’s appalling that just days after the October 7th anniversary — the two-year mark of the darkest day for the Jewish people since the Holocaust — this theater would embrace and profit from such hatred," a StopAntisemitism spokesman told Fox News Digital. 

It also emerged just days after Israel and Hamas agreed to President Trump’s historic Gaza peace deal, which sees all 20 Israeli hostages released at once, with the corpses of the murdered hostages released once they are located in Gaza in exchange for an IDF withdrawal to an agreed-upon armistice line and the release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners, many serving life sentences for terrorism. 

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The deal, if its second phase is implemented, would see Hamas totally disarm, the creation of a "Council of Peace" headed by President Donald Trump to oversee the strip, and a new technocratic Palestinian government to govern Gaza in place of Hamas while rebuilding takes place. 

Kings Theatre and Kneecap did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.

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Surveillance video shows Bryan Kohberger's car roaring away after Idaho student murders

Surveillance video recorded at a home near the Idaho student murders crime scene shows Bryan Kohberger's car roaring away from the scene after he killed four University of Idaho undergrads in a home invasion stabbing attack in November 2022.

A white sedan, believed to be Kohberger's Hyundai Elantra, appears repeatedly before the murders as he circled the neighborhood. Then it sped off in the aftermath as he floored it away from the scene and before he took a circuitous route home, with his phone turned off in an effort to obscure his whereabouts.

Portions of the video were previously leaked to Dateline. Fox News Digital obtained about an hour of video taken at 1112 King Road through a public records request following the lifting of a gag order on the case.

BRYAN KOHBERGER PLEADED GUILTY TO IDAHO STUDENT MURDERS, BUT THESE KEY QUESTIONS REMAIN UNANSWERED

The video illustrates allegations that first surfaced in a probable cause affidavit unsealed after Kohberger's arrest — which revealed that a neighbor's camera picked up sounds of a struggle followed by a dog's barking.

Kohberger has confessed to the murders of Madison Mogen, 21, Kaylee Goncalves, 21, Xana Kernodle, 20, and Ethan Chapin, 20.

All but Kernodle are believed to have been asleep at the start of the murders, carried out with a Ka-Bar knife after a masked Kohberger crept into the house around 4 a.m. on Nov. 13, 2022.

While the murderous struggle is hard to hear in the video, the barking continued for several minutes and is unmistakable.

INSIDE THE HORROR: IDAHO FOUR CRIME SCENE PHOTOS REVEAL BLOODY AFTERMATH OF ATTACK

The killer, a former criminology Ph.D. student at the neighboring Washington State University, pleaded guilty in July, weeks before the case would have gone to trial.

He could have faced the death penalty if convicted by a jury.

Instead, Kohberger is serving four consecutive life sentences without parole, plus another 10 years. He waived his right to appeal and to seek a future sentence reduction.

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Daniel Jones touts Vikings' coaches for their prep work in worrying Giants admission

Indianapolis Colts quarterback Daniel Jones spent parts of six seasons with the New York Giants, yet six weeks with the Minnesota Vikings helped Jones understand some of the "next-level" stuff that quarterbacks need. 

Jones, 28, opened up about how his preparation changed from his time with the Giants and with the Vikings. 

"I always thought I worked really hard, I tried to work really hard and it was important for me to prepare, watch film, study. And I think I did that," Jones said during a recent appearance on "Fitz & Whit."

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"But then going to Minnesota, I saw how Sam (Darnold) prepared, how (head coach Kevin O’Connell) prepared those guys, (quarterbacks coach) Josh McCown, (then-assistant offensive coordinator) Grant Udinski, that crew and how detailed they were day in and day out on every little bit of the plan and how they’re gonna study it, what they’re looking for, walking through it, quizzing each other in the quarterback room. That made a big impression on me and I was like, OK, this is maybe the next-level of some of that stuff."

The Giants released Jones in Week 12 last season, and he signed with the Vikings in Week 13. 

After his short stint with the Vikings, Jones signed a one-year, $14 million contract with the Colts to compete with Anthony Richardson for the starting quarterback job. Jones won the job and has thrived. 

COMMANDERS' TYLER BIADASZ DISCUSSES BUILDING CHEMISTRY WITH JAYDEN DANIELS

Jones called his short time with the Vikings "really valuable."

Jones, who has taken on the nickname "Indiana Jones" since joining the Colts, has helped lead the team to a 4-1 record. In five games, Jones has completed an astounding 71.3% of his passes for 1,290 yards with six touchdowns and two interceptions. He has also run for 56 yards and three touchdowns. 

The former Duke standout did experience some success with the Giants, most notably a playoff win. But he's played some of the best football of his career for the Colts. 

Jones had a 28-45-1 record with the Giants and, in those 75 games, completed 64.6% of his passes for 15,872 yards with 76 touchdowns and 49 interceptions.

Jones never appeared in a game with the Vikings. 

The Colts' next game is against the Arizona Cardinals (2-3) at home on Sunday at 1 p.m. ET. 

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Trump predicts Schumer will retire before losing primary to AOC amid shutdown showdown

President Donald Trump said that he expects Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., will retire because he doesn’t believe the senator can win in a primary. 

Trump’s comments come as he’s sparred with Schumer and other Democratic leaders like House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., over a partial government shutdown that has continued into its ninth day Thursday. 

As a result, Trump said that Schumer and Jeffries are "holding the entire federal government hostage." However, Trump noted other Democrats like Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., said just before the shutdown that Republicans can come to her office and negotiate anytime. 

GOP BLAMES SCHUMER FOR SHUTDOWN TO APPEASE 'MARXIST FLANK' AMID AOC PRIMARY CHALLENGE BUZZ

"She's taking Hakeem Jeffries’ place, and Schumer's afraid that she's gonna run against him. And right now, I don't know, it can change. Life is crazy, right?" Trump said during a Cabinet meeting Thursday. "But, right now, I don't think he can beat anybody. So he'll lose in a primary. I would say he'll retire before he loses in a primary. I think Schumer is going to retire, because he can’t beat anybody, his polls are so bad." 

Trump’s comments also come just after Axios reported in September that Ocasio-Cortez is laying the groundwork for a Senate or presidential run in 2028. 

Schumer's office did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Fox News Digital. 

BLAME GAME: REPUBLICANS CLAIM SCHUMER FORCED SHUTDOWN 'BECAUSE HE’S TERRIFIED' OF AOC PRIMARY CHALLENGE

Meanwhile, the White House has been at odds with Congressional Democrats over the lapse in funding leading to a government shutdown. While Republicans claim that Democrats were the ones who started the shutdown because they've failed to back a stopgap funding bill, Democrats have pinned the blame on Republicans who control both the House and Senate. 

Schumer, in particular, has come under fire from the White House, especially after Schumer told Punchbowl News that conditions improve for Democrats each day the shutdown continues. 

CHUCK SCHUMER DENIES HE'S CAVING TO LEFT-WING PRESSURE TO FORCE A SHUTDOWN

"Every day gets better for us," Schumer told the outlet Wednesday.

In response, Trump said that Schumer was not acting on behalf of the American people. 

"This is a confession that he's acting not to serve the people, but to serve the partisan interests of his party," Trump said at the Cabinet meeting. 

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Palisades Fire suspect held without bond

The suspect charged with causing the deadly Palisades Fire in Southern California will remain in the custody of U.S. marshals without bail ahead of trial.

U.S. Magistrate Judge Nathan W. Hill cited 29-year-old Jonathan Rinderknecht's mental health, unsteady income and complicated relationship with his family as reasons for the decision on Thursday in Orlando, Florida.

Three of Rinderknecht's siblings – two sisters and one brother – sat in the second row during the hearing. One of his sisters started crying after the judge made his ruling. 

Federal officials said during a news conference on Wednesday that Rinderknecht was arrested in Melbourne the previous day. Rinderknecht is accused of starting the Lachman Fire on New Year's Day, which kept burning underground and reemerged as the Palisades Fire due to strong winds on Jan. 7. 

WHO IS JONATHAN RINDERKNECHT, PALISADES FIRE SUSPECT ACCUSED OF SPARKING DEADLY BLAZE?

Rinderknecht was an Uber driver, and he was described by two passengers as "agitated and angry" the night he was accused of starting the fire, a criminal complaint obtained by Fox News said.

Officials said during the news conference that he was a resident of Palisades and was familiar with the neighborhood. He allegedly used an "open flame" to ignite the blaze after just having dropped off passengers. 

ARREST MADE IN CONNECTION TO DEADLY PACIFIC PALISADES FIRE, SOURCES SAY

An Uber spokesperson told Fox News Digital the company has "partnered closely with the ATF to determine the driver’s whereabouts on and around Jan. 1" and that its "GPS data placed him near the location of the start of the Lachman fire on Jan. 1."

Rinderknecht's access to the Uber platform was revoked once Uber learned of his suspected involvement in the fire, the company said. 

All Uber drivers "must pass a state-mandated background check in order to drive with Uber and are rescreened annually," the Uber spokesperson said.

Fox News' Andre Tinoco, Bill Melugin and Matt Finn contributed to this report. 

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UFC's Bruce Buffer says it will be an 'honor' to be at White House: 'It's gonna be amazing'

President Donald Trump announced this week that the UFC White House event will take place on June 14, his 80th birthday, and ring announcer Bruce Buffer is counting down the days.

Dana White has promised the biggest card in the fighting company’s history, as fighters will enter the ring on the South Lawn near the Oval Office.

"It’s an honor to appear at the White House and on the White House grounds. Keeping the whole event nonpolitical and the sporting event that it is, it’ll be, probably, the highest-watched pay-per-views in the history of pay-per-views…" Buffer told Fox News Digital in a recent interview. "It’s gonna be incredible, the fight roster will probably be incredible, you can’t really say anything negative about it. It’s gonna be amazing."

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Ever since Trump first announced the idea, there has been wide speculation about what fights could occur in the nation’s capital, with the most popular potential bouts being Jon Jones vs. Tom Aspinall and Conor McGregor vs. Michael Chandler.

White once confided that just about everyone on the UFC roster wants to get the call for the event, and Buffer echoed those sentiments.

"Every fighter on the roster wants to fight at that event," Buffer said. "Conor McGregor, he’s always saying, ‘I want to come back, I want to come back.’ And we haven’t seen from him with all he’s been doing over the last years, but if that’s an event he’s going to come back at, that would make it big. If Jon Jones comes in to fight whomever, whether it’s Tom Aspinall, whatever, that would make it bigger. There’s so many great fighters on the UFC roster. It’s gonna be an awesome night, there’s no question."

DANA WHITE PROMISES 'GREATEST FIGHT CARD EVER ASSEMBLED' FOR POTENTIAL WHITE HOUSE UFC EVENT IN 2026

White has long credited Trump for helping grow the UFC into what it is today. In a recent appearance on Logan Paul's podcast, White said that Trump supported the company when "venues didn't want us" and "sponsors [and] television was terrified of us."

"So, the way he supported us in the beginning was great. And anything that happened to me in my career, he would be the first guy to reach out," White said.

But White has catapulted the UFC into a must-watch staple, making a deal worth nearly $8 billion to have premier events on Paramount Plus.

"When Dana took over, because we were almost dead before Dana took over as far as a sport, and then when ‘The Ultimate Fighter’ first happened with Forrest Griffin and Stefan Bonner when almost 15 million eyeballs were watching that fight, and under the tutelage and guidance of Dana, he’s a maverick," Buffer said of the UFC president. "He’s got the Midas touch, he’s taken it to where it is. Thank God he’s got the passion and power and nonstop energy to keep it going. I’m proud to be on that UFC rocketship piloted by Dana White and everybody at the top and have my first class seat to continue to go where it’s going. All the way to the White House grounds and beyond. 

"Just like ‘Star Trek’ said, to areas never before explored, or however they put it."

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Senate Democrats defy White House warnings, again block GOP bid to reopen government

Senate Democrats blocked Republicans’ bid to reopen the government for a sixth time on Wednesday as pressure and threats from the White House increased.

It’s been "Groundhog Day" in the Senate for eight days — but unlike the 1993 Bill Murray comedy, there’s been little, if any, forward progress among the cast of senators. Talks are still ongoing, but those have yet to take the leap to full-blown negotiations to end the government shutdown. 

The night before the vote Wednesday morning, a bipartisan group of lawmakers met to discuss the shutdown, and a way out, over Thai food in Washington.

SENATE STALLS ON SHUTDOWN VOTE AMID WARNING FURLOUGHED WORKERS MAY LOSE PAY

Sen. Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla., said the group’s goal was to find a way to reopen the government and keep it open, rather than repeat the same cycle when funding runs out again Nov. 21.

"We're not working on a solution to reopen the government. We're not negotiating. We have a clean CR they've got to accept," Mullin said. "Our whole goal is, how do we avoid, if we do reopen it, how do we avoid shutdown."

Congressional Republicans are adamant that the best path forward is to pass their continuing resolution (CR), which would keep the government open until Nov. 21, add millions to bolster member security and include a fix to Washington, D.C.’s budget that was overlooked by the House earlier this year.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., intends to keep putting the same bill on the floor and hopes that fractures form within the Democratic caucus' unified front. So far, however, only three Senate Democratic caucus members have split from the larger group: Sens. John Fetterman, D-Pa., Catherine Cortez Masto, D-Nev., and Angus King, I-Maine.

But Democrats, led by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., have made the fight to reopen the government about healthcare, specifically through the blunt instrument of expiring tax credits under Obamacare, formally known as the Affordable Care Act (ACA).

"Nothing's changed," Thune said. "We all understand, you know what they want to do, and we're not averse, as I've said repeatedly, to have that conversation. At some point, they have to take ‘yes’ for an answer."

SENATE REPUBLICANS CONFIRM MORE THAN 100 TRUMP NOMINEES AS GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN CONTINUES

While the credits don’t expire until the end of the year, Democrats argue that come the start of open enrollment on Nov. 1, Americans who rely on the subsidies will see a sharp increase in their premium costs unless Congress acts.

"We believe that the pressure that the American people are putting on the Republicans, which are already seeing signs of cracking, are going to get them to come to the table, and we can negotiate a good deal for the American people," Schumer said.

But their ask isn’t totally one-dimensional, either. Their counter-proposal to the GOP’s CR laid out in sharper terms that they want a permanent extension to the Obamacare subsidies, to see guardrails put on President Donald Trump’s ability to claw back funding through the rescissions and impoundments process, along with a full repeal of the "big, beautiful bill’s" healthcare title and the return of canceled funding for NPR and PBS.

"Listen, this is a unique moment, a unique moment where we can demand that we're only going to vote for a budget that helps our people and stops the lawlessness," Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., said. "I want the ACA subsidies restored, but I also would be a sucker to vote for a budget that allows Trump to continue to get away with this level of corruption and allows him to just cancel the spending in the bill for states like Connecticut."

SCHUMER'S SHUTDOWN HOLDS AS SENATE DEMS BLOCK GOP BID TO REOPEN GOVERNMENT

Lingering in the background are the threats from the administration led by Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director Russ Vought. He has already withheld nearly $30 billion in infrastructure funding for blue cities and states, and through a pair of memos, ordered agency layoffs and suggested furloughed workers may not receive back pay.

The latter move runs counter to a law signed by President Donald Trump guaranteeing back pay for furloughed workers after the 2019 shutdown, the longest in U.S. history.

While firings were thought to be around the corner, Trump appeared to give some breathing room on the issue on Tuesday.

"I’ll be able to tell you that in four or five days," Trump told reporters. "If this keeps going on, it’ll be substantial, and a lot of those jobs will never come back, but you’re going to have a lot closer to a balanced budget."

Still, Senate Democrats remained unfazed by the threats, particularly the latest of workers going without back pay.

"I'm not sure Trump's floating it," Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., said. "He's got underlings who were floating submarining one of Donald Trump's accomplishments. It was Donald Trump that made that guarantee when he signed the bill in January 2019, and now he's got functionaries in OMB suggesting they may go back on what he promised. I hope he takes pride in his work."

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Deep blue New Jersey amid 'Lord of the Rings' moment to 'save the state' from Democrats: Scott Presler

New Jersey is in the midst of a "Lord of the Rings" moment as Republicans work to rally voters to flip the deep blue state red in a tight gubernatorial election that's coming down to its final days, Republican activist Scott Presler told Fox News Digital in an exclusive Zoom interview. 

"To anyone who thinks that New Jersey is not winnable this November, I want to remind you that in 2021, that election was decided by 84,000 votes," Presler told Fox News Digital in a Zoom interview Monday afternoon. "Six hundred thousand Republicans did not vote in that election. That election was winnable. Did you know that there are 250,000 gun owners in New Jersey that are not registered to vote? If simply every Second Amendment supporter got registered and voted, we would flip New Jersey from blue to red."

Presler is on a "flip it red" mission in the Garden State, registering voters and promoting GOP candidate Jack Ciaterelli's campaign against Democrat candidate, Rep. Mikie Sherrill, in an off-year election that could add to the Democratic Party's mounting woes following 2024's ballot box losses or preserve the party's legacy in the longtime blue state. 

Presler is the founder of Early Vote Action, a PAC he operates that focuses on voter registration and rallied support for President Donald Trump's campaign and the GOP in the key battleground state of Pennsylvania during the 2024 election. The Republican activist spent months criss-crossing the Keystone State to rally support for the Trump–Vance ticket before the battleground ultimately threw its support behind the GOP on Election Day. 

BLUE STATE GUBERNATORIAL NOMINEES TRADE BARBS OVER CRUCIAL ISSUE WEEKS AHEAD OF ELECTION DAY

Presler has since crossed the Delaware River into New Jersey, where he's targeting the longtime blue state with conservative activism. 

"We just won a landslide victory for Donald Trump, winning all seven swing states and winning the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania with our work at Early Vote Action. In December of 2024, I announced that we were going to focus next on helping to flip the New Jersey governorship from blue to red. So we have currently, 14 full-time staff on the ground across New Jersey's 21 counties. We have been working tirelessly all throughout 2025, helping to register voters. And our message is: leave no county untouched," he said, explaining he and staff are not only focused on deep blue counties ahead of the election, but also on reinvigorating voters in rural and right-leaning counties. 

New Jersey is in the midst of a "Lord of the Rings" or "Star Wars" moment, Presler said, saying voters have the chance to "save their state" and pointed to data showing how Republican support has increased in the state. 

"This is their opportunity to save the state. This election in 2025 is gonna be seen as a referendum. The final opportunity, this is your ‘Lord of the Rings,' This is your ‘Star Wars’ moment when people have the chance to save their state," he said. 

CIATTARELLI UNLOADS ON MIKIE SHERRILL IN NJ TOWN HALL, CITING IMMIGRATION AND NAVAL ACADEMY: ‘NOT A CENTRIST’

New Jersey voted to elect former Vice President Kamala Harris as president nearly a year ago. Trump, however, made big inroads with Garden State voters, flipping five counties red, and improved on his 16-point loss in the state during the 2020 election to a six-point loss in 2024. 

"Every month besides June, when that party switching was happening, Republicans have gained in an off-year election when the Democrats are spending more money than us and in a blue state. That shows me that I think the tide is changing, and I think that we have wind at our backs," he said. 

Presler rattled off that New Jersey voters have become increasingly incensed by the state's notoriously high property taxes, its spiraling energy rates and even its ongoing ban on plastic bags at checkout lines that have spurred some residents to abandon Democrats in favor of the GOP ticket. 

"Republicans, we must be that common-sense home, that common-sense party, that we are going to bring down property taxes, which is hurting New Jersey families — and that's the number one issue that I hear about," he said. "That we wanna bring down electricity prices, the number two issue that hear about from voters. And voters also want the third common-sense issue, which is law and order. They want us to deport and arrest criminal illegal aliens that are committing crimes against New Jersey voters. And from being on the ground this last year in 2025, I think you're gonna see a huge amount of independent and Democrat voters vote for Jack because of those three common sense policies."

The activist pointed to one former Democrat voter and teacher he chatted with at a fair in Sussex County, New Jersey — a rural area of the state that borders both New York and Pennsylvania — who remarked Democrats had become so "extreme" in their views that he left the party and is considering casting a red vote. 

REPUBLICAN AIMING TO FLIP BLUE STATE RIPS DEM RIVAL FOR BLAMING 'EVERYTHING ON TRUMP’

"They have become so extreme, so radical in their beliefs, even when it comes to things like allowing children to change their gender at such a young age. He says that he wants nothing to do with that party anymore," Presler said of what the voter relayed to him. "And after a conversation I had with him, he's even willing to give Jack Ciattarelli a closer look. And so that just shows me that Democrats are fleeing their former party. And they're looking for a new home."

Gen Z, the youngest American generation that is able to vote, played a pivotal role in delivering Trump a victory in 2024, with Presler saying male Gen Zers, specifically, are moving more to the right in New Jersey's gubernatorial election. 

The GOP activist pointed to another resident he chatted with during the Monmouth County, New Jersey, Fair over the summer, an 18-year-old who was not yet registered to vote. 

"When I am talking to a voter, I really want to get into the mind and the head of the voter. And I was just asking him some questions. ‘Hey, would you like to own a home one day?' And he was saying, ‘Yeah I want to but gosh the property’ — he said this, not me — 'the property taxes are so high here,'" Presler recounted. 

"As I'm just talking to him, I'm really discerning most of his beliefs. I think all of them really are congruent with the Republican Party. And so I'm courting him, and I'm asking for his vote for Jack Ciattarelli, and I am asking him to register to vote. And it's young men like that man that I think you're going to see who carried Donald Trump to victory in 2024, a lot of those some voters are gonna come out this year," he added. 

NEW JERSEY GOVERNOR'S RACE: DEMOCRAT SHERRILL LEADS REPUBLICAN CIATTERELLI BY SIX POINTS IN 2026 BELLWETHER

Sherrill is in the midst of facing a campaign scandal after a report in September revealed that the United States Naval Academy blocked Sherrill from taking part in her graduation amid the cheating scandal. The Democrat House lawmaker slammed the release of the report and said she was banned from walking at her graduation because she declined to report classmates who were involved in the scandal. 

"Mikie ‘Cheating Scandal’ Sherrill," Presler called Sherrill. "She voted against (the Laken Riley Act). She has no plan to bring down property taxes. She has no plan to bring down electricity crisis prices. And she doesn't know where she made her money, $7 million worth in stock trades. … In fact, I would argue that those are the reasons why Democrat turnout is gonna be depressed. Their candidate is uninspiring versus Jack Ciattarelli."

Fox News Digital reached out to Sherrill's campaign Tuesday morning regarding Presler's remarks but did not immediately receive a response. 

On the flip side, Presler said, Trump-endorsed Ciattarelli is offering voters policies that would bring taxes and electricity prices down, ending New Jersey's ban on plastic bags, opposing offshore wind to protect marine life, among other policies. 

"They want to make life affordable for New Jersey voters so they don't have to move to Pennsylvania," he said. "They don't to move Florida. They want to stay in new Jersey. And so really Jack Ciattarelli is offering policies that the residents are responding to." 

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