Millions of Americans warned of terror threat ahead of July 4th celebrations
Federal officials are warning of lone wolves who pose the biggest terror threat to Fourth of July celebrations amid tensions between the United States and the Middle East.
Tensions escalated on June 22, when the U.S. Military bombed three key nuclear sites in Iran, according to Trump administration officials.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said the agency is “working closely with the FBI and other federal, state, and local law enforcement partners to ensure a safe and secure Independence Day across the nation.”
“We are enhancing security measures and coordinating intelligence-sharing to proactively address potential risks, including those from lone wolf actors. At this time, DHS is not aware of any specific, credible, threats to Fourth of July celebrations,” DHS said.
IRAN MAY ATTEMPT ‘FACE-SAVING’ RETALIATION AGAINST US FOR STRIKES, EXPERT SAYS
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said she has been “briefed consistently over the previous few weeks on the current threat landscape given heightened tensions around the world.”
“Our federal partners reiterated yesterday that lone wolf actors remain the greatest potential threat including during the upcoming July 4th holiday. Keeping New Yorkers safe is my top priority — especially as families gather to celebrate this holiday weekend,” Hochul said.
The governor added that “New York’s law enforcement personnel have already been in an increased alert posture following the recent conflict in the Middle East, but at my direction, State Police will have an increased presence at large events throughout the state,” and the governor’s office “will be closely coordinating with local and federal law enforcement partners to ensure the safety of all involved.”
“National Guard personnel also remain deployed at major transportation hubs, as well as at key bridges and tunnels within New York City. We are also actively monitoring social media activity and continue to be on high alert for any cyberthreats,” Hochul said. “New Yorkers should never be intimidated by threats of violence or terror. I urge everyone to enjoy the holiday weekend with family and friends and to stay alert. If you see something, say something.”
Federal authorities are also concerned that San Francisco’s fireworks show, which is expected to draw around 200,000 people, provides “a broad set of soft targets … for a mass casualty attack,” reads a “Joint Special Event Threat Assessment” bulletin obtained by ABC News from the FBI, Homeland Security, Coast Guard San Francisco and Northern California Regional Intelligence Center.
Officials expressed concerns of copycats following a New Year’s Day terrorist attack in New Orleans, when Shamsud-Din Jabbar, a Texas native inspired by ISIS online, rammed his truck through Bourbon Street in the early morning hours of Jan. 1, killing 14 civilians and injuring 57 others.
COLLEGE CAMPUSES COULD BE GROUND ZERO FOR IRANIAN SLEEPER CELLS PLOTTING TO HARM AMERICANS, EXPERTS WARN
“Due to the Iran conflict, the Department of Homeland Security has a National Threat Advisory System, and as of June 22, we are at a heightened threat environment,” Michael Verden, founder and CEO of security firm The Lake Forest Group, told Fox News Digital. “That level will stay in place until September 22, and it could be extended based on the conflict in Iran.”
Verden, a former USSS agent and law enforcement officer, added that certain 4th of July activities and travel will see increased security and precautionary measures “because of this heightened threat environment.”
DHS said in a June 22 bulletin that “Iran also has a long-standing commitment to target US Government officials it views as responsible for the death of an Iranian military commander killed in January 2020.”
PREPARED, NOT PARANOID: WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW TO PROTECT YOURSELF FROM A POSSIBLE TERROR ATTACK
“The likelihood of violent extremists in the Homeland independently mobilizing to violence in response to the conflict would likely increase if Iranian leadership issued a religious ruling calling for retaliatory violence against targets in the Homeland,” DHS said. “Multiple recent Homeland terrorist attacks have been motivated by anti-Semitic or anti-Israel sentiment, and the ongoing Israel-Iran conflict could contribute to US-based individuals plotting additional attacks.”
Verden recalled a mass shooting that took place on the Fourth of July in Highland Park, Illinois, in 2022 that left seven people killed, including an 8-year-old boy. While the shooter’s motive has not been described as an act of terrorism, Verden said that shooting three years ago brought more attention to the possibility of bad actors targeting “open-air events.”
In more urban settings, bad actors could also target subterranean spaces, such as subways or threats “from the water,” he said.
AMERICAN TRAVELERS SHOULD KNOW ESCAPE ROUTES AT TRANSIT HUBS AFTER IRAN STRIKES, SECURITY EXPERT WARNS
Public and private events will need to coordinate with local law enforcement for the holiday, according to Verden.
“I do believe that federal agencies will have more of an emphasis on identifying some type of emerging threat.”
Federal intelligence officials, meanwhile, will try to proactively identify and stop any emerging threats “associated with the homeland, and a 4th of July event is definitely associated with the homeland,” Verden said.
The former USSS agent also said law enforcement will put a heavy emphasis on “access control,” which includes everything from verifying credentials at admission for an event, checking bags, checking parked vehicles for explosives, looking out for suspicious activity and so on.
“If there was some type of suspicious activity, do you have tactical units to respond to … a group of people that seems suspicious, or other assets such as explosives? They call it explosives ordinance disposal, which is EOD. So, if someone found a backpack that was unattended, do you have canine assets, or do you have EOD teams to respond to that?” Verden explained.
STATE DEPARTMENT ISSUES WORLDWIDE CAUTION FOR US TRAVELERS FOLLOWING TRUMP’S IRAN STRIKES
Law enforcement will also be looking to cover high vantage points. Verden noted that the Highland Park shooter and the gunman who shot at then-candidate Donald Trump at his rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, last year were both positioned on rooftops.
Verden said Fourth of July event attendees should familiarize themselves with venue layouts, and read website descriptions of events before attending. Revelers should also have a plan in the event of an emergency situation, such as coming up with a meeting location, especially if cell services crashes and there is no way to get in contact with loved ones.
RUBIO DECLARES IRAN’S DAYS OF ‘PLAYING THE WORLD’ OVER AFTER TRUMP’S DECISIVE STRIKE
Law enforcement officials should take a “three-step approach” in the event of an emergency, according to Verden. First, assess the event space and come up with a security plan; have a pre-determined incident commander in the case of an emergency; and adequately train first-responders and other officials prior to an event.
“There’s always a little bit of a heightened risk level when it comes to these patriotic [events]. … This is when the Declaration of Independence was ratified on this date. So, there’s always that concern of our adversaries. This would be an opportune time for them to do some type of an attack,” he said.
ISRAEL-IRAN CONFLICT: LIVE UPDATES
A recent assessment released last week by the Institute for Science and International Security (ISIS) found that Israel’s Operation Rising Lion, followed by U.S. bunker-busting strikes, “effectively destroyed Iran’s centrifuge enrichment program.” But authors David Albright and Spencer Faragasso cautioned that “residuals such as stocks of 60%, 20%, and 3-5% enriched uranium and centrifuges manufactured but not yet installed … pose a threat as they can be used in the future to produce weapon-grade uranium.”
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
According to the ISIS report, “extensive damage” was confirmed at nearly all major Iranian nuclear and missile facilities, including the destruction of uranium metal conversion plants, fuel fabrication centers, and the IR-40 Arak heavy water reactor. The report noted that the Israeli and U.S. strikes “rendered the Fordow site inoperable,” citing high-resolution satellite imagery of deep bunker penetrations.
The bunker strikes have prompted conversations about Iranian retaliation against the United States.
READ IT: Plea agreement Kohberger accepted to avoid death for murdering Idaho students
BOISE, Idaho – Bryan Kohberger has pleaded guilty to the murders of four University of Idaho students in 2022.
On Wednesday at the Ada County Courthouse in Boise, Judge Steven Hippler approved a plea agreement that spares Kohberger, 30, from the death penalty. In exchange, he will serve four consecutive life sentences without the possibility of parole.
As part of the agreement, Kohberger pleaded guilty to four counts of first-degree murder and one count of felony burglary. He did so with both of his parents in the gallery, with his father wincing as Judge Steven Hippler formally accepted Kohberger’s agreement.
Sentencing has been set for July 23.
IDAHO MURDERS TIMELINE: BRYAN KOHBERGER PLEA CAPS YEARSLONG QUEST FOR JUSTICE
The case has drawn national attention since the early morning hours of Nov. 13, 2022, when four students — Ethan Chapin, Madison Mogen, Xana Kernodle, and Kaylee Goncalves — were found stabbed to death in an off-campus rental home in Moscow, Idaho.
READ: Bryan Kohberger’s plea agreement. APP USERS CLICK HERE.
Kohberger, a former Ph.D. criminology student at nearby Washington State University, was arrested in December 2022 after a cross-country investigation.
IDAHO VICTIM’S FAMILY DEMANDS KOHBERGER CONFESS IN COURT AFTER PLEA DEAL DECISION: ‘FULL ACCOUNTABILITY’
WATCH: Attorney for Madison Mogen’s family speaks to reporters following Bryan Kohberger’s guilty plea
Immediately following the hearing, the Mogen family issued a heartfelt statement through their attorney, Leander James, on the steps of the courthouse.
“We now embark on a new path,” James said on behalf of the family. “We turn from tragedy and mourning. We turn from darkness and uncertainty of the legal process to the light of the future. We have closure. We embark on a path of hope and healing. We invite all of those who have mourned with us to join us, and we wish you well.”
The sentiment drew a stark contrast compared to remarks made by Steve Goncalves, the father of Kaylee Goncalves, as he arrived at the courthouse but chose not to attend the hearing.
“He’s going to own this,” Steve Goncalves said of Judge Steven Hippler. “He’s gonna inherit what [Bill] Thompson did. And he’s the only one that can fix it. He’s the one who can make it right. He needs to protect those other surviving victims and make this person say that they had nothing to do with it. He did it solely, he did it all on his own. And nobody else was responsible.”
When asked by reporters if he felt justice was served, the grieving father went on to slam the agreement that will have Kohberger serve four life sentences, saying, “No, of course not. It’s daycare.”
BRYAN KOHBERGER EXPECTED TO OFFICIALLY PLEAD GUILTY: WHAT’S NEXT
According to court documents, DNA from a knife sheath left at the crime scene matched Kohberger’s, and cellphone data placed him near the victims’ house multiple times before the killings. Surveillance footage also captured a white Hyundai Elantra in the area.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
A grand jury indicted Kohberger in May 2023, and a judge initially entered not guilty pleas on his behalf. Prosecutors later announced their intent to seek the death penalty, citing the heinous nature of the crimes.
Obama and Bush make rare public rebukes of Trump admin in USAID video call
Former President George W. Bush joined up with former President Barack Obama and U2 singer Bono to comfort United States Agency for International Development employees Monday, while also taking shots at President Donald Trump and his administration for shuttering the agency plagued by accusations of fraud and abuse.
“Gutting USAID is a travesty, and it’s a tragedy,” Obama said in a video that was shown to departing USAID employees Monday, according to the Associated Press. “Because it’s some of the most important work happening anywhere in the world.”
Obama summed up the decision to shutter the agency as “a colossal mistake,” and added that “sooner or later, leaders on both sides of the aisle will realize how much you are needed.”
Bush, Obama and Bono spoke to departing USAID employees Monday in a videoconference as the agency officially was shuttered following the Trump administration’s reporting that it was overrun with alleged corruption and mismanagement. The videoconference did not include members of the media, with the Associated Press reviewing and reporting on clips of the conference later that day.
RUBIO OFFICIALLY KILLS USAID, REVEALS FUTURE HOME FOR FOREIGN ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS
USAID is an independent U.S. agency that was established under the Kennedy administration to administer economic aid to foreign nations. It was one of the first agencies investigated by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) in early February for alleged mismanagement and government overspending, with DOGE’s then-leader Elon Musk slamming the agency as “a viper’s nest of radical-left marxists who hate America.”
USAID officially was absorbed by the State Department Tuesday.
Bush, who overwhelmingly has shied away from publicly criticizing Trump, lamented in his recorded message to the staffers that the end of USAID marks an end to his administration’s work rolling out an AIDS and HIV program that is credited with saving 25 million people nationwide.
FOUR PLEAD GUILTY IN MASSIVE BRIBERY SCHEME AT AGENCY DEMOCRATS FOUGHT TO PROTECT FROM DOGE
“You’ve showed the great strength of America through your work — and that is your good heart,’’ Bush told USAID staffers, according to the Associated Press. “Is it in our national interests that 25 million people who would have died now live? I think it is, and so do you.”
Bono of U2 fame recited a poem he wrote reflecting on USAID’s closure and his claims that millions around the world will likely now die, according to the Associated Press.
“They called you crooks. When you were the best of us,” Bono said.
Fox News Digital reached out to Obama’s and Bush’s respective offices Wednesday morning for additional comment, but did not receive responses.
Other longtime Trump foes, such as former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, thanked foreign service officers for their work before USAID’s closure.
“In all my years of service, I found that foreign service officers and development professionals were among the most dedicated public servants I encountered,” Clinton posted to X Tuesday. “Their work saves lives and makes the world safer. Today, and every day, I stand with them.”
Obama and Bush overwhelmingly have remained tight-lipped on their views of Trump under his second administration, with both former presidents attending Trump’s inauguration and not weighing in on the majority of Trump’s policies. Obama has taken issue with Trump’s “big, beautiful bill,” which is clearing its final hurdles to passage and will fund Trump’s agenda on social media, while Bush has consistently shied away from public rebukes of Trump in recent history.
Bono previously has claimed that cuts to USAID would kill hundreds of thousands of people, and had slammed Trump in 2016 as “potentially the worst idea that ever happened to America.”
Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who was serving as acting administrator of USAID, announced the State Department absorbed USAID’s foreign assistance programs Tuesday after decades of failing to ensure the programs it funded actually supported America’s interests.
“Beyond creating a globe-spanning NGO industrial complex at taxpayer expense, USAID has little to show since the end of the Cold War,” Rubio wrote in his announcement. “Development objectives have rarely been met, instability has often worsened, and anti-American sentiment has only grown.”
RISCH URGES ‘TOP TO BOTTOM’ USAID SPENDING REVIEW AFTER WASTE, FRAUD EXPOSED
“This era of government-sanctioned inefficiency has officially come to an end,” he continued. “Under the Trump Administration, we will finally have a foreign funding mission in America that prioritizes our national interests. As of July 1st, USAID will officially cease to implement foreign assistance. Foreign assistance programs that align with administration policies—and which advance American interests—will be administered by the State Department, where they will be delivered with more accountability, strategy, and efficiency.”
The shuttering comes after DOGE gutted USAID as part of Trump’s effort to remove waste, fraud and abuse from the federal government earlier in 2025.
BONO’S ‘300,000 DEAD’ CLAIM OVER USAID CUTS GETS SMACKED DOWN BY ROGAN, MUSK: ‘LIAR/IDIOT’
Trump repeatedly had touted DOGE’s work uncovering fraud and mismanagement within the federal government, including in his March address before Congress celebrating that DOGEidentified $22 billion in government “waste,” including at USAID.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
“Forty-five million dollars for diversity, equity and inclusion scholarships in Burma,” Trump said as he rattled off various examples of federal waste. “Forty million to improve the social and economic inclusion of sedentary migrants. Nobody knows what that is. Eight million to promote LGBTQI+ in the African nation of Lesotho, which nobody has ever heard of. Sixty million dollars for indigenous peoples and Afro-Colombian empowerment in Central America. Sixty million. Eight million for making mice transgender.”
Democratic lawmaker under fire for ‘disgusting’ attack on immigration agents
Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., defended a recent social media post calling ICE a “terrorist force” Wednesday.
During an interview with Brianna Keilar on “CNN News Central,” the host spoke to Jayapal about her Tuesday Instagram post where she wrote that “ICE is acting like a terrorist force. People across the country of all legal statuses — including U.S. citizens — are being kidnapped and disappeared off the street by masked men. No oversight, no accountability. Completely lawless.”
Keilar asked Jayapal to respond to a statement from White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson, which was obtained by Fox News Digital.
ICE OFFICIAL PUTS POLITICIANS ON BLAST, DEMANDING THEY ‘STOP PUTTING MY PEOPLE IN DANGER’
In the statement, Jackson said, “Jayapal’s disgusting comments warrant an immediate apology. Heroic ICE officers are simply doing their jobs and enforcing federal immigration law, with the utmost professionalism.”
“Dangerous smears by deranged leftists like Jayapal radicalize their supporters to violently attack and obstruct federal law enforcement. Because of comments like Jayapal’s, assaults against ICE agents have increased by 500% this year. And that number will go even higher if Jayapal doesn’t stop with her smears,” Jackson added.
Jayapal responded, “What is deranged and cruel and outrageous is that, literally, we are seeing ICE agents, I assume they‘re ICE agents. They say they are. They don‘t have any identification. They‘re wearing masks. They‘re in plain clothes. They are coming and kidnapping and disappearing people on the streets of the United States.”
“I never in a million years thought that that is something that I would see here in America,” she added. “And so I think it is the administration that has to apologize to U.S. citizens that have been rounded up to legal, permanent residents, to people with legal statuses across the country who are getting swept up, people who have been here for 20 years and committed no crimes, getting swept up by masked men who are kidnaping them and deporting them.”
Jayapal called ICE’s immigration enforcement “outrageous,” “unconstitutional,” and “illegal.”
‘SQUAD’ DEM SAYS TRUMP MAY JAIL PEOPLE ‘FOR PRACTICING DIVERSITY’ AFTER VISITING ICE-DETAINED STUDENTS
“It is absolutely terrorizing people, including small businesses, farmers,” Jayapal said. “The round table I had in Spokane was with people from the Growers League, farmers who are terrified, restaurant owners who can‘t have, you know, who are seeing their sales go down because nobody wants to come out and eat. Literally. People are so afraid, Brianna. It‘s never something I thought I would see in the United States of America. The White House owes an apology to the American people for what they are doing.”
Border czar Tom Homan brought up attacks on ICE agents on Monday during an appearance on “The Will Cain Show” where he also criticized a new app called ICEBlock that is reportedly being used to track ICE agents.
“Assault against ICE is up over 500%,” Homan said. “Now you’ve got an app that’s going to tell where ICE operations are going to. It’s only a matter of time before ICE agents are ambushed by some nut, like what happened in L.A., throwing them out a cocktail, throwing bricks at these officers. This is just disgusting at every level.”
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
Several missing as power outages, evacuations continue amid fireworks facility blast
Hundreds of people are without power, and seven people remain missing after a violent explosion at a fireworks facility in Yolo County, California, early Tuesday evening.
At least two people were injured in the explosion, which happened just before 6 p.m. local time at a facility housing commercial fireworks in Esparto.
During a news conference on Wednesday, Esparto Fire Chief Curtis Lawrence confirmed firefighters initially entered the building, but were later pulled out due to “the severity and the risks that were there.”
CREWS RESPOND TO MASSIVE EXPLOSIONS AT FIREWORKS FACILITY IN CALIFORNIA
Officials said they have not re-entered the building to search for the missing people, opting to use drones for aerial reconnaissance over the large debris field.
Though it is unclear if the missing people were employees at the facility, no firefighters were injured in the explosion.
CHINA CHEMICAL PLANT EXPLOSION LEAVES AT LEAST 5 DEAD
Lawrence said officials do not know when it will be safe enough for firefighters to go back to the site.
Initially, more than 30 fire apparatus responded. As of Wednesday afternoon, only a few remained.
“I can say I have not seen anything like this,” Lawrence said. “This is obviously an incident of great magnitude. … My next priority is going to be working with the command team to start working on trying to reduce this exclusion zone so that we can start to get our constituents back into their houses and try to get what we can reenergized in the area when it’s safe.”
Evacuation orders remain in place for two nearby zones, and more than 150 customers do not have power.
EXPLOSION ROCKS PALM SPRINGS, DAMAGING BUILDINGS AND SENDING DEBRIS INTO THE STREET
“Our agency, being here in the local in a small community, we are primarily volunteer agencies,” Lawrence said. “I would be remiss if I didn’t add that I’m really thankful and proud of all of our responders that stepped up yesterday, and even today, and came out here. … We appreciate all the responders and the mutual aid partners that came and assisted us.”
CAL FIRE confirmed the building was owned by an active pyrotechnic license holder, though the owner’s identity has not yet been released.
The Office of the State Fire Marshal, which is leading the investigation, sent an arson and bomb investigation team to the area, according to Gov. Gavin Newsom‘s office.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
As of Wednesday afternoon, 78.3 acres had burned with 0% containment, according to CAL FIRE.
Officials have not yet released the cause of the fire.
Southernmost city in hot water after voting to end agreement that removed criminals
Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier said leaders in the state’s most southern municipality face possible removal from office if they fail to restore an agreement with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
On Tuesday, the Key West city commissioners voted 5-1 to void an agreement that requires its police department to partner with ICE.
The federal program known as 287(g) allows local authorities to perform certain federal immigration enforcement functions, including allowing officers to question, arrest and detain people suspected of violating immigration law.
LARGE CITY SIGNS ONTO DEAL WITH ICE: ‘KEEP THE AMERICAN PEOPLE SAFE’
“I try not to make decisions with my heart because it can get me into trouble,” said Commissioner Donald Lee, the city’s former police chief who voted to sever the so-called 287(g) agreement, the Miami Herald reported. “Tonight, I am going to make a decision from my heart, and I hope it doesn’t get the city in trouble.”
In a letter Wednesday to the commissioners, Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier said their vote violates state law and has essentially made Key West a “sanctuary city.”
“Florida law unequivocally forbids sanctuary cities,” Uthmeier wrote while demanding the city reverse course. “Failure to take corrective action will result in the enforcement of all applicable civil and criminal penalties, including removal from office by the governor.”
FLORIDA HALTS MIGRANT ARRESTS AFTER JUDGE REBUKES STATE OVER IMMIGRATION LAW ENFORCEMENT
Fox News Digital has reached out to Uthmeier, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and the six Key West commissioners.
Law enforcement agencies that operate county jails in Florida must enter partnerships with the federal government so their officers can carry out limited immigration agent functions, the Herald reported.
On Tuesday, DeSantis told reporters Key West leaders could face suspension for not upholding the agreement.
“I think the attorney general has weighed in on that, and I’ll let him do the analysis and send them whatever warnings need to be sent,” DeSantis said at the opening of the new “Alligator Alcatraz” immigration detention center in the Everglades.
“But the reality is you have a responsibility for full participation,” he added. “And you can virtue signal and try to make political statements, but the reality is local governments have to abide by Florida law.”
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
Criminal illegal immigrants were expected be “checking in” to the “Alligator Alcatraz” facility Wednesday night, Uthmeier said.
“Next stop: back to where they came from,” he wrote on X.
Diddy’s legal team vows they ‘won’t stop’ until he walks a free man
Sean “Diddy” Combs’ defense team took a victory lap Wednesday after the rapper was acquitted of RICO and sex trafficking charges.
During a press conference following the verdict, his lead counsel Marc Agnifilo boasted that the team wasn’t going to stop until Diddy walks out a free man to his family.
“We are not nearly done fighting. We are just getting started,” Agnifilo said. “To win this and to defeat the prosecutors from the Southern District of New York takes effort from beginning to end. Today was a major, major step in the right direction. But we fight on and we’re going to win, and we’re not going to stop until he walks out of prison a free man to his family.”
Agnifilo admitted today was a “great victory for Sean Combs,” and praised the jury of 12 citizens for listening to every word of the federal trial.
“They acquitted him of the sex trafficking, which he was absolutely innocent of,” Agnifilo said. “They acquitted him of the racketeering conspiracy that he was absolutely innocent of. And all of the components to it, the kidnaping he was innocent of that, the arson. He was innocent of that, the obstructing justice. He was innocent of that. And that is no longer just me saying that. That is the verdict of our jury.”
A jury convicted Diddy on two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution after a seven-week trial. The rapper was found not guilty on charges of racketeering conspiracy and sex trafficking.
Diddy will remain behind bars until his sentencing hearing. The prosecution has suggested four to five years for the rapper’s sentence.
Sean “Diddy” Combs’ federal trial verdict was a “great victory,” according to Marc Agnifilo.
Mark Geragos admitted during a press conference that the trial was a “colossal failure on the prosecution” and “a ridiculous use of taxpayer money.”
A jury convicted Diddy on two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution after a seven-week trial. The rapper was found not guilty on charges of racketeering conspiracy and sex trafficking.
Following the verdict, Judge Arun Subramanian denied Diddy’s request for bail.
Geragos told the press outside of Manhattan federal court that he’s known Diddy for over 20 years, and said “Sean is thankful.”
“I’ll let them talk. I don’t want to steal their thunder,” Geragos added of Diddy’s legal team.
Judge Arun Subramanian scheduled a remote hearing for Tuesday at 2pm ET for the defense and prosecution to continue discussing a plan for
Sean “Diddy” Combs’ sentencing.
The federal judge proposed a sentencing hearing for Oct. 3.
The date could be moved up as Diddy’s defense argued for an expedited sentencing.
A jury convicted Diddy on two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution after a seven-week trial. The rapper was found not guilty on charges of racketeering conspiracy and sex trafficking.
Fox News’ Brendan McDonald contributed to this report.
Sean “Diddy” Combs’ defense team pushed back after the judge denied the rapper’s request for bail.
According to his defense attorney, Marc Agnifilo, Diddy has done remarkable things in his life. He is a business man and a serious person, the attorney noted.
Diddy has seemingly been a model prisoner in a very difficult situation at MDC Brooklyn. According to Agnifilo, he has no issues on his record.
“Diddy is a man who has lived up to his obligations,” the lawyer said. “Jury gave him a chance at life today.”
Agnifilo also pointed out that the mother of some of Diddy’s kids has died and that the kids will have no parent with the rapper behind bars.
The government said Diddy is very wealthy, brazen, and dangerous. They noted that any chance of jailtime is a reason to flee.
They accused Diddy of having a short temper, and noted how the rapper has abused people violently.
“It was also brazen for him to have drugs and supplies for prostitution waiting while he was arrested,” prosecutors argued.
Fox News’ Brendan McDonald contributed to this report.
Judge Arun Subramanian claimed Diddy’s violence in his personal relationships, that Combs owned up to, is a contributing factor to his reasoning for keeping the rapper behind bars.
The judge cited the video evidence of Diddy’s attack on ex-girlfriend Cassie Ventura at the InterContinental Hotel.
That was not the only incident of violence, he noted. An alleged incident at the London Hotel was also referenced. According to Judge Subramanian, there would be no way to guarantee safety of others should he be released.
The judge noted Diddy cannot prove he is not a risk. Since the rapper was convicted on charges, the burden of proof was now on the defense to demonstrate he does not need to be in custody. Judge Subramanian said the defense has not demonstrated that it would be a good idea to release the rapper.
Fox News’ Brendan McDonald contributed to this report.
After Judge Arun Subramanian entered the courtroom, he told the parties he had read the submissions.
He then denied Sean “Diddy” Combs’ bail package.
Judge Arun Subramanian said that Diddy has not proven he would not be a risk to have outside of custody.
He noted that the defendant’s violence in his personal relationships, that Combs owned up to, is a contributing factor.
Diddy will remain behind bars until his sentencing hearing. The prosecution has suggested four to five years for the rapper’s sentence.
Fox News’ Brendan McDonald contributed to this report.
Diddy is back in the courtroom for his bond hearing. He is again seated alone at the defense table.
His family members are in the gallery behind him. The judge has not arrived back to the courtroom yet.
The prosecution argued Diddy
should remain behind bars after his conviction on two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution. The government insisted the rapper is still a danger to the community.
Fox News’ Brendan McDonald contributed to this report.
After Sean “Diddy” Combs was found guilty of transportation to engage in prostitution, the government argued the rapper should remain behind bars.
The prosecution insisted Diddy is still a danger to the community despite his acquittal on racketeering conspiracy and sex trafficking. The government pointed to his alleged assault on Jane in June 2024. The assault reportedly occurred while Diddy was under federal investigation and only three months before his arrest.
The rapper was also in possession of drugs and materials for a “freak off” while in New York City before his arrest, according to the government. They argued this proves he is “either unable or unwilling to follow the law.”
The prosecution suggested Diddy should be sentenced to four to five years.
Harvey Weinstein’s lawyer, Donna Rotunno, gave her prediction on whether Sean “Diddy” Combs’ will spend time behind bars after being found guilty on two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution.
“I definitely think that he will have some form of confinement,” she told Fox News. “The federal government is not going to put him on any type of house arrest. If the judge sentences him to prison time, he will do that in a federal prison system housing unit.”
However, the criminal defense attorney noted that she doesn’t think Diddy will be away from home for long.
“I don’t think it’s gonna be a very long time. A maximum of 10 years and given the circumstances here and given his no background, his extensive business dealings, I just don’t see that the court will keep him for a 10-year maximum sentence,” Rotunna explained.
Diddy is facing up to 20 years behind bars for his two convictions. Each count of transportation to engage in prostitution
carries a 10-year maximum sentence.
Cassie Ventura’s friend, Deonte Nash, sent a letter to the judge asking for Sean “Diddy” Combs to remain detained ahead of the rapper’s sentencing.
Diddy was convicted on two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution.
Nash, who testified during the trial, noted Combs would be “a serious and immediate threat to victims, witnesses, and the broader community.”
“His pattern of violence – particularly while engaged in the trafficking of individuals for prostitution – combined with unchecked substance abuse, makes it clear that he is not ready to re-enter society safely or responsibly,” the letter, obtained by Fox News Digital, read.
Nash claimed that releasing Diddy would send a message “that wealth and influence can shield someone indefinitely from accountability.”
The former stylist of Diddy and Cassie testified that the rapper had become physically violent with him on at least one occasion. He told the jury that he also witnessed Diddy physically assault Cassie multiple times. Nash, who worked for the “Last Night” rapper from 2008 until 2018, claimed Cassie and Diddy went to hotels nearly every week. To prepare for these hotel outings, Cassie would allegedly pack a duffle bag with sex toys.
Fox News’ Maria Paronich contributed to this report.
A jury found Sean “Diddy” Combs guilty of transportation to engage in prostitution after seven weeks of witness testimony in the rapper’s trial.
The “I’ll Be Missing You” rapper was acquitted on charges of racketeering conspiracy and sex trafficking. Diddy’s career requires a “complete overhaul” despite the court win, brand expert Doug Eldridge told Fox News Digital.
“At this point, Diddy is still facing jail time, so the question surrounding his brand really hinges on whether you’re talking about a post-prison or prison-free Combs,” he explained.
“He was always a master marketer, so Diddy will likely try to package and rebrand this as being ‘the victim of a corrupt judicial system.’ But even if that were true, it still came down to a jury of his peers and that reality undercuts the victim high ground he’d almost certainly try to command.”
“If there is a future for Combs, it’ll require a complete overhaul. The only difference between a pile of broken tiles and a beautiful mosaic is how (and whether) you can pick up the pieces and make something entirely new. It remains to be seen whether Combs possesses that ability or will be given that opportunity…”
Sharay Hayes revealed he believes the verdicts in Sean “Diddy” Combs’ trial were “proper.”
The male escort, also known as The Punisher, testified to having sex with Diddy’s ex-girlfriend Cassie Ventura while the rapper watched.
“As I have empathy for all involved and their experiences, I do believe todays verdict was the proper one,” Hayes said in a statement to Fox News Digital. “Mr. Combs actions at times are clearly not favorably but, in my opinion, align with Domestic Violence.”
“The long-standing partnered relationship dynamics, expression of mutual love and care, coupled with numerous examples of sexual consent made it difficult to shift from a complicated relationship to sex trafficking,” he added. “I hope all involved are on the road to healing and being in a better space in spite of this extremely difficult time.”
Hayes told the jury about the “freak offs” he participated in with the former couple. According to Hayes, he and Cassie would allegedly perform oral sex on each other, while slathered in baby oil, in front of Diddy. The male escort claimed Diddy would direct Cassie’s movements.
Former Danity Kane singer Dawn Richard, who testified in Diddy’s sex trafficking and racketeering trial, reacted to the verdict Wednesday.
“Today’s split verdict is a disappointment, but the criminal charges are different than the civil claims we filed and have been fighting against Sean Combs,” Richard’s attorney, Lisa Bloom, wrote. “We will continue to aggressively fight our case until we obtain full and complete justice for Dawn.”
Richard testified that she told Cassie Ventura to leave Diddy after witnessing the Bad Boy Records founder’s violent behavior toward his girlfriend. Although Cassie was allegedly torn, Richard testified that Cassie would listen, but she could see the fear.
The singer said she “observed Cassie being attacked.” She alleged that Diddy came downstairs screaming, hit her in the head and beat her.
Richard claimed Diddy “came downstairs angry saying where the f— is his eggs.” She then alleged Diddy grabbed a skillet of eggs and attempted to hit Cassie in the head. Cassie allegedly fell to the ground, anticipating the hit, but it didn’t hit her.
“She went into a fetal position … literally trying to hide her face,” Richard said.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Cassie Ventura’s lawyer requested Sean “Diddy” Combs remain behind bars until his sentencing hearing.
“Detention is mandatory post-conviction on these charges, and Ms. Ventura believes that Mr. Combs is likely to pose a danger to the victims who testified in this case, including herself, as well as to the community,” the attorney wrote in a letter.
Cassie testified in the sex trafficking and racketeering trial against Diddy. She claimed she was forced into participating in “freak offs,” where she had sex with male escorts while the rapper watched.
The singer-songwriter claimed she took drugs in order to participate in the sex sessions.
Sean “Diddy” Combs will return to the Manhattan courthouse Wednesday at 5pm ET to find out if he’ll be released pending sentencing.
Diddy has remained behind bars following his September 2024 arrest. After the jury found him not guilty of RICO and sex trafficking, the rapper’s legal team argued for Combs to be released until a sentencing hearing is held.
His defense team argued it would be “inappropriate” for him to remain at MDC Brooklyn while awaiting a decision on his sentence on two counts of transportation to engaged in prostitution.
The disgraced music mogul could be sentenced to 20 years, as each count carries a 10-year maximum.
Prosecutors in Sean “Diddy” Combs’ sex-trafficking and racketeering trial chose to rest their case against the disgraced music mogul on June 24.
Diddy’s defense team immediately moved for a judgment of acquittal before resting their case. Attorney Alexandra Shapiro argued the government failed to prove the counts against the rapper.
“There’s, at best, thin proof any of the other employees participated,” Shapiro said before noting that “there is no evidence any of them believed he was sex trafficking.”
Shapiro argued the employees “cleaned hotel rooms, but didn’t know any of what happened, aside from them using baby oil, Astroglide, and drank alcohol, and perhaps did drugs.”
Diddy addressed Judge Arun Subramanian. When asked how he was doing, he told the judge, “I’m doing great your honor,” and “thank you, you’re doing an excellent job.”
The judge asked if Diddy understood he had the right to testify or not testify, and if he had discussed his rights with his attorney. Diddy responded, “Yes, thoroughly,” before admitting it was “solely my decision” to not testify.
Fox News’ Kirill Clark contributed to this report.
Diddy’s jury seemed to believe that his relationships were genuine, according to Fox News contributor Paul Mauro.
The jury found the “Last Night” rapper not guilty of racketeering conspiracy and sex trafficking on Wednesday.
“At the end of the day, the jury did not believe that the sex trafficking was coercive,” the retired NYPD inspector told Fox News Digital.
“They seemed to believe the relationships were genuine and/or transactional. That took those charges and the RICO with it. It argues that the case was overcharged under the evidence the government had.”
Diddy’s ex-girlfriends, Cassie Ventura and Jane, testified throughout the rapper’s seven-week trial. Each claimed they had traveled with Combs to multiple states to engage in “freak offs” or “hotel nights,” where the women were allegedly forced to have sex with male escorts while Diddy watched.
Prosecutors in Sean “Diddy” Combs federal trial cited the Bail Reform Act for keeping the rapper in custody, and said he is “not entitled to release.”
The jury on Wednesday found Diddy not guilty of racketeering conspiracy and sex trafficking. He was found guilty on both counts of transportation to engage in prostitution.
“Over the course of seven weeks, the jury heard evidence of the defendant’s violence, interstate transportation of numerous individuals for prostitution, drug use and distribution, and attempts to escape law enforcement detection,” prosecutors wrote in a letter to Judge Arun Subramanian.
“This conduct spanned two decades. At trial, the defendant did not walk away from these facts—indeed, the defendant embraced the fact that he was a habitual drug user who regularly engaged in domestic abuse.”
They added, “The evidence presented over the course of seven weeks showed that the defendant did this repeatedly, including after the defendant undisputedly knew that he was under federal investigation.”
Sean “Diddy” Combs’ legal team proposed release conditions for the rapper to the tune of $1 million.
In a letter sent to Judge Arun Subramanian, Diddy’s defense offered a bail package co-signed by his mother, Janice Combs, his sister and the mother of his oldest daughter.
Additionally, “Mr. Combs’s travel will be restricted to the Southern District of Florida, Central District of California and the Southern District of New York (to attend Court and meet with his counsel) as well as the Eastern District of New York or the District of New Jersey (only to the extent that his travel to and from New York involves an airport in those Districts),” the proposed offer noted.
Diddy would also surrender his passport to pretrial services, in addition to drug testing.
The jury on Wednesday found Diddy not guilty of racketeering conspiracy and sex trafficking. He was found guilty on both counts of transportation to engage in prostitution.
Sean “Diddy” Combs’ defense moved for release of the rapper pending his sentencting proceeding.
In a letter sent to Judge Arun Subramanian Wednesday, Diddy’s legal team cited the jury’s “clear verdict acquitting Mr. Combs of the RICO conspiracy and sex trafficking counts,” and said that “conditioned detention of Mr. Combs is inappropriate.”
“As these proceedings have demonstrated, and as we told the Court from the outset of this case, Mr. Combs came to New York to surrender in order to defend against the government’s charges because he was ‘committed to showing his innocence,’” the defense wrote.
“Since his arrest and detention on September 17, 2024, Mr. Combs has obeyed the Court, respected these proceedings, and demonstrated model behavior at the MDC. And today, the jury unambiguously rejected the government’s allegations that Mr. Combs ran a years-long criminal enterprise or engaged in sex trafficking—the core of the government’s case.”
The jury on Wednesday found Diddy not guilty of racketeering conspiracy and sex trafficking. He was found guilty on both counts of transportation to engage in prostitution.
Sean “Diddy” Combs is now facing up to 20 years behind bars after being found guilty on two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution. The jury found Diddy guilty of transporting his ex-girlfriends, Cassie Ventura and Jane, for the purpose of sexual exploitation.
Each count carries a maximum of 10 years.
The jury acquitted the disgraced music mogul on charges of racketeering conspiracy and sex trafficking.
Sean “Diddy” Combs’ legal team for his sex-trafficking and racketeering trial in New York is stacked with a high-profile group of lawyers.
Marc Agnifilo, who represented NXIVM cult leader Keith Raniere, and Brian Steel, who recently represented rapper Young Thug, are among the team of lawyers who were listed on Diddy’s court docket.
The others included Teny Geragos, Anna Estevao, Jason Driscoll, Xavier R. Donaldson and Alexandra Shapiro.
Since the musician had a hefty legal team, experts have estimated the price tag for his eight-week trial and months of pretrial motions and preparations will cost him a pretty penny.
Criminal defense attorney John Day told Fox News Digital that he estimates Combs’ trial will cost him $15 million “for the entire package.” “This is literally a ‘money is no object’ defense,” Day said.
The jury on Wednesday found Diddy not guilty of racketeering conspiracy and sex trafficking. He was found guilty on both counts of transportation to engage in prostitution.
This is an excerpt from an article by Fox News’ Janelle Ash and Larry Fink.
After Sean “Diddy” Combs
was found not guilty of sex trafficking and racketeering, crowds gathered outside the Manhattan courthouse. A woman took her clothes off while maybe 50-60 people filmed her.
A man sprayed baby oil on onto her while people cheered. Court officers did not allow press cameras in the vicinity.
Fox News’ Marly Carroll contributed to this report.
The verdict in Sean “Diddy” Combs’ federal trial was not surprising, attorney David S. Seltzer told Fox News Digital.
“This verdict is not a shock,” Seltzer said. “The Government brought State Court charges in Federal Court, at huge taxpayer expense and man hours. The Government charged Mr. Combs as a mobster, yet they were only able to prove that he is a sexual deviant, likes sex toys, and not boyfriend material.”
Seltzer added, “Additionally, the Government was unable to prove any evidence of a criminal enterprise, which was the crux of their indictment. Given the expedition, Mr. Combs now has the strong possibility of being home for Christmas since his estimated federal guidelines are now in the 1-3 year range. That’s a big defense verdict.”
The jury on Wednesday found Diddy not guilty
of racketeering conspiracy and sex trafficking. He was found guilty on both counts of transportation to engage in prostitution.
The government reacted to the not guilty verdict in Sean “Diddy” Combs’ sex trafficking and racketeering trial. The rapper was found guilty on two counts of transportation to engaged in prostitution.
“Sex crimes deeply scar victims, and the disturbing reality is that sex crimes are all too present in many aspects of our society,” representatives for the Southern District of New York and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) said in a statement. “Victims endure gut-wrenching physical and mental abuse, leading to lasting trauma. New Yorkers and all Americans want this scourge stopped and perpetrators brought to justice.”
“Prosecuting sex crimes requires brave victims to come forward and tell their harrowing stories. We and our law enforcement partners recognize the hardships victims endure and have prioritized a victim-centered approach to investigating and prosecuting these cases.”
Hollywood immediately reacted after the jury in the Sean “Diddy” Combs sex trafficking and racketeering trial reached a verdict on all counts Wednesday.
The jury on Wednesday found Diddy not guilty
of racketeering conspiracy and sex trafficking. He was found guilty on both counts of transportation to engage in prostitution.
Rosie O’Donnell shared on Instagram, “Guess a jury just never wants to believe that a woman stays because of power and coercion—wow—they just think women stay because what? money—fame—‘they love the abuse.’ What a f—ing joke. This decision got me angry.”
Rapper 50 Cent also reacted.
“Diddy beat the Feds,” he wrote, “that boy a bad man ! beat the Rico.”
Queen Latifah shared her thoughts on Diddy’s ex-girlfriends who testified against the disgraced rapper during the intense nearly two-month trial as well as “all the other people harmed over the decades.”
“Please send prayers for Cassie and all the other people harmed over the decades. All that evidence and people still don’t believe women the first time,” she wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter.
This is an excerpt from an article by Fox New’s Stephanie Giang-Paunon.
Sean “Diddy” Combs’
family showed up to court throughout the trial to support the disgraced music mogul. The family returned to the courtroom right before 1pm ET as the rapper awaited a decision on whether he’d be released until sentencing.
The jury on Wednesday found Diddy not guilty of racketeering conspiracy and sex trafficking. He was found guilty on both counts of transportation to engage in prostitution.
Diddy’s mother, Janice Combs , along with his children, Chance Combs, Jessie Combs, D’Lila Combs, Justin Combs, Quincy Brown, King Combs and Christian Combs sat in the courtroom as opening statements began in May for the rapper’s trial. His mother and a handful of his children have attended previous court hearings.
Diddy’s children have defended their father since his arrest in September.
“The past month has devastated our family,” they wrote in a joint post shared in October. “Many have judged both him and us based on accusations, conspiracy theories, and false narratives that have spiraled into absurdity on social media.”
Sean “Diddy” Combs was found not guilty of racketeering conspiracy and sex trafficking on Wednesday morning.
The case against Diddy proved to be a “total failure” by the prosecution, who made a number of “fatal self-induced errors,” former federal prosecutor Neama Rahmani told Fox News Digital.
“Today’s verdict is nothing less than a complete and total failure by the prosecution in what will go down as the most expensive prostitution trial in American history. The jury didn’t believe any of the victims. Cassie was discredited because of her emails and text messages saying she enjoyed the freak offs. Mia didn’t tell law enforcement or prosecutors that she was sexually assaulted, and she posted on social media that she loved Diddy. Jane accepted money and gifts from Diddy and he continues to pay her rent, so the jurors concluded that she knew what she was getting herself into and that it was a transactional relationship.”
“The sex trafficking charges were weak because of the overwhelming evidence of consent. The prosecution’s only real chance of a victory was racketeering and to prove a non-sex related predicate act like kidnapping, arson, extortion, or bribery. The fact that the jury even rejected that argument shows the many flaws in the prosecution’s case.”
“The government made a number of fatal self-induced errors. They included Gina in the indictment as victim 3 when they didn’t have assurances that she would show up, and she went missing days before trial. They failed to lean on and flip key members of Diddy’s inner circle like KK and D-ROC. They didn’t anticipate that the victims’ messages and social media posts would be used against them and failed to elicit the bad testimony during their direct examination to take the sting out of cross. The prosecution didn’t call any of the sexual assault victims who filed civil lawsuits who did not have a romantic or professional relationship with Diddy. Victims who were minors can’t consent, so that avoids the defense’s best argument. And victims who don’t have a relationship with Diddy wouldn’t have messages expressing admiration for him.”
“The big question in the case was why did the victims stay if they were abused? The prosecution failed to answer that question. And the prosecution in the Harvey Weinstein retrial also failed to answer that question.”
“Even though the Mann Act carries a potential 10 year maximum sentence, Diddy is going to get time served or close to it. His sentencing guideline range may be as low as 15-21 months. Judge Subramanian should grant him bail today, and Diddy should be a free man. The jury has spoken and prosecutors in the prestigious Southern District of New York should take this very embarrassing loss and move on.”
Cassie Ventura’s lawyers spoke out after jurors reached a verdict in Sean “Diddy” Combs federal trial.
The jury found on Wednesday Diddy not guilty of racketeering conspiracy and sex trafficking. He was found guilty on both counts of transportation to engage in prostitution.
“This entire criminal process started when our client Cassie Ventura had the courage to file her civil complaint in November 2023,” Cassie’s lawyer, Doug Wigdor, said in a statement.
“Although the jury did not find Combs guilty of sex trafficking Cassie beyond a reasonable doubt, she paved the way for a jury to find him guilty of transportation to engage in prostitution. By coming forward with her experience, Cassie has left an indelible mark on both the entertainment industry and the fight for justice.”
Wigdor added, “We must repeat – with no reservation – that we believe and support our client who showed exemplary courage throughout this trial. She displayed unquestionable strength and brought attention to the realities of powerful men in our orbit and the misconduct that has persisted for decades without repercussion. This case proved that change is long overdue, and we will continue to fight on behalf of survivors.”
The jury in Sean “Diddy” Combs’ sex trafficking and racketeering trial reached a verdict on all counts Wednesday.
The jury found Diddy not guilty of racketeering conspiracy and sex trafficking. He was found guilty on both counts of transportation to engage in prostitution.
COUNT 1 – RICO: NOT GUILTY
COUNT 2 – SEX TRAFFICKING, CASSIE VENTURA: NOT GUILTY
COUNT 3 – MANN ACT TRANSPORTATION, CASSIE VENTURA: GUILTY
COUNT 4 – SEX TRAFFICKING, JANE: NOT GUILTY
COUNT 5 – MANN ACT TRANSPORTATION, JANE: GUILTY
A federal RICO violation can result in a 20-year sentence. The transportation to engage in prostitution charge could carry a sentence of up to 10 years, while sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion may carry a 20-year sentence.
President Trump calls for Fed Chair Jerome Powell to immediately resign: ‘Too late’
In the latest escalation in the feud between President Donald Trump and Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, the president appeared to call for Powell to resign after the head of the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) alleged Powell gave “deceptive” testimony to Congress.
Trump has expressed frustration with Powell for months for refusing to lower the Fed’s interest rates, which he has said was costing the U.S. a “fortune.”
On Monday, Trump sent a note to Powell highlighting how other countries around the world have lower interest rates compared to the U.S., and he continued accusing Powell of keeping rates “artificially high.”
“‘Jerome, you are, as usual, too late. You have cost the USA a fortune and continue to do so,'” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Monday, reading Trump’s note to Powell. “‘You should lower the rate by a lot. Hundreds of billions of dollars are being lost and there is no inflation.'”
TRUMP SENDS ‘MR. TOO LATE’ JEROME POWELL FIERY NOTE SPELLING OUT INTEREST RATE FAILURES COSTING US A ‘FORTUNE’
On Wednesday, Trump reposted a Bloomberg article on the FHFA head’s call for an investigation into Powell to his Truth Social account.
Trump wrote, “‘Too Late’ should resign immediately!!!”
Earlier Wednesday, FHFA Director Bill Pulte posted a statement on X, calling for Congress to investigate Powell’s alleged deceptive testimony, which he said was sufficient grounds for removal.
“I am asking Congress to investigate Chairman Jerome Powell, his political bias, and his deceptive Senate testimony, which is enough to be removed ‘for cause,’” Pulte wrote.
DOLLAR SLIDES TO 3-YEAR LOW ON REPORT TRUMP PLANS TO NAME NEXT FED CHAIR EARLY
In testimony to the Senate Banking Committee last week, Powell dismissed concerns about irresponsible expenses renovating the Fed headquarters in Washington, D.C.
Pulte quoted Sen. Cynthia Lummis, R-Wyo., who he said claimed Powell “made a number of factually inaccurate statements to the [Senate] Committee regarding the Fed’s plush private dining room and elevator, skylights, water features and roof terrace.”
“Jerome Powell’s $2.5B Building Renovation Scandal stinks to high heaven, and he lied when asked about the specifics before Congress. This is nothing short of malfeasance and is worthy of ‘for cause,’” Pulte wrote. “Chairman Powell needs to be investigated by Congress immediately.”
TRUMP SLAMS FED CHAIR POWELL FOR NOT CUTTING RATES: ‘AVERAGE MENTALLY PERSON’
Speaking with Bloomberg on Wednesday, House Judiciary Chair Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, responded to Pulte’s call for an investigation of Powell, saying, “We haven’t discussed that specifically,” but “everything is on the table.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
“We’ll take a look at that. Part of our constitutional duty is to do oversight of the executive branch, and, in our committee, we do oversight of the judicial branch as well.”
A representative for the Fed declined to comment.
Famous singer performs same tune at Bezos nuptials that she sang for Kate and William
Lauren Sánchez Bezos and Jeff Bezos’ lavish three-day wedding celebration shared a surprising connection to the royal nuptials of Prince William and Kate Middleton.
On June 27, Ellie Goulding sang at the billionaire and the former entertainment reporter’s wedding reception on the island of San Giorgio Maggiore in Venice, Italy, according to People magazine. The British singer previously gave a performance at William and Kate’s second wedding reception after they tied the knot April 29, 2011, in London.
The Prince and Princess of Wales shared their first dance while Goulding sang her cover of Elton John’s 1971 hit “Your Song.”
Goulding also performed “Your Song” at Bezos and Sánchez’s star-studded bash Friday. Famed opera singer Andrea Bocelli’s son, Matteo Bocelli, sang a cover of Elvis Presley’s “Can’t Help Falling in Love” as the newlyweds’ first dance song.
JEFF BEZOS, LAUREN SÁNCHEZ CELEBRITY WEDDING GUESTS TAKE VENICE BY STORM
William and Kate’s first wedding reception was a lunchtime affair thrown by the late Queen Elizabeth II while King Charles hosted the pair’s second, more intimate wedding reception in the Throne Room at Buckingham Palace.
Elton John, a close friend of William’s mother, the late Princess Diana, attended the second reception with David and Victoria Beckham.
While Goulding has yet to speak publicly about her performance during the Bezos-Sánchez wedding festivities, she previously opened up about singing for William and Kate.
During a 2012 interview with the Daily Mail, Goulding recalled meeting William before the royal nuptials and learned that they were fans of her music.
However, the two-time Grammy nominee shared she was shocked when she received an offer to perform for the couple on their wedding day.
“I knew they liked my songs, but I didn’t walk away from meeting William thinking it might lead to a gig at Buckingham Palace,” she recalled.
“Then I got a phone call suggesting there might be something in the offing, but I didn’t tell anyone for a long time,” Goulding continued.
LIKE WHAT YOU’RE READING? CLICK HERE FOR MORE ENTERTAINMENT NEWS
“I wasn’t told to stay quiet, but I thought it best to keep things under my hat,” she added. “I knew there would be massive interest in the wedding, so I wanted to keep something private. In the end, somebody leaked it, but I’m glad we managed to keep it under wraps for a while.”
Goulding admitted she was nervous ahead of her high-profile gig as William and Kate’s wedding singer.
“Performing the first dance of the night, ‘Your Song’ was nerve-wracking,” she recalled. “But William and Kate were very appreciative. They are an awesome couple and told me how much they enjoyed it. My band and I stayed at the reception all night, and it’s something I’ll treasure forever.”
CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR THE ENTERTAINMENT NEWSLETTER
Goulding later serenaded William and Kate again with her 2011 song “Starry Eyed” and some of her other original tracks. She also performed covers of famous songs, including The Killers’ “Mr. Brightside” and Stevie Wonder’s “Superstition.”
In 2022, Goulding reunited with William and Kate when she performed at the prince’s Earthshot Prize Awards ceremony.
Bezos and Sánchez’s reception also featured performances by Usher, who sang his hit “Yeah,” and sets by DJ Cassidy, DJ Kygo and DJ Mei Kwok, according to People.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
Numerous celebrities attended the reception, including Orlando Bloom, Tom Brady, Oprah Winfrey, Gayle King, Leonardo DiCaprio, Kim Kardashian, Khloé Kardashian, Kris Jenner, Kylie Jenner, Sydney Sweeney, Ivanka Trump, Jared Kushner, Karlie Kloss, Josh Kushner, Bill Gates and Queen Rania of Jordan.