TSA PreCheck, Global Entry suspended as government shutdown drags on

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) will suspend TSA PreCheck and Global Entry beginning Sunday as a partial government shutdown continues.

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem on Saturday blamed Democrats for shutting down the government, saying they were causing “serious real world consequences.”

“This is the third time that Democrat politicians have shut down this department during the 119th Congress,” Noem said in a statement provided to Fox News Digital. “Shutdowns have serious real world consequences, not just for the men and women of DHS and their families who go without a paycheck, but it endangers our national security.”

The suspension of the programs, which allow some travelers to quickly get through airport security, was first reported by The Washington Post, which noted the changes would begin Sunday at 6 a.m. EST.

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Noem said the department was making “tough but necessary workforce and resource decisions to mitigate the damage inflicted by these politicians.”

She said TSA and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) would be “prioritizing the general traveling population at our airports and ports of entry and suspending courtesy and special privilege escorts.” The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), she added, will halt all non-disaster-related response to prioritize disasters.

Noem noted the suspension comes as a major storm is expected to hit the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast.

NOEM SLAMS DEMS BLOCKING DHS FUNDING BILL CITING TSA, FEMA, COAST GUARD: ‘I HOPE THEY COME TO THEIR SENSES’

Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., ranking member of the House Homeland Security Committee, criticized the Trump administration for “idiotically” shutting down the programs “to punish the American people.”

“This is Trump and Kristi Noem purposely punishing the American people and using them as pawns for their sadistic political games,” he said in a statement. “TSA PreCheck and Global Entry REDUCE airport lines and ease the burden on DHS staff who are working without pay because of Trump’s abuse of the Department and killing of American citizens.”

He called on the administration to immediately reverse the decision.

The third government shutdown in under half a year began on Feb. 14 after Democrats and Republicans were at an impasse on reaching a deal regarding President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown.

DHS was the only department left without federal funding after Democrats walked away from a bipartisan plan released last month in response to the deaths of two U.S. citizens at the hands of federal law enforcement agents in Minneapolis during anti-ICE demonstrations.

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DHS is the third-largest Cabinet agency with nearly 272,000 employees. Roughly 90% of DHS workers were expected to continue working, many without pay, according to the department’s Sept. 2025 government shutdown plan.

DHS has jurisdiction over numerous agencies and offices, including CBP, TSA, FEMA, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), the U.S. Coast Guard, and the U.S. Secret Service.

Pennsylvania high school senior faces over 300 felonies in alleged sextortion scheme

A Pennsylvania high school senior is facing hundreds of felony charges after authorities reportedly accused him of operating a “large-scale criminal network” involving sextortion and catfishing.

Zachariah Abraham Meyers, 18, of McMurray — about 15 miles southwest of Pittsburgh — was arrested Friday and charged with more than 300 felonies, including trafficking in minors, sexual extortion, unlawful contact with a minor, distribution of child sexual abuse material, among other offenses, according to a court docket obtained by Fox News Digital.

Police allege Meyers, a senior at Peters Township High School, used social media platforms, including TikTok and Snapchat, to lure the victims into communicating with him, according to local outlets WTAE and WPXI.

HIGH SCHOOL TEACHER ARRESTED IN ALLEGED SEX CASE INVOLVING STUDENT

Investigators interviewed 30 underage boys during the probe and identified at least 21 victims, WPXI reported.

Authorities say Meyers used photos of other people to catfish the victims. One of the alleged false identities included was that of an adult film actress from another country, according to WTAE and WPXI.

“Meyers was able to deceive and coerce juvenile males into sending explicit pornographic images and videos of themselves,” authorities said.

FAMILY OF OHIO TEACHER ‘CLINGING TO FAITH’ AFTER EX-‘AMERICAN IDOL’ CONTESTANT HUSBAND CHARGED WITH HER MURDER

Evidence recovered from Meyers’ phone allegedly linked him to the criminal activity, WPXI reported.

Meyers is being held at Washington County Prison pending a preliminary hearing.

He was denied bail and is considered both a danger to the community and a flight risk, according to the court docket.

In a statement provided to WTAE, the Peters Township School District said police informed the district of the ongoing investigation.

MARYLAND HIGH SCHOOL LOCKED DOWN AFTER SHOOTING LEAVES ONE PERSON INJURED

“The Police have indicated that there is no immediate safety risk to our schools, and we will continue to cooperate fully with the investigation,” the Peters Township School District said in a statement. 

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“The safety and well-being of our students, staff, and families remain our highest priority, and we appreciate all the efforts of the Peters Township Police in this matter.”

The Peters Township School District and the Peters Township Police Department did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.

DAVID MARCUS: Memo to Bono: Please shut up and go away

I regret to inform you that Bono, the aging Irish pop star and front man for the band U2, is at it again, lecturing us poors as he always does. This time, it’s about supposedly fascist efforts by the Trump administration to arrest and deport illegal immigrant criminals.

This week, the band, which hasn’t produced a relevant song since the invention of the iPod, released the single “American Obituary,” meant to be a searing protest anthem against President Donald Trump, but actually a ditty just as flaccid as all of Bono’s mailed-in outrage-of-the-day efforts.

Take this profound line:

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SPRINGSTEEN JABS TRUMP AS ‘WANNABE KING’ AS FAMED ROCKER LAUNCHES CONCERT TOUR ‘IN DEFENSE OF AMERICA’

Did it happen near a tree? Did she know how to ski? And does Dr. Seuss know that Bono is raiding his notebooks?

This prancing clown has taken an incredibly fraught and complicated situation in Minneapolis, where a federal agent shot and killed Good, and made it seem like murder. However, Bono doesn’t bother to mention that Good was hitting the officer with her car when she was shot.

Not exactly a minor detail.

BILL MAHER ROASTS BILLIE EILISH’S ANTI-ICE GRAMMYS SPEECH: ‘KNOWLEDGE’ MATTERS

No, instead of anything remotely resembling the truth, Bono is stoking anger in America at the behest of the billionaires who sign his checks, produce his musak, and hate Trump with the power of a thousand SpaceX launches.

Honestly, it has been enough. For 40 years Bono has parroted every lefty billionaire’s cause, been wrong about most of them, flown around on private jets while complaining about carbon emissions and just generally been annoying.

At every Clinton Global Initiative Gala, there’s Bono. Every conference on global warming, every scam “feed the children” campaign run by the UN that mostly enriches African warlords, yep, there’s Bono.

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It is not a stretch to say that Bono’s primary job and role in the universe for decades now has been to be the poster child of global liberalism, with all the smarmy smugness that comes with it.

He’s sure as hell not a contemporary musical artist in any meaningful sense of the word. People attend his shows to hear songs from the 1980s, not new releases.

Remember when Apple forced everyone to own the latest U2 album by having it automatically download on devices?

JIMMY FAILLA: BILLIE EILISH CRIES ‘STOLEN LAND’ — THEN GOES HOME TO HER $2.3M CALIFORNIA MANSION

That happened because nobody actually wanted the latest U2 album. If people wanted it, they would not have given it to us, they’d have made us buy it.

This tells us something very important about the incentive structures that exist for our celebrities, and perhaps, why so many of them, the vast majority, in fact, regularly spout off lefty talking points.

Compare the treatment of Bono to his Brit pop star contemporary Morrissey, whose upcoming album “Make-up Is A Lie”  took years for any record label to release, even with extremely high demand, because it confronts Islamic terrorism and defends Western values.

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Morrissey has famously never bent the knee to the record industry when told what to say or when to shut up. Bono lives on that knee, lives off of that knee, and is likely too set in his ways to ever stand up again.

What message does this send to every musical performer, actor or filmmaker in the world? It says, “Push the progressive Soros agenda or else.” You can be rich and famous or you can challenge the left’s holy truths, not both.

Bono is now trying to airlift in as Gen Z’s Bob Dylan, to be the toast of the campus protests and an important and significant musical artist again. But it’s just so obvious that he is going through the motions with fake moral outrage and a new cheesy ballad.

PINS, PLATITUDES AND SILENCE: HOLLYWOOD’S HOLLOW RESPONSE TO RENEE GOOD

In the name of love, I am imploring Bono to just finally shut the hell up. We can all make our political judgments with or without you, and honestly, after decades of your puerile pontifications, the latter would be preferable.

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The protest music of the 1960s was important because it was organic. It was of a piece with the sounds of that culture itself. Bono’s neoliberal rehashing bears no resemblance to the fiery anger, the Palestinian flags, and the Black Bloc Antifa crews of 2026 anti-government agitation.

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His song is nothing but a puff piece.

For whatever reason, for 40 years, Bono has been made the pope of pop culture, its moral arbiter and yardstick. He has always been terrible at it, and it is time for his tepid rule to end.

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Mixed DNA samples stall Nancy Guthrie missing persons case as lab struggles

TUCSON, Ariz. — Investigators in the Nancy Guthrie missing persons case are not looking into any new names, Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos said, amid challenges with mixed DNA found at the 84-year-old’s Arizona home at the lab his agency is using. 

“In terms of leads and working and getting out there, I think that’s still growing, yeah,” Nanos said of the investigation during an interview with “NBC Nightly News” that aired Saturday. 

The sheriff’s remarks ran counter to statements from local businesses about how they’ve been shown a list of names and images by the FBI. 

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It’s also unclear whether the DNA recovered inside Guthrie’s has been useful for the investigation. Nanos said the samples are mixed, meaning they contain DNA from more than one person, making it harder to run through national databases.

“Our lab tells us that there are challenges with it,” Nanos said of the Florida lab his department is using. “The technology is moving so fast and in such a frenzy that they think some of this stuff will resolve itself just in a matter of weeks, months, or maybe a year.”

FOX NEWS TRUE CRIME NEWSLETTER: RANSOM DEADLINE PASSES, KEY EVIDENCE EMERGES IN NANCY GUTHRIE CASE

The sheriff noted that investigators were still working other avenues of the weeks-long probe into Guthrie’s abduction. 

“I think we’re getting a little closer to identifying some of the other articles, not just that backpack. Like the shoes, the pants, the shirt or jacket,” he said. 

Guthrie was last seen on the night of Saturday, Jan. 31, 2026, after being dropped off at her home in the Catalina Foothills area near Tucson. 

“It’s never fast enough for the Sheriff,” Nanos said of the criticism of his office weeks after Gutherie’s disappearance, with no arrests made. “I want it like you. Come on, guys, let’s go. Let’s go, let us find her. But the reality is, I also know that sometimes things take time.”

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“We’re not quitting,” he added. “We’ll find her.”

Controversial skier who chose China over the US responds to American star’s gold medal

American-born Team China skier Eileen Gu commented on Team USA figure skater Alysa Liu’s historic gold medal in the women’s free skate final Thursday at the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics.

After Liu became the first American women’s figure skater to win an individual Olympic medal in 20 years and first to win a gold in 24 years, she made a celebratory Instagram post. 

“These are for y’all,” Liu wrote in the caption of a photo holding her gold medal and the U.S. team gold. 

ALYSA LIU VS EILEEN GU — HOW TWO CHINESE AMERICAN STARS WOUND UP ON OPPOSITE SIDES OF AN OLYMPIC PROXY WAR

Gu commented on the post, celebrating Liu’s victory.

“YESSSSSS,” Gu wrote in the comment section. 

The two Chinese American stars have been relentlessly compared and contrasted on social media this Olympics. 

Both athletes are the children of immigrants who came to the U.S. from China. But many fans and critics have been quick to point out the contrast between Liu’s story, a tale of American loyalty by an immigrant’s child, and Gu, who chose to compete for Team China when she was 15 years old despite living in California.

Arthur Liu raised Alysa and her siblings in Oakland. Yan Gu raised Eileen just across the bay in San Francisco.

Their paths diverged in 2019.

The Chinese government launched a program to recruit foreign-born athletes, primarily with Chinese heritage, to boost competitiveness, notably for the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics and soccer, according to The China Project.

Gu and Liu were top recruiting targets.

Gu traded in her red, white and blue for red and gold. Just months after competing in her first Freestyle Ski World Cup for the U.S. in January 2019, she competed for China for the first time in June of that year after requesting a change of nation with the International Ski Federation.

The Lius remained loyal to Team USA.

US OLYMPIAN ALYSA LIU WAS ONCE TARGETED BY CHINESE SPIES – HERE’S WHAT SHE HAS TO SAY ABOUT IT

Arthur was reportedly “not open to persuasion” to having Alysa compete for China, according to The Economist.

Both athletes competed at the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics, Gu representing China and Liu representing the U.S. 

Gu won two gold medals and one silver in freeskiing and went home to California as a new global household name for her success.

Liu finished in sixth place in women’s singles figure skating, then went into a temporary early retirement, before returning to the sport in 2024. 

But in 2026, Liu is the only one with any gold after helping the U.S. win team gold and her historic individual gold on Thursday. Maybe if Gu represented USA she would have won gold. 

Liu landed all her jumps and smiled during the individual final before erupting in a demonstrative celebration after she finished. 

She yelled, “That’s what I’m f—ing talking about!’ and “Holy s—!” while celebrating with her team. She finished with a 226.79 total score, a 150.20 free skate score and a 76.59 short program score. It was her season-best free skate score.

OLYMPIANS SPEAK OUT IN DEFENSE OF EILEEN GU AMID CRITICISM FOR COMPETING FOR CHINA OVER US

But Gu has only won two silvers so far in Italy. 

An interaction Tuesday with a reporter went viral after Gu responded to a question about her winning two silver medals instead of gold so far this Olympics, suggesting the question came from a “ridiculous perspective.”

“I’m the most decorated female freeskier in history. I think that’s an answer in and of itself,” Gu said when asked if she saw her two medals as “silvers earned” or “golds lost.”

“How do I say this? Winning a medal at the Olympics is a life-changing experience for every athlete. Doing it five times is exponentially harder because every medal is equally hard for me, but everybody else’s expectations rise, right? 

“The two medals lost situation, to be quite frank with you, I think is kind of a ridiculous perspective to take. I’m showcasing my best skiing. I’m doing things that quite literally have never been done before. So, I think that is more than good enough, but thank you.”

Gu will have one last chance to win gold in the women’s halfpipe final, considered her strongest event, Sunday. The event will take place a day after it was originally scheduled due to intense snow in the area.

Gu nearly lost out on any chance at a gold medal after falling in the halfpipe qualifier on Thursday. But she recovered in her second run to earn a spot in the final.

Gu has had to compete under the pressure of immense global scrutiny in response to her decision to compete for China seven years ago.

Gu was asked if she feels “like a bit of a punching bag for a certain strand of American politics” after her competition on Thursday.

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“I do,” she said, according to USA Today. “So many athletes compete for a different country. … People only have a problem with me doing it because they kind of lump China into this monolithic entity, and they just hate China. So, it’s not really about what they think it’s about.

“And also, because I win. Like, if I wasn’t doing well, I think that they probably wouldn’t care as much, and that’s OK for me. People are entitled to their opinions.”  

Pop icon ditches ‘cool’ image for faith as fans cry ‘canceled’ over religious turn

Gwen Stefani is facing both backlash and praise after speaking out on faith.

As the pop icon promotes a 40-day Lent challenge on the prayer and meditation app Hallow, she’s facing accusations of undergoing a “MAGA makeover.”

“Hey everyone, I just got my ashes, and I’m ready for Lent. This year, I’ll be doing Hallow’s 40-day Lent Prayer Challenge. It’s going to be incredible. Check it out. God bless,” Stefani says in the ad, which has been widely shared on social media.

GWEN STEFANI ‘STEPPING BOLDLY INTO HER FAITH,’ SPARKING STRONG REACTIONS FROM FANS: EXPERT

In another video she posted on Instagram on Ash Wednesday, the 55-year-old singer expressed her excitement for Lent and invited her 17.7 million followers to join her in the 40-day prayer challenge with Hallow. 

Stefani’s boldness in stepping forward with her faith — and her decision to work with Hallow — has not come without controversy.

Stefani’s loyal fans appear divided on social media. Some have been cheering her on, but others are more critical, accusing her of abandoning her former “cool” image and diving headfirst into religious conservatism by partnering with the app, which has garnered criticism for its anti-abortion stance and its ties to conservative figures like Vice President JD Vance, who is an investor.

One critic wrote on X, “How she went from being the coolest woman ever to this MAGA religious b—- is beyond me. Shame on her.”

GWEN STEFANI SAYS SHE’S TURNED TO FAITH ‘RIGHT AWAY’ DURING TOUGH TIMES: ‘IT’S A JOURNEY’

Another lamented, “Gwen Stefani’s MAGA downfall is soooo disappointing.”

“She ain’t no hollaback girl anymore … she has the maga makeover…” another comment read, as the user referred to one of her hit songs.

One person simply wrote, “Ugh canceled.”

Defenders have rushed to Stefani’s side, calling out what they say as hypocrisy from those criticizing her for her faith.

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“If being religious is now a MAGA thing, then maybe we should start dragging all your favorites who also share faith,” one fan wrote.

Another fan hit back at the “MAGA” labeling, saying, “It’s a huge disservice when we label people who just want to stay out of the political moment. Gwen represents millions who don’t fit into these boxes. We should be careful.”

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One user quipped, “You’re the only reason I’m still on this godforsaken app…”

Several other followers left heart emojis in support of Stefani.

This isn’t the first time Stefani has teamed up with Hallow.

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She first announced her collaboration in December 2024, as she launched a 25-day prayer challenge for Advent, another partnership with the app that invited her fans to engage in prayer and meditation ahead of Christmas.

The app has also received endorsements from other celebrities, including Mark Wahlberg and Chris Pratt.

California governor crashes daughter’s party after spotting phone-obsessed teens

California Gov. Gavin Newsom entered the battle over social media age limits for kids under 16 on Thursday, stating “it’s long overdue.”

Newsom shared his thoughts on the issue during a news conference regarding public transportation in the Bay Area. 

He shared his own experience as a father, recalling a recent incident where he confronted his daughter and her friends at a birthday party.

“I literally stopped everybody because there were seven of them together on their cellphone at the birthday party, not one of them talking to each other,” Newsom told reporters. 

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Seven members of the California State Assembly introduced a bipartisan bill this month to establish a minimum age requirement to “open or maintain a social media account.”

“It’s long overdue that we’re having the debate we’re having now in the legislature, and I’m very grateful the legislature is taking this very seriously,” Newsom said.

The bill doesn’t clarify a cutoff age.

The bill cites preexisting laws that “impose various requirements on social media platforms,” including things such as requiring platforms to post terms of service, “disclose threat reporting procedures and maintain a law enforcement contact process.”

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Newsom also stated he recently met with leaders at the Munich Security Conference and World Economic Forum in Switzerland concerning social media.

“I was overseas to meet with Prime Minister Sanchez of Spain, who’s also moving in this direction. We had a direct conversation about this. I also met with the Vice Premier of Australia,” Newsom said.

“It’s something that I’m very grateful that we are debating and pursuing at the state level,” Newsom continued.

Newsom later confirmed to Politico that he wants state legislation that would restrict access to online platforms for individuals under 16. 

Newsom spokesperson Tara Gallegos said the governor supports “age-gating rules,” inspired by rules that took effect in Australia.

NEARLY TWO-THIRDS OF AMERICAN VOTERS BACK SOCIAL MEDIA BAN FOR KIDS UNDER 16, FOX NEWS POLL SHOWS

He doubled down in a social media post Saturday, saying, “Bad news for child predators: they’ll soon lose access to kids on the platforms they use to groom them,” while taking a swipe at President Donald Trump.

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“As a parent, we need help,” Newsom said Thursday. “We have a generation that’s never been more anxious, less free, more stressed and we have to address this issue.”

Newsom’s office and the White House did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.

NYC seeks emergency snow shovelers for blizzard, requires IDs not needed to vote

New York City on Saturday put out a call for emergency snow shovelers ahead of a powerful nor’easter bomb cyclone, requiring workers to submit multiple forms of identification — contrasting the city’s election policy for most voters.

For the first time in nearly a decade, a blizzard warning was issued for New York City, with expected snowfall totaling 19 to 24 inches and wind gusts up to 55 mph.

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul declared a State of Emergency for New York City, and Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced outreach teams have been mobilized.

The New York City Department of Sanitation (DSNY) announced Saturday it is recruiting temporary, per diem shovelers to remove snow and ice from public areas, including bus stops, crosswalks, fire hydrants and step streets.

SHOVELING SNOW COULD POSE DANGEROUS HEALTH RISK FOR ONE GROUP, EXPERTS WARN

While pay is generous, starting at $19.14 per hour and increasing to $28.71 per hour after the first 40 hours worked in a week, workers must meet a number of requirements to be eligible.

Shovelers must be at least 18 years old, able to perform heavy physical labor and eligible to work in the U.S., according to the department.

They must also bring two small 1.5-inch square photos, two original forms of ID and copies, along with a Social Security card for registration, officials said.

TENNESSEE MAN DIES AFTER SUFFERING HEART ATTACK WHILE SHOVELING SNOW, ADDING TO STORM TOLL

Unlike the strict emergency worker guidelines, the New York City Board of Elections does not require most registered voters to bring an ID.

First-time voters are only required to bring one of three documents including: driver’s license number, non-driver ID number or the last four digits of a Social Security number.

Those who did not provide ID when registering to vote are also able to vote by affidavit ballot.

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The DSNY did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.

JP Morgan Chase admits J6 debanking of Trump accounts amid $5B lawsuit

JPMorgan Chase Bank recently admitted it closed President Donald Trump‘s bank accounts following the Jan. 6, 2021, breach of the U.S. Capitol, a confession spurred by a $5 billion legal challenge from the president last month.

The suit, brought against the bank and its CEO, Jamie Dimon, in Miami state court, accused the financial institution of debanking Trump for political reasons.

In a new court filing, Dan Wilkening, chief administrative officer for global banking at JPMorgan, confirmed that in February 2021, the bank informed Trump and several of his hospitality companies that certain accounts would be closed.

Copies of formal letters sent by JPMorgan are dated Feb. 19, 2021.

TRUMP SUES JPMORGAN CHASE AND CEO JAMIE DIMON FOR $5B OVER ALLEGED ‘POLITICAL’ DEBANKING

One letter addressed to Jeffrey McConney, of The Trump Corporation, explicitly states, “JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. (‘we’) has decided to close its banking relationship with The Trump Corporation and its affiliated entities.”

Another letter addressed directly to Trump states, “We may determine that a client’s interests are no longer served by maintaining a relationship. … With that in mind, this letter is to respectfully inform you that we will need to end our current relationship.”

Wilkening claimed the bank handled the remaining balances in the accounts by working with Trump and his companies to move their funds to other institutions, in accordance with the bank’s standard account agreements.

Trump and his companies were given until April 19, 2021, to transfer hundreds of millions of dollars before the accounts were officially closed.

TRUMP SAYS HE WILL SUE JPMORGAN CHASE OVER ‘INCORRECT’ POST-JAN 6 DEBANKING

His attorneys alleged that Bank of America later refused to accept large deposits when he attempted to bank elsewhere.

While the bank’s letters do not provide a specific reason for the closures, Trump attorneys are alleging the accounts were “unlawfully closed due to political discrimination” and that they were placed on a “blacklist.”

In an earlier filing, Trump’s attorneys noted he was a JPMorgan customer for decades, and he and his affiliated entities transacted “hundreds of millions of dollars” through the bank.

Based on account agreements JPMorgan shared with the court, the institution can justify closing certain accounts, with or without cause, and generally permit either party to terminate accounts with at least 30 days written notice.

The agreements also authorize closure upon written notice of specific reasons, including breach of contract, financial impairment or insolvency, legal or regulatory requirements, or activities the bank in “good faith” believes violate its policies.

JPMorgan’s policies are primarily structured around regulatory compliance and risk management, specifically anti-money laundering and anti-terrorism, government sanctions, unlawful transactions, and adherence to general legal and banking standards.

The agreements note customers must comply with all notified bank policies, and the bank reserves the right to refuse transactions, freeze funds or close accounts without further notice if it determines an activity conflicts with its policies.

Trump’s attorneys are accusing JPMorgan Chase and its CEO of trade libel, violating Florida’s unfair and deceptive trade practices act, declaratory relief and breach of implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing — demanding a jury trial.

TRUMP ORGANIZATION, ERIC TRUMP SUE CAPITAL ONE FOR ‘UNJUSTIFIABLE’ 2021 DEBANKING BASED ON ‘WOKE’ BELIEFS

Lawyers said they are “confident that JPMC’s unilateral decision came about as a result of political and social motivations, and JPMC’s unsubstantiated, ‘woke’ beliefs that it needed to distance itself from President Trump and his conservative political views.”

“In addition to the considerable financial and reputational harm that Plaintiffs and their affiliated entities suffered, JPMC’s reckless decision is leading a growing trend by financial institutions in the United States of America to cut off a consumer’s access to banking services if their political views contradict with those of the financial institution,” Trump’s attorneys wrote in the initial complaint.

Dimon in 2025 denied that his institution debanks customers based on political views.

“We don’t debank people because of political or religious affiliations,” Dimon said on Capitol Hill Feb. 13, 2025. “But there are a lot of things that can be fixed. We should fix them. The rules and requirements are so onerous, and it does cause people to be debanked in my opinion, should not be debated.”

The Trump Organization also sued Capital One in 2025, claiming the bank in 2021 “unjustifiably” terminated more than 300 of its bank accounts, and accounts belonging to Trump family members.

At the time, a Capital One spokesperson told Fox News Digital, “Capital One has not and does not close customer accounts for political reasons.”

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JPMorgan Chase did not immediately respond to FOX Business’ request for comment.