FBI subpoenaed Kash Patel and Susie Wiles’ phone records in federal Trump investigation
The FBI subpoenaed Kash Patel and Susie Wiles’ phone records in 2022 and 2023, when both were private citizens, as part of a federal probe into then former President Donald Trump, Fox News has confirmed.
Patel is the current FBI director, and Wiles is White House chief of staff.
At least ten FBI employees were fired Wednesday, Fox News has been told. Names were not given due to privacy reasons.
Reuters first disclosed the subpoenas, which were issued during the Biden administration, while special counsel Jack Smith was investigating Trump’s efforts to overturn the 2020 election and his handling of classified documents at Mar-a-Lago.
Smith ended up charging Trump in 2023 with multiple felony offenses related to alleged efforts to challenge the results of the 2020 election and Trump’s handling of the documents after he left office.
A federal judge later dismissed the election interference case after Smith moved to drop it following Trump’s re-election, citing a Justice Department policy against prosecuting a sitting president.
Smith also dropped the Justice Department’s appeal of a separate ruling that dismissed the classified documents case. Trump has denied any wrongdoing in both matters.
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In a statement to Fox News Wednesday, Patel called the move to seize the phone records “outrageous and deeply alarming.”
“It is outrageous and deeply alarming that the previous FBI leadership secretly subpoenaed my own phone records — along with those of now White House chief of staff Susie Wiles — using flimsy pretexts and burying the entire process in prohibited case files designed to evade all oversight,” he said.
The FBI had found the phone records in files labeled as “Prohibited,” Reuters reported.
Patel also said he recently ended the FBI’s ability to categorize files as “Prohibited.”
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Fox News also learned from two FBI officials that in 2023, FBI agents recorded a phone call between Wiles and her attorney.
According to those officials, Wiles’ attorney was aware the call was being recorded and consented, but Wiles was not informed.
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Smith testified last year that records of members’ calls helped investigators verify the timeline of events surrounding the Jan. 6 Capitol riot.
He said prosecutors “followed all legal requirements in getting those records” and told a House panel the records obtained from lawmakers did not include the content of conversations, Reuters reported.
GOP strategist says Democrat sit-in during Trump challenge cut a ‘billion dollar ad’
Republican political strategists are salivating over what they perceive as a misfire by the Democratic Party during President Donald Trump’s State of the Union address, arguing incidents of clear defiance and contempt for Trump’s message will be “huge” for the GOP in the upcoming midterm elections.
One of the most dramatic moments of Trump’s address on Tuesday night came when the president challenged every lawmaker in the chamber to stand if they believe their first duty is to protect American citizens rather than illegal immigrants.
“One of the great things about the State of the Union is how it gives Americans the chance to see clearly what their representatives really believe,” Trump said. “So tonight, I’m inviting every legislator to join with my administration in reaffirming a fundamental principle: if you agree with this statement, then stand up and show your support: The first duty of the American government is to protect American citizens, not illegal aliens.”
As Trump said this, Republicans stood while Democrats remained seated, prompting condemnation from the president. The White House called the moment a “must-watch.”
Ryan James Girdusky, a GOP strategist with 1776 Project PAC, was quick to recognize the significance of the moment, writing on X, “A billion dollar ad just wrote itself because they wouldn’t stand.”
“Trump just orchestrated a great midterm ad, stand if you care about American citizens over illegal aliens and all the Democrats sat,” wrote Girdusky.
Tim Murtaugh, a former Trump senior advisor and campaign communications director, told Fox News Digital that “it was a huge moment because it forced the Democrats to self-identify as radicals who would rather defend illegal aliens over law-abiding American citizens.”
“There could be no clearer illustration that Democrats root against America when they’re not in power,” said Murtaugh, who runs Line Drive Public Affairs.
He accused Democrats of being “embarrassed to be Americans, whether they’re in power or not.”
“In their mind, good news for Americans is bad news for Democrats,” said Murtaugh. “They aren’t going to solve any problems — they’re only going to add to them — and the American people got to see them proclaim it themselves.”
“That moment will certainly be useful, and President Trump knows them so well he was able to make them do it,” he added.
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Lora Ries, director of the Border Security and Immigration Center at The Heritage Foundation, told Fox News Digital that congressional Democrats “clearly showed America they believe their number one duty is to protect illegal aliens, not American citizens.”
“Hopefully, that opened many more eyes to see that Democrats, to hang onto power, rely on illegal aliens (and other noncitizens) to illegally vote, have their ballots harvested, and for their headcount in the U.S. Census to maintain their congressional districts and the number of presidential electoral votes in their states,” said Ries, adding, “This is why Democrats refuse to vote for proof of citizenship during voter registration or proof of ID when voting.”
She advocated for passage of the Save America Act, which she said, “Would make these changes, which are critically needed to bring integrity to, and confidence in, our federal elections.” The Save Act, officially the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act, has passed the House but faces an uncertain path in the Senate.
While Republicans have predicted that the Democrats’ sitting moment will loom large in the midterm elections, not all see it that way. Former President Barack Obama speechwriter and Democratic strategist Jon Favreau mocked Republicans for calling attention to the moment, posting on X that “It’s genuinely so funny how hard they’re trying to make this a thing.”
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Courtney Rice, Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee communications director, told Fox News Digital, “House Democrats have been clear that we need to secure the border and reform the broken immigration system, both of which can be done without shooting American citizens on their own streets and terrorizing communities.”
Rice said, “Republicans’ overreach in enacting their immigration enforcement has turned voters against them,” which she said is reflected in polling.
“Trump continues to downplay and mock voters’ concerns over how expensive everything is – and Republicans refuse to say or do anything to the contrary,” she said, adding, “Their cruelty and refusal to listen to voters’ concerns will be why they lose in November.”
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Meanwhile, Stephen Miller, deputy chief of staff for policy and Homeland Security advisor, said the moment in which Democrats refused to stand sent “chills to the bone” and said it “will live for a thousand years.”
“Democrats declared to the world their searing disdain for, and profound disloyalty to, the actual citizens of the United States. They were repeatedly entreated to stand. Over and over. They refused,” said Miller.
Team USA goalie admits Olympic squad blew it after laughing at Trump quip
President Donald Trump’s phone call to the United States men’s Olympic hockey team garnered controversy after laughter followed a mention of the women’s team.
While on the phone with the team after they won gold, Trump said he would “have” to invite the women’s team, which also beat Canada to win the Olympics, to Tuesday’s State of the Union — otherwise, he “probably would be impeached.”
The quip drummed up some laughter in the locker room, which Team USA backup goalie Jeremy Swayman seemed to regret.
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“We should have reacted differently,” Swayman told reporters Wednesday when asked about the phone call.
Members of the men’s team, including Jack and Quinn Hughes, made it a point to mention that the teams celebrated and supported each other throughout the Olympics.
Swayman, too, hammered home the point.
“We know that we are so excited for the women’s team. We have so much respect for the women’s team. To share that gold medal with them is something we’re forever grateful for,” he said.
The women’s team declined an invitation to Washington, D.C., citing scheduling conflicts. But Trump announced that they will visit the White House in due time.
Jack Hughes told reporters after the game that the first thing he thought about when the puck went in was Megan Keller, who scored the golden goal for the United States women’s team against Canada three days earlier.
Hughes’ brother, Quinn, who scored an overtime goal against Sweden last week, said it was “amazing to spend some time” with the women’s team in the Olympic village.
The brothers’ mother, Ellen, a former Team USA player and current player development staff member, did not seem bothered by Trump’s comments.
“These players, both the men and women, can bring so much unity to a group and to a country,” she told “Today.” “People that cheered on that don’t watch hockey, people that have politics on one side or on the other side, and that’s all both the men’s team and the women’s team care about.
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“If you could see what we see from the inside, and the men and women sharing, you know, dorm rooms and halls and flex floors and the camaraderie and the synergy and the way the women cheered on the men and the way the men cheered on the women — that’s what it’s all about,” she continued. “And the other things they cannot control. They care about humanity. They care about unity, and they care about the country.”
Secret report exposes Iran regime’s survival plan if Khamenei disappears
FIRST ON FOX: A new report detailing the inner workings of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s office says the Islamic Republic’s real command structure lies not in Iran’s visible government, but in a shadow apparatus designed to preserve regime control even if the supreme leader himself disappears from public view.
The report, Unmasking the Bayt: Inside the Supreme Leader’s Office, published by United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI) and authored by Saeid Golkar and Kasra Aarabi, describes the Bayt, the Office of the Supreme Leader, as a vast institutional network embedded across Iran’s military, economy, religious institutions and state bureaucracy.
“It is the hidden nerve center of the regime in Iran… it operates as a state within a state,” Aarabi said in an interview with Fox News Digital.
According to Aarabi, the system allows Khamenei to oversee and influence decision-making at every level of the Islamic Republic, including nuclear policy, war planning and internal security.
“This is what gives Khamenei absolute control. It’s not the visible state, this is the invisible state,” he said.
The report estimates roughly 4,000 people operate inside the Bayt’s core structure, with tens of thousands more working through affiliated institutions across the country.
“There’s around 4,000 close employees… think of them as commissars… the real policymakers,” Aarabi said. “Beyond that, the Bayt’s umbrella has 40,000 individuals working for it… entrenched at every single layer of policy, every single state entity.”
The report maps a tightly controlled inner circle at the top of the Bayt, including Khamenei’s sons, particularly Mojtaba Khamenei, who is described as operating like a “mini-supreme leader” within his father’s office.
It details how the structure reaches directly into Iran’s military chain of command, with senior promotions requiring approval from the Supreme Leader’s office and parallel counterintelligence bodies monitoring loyalty across the armed forces. The Bayt, the report says, also plays a decisive role in nuclear negotiations and wartime decision-making, ensuring ultimate authority remains concentrated around the supreme leader.
The network, Aarabi said, effectively duplicates state ministries inside Khamenei’s office, allowing direct oversight and ideological enforcement across government agencies, universities and cultural institutions.
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The report also outlines how the Bayt sustains regime durability through control of the economy, religious institutions and the education system. Networks of foundations and conglomerates tied to the supreme leader oversee major sectors of Iran’s economy, while clerical institutions, universities and cultural bodies are monitored by embedded representatives tasked with enforcing ideological compliance and suppressing dissent.
“Think of the Bayt as the nucleus of the core power of the regime,” Aarabi said.
The findings come amid renewed speculation about Khamenei’s health and reduced public visibility, as well as growing regional tensions and the possibility of military confrontation involving Iran.
Aarabi pushed back on suggestions that Khamenei’s absence from public appearances signals weakening authority or internal fragmentation.
“We saw this during the 12-day war… even if he is hiding in a bunker, he is in full control. The Bayt has been tightening Khamenei’s grip on power,” he said.
The structure, he argued, was deliberately built to function even without the supreme leader physically present.
“Even if he is eliminated, the Bayt as an institution enables the supreme leader to function,” Aarabi said. “Think of the supreme leader as an institution rather than just a single individual.”
The report places the Bayt at the top of Iran’s power hierarchy, above the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and the formal government.
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“The Bayt is the core apparatus… the strategic policymaking body that is driving the ballistic missile program, the nuclear program, [and] regional destabilization,” Aarabi said.
The implications, he added, are significant for policymakers in Washington and across the region, particularly as the U.S. weighs options for confronting Iran’s nuclear program and regional activities.
“Eliminating Khamenei in isolation on its own is not enough… you have to dismantle this extensive apparatus that he has created,” Aarabi said.
Instead, any effort to weaken the regime would require targeting the broader institutional structure surrounding the supreme leader, not just the individual at its center.
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“It involves a comprehensive strategy… cyber operations, sanctions, [and] a military component,” he said. “For any meaningful change in Iran… you have to go after the core nucleus of power within the Islamic regime, and that is the Bayt.”
He said on reports of Khamenei being a target that, “the elimination of Khamenei alone is not enough… dismantling the extensive apparatus of the Bayt is essential,” he added.
Notorious child predator sentenced to life cleared for release in California
A California child molester once described by a judge as “the monster parents fear the most” has been cleared for release under the state’s elderly parole program, a decision local law enforcement says puts communities at risk and prosecutors are now scrambling to stop.
David Allen Funston, 64, was sentenced in 1999 after a Sacramento County jury found him guilty of 16 felony counts for a series of abductions involving children younger than 7.
Funston received more than 20 years in prison plus three consecutive terms of 25 years to life. After serving more than two decades behind bars, he became eligible for consideration under California’s Elderly Parole Program.
The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) confirmed to Fox News Digital that Funston was granted parole suitability by the Board of Parole Hearings Sept. 26, 2025.
CDCR said that, on Jan. 12, 2026, Gov. Gavin Newsom referred the case back to the Board of Parole Hearings for further review by a majority of appointed commissioners. At a Feb. 18, 2026 meeting, the board panel reaffirmed its decision, recommending that Funston receive parole.
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Sacramento County Sheriff Jim Cooper said that determination is wrong.
“He’s a definite danger to the community, and he’s not rehabilitated,” Cooper told Fox News Digital.
Cooper said he personally reviewed the original case reports and victim statements and questioned how the parole board could reach a different conclusion.
“What’s ironic is the parole board read the same reports that I’m reading,” Cooper said. “How the hell did they come to that conclusion versus what I came to?”
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The detailed testimony from young victims, Cooper added, helped “put this monster away.”
He also pushed back on the premise that turning 50 automatically makes someone safe to release.
“Fifty is not old,” Cooper said. “We know a lot of 50-year-olds. Everyone does.”
Cooper noted that many people in their 50s and 60s are still working and active, underscoring that someone released at 64 is not necessarily frail or incapacitated and could be fully functioning in the community.
When asked whether certain crimes should automatically disqualify someone from elderly parole consideration, Cooper was direct.
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“Crimes and violence, anything of a sexual nature, 100%,” he said.
Sacramento County District Attorney Thien Ho sharply criticized the decision in a statement sent to Fox News Digital.
“This defendant is the worst of the worst – a child predator who lures, grabs, kidnaps and assaults children. He will reoffend and is a ticking time bomb,” Ho said. “We vehemently opposed the early release of this extremely violent predator. This is yet another example that highlights how elder parole is a broken law that results in broken promises and broken lives.”
Ho added, “We appeared during the lifer hearing and strenuously objected to this inmate’s early release. The SVP statute does not apply to this defendant, however, we will be requesting a review of this decision by CDCR, as well as an SVP referral along with intervention by the Governor’s office to stop this predator’s release.”
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Ho said prosecutors appeared during the last hearing and “strenuously objected” to Funston’s early release. He said actions would be taken to “stop this predator’s release.”
Some of Funston’s victims dispute the parole board’s conclusion.
“He shouldn’t be breathing the same air that we’re breathing,” one survivor, who was abducted at age 4, told the Los Angeles Times, calling him “a monster” and expressing fear about the possibility of his release.
Funston’s crimes shook the Sacramento area in the mid-1990s. Prosecutors said he approached children playing outside their homes and lured them with candy, toys and promises before abducting and assaulting them. Trial testimony detailed threats meant to silence victims, including holding a knife to a young girl’s throat.
Former Sacramento County District Attorney Anne Marie Schubert, who helped prosecute the case, told the Los Angeles Times it was the worst child sexual predator case she ever handled.
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Schubert also told the Times she has formally asked CDCR to evaluate Funston under California’s Sexually Violent Predator law, which can result in civil commitment to a state hospital rather than release if an offender is deemed likely to reoffend.
In a letter referenced by the Times, Schubert argued that the pattern of crimes involving multiple very young victims, coercion and threats falls squarely within the category of offenders the law was designed to address.
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It remains unclear when or where Funston will be released. CDCR records show he is still incarcerated at the California Institution for Men in Chino.
A spokesperson for Gov. Gavin Newsom told Fox News Digital the governor referred review of the case to the Board of Parole Hearings to determine suitability and public safety risk.
The administration noted that parole eligibility is set by state law and sentencing decisions, while the parole board determines whether an inmate poses an unreasonable risk before release. The governor’s office also pointed to data showing parole is granted in a small percentage of hearings and that individuals released through elderly parole have historically had low recidivism rates.
Carly Pearce says ‘please get checked’ after health concerns led to diagnosis
Country music star Carly Pearce urged fans to go get checked by doctors when health issues arise.
Pearce, 35, reflected on how doctors initially misdiagnosed her before realizing the “Dream Come True” singer suffered from pericarditis. The condition is caused by inflammation of the sac surrounding the heart.
“That was something I developed in 2020 and didn’t know what it was for a really long time. It was kind of misdiagnosed, also dismissed,” Pearce explained during an appearance on Rolling Stone’s “Nashville Now.”
“‘Oh, you have anxiety. Oh, you have a busy schedule,'” Pearce recalled being told. “And it’s like, ‘No, something’s not right.’ And, so, in 2024, I went public with that just because it took me out for a second. But I’m doing really well. And I haven’t had any kind of major flair. But I think, again, just trying to be honest with people and use my platform to be like, ‘Please go get checked because there was something wrong.’”
The “Church Girl” singer announced she had been diagnosed with an “intense” heart condition called pericarditis in May 2024. Pearce claimed that her health condition was initially “dismissed” by medical professionals, but she continued to press doctors until she received answers.
“My biggest piece of advice for anybody is: Listen to your body, and be your own advocate. … A lot of doctors dismissed me, and I was persistent until I got a diagnosis,” she told Fox News Digital at the time.
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Pearce has learned how to live with the condition, which doesn’t affect her tour planning or career.
“For a while after I was very — any time I got a tinge of like a chest pain, it scared me,” she said on the Rolling Stone podcast. “Or, like, if you’re on a long flight, or you’re away from a hospital or things like that, that would scare me.
“But I think now I have it under control to where I know what to do,” Pearce added. “I know when it feels like when it’s coming on, so I don’t feel fear anymore.”
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Pearce has been living with the heart condition for nearly six years and experiences flare-ups occasionally.
“I had a really debilitating chest pain that was only relieved if I bent over like this (leaning forward), and that’s a classic symptom of pericarditis,” she previously explained to “Today.”
“And then when you lay back, it gets way worse, because that wall is kind of inflamed around your heart.
“I just had a really intense shortness of breath, like almost having to suck through, like, a straw.”
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Cuban coast guard kills four in exchange of fire with US-registered boat, Cuban gov say
Cuba’s coast guard shot dead four people and wounded six others aboard a U.S.-registered speedboat in an exchange of gunfire off the island’s coast, the Interior Ministry said Wednesday.
In a statement, the ministry said a Cuban patrol vessel had approached the Florida-registered boat to identify those on board when shots were fired from the boat, wounding the captain of the Cuban craft.
According to Havana’s statement, the boat — registered in Florida with number FL7726SH — was detected within Cuban territorial waters Wednesday morning on the northeast side of the El Pino channel near Cayo Falcones in Villa Clara province.
Cuban border troops moved in to inspect the vessel, but the “crew of the violating speedboat opened fire,” prompting return fire from Cuban forces.
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“As a consequence of the confrontation, as of the time of this report, four aggressors on the foreign vessel were killed and six were injured,” the ministry said, adding that the injured were evacuated and are receiving medical care.
“In the face of current challenges, Cuba reaffirms its determination to protect its territorial waters, based on the principle that national defense is a fundamental pillar of the Cuban State in safeguarding its sovereignty and ensuring stability in the region.”
It also said investigations are ongoing to fully clarify the events.
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According to data retrieved by Fox News Digital, the vessel is a 24-foot Pro-Line boat and while the registration matches Florida records, the boat is not documented with the U.S. Coast Guard under the provided hull identification number, PLC00916M81D.
Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier also announced on X that he had directed the Office of Statewide Prosecution to work with federal, state and local law enforcement partners to start an investigation.
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In his statement, Uthmeier said the Cuban government “cannot be trusted” and vowed that his office would “do everything in our power to hold these communists accountable.”
The incident happened while Secretary of State Marco Rubio was in the Caribbean for a summit of the Caribbean Community, or CARICOM, in Saint Kitts and Nevis.
Rubio was meeting regional leaders for closed-door talks on security, economic cooperation and shared concerns about U.S. policies in the hemisphere.
Later Wednesday, he told reporters that the U.S. was not going to base conclusions on “what they’ve told us,” before adding that it would “respond appropriately based on what that information tells us.”
“We don’t generally make decisions in the United States on the basis of what the Cuban authorities are saying,” Rubio clarified.
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Referring to the details already supplied by Cuba, Rubio said they were “the things we’re going to we’re going to independently verify.”
Meanwhile, Rep. Carlos Gimenez, R-Fla., called for an “immediate investigation” Wednesday in a statement.
“I am calling for an immediate investigation into this massacre. United States authorities must determine whether any of the victims were U.S. citizens or legal residents and establish exactly what occurred,” Gimenez said.
“The regime in Cuba must be relegated to the dustbin of history for its countless crimes against humanity,” he added.
Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., said he agreed with Rep. Carlos Gimenez, writing on X: “We need a full investigation into this deeply concerning situation and to determine what happened. The Communist Cuban regime must be held accountable!”
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Vice President JD Vance also said he was briefed by Rubio regarding the Cuba situation but indicated that details remain limited.
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“We don’t know a lot of details,” Vance told reporters before adding that the administration is closely monitoring the situation.
“Certainly, you know, it’s a situation that we’re monitoring. Hopefully it’s not as bad as we fear it could be, but I can’t say more because I just don’t know more,” Vance said.
GOP rep sits on Democrats’ side of House chamber during State of the Union
Rep. Kat Cammack, R-Fla., sat on the left side of the House chamber during President Donald Trump’s State of the Union address on Tuesday, rather than on the other side with her GOP colleagues.
“Tonight I’m sitting among my Democrat colleagues as they choose to sit in protest. I will make a point to applaud and cheer for America’s success. America has never been stronger!” the congresswoman wrote in a Tuesday night post on X.
During Trump’s speech, Cammack, like other Republicans, could be seen repeatedly standing and applauding while Democrats remained in their seats.
“Last night, I sat with Democrat colleagues to lead by example. When it comes to America, we don’t sit on our hands, WE RISE TO OUR FEET. Protecting our citizens should unite us as Representatives. Instead, my colleagues on the left sat with scowls while I stood for law enforcement, secure borders, a strong economy, and safer communities,” Cammack said in a statement obtained by Fox News Digital on Wednesday.
“Setting the standard means standing up. Leading by example means putting America first. We can disagree on policy. But we must be united in defending our nation and our people. When Americans are in need, we rise to the challenge,” she added.
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At one point during his address, Trump challenged people to stand up if they agreed that the U.S. government’s “first duty” is the protection of its citizens, not illegal aliens.
Republicans erupted in uproarious applause, in stark contrast to Democrats.
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The president chided Democrats, saying, “You should be ashamed of yourself [for] not standing up.”
Social media erupts accusing rising star Dem of revealing true colors in SOTU rebuttal
Virginia’s Democratic Gov. Abigail Spanberger was widely panned by conservatives on social media over her rebuttal to President Donald Trump’s State of the Union, with many calling out the governor for labeling herself as a “moderate” during the campaign but changing her tune.
Spanberger’s speech contained several examples of supporting far-left causes that drew criticism online, including school walkouts over ICE, touting “affordability” despite pushing to raise taxes and slamming Trump.
Her overall speech quickly drew heat from conservatives online over her policies and her tone.
“This Spanberger speech can basically be summed up as ‘I AM A DEMOCRAT WHO IS MODERATE AND NORMAL. PLEASE BELIEVE I AM MODERATE AND NORMAL,’” Mark Hemingway, senior writer for Real Clear Investigations, posted on X.
“Abigail Spanberger comes off like the radical psychopath she is,” Matthew Boyle, Washington Bureau Chief for Breitbart News, posted on X. “Anyone who claims she is a ‘moderate’ is a liar. Plain and simple.”
“Abigail Spanberger campaigned as a moderate but governs as a left-wing activist,” GOP Sen. Marsha Blackburn posted on X. “There is no room for moderates in today’s Democrat party.”
“It’s despicable to hear Abigail Spanberger speak so plainly like a supposed moderate when she’s governing with a legislature that’s more akin to Gavin Newsom in California or, say, Maura Healy in Massachusetts,” Newsbusters managing editor Curtis Houck posted on X.
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“Spanberger passed exactly one test,” Ruthless podcast co-host Josh Holmes posted on X. “A year from now you’ll have absolutely no idea who gave the Democrat response.”
“Abigail Spanberger tanks,” Trump-Kennedy Center President Richard Grenell posted on X. “She’s so nervous. It’s like she didn’t practice the actual speech.”
“The focus of Abigail Spanberger’s rebuttal is ‘affordability’ as her party proposes sweeping tax hikes on nearly every sector of the Virginia economy,” Daily Caller senior editor Amber Duke posted on X.
Fox News Digital reached out to Spanberger’s office for comment.
A top Republican told Fox News Digital earlier this week that Spanberger would never have been given airtime in the Democrats’ official response to Trump’s State of the Union if it weren’t for her support of the commonwealth’s controversial redistricting and adherence to the party line.
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“Our president has sent poorly trained federal agents into our cities, where they have arrested and detained American citizens and people who aspire to be Americans,” Spanberger said during her speech. “They have done it without a warrant. They have ripped nursing mothers away from their babies. They have sent children — a little boy in a blue bunny hat — to far-off detention centers, and they have killed American citizens in our streets.
“And they have done it all with their faces masked from accountability,” she continued. “Every minute spent sowing fear is a minute not spent investigating murders, crimes against children or the criminals defrauding seniors of their life savings.”
At one point in her speech, Spanberger appeared to briefly lose her place on the teleprompter:
“But as the President spoke of his perceived successes tonight, he continues to cede economic power and technological strength to Russia … bow down to … China …to bow down to a Russian dictator, and make plans for war with Iran,” she said, as her prepared remarks cited China as the technological rival.