Relative reveals why roommate of Kirk’s alleged assassin was kicked out of parents’ home
EXCLUSIVE: ST. GEORGE, Utah – The transgender roommate of conservative activist Charlie Kirk’s alleged assassin was previously kicked out of his parents’ house over issues surrounding substance abuse, gender identity and a persistent video game addiction, a relative told Fox News Digital.
Lance Twiggs, who has not been charged with a crime, moved into a townhome in St. George, Utah, after living with his grandparents when his father kicked him out, the relative said. The 22-year-old is also in the process of transitioning from male to female, the relative confirmed. He was kicked out of his parents’ home at the age of 18, according to the relative.
He shared an apartment in southwestern Utah with 22-year-old Tyler Robinson, who’s accused of assassinating Kirk, the founder of Turning Point USA, on Sept. 10 at Utah Valley University (UVU) in Orem, Utah.
Kirk was taken to a local hospital in critical condition following the shooting, where he later died, officials said. Robinson has been charged with aggravated murder, two counts of obstruction of justice and felony discharge of a firearm causing serious bodily injury, two counts of witness tampering and commission of a violent offense in the presence of a child.
MOM OF CHARLIE KIRK’S ALLEGED ASSASSIN DESCRIBES RADICAL SHIFT IN LAST YEAR: ‘MORE PRO-GAY AND TRANS RIGHTS’
“[His father] thought he wasn’t being respectful and was problematic, so they kicked him out,” the relative said. “He then lived with [his grandparents] until he was 18 and graduated from high school.”
The woman, who asked to remain anonymous, added that the roommate was struggling with substance abuse issues, addicted to video games and grappling with his “gender identity.”
“But the real reason he was acting out was because he was using drugs and alcohol, and was addicted to gaming,” she said.
The relative also revealed her family member had “always tried to put on the act that he had changed.”
“He moved into a townhome and paid full rent, and there were other college roommates at the time,” the relative explained.
COMPLETE COVERAGE OF CHARLIE KIRK
According to the roommate’s relative, he initially moved into the townhome before Robinson, who moved into the house last year. The two were in a romantic relationship, the relative had said.
“He was maintaining a job and able to pay rent, and was technically an adult,” she told Fox News Digital. “The other college roommates eventually all moved out, and [he] stayed and Tyler became his roommate.”
CHARLIE KIRK’S ALLEGED ASSASSIN’S TRANSGENDER ROOMMATE ‘HATES CONSERVATIVES AND CHRISTIANS,’ RELATIVE SAYS
Timeline of the assassination of Charlie Kirk
Sept. 10, 2025 – 11:51 a.m.: According to charging documents, surveillance video shows the suspect, later identified as Robinson, entering UVU’s campus wearing dark clothing, sunglasses and carrying a concealed rifle, walking with an unusual gait.
12:15 p.m.: Cameras capture the suspect climbing over a railing onto a rooftop overlooking the UVU plaza, positioning himself in a prone stance consistent with a sniper setup.
12:23 p.m.: During a Turning Point USA event, while Kirk was answering a question about mass shootings, the suspect fires a single shot from a .30-06 bolt-action rifle. The bullet struck Kirk in the neck. Children and attendees nearby were also endangered, the charging document noted.
WATCH:
Immediately after the shooting: Robinson flees across the rooftop, carrying the rifle, then descends and runs toward the northeast end of campus.
Shortly after: Law enforcement launches a 33-hour manhunt, locking down parts of Orem, Utah and publishing surveillance photos of the shooter. The murder weapon – wrapped in a towel and inscribed bullets – is found in a wooded area near campus.
WATCH:
Sept. 10, 2025 – Robinson messages his roommate, Twiggs, admitting responsibility for the shooting, instructing him to delete texts and expressing motives linked to his belief that Kirk “spread too much hate.” He also mentions engraving “meme-like” inscriptions on bullets.
Sept. 11, 2025 – Morning: Robinson’s mother recognizes her son from news photos of the suspect. Both parents confront him, according to charging documents. Family persuades him to consider surrender.
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Sept. 11, 2025 – Evening: Robinson, accompanied by his parents and a family friend, turns himself in at the Washington County Sheriff’s Office.
Sept. 16, 2025: The Utah County Attorney’s Office files formal charges against Robinson, including aggravated murder, felony discharge of a firearm, obstruction of justice, witness tampering and committing violence in the presence of children.
Obama throws accusation at Trump admin in wake of ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel decision
Former President Barack Obama commented on ABC’s decision to indefinitely pull “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” over the host’s remarks about the assassination of Charlie Kirk. He accused the Trump administration of taking cancel culture to a “dangerous level” by “threatening” media companies to fire or censor people they do not like.
“This is precisely the kind of government coercion that the First Amendment was designed to prevent — and media companies need to start standing up rather than capitulating to it,” Obama added in a follow-up post on X.
On Monday, Kimmel said conservatives hit “new lows” by trying to paint accused assassin Tyler Robinson as being on the left.
“We hit some new lows over the weekend with the MAGA gang desperately trying to characterize this kid who murdered Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them and doing everything they can to score political points from it,” Kimmel said.
Kimmel’s remarks about Kirk sparked outrage and were condemned by Nexstar Media Group President Andrew Alford.
“Mr. Kimmel’s comments about the death of Mr. Kirk are offensive and insensitive at a critical time in our national political discourse, and we do not believe they reflect the spectrum of opinions, views or values of the local communities in which we are located,” Alford said in a press release.
Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton
is getting blasted on social media after posting a picture supporting American Federation of Teachers (AFT) chief Randi Weingarten’s new book that suggests her political opponents are “fascists.”
“Congratulations to my friend [Weingarten] on ‘Why Fascists Fear Teachers.’ From banning books to controlling curriculum, authoritarians go after public education because it’s a cornerstone of democracy,” Clinton posted on Wednesday, along with a picture of Weingarten holding the book.
“Randi’s new book is a critical read for this moment,” she wrote.
Clinton was criticized by conservatives for the post, which they argued continued the smear campaign against political opponents that many believe contributed to the assassination of
Charlie Kirk.
This is an excerpt from an article by Andrew Mark Miller.
U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer commented on the Charlie Kirk assassination while participating in a joint news conference with President Donald Trump, who is on a state visit.
Starmer made the remark when asked about whether free speech was more under attack in the U.S. or the U.K. in the wake of ABC pulling Jimmy Kimmel’s show off the air.
“On the question of Charlie Kirk, can I just express how shocking that is, I think to everybody who believes in free speech and in democracy, and it sent shockwaves through the world,” Starmer said. “Whatever our political views, it is shocking and is to be condemned.”
FIRST ON FOX: A Senate Republican wants to stop “propaganda” in America in the name of late conservative activist Charlie Kirk.
Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, plans to introduce the Charlie Kirk Act, which would halt the U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM) from disseminating media, such as radio shows, videos and websites, to influence Americans.
Lee said in a statement to Fox News Digital that from the end of World War II to former President Barack Obama’s second term, the USAGM, which is an apparatus of the State Department, was barred from distributing media within the U.S.
Lee argued that until 2013, it was illegal to “target American citizens with propaganda.”
“In 2013, these protections were taken away,” Lee said. “My legislation restores this safeguard under the name of an American martyr for freedom of speech and freedom of thought: Charlie Kirk.”
This is an excerpt from an article by Alex Miller.
Last Tuesday, I was among those who witnessed, in person, a political assassination we can never unsee. The senseless act of violence that took the life of my friend, Charlie Kirk, has exposed a rot that is infecting and threatening American life.
In the aftermath of the seismic shockwave that swept the world following the assassination, one question has kept me up at night more than any other. How did a young man from a good family, a man with every advantage in life, become so radicalized by age 22 that he would murder a father of young children in cold blood?
Those who live meaningful lives — the kind of life Charlie lived — take for granted that everyone wants to make the world a better place. I know I felt that way when I went to Congress in 2008. I really did believe we were all fighting for the same thing, just with different ways of getting there.
But when I left eight years later, I realized that is simply not true. There really are people who hate America. They hate morality. They hate religion. They hate you and your beautiful family. They want this nation to fail.
Nihilism, a term I only grasped through real-world encounters, is a philosophy that denies inherent meaning, morality, or truth in life. Derived from the Latin “nihil” (nothing), it views human existence as absurd, dismisses moral codes as baseless and often calls for dismantling established institutions.
This extreme perspective, which risks ensnaring younger generations, is vividly explored by renowned Russian novelist Leo Tolstoy. In his writings, he delves into the crisis of faith and purpose, portraying it as a profound, disorienting struggle that challenges the human search for significance.
This philosophy and the violence that stems from it is the fruit of a godless society. Its adherents don’t believe in America. They don’t believe in faith or the inherent worth of souls. They reject God. They don’t believe in the core values of the American founding and they certainly don’t revere our founding documents.
Nor do they recognize the need for basic morality. They preach tolerance, but only if you agree with them.
This is an excerpt from an article written by Fox News contributor Jason Chaffetz.
EXCLUSIVE: ST. GEORGE, Utah – The transgender roommate of conservative activist Charlie Kirk’s alleged assassin was previously kicked out of his parents’ house over issues surrounding substance abuse, gender identity and a persistent video game addiction, a relative told Fox News Digital.
Lance Twiggs, who has not been charged with a crime, moved into a townhome in St. George, Utah, after living with his grandparents when his father kicked him out, the relative said. The 22-year-old is also in the process of transitioning from male to female, the relative confirmed. He was kicked out of his parents’ home at the age of 18, according to the relative.
He shared an apartment in southwestern Utah with 22-year-old Tyler Robinson, who’s accused of assassinating Kirk, the founder of Turning Point USA, on Sept. 10 at Utah Valley University (UVU) in Orem, Utah.
Kirk was taken to a local hospital in critical condition following the shooting, where he later died, officials said. Robinson has been charged with aggravated murder, two counts of obstruction of justice and felony discharge of a firearm causing serious bodily injury, two counts of witness tampering and commission of a violent offense in the presence of a child.
“[His father] thought he wasn’t being respectful and was problematic, so they kicked him out,” the relative said. “He then lived with [his grandparents] until he was 18 and graduated from high school.”
The woman, who asked to remain anonymous, added that the roommate was struggling with substance abuse issues, addicted to video games and grappling with his “gender identity.”
“But the real reason he was acting out was because he was using drugs and alcohol, and was addicted to gaming,” she said.
This is an excerpt from an article written by Adam Sabes, Julia Bonavita and Sarah Rumpf-Whitten.
Rob Schneider
reveals he and Charlie Kirk talked about doing a tour togetherComedian Rob Schneider shared screenshots of a text message exchange he had with Charlie Kirk over the summer. In the messages, the legendary comedian suggested the two do another college tour together to which Kirk replied, “Amazing! Yes we need to!!”
Schneider has been outspoken about his relationship with Kirk and even dedicated one of his recent live shows to the late Turning Point USA CEO.
Last fall, Schneider joined Kirk as part of the conservative firebrand’s Brainwashed Tour, which consisted of debates like the one that took place at Utah Valley University last week.
OREM, Utah – As Utah Valley University students returned to campus following conservative influencer Charlie Kirk’s assassination, those who spoke to Fox News Digital were divided over whether Tyler Robinson should face the death penalty.
Utah County Attorney Jeff Gray announced on Tuesday that Utah prosecutors would seek the death penalty against Robinson on multiple charges, including aggravated murder, felony discharge of a firearm, obstruction of justice, witness tampering and commission of a violent offense in the presence of a child.
“I think it’s totally necessary,” Ryder Warner, a UVU student who was entering the courtyard when Kirk was shot last Wednesday, said of a potential death penalty against Robinson.
Warner told Fox News Digital that, as a Christian, he didn’t believe in taking another human’s life, but “with this situation, where somebody was just here to share an opinion and lost their life because of their opinion, I think that whoever took their life should be killed, too.”
“I think that’s only fair,” he said.
Kirk was shot and killed while speaking to UVU students last Wednesday, Sept. 10. After a 33-hour manhunt, Robinson was arrested for allegedly assassinating Kirk. Gray outlined the formal charges against Robinson during a press conference on Tuesday, which was followed by the suspect’s first court appearance.
This is an excerpt from an article by Deirdre Heavey.
Utah Valley University students were seen on Wednesday mourning and paying respects at the American flag placed over the spot where conservative activist Charlie Kirk was murdered last week.
This comes as classes resume for the first time on campus since Kirk was assassinated while speaking at an event at the university.
Fox News’ Matt Finn contributed to this report.
Jimmy Kimmel
was seen leaving the studio after ABC “indefinitely” pulled his show off the air over his remarks about the assassination of Charlie Kirk.
Nexstar Media Group, which owns hundreds of television stations, announced earlier it would preempt Kimmel’s show on its ABC affiliates starting Wednesday night “for the foreseeable future” and would replace it with other programming over his comments about alleged Charlie Kirk assassin Tyler Robinson.
On Monday, Kimmel accused conservatives of reaching “new lows” in trying to pin a left-wing ideology on 22-year-old suspect Tyler Robinson, even though prosecutors reaffirmed those ties in Tuesday’s indictment.
“We hit some new lows over the weekend with the MAGA gang desperately trying to characterize this kid who murdered Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them and doing everything they can to score political points from it,” Kimmel said.
This contains excerpts from an article by Joseph A. Wulfsohn.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom said during a campaign event Tuesday evening that he stayed close with Charlie Kirk after he appeared as his debut guest on his podcast, “This is Gavin Newsom,” in January.
“He was gracious enough, to not only say, yes, he flew out, to do it in person,” Newsom said to progressive political commentator Bryan Tyler Cohen.
“And I spent not just the hour plus, in a very civil conversation with Charlie, I spent time with him after, and we stayed in touch, including my team, stayed in touch pretty consistently,” the liberal governor said.
Kirk and Newsom clashed over
transgender athletes in women’s sports on the podcast, but Newsom — breaking with his progressive base — sided with Kirk, calling it “an issue of fairness” and “deeply unfair.” He also noted that his own children watch Kirk’s videos.
“Obviously, we have deep differences of opinion,” Newsom said Tuesday. “Obviously, he was very offended by positions I hold dear, and I, in turn, very offended by things that he said in positions he held. But the fact is, we had that opportunity to engage.”
“It’s all at stake,” the governor continued. “This is a profound and consequential moment in American history. We can lose this republic if we do not assert ourselves. And stand tall at this moment and stand guard, to this republic and our democracy.”
This is an excerpt from an article by Jamie Joseph.
U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee backed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu after he denounced those theorizing that Israel was behind the assassination of Charlie Kirk. Netanyahu said the idea of Jerusalem carrying out the attack was “insane.”
“It’s painful to see people back in the US attempt to get clicks and make $$ by making up outrageous lies while exploiting the death of Charlie Kirk whose impact and character the propagandists will never have,” Huckabee wrote.
More details have emerged about how alleged Charlie Kirk assassin Tyler Robinson was turned over to police while the manhunt for a suspect ensued.
Washington County Sheriff Nate Brooksby said at a news conference Wednesday he received a call from a former law enforcement friend telling him Robinson, 22, was the shooter. Robinson reportedly had suicidal thoughts but was convinced by his parents not to harm himself.
Brooksby said Robinson knew he would be caught and was afraid of a SWAT raid on his home. He was also afraid of being shot by the police, the sheriff said.
“Tyler knew it was just inevitable with all the law enforcement pressure that he, his picture in the news, the gun, the gun on the news,” he said. “He knew it was inevitable that he would be caught.”
According to Brooksby, the call from his friend came in at 8:02 p.m. Thursday.
“I could tell his voice was kind of shaky, so my first thought is, ‘Who died?’” he said. “‘Like, who’s he gonna tell me that died?’ And then I couldn’t fathom what actually came out of his mouth.
“So he said, ‘Hey, I know who Charlie Kirk’s
shooter is. I know the family through religious association, and he’s in Washington County now. And we’re working to get him to come in voluntarily,'” Brooksby continued.
“During that phone call, some information was provided about Tyler potentially having some suicidal ideation [and] was en route to a remote part of Washington County. The parents convinced him not to do that and conveyed that they would stand by him and help him surrender peacefully.”
Robinson asked for a “peaceful, gentle” surrender, a condition to which the sheriff agreed to in order to get him to turn himself in. He was described as “quiet and somber” upon apprehension.
This is an excerpt from an article by Peter D’Abrosca.
Federal Communications Commission Chairman Brendan Carr said he expects broadcasters and programs with FCC licenses to “broadly serve the public interest,” after the agency’s pressure led to the suspension of ABC’s “Jimmy Kimmel Live!”
Carr made the comments during a Wednesday appearance on Fox News’ “Hannity.”
“They are now facing the consequences of the choices they have made to appeal to a very narrow audience. You can do that, you can start a podcast, but if you are going to have a license with the FCC, we expect you to broadly serve the public interest,” Carr said.
This comes after Disney’s move to pull “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” following comments Kimmel made about alleged Charlie Kirk assassin Tyler Robinson.
Nexstar and Sinclair each announced they would preempt Kimmel’s show on their ABC affiliates and would replace it with other programming over his remarks about Robinson. Sinclair is also set to air a one-hour tribute to Kirk on Friday across all of its ABC-affiliated TV stations in the time slot typically used for Kimmel’s show.
“We hit some new lows over the weekend with the MAGA gang desperately trying to characterize this kid who murdered Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them and doing everything they can to score political points from it,” Kimmel said on Monday.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu released a video addressing rumors that his country was responsible for the murder of Charlie Kirk last week in Utah, calling it a “monstrous big lie” as he also argued that the slain conservative activist “loved Israel.”
“Joseph Goebbels, the Nazi propaganda minister, said that the bigger the lie, the faster it will spread,” Netanyahu said in the clip. “Well, somebody has fabricated a monstrous big lie that Israel had something to do with Charlie Kirk’s horrific murder. This is insane. It is false. It is outrageous.”
“Charlie Kirk was a giant, a once-in-a-century talent who defended freedom, defended America, defended our common Judeo-Christian civilization,” he continued. “Charlie loved Israel. He loved the Jewish people. He told me so in a letter that he sent me just a few months ago.”
“‘One of my greatest joys as a Christian,’ he said, ‘is advocating for Israel and forming alliances with Jews to protect Judeo-Christian civilization,'” the prime minister added. “He encouraged me to make the case directly to the American people about how vital Israel is to U.S. national security. He told me, ‘the Holy Land is so important to my life, it pains me to see support for Israel slip away.'”
Netanyahu said if Kirk disagreed sometimes with his policies or decisions, he “welcomed it.”
“This is the essence of Charlie. This is the essence of a free country. It’s exactly what Charlie stood for. And I knew that his suggestions always came from the heart, from his love for Israel and from his love for the Jewish people,” Netanyahu said.
“A few weeks before his death, I spoke to Charlie. I invited him to visit Israel again. And sadly, that won’t happen. Now, some are peddling these disgusting rumors, perhaps out of obsession, perhaps with Qatari funding. What I do know is this, Charlie Kirk was a great man, and a great man deserves honor, not lies. Rest in peace, Charlie Kirk. May your memory be a blessing,” he continued.
Erika Kirk, the wife of murdered conservative activist Charlie Kirk, spoke about her late husband’s love for sports and how the pair bonded over how he believed NBA legend Michael Jordan was the Greatest Of All Time.
She also shared a photo of her husband that she said was his “Jordan photo.” She said it was one of the last pictures taken of him alive.
“You loved witnessing excellence,” Erika Kirk wrote on Instagram. “It’s why you loved sports so much. You loved watching the best of the best perform at the level of greatness God intended for them.”
“When we first started dating, we went to the basketball court to shoot around. I loved seeing you in that element because time was irrelevant. It was just us, the sound of sneakers squeaking and jump shots. We bonded over how Jordan was the GOAT and you told me about your basketball days in high school and I told you about my basketball days in college. Just two athletes escaping the demands of the world for a minute,” she continued.
She also recalled a red bracelet on his wrist that he never removed.
“You never took it off, it said ‘work harder, be better.’ And everyday you did just that. Years later, one day after an event on campus a student asked you about your bracelet, and you gave it to them. I have no idea who that student was or where they are today, but I have no doubt they’re working harder and being better, because you set the tone,” she said.
Erika Kirk said the photo she shared “is one of the last photos taken of you before you were murdered.”
“I look at it and can’t help but see excellence,” she said. “You’re in your element. You’re in athlete mode. Training for this exact moment, mind, body, and soul. To me, this is your “Jordan” photo. Permanently etched in time, held in my heart, as I admire your greatness. Forever.”
“I pray you’ve had the most amazing week in Heaven @charliekirk1776 I love you,” she concluded.
Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy argued that Disney pulling ABC’s “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” amid pressure from the Trump administration is not an example of cancel culture, which he describes as bringing up old social media posts in an attempt to have someone fired.
“With Kimmel getting canned I’m seeing lots of people talking about the hypocrisy of cancel culture,” Portnoy said on X. “To me Cancel culture is when people go out of their way to dig up old tweets, videos etc looking for dirt on somebody they don’t like in an effort to get them fired.”
“Like if Kimmel got canceled for s–t he did on the Man Show that would be cancel culture,” he continued. “But when a person says something that a ton of people find offensive, rude, dumb in real time and then that person is punished for it that’s not cancel culture. That is consequences for your actions.”
The Federal Communications Commission successfully pressured broadcasters to pull Jimmy Kimmel’s show following comments he made about alleged Charlie Kirk assassin Tyler Robinson.
“We hit some new lows over the weekend with the MAGA gang desperately trying to characterize this kid who murdered Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them and doing everything they can to score political points from it,” Kimmel said on Monday.
Following Charlie Kirk’s assassination, some colleges are addressing concerns about campus events and the safety of public speakers.
In a Friday post on X, Inez Feltscher Stepman, a senior policy and legal analyst for Independent Women’s Forum and Independent Women’s Law Center, said Kirk’s death could result in fewer events for conservatives on college campuses.
“This assassination will accomplish what the left has tried to do for so long: significantly shut down conservative speech on college campuses,” Stepman wrote.
“Not because of a lack of bravery, but because of logistics,” she added. “No more outdoor events, no more events without very serious security. And that costs big money that most orgs don’t have, and universities are only too happy to say they can’t manage. Already they were using ‘security’ concerns to punish [right-wing] orgs and prevent them from hosting speakers. Now there’s a real reason. The Assassin’s Veto.”
For example, University of Florida’s director of public affairs Cynthia Roldán Hernández told Fox News Digital that the school would not share security plans due to ensuring safety and security.
“However: As a world-class research institution, the University of Florida has repeatedly affirmed its commitment to free speech and civil discourse,” Roldán Hernández said. “UF will continue to ensure that individuals are able to express their ideas, free from bullying, violence, or any other type of disruptive behavior.”
This is an excerpt from an article by Fox News Digital’s Rachel del Guidice.
Trump drops ‘breaking news’ about Taliban negotiations over key military base
President Donald Trump on Thursday said his administration is “trying” to get the former U.S. Bagram Airfield in Afghanistan “back” from the Taliban.
In remarks to the press while standing alongside U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer, the president criticized the handling of the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan under President Joe Biden and said he had “a little breaking news.”
“We’re trying to get it back,” Trump said. “We’re trying to get it back because they need things from us.”
TALIBAN PARADES AMERICAN WEAPONS 3 YEARS AFTER CHAOTIC WITHDRAWAL FROM AFGHANISTAN
Trump did not expand on whom he was referring to or, if referring to the Taliban, the terrorist organization that took over the country in 2021, what they “need” from the United States.
“We want that base back, but one of the reasons we want the base is, as you know, it’s an hour away from where China makes its nuclear weapons,” Trump added.
The White House did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s questions regarding the president’s claims.
In March, Fox News Digital reported that White House hostage envoy Adam Boehler met in person with Taliban officials at the Kabul International Airport as he worked to secure the release of George Glezmann.
US FAILURE IN TALIBAN INTEL HAS OPENED AFGHANISTAN UP TO CHINA, RUSSIA
Sources confirmed this was the first direct meeting between a U.S. administration and the terrorist-run government since the collapse of Kabul in 2021.
A report by AP later said that the Taliban were allegedly interested in normalizing ties with the U.S. after experiencing a virtual geopolitical blackout in international diplomacy over its immense human rights abuses.
Boehler, along with another U.S. envoy, Zalmay Khalilzad, met with the Taliban’s foreign minister, Amir Khan Muttaqi, and reportedly discussed ways to “develop bilateral relations between the two countries, issues related to citizens, and investment opportunities in Afghanistan,” according to a Taliban statement.
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The removal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan began during the first Trump administration in March 2020, and open-source intelligence showed that the Taliban had been making gains across Afghanistan in the year leading up to the August 2021 withdrawal.
Under the deal forged by the first Trump administration, the U.S. agreed to withdraw all U.S. forces by May 1, 2021, but Biden extended the withdrawal date to August 2021.
Sanctuary city moves against federal immigration building amid violent protests
The sanctuary city of Portland has announced it will issue a land use violation notice on Thursday to a local U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) building, accusing it of repeatedly holding detainees longer than permitted and escalating a fight over a building that has already drawn months of protests, some of which have turned violent.
Officials said the notice will start a review of whether the Macadam Avenue facility is following the rules of its 2011 land use permit, which bars keeping people overnight or for more than 12 hours.
It follows a report by a local nonprofit group accusing the facility of holding people for longer than permitted 25 times between Oct. 1 and July 27. The report by the Deportation Data Project was generated using ICE documents obtained through the Freedom of Information Act.
PORTLAND CITY COUNCIL CONSIDERS HOW TO BOOT ICE OUT OF CITY FACILITY
The city will also issue a second violation regarding boarded-up windows at the facility, which is not associated with the land use approval. ICE did not immediately respond to a Fox News Digital request for comment.
“U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement made clear detention limitation commitments to our community, and we believe they broke those policies more than two dozen times,” Portland Mayor Keith Wilson, a Democrat, said in a statement. “I am proud of our team for conducting a thorough, thoughtful investigation and referring the matter to the next steps in the land use violation process.”
Under land use permitting rules, a landowner or operator has 30 days after receiving a notice of violation to correct the issue. If substantial evidence of a violation exists, a fine can be issued. The city can also initiate a “reconsideration” of a land use approval by scheduling a hearing at least 60 days after the notice.
The facility has become a major flashpoint for President Donald Trump’s immigration clampdown as left-wing protesters and agitators have descended on the facility several times.
PORTLAND ANTI-ICE RIOT CRUSHED BY FEDERAL AGENTS
The building’s exterior has been covered in anti-ICE graffiti while several violent clashes between agitators and federal agents have broken out several times since June, including in one incident where a large group of anti-ICE protesters tried to block law enforcement vehicles from entering and exiting the facility, forcing agents to deploy rubber bullets, tear gas and flash bangs to disperse the crowd.
Last month, anti-ICE protesters were captured on video rolling out a guillotine and clashing with police before law enforcement fired munitions to disperse the crowd.
In July, Portland’s progressive-leaning city council said it was exploring ways to expel ICE from the detention facility.
Under Portland’s sanctuary policy, city employees, including police officers, do not enforce federal immigration law. Oregon also has a sanctuary law that prohibits state and local law enforcement from participating in immigration enforcement without a warrant.
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In the wake of violent Labor Day protests, Wilson doubled down on the city’s commitment to sanctuary policies.
“You can rest assured we won’t be engaging with or working with ICE in any circumstances,” he said.
The building is leased and managed by the General Services Administration (GSA) for federal agencies tied to ICE. It includes a processing center where officers detain and interview people to determine their immigration status.
Liberals outraged as ABC pulls ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live!’ over host’s Kirk remark
Liberals were outraged over ABC’s decision to pull “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” as comments made by the namesake host about Charlie Kirk’s alleged assassin sparked backlash among conservatives.
Disney, facing mounting pressure from ABC affiliate stations around the country as well as the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), is being accused of caving to the Trump administration and waving the white flag in the battle over free speech.
“I’m not sure who deserves more disdain and disgust: Trump and the FCC for their blatant violation of the Constitution or Disney and Nexstar for sacrificing their values and folding to a wannabe Mob Boss and his authoritarian goons,” Rep. Dan Goldman, D-N.Y., reacted. “It was Jimmy Kimmel tonight, but dare to criticize the president and it could be you tomorrow.”
“This isn’t right,” actor Ben Stiller wrote on X.
FCC CHAIR LEVELS THREAT AGAINST ABC, DISNEY AFTER KIMMEL SUGGESTED CHARLIE KIRK ASSASSIN WAS ‘MAGA’
“This is the actual cancel culture everyone claims to hate so much,” comedian Alex Edelman wrote on X.
CNN media analyst Brian Stelter called ABC’s move “so serious.”
“America is a less free place if late-night comedians cannot do or say what they want,” Stelter said on Wednesday night. “Of course, they can be tuned out. People can change the channel. That’s how we vote. That’s how we have our say in America. But this really does have a chilling effect across the American media.”
Former CNN analyst, and now frequent CNN guest, Jeffrey Toobin insisted Kimmel’s critics were “looking for reasons” to get him and “they manufactured one out of something that is, you know, hardly a dramatic departure from what a lot of people are saying.”
FCC CHAIR BRENDAN CARR DEFENDS ABC AFFILIATES PULLING JIMMY KIMMEL SHOW AFTER MONOLOGUE MOCKING CHARLIE KIRK
MSNBC host Chris Hayes called it “the latest chapter in Donald Trump’s ongoing campaign to crack down on free speech, dominate the media and essentially render the First Amendment meaningless.” His primetime colleague Jen Psaki called it a “pretty watershed moment.”
Hayes said on X that it was the “most straightforward attack on free speech from state actors” that he has ever seen.
“It’s not just a media story. It’s a democracy story. It’s a freedom of speech story. It’s so many things,” Psaki said.
Ex-MSNBC host Keith Olbermann took aim at Disney chief Bob Iger, saying ABC and others “PROSTITUTE THEMSELVES FOR TRUMP.”
“Kimmel off air for truth telling about Charlie Kirk’s hate speech, MAGA exploitation of his death,” Olbermann continued.
He also ripped into Sinclair Broadcast Group for its announcement of airing a Kirk special in Kimmel’s place, writing, “Burn in hell, Sinclair. Alongside Charlie Kirk.”
Ex-CNN anchor Jim Acosta insisted Kimmel “deserves better than this” and called him a “class act.”
“Make no mistake, our right to free speech is under attack in this country. This right must be defended as it is essential to the American way of life,” Acosta warned on X.
DOZENS OF ABC STATIONS TO AIR CHARLIE KIRK TRIBUTE SPECIAL DURING JIMMY KIMMEL’S TIMESLOT
The Atlantic staff writer David Frum offered a grim prediction on “what comes next.”
“What is coming next is a crackdown on Democratic Party fundraising,” Frum said on CNN. “President Trump said we are going to go after those who raise funds for causes we don’t like. Stephen Miller said that even more emphatically. In April of this past year, Donald Trump, at his personal command, ordered his Department of Justice – an astonishing thing for a president to do – to investigate the Democratic Party’s small dollar donation platform ActBlue. The attack on Democratic Party fundraising is coming next. The suppression of Democratic Party speech is coming next.”
Former ABC News correspondent Terry Moran, who was dropped by the network this year for his X post trashing President Donald Trump and top White House aide Stephen Miller, similarly predicted it won’t stop with Kimmel.
“If you think they will stop with Jimmy Kimmel…or Matt Dowd…or some professor somewhere…or someone else who isn’t you—you’re wrong,” Moran wrote on X. “See what is happening in front of us, and say its name. That’s the crucial first step. Then we come together and stop it.”
Disney announced Wednesday it had pulled Kimmel’s late-night show “indefinitely” after he suggested that Tyler Robinson, the 22-year-old Utah man charged for Kirk’s assassination, was part of the “MAGA gang” despite reports he had a left-wing ideology, which was later reaffirmed in Tuesday’s indictment.
“We hit some new lows over the weekend with the MAGA gang desperately trying to characterize this kid who murdered Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them and doing everything they can to score political points from it,” Kimmel said Monday.
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Nexstar Media Group and Sinclair Broadcast Group had expressed to ABC that it would preempt “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” on the affiliate stations they operate unless the Disney-owned network addressed the controversy. FCC Chairman Brendan Carr also threatened ABC and Disney to remedy the situation, saying “we can do this the easy way or the hard way.”
According to reports, Kimmel planned to address the controversy and say his remarks were being taken out of context on Wednesday night’s show before Disney took him off the air.
Comedian Wanda Sykes, who was supposed to appear on Kimmel’s show on Wednesday, also slammed the move in a post on Instagram.
She called out Trump and said the president ended freedom of speech.
“For those of you who pray, now’s the time to do it,” Sykes said.
TRUMP CALLS DISNEY PULLING JIMMY KIMMEL’S SHOW ‘GREAT NEWS FOR AMERICA’
CNN’s Van Jones also slammed the decision in comments on the network on Wednesday.
“This is a red line that has been crossed for our industry. For the First Amendment, for the right of people to speak. There was nothing hateful about what was said,” he said. “And even hateful speech is protected.”
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Liberals on Bluesky declared their support for Kimmel after the news broke.
“A free and democratic society cannot silence comedians because the President doesn’t like what they say. This is an attack on free speech and cannot be allowed to stand. All elected officials need to speak up and push back on this undemocratic act,” Gov. JB Pritzker, D-Ill., wrote.
‘Irreparable harm’: Judge halts Trump admin’s plan to deport Guatemalan youths
A federal judge on Thursday blocked the Trump administration from deporting certain Guatemalan minors to their home country after the government walked back claims that it intended to reunite the youths with their parents.
Judge Timothy Kelly, who issued the order, signaled his skepticism of the removals in a hearing last week, noting declarations from minors who said they feared facing violence or neglect if they were returned to Guatemala.
“It goes without saying that makes that irreparable harm,” Kelly said of their possible removals.
Kelly, a Trump appointee, also raised a report from the Guatemalan attorney general’s office, which plaintiffs submitted to the court. The report was compiled in response to Health and Human Services’ Office of Refugee Resettlement notifying the Guatemalan government that the government planned to return more than 600 minors to Guatemala. No parents had requested the return of their children, the report said. DOJ attorney Sarah Welch responded during the hearing that she had no evidence to contradict the report.
BIDEN JUDGE HALTS ‘SURPRISING’ ILLEGAL ALIEN MINOR REPATRIATION PLAN AFTER ADVOCACY GROUPS SUE
“I don’t have anything specific that I can refer to contest the Guatemalan AG’s report,” Welch said, though she also said that some children have signaled they are interested in returning home.
The judge’s order arose from a lawsuit brought against the Trump administration after federal authorities woke up 70 minors, aged 10 to 17, in the middle of the night over Labor Day weekend while they were in HHS custody and transferred them to a plane bound for Guatemala.
Attorneys for the minors secured an emergency restraining order from Judge Sparkle Sooknanan that prevented their imminent deportation. Kelly’s order effectively extends that order indefinitely.
The Trump administration could appeal the decision. Fox News Digital reached out to the Department of Homeland Security, which is named in the lawsuit, for comment.
The minors’ attorneys argued their clients were at imminent risk of removal despite some having pending asylum cases or other legal claims that had not fully been vetted by the courts.
LAWYERS CHALLENGE DEPORTATION OF HUNDREDS OF MINORS TO GUATEMALA
Sooknanan initially addressed the lawsuit over Labor Day weekend, but Kelly has since taken the case over.
Trump administration officials, including a Department of Homeland Security spokesperson, had excoriated Sooknanan when she issued her order, claiming the judge was blocking children from returning to their parents.
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“Judge Sparkle [Sooknanan] is blocking flights to *reunify* Guatemalan children with their families,” DHS spokeswoman Tricia McLaughlin wrote on social media at the time. “Now these children have to go to shelters. This is disgusting and immoral.”
The minors’ attorneys argued in court papers that trafficking and immigration laws “prevent unaccompanied children from being whisked off under cover of darkness at the whim of any government.” The minors in question are currently in Health and Human Services custody and have no legal guardians in the United States, the attorneys have said.
Former VP Harris reveals who she really wanted as her running mate
Former Vice President Kamala Harris revealed that Pete Buttigieg was her “first choice” as running mate in last year’s presidential election, but such a pairing “was too big of a risk,” according to an excerpt from her upcoming book.
Buttigieg, the former secretary of transportation and mayor of South Bend, Indiana, who is gay, “would have been an ideal partner – if I were a straight white man,” Harris wrote in a portion of “107 Days” published by The Atlantic.
“But we were already asking a lot of America: to accept a woman, a Black woman, a Black woman married to a Jewish man. Part of me wanted to say, Screw it, let’s just do it. But knowing what was at stake, it was too big of a risk,” she added. “And I think Pete also knew that – to our mutual sadness.”
Harris ultimately selected Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as her running mate. That pairing lost the presidential election to Donald Trump and JD Vance in November.
FORMER BIDEN CABINET MEMBER ADMITS PRESIDENT SHOULDN’T HAVE SOUGHT RE-ELECTION IN 2024
In the “107 Days” excerpt, Harris said Buttigieg initially led the eight names on her vetting list for running mates because “he is a sincere public servant with the rare talent of being able to frame liberal arguments in a way that makes it possible for conservatives to hear them,” according to The Atlantic.
“I love Pete,” she reportedly wrote. “I love working with Pete. He and his husband, Chasten, are friends.”
Fox News Digital has reached out to representatives of Buttigieg for comment.
KAMALA HARRIS COMPLAINS ABOUT ‘IMPOSSIBLE’ LACK OF SUPPORT FROM BIDEN’S COMMS TEAM, INNER CIRCLE
Harris and Buttigieg both ran for president in 2020, but the Democratic Party’s nomination was secured by Joe Biden in that election cycle.
Harris’s book “107 Days” is set to be released next Tuesday, Sept. 23.
“For the first time, and with surprising and revealing insights, former Vice President Kamala Harris tells the story of one of the wildest and most consequential presidential campaigns in American history,” reads a description of the book on Simon & Schuster’s website.
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“From the chaos of campaign strategy sessions to the intensity of debate prep under relentless scrutiny and the private moments that rarely make headlines, Kamala Harris offers an unfiltered look at the pressures, triumphs, and heartbreaks of a history-defining race,” it added.
‘This was an assassination attempt’: Chilling letter offers $150K bounty on Trump
Prosecutors are expected to rest their case Thursday in the federal trial of Ryan Routh — accused of attempting to assassinate President Donald Trump at his West Palm Beach golf club in 2024 — after Wednesday’s testimony centered on a gray storage box, a 12-page “Dear World” letter and accounts from longtime acquaintances.
Prosecutors used FBI Special Agent Garett Foo to walk jurors through the gray box recovered in North Carolina, which contained phones, ammunition, an “improvised firing mechanism” and Routh’s alleged handwritten “Dear World” letter.
Per Judge Aileen Cannon’s ruling, jurors were shown only the first three sentences of that letter, including: “This was an assassination attempt on Donald Trump … I will offer $150,000 to whomever can complete the job.”
FBI PHONE EXTRACTIONS, DNA TESTIMONY HEADLINE DAY 7 OF RYAN ROUTH TRIAL
Routh – representing himself – had argued the whole letter should be brought into evidence, but Judge Cannon had only approved those first three lines. Routh argued that if the whole letter didn’t get into evidence, at least include three words from near the end of the letter, “shred his airplane.”
Routh told Cannon there’s “nothing about a golf course” in the letter and that the jury at least needed “some context… this is about shredding his airplane,” not assassinating him at his golf course.
“How can you take three sentences out of 12 pages?” asked Routh. “How fair is that?” He added that the main object here was to “ascertain the truth.”
RYAN ROUTH TRIAL CONTINUES AFTER AGENT TESTIFIES SUSPECT AIMED RIFLE AT HIM ON TRUMP’S GOLF COURSE
Two former associates, brothers Samuel and Lazaro Plata, also testified with Spanish-English interpreters. Samuel Plata described finding the gray box with cartridges, pipes, four phones and a letter and said he alerted law enforcement.
Lazaro told jurors Routh left the box at his home and said three phrases from the letter stuck in his memory: “Dear World,” “Donald Trump,” and “$150,000.”
RYAN ROUTH TRIAL CONTINUES AFTER AGENT TESTIFIES SUSPECT AIMED RIFLE AT HIM ON TRUMP’S GOLF COURSE
In a text shown in court, Routh wrote: “Ryan Routh here. Want to give you my son Oran’s number in case I die in the next 10 or 20 years, so you can reach him.” On cross-examination, Routh asked, “Are you mad at me?” Lazaro replied, “How do you want me to feel?” Routh: “I want you to be happy.” Cannon ended the exchange after Routh continued trying to pivot.
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Prosecutors plan to finish their case and Cannon told the defense to be ready with witnesses Friday morning. Routh has indicated he plans to call a firearms expert and character witnesses, but it remains unclear whether he will testify on his own behalf.
PHOTOS: Kate Middleton teams with Melania Trump in groundbreaking joint appearance
President Donald Trump bid farewell to King Charles III to talk politics while Melania Trump carried on her engagements with the royal wives.
Trump was all smiles as he shared a warm handshake with the beaming monarch before departing Windsor Castle. The president is scheduled to meet with Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer at Chequers, the British leader’s rural retreat. Topics like Gaza, the war in Ukraine and trade are set to be on the agenda.
Meanwhile, the first lady teamed up with Kate Middleton and visited the Squirrel Scouts. They stepped out at Frogmore Gardens in Windsor. Just prior, Melania toured the Queen Mary’s Dolls’ House with Queen Camilla.
KATE MIDDLETON STUNS IN GLITTERING TIARA MOMENT FOR TRUMP’S STATE VISIT AT WINDSOR CASTLE
The joint outing between Melania, 55, and the Princess of Wales, 43, is a first for the women. They joined the U.K.’s Chief Scout Dwayne Fields and members of the Scouts’ Squirrels program to witness children exploring nature and earn their “Go Wild” badge.
During the outing, Kate was spotted sitting on the grass as she spoke with the children about their art. Meanwhile, a little girl took Melania’s hand and led her to a table where other children were building “bug hotels” from cardboard and tubes, People reported.
“Show me how, what I should do,” said Melania to the child, as quoted by the outlet. When she was asked about her favorite bug, the first lady replied, “a ladybug.”
The cause hits close to home for Kate. The princess, who was a Brownie as a child, has been Joint President of the Scout Association since 2020.
Kate has also cited nature as a source of support while she was undergoing treatment for an undisclosed form of cancer in 2024. After completing chemotherapy, the mother of three revealed in January that she is in remission.
On the final day of the state visit, Melania and Camilla, 78, stepped out together to tour Queen Mary’s Dolls’ House and the Royal Library at Windsor Castle.
Queen Mary’s Dolls’ House is considered the largest and most famous miniature home, according to the Royal Collection Trust.
Built between 1921 and 1924 for Queen Mary by British architect Sir Edwin Lutyens, it includes works from more than 1,500 artists, craftspeople and manufacturers of the early 20th century. The home was completed with the contributions of 250 craftspeople, 60 artist-decorators, 700 artists, 600 writers and 500 donors, the trust noted.
“The house was intended to be as true to life as possible,” the Royal Collection Trust’s website said. “It even includes electricity, running water and working lifts. Each room is beautifully furnished and waiting to be explored.” Lutyens wrote that it was aimed to be a “mini mansion,” one that Queen Mary and King George V could have lived in.
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Among the items that were viewed at the royal library included Queen Elizabeth’s copy of “Alice in Wonderland,” as well as the king’s collection of Beatrix Potter books.
Today’s agenda is coming after last night’s banquet in St. George’s Hall at Windsor Castle, which featured 160 guests.
Before the feast, Trump said his second state visit was “one of the highest honors of my life.”
“It’s a singular privilege to be the first American president welcomed here and, if you think about it, it’s a lot of presidents and this was the second state visit, and that’s the first, and maybe that’s going to be the last time,” said Trump.
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“But this is truly one of the highest honors of my life, such respect for you and such respect for your country.”
Ahead of his departure this morning, Trump told reporters, “He’s a great gentleman, and a great King” moments after shaking the monarch’s hand on the steps of Windsor Castle.
After Melania’s engagement with Kate, she will join her husband at Chequers before the state visit officially comes to an end.
No U.S. president, or any other world leader, has ever had the honor of a second U.K. state visit, The Associated Press reported. The festivities involved 120 horses and 1,300 troops — including the largest guard of honor in living memory.
Hundreds of staff worked through the halls and grounds of the nearly 1,000-year-old Windsor Castle to ensure the monarch welcomed the couple in true royal fashion. The late queen first hosted the Trumps in 2019 during his first administration.
Prince William, heir to the British throne, held a private meeting with the Trumps alongside Kate, People reported. While Kensington Palace didn’t provide details on what was discussed, the meeting was described as “warm and friendly,” the outlet shared.
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The second state visit, which officially kicked off on Sept. 17, wraps up on Sept. 18.