Americans are bracing for their healthcare premiums to increase in 2026 amid uncertainty stemming from whether Affordable Care Act (ACA) subsidies about to expire at the end of 2025 will receive an extension. 

Those shopping on the ACA marketplace already are expected to face a 26% premium price increase in 2026, and if the potential government subsidies expire, monthly payments for subsidized patients could increase by 114%, according to an analysis from the Kaiser Family Foundation released in October. 

But the potential lapse in government subsidies, which seek to lower monthly payments for patients, isn’t the only reason for rising premium prices. At the crux of the issue is that the ACA’s foundation includes several inflationary provisions that are driving up healthcare costs, according to experts. 

‘Obamacare does more to increase prices,’ Michael Cannon, director of health policy studies at the Washington-based libertarian-leaning Cato Institute think tank, told Fox News Digital Monday. 

‘It increases prices on healthy people by requiring them to pay double or triple what they should have to pay for health insurance, and it requires everybody who enrolls in Obamacare to buy more comprehensive coverage than they probably would if you gave them the money.’ 

1. Guaranteed coverage 

One provision included in the ACA is the guaranteed issue, which requires that insurers provide coverage to anyone without factoring in their health status or age. 

This is a factor that ramps up the cost of premiums, according to Sally Pipes, the president of the free market think tank Pacific Policy Institute.

‘As older patients use a lot more healthcare than the young and cost insurers a lot more in claims, premiums have to rise to cover their loss on the older enrollees,’ Pipes said in a statement Monday to Fox News Digital. 

2. Community rating rule 

Coupled with this provision is the community rating rule, which bans insurers from charging older people more than three times what they do younger people — regardless of their health status.

This essentially amounts to a system of government price controls because it requires insurance companies to charge two people of the same age on the same healthcare plan the same premium, even if one is healthy and the other is sick, according to Cannon. 

‘That is a price floor for the healthy person, because the price can’t go below whatever you charge the sick person, and it’s a price ceiling for the sick person, because the price can’t go above whatever you charge the healthy person,’ Cannon said. ‘And so the centerpiece of Obamacare is really just price controls, where you set the price too high in one area and too low in the other area.’ 

3. Mandated service coverage 

Additionally, the ACA has an ‘essential’ health benefits requirement that stipulates health insurance plans must cover certain services, including inpatient and outpatient hospital care, mental health services, prescription drug coverage and more.

‘This means enrollees have to buy a plan that covers each benefit, regardless of whether they want that benefit or not,’ Pipes said. ‘If an individual family wants a plan that doesn’t cover alcohol rehabilitation or hair prostheses, they still have to pay to cover these benefits. They add tremendously to the cost of coverage.’ 

Meanwhile, Republicans and Democrats have been at odds over extending ACA subsidies, ultimately prompting the government shutdown, which lasted more than 40 days and was the longest in U.S. history. Democrats refused for weeks to back a measure without a provision to permanently extend the ACA subsidies, which will expire at the end of 2025.

But, ultimately, Democrats got behind a short-term spending bill that does not extend these subsidies by the end of the year. Even so, Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., agreed to a vote in December on legislation that would continue these credits.

The Biden administration first introduced the COVID-era subsidies under the American Rescue Plan Act passed in March 2021, which was subsequently extended the following year under the Inflation Reduction Act.

Meanwhile, Trump has signaled he won’t back continuing the subsidies and said in a social media post Tuesday that Congress shouldn’t ‘waste’ its time on negotiating an extension. 

‘THE ONLY HEALTHCARE I WILL SUPPORT OR APPROVE IS SENDING THE MONEY DIRECTLY BACK TO THE PEOPLE,’ Trump said in the post.

President Donald Trump said Wednesday that officials who pushed radical climate change policies should be immediately investigated.

While speaking at the U.S.-Saudi Investment Forum in Washington, D.C., Trump said the American people rejected ‘failed’ far-left models, including regulation aimed at curbing climate change.

The event, which was held at the Kennedy Center, aims to bring together ‘visionaries, leaders, and changemakers shaping the future of global investment,’ according to its website. Speakers include Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, Nvidia founder and CEO Jensen Huang, Pfizer Chairman and CEO Dr. Albert Bourla and several other heavy hitters.

Trump went through climate activists’ change in terminology, noting that what is now called ‘climate change’ was once called ‘global warming.’

‘Perfect words, ‘climate change.’ They’re covered if it rains, if it snows, if it’s warm, it’s climate change, ‘it’s destroying the world,” Trump said. He later remarked, ‘It’s a little conspiracy out there. We have to investigate them immediately. They probably are being investigated.’

‘Their policies punish success, rewarded failure and produced disaster, including the worst inflation in our country’s history,’ Trump added.

While it was not immediately clear who Trump was referencing when he called for an investigation, he has spoken out against the Green New Deal, which he calls the ‘Green New Scam.’

Trump issued a proclamation declaring October ‘National Energy Dominance Month.’ In his proclamation, Trump lamented the Biden administration’s ‘war on American energy,’ saying that ‘the Green New Scam shuttered dozens of coal plants leaving our power grid vulnerable, halted mining productions, and shipped our energy jobs from Texas to Tehran, from the Midwest to Moscow, and from Baton Rouge to Beijing.’

Additionally, on Earth Day, the White House declared that, ‘Unlike the previous administration, which wasted billions of taxpayer dollars on virtue signaling and ineffective grifts, the Trump administration’s policies are rooted in the belief that Americans are the best stewards of our vast natural resources — no ‘Green New Scam’ required.’ 

The White House article listed Trump’s environment-related policies, such as the promotion of U.S. energy dominance, his support for forest management and his actions to protect public lands.

During his remarks on Wednesday, Trump declared that, under his administration, ‘America is back and America is open for business. And America is actually stronger than it’s ever been before.’

On Tuesday, MBS committed his country to increasing its planned investment in the U.S. economy to nearly $1 trillion over the next year. Trump welcomed the investment, saying it was ‘great.’

‘You know, that’s great. I appreciate that. That’s great. We’re doing numbers that nobody’s ever done. And in all fairness, if you didn’t see potential in the U.S., you wouldn’t be doing it,’ Trump said.

‘Definitely,’ MBS replied.

Fox News Digital’s Anders Hagstrom contributed to this report.

ALEXANDRIA, Virginia – A federal judge grilled the Department of Justice Wednesday about whether it mishandled the grand jury indictment against former FBI Director James Comey and asked if interim U.S. Attorney Lindsey Halligan, who is leading the case, acted at the behest of President Donald Trump.

Judge Michael Nachmanoff found during the hearing in Alexandria, Virginia, that Halligan signed an indictment alleging two charges against Comey but that that document was never presented to the full grand jury, a revelation that could imperil the case if Nachmanoff decides it is enough to delegitimize the indictment.

Nachmanoff directed Halligan, who had no prosecutorial experience before Trump installed her to lead the Eastern District of Virginia in September, to come to the stand, giving her the chance to speak for the first time in the courtroom since her appointment.

Halligan confirmed that she presented a prior indictment that showed three charges against Comey to the grand jury. The jurors had, however, rejected one of the charges, leading Halligan to later sign a second indictment leaving off that charge.

Tyler Lemons, the North Carolina-based federal prosecutor who argued on behalf of the DOJ, downplayed the issue. Lemons said the indictments were identical and that the second one was created as soon as the grand jury proceedings concluded and merely excised the one charge that the grand jury rejected.

Nachmanoff did not make any decisions about the validity of the indictment from the bench and instead ordered more briefing on the matter.

Comey’s lawyer, Michael Dreeben, viewed the document debacle as fatal to the case, saying it appears ‘there is no indictment.’ 

The grand jury dispute was part of a broader hearing centered on Comey’s argument that his charges were a product of Trump’s vindictiveness and that the case should be tossed out entirely because of it. Comey was present in the courtroom while Dreeben argued on his behalf.

Nachmanoff, a Biden appointee, asked Dreeben if Halligan was a ‘puppet’ or a ‘stalking horse’ who was doing Trump’s bidding.

Dreeben responded that he would not use those words but that his team believed Halligan was operating at the direction of Trump, rather than independently. Dreeben said Trump had a years-long vendetta against Comey, who has been a vocal opponent of Trump since the president fired him from the FBI in 2017.

Dreeben argued that a directive Trump posted on social media in September to Attorney General Pam Bondi publicly pressuring her to quickly bring charges against several of Trump’s political nemeses, including Comey, contained ‘tit-for-tat’ messaging that proved the indictment was tainted by vengeance.

Trump had written in the post that he had read that Comey and others were ”all guilty as hell, but nothing is going to be done.”

‘We can’t delay any longer, it’s killing our reputation and credibility. … They impeached me twice, and indicted me (5 times!), OVER NOTHING. JUSTICE MUST BE SERVED, NOW!!!’ Trump wrote.

Dreeben said the post was ‘effectively an admission that this is a political prosecution.’

Lemons said Trump also told the press he was uninvolved in Comey’s case, but Dreeben said the president ‘can’t just walk back’ his social media post.

Dreeben bolstered his argument by laying out a timeline that showed Halligan, a former insurance lawyer and White House aide, assumed the top prosecutorial role and brought the indictment within four days.

Nachmanoff expressed doubt that Halligan had vetted Comey’s case.

‘What independent evaluation could she have done [in four days]?’ the judge asked.

He also pressed the DOJ on whether any memo existed that had advised against charging Comey, a question that follows the Trump administration ousting Halligan’s predecessor, Erik Siebert, in part because of his reluctance to prosecute the former FBI director.

Lemons struggled to answer the question before concluding that the memo, if it existed, would be a ‘privileged matter’ that he did not have permission to disclose. He said Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche’s office directed him not to reveal any privileged material.

Meghan Tome contributed to this report.

A prominent global research center has released a comprehensive report on what it says is a multi-generational campaign by the Muslim Brotherhood to ‘transform Western society from within’ and covertly infiltrate the United States. 

The 200-page report, released by the Institute for the Study of Global Antisemitism and Policy on Wednesday, draws from internal Brotherhood documents, such as the ‘1982 Project’ and ‘1991 Explanatory Memorandum’ and makes the case that Western freedoms have been systematically leveraged to advance Islamist ideological goals as the group continues its five-decade plan to embed itself in the United States.

The Muslim Brotherhood, an Islamist organization founded in Egypt, has gained access to government agencies, been involved in advising American civil rights policy, infiltrated educational institutions, and created a vast social media footprint, the report states.

According to the report, The Muslim Brotherhood allegedly targeted U.S. government agencies for infiltration, including the State Department, Department of Homeland Security, and Department of Justice, through career appointments and advisory roles.

The report dives deep into alleged terror ties within the group along with various funding sources from places like Qatar while making the case that both al-Qaeda and the Brotherhood ‘share the strategic aim’ of establishing an Islamic state government by sharia and differing only in tactics where the Brotherhood’s ‘gradualism allows it to maintain ideological continuity with militant jihad while avoiding direct confrontation.’

The report calls on the United States to designate the Muslim Brotherhood as a terrorist organization.

‘We are now fifty years into the Brotherhood’s 100-year plan to entrench themselves into key institutions in the United States and other western societies to undermine and destroy our democracy,’ Dr. Charles Asher Small, founding director of ISGAP and co-author of the report, told Fox News Digital. 

‘This is not simply a political movement but a transnational ideological project that adapts itself to Western systems while working to undermine them. The Brotherhood has learned to use the very freedoms of democracy as tools to erode it from within, exploiting the tolerance and openness of liberal societies as strategic vulnerabilities. This report lays out how, and what must now be done to defend our democracy. Designation as a terror organization is essential to safeguard our freedom and way of life and we must deal with the entryist damage that has already been done.’

Earlier this week, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, a Republican, designated the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) and the Muslim Brotherhood as foreign terrorist and transnational criminal organizations Tuesday, preventing both groups from obtaining land in the Lone Star state.

Abbott said in a statement that he made the move as ‘The Muslim Brotherhood and CAIR have long made their goals clear: to forcibly impose Sharia law and establish Islam’s ‘mastership of the world.’’

‘The actions taken by the Muslim Brotherhood and CAIR to support terrorism across the globe and subvert our laws through violence, intimidation, and harassment are unacceptable. Today, I designated the Muslim Brotherhood and CAIR as foreign terrorist organizations and transnational criminal organizations,’ Abbott added. ‘These radical extremists are not welcome in our state and are now prohibited from acquiring any real property interest in Texas.’

In a statement to Fox News Digital at the time, CAIR, who is mentioned multiple times in the ISGAP report, said the group ‘consistently condemned all forms of unjust violence, including hate crimes, ethnic cleansing, genocide and terrorism.’

The ISGAP report names multiple elected politicians as potentially advancing the Muslim Brotherhood’s goals within the government.

‘The election and re-election of congresswomen such as Ilhan Omar (D-MN) and Rashida Tlaib (D-MI), who have openly defended positions aligned with Brotherhood perspectives on Israel, counterterrorism, and international relations, demonstrates the intersection of identity politics and Brotherhood narratives,’ the report states. ‘While neither congresswoman has a documented formal affiliation with the Muslim Brotherhood, both have appeared at events organized by Brotherhood-aligned organizations, have received campaign support from Brotherhood-aligned donors, and have consistently advocated positions aligned with Brotherhood objectives.’

In a press release, ISGAP warns that the ‘Brotherhood’s networks are not self-sustaining; they are nourished by a state that exports its worldview through funding, education, and media influence’ and that the United States ‘must act now, with clarity and courage, to protect both its values and its Muslim citizens from this ideological hijacking.’

In terms of next steps, ISGAP says that a terror designation is a positive step but not enough and is working on a joint declaration from dozens of scholars and policymakers calling on Congress to act on the findings of the report.

‘As someone who has studied and witnessed the Brotherhood’s operations firsthand, I can say with confidence that this is not a theoretical threat,’ Dalia Ziada, ISGAP Washington Coordinator, Research Fellow, and co-author of the report, told Fox News Digital.

 Fox News Digital’s Greg Norman contributed to this report

Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., is planning to force a vote on censuring a fellow House Republican on Wednesday night.

Two sources told Fox News Digital that Mace will introduce a censure resolution against Rep. Cory Mills, R-Fla., after accusing him of stolen valor on X on Tuesday night.

Mace is planning to introduce the censure as a privileged resolution, Fox News Digital is told, meaning House GOP leaders will have two legislative days — by the end of session on Friday — to hold a chamber-wide vote on the measure.

Her resolution is likely to come up during the House’s only vote series of the day on Wednesday, which is scheduled for the 8 p.m. hour.

House Democrats had threatened to pursue a retaliatory censure against Mills Tuesday evening in response to Republicans trying to censure Del. Stacey Plaskett, D-V.I., the Virgin Islands’ nonvoting representative in the House, over her ties to Jeffrey Epstein.

The Plaskett censure failed after three House Republicans voted ‘no’ and three more voted ‘present,’ however, along with every Democrat rejecting the measure. Democrats did not appear to pursue the censure against Mills after that.

Mace had accused Mills of participating in a ‘backroom deal’ at the time to avoid a censure, adding, ‘I have the General who ‘recommended’ him for the Bronze Star on record saying he never wrote it, never read it and never personally signed it.’

Mills’ office told Fox News Digital there was never a deal, however, and had expected his censure to move forward on Tuesday night. He also voted in favor of censuring Plaskett.

The main motivation behind Mace’s censure resolution is not yet clear. But Mace sent a letter to Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., on Wednesday accusing Mills of ‘credible accusations he misrepresented his military service’ and ‘credible accusations of having committed crimes against women.’

Mills has previously denied wrongdoing in reports of both sets of allegations.

Fox News Digital reached out to Mills’ spokesperson for comment on Mace’s plans.

Hundreds of State Department employees will receive restitution after an internal review under Secretary Marco Rubio found they were denied promotions during the Biden administration for not meeting new diversity, equity and inclusion standards.

In addition to removing the diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility (DEIA) precept from the State Department’s promotion process, officials said roughly 295 employees who were marked down for not showing they would ‘seek diversity in staff’ will now receive pay increases, administrative promotions and letters of commendation.

‘The Trump administration is providing restitution to State Department employees who were adversely impacted by the previous administration’s ideological agenda,’ a State Department official said.

The department conducted an internal review of 7,319 employees who competed for promotion in 2024. Those employees were judged on five precepts: communication, leadership, management, knowledge and DEIA. Under President Donald Trump, the DEIA precept was replaced with a new criterion: ‘fidelity,’ Fox News Digital previously reported.

Promotion board members were instructed to low-rank employees who exhibited a ‘lack of sensitivity to the importance of diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA),’ according to a State Department official.

The DEIA promotion precept was damaging to those who displayed ‘little indication of seeking diversity in staff,’ the official claimed.

‘The Biden administration imposed ideological litmus tests on civil servants, penalizing competent and deserving government employees in the process,’ principal deputy spokesperson Tommy Pigott said.

‘Under President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, the State Department rewards excellence, which is the right thing to do for our workforce, for our country, and for the American people.’

The Trump administration’s restitution plan marks a broader rollback of DEI-based policies across federal agencies, part of Trump’s pledge to restore merit-based advancement in government service.

The State Department’s previous hiring guide for 2022–2025 required foreign service employees to ‘demonstrate impact in diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility,’ according to the internal documents.

Entry-level applicants were expected to proactively seek to ‘improve one’s own self-awareness with respect to promoting inclusivity.’ Mid- and senior-level supervisors were told to recruit and retain diverse teams, respond immediately to noninclusive workplace behaviors and ‘consult with impacted staff before finalizing decisions.

On his first day in office in 2021, President Joe Biden signed an executive order directing federal agencies to pursue policies that advance ‘equity.’ 

‘Affirmatively advancing equity, civil rights, racial justice, and equal opportunity is the responsibility of the whole of our Government,’ he stated. 

‘It is therefore the policy of my Administration that the Federal Government should pursue a comprehensive approach to advancing equity for all, including people of color and others who have been historically underserved, marginalized, and adversely affected by persistent poverty and inequality.’ 

Fox News Digital reached out to Biden’s office for comment and has not yet received a reply. 

The Senate has officially passed a bill that would force the Department of Justice to release all materials related to Jeffrey Epstein, marking an end to a saga that consumed Congress for several months. 

The House sent over the bill early Tuesday morning, which triggered immediate passage of the legislation after no Senate Republican blocked an attempt by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., to fast track the bill through the upper chamber. 

It now heads to president Donald Trump’s desk. 

Schumer argued on the floor that the Senate ‘should pass this bill as soon as possible, as written and without a hint of delay.’ 

‘Republicans must not try to change this bill or bury it in committee, or slow walk it in any way,’ he said. ‘Any amendment to this bill would force it back to the House and risk further delay. Who knows what would happen over there?’

The resolution from Reps. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., and Ro Khanna, D-Calif., would require that the Department of Justice (DOJ) release all unclassified records, documents, communications and investigative materials ‘publicly available in a searchable and downloadable format’ related to the late financier and convicted pedophile and his accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell within 30 days of the bill being signed into law. 

The Epstein fervor has not had nearly the impact in the Senate as the House, which was thrust into chaos by the bipartisan push to see the release of the files. Earlier this year, House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., put the House into recess to quell the Epstein drama and has since been accused of running from a vote on the issue.

The drama that roiled through the House, and sidelined lawmakers for several weeks came and went through the Senate in a matter of minutes Tuesday night. 

Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., said that Republicans were already mulling the bill through the hotline process, which is where legislation is considered among lawmakers before making it to the floor. Thune said the plan, if the bill clears the hotline, would be to have it on the floor before lawmakers leave for Thanksgiving recess at the end of this week. 

‘We’ll see what the Democrats have to say,’ he said. ‘But it’s the kind of thing, probably, that could perhaps move by unanimous consent.’

That ended up not being necessary, with bill making its way through the upper chamber without a full vote. 

The calculus surrounding the Epstein bill changed in the Senate, too, given that President Donald Trump, who for months railed against attempts to release the files, threw his support behind Massie and Khanna’s legislation over the weekend.

He charged that it was a ‘Democrat Hoax perpetrated by Radical Left Lunatics in order to deflect from the Great Success of the Republican Party.’

‘Nobody cared about Jeffrey Epstein when he was alive and, if the Democrats had anything, they would have released it before our Landslide Election Victory,’ he said in a post on Truth Social.

Senate Republicans, like their counterparts in the House, wanted more transparency on the issue when the Epstein saga resurfaced over the summer but cautioned that no materials should be released until the names or identifying traits of victims are combed through and kept safe.

But, despite calls from Johnson to amend the bill to include those kinds of guardrails in the legislation, it’s unlikely to happen in the Senate. 

‘I think when a bill comes out of the House 427 to one, and the president said he’d sign it, I’m not sure that amending it is in the cards,’ Thune said. 

Ro Khanna, D-Calif., is a man in a rush. On Tuesday, he was at the center of the vote to release the Epstein files, and when I saw him, on the way to his office in the Cannon building, he asked if I could walk and talk, as he had a few stops to make. 

‘Sure thing,’ I said, and we were off.

I wasn’t there for Epstein. I wanted to know about the future of his Democratic Party. So I started by asking if he and it have moved the goal of the social safety net from hand up to handout.

‘That’s not my vision,’ Khanna said. ‘My vision is an FDR-like vision where we need to have wealth generation across this country. We need production and manufacturing and making things across America.’

He pointed out that Roosevelt did not only have handouts, he also helped industrialize America.

I pressed him on his call for $10-a-day childcare for all Americans. Isn’t this, along with his Medicare for all policy, a free giant payout from the state? Again he pivoted to FDR.

‘It’s the New Deal,’ he said. ‘I believe in an economic bill of rights, in national healthcare. That’s what FDR believed in: universal childcare. Under FDR, we had war nurseries, do you know why?’

I could have guessed, but it was because somebody had to watch Rosie the Riveter’s kids as she built planes and tanks.

FDR and the New Deal really do seem to be at the heart of Khanna’s economic vision, and while conservatives, especially the old guard, tend to hate the New Deal, they’d likely take FDR over Karl Marx, who seems to be the inspiration for others in his party these days.

By the time I shifted my questions to immigration, we had reached an elevator, the only one the congressman took in our 25 minute traipse. ‘The stairs are faster,’ he told me.

This was a chance to bring the road, where I live, to the halls of power in D.C., where I’ll only go as a reluctant tourist.

‘People say to me all the time, ‘Democrats let 20 million illegal immigrants in with little to no process, now they say every one of them has to go through due process.’ What do you say to them?’

For emphasis, I added that if you give 20 million people each a one-hour hearing, the total time it would take is over 2,000 years.

Khanna launched into something of a filibuster, telling stories of his own immigrant parents, how his mother stressed learning English and learning our nation’s history and values. And, that he had won the lottery and, as an American, should focus on his responsibilities more than his rights.

The congressman was ducking the question, but it was notable that this pride in and gratitude to America stands in opposition to the rhetoric of his party’s ascendant socialist wing.

At this point, Khanna had to duck into a meeting. He motioned to me to join, but a polite guard informed us my Adidas Gazelles and white sweater were not proper attire. In my defense, it’s a nice sweater.

When he came out, I took another shot at the question of the 20 million illegal immigrants.

‘You’re asking about the millions already here. I believe that if you committed a crime, a violent crime, then there needs to be a deportation after due process. But for many people who are here, giving childcare and working in hospitality, or construction and paying taxes, I do believe there needs to be a path to legalization.’

And there it was. They get to stay.

As the elevator door opened to the crowded, bright white subterranean pathways we had already come through, I told Khanna, ‘Here’s exactly the people on the road will say to that: ‘If Democrats let 20 million in last time, why won’t they do it again if given power?”

It seemed to land.

‘That’s a very good point, that’s a very good question, because we don’t want to lose elections,’ Khanna said, suggesting the open border was to blame for recent GOP gains.

Two takeaways here, one is that Khanna and the Democrats think the vast majority of the 20 million Biden illegals get to stay. The other is that they may plan to run, at least nominally, in favor of Trump’s border security measures.

As we made our circuitous route back to his office, I asked the congressman about Israel. He agreed that even 10 years ago, his party was far friendlier towards the Jewish state.

‘What changed?’ I asked.

He didn’t miss a beat, ‘Netanyahu.’ Khanna had initially supported Bibi’s efforts to hit Hamas after the massacre of Oct. 7, but after several months, felt they were going too far.

If there is a silver lining for Zionists, it is that, unlike New York City Mayor-elect and Socialist wunderkind Zohran Mamdani, Khanna does support the right for Israel to exist as a Jewish State.

We both agreed that if President Donald Trump’s peace effort holds, the Israel question may soon fade to the background.

Finally, back in Khanna’s office for a few minutes, I asked him about Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., who has argued fervently that his party is moving too far left.

‘I like John,’ Khanna said. ‘Maybe I shouldn’t say it. We have drinks, but I’m a progressive Democrat, so we have disagreements.’

It was that moment when I realized that this was the third or fourth time Khanna had referred to himself as a ‘progressive Democrat,’ and for the very first time, this phrase I’d known for decades had a new meaning. It meant, ‘not socialist.’

This is an incredibly important distinction and will be the major skirmish line for the soul of the party. ‘Progressive Democrat,’ until about 10 minutes ago, meant those farthest to the left. It included Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio Cortez, D-N.Y. and her squad. Now it is beginning to mean, ‘a bit to the right of the socialists.’

As the midterms approach, this jockeying in what was once the party of Jefferson and Jackson will grow more intense. A lean and hungry Ro Khanna is racing to be at the forefront of the fight.

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin clapped back after Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Texas, said he had taken money from someone named Jeffrey Epstein.

The congresswoman dropped Zeldin’s name while listing figures and entities she said had taken money from ‘somebody’ by the name of Jeffrey Epstein. Noting that she had her ‘team dig in very quickly,’ she rattled off the following list: ‘Mitt Romney, the NRCC, Lee Zeldin, George Bush, WinRed, McCain-Palin, Rick Lazio.’

Zeldin fired back in a post to X, noting that the donation to one of his former campaigns had nothing to do with the notorious late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

‘Yes, Crockett, a physician named Dr. Jeffrey Epstein (who is a totally different person than the other Jeffrey Epstein) donated to a prior campaign of mine,’ Zeldin wrote, reposting another person’s post that featured footage of Crockett’s comments.

Zeldin then exclaimed in all caps, ‘NO [clap emoji] FREAKIN [clap emoji] RELATION [clap emoji] YOU [clap emoji] GENIUS!!!’

Fox News Digital reached out to Crockett’s office for comment.

Zeldin, a Republican, lost the 2022 New York gubernatorial contest to Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul. He served in the U.S. House of Representatives from early 2015 through early 2023, and he had previously served in the New York state Senate.

President Donald Trump has previously called Crockett ‘a very low-IQ person.’

A major national security debate is unfolding, and it affects more than government networks. It touches your home, your devices, and the Wi-Fi your family uses every day. The Commerce Department has proposed blocking new sales of TP-Link products after a months-long review into the company’s ties to China, citing a growing TP-Link security risk.

Multiple agencies, including Homeland Security and Defense, supported that proposal. They believe the company’s connections could expose American networks to foreign influence.

Security experts warn that foreign-backed hackers have targeted home and office routers for years. These devices often act as silent stepping stones that help attackers move deeper into sensitive systems. When compromised, they can expose everything connected to them, including computers, smart home gear, military devices used on base and more.

This potential ban would be one of the biggest consumer tech actions in U.S. history. It comes as lawmakers raise fresh alarms about Chinese-made cameras, routers and connected home products sold on military exchanges and in homes across the country.

Get my best tech tips, urgent security alerts and exclusive deals delivered straight to your inbox. Plus, you’ll get instant access to my Ultimate Scam Survival Guide — free when you join my newsletter.

Why military families are even more vulnerable

Lawmakers from both parties say military households face extra risk. Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), who leads a bipartisan group of 23 lawmakers, warns that TP-Link cameras and networking devices sold on Army, Navy and Air Force exchange sites could expose sensitive footage from base housing and dorms. Rep. Ashley Hinson (R-Iowa) echoed that concern, saying these devices could act as a backdoor for Chinese intelligence to collect information on service members and their families. Even when products appear out of stock, officials worry they remain popular in military communities.

These lawmakers say Chinese laws could force companies to share data or push hidden software changes that weaken U.S. networks. They argue that this creates a real risk for households on or near military installations. While TP-Link disputes every allegation and states that it stores U.S. data inside America, lawmakers want a deeper investigation.

‘China will use any way to infiltrate us, and we must ensure they cannot access our homeland or military bases,’ said Ernst.’High-tech security cameras sending video and audio directly back to Beijing must be treated like the grave threat that they are. We have seen this playbook from China before, with Huawei Technologies, and need the Trump administration to investigate and determine if TP-Link is a trojan horse compromising our national security.’

How Congress is responding to TP-Link security risks

Sen. Ernst is pressing the Commerce Department to finish its investigation by November 30. Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas), who chairs the Senate Intelligence Committee, says TP-Link could give the Chinese government access to American networks and wants faster action. Their concerns reflect past decisions involving Huawei and Kaspersky, which lost access to the U.S. market due to national security risks.

Congressional leaders say foreign-made smart home devices sold on military bases should face strict scrutiny. They see routers, cameras and other connected home gear as critical targets in a time when cyberthreats continue to grow.

We reached out to TP-Link Systems Inc., and a spokesperson provided CyberGuy with the following statement:

‘TP-Link Systems Inc. (TP-Link), an American company based in California, refutes the claims in this letter. This letter repeats false and misleading media reports and attacks that have been thoroughly debunked.

TP-Link emphatically objects to any allegation it is tied to the Communist Party of China, dependent on the Chinese government, or otherwise subject to interference under Chinese national security laws. The company is not controlled by any government, foreign or domestic. TP-Link has split from and has no affiliation with the China-based TP-LINK Technologies Co. Ltd., which is separately owned and operated.

This letter has nothing to do with security and everything to do with a competitor trying to remove TP-Link Systems’ products from the marketplace. The ‘open source information’ the members reference is actually a manufactured echo chamber of false and misleading attacks that the media has parroted over the past year. Instead of directly engaging with TP-Link Systems, these members essentially pressed ‘copy and paste’ on unsubstantiated claims about our American company.

TP-Link has not been contacted by policymakers to discuss the alleged concerns, but if we were to meet with them, they would learn that TP-Link has located its core security functions and data infrastructure in the United States. U.S. user data is securely stored on Amazon Web Services infrastructure in Virginia, under the full control of the company’s U.S. operations.

TP-Link Systems currently holds a very small share of the U.S. security camera market, representing approximately 3% of the consumer market segment according to Circana checkout data. The company has virtually no business presence in the enterprise segment. Additionally, TP-Link Systems’ router market share in the U.S. has been inaccurately reported as being much higher than it actually is. Recent market research from Dell’Oro Group, Inc., found that TP-Link Systems’ market share of residential Wi-Fi router sales in North America is under 10%.

TP-Link does not enable foreign surveillance of U.S. networks or users. The company’s operations are built to prevent potential attempts to subvert its business by outside influence. TP-Link’s substantial security investments cover its entire product portfolio, including security cameras and routers.

TP-Link continually monitors its products and services and takes timely and appropriate action to address vulnerabilities it becomes aware of. TP-Link has not identified any reliable information regarding new vulnerabilities in its products in connection with this letter.’

Steps to protect yourself from this growing threat

Even as the debate continues, you can take simple steps to secure your home. These easy moves help defend against threats tied to any router brand.

1) Check your router and update it

Look at the brand on your router. Then update the firmware through the official app or web dashboard. If your device is several years old or no longer supported, replace it. Check out our article on the top routers for the best security at

2) Change your Wi-Fi and admin passwords

Default passwords are dangerous. Create strong, unique passwords for both your Wi-Fi and the router’s admin panel. Consider using a password manager, which securely stores and generates complex passwords, reducing the risk of password reuse.

Next, see if your email has been exposed in past breaches. Our #1 password manager (see Cyberguy.com) pick includes a built-in breach scanner that checks whether your email address or passwords have appeared in known leaks. If you discover a match, immediately change any reused passwords and secure those accounts with new, unique credentials.

Check out the best expert-reviewed password managers of 2025 at

3) Use strong antivirus protection on every device

Threats like this continue to grow. Install strong, real-time antivirus protection on every computer, phone, and tablet in your home. The best way to safeguard yourself from malicious links that install malware, potentially accessing your private information, is to have strong antivirus software installed on all your devices. This protection can also alert you to phishing emails and ransomware scams, keeping your personal information and digital assets safe.

Get my picks for the best 2025 antivirus protection winners for your Windows, Mac, Android & iOS devices at

4) Turn off any of these features you do not need

Disable remote access, WPS and extra features you never use. These settings can open doors for attackers.

5) Put smart home devices on a guest network

Keep laptops and phones on your main network. Put cameras, plugs, TVs and IoT devices on a separate guest network so they cannot reach your sensitive devices.

Take my quiz: How safe is your online security?

Think your devices and data are truly protected? Take this quick quiz to see where your digital habits stand. From passwords to Wi-Fi settings, you’ll get a personalized breakdown of what you’re doing right and what needs improvement. Take my Quiz here:

Kurt’s key takeaways

The debate around TP-Link shows how something as routine as a home router can become part of a broader security conversation. Whether or not the government issues a ban, this moment is a clear reminder that cybersecurity starts at home. Small steps make a meaningful difference in how well your devices stand up against foreign-backed hacking groups.

Should the government ban router brands linked to foreign influence or should consumers decide for themselves? Let us know by writing to us at

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