President Donald Trump split with immigration hawks by defending Chinese students in the U.S. while also softening on Chinese-owned farmland — creating friction inside MAGA and unexpected overlap with moderate Democrats.

Fox News’ Sean Hannity asked Trump in a recent interview from Beijing about concerns surrounding Chinese nationals attending school in the U.S. and China-linked entities purchasing farmland, including in sensitive areas like near a North Dakota military base that raised eyebrows earlier this decade.

Republicans have long warned that Chinese student visa programs could expose U.S. research and state secrets to the Chinese Communist Party, while GOP officials like Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and Nebraska Sen. Deb Fischer have pushed for tougher restrictions on Chinese ownership of American farmland.

“It’s not that I love it. You want to see farm prices drop; you want to see farmers lose a lot of money just take that out of the market. But they’ve had a lot of land for a long time. Obama did nothing about it,” Trump said.

SENATORS RICKETTS, FETTERMAN UNITE AGAINST CHINA’S QUIET INVASION OF US FARMLAND

Trump also defended allowing Chinese students to study in the U.S., calling them “good students” and arguing that banning them would unnecessarily inflame tensions with Beijing.

“I frankly think that it’s good that people come from other countries and they learn our culture and many of them want to stay here,” Trump said, while admitting that it “doesn’t sound like a very conservative position – and I’m a conservative… commonsense guy. I think MAGA is ‘common sense,’” he said.

The comments triggered backlash from the right wing of the MAGA movement, with former Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene disputing, “No — that’s not commonsense.”

“Trump says it’s insulting to tell China their students can’t go to our universities, imagine being an American student and receiving a rejection letter while 500,000 Chinese students get in,” Greene said, according to the left-wing New Republic. “And no – it’s not OK for China to buy our farmland.”

Some Democrats, however, appeared heartened by Trump’s more moderate stance on a major sticking point in the immigration field.

Fox News Digital reached out to top Democrats on the moderate New Democrat Coalition’s Border Security Working Group.

Chairman Gabe Vasquez of New Mexico told Fox News Digital that while he disagrees with Trump “on a lot” regarding immigration enforcement, he will continue to support efforts to bring new blood into the American economy.

“I have long supported building America’s workforce by encouraging the best and brightest across the world to come study in the U.S. and build their careers and families here,” said Vasquez.

“Congress should expand more legal pathways for students to stay here and start businesses, grow the American economy, and help our country fill critical needs in key industries like healthcare, manufacturing, quantum AI and engineering.” 

A Vasquez spokesperson added that the lawmaker, however, agrees with conservatives on one point where Trump differed — that Chinese nationals should not be permitted to purchase U.S. farmland.

“Food security is national security,” the spokesperson said.

Speaking to Hannity, Trump added: “I could tell [Xi], I don’t want any students, it’s a very insulting thing to say to a country. They would then immediately go out and start building universities all over China.”

Trump argued that without the influx of Chinese students, middling and lower-tier universities would begin dying on the vine financially.

Lora Ries, former counsel for the House Judiciary Committee’s immigration subcommittee and a 30-year policy expert now with the Heritage Foundation, told Fox News Digital that universities have grown too dependent on foreign students because they often pay “full freight” — and made the case for scrutinizing the education system rather than keeping it propped up with foreign tuition.

TRUMP CLAIMS GOP ‘VERY OPEN’ TO KEEPING ‘DREAMERS’ IN US, TAKES SHOT AT ‘VERY DIFFICULT’ DEMS

“It is no longer a level playing field for American students to get into these universities. We also know many of these universities are producing degrees that don’t have a great return on investment: gender studies, et cetera. So why on earth do we want to keep universities that depend on those sorts of degrees afloat?” Ries said.

“We shouldn’t justify continuing to bring in high levels of foreign students to keep so many universities in business when the Big-Ed model is absolutely upside-down.”

According to Ries, Chinese and other foreign student blocs exacerbate the difficulty American students face getting into colleges — while native students are also not finding meaningful jobs after graduation.

Ries said the issue is “right up Trump’s alley,” but not in the way the president posited on “Hannity.” She said Trump could shake up “Big-Ed” by incentivizing quality degrees and disincentivizing ones that leave American graduates occupationally stranded.

FOREIGN STUDENTS WHO HATE AMERICA DON’T DESERVE VISAS — AND WE HAVE TOOLS TO STOP THEM

When it comes to the adage about jobs Americans supposedly won’t do, she pointed to the medical field, which has seen an influx of foreign students.

“You can’t say medicine is a job that Americans won’t do, so what’s going on?” she said.

She also noted that Chinese nationals cannot come to live in America without the knowledge of — and often information-sharing with — the CCP, which itself poses a risk.

“Also, Chairman Xi can say, ‘Well, America is in decline,’ as he just did in this summit.”

When asked for comment, a White House spokesperson directed Fox News Digital to the president’s remarks to Hannity.

Trump’s comments set up a new potential divergence between presidential policy and conservative politics among some of his current and former most ardent supporters, including Greene.

It also, however, potentially opens up a rare immigration dialogue with Democrats like Vasquez and his coalition of moderates, who have been trying to advance their own fixes to the broken system.

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President Donald Trump was the biggest winner of Tuesday’s wide slate of primary elections as the president celebrated a large swath of his preferred candidates winning GOP primaries or advancing to runoff elections. 

Massie Ousted in Historic, Multimillion-Dollar Kentucky Primary

In the most expensive primary in U.S. House history, a longtime thorn in Trump’s side, Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., lost to former Navy SEAL Ed Gallrein in Kentucky’s 4th District. Gallrein defeated Massie soundly with nearly 55% of the vote to Massie’s 45.1%, according to The Associated Press.

The defeat will mark the end to Massie’s congressional stint, a tenure which, toward its end, saw Massie increasingly opposing Trump and criticizing the president’s actions on trade deals, the Jeffrey Epstein files and the Iran war.

In his concession speech, Massie highlighted the influx of support his opponent received from pro-Israel groups like the American Israeli Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC).

“I would have come out sooner, but I had to call my opponent to concede and it took a while to find him in Tel Aviv,” he joked to his supporters Tuesday night.

TRUMP TARGETS MASSIE IN EXPLOSIVE KENTUCKY SHOWDOWN AS SIX STATES HOLD HIGH-STAKES PRIMARIES

Pro-Israeli groups like AIPAC and the Republican Jewish Coalition, as well as other pro-Trump groups, poured millions of dollars into attack ads against Massie and support ads for Gallrein. With over $32 million spent on the race overall, the contest became the most expensive primary in House history.

Trump and surrogates, like Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, campaigned arduously against Massie in Kentucky and in national media, with Trump referring to Massie as the “Worst Republican Congressman in History” in one of many pre-primary attacks on Truth Social.

Gallrein, for his part, thanked Trump for his support and told supporters “the winner of the race tonight is not so much Ed Gallrein… but it’s the Republicans of Kentucky Congressional District 4 and their families, who I will be a champion for in Washington.”

ANDY BARR BESTS CROWDED SENATE PRIMARY WITH HELP FROM TRUMP ON WAY TO REPLACING MCCONNELL

Elsewhere in Kentucky, Trump-backed Rep. Andy Barr, R-Ky., won the GOP nomination for the state’s Senate seat, vacated by Sen. Mitch McConnell’s decision not to run for re-election. Barr defeated former Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron handily, winning over 60% of the vote, according to AP. He will face former Kentucky state Rep. Charles Booker, who won the Democratic Party’s nomination Tuesday. 

Raffensperger Falls Short in Georgia as Runoffs Take Shape

In Georgia, another Trump foe conceded defeat when the state’s Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger failed to advance in the GOP gubernatorial primary, falling behind Lt. Gov. Burt Jones and billionaire healthcare executive Rick Jackson, both of whom will advance to a June 16 runoff. 

Raffensperger drew Trump’s ire in 2021 when he publicly contested claims Trump made that the 2020 presidential election results in Georgia were inaccurate.

TRUMP’S GEORGIA CANDIDATE HEADS TO GOP RUNOFF FOR GOVERNOR AGAINST BILLIONAIRE BUSINESSMAN JACKSON

While Trump did not actively campaign against Raffensperger, he threw his support behind Jones, the race’s top vote-getter with over 38% of the vote, according to AP. Jackson finished with roughly 32.5%, compared to Raffensperger’s 15%, per AP. 

The winner of June’s runoff will face Keisha Lance Bottoms, a former mayor of Atlanta who earlier this month collected former President Joe Biden’s first political endorsement since leaving office. Bottoms defeated her Democratic opponents comfortably, collecting over 56% of the vote, per AP.

In the state’s Senate primary, a race in which Trump chose not to place his thumb on the scale, Rep. Mike Collins and former NFL coach Derek Dooley both advanced to the June 16 primary, both gaining more votes than Rep. Buddy Carter, who will not advance.

TRUMP-BACKED REPUBLICAN PADS GOP’S FRAGILE HOUSE MAJORITY BY WINNING SHOWDOWN FOR MTG’S FORMER SEAT

Collins, a strong and vocal supporter of Trump’s, gained the most votes, pulling in over 40%, according to AP. Dooley, a former football coach who most recently coached at the University of Alabama, advanced with just over 30% of the vote. 

Tuberville Clinches Nomination; Tight Race for Alabama Senate Seat

Speaking of Alabama and football, former Auburn University head football coach and current U.S. Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala., secured his party’s nomination to become the next governor of Alabama. Tuberville, who was also backed by Trump, will face former Democratic Sen. Doug Jones, who won his party’s nomination Tuesday. 

To replace Tuberville in the Senate, Trump-favored Rep. Barry Moore advanced in the GOP Senate primary with close to 40% of the vote, according to the AP.

Former Navy SEAL Jared Hudson and Alabama Secretary of State Steve Marshall are neck-and-neck competing for the second spot to see who will advance to the June runoff to compete against Moore. With an estimated 5,500 votes remaining to be counted as of this writing, Hudson leads Marshall with 123,531 votes compared to Marshall’s 118,228, according to the AP. 

Trump Sweeps Northwest as Democrats Notch Wins in Pennsylvania

Elsewhere in the country, Trump-backed candidates enjoyed victories in Idaho, as incumbents Gov. Brad Little and Sen. Jim Risch won their primaries. In Oregon, Trump-backed incumbent Rep. Clifford Bentz won his primary handily.

Outside of Trump’s sphere of influence, Pennsylvania Democrats celebrated primary victories for a trio of candidates backed by Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro. Bob Harvie, Bob Brooks and Janelle Stelson all won their primaries and will advance to face GOP incumbents in districts the Democrats hope to flip in November. 

Fox News’ Sally Persons and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Alabama is one step closer to anointing the Republican successor to Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala.

But determining which candidate will come out on top is still weeks away, given that Tuberville’s decision to run for governor and vacate his Senate seat ignited a crowded race to replace him. And in Alabama, if a candidate doesn’t get a majority of votes, a runoff is triggered.

Out of the field of Republican hopefuls, Rep. Barry Moore, R-Ala., and former Navy SEAL Jared Hudson emerged from the seven-way clash. They will again square off on June 16.

TRUMP’S EARLIEST SUPPORTER ANNOUNCES BID FOR ALABAMA SENATE SEAT

It will also be another test of President Donald Trump’s endorsement power in Alabama, where his track record has not been 100%.

Moore, who announced his candidacy to Fox News Digital last year, has Trump’s backing. It’s an endorsement he re-upped during a recent tele-rally urging support for the three-term member of the House.

“He’s a true America First Patriot who’s been with me from the very beginning,” Trump said during the rally.

ALABAMA REPUBLICANS PLOW FORWARD AFTER KEY SUPREME COURT WIN PUTS CONGRESSIONAL MAP IN QUESTION

Moore, who is a member of the conservative House Freedom Caucus and a self-styled fiscal hawk, has a long-standing history of supporting Trump. Indeed, he was the first elected official in the country to endorse Trump during his first run for office in 2015.

“I think my number one job is to protect the people’s liberty and to support the president in that process,” Moore told Fox News Digital last year. “And so, for us, it’s an opportunity to continue to fight for the America First agenda, and also make sure we have conservatives in the Senate from Alabama that are truly the voice of the people.”

TRUMP BACKS PAXTON IN TEXAS REPUBLICAN SENATE SHOWDOWN WITH CORNYN

Hudson narrowly squeaked into the second place spot against Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall in a race that wasn’t locked in until several hours after polls closed.

Marshall had a stronger name ID heading into the race, and has served as the Yellowhammer State’s top law enforcement officer since 2017.

And most recently, he made waves after demanding that a federal court in Alabama adhere to the Supreme Court’s recent redistricting decision in Louisiana and allow the state’s maps drawn during the 2020 cycle to be used on primary day.

But it wasn’t enough to best either Moore or Hudson. And the winner of that contest next month will face the Democratic candidate, either Everett Wess and Dakarai Larriett, who are similarly headed for a runoff race.

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FIRST ON FOX: Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., is speaking out over mounting questions from critics about her possible connection to the massive Feeding Our Future fraud scandal in Minnesota and suggested the Trump administration bears responsibility. 

“Any claim that I had knowledge of this scheme is flat-out false,” the Minnesota congresswoman said in a written statement to Fox News Digital on Wednesday. 

“The MEALS Act was signed into law by President Trump and passed with bipartisan support as part of a broader legislative package. Trump’s USDA Secretary set the regulatory framework during the rollout of the program. I have always championed feeding kids and will continue to ensure our children do not go hungry.”

Omar went on to say that the “moment this fraud came to light” she “immediately sent a letter to the USDA Secretary demanding answers and accountability.”

ILHAN OMAR PRESSED TO EXPLAIN HOW FRAUD IN MINNESOTA GOT ‘SO OUT OF CONTROL’

“As I stated from the beginning, stealing millions of dollars under the guise of feeding hungry children to bankroll lavish lifestyles and extravagant expenses is reprehensible,” Omar said. “I’m grateful that Aimee Bock and every individual involved in this abhorrent scheme are being held accountable for defrauding taxpayers and betraying vulnerable children.” 

Omar’s comment comes after she faced mounting pressure to explain her knowledge of and connections to the scandal that cost taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars.

The Minnesota House Fraud Prevention and State Agency Oversight Committee invited Omar to testify about what she knew but says she never responded, which prompted an effort to subpoena information from her. That effort was blocked by Democrats on the committee.

JD VANCE SAYS DOJ LOOKING INTO IF ILHAN OMAR COMMITTED IMMIGRATION FRAUD AMID BROTHER-MARRIAGE ALLEGATIONS

Just last week, the committee released its final report that accused Gov. Tim Walz’s administration of fostering a “culture of tolerance” that allowed fraudsters to steal billions in taxpayer dollars overall.

The report offered a strong critique of Omar, asserting that her MEALS Act, implemented into the Families First Coronavirus Response Act, “took the guardrails off” federal nutrition programs by allowing for-profit restaurants to participate and permitting “grab-and-go” flexibilities that made it nearly impossible to verify if children were actually being fed by the Feeding Our Future program.

The committee’s Republican chair, state Rep. Kristin Robbins, has suggested that Congress should take action to enforce the subpoena and get more answers about questions related to Omar’s alleged association with convicted fraudsters, her public promotion of a Minneapolis restaurant that later became linked to the program, along with communication and meeting records with the Minnesota Department of Education and constituents.  

“She only sent a letter once the fraud was exposed,” Robbins told Fox News Digital in response to Omar’s statement.

“Prior to that, she sent letters urging the administration to keep the waivers in place — allowing the fraud to continue. Sounds like revisionist history. I don’t buy it at all.”

Earlier this month, Fox News Digital reported that a former Omar staffer sent an email to the committee also pointing to Trump’s USDA during his first term and downplaying the potential negative impact of Omar’s MEALS Act legislation.

Fox News Digital reached out to the White House and USDA for comment.

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Georgia state Rep. Jasmine Clark won the Democratic primary race Tuesday night in Georgia’s 13th Congressional District, setting up a November match-up against Republican Jonathan James Chavez in the race to succeed late Rep. David Scott.

The Democratic Party primary marks the first major step in replacing Scott, a longtime Democratic member of Congress who represented the deep blue metro Atlanta district for more than two decades before his death in April. The heavily Democratic seat is expected to remain in the party’s hands in November. Scott was in the seat since 2003, until his death last month.

While the crowded primary made potential for a runoff, Clark won fairly handily Tuesday with almost 60% of the vote. Other candidates who ran included former Gwinnett County school board member Everton Blair Jr., state Sen. Emanuel Jones, dentist and reality television personality Heavenly Kimes, and dentist Joe Lester.

TRUMP TARGEST MASSIE IN EXPLOSIVE KENTUCKY SHOWDOWN AS SIX STATES HOLD HIGH-STAKES PRIMARIES

The Democratic Party primary for Georgia’s 13th District had drawn multiple Democratic challengers, even before the seat became open following Scott’s death last month.

Scott’s death came after ballots had already been finalized, leaving his name on the Democratic primary ballot even though votes for him did not count, according to Georgia election officials.

The 80-year-old congressman was seeking a 13th term at the time of his passing, but despite his long tenure, Scott had drawn multiple challengers in Tuesday’s primary amid intraparty concerns about his age, health and visibility.

Scott’s death changed the stakes of the race overnight, turning what had been a challenge to a long-serving incumbent into an open-seat contest in one of Georgia’s safest Democratic districts.

HOUSE DEMOCRAT WHO HAS REPEATEDLY TRIED TO IMPEACH TRUMP HEADS TO RUNOFF ELECTION AMID TIGHT PRIMARY

Clark will take on Republican Jonathan James Chavez, who is running unopposed for his party’s nomination, during the November midterm general election.

Chavez, an Air Force veteran and father of four, is running as the Republican in the heavily Democratic district after losing to Scott by more than 40 points in 2024, underscoring the Democratic tilt of the metro Atlanta seat.

Clark, meanwhile, is a microbiologist and mom who became a member of Georgia’s House in 2018 after defeating a longtime Republican incumbent.

State officials will soon be scheduling a special election to fill Scott’s vacancy until either Clark or Chavez are selected and sworn into office in January.

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One of the nation’s most narrowly divided swing congressional districts chose its Democratic nominee Tuesday evening, as Bob Brooks was projected to win in Pennsylvania’s 7th Congressional District.

The contested primary brought Democratic Party divisions front and center, featuring firefighters union boss Bob Brooks — endorsed by both Gov. Josh Shapiro and Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt. — former federal prosecutor Ryan Crosswell, Northampton County Executive Lamont McClure and EMILY’s List-endorsed candidate Carol Obando-Derstine, who is seen as the preferred pick of the district’s last Democratic representative, former Rep. Susan Wild of Allentown.

Brooks received several high-profile endorsements from Shapiro, Sanders, Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, Lt. Gov. Austin Davis and top state Democrats, including House Majority Leader Matt Bradford of Skippack and Sen. Vincent Hughes of Northwest Philadelphia.

TRUMP PLEDGES ‘AMERICA’S NEW GOLDEN AGE’ AS HE RALLIES IN PA’S POST-INDUSTRIAL THIRD-LARGEST CITY

Brooks also earned the endorsement of the mayor of the area’s largest city — Allentown, the third-largest city in the commonwealth.

Meanwhile, McClure — the only current local officeholder in the race — did not immediately gain traction against Brooks.

Brooks appeared to weather intraparty controversy after old social media posts expressing more moderate or conservative views resurfaced — including one using an off-color sexual term to describe former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick for criticizing law enforcement during the BLM era.

FIRM THAT PROPELLED MAMDANI TO VICTORY IN NY LOOKS TO UNSEAT HOUSE GOP MEMBERS IN PA

Crosswell was born in nearby Schuylkill County but for many years worked in Washington for the Justice Department. He was one of several prosecutors who resigned in protest of the Trump administration dropping a federal probe into former New York City Mayor Eric Adams. Adams has since become less critical of the right and has often dinged his successor, Zohran Mamdani, on social media.

The district’s tri-city hub of Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton — known locally as “A.B.E.” or “The Valley” — has a blue-collar history that has at times entered the national consciousness through Billy Joel’s famous anthem about Bethlehem Steel and other firms “closing all the factories down,” while the now-blighted SteelStacks often serve as both a backdrop for what once was and a rallying call for politicians pushing what comes next.

That “next” has included a wave of new warehouses and firms dedicated to interstate commerce, along with growth tied to the tech sector.

GOP CHALLENGER UNSEATS REP. SUSAN WILD IN PENNSYLVANIA

Farmland in the northern part of the district is gradually being developed into homes and warehouses — to the chagrin of many longtime residents — as an influx of people from higher-tax New Jersey and New York, along with the area’s changing socioeconomic makeup, brings more liberal and progressive voters into a once “Reagan Democrat”-style region rooted in agriculture and union labor.

The district’s current boundaries still reflect that contrast, as the farther north one travels, the more rural, agrarian or forested — and conservative — the area becomes. Wild drew criticism twice for appearing to insult the Trump-supporting swath of Carbon County, the only one of the district’s three counties entirely within the 7th Congressional District to vote for Mackenzie in 2024.

The Republican in the race, Rep. Ryan Mackenzie of Lower Macungie, was a state representative in western Lehigh County for many years before upsetting Wild by one percentage point in 2024.

Mackenzie has since drawn praise from President Donald Trump and criticism from the left, whose protesters often gather outside his office and spill onto busy Cedar Crest Boulevard in southwest Allentown.

As the House GOP’s narrow majority hangs in the balance, it remains to be seen which side is energized enough to turn out for its candidate in a race the nation will be watching closely.

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Democratic-Socialist Mayor Zohran Mamdani of New York City is being slammed by Jewish groups for his decision to miss the city’s historic Israel Day Parade. His decision comes as the Big Apple wrestles with record levels of antisemitism.

Home to the largest Jewish population outside of Israel, Jewish New Yorkers have long viewed the annual parade as one of the city’s clearest public displays of solidarity with both the Jewish state and the community. On Tuesday, two of the city’s most prominent Jewish organizations declined an invitation to a Jewish heritage event held at Gracie Mansion in response to Mamdani’s latest snub.

“Since the very first Israel Parade in 1964, every single sitting Mayor of New York City has joined in the festive celebrations. New York has historically been proud of its deep relationship with Israel. Not joining the parade is an affront to the history of New York City,” Moshe Davis, former Executive Director of the Mayor’s Office to Combat Antisemitism under Mayor Adams, told Fox News Digital.

NYC ANTISEMITIC INCIDENTS NEARLY TRIPLE DESPITE OTHER CRIMES REACHING RECORD LOWS

Earlier this month Mamdani officially confirmed that he would not attend the event, despite soaring antisemitism in New York City and weeks of anti-Israel demonstrations outside synagogues and Jewish communal institutions across the city. Parade, organizers say the event on May 31st is expected to draw record turnout in response to Mamdani’s snub.

While the mayor had previously indicated during an Oct. 2025 interview with the Jewish Telegraphic Agency that he would likely not attend as a matter of political principle, his renewed public confirmation has led to growing criticism.

Fox News Digital reached out to Mayor Mamdani’s office regarding the criticism from Jewish leaders over not attending the parade and were referred by his spokesman to a statement he had given to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency.

ERIC ADAMS WARNS NYC ‘NOT FINE’ AFTER MAMDANI’S WIN, SAYS IF HE WAS JEWISH HE’D BE WORRIED FOR HIS CHILDREN

“I look forward to joining and hosting many community events celebrating Jewish life in New York and the rich Jewish history and culture of our city. While I will not be attending the Israel Day Parade, my lack of attendance should not be mistaken for a refusal to provide security or the necessary permits for its safety. I’ve been very clear: I believe in equal rights for all people everywhere. That principle guides me consistently.”

Community leaders say the decision breaks with decades of bipartisan tradition in a city where participation in the parade has long been viewed as both symbolic and expected.

Despite the mayor declining the invitation, New York Governor Kathy Hochul spokesperson confirmed to Fox News Digital that she will participate in the parade.

Organizers say this year’s event is expected to feature more marching groups than ever before, driven not only by support for Israel but also by concern over rising antisemitism.

One person associated with the parade told Fox News Digital the event is expected to be “safer at the parade than in your own home,” citing extensive security coordination surrounding this year’s march.

Still, much of the conversation surrounding the parade has centered on Mamdani’s absence.

SIGN UP FOR ANTISEMITISM EXPOSED NEWSLETTER

During his mayoral campaign, Mamdani suggested he would likely “miss a lot” of New York City’s traditional parades due to his political views, while evaluating appearances “case-by-case.”

Critics argue the Israel Day Parade is not simply another political event, but a longstanding civic tradition closely tied to New York City’s Jewish identity and history.

“The Israel Day Parade is a testament to one of New York City’s most important relationships. From healthcare to technology to innovation, Israel and New York City are partners in building a better future. I want every New Yorker to join the Parade on Fifth Avenue because celebrating this bond isn’t just for the Jewish community, it’s for our entire city,” former Mayor of New York City Eric Adams told Fox News Digital.

The controversy surrounding Mamdani has also widened beyond the parade itself, with the UJA Federation of New York and the Jewish Community Relations Council of New York declining to attend his first Jewish Heritage event for the upcoming Jewish holiday of Shavuot at Gracie Mansion, stating they would not participate in an event hosted by a mayor who “denies the core pillar of our heritage, the State of Israel as the homeland of the Jewish people.”

At the event, Mamdani acknowledged the scale of antisemitism facing the city’s Jewish population, stating, “Jewish New Yorkers, accounting for just nearly 12% of our city’s population, are also the targets of more than 50% of all hate crimes.”

He also announced a proposed $26 million annual investment toward expanding hate crime prevention efforts under the city’s Office for the Prevention of Hate Crimes. Details of the proposal were not clear at how he would tackle antisemitism at time of publication.

Ambassador Rabbi Yehuda Kaploun, Trump’s special envoy to monitor and combat antisemitism, told Fox News Digital when asked about Mamdani’s position that, “It is important we recognize the need for leaders to uphold their responsibility to protect religious freedom and refrain from making incendiary comments that contribute to the rise of antisemitism. Leaders who fail to do so bear responsibility for the increase in antisemitic activity.”

This year’s parade is also expected to feature expanded interfaith participation. In a first for the event’s 61-year history, some Muslim groups are slated to march alongside Jewish organizations, in addition to expanded participation from Asian American groups and others.

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Gov. Brad Little, R-Idaho, is one step closer to a third term after vanquishing a crowded field of challengers on Tuesday.

Little defeated seven opponents in Idaho’s Republican gubernatorial primary, according to The Associated Press.

He was backed by President Donald Trump, who gave the incumbent his “complete and total endorsement,” before he publicly announced his re-election decision.

Several Republicans challenged Little from the right, including retired police officer Mark Fitzpatrick. The lesser-known candidate faced scrutiny over his comments toward members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints — an important constituency in the state.

GOP GOVERNOR REVEALS WHY HE ORDERED SCHOOLS TO BAR TRANSGENDER ATHLETES FROM GIRLS SPORTS

Little supported a bill earlier this year imposing criminal penalties on transgender people who decide to use a bathroom or locker room that does not correspond with their biological sex. The ban extends to private businesses, making it one of the most far-reaching bathroom laws in the country.

The two-term governor also recently signed a bill into law blocking public schools from supporting certain teachers’ union activities with taxpayer dollars.

TRANSGENDER PLAINTIFFS CHALLENGE IDAHO BATHROOM LAW WITH NEW COMPLAINT

He ran his re-election campaign largely on deregulation, school choice and tax cuts.

Little, who previously served as a member of the Idaho State Senate and lieutenant governor, was first elected in 2018.

The nonpartisan Cook Political Report rates Little’s re-election contest as “solid Republican,” meaning the race is not expected to be competitive. 

The Republican-heavy state has not elected a Democrat as governor since 1990. Trump won Idaho by roughly 36 points in 2024.

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Sen. Jim Risch, R-Idaho, moved one step closer to a fourth Senate term after trouncing two GOP challengers in a primary contest Tuesday evening.

Risch, 83, comfortably won Idaho’s Republican primary shortly after polls closed, the Associated Press reported.

He was endorsed by President Donald Trump, who has cruised to victory in the solidly Republican state every time he has appeared on the ballot since 2016. 

The Idaho Republican is chairman of the influential Senate Foreign Relations Committee, which has jurisdiction over the State Department and approves all ambassador appointments.

TOP FOREIGN AFFAIRS REPUBLICAN PREDICTS US WON’T LEAVE NATO BUT WILL STRENGTHEN IT

That perch has put Risch at the center of Senate debates over Trump’s war in Iran, the military intervention in Venezuela and continued arms sales to Israel, among other hot-button topics.

He was first elected to the upper chamber in 2009 and previously served as the state’s governor and lieutenant governor.

The Idaho contest is one of more than a dozen Republican-held Senate seats this year that are not considered competitive. 

Republicans currently hold a 53-47 majority in the upper chamber. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., is attempting a long-shot bid to flip control in November’s midterm elections that would require Democrats to pick up four GOP-held seats.

David Roth, a realtor who has previously run for statewide office, won the Democratic nomination.

Former state Rep. Todd Achilles, another candidate in the race, is running as an independent. Achilles is a former Democratic legislator who resigned from the state legislature to challenge Risch.

Idaho has not elected a Democrat to the upper chamber in more than half a century.

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The quest to find the one candidate that can beat Sen. Jon Ossoff, D-Ga., isn’t quite over yet, with a runoff between a political outsider and an experienced lawmaker teed up for next month. 

Rep. Mike Collins, R-Ga., and former college football coach Derek Dooley are headed to a runoff election on June 16 in a state of particular political consequence for either party hoping to keep or gain power in the Senate.

The contest comes after a bruising primary between Collins, Dooley, and Rep. Buddy Carter, R-Ga., and a battle that President Donald Trump has so far avoided. 

GOP CIVIL WAR ERUPTS OVER SHUTDOWN POLITICS IN CRITICAL SENATE RACE: ‘NOT A WINNING FORMULA’

His endorsement, as in other races, could make or break either Collins’ or Dooley’s chances moving forward.

Dooley has embraced the outsider moniker, arguing that he would side with Trump in ways that benefit Georgians. 

“As your Senator, I’ll never forget that you’re the boss and D.C. politicians need accountability,” Dooley said on X. “Term limits. Ban insider trading. End government shutdowns. I’ll fight to end politics as usual in Washington.”

Collins has heavily leaned into his MAGA bonafides in trying to court the president to back him in the race.

SCOOP: TRUMP ALLY TO LAUNCH KEY BATTLEGROUND STATE CAMPAIGN IN BID TO FLIP DEMOCRAT-HELD SENATE SEAT

“Georgia needs the right Republican to take on Jon Ossoff,” Collins said on X. “Someone who’s delivered, has the conservative record to prove it, and had President Trump’s back when it mattered most.”

But for Ossoff’s campaign, it doesn’t matter which opponent they face in November. 

“Regardless of which Trump puppet makes it out of this messy and brutal GOP primary, they will be bruised and terminally inseparable from the toxic president,” Ossoff campaign spokesperson Ellie Doughtery told Fox News Digital in a statement. “Meanwhile, the juggernaut Ossoff campaign will continue building insurmountable momentum to win decisively in November.”

While Trump has stayed out of the race, Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp, who Republicans heavily lobbied to run for the Senate until he ultimately declined, has weighed in.

Kemp threw his support behind Dooley, a family friend that he believes can bring a shake-up to the GOP establishment, given his lack of political experience.

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“I want to win our Senate seat back,” Kemp said before Election Day. “We haven’t done so well in U.S. Senate races here in the state of Georgia in the last several cycles, and we have one more opportunity to try to get one of our Senate seats back. And we got to have the right person to do that.”

The runoff could turn into another political battle between Kemp and Trump, who have sparred since the 2020 election. And Dooley and Collins would act as surrogates in the back and forth should the president decide to get involved. 

Meanwhile, Democrats are confident that Ossoff will hold on to his seat despite being the only Senate Democratic incumbent running for re-election in a state Trump won in 2024. But the infighting among Republicans and Ossoff’s battle-tested track record have encouraged Democrats that they can win in November.

Sen. Raphael Warnock, D-Ga., who, like Ossoff, beat an incumbent and again won against a Trump-backed opponent in 2023, had some advice for Republicans hours before polls closed. 

“I want to offer a word of encouragement,” Warnock told Fox News Digital of the GOP’s infighting. “They should keep that up.”

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