Britt McHenry reportedly forced to resign from Trump administration after tossing drink at NBA game
Former ESPN reporter Britt McHenry was reportedly forced to resign from the State Department after a bizarre confrontation caught on video at an NBA game.
Videos obtained by TMZ show McHenry at the Washington Wizards game on Wednesday tossing a drink at a fan and then blowing a kiss at the fan twice as she leaves the section.
'It was an unfortunate situation, and that's why drinks were thrown.'
A source familiar with the matter told Page Six that McHenry was asked to resign as press adviser for the U.S. State Department on Thursday and that she had just been promoted to another position earlier that day.
"She was promoted and fired within 24 hours," the source said to Page Six.
A spokesperson for the State Department told Page Six the department would not comment on internal personnel matters.
YouTuber Andrew Fenichel posted a video saying that he was with McHenry at the game and claimed that the other fan had been making misogynistic and inappropriate jokes about the players.
"It was an unfortunate situation, and that's why drinks were thrown," he said.
He said that McHenry ended up leaving and that he watched the rest of the game from another section.
Fenichel also felt the need to explain that he is "not MAGA" despite his friendship with McHenry.
Other witnesses told Page Six the rowdy fan tossed a drink at McHenry first and that fans then booed and chanted, "Get her out!"
RELATED: Fox Nation's Britt McHenry reveals that she has a brain tumor
McHenry claimed in 2017 that she was fired from ESPN over her conservative views and later sued Fox News over alleged repeated sexual harassment from a co-host. They settled the case, and she left Fox Nation.
The Wizards won the home opening game 128 to 116.
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Fifth Circuit gives Trump 'the most consequential ruling yet' on deportations
Illegal aliens do not have due process rights that entitle them to bond hearings during deportation proceedings, according to a pivotal ruling from the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals.
The Trump administration has been fast-tracking removal proceedings in order to fulfill the president's promise of mass deportations.
'Big win in the Fifth Circuit on mandatory detention for illegal aliens, a principle codified in 1996 legislation but ignored by the deep state for decades.'
That effort got a significant boost from a split ruling Friday that found illegal immigrants are not due their Fifth Amendment rights because they have not been admitted into the United States.
The lawsuit arose out of the detentions of three illegal aliens in Texas who were refused a bond hearing. None had criminal histories, according to the American Immigration Council.
Judge Cory Wilson wrote the majority opinion in the 10 to 7 ruling.
"Because Petitioners have never been admitted to the United States, due process does not entitle them to additional proceedings beyond what Congress has provided before they may be detained pending removal," Wilson wrote.
"Big win in the Fifth Circuit on mandatory detention for illegal aliens, a principle codified in 1996 legislation but ignored by the deep state for decades," responded James Percival, the general counsel for the Department of Homeland Security.
Politico called it the "most consequential ruling yet" in support of the president's deportations plan.
The American Immigration Council called the decision an "affront" to the Constitution.
RELATED: Federal court SLAPS down New York and hands victory to Trump and ICE
"The principle at stake here is simple: If the government wants to detain someone, it has to explain why depriving them of their liberty is necessary," said AIC litigation attorney Rebecca Cassler.
"And anyone who is detained has the right to ask a judge for review of that detention. Instead, this ruling allows the government to lock people up when detention plainly serves no purpose, and without any way to challenge it," she added.
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First lady Melania Trump successfully negotiates ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine for occupied city
Humanitarian aid will be arriving for the residents of a Ukrainian city thanks to the efforts of first lady Melania Trump.
The first lady said in a press release Friday that Russia and Ukraine had agreed to cease military action in the city of Oleshky and allow a civilian evacuation.
'What she wants to do is save children, and that’s her focus. ... She wants to see babies come back to their families.'
"The situation in Oleshky is dire. Oleshky is a front-line war city on the brink of disaster. Oleshky’s remaining population is comprised primarily of elderly residents who urgently need medical attention, medicine, food, and clean water," she said in the press release.
"The people of Oleshky have limited electricity, live amid mined roads, and endure regular military attacks," she added. "It was abundantly clear that without my intervention, the possibility to bring humanitarian aid into the city and to evacuate the elderly would be impossible."
The limited ceasefire will begin Thursday.
President Donald Trump responded to the agreement during a question-and-answer period with reporters in Washington, D.C.
"What she wants to do is save children, and that’s her focus," he said. "Both sides are cooperating with her, so she's doing a very good job."
"She wants to see babies come back to their families. And that's between Russia and Ukraine," he added.
The first lady also said in her press release that the evacuation would allow people to leave for Russia as well as other parts of Ukraine.
"I have also secured an impartial American media organization to accompany and document Russian and Ukrainian teams on the ground throughout the process," she added. "This will play a significant role in ensuring that the wishes of each family are faithfully respected."
RELATED: The cartels are learning drone warfare from Ukraine
The war has been ravaging Ukraine since Russia invaded in Feb. 2022.
Oleshky was captured by Russia on its first day of the invasion and has been occupied since then. At one time it had about 24,000 residents.
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DOJ opens investigation into ex-Trump aide Corey Lewandowski
The Justice Department is reviewing allegations that Corey Lewandowski, a former top adviser to then-Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, used his power for personal financial gain.
The Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General referred its investigation of Lewandowski to the Justice Department after examining his role in the DHS' $220 million advertising campaign. The probe later widened to allegations that Lewandowski shook down a company pursuing government contracts while he served as Noem's top adviser.
'If they're not going to be honest, they have to be prosecuted.'
Lewandowski has not been charged with a crime related to this investigation and denies wrongdoing.
The allegations involve personal financial profit tied to contracts established during Noem's tenure as DHS secretary, a source told CBS News. The OIG shared its findings with the Justice Department in recent weeks. Fox News described the referral as "criminal."
Lewandowski served at the DHS as a special government employee and acted as Noem's senior adviser and de facto chief of staff. He left the department in March after President Donald Trump removed Noem as secretary following questions about her lavish spending and Lewandowski's role in choosing contractors.
Current DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin testified at his March confirmation hearing that the inspector general was reviewing the advertising contract.
RELATED: Slotkin's lawfare warning will outlast Trump
The probe is also examining allegations that Lewandowski demanded money from GEO Group, a company pursuing unrelated government contracts, in exchange for lobbying for its interests in Washington.
A Lewandowski spokesperson denied that account in March.
"This is absolutely false and did not happen — Mr. Lewandowski never demanded any payment or compensation from the GEO Group, at any time," the spokesperson said.
Noem publicly acknowledged that she personally approved the ad contracts and said Trump was aware of her involvement. Trump said otherwise after her removal.
"I wasn't thrilled with it," Trump told reporters at the time. "I spent less money than that to become president. I didn't know about it."
Under Noem, contracts, grants, and funding obligations above $100,000 required her personal written approval, according to CBS. Some officials said the policy created significant backlogs, especially within the Federal Emergency Management Agency and disaster relief funding generally.
Trump addressed the investigation Thursday.
"I heard something about it, but I don't know exactly what it is," Trump told reporters. "All I know is I want my people to be honest, and if they're not going to be honest, they have to be prosecuted."
"I will never do anything to stop the prosecution of someone who's dishonest," Trump said.
He went farther in remarks reported by Fox News.
"They are stealing from me," Trump said. "So I want my people to be honest. And if they're not honest, I'll have my DOJ go and do whatever they have to do."
Lewandowski's attorney, Adam Trigg, responded in a statement posted to Lewandowski's X account.
"Mr. Lewandowski has not been contacted by the Justice Department regarding any investigation, and he denies any wrongdoing when he was proudly serving his country in a voluntary capacity," Trigg said.
Longtime Trump ally Roger Stone weighed in on X.
"I hired him. Probably the biggest mistake I ever made. He's a talentless piece of human garbage."
Lewandowski managed Trump's 2016 presidential campaign until he was fired that June. He later advised Trump's 2020 and 2024 campaigns.
No inspector general report has been made public.
The Justice Department, the Department of Homeland Security, and Lewandowski's lawyers did not respond to requests for comment.
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Former FBI agents arrested for allegedly LYING to Congress about Hunter Biden laptop
Two former senior FBI officials have been indicted and surrendered to authorities on Friday in connection with Hunter Biden's infamous laptop, according to a U.S. Attorney's Office press release.
46-year-old Nikki Cole Floris of Alexandria, Virginia, and 56-year-old Bradley Benavides of Aiken, South Carolina, are alleged to have lied in congressional testimony in 2023.
'No one is above the law, and we will hold accountable all who obstruct the truth.'
The now-defunct Foreign Influence Task Force of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, which Floris and Benavides had been a part of, led the FBI's mission to combat foreign influence on the 2020 election.
Both Floris and Benavides testified before Congress that the FITF was not involved in the investigation into Hunter Biden's laptop, the criminal complaint claims.
FBI Director Kash Patel said on social media, "Documentary evidence, contemporaneous communications, and witness accounts contradict their testimony."
Benavides testified that he had learned about the Biden case from Wikipedia, but records allegedly showed that he had been regularly talking about the case with FBI officials up to the 2020 election.
Floris had also allegedly spoken with FBI officials in the FITF and others about Hunter routinely for more than a year.
Patel claimed that Floris had also texted that she was "basically running a shadow government" across the FBI. A screenshot of the text was posted to social media by House Republicans.
"Lying to Congress by anyone strikes at the heart of our democratic system, but when senior FBI agents lie to Congress believing they are above the law, it’s time to bring the hammer of justice down on them," said U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro.
“When senior officials entrusted with safeguarding our nation’s security choose deception over duty, they undermine the very institutions they swore to uphold," she added. "Today’s action makes clear that no one is above the law, and we will hold accountable all who obstruct the truth."
RELATED: Hunter Biden denies running 'rug pull' crypto-scam based on laptop — after it CRASHES
Both Floris and Benavides appeared in a federal court in Washington, D.C., on Friday.
Floris' attorney called her a "patriot" in court and implied that the government was bringing up the charges just ahead of the election in order to influence public opinion.
Benavides was a section chief with the FITF from 2019 through the 2020 election, and Floris was a deputy assistant director and "functional head" of the FITF from 2019 until 2022, the complaint said.
"Lying to Congress by senior FBI officials strikes at the heart of our system. No one is above the law," said Patel on social media.
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Trump calls on Ilhan 'Omar' to resign — and the reason is damning
President Donald Trump has made no secret of his contempt for the Minnesota Democrat who has long gone by the name "Ilhan Omar." He stated in November, for example, that "she should go back" to her native Somalia — an African nation Trump has characterized as "decadent, backward, and crime ridden."
In light of new revelations about the criminal investigations into the congresswoman, Trump demanded her immediate resignation late Thursday evening and announced, "She will not be legally allowed to be a Member of this August Body from this point forth."
Some people found something
Homeland Security Investigations agents searched the Somali-born ethno-nationalist's D.C.-area residence on Oct. 12 under a warrant signed by a federal judge, according to U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro.
'She used a fake name to be sworn in.'
As part of this search — which a DOJ spokesperson confirmed to the New York Times was part of an "ongoing federal criminal investigation" and the congresswoman characterized as an "abuse of power" — officers reportedly seized her phone and potentially also her personal passport.
The DOJ generated additional waves on Wednesday with a court filing that appears to indicate that "Ilhan Abdullahi Omar" is an alias and that the congresswoman's real name is actually "Ilhan Nur Said Elmi."
The Justice Department did not immediately respond to Blaze News' request for comment.
A source familiar with the investigation subsequently confirmed to the New York Post that "Omar" is not the congresswoman's "real name."
RELATED: Ilhan Omar resurfaces for first time since federal raid in tearful cash grab
This would suggest that her birth name may have been Elmi — the very same surname as Ahmed Nur Said Elmi, the British-Somali national reportedly identified by numerous Somalis as the Democrat's alleged brother.
It's universal practice — even in Somalia — for a sister to share a surname with her brother. The issue in the congresswoman's case is, however, that she was legally married to Elmi from 2009 until 2017.
Abdihakim Osman, a self-identified friend of the congresswoman, claimed to the Daily Mail in 2020 that the congresswoman had confirmed that Elmi was her brother and that she married him so he could remain in the United States.
The congresswoman previously denied the allegation that she married her brother, calling it "absolutely false and ridiculous."
It is possible that Elmi may simply have been her married name. The New York Post has, however, obtained a marriage certificate for Leila Nur Said — a Somali woman believed to be the congresswoman's sister — that lists "Nur Said Elmi" as her father.
A purported expert claimed to the Post that the congresswoman's late father, Nur Omar Mohamed, had "misrepresented himself as a refugee" to American authorities and was actually a military commander in "Siad Barre's military regime." He allegedly also went by the name of Nur Said Elmi.
The congresswoman's office said in a statement to Blaze News, "The congresswoman’s name has always been Ilhan Omar. Any claim suggesting otherwise is categorically false and has no basis in fact."
Family matters
Though the Minnesota congresswoman has long dismissed the allegations about marrying her brother, when asked this week by MS NOW's Chris Hayes whether she is related to Ahmed Nur Said Elmi, she responded with uncertainty, stating, "Not to my knowledge."
Trump said in a Truth Social post on Thursday, "It was just revealed that Ilhan Omar's name is not Ilhan Omar, the one she used to get elected and sworn into Congress, but rather, it's an entirely different name, Ilhan Nur Said Elmi, and that her last name is, incredibly, also the exact name of her brother, Ahmed Nur Said Elmi, the person they said she married and had children with."
While the congresswoman married Elmi, she had multiple children with a man named Ahmed Hirsi, whom she married in a 2002 Muslim ceremony, legally married in 2018, and divorced in 2019.
After suggesting that he didn't buy the congresswoman's "not to my knowledge" response to Hayes, Trump said, "Because she used a fake name to be sworn in, I assume she must IMMEDIATELY resign from Congress."
"Please inform the Speaker of the House of Representatives, James Michael Johnson, that the Dumocrat Party has just conceded her seat. Ilhan Nur Said Elmi, her real name, has openly admitted to FRAUD," added the president.
Omar said in response to Trump's statement, "The pedophile protection party’s president is laundering right-wing conspiracy theories through the most corrupt DOJ in American history. Whenever the news turns bad, this creep reaches for one name: mine. So let’s make it crystal clear. My name has always been Ilhan Omar."
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