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‘Dr. Strangelove with a mustache’: Bolton blasted for ‘profiteering’ off US secrets by White House advisor

Posted on by Latest Political News on Fox News

Trump trade adviser Peter Navarro tore into John Bolton for "profiteering off America’s secrets" on Tuesday after the FBI raided his home last week in a reported classified document probe.

"I served with Bolton, and he was far too frequently a loose cannon, bent on bombings and coups — Doctor Strangelove with a mustache," Navarro, who also advised Trump on trade during his first term, wrote in an op-ed for The Hill.

"He agitated for airstrikes, pushed regime-change fantasies, and obsessed over military solutions when diplomacy was working. Then, instead of honoring executive privilege and confidential debate, Bolton acknowledged that in writing his memoir he relied on the ‘copious notes’ he had conspicuously taken inside the White House." 

Bolton published a book in 2020, The Room Where it Happened, reportedly receiving a $2 million advance for a tell-all of his time in the Trump administration. He served as Trump’s national security advisor starting in 2018 but fell out with the president and left the position in 2019. 

BOLTON UNLEASHES ON TRUMP UKRAINE POLICY DAYS AFTER FBI RAID

Navarro accused Bolton of "sharing information about Oval Office conversations and national security that should have stayed secret — either by law or under executive privilege."

"That isn’t service. That isn’t patriotism. That’s profiteering off of America’s secrets."

Navarro noted that Bolton had described confidential U.S. deliberations on how to fracture Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro’s control and prompt military defections. 

"That kind of blueprint isn’t something you hand to the public — or to Maduro’s intelligence services."

He noted that disclosing national defense information without authorization could violate U.S. code. 

"If evidence is found and indictments made, Bolton may one day go to prison for shredding that Constitution, defying executive privilege, and trampling safeguards meant to protect America’s security," Navarro said. "If that happens, Bolton won’t be remembered for his book tour. He’ll be remembered for the sequel he writes in prison."

Fox News Digital has reached out to a spokesperson for Bolton for comment. 

DEMOCRATS OPPOSED JOHN BOLTON FOR YEARS — UNTIL THEY SOUGHT HIM AS AN ALLY AGAINST TRUMP

Navarro spent four months in prison last year after being convicted of contempt of Congress for defying subpoenas from the House select committee investigating the January 6 Capitol attack.

The FBI executed a search warrant on Bolton’s home and office on Friday. 

Democrats have also fumed about Bolton’s book: when the former national security advisor refused to serve as their star witness during the first Trump impeachment related to Ukraine, they accused him of saving the juicy details for his memoir. 

In June 2020, Judge Royce Lamberth found Bolton had "likely jeopardized national security by disclosing classified information in violation of his nondisclosure agreement obligations." 

He’d submitted the 500-page manuscript for a national security review, but when the review wasn’t completed in four months, he "pulled the plug on the process and sent the still-under-review manuscript to the publisher for printing," according to the judge. 

Lamberth allowed the book to hit the shelves because "the horse is already out of the barn" – the book’s excerpts had already been leaked and 200,000 copies had been shipped.

‘Doctor Strangelove with a mustache’: Bolton blasted for ‘profiteering’ off US secrets by White House advisor

Posted on by Latest Political News on Fox News

Trump trade adviser Peter Navarro tore into John Bolton for "profiteering off America’s secrets" on Tuesday after the FBI raided his home last week in a reported classified document probe.

"I served with Bolton, and he was far too frequently a loose cannon, bent on bombings and coups — Doctor Strangelove with a mustache," Navarro, who also advised Trump on trade during his first term, wrote in an op-ed for The Hill.

"He agitated for airstrikes, pushed regime-change fantasies, and obsessed over military solutions when diplomacy was working. Then, instead of honoring executive privilege and confidential debate, Bolton acknowledged that in writing his memoir he relied on the ‘copious notes’ he had conspicuously taken inside the White House." 

Bolton published a book in 2020, "The Room Where it Happened," reportedly receiving a $2 million advance for a tell-all of his time in the Trump administration. He served as Trump’s national security advisor starting in 2018 but fell out with the president and left the position in 2019. 

BOLTON UNLEASHES ON TRUMP UKRAINE POLICY DAYS AFTER FBI RAID

Navarro accused Bolton of "sharing information about Oval Office conversations and national security that should have stayed secret — either by law or under executive privilege."

"That isn’t service. That isn’t patriotism. That’s profiteering off of America’s secrets."

Navarro noted that Bolton had described confidential U.S. deliberations on how to fracture Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro’s control and prompt military defections. 

"That kind of blueprint isn’t something you hand to the public — or to Maduro’s intelligence services."

He noted that disclosing national defense information without authorization could violate U.S. code. 

"If evidence is found and indictments made, Bolton may one day go to prison for shredding that Constitution, defying executive privilege, and trampling safeguards meant to protect America’s security," Navarro said. "If that happens, Bolton won’t be remembered for his book tour. He’ll be remembered for the sequel he writes in prison."

Fox News Digital has reached out to a spokesperson for Bolton for comment. 

DEMOCRATS OPPOSED JOHN BOLTON FOR YEARS — UNTIL THEY SOUGHT HIM AS AN ALLY AGAINST TRUMP

Navarro spent four months in prison last year after being convicted of contempt of Congress for defying subpoenas from the House select committee investigating the January 6 Capitol attack.

The FBI executed a search warrant on Bolton’s home and office on Friday. 

Democrats have also fumed about Bolton’s book: when the former national security advisor refused to serve as their star witness during the first Trump impeachment related to Ukraine, they accused him of saving the juicy details for his memoir. 

In June 2020, Judge Royce Lamberth found Bolton had "likely jeopardized national security by disclosing classified information in violation of his nondisclosure agreement obligations." 

He’d submitted the 500-page manuscript for a national security review, but when the review wasn’t completed in four months, he "pulled the plug on the process and sent the still-under-review manuscript to the publisher for printing," according to the judge. 

Lamberth allowed the book to hit the shelves because "the horse is already out of the barn" – the book’s excerpts had already been leaked and 200,000 copies had been shipped.

Democrats opposed John Bolton for years — until they sought him as an ally against Trump

Posted on by Latest Political News on Fox News

When federal agents raided the home and office of former National Security Adviser John Bolton on Friday as part of a classified documents investigation, some Democrats and liberal commentators framed the development as another example of what they claim is President Donald Trump’s political weaponization of the justice system.

The reaction marked a striking contrast with Democrats’ long history of opposing Bolton. For years, they denounced him as a hardline foreign policy hawk who manipulated intelligence and pushed the U.S. into war. But when Bolton broke with Trump, Democrats began citing him as a key witness and relying on his public comments to bolster their case against the former president.

Democrats first sought to block Bolton’s 2005 nomination to serve as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations under President George W. Bush. Then-Sen. Joe Biden, D-Del., accused him of being untruthful in a Senate questionnaire, noting that he had been interviewed as part of a joint State Department and CIA investigation into Iraq’s pursuit of nuclear materials from Niger.

Rep. Henry Waxman, D-Calif., alleged that Bolton played a role in the disputed claim that Iraq had attempted to purchase yellowcake uranium — an accusation that appeared in Bush’s 2003 State of the Union address but could not be confirmed by U.S. intelligence agencies.

JOHN BOLTON BLASTED BY TRUMP ALLY ROGER STONE, WHO FACED BIDEN FBI RAID: 'KARMA IS A B----'

That same year, Carl W. Ford Jr., then head of intelligence at the State Department, described Bolton as a "serial abuser" of power who pressured analysts to alter assessments. One analyst, Christian Westermann, reportedly resisted including claims of Cuban biological weapons in a 2002 speech Bolton wanted to deliver.

Senate Democrats delayed Bolton’s nomination for months, citing concerns that he sought to shape intelligence findings to fit administration policy goals.

When Trump appointed Bolton as national security adviser in 2018, Democrats again criticized him, citing his past support for the Iraq War and his calls for a hardline approach towards Iran and North Korea.

"Bolton is a dangerous radical," said Rep. Brendan Boyle, D-Pa. Sen. Ed Markey, D-Mass., accused him of politicizing intelligence in the run-up to the Iraq conflict. Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., argued Bolton had been consistently "wrong on security" throughout his career.

Trump himself later grew frustrated with Bolton’s hawkish approach, including his opposition to peace talks with the Taliban and advocacy for military action in Iran. The two split in 2019, with Trump announcing Bolton’s departure on social media and Bolton insisting he had already offered to resign.

TRUMP–BOLTON FEUD BACK IN FOCUS AFTER FBI RAID: 'NEVER HAD A CLUE … WHAT A DOPE!'

Following Bolton’s break with Trump, Democrats began highlighting him during Trump’s first impeachment trial over Ukraine.

"There’s no denying the central relevance of John Bolton’s testimony," then-Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., said as House impeachment managers pressed for him to appear.

Bolton’s memoir later claimed Trump sought to withhold military aid from Ukraine, a move Bolton privately described as a "drug deal." At the time, MSNBC commentators suggested his testimony could have been decisive in the outcome of the trial.

Ultimately, Bolton declined to testify, angering some Democrats who accused him of reserving details for his book rather than presenting them under oath.

Since leaving the Trump administration, Bolton has become a regular guest on networks such as CNN and MSNBC, where he continues to weigh in on foreign policy and national security.

Although many Democrats once opposed his nomination and criticized his record, they have at times pointed to his comments when they align with their critiques of Trump and other Republicans.

The latest raid underscores how Bolton remains a polarizing figure — one Democrats long opposed but have also leaned on in moments when his testimony or commentary could be used against Trump.

Democrats opposed John Bolton for years — until they sought him as an ally against Trump

Posted on by Latest Political News on Fox News

When federal agents raided the home and office of former National Security Adviser John Bolton on Friday as part of a classified documents investigation, some Democrats and liberal commentators framed the development as another example of what they claim is President Donald Trump’s political weaponization of the justice system.

The reaction marked a striking contrast with Democrats’ long history of opposing Bolton. For years, they denounced him as a hardline foreign policy hawk who manipulated intelligence and pushed the U.S. into war. But when Bolton broke with Trump, Democrats began citing him as a key witness and relying on his public comments to bolster their case against the former president.

Democrats first sought to block Bolton’s 2005 nomination to serve as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations under President George W. Bush. Then-Sen. Joe Biden, D-Del., accused him of being untruthful in a Senate questionnaire, noting that he had been interviewed as part of a joint State Department and CIA investigation into Iraq’s pursuit of nuclear materials from Niger.

Rep. Henry Waxman, D-Calif., alleged that Bolton played a role in the disputed claim that Iraq had attempted to purchase yellowcake uranium — an accusation that appeared in Bush’s 2003 State of the Union address but could not be confirmed by U.S. intelligence agencies.

JOHN BOLTON BLASTED BY TRUMP ALLY ROGER STONE, WHO FACED BIDEN FBI RAID: 'KARMA IS A B----'

That same year, Carl W. Ford Jr., then head of intelligence at the State Department, described Bolton as a "serial abuser" of power who pressured analysts to alter assessments. One analyst, Christian Westermann, reportedly resisted including claims of Cuban biological weapons in a 2002 speech Bolton wanted to deliver.

Senate Democrats delayed Bolton’s nomination for months, citing concerns that he sought to shape intelligence findings to fit administration policy goals.

When Trump appointed Bolton as national security adviser in 2018, Democrats again criticized him, citing his past support for the Iraq War and his calls for a hardline approach towards Iran and North Korea.

"Bolton is a dangerous radical," said Rep. Brendan Boyle, D-Pa. Sen. Ed Markey, D-Mass., accused him of politicizing intelligence in the run-up to the Iraq conflict. Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., argued Bolton had been consistently "wrong on security" throughout his career.

Trump himself later grew frustrated with Bolton’s hawkish approach, including his opposition to peace talks with the Taliban and advocacy for military action in Iran. The two split in 2019, with Trump announcing Bolton’s departure on social media and Bolton insisting he had already offered to resign.

TRUMP–BOLTON FEUD BACK IN FOCUS AFTER FBI RAID: 'NEVER HAD A CLUE … WHAT A DOPE!'

Following Bolton’s break with Trump, Democrats began highlighting him during Trump’s first impeachment trial over Ukraine.

"There’s no denying the central relevance of John Bolton’s testimony," then-Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., said as House impeachment managers pressed for him to appear.

Bolton’s memoir later claimed Trump sought to withhold military aid from Ukraine, a move Bolton privately described as a "drug deal." At the time, MSNBC commentators suggested his testimony could have been decisive in the outcome of the trial.

Ultimately, Bolton declined to testify, angering some Democrats who accused him of reserving details for his book rather than presenting them under oath.

Since leaving the Trump administration, Bolton has become a regular guest on networks such as CNN and MSNBC, where he continues to weigh in on foreign policy and national security.

Although many Democrats once opposed his nomination and criticized his record, they have at times pointed to his comments when they align with their critiques of Trump and other Republicans.

The latest raid underscores how Bolton remains a polarizing figure — one Democrats long opposed but have also leaned on in moments when his testimony or commentary could be used against Trump.

John Bolton blasted by Trump ally Roger Stone, who faced Biden FBI raid: ‘Karma is a b—-‘

Posted on by Latest Political News on Fox News

Longtime Republican consultant Roger Stone lambasted Trump adviser-turned-staunch-critic John Bolton following the FBI raid on his Bethesda, Maryland residence on Friday.

"Good morning. John Bolton. How does it feel to have your home raided at 6 o'clock in the morning?" Stone riffed on X, six years after the Biden FBI raided his own Fort Lauderdale home in an operation to which CNN was reportedly tipped off to.

"Wait! Where was CNN?" added Stone, who has often criticized Republicans who become disloyal to President Donald Trump.

"What goes around comes around- and Roger Stone still ‘did nothing wrong,’" he said, quoting the catchphrase and shirts that were circulated after his 2019 raid.

JOHN BOLTON'S HOME AND OFFICE RAIDED BY FEDERAL AGENTS

Stone, who began his political career volunteering for 1964 presidential nominee Sen. Barry Goldwater, R-Ariz., before moving on to advising President Richard Nixon, also posted a photo of himself from his arrest wearing a "Roger Stone Did Nothing Wrong" shirt.

Stone continued his critique of Bolton later Friday morning with another X post that included a split photo of the two men:

"The man on the left had his home rated at 6 am because he did something wrong. The man on the right had his home raided at 6 am because he didn't. Karma is b----."

BIDEN DOJ DROPS LAWSUIT AGAINST JOHN BOLTON OVER 2020 BOOK RELEASE

He later released a mock statement claiming Bolton admitted his signature mustache was "appropriated from a member of the Village People."

Bolton, who held diplomatic posts under Presidents George H. W. and George W. Bush before joining President Donald Trump’s first administration, later broke with Trump over his handling of COVID-19, his approach to diplomacy, and the impeachment saga.

Trump often returned fire at Bolton after their messy breakup, and Stone occasionally chimed in to defend his longtime friend from New York.

After Bolton attacked Trump’s choice of Tulsi Gabbard for director of national intelligence, calling her a "serious threat to national security" – Stone returned fire.

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"Watching war pig John Bolton attack the appointment of Tulsi Gabbard as DNI makes me all the more certain that she is precisely the right person for the job," Stone said in November.

After the raid on Bolton’s home, FBI agents were also seen in DuPont Circle, D.C., removing boxes from the Baltimore native’s personal office.

New Schiff leak claim from whistleblower echoes years of similar accusations

Posted on by Latest Political News on Fox News

Longtime Trump political foe Democrat Sen. Adam Schiff for years has been accused of leaking classified documents — long before the release of a "bombshell" whistleblower testimony claiming the California lawmaker approved leaking classified information in order to discredit the president during the Russiagate probe, Fox News Digital found. 

Schiff, who served in the U.S. House for more than two decades before securing his spot in the U.S. Senate in 2024, is facing heightened scrutiny following FBI Director Kash Patel declassifying claims from a Democrat whistleblower that Schiff approved the release of classified information on Trump that allegedly "would be used to indict President TRUMP," according to the report. 

The whistleblower, who reportedly had worked for Democrats on the House Intelligence Committee for more than 10 years, made the claims to the FBI in 2017. Schiff had access to classified information while serving on the House Intelligence Committee during his tenure in the lower chamber, including serving as its chair from 2019 to 2023. 

"In this meeting, SCHIFF stated the group would leak classified information which was derogatory to President of the United States DONALD J. TRUMP. SCHIFF stated the information would be used to indict President TRUMP," according to the whistleblower documents.

WHITE HOUSE REACTS TO DEM WHISTLEBLOWER’S ‘BOMBSHELL’ CLAIM SCHIFF LEAKED TO HIT TRUMP

The whistleblower "stated this would be illegal and, upon hearing his concerns, unnamed members of the meeting reassured that they would not be caught leaking classified information," the report added.

Schiff has denied the allegations, with his office telling Fox News Digital Aug. 12 that the allegations were "absolutely and categorically false."

But this isn't the first time Schiff has been accused of leaking classified information to the public, with accusations following him since at least the first Trump administration. Fox News Digital took a look back at Schiff's political history in recent years and gathered the times he previously had been accused of leaking classified materials. 

The August declassified whistleblower accusations are "just the latest in a series of defamatory attacks from the President and his allies meant to distract from their plummeting poll numbers and the Epstein files scandal," a Schiff spokesperson told Fox Digital when approached for comment on the allegations, after White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt called the whistleblower's account a "bombshell." 

TRUMP-FOE ADAM SCHIFF DISMISSES TULSI GABBARD'S DECLASSIFIED RUSSIA COLLUSION INTELLIGENCE AS 'DISHONEST'

"These baseless smears are based on allegations that were found to be not reliable, not credible, and unsubstantiated from a disgruntled former staffer who was fired by the House Intelligence Committee for cause in early 2017, including for harassment and potentially compromising activity on official travel for the Committee," the spokesperson continued. "Even Trump’s own Justice Department and an independent inspector general found this individual to not be credible, have ‘little support for their contentions’ and was of ‘unknown reliability,’ and concluded that his accusations against Members of Congress and congressional staff ‘were not ultimately substantiated.’" 

Just days after former President Joe Biden was sworn-in as president in January 2021, Trump's former acting director of national intelligence and U.S. ambassador from his first administration Ric Grenell took to X to list out "facts" regarding Schiff. 

"Facts," a Jan. 22, 2021, post on X that is no longer available on the social media site read. The X post received media attention and was preserved in reports at the time, such as the Washington Examiner. 

He listed off: "Schiff wouldn’t return my call to coordinate on DNI reforms. - the reforms were asked for by career officials for years. -Schiff complained when I appointed the 1st female head of counterterrorism (a career person). -Schiff & team regularly leaked classified information."

Grenell's message was in response to Schiff claiming in an interview with The Hill that Grennell and former Director of National Intelligence John Ratcliffe under the first Trump administration "bent intelligence work products to the president’s will."

TRUMP INVOKES RUSSIA COLLUSION HOAX WHILE CALLING FOR LONGTIME FOE SCHIFF TO FACE JAIL TIME

"The Office of the Director of National Intelligence, probably the most devastated of all of the agencies by terrible leadership of people like Rick Grenell and John Ratcliffe," Schiff said during a video interview at the time. 

Fast-forward to 2023, former Secretary of State and CIA Director Mike Pompeo, who served under the first Trump administration, also accused Schiff of leaking classified docs. 

"Adam Schiff lied to the American people, and during my time as CIA director and secretary of State, I know that he leaked classified information that had been provided to him," Pompeo said in January 2023 during a Fox News interview.

Pompeo continued that he "held back" sharing information with the House Intelligence Committee due to not feeling "comfortable" when Schiff led the panel. 

A representative for Pompeo told Fox Digital in August that the former Trump official stands by his 2023 comments on Schiff. 

Schiff's office slammed Pompeo's remarks at the time as "another patently false and defamatory statement." 

Trump had also accused Schiff of leaking classified documents under his first administration, claiming in 2018, he was the "one of the biggest liars and leakers in Washington."

"Adam leaves closed committee hearings to illegally leak confidential information. Must be stopped!" Trump continued wrote in one X thread at the time. 

Schiff shot back at the time that Trump's X post was a "false smear."

"Mr. President, I see you’ve had a busy morning of ‘Executive Time.’ Instead of tweeting false smears, the American people would appreciate it if you turned off the TV and helped solve the funding crisis, protected Dreamers or...really anything else," Schiff responded to Trump in February 2018. 

As Trump railed against the alleged leaks during his first term, reports spread that the Department of Justice subpoenaed Apple for account data of House Democrats on the House Intelligence Committee, including Schiff, between 2017 and 2018. The DOJ, which was led by Jeff Sessions at the time, was searching for individuals who leaked to the media about Trump's alleged ties to Russia. 

The investigation dragged, including after Bill Barr was tapped as Trump's attorney general in 2019 through the end of Trump's first term, the New York Times reported in 2021, citing sources familiar with the investigation. 

The Justice Department's internal watchdog, under the Biden administration, opened an investigation into the subpoenas and published a report in 2024 that found the Trump DOJ did not comply with established procedures when it sought the records.

"We are glad that the Department of Justice Inspector General conducted a thorough investigation, and that the Inspector General has recommended safeguards to further protect the media, and to safeguard the separation of powers," a spokesperson for Schiff said following the release of the report, according to Reuters in 2024. 

As the 2020 campaign heated up, Trump continued accusing Schiff and other House Democrats of leaking, with the Office of the Director of National Intelligence at the time scaling back its security briefings with Congress that year as high-profile Democrats promoted concerns that Russia was interfering in that election. 

"Director Ratcliffe brought information into the committee, and the information leaked," Trump said in August 2020. "Whether it was Shifty Schiff or somebody else, they leaked the information. … And what’s even worse, they leaked the wrong information. And he got tired of it. So he wants to do it in a different forum, because you have leakers on the committee."

Schiff denied leaking any classified intelligence in 2020, but said he could not confirm the same for other House Democrats.  

"I haven’t. My staff hasn’t. I can’t speak for what all the members of the committee have done or not done, including a lot of the Republican members," Schiff told CNN’s Dana Bash in 2020, following Trump claiming "Shifty Schiff" may have been behind another leak of intelligence given to the House Intelligence Committee at the time. 

The Trump administration continued its laser-focused hunt to identify and suss out internal federal government leakers during the second administration, with a White House official telling Axios in June, "We are declaring a war on leakers." 

The comment came in response to a leak of an internal assessment of the Trump administration's bombing a trio of Iranian nuclear facilities that claimed the strikes were not ads effective as the president said. 

Federal agencies such as the FBI, Department of Defense and Department of Homeland Security have leveraged using polygraph tests on staffers suspected of leaking information under the second Trump administration. 

Trump and Schiff have long been political foes. 

This was underscored during Trump's first administration when Schiff served as the lead House manager during the first impeachment trial against Trump in 2020. It also was highlighted when Schiff repeatedly promoted claims that Trump's 2016 campaign colluded with Russia. 

FEDERAL HOUSING OFFICIAL SUBMITTED SCHIFF CRIMINAL REFERRAL TO DOJ OVER MORTGAGE DOCUMENTS

Schiff landed in hot water earlier this spring, when the U.S. Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) sent a letter to the Department of Justice in May sounding the alarm that in "multiple instances," Schiff allegedly "falsified bank documents and property records to acquire more favorable loan terms, impacting payments from 2003-2019 for a Potomac, Maryland-based property."

He is currently under criminal investigation for mortgage fraud, Fox Digital previously reported. The California Democrat has denied any wrongdoing, claiming the matter is a "baseless attempt at political retribution."

Days after Trump first posted about Schiff's mortgages in Maryland and California in July, the president's director of national intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard, declassified documents that reportedly show "overwhelming evidence" that then-President Barack Obama and his national security team allegedly laid the groundwork for what would be the yearslong Trump–Russia collusion probe after Trump's election win against former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in 2016. 

"It lays out, these over 100 documents that you're referencing, that I declassified and released, spells out in great detail exactly what happens when you have some of the most powerful people in our country directly leading at the helm, President Obama and his senior-most national security cabinet, James Comey, John Brennan, James Clapper and Susan Rice and others, essentially making a very intentional decision to create this manufactured, politicized piece of intelligence with the objective of subverting the will of the American people," Gabbard told Fox News' Sean Hannity in July following the release. 

Schiff was an incredibly vocal lawmaker amid the Russian collusion claims, most notably when the House censured him in 2023 over his promotion that Trump's 2016 campaign colluded with Russia. Schiff served in the House representing California from 2001 to 2024, when he was sworn-in as a senator after his successful 2024 campaign to serve in the nation's upper chamber.

Schiff also served on the Jan. 6 select committee, which investigated the breach of the Capitol building in 2021 by Trump supporters following then-President Biden's election win. 

At the 11th hour of Biden's tenure on Jan. 20, Schiff was among lawmakers who served on the committee who were granted preemptive pardons. The subcommittee concluded Trump's actions played a key role in promoting the breach of the Capitol and recommended Trump be criminally prosecuted. 

TRUMP ACCUSES 'SCAM ARTIST' SCHIFF OF LYING ABOUT MARYLAND HOME TO COMMIT MORTGAGE FRAUD

Biden specifically granted preemptive pardons to "Members of Congress and staff who served on the Select Committee, and the U.S. Capitol and D.C. Metropolitan police officers who testified before the Select Committee."

Schiff, however, had publicly railed against the prospect of Biden doling out preemptive pardons, saying it would set a poor precedent. 

"First, those of us on the committee are very proud of the work we did. We were doing vital quintessential oversight of a violent attack on the Capitol," Schiff said during an interview on ABC News in December 2024. "So I think it’s unnecessary."

"But second, the precedent of giving blanket pardons, preemptive blanket pardons on the way out of an administration, I think is a precedent we don’t want to set," he added.

Charges stemming from the Jan. 6 case were dismissed following Trump's decisive win in the 2024 presidential election against then-Vice President Kamala Harris. 

The White House responded to the whistleblower's declassified testimony claiming Schiff approved the release of classified information to damage Trump, and doubled down on Trump's stance that Schiff be "held accountable for the countless lies he told the American people in relation to the Russiagate scandal."

"This is obviously a bombshell whistleblower report," Leavitt said at a Tuesday White House press briefing. "Hopefully more people in this room will cover it as such."

"I understand Kash Patel, last night, declassified a 302 FBI document showing that a whistleblower, who is a Democrat, a career intelligence officer who worked for Democrats on the House Intel Committee for more than a decade, repeatedly warned the FBI in 2017 that then-Rep. Adam Schiff had approved leaking classified information to smear then-President Donald Trump over the Russiagate scandal," Leavitt said. 

In August, a representative for Schiff confirmed a legal defense fund was established for the senator in response to Trump and his allies. 

"It’s clear that Donald Trump and his MAGA allies will continue weaponizing the justice process to attack Senator Schiff for holding this corrupt administration accountable," Marisol Samayoa, a spokesperson for Schiff, told Fox News Digital Tuesday evening of the legal fund. "This fund will ensure he can fight back against these baseless smears while continuing to do his job."

Titled "Senator Schiff Legal Defense Fund," the fund was filed with the Internal Revenue Service Thursday, The New York Times first reported. 

White House spokesman Harrison Fields called Schiff a "fraud" and "corrupt politician" when approached for comment Tuesday regarding the legal fund.  

"Adam Schiff is a sleazy and corrupt politician who betrayed his oath to the Constitution by prioritizing his selfish and personal animosity toward the President over the interests of the American people," Fields told Fox News Digital. "No amount of money can shield Adam from the truth that he is a fraud." 

Fox News Digital reached out to Schiff for additional comment on the matter but did not immediately receive a reply. 

Fox News Digital's Andrea Margolis contributed to this report.  

Schiff launches legal defense fund in response to claims Trump is ‘weaponizing’ justice system

Posted on by Latest Political News on Fox News

Sen. Adam Schiff launched a legal defense fund as the California Democrat faces a federal investigation for alleged mortgage fraud and President Donald Trump repeatedly condemns him for years of allegedly promoting the "Russiagate" hoax. 

"It’s clear that Donald Trump and his MAGA allies will continue weaponizing the justice process to attack Senator Schiff for holding this corrupt administration accountable," a spokeswoman for Schiff told Fox News Digital on Tuesday evening. "This fund will ensure he can fight back against these baseless smears while continuing to do his job."

The legal fund, dubbed "Senator Schiff Legal Defense Fund," was filed with the Internal Revenue Service Thursday, according to the New York Times. 

Trump and Schiff have long been political foes, stretching back to the president's first administration, when Schiff — who was serving in the U.S. House at the time — oversaw the first impeachment trial against Trump in 2020 for alleged abuse of power and obstruction of Congress, and for repeatedly promoting the narrative that Trump's 2016 campaign colluded with Russia. 

SEN ADAM SCHIFF UNDER FEDERAL CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION FOR ALLEGED MORTGAGE FRAUD VIOLATIONS

"Russia, Russia, Russia. Totally phony, created by Adam Schiff, Shifty Schiff, and Hillary Clinton and the whole group of them," Trump said from the Kennedy Center Wednesday. 

Trump was referring to recently declassified documents alleging the Obama administration "manufactured and politicized intelligence" to create the narrative that Russia was attempting to influence the 2016 presidential election, despite information from the intelligence community stating otherwise. 

"It made it very dangerous for our country because I was unable to really deal with Russia the way we should have been," Trump continued from the Kennedy Center, referring to Attorney General Pam Bondi. "And I'm looking at Pam because I hope something's going to be done about it." 

White House spokesman Harrison Fields called Schiff a "fraud" and "corrupt politician" when approached for comment on Tuesday regarding the legal fund.  

"Adam Schiff is a sleazy and corrupt politician who betrayed his oath to the Constitution by prioritizing his selfish and personal animosity toward the President over the interests of the American people. No amount of money can shield Adam from the truth that he is a fraud," Fields told Fox News Digital. 

Schiff also came under fire earlier in August when documents released to Congress by FBI Director Kash Patel reported that a Democratic whistleblower who worked for Democrats on the House Intelligence Committee for more than 10 years told the FBI in 2017 that Schiff allegedly approved leaking classified information on Trump that "would be used to indict President TRUMP."

Schiff denied the allegations as "absolutely and categorically false."

Schiff notably served on the Jan. 6 committee, which investigated the day in January 2021 when Trump supporters breached the U.S. Capitol, and was among lawmakers who were granted preemptive pardons on President Joe Biden's final day in office in 2025. 

HOW TRUMP'S 'NO SHRINKING VIOLETS' DOJ IS DIGGING IN ON SCHIFF'S MORTGAGE DEALINGS AS LEGAL PERIL LOOMS

Schiff, however, had publicly condemned the prospect of Biden doling out preemptive pardons as "unnecessary" and setting a bad precedent. 

"First, those of us on the committee are very proud of the work we did. We were doing vital quintessential oversight of a violent attack on the Capitol," Schiff said during a media interview in December 2024. "So I think it’s unnecessary."

"But second, the precedent of giving blanket pardons, preemptive blanket pardons on the way out of an administration, I think is a precedent we don’t want to set," he added.

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The California Democrat also is facing a federal investigation for mortgage fraud, Fox Digital previously reported. Schiff has denied any wrongdoing, claiming the matter is a "baseless attempt at political retribution."

The U.S. Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) sent a criminal referral to the Department of Justice in May claiming that in "multiple instances," Schiff allegedly "falsified bank documents and property records to acquire more favorable loan terms, impacting payments from 2003-2019 for a Potomac, Maryland-based property."

Fox News Digital's Brooke Singman contributed to this report. 

DOJ faces off with entire Maryland federal bench over automatic pauses in deportation cases

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A judge appeared skeptical on Wednesday of the Department of Justice's arguments related to an unusual lawsuit the Trump administration brought against all 15 district court judges in Maryland challenging a court order.

Judge Thomas Cullen of the Western District of Virginia questioned the DOJ over the lawsuit, which alleges that the Maryland district court overstepped its authority by imposing a standing order that automatically pauses deportation cases for two days when they are first filed.

Cullen, a Trump appointee, told DOJ attorneys early on in the hearing he was wary of their position.

"One of the things about me is that I don’t have a very good poker face, and you probably picked up on the fact that I have some skepticism," Cullen said.

TRUMP DHS SUES ENTIRE BENCH OF FEDERAL JUDGES IN MARYLAND DISTRICT COURT OVER AUTOMATIC INJUNCTIONS

The Virginia federal judge is presiding over the case in Baltimore because the Maryland judges recused themselves. Cullen said he would issue a decision by Labor Day on whether he would block the standing order.

DOJ attorney Elizabeth Hedges argued during the hearing that the Maryland court's order had the effect of "tampering with the [U.S.] attorney general’s discretion" over immigration enforcement matters.

The order requires clerks to immediately enter administrative injunctions that last two business days in cases brought by alleged illegal immigrants who are challenging their detentions or removals. The injunctions have the effect of temporarily barring the Department of Homeland Security from deporting or changing the legal status of an immigrant until a judge has time to review the case.

Hedges argued that the judges automatically enter the orders in these cases even if the court lacks jurisdiction in some of them.

The lawsuit, brought in June, comes as the Trump administration has taken an aggressive public posture against individual federal judges who have blocked enforcement of many of the president's executive actions, including in areas of immigration, education and federal agency cuts.

President Donald Trump has complained his agenda has been hamstrung and has called for the impeachment of certain judges whose orders he disagrees with. But the Supreme Court has, in many cases, overrode judges and allowed Trump to temporarily implement his executive actions while the lawsuits proceed in the lower courts.

Attorney Paul Clement, arguing on behalf of the Maryland judges, said during the hearing that there were "less confrontational" alternatives to resolving differences with the courts than suing every member of a district court.

Clement, a renowned conservative lawyer who served as former President George Bush's solicitor general, defended the standing order, calling it a "modest effort to preserve the judiciary's ability to perform its constitutionally assigned role."

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Chief Judge George Russell of Maryland said he issued the standing order as a scheduling convenience to make sure the "status quo" is preserved when a deportation case is filed. He cited a "recent influx" of cases involving detained immigrants that were being filed after normal court hours, including on weekends and holidays.

The lawsuit represents a test of the independence of the judiciary branch. Clement said it was "fundamentally incompatible" with the separation of powers.

"We just don’t have a tradition of suits that are executive versus judiciary, executive versus Congress, Congress versus the executive," Clement said, adding that "we don’t really expect one branch to sue another to try to vindicate its institutional interests."

The lawsuit also comes as Trump's mass deportation agenda has encountered some roadblocks as immigrants raise court challenges and appeals to their removals.

Perhaps the most prominent instance of this occurred in Maryland, where Judge Paula Xinis, now one of the 15 defendants in the lawsuit against the judges, ordered the government to return Salvadoran national Kilmar Abrego Garcia to the U.S. after the Trump administration admitted to the court it mistakenly deported him to a prison in El Salvador.

Abrego Garcia has since been returned and is facing criminal charges of transporting illegal immigrants. He has pleaded not guilty.

Vulnerable Democrats hammered with scathing ad handcuffing them to Mamdani, Jeffries

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FIRST ON FOX: The National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) is rolling out a new ad tying the policies of "radical" Democrats, like New York City socialist mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani, to the future outlook of the Democratic Party. 

The new message, targeting 25 vulnerable House Democrats across the country with a modest ad buy on digital platforms, hammers the party on "Project 2026" and outlines what the Republicans say Democrats will offer voters in the midterms. 

"Hakeem Jeffries’ plan to remake America," the ad says. "Raise taxes on working families, impeach President Trump."

The ad then plays a clip of Democratic House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries saying, "Donald Trump must be removed from office" and Dem. Rep. Dina Titus saying, "I’d like to impeach the bastard right now."

SENATE DEMOCRATS ARE FEVERISHLY RECRUITING TOP CANDIDATES TO WIN BACK MAJORITY IN 2026 MIDTERMS

The ad then claims Democrats want to "open the border" and "restart the invasion" of illegal immigrants that came into the country during the Biden administration, before quoting two Democrats, Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Gabe Vasquez, calling to abolish ICE and defund the police.

"They riot, they loot," the ad continues before showing two clips of Mamdani saying "we are unapologetic about our socialism" and promoting the "abolition of private property."

Jeffries then says in a clip, "Chip at it aggressively until we can unravel the whole system." 

The ad closes by claiming that Democrats want to "turn America into a socialist, crime-filled dystopia" before airing a clip from Jeffries saying, "We’re gonna take back America and it starts today" 

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The ad closes with, "Are you going to let them?"

The list of vulnerable elected officials targeted by the ad includes Democratic Reps. Tom Suozzi of New York, Marcy Kaptur of Ohio, Emilia Sykes of Ohio, Eugene Vindman of Virginia, Marie Gluesenkamp Perez of Washington, Frank Mrvan of Indiana and others. 

"This is the America Democrats want to build: Raising taxes for working families, baseless impeachments, wide open borders, abolishing ICE, defunding the police, and turning America into a socialist, crime-filled dystopia," NRCC spokesman Mike Marinella told Fox News Digital. "House Republicans are the only thing standing between you and the nightmare of ‘Project 2026.’"

The NRCC released a memo on Tuesday morning in which it knocked Jeffries for failing to meet a self-imposed deadline to roll out a new vision for America with a Democratic-controlled House.

The Hill reported in April that Jeffries committed that "over these next 100 days, House Democrats are going to lay out a blueprint for a better America. And you will see a vision for this country’s future that isn’t about Donald Trump. It’s all about you."

With those 100 days having already elapsed, the NRCC published a satirical memo titled "Project 2026," in which they accused the Democrats of being out of step with the American people.

In response, Viet Shelton, a spokesperson for the DCCC, fired back at the messaging from the NRCC.

"House Republicans have done nothing to improve the lives of everyday Americans," Shelton said. 

"It’s no wonder they’re desperately attempting to distract from their disastrous record of higher costs for working families and ripping away health care from millions while giving tax breaks to the wealthiest few. Poll after poll shows voters across the country are fed up with their billionaire-first agenda and are going to reject them next year."

Fox News Digital's Peter Pinedo contributed to this report

White House reviewing all Smithsonian museum, exhibit content before America 250 celebration in 2026

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The Trump administration is cracking down on the Smithsonian Institution ahead of America's 250th anniversary celebration next year, requiring specific national museums and affiliated exhibits to "reflect the unity, progress, and enduring values that define the American story."

In a letter penned to Smithsonian Institution Secretary Lonnie Bunch III, Trump administration officials laid out a review process that the institution will undergo in order to ensure alignment with President Donald Trump's "Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History" executive order.

"This initiative aims to ensure alignment with the President’s directive to celebrate American exceptionalism, remove divisive or partisan narratives, and restore confidence in our shared cultural institutions," the letter reads.

TRUMP WHITE HOUSE CALLS OUT SMITHSONIAN FOR PUSHING 'ONE-SIDED, DIVISIVE POLITICAL NARRATIVES'

The following museums are included during Phase I of the comprehensive internal review: the National Museums of American History, Natural History, African American History and Culture, and American Indian; the National Air and Space Museum; the Smithsonian American Art Museum; the National Portrait Gallery and the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden.

The administration said the review is "rooted in respect" for the institution's mission and contributions, and the goal is not to interfere with daily operations, but to highlight "historically accurate, uplifting, and inclusive portrayals of America’s heritage."

The review has five focus points, ranging from an analysis of current and future content within exhibitions at the museums to ensuring that all guidelines for museum content reflect the "Smithsonian's original mission."

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Museum curators and senior staff will also be interviewed to "better understand the selection process, exhibition approval workflows, and any frameworks currently guiding exhibition content."

The administration is also asking that the aforementioned museums provide them with all materials – including digital files – for current, upcoming and traveling exhibitions; educational resources; external partnerships; grant-related documentation; survey responses; and internal guidelines and governance. 

All of those items will be reviewed by staff tasked with ensuring the institution aligns with Trump's order.

SMITHSONIAN TEMPORARILY REMOVES TRUMP IMPEACHMENT REFERENCES FROM HISTORY MUSEUM, DRAWING LIBERAL IRE

A 120-day implementation guideline was given, but the museums are expected to act on some parts of the process within 30 days of receiving the letter from the administration. 

The immediate tasks include submitting current exhibition descriptions, draft plans for upcoming shows, America 250 programming materials, and internal guidelines used in exhibition development. The museums will also choose a staff liaison to serve as the primary contact point during the review process, which will also include on-site observational visits.

Within 120 days, the museums will be expected to implement corrections to content, if needed, and to replace any "divisive or ideologically driven language with unifying, historically accurate, and constructive descriptions."

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The Trump administration anticipates completing the review in early 2026 and described the process as "a collaborative and forward-looking opportunity" that focuses on "the strength, breadth, and achievements of the American story."

"By focusing on Americanism—the people, principles, and progress that define our nation—we can work together to renew the Smithsonian’s role as the world’s leading museum institution," the letter read.

It concluded by saying that the goal is for the Smithsonian Institution to remain "vibrant, trusted and inspiring for generations to come."