Report: Pres. Trump wants all troops out of Afghanistan

New reports claim President Trump is looking to remove all U.S. troops from Afghanistan, by the 2020 election. Current and former defense officials confirmed the report this week.

U.S. soldiers attend a training session for the Afghan army in Herat, Afghanistan, on Feb. 2. (Jalil Rezayee/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock)

Defense Hawks have pushed back against a full withdrawal in the next 15 months, saying they want some troops to remain to continue the fight against ISIS and Al-Qaeda.
Reports earlier this week said the Trump administration is planning on reducing the number of troops in country by up to 9,000, down from the 14,000 currently stationed there.
The Pentagon said there has been no official withdraw order yet.

Trump, 2020 Dems condemn El Paso mass shooting: 'Act of cowardice'

President Trump and his potential White House rivals led the political reaction to Saturday's mass shooting at an El Paso, Texas Walmart store, condemning what the president described as "a hateful act."
"Today’s shooting in El Paso, Texas was not only tragic, it was an act of cowardice," Trump wrote on Twitter. "I know that I stand with everyone in this Country to condemn today’s hateful act. There are no reasons or excuses that will ever justify killing innocent people. Melania and I send our heartfelt thoughts and prayers to the great people of Texas."
Vice President Mike Pence said he was "[s]addened by the loss of so many innocent lives in El Paso, TX. Our prayers are with the victims, their families, and the entire community. Grateful for the courageous efforts and swift action by federal law enforcement and local first responders."
The Walmart corporate account tweeted "We're in shock over the tragic events at Cielo Vista Mall in El Paso, where store 2201 & club 6502 are located. We’re praying for the victims, the community & our associates, as well as the first responders. We’re working closely with law enforcement & will update as appropriate."
Attorney General William Barr released a statement saying, “The Justice Department joins in mourning with the people of El Paso, Texas. Those who commit such atrocities should be held accountable swiftly and to the fullest extent the law allows.”
El Paso Mayor Dee Margo also tweeted his sympathies for his city on behalf of himself and his wife, Adair.

'Senseless act of violence'

"Adair and I are devastated by the tragic events unfolding in our City. Our hearts go out to the victims and gratitude to our first responders. We will continue to keep you updated," he said on Twitter, attaching a more lengthy statement with details about the unfolding situation referring to the shooting as a "senseless act of violence" and saying "My condolences and prayers go out to all of El Paso as we mourn those impacted by this tragedy."
Rep. Veronica Escobar, D-Texas, who represents El Paso, released a statement saying, "Today, El Paso is facing indescribable pain and horror that too many other American communities have had to endure. Our hearts are completely broken by this needless loss of life, especially here in our beautiful home. We mourn for the victims and everyone involved."
Escobar also thanked first responders and law enforcement adding "I am imploring that we come together, and once and for all address the gun violence epidemic that plagues our nation."
"Heidi & I are praying for everyone in El Paso," Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, tweeted. "As events continue to unfold, please heed any warnings from local authorities and law enforcement and stay safe." Cruz added the hashtagged statement "Pray4ElPaso."

'Ready to help'

"Our hearts go out to the families of those killed and injured in El Paso today," tweeted Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas. "We stand with all El Pasoans in the face of this senseless violence and thank the brave @eppolice officers & first responders. I stand ready to help @ElPasoTXGov and @Mayor_Margo any way I can."
Former El Paso-area U.S. Rep. Beto O'Rourke, a 2020 Democratic presidential candidate, called the shooting "Truly heartbreaking."
"Stay safe, El Paso," his message continued. "Please follow all directions of emergency personnel as we continue to get more updates."
Similarly, 2020 candidate Pete Buttigieg, mayor of South Bend, Ind., wrote, "My grandmother used to take me to Cielo Vista Mall. Now it's one more mass shooting scene. How many more must grieve before we act? #ElPaso."
Democratic candidates including Vice President Joe Biden, Sens. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., Kamla Harris, D-Calif., Cory Booker, D-N.J., Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., and former Secretary of Housing & Urban Development Julian Castro sent messages of support and condolences to the victims of the shooting, many of them demanding politicians act on gun reform.

'Enough is enough'

“Too many families in too many communities have been forced to endure the daily horror of gun violence," Pelosi went on.  Enough is enough.  The Republican Senate’s continued inaction dishonors our solemn duty to protect innocent men, women and children and end this epidemic once and for all."
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said "How many more tragedies, how many more families will be destroyed, how many more children will grow up without their parents before Washington acts? NY's heart breaks for the victims of the horrific shooting in El Paso. But our thoughts and prayers will not stop this madness."
The New York Police Department's Counterterrorism unit said that they "deployed additional Counterterrorism Units to shopping areas out of an abundance of caution," adding that there is no immediate threat to New Yorkers.
Police responded to reports of an active shooting at the Cielo Vista Mall area shortly before 11 a.m. and asked people to stay clear of the active scene. An El Paso police spokesman told reporters shortly before 1 p.m. that there was no longer an "imminent threat" to the area.
The Texas mass shooting was the second in less than one week, following the Gilroy food festival in Northern California where a gunman opened fire, killing three people.
Additional reporting by Fox News' Lucia I. Suarez Sang.

Amy Klobuchar slams Trump in wake of El Paso massacre, faces backlash for politicizing tragedy

Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., speaks during the first of two Democratic presidential primary debates hosted by CNN Tuesday, July 30, 2019, at the Fox Theatre in Detroit. (Associated Press)

A Democrat seeking the party's 2020 presidential nomination faced sharp criticism on social media Saturday after linking that day's massacre in El Paso, Texas, to President Trump's rhetoric.
Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., one of nearly two-dozen Democrats hoping to block Trump's bid for a second term in the White House, made her remarks at a labor forum event in Las Vegas.
“The individuals who do the shootings are responsible," Klobuchar said, referring to mass shootings such as the one in El Paso that left 20 dead and 26 injured, "but I do think Trump's rhetoric has fueled more hate in this country.”
Klobuchar also pushed for gun reform legislation on Twitter.
"Today innocent people—families—went to that mall in El Paso," she wrote. "Some of them never came home. The U.S. House has passed common sense gun safety legislation. It is long past time to pass it in the Senate. The question to ask: Whose side are you on? The NRA’s or the people’s."
The shooting in El Paso occurred at a Walmart store on Saturday afternoon. A suspect was later taken into custody, police said.

While some on social media praised Klobuchar’s comments, others criticized her for politicizing the shooting.
“Amy! Thank you for all that you do and we need more! This president needs to be held accountable for these deaths and this carnage. He is complicit, he is an accessory to this crime as he instigates hate amongst his followers,” one supporter wrote.
Another user wrote that it’s Democrats and Congress who are to blame for not acting on gun control.
“I see you blamed President Trump as usual for supposed hate crime in shootings in El Paso GMAFB you Democrats always trying to get a Political over this BS. You have had years to fix the gun violence but you and all of congress can’t work,” they wrote.
One user said that Klobuchar is the one spouting hateful rhetoric.
“Ms klobuchar enough, don’t blame President Trump your hateful rhetoric fuels hate so just because your running for President,” the Twitter user wrote.
During last week's Democratic presidential debate in Detroit, Klobuchar said she supports an assault weapons ban as well as universal background checks for gun buyers. She also criticized the president, saying he hadn't done enough in response to a shooting in Parkland, Fla., that left 17 people dead in 2018.
Several of the other Democratic presidential candidates posted similar messages Saturday pushing for gun safety legislation in Congress.
The president reacted to the shooting on Twitter, writing, “Today’s shooting in El Paso, Texas, was not only tragic, it was an act of cowardice. I know that I stand with everyone in this Country to condemn today’s hateful act. There are no reasons or excuses that will ever justify killing innocent people....”

Saikat Chakrabarti Cartoons

NH governor rips Mass., says DMV 'deficiencies' led to horrific crash that killed 7

New Hampshire Republican Gov. Chris Sununu slammed Massachusetts officials Friday, accusing them of being responsible for the shocking crash in his state that killed seven bikers.
The attack follows revelations that Volodymyr Zhukovskyy, 23, the Massachusetts truck driver who has been charged with negligent homicide in the June crash, should have had his driving license suspended for previous infractions, but the Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles took no action.
“Make no mistake: The deficiencies within the Massachusetts RMV under the leadership of Ms. Deveney resulted in the horrific crash in Randolph,” Sununu spokesman Benjamin Vihstadt told the Boston Globe.

“Make no mistake: The deficiencies within the Massachusetts RMV under the leadership of Ms. Deveney resulted in the horrific crash in Randolph.”
— Sununu spokesman Benjamin Vihstadt

The governor’s office comments also follow remarks by Erin Deveney, the RMV’s former registrar, who blamed both New Hampshire and Massachusetts for failing to transmit notifications about out-of-state drivers whose licenses should be suspended. She later resigned amid the uproar over the failure to suspend the man’s license.

Erin Deveney, shown in 2014, resigned as head of the motor vehicle division in Massachusetts after it was determined that Volodymyr Zhukovskyy's commercial driving license should have been suspended prior to a horrific deadly crash in June. (Associated Press)

But Sununu’s spokesman blasted the suggestion of equal blame, saying, “For Ms. Deveney to try and conflate the severity of their problem with New Hampshire is shameful and reaffirms why she no longer has a job.”

Volodymyr Zhukovskyy, 23, of West Springfield, the driver of a pickup truck in a fiery collision on a highway in rural Randolph, N.H., that killed seven motorcyclists, stands with his attorney Donald Frank during a hearing in Springfield District Court in Springfield, Mass., June 24, 2019. (Associated Press)

Since the crash, it has emerged that Zhukovskyy had multiple run-ins with the law.
In May, Connecticut prosecutors said Zhukovskyy was arrested in a Walmart parking lot after failing a sobriety test. Zhukovskyy's lawyer in that case, John O'Brien, said his client denies being intoxicated and will fight the charge.

This photo provided by Miranda Thompson shows the scene where several motorcycles and a pickup truck collided on a rural, two-lane highway Friday, June 21, 2019 in Randolph, N.H. (Associated Press)

Zhukovskyy's refusal to take a chemical sobriety test should have resulted in an immediate suspension of his commercial drivers license, but no such action was taken by Massachusetts authorities.
Connecticut officials twice alerted Massachusetts about an earlier drunken driving arrest. Massachusetts investigators later determined the Registry of Motor Vehicles hadn't been acting on thousands of out-of-state notifications about serious driving violations.
Westfield Transport, the company for which Zhukovskyy had been driving on the day of the June 21 crash, also has a troubled history.
According to an Associated Press analysis of Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration data, Westfield Transport Inc. faced more than 60 violations over the last 24 months.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Two planes intercepted over President Trump's NJ golf club for entering no-fly zone

Two planes were intercepted in New Jersey for entering a no-fly zone without the proper clearance while President Trump vacationed at his golf resort Friday, local reports said.
The North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD), in charge of airspace surveillance for the continental U.S. and Canada, deployed F-16 fighter jets in two separate instances at 7:30 p.m. and again at 8 p.m.
Two single-engine civilian aircraft stopped communicating with air traffic control and entered a temporary flight restriction zone near the Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster, N.J., where the president is spending the weekend, News 12 New Jersey reported.
In both cases, the pilots reestablished communication with air traffic control and left the restricted airspace without incident, NORAD said.
Trump was scheduled to land in Morristown, N.J., at 4:45 p.m. Friday then take a helicopter to the golf club at 5 p.m., Patch reported. According to protocol, a VIP Movement Notification implementing flight restrictions and road closures in the Bedminster and Morristown areas was issued from Friday 5 p.m. through Sunday at 5:45 p.m.
This is the president’s third visit to the New Jersey golf course this summer. He is scheduled to return to the White House on Sunday.
During his last visit, July 19-21, the U.S. Air Force intercepted a small general aviation aircraft for entering a temporary no-fly zone during Trump’s stay. The intercepted plane landed at an airport in Pittstown, N.J., without incident, where local law enforcement met the pilot, NAADC said.
That weekend, Trump made headlines when he surprised a bride and groom getting married at the Trump National Golf Club. He is scheduled to return to the golf club next Thursday for his annual 10-day vacation.
Since 9/11, the military, under Operation Noble Eagle, has made more than 1,800 intercepts of nonmilitary aircraft.
Fox News’ Frank Miles contributed to this report.

Feds' crackdown on Baltimore drug trade nets 90 indicted, 51 guns, $1M cash

Federal authorities charged 90 suspects related to separate drug conspiracies in Baltimore in the month of July alone as part of an ongoing partnership between federal, state and local agencies to crack down on violent crime in Maryland’s largest city.
Baltimore’s U.S. District Attorney announced midnight Saturday morning that authorities also seized 51 guns, more than $1 million in cash and large volumes of fentanyl, heroin, cocaine and marijuana as a part of the operation.
“Reducing violent crime in Baltimore is job one.  It’s what we in law enforcement think about morning, noon, and night,” U.S. Attorney Robert K. Hur said in a statement. “We will continue to do everything we can to prosecute the violent criminals who wreak havoc in and terrorize Baltimore’s neighborhoods.”
Baltimore has been in the national spotlight since President Trump first called the city a “rat and rodent infested mess” in response to criticism from House Oversight Committee Chairman Elijah Cummings, D-Md. on conditions in border detention centers.
Trump has been called a “racist” by Speaker Pelosi and other Dems for his remarks against Baltimore, given the majority of Baltimore’s constituents are African-American. The president pushed back, affirming Democrats play the “race card” instead of confronting the “facts.” Several high-profile Dems and civil rights activists have visited the city amid the controversy.
Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a violent-crime reduction strategy, partners ATF, DEA, FBI, HSI, the U.S. Marshals Service, the Baltimore Police Department, and the Office of the State’s Attorney for Baltimore City in a join-effort to take down violent crime.
All of those defendants indicted in July are members of violent drug trafficking organizations that have been operating in those Baltimore neighborhoods hardest hit by gun violence, Baltimore’s U.S. Attorney's Office said.
The attorney’s office is expected to ramp up efforts to surpass last year’s stats. In 2019, the office indicted 215 defendants in 2019 in Baltimore under Project Safe Neighborhoods just past the year’s halfway mark. In 2018, the attorney’s office indicted 246 Baltimore PSN defendants throughout the whole year.
The latest development in the Trump-Cummings feud came Friday when the president tweeted that it was “too bad” Cummings’ own Baltimore home had been robbed earlier that morning. Cummings clarified that an attempted burglar triggered his security system Friday morning but left without entering the home. He also thanked the Baltimore Police Department for their help.

AOC says she finds 'common ground' with some in GOP -- then slams Liz Cheney

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez said Friday that she finds “common ground” with some members of the Republican Party -- but criticized the GOP for becoming a “political mob.”
The New York Democrat made the comments during one of her now-signature Instagram live streams where she answered questions from viewers as she cooked food.
“There are quite a few Republican viewpoints that I actually share and I think there are a lot of places where I have common ground. I actually think I have a lot of common ground with many libertarian viewpoints in their party,” Ocasio-Cortez said.

“There are quite a few Republican viewpoints that I actually share and I think there are a lot of places where I have common ground. I actually think I have a lot of common ground with many libertarian viewpoints in their party.”
— Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez

She then began listing some of the libertarian viewpoints with which she agrees.
“True libertarians, which many happen to be in the Republican Party, true libertarian viewpoints are pro-immigration. So that's one,” she said.
“Another is that I'm quite anti-interventionist. ... I'm anti-war and so from the perspective of small government, there are Republicans who are very consistently anti-war and anti-military spending. So I do tend to find a lot of common ground with them on that.”
The comment came just before Ocasio-Cortez fired off a tweet at Republican Rep. Liz Cheney, R-Wyo., who criticized Democratic presidential candidate Elizabeth Warren. The New Yorker dismissed Cheney's views based on the foreign policies of her father, former Vice President Dick Cheney.
"MFW *Liz Cheney* of all people tries to offer foreign policy takes, as if an entire generation hasn’t lived through the Cheneys sending us into war since we were kids," she tweeted.
She added during the live stream that she finds a common cause with libertarian Republicans when it comes to opposing government surveillance and other measures that violate privacy rights and other civil liberties.
She later reiterated her sympathy to certain Republican viewpoints on Twitter, saying she finds common ground on issues such as “Ending needless war & curbing exploding military spending,” “Protecting civil liberties & privacy rights” and “Holding bad contractors accountable.”
But despite her comments, Ocasio-Cortez also slammed the party, criticizing it for shifting away from an ideological purity.
“The Republican Party in Congress is no longer ideological conservative, they are kind of this political mob,” she said.
“You can't count on them to reliably hold certain views anymore because they will advance certain views if it helps the president but then abandon those same principles if it doesn't help the president.”
Earlier this year, both Ocasio-Cortez and Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, found common ground on the issue allowing the sale of birth control over the counter and banning members of Congress from becoming lobbyists.