Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., is calling on the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to revoke the nonprofit status of a Muslim advocacy group that he believes has ties to terror groups, including Hamas and the Muslim Brotherhood.

In the letter, Cotton notes that ‘in the largest terrorism-financing case in U.S. history, [the Council on American-Islamic Relations] was listed as a member of the Muslim Brotherhood’s Palestine Committee.’ CAIR was listed as an unindicted coconspirator in the infamous Holy Land Foundation (HLF) terrorism financing case. The organization later attempted, unsuccessfully, to have its name removed from the list.

The Justice Department found that HLF and five of its leaders had, while working together and with others, ‘provided material support to the Hamas movement.’ In total, the groups provided Hamas with approximately $12.4M, according to the DOJ.

HLF was convicted on ’10 counts of conspiracy to provide, and the provision of, material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization; 11 counts of conspiracy to provide, and the provision of, funds, goods and services to a Specially Designated Terrorist; and 10 counts of conspiracy to commit, and the commission of, money laundering.’

‘The IRS has broad authority to examine whether an entity’s operations align with its exempt purpose. Tax-exempt status is a privilege, not a right, and it should not subsidize organizations with links to terrorism,’ Cotton wrote.

CAIR characterized Cotton’s demand as being ‘based on debunked conspiracy theories,’ and likened the senator’s request to the IRS to the McCarthy era.

‘We are an independent American civil rights organization that has spent over thirty years defending the Constitution, countering anti-Muslim bigotry, and opposing injustice here and abroad, including discrimination, hate crimes, terrorism, ethnic cleansing, and genocide,’ CAIR said in a statement to Fox News Digital.

‘We specifically condemned the Oct. 7th attacks on civilians, just as we condemn the ongoing genocide in Gaza. This is called moral consistency. Senator Cotton should try it,’ the organization added.

CAIR was disavowed by the Biden administration after the organization’s executive director appeared to praise Hamas’ Oct. 7 massacre. In November 2023, just weeks after the attacks, CAIR National Executive Director Nihad Awad said he was ‘happy to see’ Palestinians ‘breaking the siege and throwing down the shackles of their own land.’ Additionally, in his remarks, Awad appeared to further justify the attacks, saying that ‘the people of Gaza have the right to self-defense’ and that Israel does not.

The New York Times quoted then-Biden spokesperson Andrew Bates as saying that the administration condemned the ‘shocking, antisemitic statements in the strongest terms.’

The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) slammed Awad’s recent remarks about the U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran’s nuclear sites. The national executive director said that ‘Netanyahu calls the shots. Trump pretends to be in charge.’ Additionally, the ADL pointed out that Hussam Ayloush, executive director of CAIR’s Los Angeles chapter, referred to Congress and the White House as ‘Israeli-occupied territories.’

A total of 22 mRNA vaccine development contracts totaling roughly $500 million have been canceled, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced Tuesday.

The mRNA investments were part of the government’s Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA), a division of HHS that drives some of the country’s most advanced scientific research, such as the development of vaccines, drugs and other tools to fight national health threats. The termination of the 22 BARDA contracts follows a several-weeks-long internal review to determine a path forward when it comes to these investments.

‘We reviewed the science, listened to the experts, and acted,’ HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said Tuesday. ‘BARDA is terminating 22 mRNA vaccine development investments because the data show these vaccines fail to protect effectively against upper respiratory infections like COVID and flu. We’re shifting that funding toward safer, broader vaccine platforms that remain effective even as viruses mutate.’

In a short video explaining the move, Kennedy said the benefits simply do not outweigh the risks associated with mRNA vaccines. 

Kennedy went on to point out that not only do mRNA vaccines – as shown during the COVID-19 pandemic – not perform well against viruses that infect the upper respiratory tract, but they also do not defend against mutations of the viruses they are intended to go after.

‘This dynamic drives a phenomena called anogenic shift, meaning that the vaccine paradoxically encourages new mutations and can actually prolong pandemics as the virus constantly mutates to escape the protective effects of the vaccine,’ Kennedy said in the video.

For example, the HHS secretary pointed to the omicron variant of the COVID-19 virus, which infected many millions, including those who had been vaccinated against COVID. 

‘A single mutation can make mRNA vaccines ineffective,’ Kebbedy added, noting that the same risks also apply to the flu virus. 

The move to cancel the mRNA contracts under BARDA will not entirely cancel all mRNA vaccine research done by the government, a source familiar with the move indicated. In addition to allowing some final-stage contracts to run their course to completion in an effort to preserve prior taxpayer investments, ongoing mRNA research at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) will not be impacted by this latest move. 

Meanwhile, in lieu of the terminated mRNA research and investments at BARDA, HHS will focus on ‘safer, broader vaccine strategies,’ Kennedy indicated.

‘To replace the troubled mRNA programs, we’re prioritizing the development of safer, broader vaccine strategies like whole virus vaccines and novel platforms that don’t collapse when viruses mutate,’ Kennedy said in his video explanation about the terminated mRNA investments.

During the video, Kennedy reiterated his support for ‘safe, effective vaccines’ for any American who wants them.

‘That’s why we’re moving beyond the limitations of mRNA for respiratory viruses and investing in better solutions.’

On Monday, Brazil’s Supreme Court ordered former President Jair Bolsonaro to be placed under house arrest amid ongoing legal proceedings over his alleged attempt to overturn the 2022 presidential election results.

The case has gripped the nation since its inception in 2023 and has intensified international scrutiny, especially as it unfolds under the authority of a Supreme Court justice recently sanctioned by the Trump administration in the United States.

Justice Alexandre de Moraes, who is overseeing the case, accused Bolsonaro, 70, of violating court-imposed restrictions.

According to the ruling, first reported by the Associated Press, Bolsonaro used a Sunday protest in Rio de Janeiro to publicly address supporters using a cellphone owned by one of his three sons, all of whom are lawmakers.

Bolsonaro’s brief message, ‘Good afternoon, Copacabana, good afternoon my Brazil, a hug to everyone, this is for our freedom,’ was deemed a violation of his release conditions.

Bolsonaro’s legal team announced plans to appeal, arguing that the statement was symbolic, not criminal, and did not justify additional restrictions.

Mounting International Fallout

The political stakes have now extended well beyond Brazil. The case triggered backlash from President Trump, a longtime Bolsonaro ally, who tied newly imposed U.S. tariffs on Brazilian imports to what he called an ongoing ‘witch hunt.’ His remarks have further strained the already delicate diplomatic relationship between the two nations.

In a pointed statement on X, the U.S. State Department’s Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs condemned the Brazilian court’s actions, writing: ‘Putting even more restrictions on Jair Bolsonaro’s ability to defend himself in public is not a public service. Let Bolsonaro speak!’

The bureau also warned that individuals involved in what it described as ‘sanctioned behavior’ would be held accountable.

The statement marked a sharp escalation, particularly as it followed closely on the heels of sanctions imposed by the U.S. Treasury Department, under Trump’s administration, against Justice de Moraes. He was designated a ‘U.S.-sanctioned human rights abuser’ and accused of weaponizing the judiciary to silence political opponents.

The Basis for Sanctions

Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent accused de Moraes of leading an unlawful crackdown:

‘Alexandre de Moraes has taken it upon himself to be judge and jury in an unlawful witch hunt against U.S. and Brazilian citizens and companies. He is responsible for an oppressive campaign of censorship, arbitrary detentions, and politicized prosecutions—including those against former President Jair Bolsonaro,’ Bessent said.

These sanctions were imposed under Executive Order 13818, issued during Trump’s first term in 2017. The order declared a national emergency concerning global human rights abuses and corruption and expanded upon the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act passed in 2016. The law empowers the U.S. government to impose financial and travel sanctions on foreign officials accused of human rights violations.

Despite growing international pressure, the Brazilian government has yet to issue a formal response.

Details of the Case

Brazilian prosecutors allege that Bolsonaro led a coordinated effort to delegitimize, and ultimately overturn, the results of the 2022 election, including planning violent acts and even an alleged assassination plot targeting President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and Justice de Moraes. Bolsonaro lost the election by a narrow margin.

A panel of Supreme Court justices accepted the charges in March, ultimately ordering Bolsonaro to stand trial. Monday’s house arrest ruling builds on earlier restrictions: an ankle monitor, a nighttime curfew, and a travel ban keeping the former president confined to Brasília despite his deep political roots in Rio de Janeiro.

A former army captain and deeply polarizing figure, Bolsonaro now joins a short but consequential list of former Brazilian presidents arrested since the country’s return to democracy in 1985, a system he has frequently criticized and linked to the military dictatorship he once praised.

Justice de Moraes, defending the court’s decision, wrote: ‘The judiciary will not allow itself to be mocked. Justice applies equally to everyone. A defendant who knowingly violates precautionary measures—especially for the second time—must face legal consequences.’

Fox News’ Alec Schemmel and The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

Stepheny Price is a writer for Fox News Digital and Fox Business. She covers topics including missing persons, homicides, national crime cases, illegal immigration, and more. Story tips and ideas can be sent to stepheny.price@fox.com

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., is urging that President Donald Trump commute former Rep. George Santos’ seven-year sentence, calling the punishment ‘a grave injustice’ and an ‘abusive overreach by the judicial system.’

The former New York congressman was sentenced to 87 months, or just over seven years, after pleading guilty in 2024 to wire fraud and aggravated identity theft. Santos reported to prison on July 25 to begin serving his sentence.

Santos was assessed the maximum sentence in April by U.S. District Judge Joanna Seybert. He was also ordered to pay nearly $374,000 in restitution and forfeit more than $205,000 in fraud proceeds.

Santos’ guilty plea followed an investigation into campaign finance fraud, donor identity theft and false COVID-era unemployment claims.

On Monday, Greene said in a post on X that she sent a letter to the Office of the Pardon Attorney urging Trump to commute Santos’ sentence.

‘A 7-year prison sentence for campaign-related charges is excessive, especially when Members of Congress who’ve done far worse still walk free,’ she wrote in the post. ‘George Santos has taken responsibility. He’s shown remorse. It’s time to correct this injustice. We must demand equal justice under the law!’

Greene addressed her letter to the Honorable Edward R. Martin Jr., pardon attorney for the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), and she acknowledged the gravity of the actions by her former colleague.

‘As a Member of Congress, I worked with Mr. Santos on many issues and can attest to his willingness and dedication to serve the people of New York who elected him to office,’ she wrote. ‘He is sincerely remorseful and has accepted full responsibility for his actions. Furthermore, my office has spoken with a pastor of his who discussed the regret and remorse of Mr. Santos, agreeing that the sentence imposed is a grave injustice.

‘While his crimes warrant punishment, many of my colleagues who I serve with have committed far worse offenses than Mr. Santos yet have faced zero criminal charges,’ Greene continued. ‘I strongly believe in accountability for one’s actions, but I believe the sentencing of Mr. Santos is an abusive overreach by the judicial system.’

Prosecutors shared how Santos and his campaign treasurer, Nancy Marks, doctored donor reports to qualify for national Republican Party funding. They fabricated contributions from Santos’ family and falsely reported a $500,000 loan from Santos, though he had under $8,000 in his accounts.

He also stole credit card information from donors, including ‘victims he knew were elderly persons suffering from cognitive impairment or decline’ and made unauthorized charges to fund both campaign and personal expenses, according to the DOJ. Santos also used a fake political fundraising company to solicit tens of thousands of dollars, which he spent on ‘designer clothing.’

During the pandemic, Santos fraudulently claimed over $24,000 in unemployment benefits while employed at an investment firm. He also submitted false congressional financial disclosures to the House.

Santos was elected in 2022 after flipping New York’s 3rd District for the GOP. His resumé was easily debunked. He falsely claimed academic degrees, Wall Street jobs and family ties to the Holocaust and 9/11. 

He was expelled from Congress in December 2023 after a scathing ethics report, becoming just the sixth member ever removed from the People’s House.

Santos has remained publicly active after his sentencing, selling video messages on Cameo and making social media posts.

Unless pardoned, Santos is expected to remain incarcerated until at least early 2032. He has reportedly appealed to President Donald Trump for clemency. 

Greene and the White House did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.

Fox News Digital’s Jasmine Baehr contributed to this report.

Lockheed Martin is designing a space-based missile interceptor and aims to test the technology for potential integration into President Donald Trump’s ‘Golden Dome’ defense shield within the next three years.

The defense contractor revealed this week that it hopes to test a satellite defensive weapon capable of destroying hypersonic missiles by 2028.

If successful, this would mark the first time in history the United States has deployed interceptors in space to destroy enemy missiles before they reach the homeland. Lockheed is still weighing different technologies, ranging from lasers to kinetic satellites that could maneuver and strike high-speed targets in flight.

‘We have missile warning and tracking satellites made by Lockheed Martin in orbit today that provide timely detection and warning of missile threats,’ said Amanda Pound, mission strategy and advanced capabilities director at Lockheed Martin Space, told Fox News Digital.

‘We are committed to making space-based interceptors for missile defense a reality, leveraging our decades of experience, investments, and industry partnerships, to be ready for on orbit testing in 2028.’

Lockheed’s space interceptor project directly supports Trump’s ‘Golden Dome for America’ initiative, first unveiled in May 2025. The ambitious missile defense concept calls for a global constellation of satellites armed with sensors and interceptors, designed to detect, track and eliminate advanced missile threats – including hypersonic and ballistic weapons – before they can strike U.S. soil.

The idea echoes President Ronald Reagan’s 1983 Strategic Defense Initiative, often dubbed ‘Star Wars,’ which was dismissed at the time as science fiction. But today, the technologies once seen as far-fetched are rapidly advancing, according to defense leaders.

Gen. Michael Guetlein, appointed by the Trump administration to head Golden Dome, emphasized that key components of the system already exist, expressing confidence in achieving a test-ready platform by 2028. Still, it’s no easy feat.

‘Intercepting a missile in orbit is a pretty wicked hard problem physics‑wise,’ said Jeff Schrader, vice president of Lockheed’s space division. ‘But not impossible,’ he added, noting breakthroughs in maneuverability and guidance systems.

Analysts caution that to make the Golden Dome vision a reality, the U.S. may need to launch thousands of interceptors into orbit. Some have compared it to the Cold War–era ‘Brilliant Pebbles’ program, which proposed a similar space-based missile shield but was eventually shelved due to skyrocketing costs and technical hurdles.

Golden Dome is currently projected to cost $175 billion, with $25 billion already approved by Congress. But long-term estimates range anywhere from $161 billion to over $830 billion over two decades – raising questions about the program’s affordability and long-term sustainability.

Meanwhile, Lockheed is bolstering ground-based missile defense systems to complement the orbital layer. In March 2025, the company’s Aegis Combat System aboard the USS Pinckney successfully simulated the interception of hypersonic medium-range missiles during the FTX-40 exercise, codenamed Stellar Banshee.

The company is also advancing infrared seeker technology for interceptors, which would enhance the tracking and targeting of fast-moving missiles in their terminal phase.

Lockheed remains a central player in the Pentagon’s broader missile defense and hypersonic weapons development effort. It is the prime contractor for the Next Generation Interceptor (NGI), which is targeting an initial operating capability by the end of fiscal year 2028.

Simultaneously, the company is fulfilling Navy contracts for its Conventional Prompt Strike (CPS) hypersonic weapons system. Sea-based deployment of CPS is expected to begin between 2027 and 2028.

President Trump has publicly stated he wants Golden Dome operational by the end of his term. But industry officials warn that supply chain limitations and the Pentagon’s slow-moving procurement system make full deployment by 2029 unlikely.

Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia asserted that she is ‘radically AMERICA FIRST,’ shaming those who are not and labeling them as ‘the enemy.’

The congresswoman said that the nation is ‘falling apart.’ 

‘I’m America First. Maybe even America only. I don’t care if you call me an isolationist. America is our home. And it’s falling apart,’ she wrote on social media.

‘When my children’s generation are buried in credit card debt, student loan debt, can’t afford rent, can’t afford car insurance, health insurance, and feel like they will never be able to afford to buy a home, Yes. I’m unapologetically and radically AMERICA FIRST. AND SHAME ON EVERYONE ELSE WHO IS NOT. As a matter of fact YOU are the problem. YOU are the enemy. As a mother, I can’t see it any other way,’ she declared.

Greene has been expressing frustration with the GOP. 

‘I don’t know if the Republican Party is leaving me, or if I’m kind of not relating to Republican Party as much anymore,’ she told the Daily Mail. 

‘I think the Republican Party has turned its back on America First and the workers and just regular Americans,’ Greene said, according to the outlet.

She has served in the U.S. House of Representatives since 2021.