The Afghan national accused in the shooting of two National Guard members in Washington, D.C., was hit with new federal charges that open the door for the death penalty. 

The U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia announced that Rahmanullah Lakanwal was charged with transporting a firearm in interstate commerce with the intent to commit an offense punishable by imprisonment for more than one year and with transporting a stolen firearm in interstate commerce. Sarah Beckstrom was killed in the Nov. 26 attack, while Andrew Wolfe was left seriously injured. 

"The transfer of this case from Superior Court to District Court ensures that we can undertake the serious, deliberate and weighty analysis required to determine if the death penalty is appropriate here," U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro said in a statement. 

"Sarah Beckstrom was just 20 years old when she was killed, and her parents are now forced to endure the holiday season without their daughter," she added. "Andrew Wolfe, by the grace of God, survived but has a long road ahead in his recovery."

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The U.S. Attorney’s Office said Lakanwal also "remains charged with first-degree murder while armed, assault with intent to kill while armed and two counts of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, in violation of the D.C. Code." 

In an affidavit released this week, an FBI special agent wrote that the weapon Lakanwal allegedly used in the shooting was a .357 Smith & Wesson revolver that was stolen from a home in in Seattle in May 2023. 

The agent said the individual who provided the weapon to Lakanwal on Nov. 14 at his home in Bellingham told investigators "that he gave the firearm to Lakanwal because he believed Lakanwal wanted it for personal protection while working as a rideshare driver." 

WOUNDED NATIONAL GUARDSMAN IS MAKING ‘EXTRAORDINARY PROGRESS,’ CAN BREATHE ON HIS OWN: DOCTOR

The day after obtaining the revolver, Lakanwal purchased a box of additional .357 caliber ammunition from a sporting goods store in Bellingham, the affidavit continued.

"Additionally, legal process reveals that on November 15, 2025, approximately two hours after he purchased the ammunition, Lakanwal searched ‘Washington, D.C.’ in Google Maps," the FBI special agent also wrote in the affidavit. "The next day, Lakanwal searched ‘The White House, 1600 Pennsylvania Ave NW, Washington, DC 20500’ in Google Maps. Of note, the shooting committed by Lakanwal on November 26, 2025, occurred in Washington, D.C., approximately two blocks from the White House." 

Attorney General Pam Bondi previously has said the Department of Justice intends to seek the death penalty against Lakanwal. 

A former child star from "The Sound of Music" says she helped decorate the White House under President Donald Trump and described the first lady’s role in the process.

"I was just thrilled to be a part of that," Debbie Turner, who starred as Marta Von Trapp in the 1965 film, told People.

Turner said she helped decorate the White House for Christmas in 2017 after leaving Hollywood to become a florist not long after "The Sound of Music" first debuted.

It is a long-standing tradition that the first lady oversees the task of decorating the White House, alongside dozens of designers and volunteers. Turner said Melania Trump was directly involved in the decorating process.

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"Melania is actually the one who works with the lead person to put the White House together," Turner said.

The year 2017 marked the first Christmas the Trumps spent in the White House. The chosen theme, "Time-Honored Traditions," was meant to honor more than 200 years of the nation’s holiday traditions. It featured tributes to service members and their families, including a "Gold Star Family Tree," 71 wreaths and a 350-pound gingerbread house.

Turner described the experience as one of the most "physically grueling and cool things" she has ever done.

MELANIA TRUMP’S WHITE HOUSE CHRISTMAS IS A SHINING BEACON OF AMERICA

"It was a week-long deal. It was me and 149 other designers that they put to task to do all these things to make the magic of Christmas at the White House happen," Turner said.

She explained that she helped decorate the Blue Room, which houses one of the White House’s most iconic displays, the People’s Tree.

"The most proud moment of that house was doing the largest tree, which is in the Blue Room," said Turner.

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"I got to decorate the People's Tree, which was kind of the centerpiece or the focal piece of the entire White House," she added.

While she described the opportunity as "pretty amazing," Turner also recalled a frightening moment.

"I had to go up on scaffolding. I almost fell and killed myself," she added.

Turner told People she is nearing retirement but said she would return to help decorate the White House again if given the opportunity.

A straw poll taken at Turning Point USA’s AmericaFest this weekend revealed that conservatives are, as a spokesman described, "all in" for Vice President JD Vance running for president in 2028. 

Asked who they would like to see as the Republican presidential nominee in 2028, the vast majority of respondents, 84.2%, answered Vice President JD Vance. Far behind Vance was Rubio at 4.8% and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis at 2.9%.

Andrew Kolvet, a spokesman for TPUSA, told Fox News Digital that the poll portrays a clear picture of the state of the conservative movement. 

From the responses, Kolvet said it is clear that "the movement is all-in for JD Vance in 2028, winning the most support in the history of our poll."

VANCE SAYS 'AMERICA FIRST' MOVEMENT REJECTS 'PURITY TESTS,' WELCOMES CRITICAL THINKERS

Kolvet explained,"There are bright dividing lines in the conservative movement right now, so we wanted to get clarity on where the base is on these hot-button issues in Turning Point Action’s official AmericaFest 2025 straw poll." 

"We wanted to get a real read on where the base is at after Charlie’s assassination, and a few things really jump off the page," he said. 

The most popular Trump administration accomplishment amongst conference attendees was securing the border, with nearly 60% of respondents answering this, while 22.2% of respondents answered deportations.

Conference attendees also shared that winning the midterms and radical Islam are among their top concerns.

A wide margin believed that the conservative movement’s top priority in 2026 should be winning the midterms. Per the poll, 63.9% of AmFest attendees believed the conservative movement should be prioritizing winning the midterms, which would preserve Republicans’ majorities in the House and Senate.

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The next highest priority, according to attendees, was voter integrity/voter ID at 9.3%. Other priorities were the affordability crisis at 8.1%, mass deportations at 5.3% and accountability for the deep state/lawfare at 4.2%.

Asked what the biggest threat is facing America, 31,008 responded "radical Islam." In close second was socialism and Marxism at 30,387. Third was mass migration, with 28,223 saying that is the greatest threat to America, and fourth was the economy and affordability at 27,315.

Related to mass migration, 89.5% of poll respondents said they would support a moratorium on new immigration into the United States.

Attendees were also questioned on their feelings about Israel. Over half, 53.4 percent, said they see Israel as "one ally out of many," while a third said they see Israel as America's "top ally" and 13.3 percent said they believe Israel is "not an ally." 

The poll also revealed what members of President Donald Trump's Cabinet are most popular and unpopular amongst the conference’s heavily conservative audience.

According to the poll, which was taken by Big Data Poll, the Trump Cabinet member with the strongest job performance approval rating amongst AmFest attendees is Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, as 83.3% of conference attendees voiced they strongly approve of him.

A total of 94.7% of AmFest attendees said they either strongly or somewhat approve of Hegseth.

As War secretary, Hegseth has been one of the most vocal Trump Cabinet members, with such actions as changing the name of the Department of Defense to the Department of War, expunging DEI from the military and targeting cartel drug boats in the Caribbean.

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Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Health and Human Services Secretary Robert Kennedy Jr. received similarly high approval ratings from the AmFest attendees at 76.6% and 80.8%, respectively. Kennedy received the highest overall approval rating from AmFest attendees, with 96.8% saying they either strongly or somewhat approve of him.

The Cabinet member with the highest disapproval rating was U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi, whom 13.4% of attendees said they strongly disapprove of and 15.6% said they somewhat disapprove. Despite this, most poll participants, 64.8%, still said they either strongly or somewhat approve of Bondi’s job performance in the Trump administration.

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, another highly vocal and prominent Trump Cabinet member who has spearheaded the administration’s deportations and border security efforts, received broad approval with 90.1% of participants saying they either strongly or somewhat approve of her job performance.

FOX NEWS POLL: MAJOR INCREASE IN POSITIVE VIEWS ON BORDER SECURITY

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy both received approval ratings in the 80s.

Poll participants had less to say about Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, Agriculture Secretary Brook Rollins, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer and Veterans Affairs Secretary Doug Collin, with between 28 and 39% of respondents saying they were unsure about their job performance.

According to the poll, 88.3% of respondents self-identified as Republican and 94.7% identified as conservative.

Commenting on the poll, Kolvet said that conservatives "see Israel as an important ally of the United States despite so much chatter to the contrary" and "they love the job that Secretaries Hegseth, Rubio, and RFK Jr. are doing, but they harbor skepticism about the DOJ." 

"Above all," Kolvet said that conservatives "are laser focused on winning the midterms and fixing mass migration, which they clearly see as connected to the rise of radical Islam, socialism, and crime." 

He added that "it’s clear that immigration remains the key to energizing the base ahead of the midterms." 

Radio host Charlamagne tha God said President Donald Trump has succeeded in securing the border during an interview Sunday, but added he disagreed with the president’s immigration tactics.

Host Jonathan Karl asked Charlamagne about Trump’s successes during ABC’s "This Week."

"I would say probably the border, but it’s the way that it’s happening, right? If the numbers are true, people aren’t coming across the border anymore. But, I mean, man, do you really want to see people who have been here for years — who are actual citizens, are trying to go through the process to get legal citizenship — do you really want to see them snatched off the street the way they are? Do Latino people need to just live in fear?" Charlamagne said.

Karl noted that Trump has performed better among Hispanic voters than any Republican on record.

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"I really just wonder what goes through their minds, and how are they going to vote come 2026, how are they going to vote come 2028?" Charlamagne asked. "Because they bought into a dream, but that dream turned into a nightmare."

Charlamagne also discussed New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani’s victory and campaign strategy, comparing it to Trump’s approach.

Charlamagne said Mamdani focused on affordability, energized young voters and leveraged social media — noting Democrats acted like the approach was revolutionary.

"These three basic things that Mamdani did, Democrats seem to have forgotten about, and they praise him so much for it. And they should, because he ran a fantastic campaign as well. But a lot of his messaging was Trump-like messaging — affordability, New York first, which is similar to America first. All of that, you know, was able to cut through," he said.

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Charlamagne said politicians often complicate simple issues.

"Americans want two things. They want more money in their pocket, and they want to feel safe. If you can make people feel like you’re going to put more money in their pocket and make them feel safe, you’ll energize them every time," the radio host said.

After Mamdani met with Trump at the White House in November, Charlamagne dismissed the use of terms like "fascist" and "communist" among politicians, calling the meeting friendly.

"I don't want to hear any politicians call each other ‘fascists,’ ‘authoritarians,’ ‘wannabe dictators,’ ‘communists,’ none of that kind of rhetoric anymore. It's all dead. Because if you call someone that, and then turn around and say, ‘But I'm willing to work with them,’ it looks hypocritical," he said.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE COVERAGE OF MEDIA AND CULTURE

Charlamagne also reacted to Mamdani’s later comments on NBC’s "Meet the Press", where the mayor-elect repeated his belief that Trump is a fascist.

"So, if Zohran truly believes Trump is a fascist, then working with him makes zero sense, but this is my issue. He doesn't fully believe Trump is a fascist, just like Trump doesn't fully believe Mamdani is a communist. It's all political theater," Charlamagne said. 

Charlamagne argued that while such rhetoric is irresponsible, it ultimately leaves voters divided.

Fox News' Alexander Hall contributed to this report.

Preparations for the second phase of the Gaza ceasefire plan are underway, according to U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff. The announcement comes after representatives from Egypt, Qatar and Turkey participated in high-level U.S.-led talks in Miami.

"In our discussions regarding phase two, we emphasized enabling a governing body in Gaza under a unified Gazan authority to protect civilians and maintain public order," Witkoff wrote on X. "We also discussed regional integration measures, including trade facilitation, infrastructure development, and cooperation on energy, water, and other shared resources, as essential to Gaza’s recovery, regional stability, and long-term prosperity."

"We reviewed next steps in the phased implementation of the Comprehensive Peace Plan for Gaza, underscoring the importance of sequencing, coordination, and effective monitoring in partnership with local Gazan institutions and international partners," Witkoff added.

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In addition to looking forward to the next phase, the group reflected on the implementation of the first part of the ceasefire, which Witkoff said "yielded progress."

During the first phase, humanitarian aid went into the Gaza Strip, hostilities were reduced and there was a partial withdrawal of Israeli forces. Additionally, all living hostages and most deceased hostages were released. The last remaining hostage is Ran Gvili, an Israeli police officer who was killed during the Oct. 7, 2023, attacks.

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The U.S.-led talks on the second phase of the plan were proceeded by a similar meeting in Cairo, which reportedly included Turkey and Egypt's intelligence chiefs, as well as Qatar's prime minister.

"During the meeting, [they] also agreed to continue strengthening coordination and cooperation with the Civil Military Coordination Center to eliminate all obstacles to ensure the continuity of the ceasefire and to prevent further violations," a Turkish source told Reuters, adding that they also discussed countering alleged Israeli ceasefire violations.

The second phase of the deal involves the deployment of an international stabilization force and the development of an international body to govern Gaza. It also includes the disarmament of Hamas. Additionally, Israel will move further from the so-called "yellow line" ahead of the international force taking over, according to The Times of Israel.

Two Florida cold cases that have remained shrouded in mystery for years have finally been solved, according to authorities. 

Both cases — a fatal stabbing in 2007 and a fatal shooting in 2022 — took place in Kissimmee and were solved by the Osceola County Sheriff's Office’s Cold Case Program, FOX 35 Orlando reported. 

The first case began on June 24, 2007, when 17-year-old De’Andre Nathaniel Wellnitz was reportedly attending a house party and was fatally stabbed in the chest. The case ran cold just several months into the investigation. 

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In October 2024, investigators identified a person of interest in the killing and subsequently located the individual in Orlando earlier this year. 

In an interview with investigators, the person of interest confirmed they attended the same party as Wellnitz and had been hit during a fight. The individual said he picked up a nearby kitchen knife and began waving it to keep others from hitting him, according to investigators.

Investigators ultimately determined the person of interest acted in self-defense and declined to file charges. 

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"I appreciate the empathy that was shown as well as them being straightforward with all of the details," Wellnitz’s mother, Kelly McDonald said, according to FOX 35. "What it has done for me has given me closure… I'm able to stop playing the story that I've played for 18 years over and over again in my head. I'm able to see something different. I'm able to have peace now." 

McDonald added that she hopes other families who have experienced a similar loss can also receive some sort of closure, "even if it’s not what you think it should be." 

The second case stemmed from the fatal shooting of Jommil Baez-Quinones, who was shot multiple times near Indian Point Circle on Feb. 23, 2022. 

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After investigators spent months exhausting all leads, the case ultimately ran cold. However, in October 2024, authorities subsequently reopened the investigation. 

Luis Eluvar Gonzalez, 23, was identified as a suspect and, with help from U.S. Marshals, was arrested by authorities. Gonzalez is charged with first-degree manslaughter with a weapon and first-degree robbery with a firearm stemming from the death of Baez-Quinones, according to FOX 35. 

The sheriff’s Cold Case Program was formed in 2024 and has solved two cases out of the 32 that remain unsolved in the county. 

The Osceola County Sheriff’s Office did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment. 

In a Thursday press conference, federal authorities in Minnesota announced new charges in the fraud scandal that has grabbed national headlines and spoke on the scope of the crisis, saying that it goes beyond what has previously been reported.

"Minnesotans and taxpayers deserve to know the truth of the fraud," First Assistant U.S. Attorney Joe Thompson told reporters at a press conference.  "The fraud is not small. It isn't isolated. The magnitude cannot be overstated. What we see in Minnesota is not a handful of bad actors committing crimes. It's staggering industrial-scale fraud. It's swamping Minnesota and calling into question everything we know about our state."

Thompson explained that 14 programs have been identified as containing fraud and those programs have cost taxpayers $18 billion overall since 2018.

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When asked specifically by a reporter how much of that $18 billion is suspected to be fraudulent, which reports have previously suggested could be around $1 billion, Thompson suggested that number will be higher when the investigations are concluded. 

"I think a significant portion," Thompson responded.

Thompson later said, "When I say significant, I'm talking in the order of half or more. But we'll see."

Six new defendants have been charged in connection with a Minnesota housing services fraud, Thompson revealed on Thursday.

Two defendants pocketed $750,000 instead of helping Medicaid recipients find stable housing, Thompson said. Prosecutors allege they used the proceeds to travel to international destinations, including London, Istanbul and Dubai.

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One defendant submitted $1.4 million in fraudulent claims, using some to purchase cryptocurrency, Thompson said. Federal officials say he fled the country after receiving a subpoena.

The six new defendants join eight others charged in September for their alleged roles in the scheme to defraud the Minnesota Housing Stability Services Program.

Two dependents mentioned by Thompson sent significant sums of money overseas to Kenya, in one case over $200,000.

"There's been a significant amount of money sent abroad, mostly to East Africa, much of it to Kenya and to Nairobi, that the money that we've traced most, most of which has been used to purchase real estate in Nairobi," Thompson said, mentioning the "large Somali diaspora" in those areas.

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Prosecutors also named a new defendant accused of defrauding another state-run, federally funded program that provides services for children with autism, alleging he submitted millions of dollars worth of claims for Medicaid reimbursement. One woman previously charged with exploiting that program pleaded guilty Thursday morning, officials said.

Thompson said that two of the dependents aren't from Minnesota but came from Philadelphia because "they heard that Minnesota and its housing stabilization services program was easy money."

"What we're seeing is programs that are just entirely fraudulent," Thompson said. "These aren't companies that are providing some services, but overbilling Medicare, Medicaid. These are companies that are providing essentially no services. They're essentially shell companies created to defraud the program created to submit on a wholesale level, fraudulent claims for services that aren't necessary and are provided."

In a press release, dependents were identified as Abdinajib Hassan Yussuf, Anthony Waddell Jefferson, Lester Brown, Hassan Ahmed Hussein, Ahmed Abdirashid Mohamed, and Kaamil Omar Sallah.

Minnesota's fraud crisis has been in the spotlight in recent weeks as the Trump administration and local Republicans have blasted Minnesota's elected officials over the scandal, which dates back to at least 2020 and involves fraudulent billing for a wide range of government services, mostly involving, but not limited to, the state's Somali community. 

"When I was on the Feeding Our Future case, the big thing that jumped out to me was, honestly, how easy this fraud was to do," former federal prosecutor Joe Teirab, who worked on the fraud investigation into Feeding our Future, one of the most high-profile examples of organizations that prosecutors say was propped up by fraud, recently told Fox News Digital. 

"I mean, these fraudsters were just saying that they were spending all this money on feeding kids, and they were just making up these PDFs, putting false names into Excel sheets. I could do that in five minutes on a computer if I had absolutely no conscience."

The Trump administration has launched a variety of efforts to crack down and investigate the fraud at a federal level and Fox News Digital first reported that Education Secretary Linda McMahon had sent a letter to Walz calling on him to resign over the scandal. 

"It's been allowed to go on for far too long, and we need to do whatever we can to stop it in its tracks," Thompson said in the press conference. 

Associated Press contributed to this report.