If Trump makes cuts to Medicaid, Texas officials could seize the opportunity to further slash the program
State leaders have shown a decadeslong antipathy toward the health insurance program. If Trump makes severe reductions, it’s unlikely leaders would have the political will to make up any lost federal funds with state money, experts say.
Dems renew push for limiting presidential clemency powers after Hunter Biden pardon
Several House Democrats are renewing calls to put more guardrails on the executive branch’s clemency powers after President Biden’s sweeping pardon for his son, Hunter. Rep. Steve Cohen, D-Tenn., who has introduced a constitutional amendment limiting presidential pardon powers in several congressional terms, defended Biden’s decision but said he hoped those who were critical of the decision would co-sponsor his measure. “The pardon power is supposed to be a safety valve against injustice, and I understand why President Biden thought it appropriate in this instance,” Cohen said earlier this week. “But to all those who find this pardon distasteful, I encourage you to cosponsor and support the constitutional amendment I have introduced in the last several Congresses to reform the pardon power. The measure would eliminate pardons for the President’s self, the President’s family, Administration officials and campaign staff, and those who commit crimes on behalf of, for the benefit of, or at the direction of the President – all instances with inescapable perceptions of conflicts of interest.” LAWMAKERS HARSHLY CRITICIZE BIDEN’S DECISION TO PARDON HUNTER It comes as a wave of Democrats have expressed unease with the pardon, arguing its broad nature sets a precedent for future abuse. A spokesperson for Rep. Don Beyer, D-Va., who previously backed Cohen’s amendment, said the lawmaker’s position has not changed. “If Republicans reconsider their willingness to overlook rampant abuses of pardon powers by the President-elect, and drop their opposition to pardon reform, that would be a good thing – especially given his promises to pardon violent criminals who brutally assaulted police officers on January 6th,” the spokesperson said. Several Democrats who spoke with Fox News Digital signaled openness to some limitations on pardons. HUNTER BIDEN SAYS HIS MISTAKES WERE ‘EXPLOITED’ FOR POLITICAL SPORT, HE WILL NEVER TAKE PARDON FOR GRANTED Rep. Glenn Ivey, D-Md., did not reject supporting the amendment but doubted there would be enough political momentum for such a change. He also urged Biden to extend his clemency powers to people jailed on minor charges. “It’s something that we could look at. But I’d be more interested in sort of focusing on uses of the pardon power. Thousands of people that should be pardoned or have their sentences commuted are in jail for minor offenses,” Ivey said. “I’d love to see them focus on that.” Rep. Joaquin Castro, D-Texas, said, “I think we need to look at presidential pardons. The Congress needs to look at presidential pardons, generally. And it’s a large conversation regarding different issues – for example, when a president can pardon somebody whose crimes may have been related to the president.” “Cohen’s bill is worth talking through. I think he mentioned that there weren’t any Republican co-sponsors, so hopefully he gets them now,” said Rep. Greg Landsman, D-Ohio. Republicans, however, were skeptical. “What we have now has been in place for hundreds of years. And you know, we’re not always going to agree with things that one party does or another party does, but I think it’s something that needs to stand,” Rep. Mike Ezell, R-Miss., told Fox News Digital. Rep. Ralph Norman, R-S.C., said limiting pardon powers would be “a slippery slope” but accused Biden of “abusing” the responsibility. BIDEN PARDONS SON HUNTER BIDEN AHEAD OF EXIT FROM OVAL OFFICE House GOP Policy Chairman Gary Palmer, R-Ala., meanwhile, did not comment on limiting pardon powers but said they must not go away altogether. “The fact that Joe Biden is basically protecting a crime family and has overstepped his authority, and basically exposed himself to be a liar, would not be justification for eliminating it across the board,” he said. Hunter Biden’s pardon covers any and all possible crimes between 2014 and December 2024. It came as he was facing possible jail sentences over separate firearms and tax charges. The 82-year-old president accused Republicans of weaponizing the justice system against his son, who he said was “selectively, and unfairly, prosecuted.” Meanwhile, House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., promised “reform” during his weekly press conference on Wednesday but did not go into further detail. “This pardon is a perversion of justice, and it is an utter disregard for the rule of law. And it undermines, further undermines the people’s faith in our system of justice,” Johnson said. “So we have reform on the way, and it cannot happen soon enough.”
Trump keeps Whatley at Republican National Committee following ‘OUTSTANDING and HISTORIC JOB’
President-elect Trump on Wednesday invited Republican National Committee chair Michael Whatley to continue steering the GOP’s national party committee. And Whatley quickly accepted, saying he is “honored for the opportunity to continue as Chairman of the RNC and work nonstop to help President Trump Make America Great Again!” The former and future Republican president, pointing to his convincing White House victory in last month’s elections, as well the GOP’s flipping of the Senate and holding onto its fragile House majority, said Whatley had done “an OUTSTANDING and HISTORIC JOB in running” the RNC. And Trump announced that “I have asked Michael to return as Chairman of the RNC to continue to build our Party, and be a trusted partner as we Make America Great Again, and ensure Free and Fair Election.” HEAD HERE FOR FULL FOX NEWS RESULTS FROM THE 2024 ELECTIONS In March, as he clinched the 2024 GOP presidential nomination, Trump named Whatley to succeed Ronna McDaniel as RNC chair. Whatley, a longtime ally of the former president and a major supporter of the former president’s election integrity efforts, had served as RNC general counsel and chair of the North Carolina Republican Party. Trump also named his daughter-in-law Lara Trump as RNC co-chair. After first winning the White House in 2016, Trump picked McDaniel to steer the national party committee, and she became the longest serving chair in modern times. But earlier this year, Trump essentially pushed McDaniel out the door by repeatedly urging changes at the committee – after lackluster party fundraising and his opposition to the RNC’s presidential primary debates. DEMOCRATIC PARTY CHAIR FRONT-RUNNER OFFERS ‘UNCOMFORTABLE’ ADVICE Trump, in his social media post, said Whatley “is a smart, tough lawyer who put together a completely unprecedented ELECTION INTEGRITY OPERATION that protected the Vote all across America, and a GET OUT THE VOTE CAMPAIGN that delivered the Votes we needed in every Battleground State.” And he argued that “Michael and Lara transformed the RNC into a lean, focused, and powerful machine that will empower the America First Agenda for many years to come.” Trump, whose immense grip over the GOP is stronger than ever, urged that “Republicans everywhere should support him [Whatley] as he continues his mission at the RNC.” Whatley, responding minutes later in a social media post, thanked Trump “for the trust he has placed in me to continue our important work at the @GOP.” “As long as I am Chairman, the RNC’s priorities will remain the same: get out the vote, protect the ballot, and raise the money we need to elect Republicans up and down the ticket,” he pledged. Whatley pointed to the “crucial fights ahead,” which he said included “supporting President Trump’s cabinet nominees and preparing for the 2026 midterms, to our ongoing fight for election integrity across America.” But Trump, in last month’s elections, outperformed many down-ballot Republicans in key Senate and House races. And the RNC, going forward, will need to work to ensure that Trump voters continue to support the party’s candidates even though the term-limited Trump won’t appear on the ballot ever again.
Top Dems, activists call on Biden admin to dole out more student loan forgiveness before term ends
Top Democratic lawmakers and activists alike are calling on the Biden administration to ignore a federal injunction and continue wiping out student loan debt before the president leaves office. Sens. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., and Ed Markey, D-Mass, held a press conference alongside a cohort of activist groups on Wednesday from the nation’s capital, calling on the Department of Education to finish granting federal student loan forgiveness for borrowers it pledged to help. These borrowers attended either now-defunct or predatory for-profit colleges. “I’m urging the Biden administration in the closing hours of their administration – the last seven weeks – come to the rescue of these students as quickly as possible,” Durbin said Monday from the Senate floor. In 2022 and 2023, President Biden’s Education Department announced it would grant student loan forgiveness for 560,000 borrowers who attended Corinthian Colleges Inc., as well as to 208,000 borrowers who attended ITT Technical Institute. While most of those students had their loans fully forgiven, according to the Project on Predatory Student Lending (PPSL), at least 145,000 former Corinthian students who were approved to have their loans forgiven still have not gotten their promised relief. BIDEN MAKES FINAL PUSH FOR STUDENT LOAN FORGIVENESS BEFORE TRUMP TAKES OFFICE “The coming weeks are pivotal, and we are focused on two things,” PPSL said in a statement last week, according to Forbes. “First, everyone who was promised relief, must receive their relief. Second, the Department must issue more group discharges for people who went to predatory schools.” Meanwhile, the group’s senior director of policy and advocacy told the Washington Post that the group “definitely want[s] to make sure the Biden administration finishes the work they started.” On Wednesday, Durbin and Markey will be joined by groups like PPSL to continue urging the Biden administration to maximize student debt relief. The calls come even though the program, known as the “borrower defense loan discharge program,” remains tied up in litigation after a federal court issued an injunction last year. BIDEN PUSHES TO FINALIZE MORE STUDENT DEBT RELIEF BEFORE END OF TERM, INCLUDING FOR ‘FUTURE BORROWERS’ According to the federal government’s student aid office, “the injunction is effective” until a final judgment in the case has been made. “The Department will not adjudicate any borrower defense applications under the rule subject to the injunction unless and until the injunction is lifted,” the agency asserts. Nonetheless, the agency still encouraged borrowers to continue applying for “borrower defense relief,” adding that they would continue to “adjudicate borrower defense applications” while the case makes its way through the courts. The Department of Education did not provide any on-the-record remarks in time for publication when reached for comment. Durbin and Markey, as well as PPSL, did not respond to inquiries from Fox News Digital for purposes of this story.
Top House Democrat says Hunter Biden pardon was ‘disappointing,’ calls out Biden for flip-flop
Rep. Pete Aguilar, D-Calif., called out President Biden for going back on his word and pardoning his son, Hunter, on Wednesday, calling the move “disappointing.” Aguilar, who chairs the House Democratic caucus, said he understood Biden’s decision “as a father,” but argued the pardon did not uphold the rule of law. Rep. Ted Lieu, who joined Aguilar in Wednesday’s press conference, did not comment on the pardon. “As a father, I understand it, and I get it. But as someone who has spent a lot of time at this podium talking about the importance of respecting the rule of law, it’s disappointing,” Aguilar said. “The president gave his word and said publicly that he wasn’t going to give a pardon and then he did, so that part is disappointing. I believed him when he said he wasn’t,” he said. SPECIAL COUNSEL, IRS WHISTLEBLOWERS SAY DON’T BUY BIDEN’S ‘SPIN’ ABOUT HUNTER BIDEN LEGAL SAGA Aguilar joins a number of Democrats who have openly criticized Biden’s pardon. California Gov. Gavin Newsom said Wednesday that he also was “disappointed” with Biden’s decision. PRESIDENT BIDEN’S PARDON OF SON HUNTER A POLITICAL GIFT FOR TRUMP GOING FORWARD “With everything the president and his family have been through, I completely understand the instinct to protect Hunter, but I took the president at his word,” Newsom told Politico, adding that he “can’t support the decision.” In a statement announcing the pardon, Biden took aim at what he described as a politically motivated investigation. SPECIAL COUNSEL, IRS WHISTLEBLOWERS SAY DON’T BUY BIDEN ‘SPIN’ ABOUT HUNTER BIDEN LEGAL SAGA “No reasonable person who looks at the facts of Hunter’s cases can reach any other conclusion than Hunter was singled out only because he is my son — and that is wrong,” the president wrote. Biden had vowed multiple times that he would not intervene in his son’s case, first in June when his son was convicted on three felony firearm charges, and then in September after Hunter pleaded guilty to federal charges of tax evasion. “I am not going to do anything,” Biden said this summer. “I will abide by the jury’s decision.”
Incoming GOP Senate majority leader unveils legislative agenda for Trump administration’s 1st 30 days
Incoming Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., is laying out a legislative road map for 2025 with plans to pass a colossal bill within the first month under the new administration. Thune revealed his legislative priorities during a Republican meeting on Tuesday, telling his colleagues that he intends to swiftly move forward a budget reconciliation bill on border security, defense and energy within the first 30 days of the new Congress. Reconciliation is a legislative maneuver used to fast-track bills on issues such as taxes, the debt limit and federal spending by bypassing the Senate’s 60-vote threshold for passage, instead lowering it to a simple 51-vote majority. The senator told lawmakers that his next order of business would be legislation focusing on taxes and other top priorities of President-elect Donald Trump’s administration. WHAT IS RECONCILIATION, THE TOOL REPUBLICANS WANT TO USE TO ‘PUSH THE OUTER LIMITS’ ON FEDERAL POLICY? Lawmakers in the House chamber have already signaled their intention to also pass a border security and energy-focused reconciliation bill. “We’re going to push the outer limits to include as much pro-growth strategy as we can. One of those would be regulatory reform,” Rep. Jodey Arrington, R-Texas, the House Budget Committee Chair, told Fox News Digital. “Another one will be border security and immigration reform.” However, reconciliation plans were not welcomed by all congressional Republicans. Rep. Jason Smith, R-Mo., chair of the House Ways and Means Committee, strongly criticized the proposal, labeling the concept of reconciliation as “reckless.” “If they do that process, I think that they are creating an opportunity to increase taxes for all Americans,” Smith told Punchbowl News. SENATE DEMOCRATS NAME TOP LEADERSHIP POSITIONS AFTER LOSING CHAMBER MAJORITY During Tuesday’s meeting, Thune also revealed his plans to make some changes to the workflow in the chamber. The Republican senator said that votes would no longer be held indefinitely to shorten voting time and prepared lawmakers to expect longer work weeks during the first few months of the 119th Congress. Trump reportedly called into Tuesday’s meeting to speak with the senators as they discussed legislative priorities, as he will have to work closely with the chamber to move forward his own agenda. “He was thrilled with his victory,” Sen. John Barrasso, R–Wyo., said of Trump’s call, the Hill reported. “We have a mandate and an opportunity to do the sorts of things that we campaigned upon in terms of lowering prices, in terms of the border, in terms of getting America back on track.” Fox News’ Elizabeth Elkind contributed to this report.
‘Our demeanour is causing a serious dilution of the institution’: RS Chairman tells opposition members
Rajya Sabha Chairman and Vice President Jagdeep Dhankar on Wednesday expressed his dismay over the conduct of opposition members as they insisted, despite his ruling, on clarifications over External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar’s statement on recent developments in the India-China border areas.
Trump announces picks for Army secretary, trade adviser, hostage envoy, NASA administrator
President-elect Trump announced several more additions to his incoming administration on Wednesday, including his choices for Army secretary, trade adviser, hostage envoy and NASA administrator. Daniel P. Driscoll of North Carolina, a veteran and venture capitalist, will serve as secretary of the Army. “I am pleased to nominate Daniel P. Driscoll, from the Great State of North Carolina, to serve as the Secretary of the Army. As a former Soldier, Investor, and Political Advisor, Dan brings a powerful combination of experiences to serve as a disruptor and change agent,” Trump posted on Truth Social. He has also selected Peter Navarro to be trade adviser, Adam Boehler to be a special envoy for Hostage Affairs, and Jared Isaacman to head up NASA. This is a breaking news story. Check back for updates.
‘Will give our best to run the government’, says Eknath Shinde ahead of Fadnavis’s swearing-in as Maharashtra CM
Maharashtra’s Mahayuti alliance celebrates its 2.5-year tenure as Eknath Shinde lauds achievements ahead of Devendra Fadnavis’s swearing-in as Chief Minister after BJP’s Assembly election victory.
House GOP leaders endorse Trump-backed candidate Jimmy Patronis for Matt Gaetz’s old seat
House Republican leaders have endorsed Florida Chief Financial Officer and State Fire Marshal Jimmy Patronis for election in the Sunshine State’s 1st Congressional District. House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La., and House Majority Whip Tom Emmer, R-Minn., are all backing the candidate. Patronis shared the endorsements on social media, thanking each of the House GOP figures. WITH TRUMP PLEDGING ENDORSEMENT, FLORIDA CFO WILL RUN FOR MATT GAETZ’S FORMER HOUSE SEAT Last month, President-elect Donald Trump urged Patronis to run, pledging to endorse him. “Should he decide to enter this Race, Jimmy Patronis has my Complete and Total Endorsement. RUN, JIMMY, RUN!” Trump declared in a Truth Social post Special primary and general elections will be held next year to fill the seat vacated last month by Matt Gaetz, who resigned from Congress after Trump nominated him to serve as attorney general. FLORIDA CFO REQUESTS REPORT ON POTENTIAL FOR INVESTING SOME STATE RETIREMENT SYSTEM FUNDS INTO DIGITAL ASSETS Gaetz, who had just been re-elected prior to leaving office, ultimately withdrew himself from consideration for the Cabinet-level post. But Gaetz is not the only Trump nominee who has bowed out. FLORIDA SHERIFF CHAD CHRONISTER WITHDRAWS AS TRUMP’S NOMINEE TO LEAD DEA Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister, who Trump recently nominated to serve as administrator of the Drug Enforcement Administration, withdrew himself from consideration for the job.