FBI Director Christopher Wray announces resignation
FBI Director Christopher Wray is expected to announce his resignation any moment, to step down from his post. Fox News learned Wray will make the announcement during an FBI town hall in Washington, D.C., during which thousands of FBI employees are expected to join virtually across the country. Wray was 7 years into his 10-year term. GRASSLEY RIPS WRAY’S ‘FAILED’ LEADERSHIP AT FBI WITH 11 PAGES OF EXAMPLES IN BLISTERING ‘NO CONFIDENCE’ LETTER The Republican lawyer in D.C. was hired by then President Trump in 2017 after he fired former Director James Comey. Since being re-elected to a second term in the Oval Office, Trump has nominated Kash Patel to succeed Wray, giving the current director two options: leave on his own or be fired. While Wray’s last day is still undecided, it is expected to be in January before Trump’s inauguration. The moment Wray officially leaves, Deputy Director Paul Abbate will become acting director until a new director – Patel if confirmed – is in place. Abbate is a career official who is eligible to retire from the bureau very soon. He planned months ago to retire in the new year.
Red state AG slams Biden admin’s attempt to ‘rewrite’ immigration law: ‘Alice in Wonderland stuff’
A federal judge in North Dakota blocked a Biden administration rule that allowed Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients to apply for ObamaCare coverage through the Affordable Care Act. Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach, who led the lawsuit against the Biden administration, called the judge’s ruling on Monday “not surprising,” in an interview with Fox News Digital. “In this case, it was argued before the election, and we definitely got the impression at the hearing that the judge was going to rule the way he did,” Kobach told Fox News Digital. “And similarly, there are a bunch of other cases where Republican states brought challenges to Biden administration policies, where again, the Biden administration was just torturing the English language and changing the meaning of statutes.” “And so what the Biden administration attempted to do was to say, ‘Well, we will just define these categories of illegal aliens as lawfully present, even though they’re not,’” Kobach said. “It’s Alice in Wonderland stuff.” TRUMP CLAIMS GOP ‘VERY OPEN’ TO KEEPING ‘DREAMERS’ IN US, TAKES SHOT AT ‘VERY DIFFICULT’ DEMS In the preliminary injunction issued Monday, U.S. District Court Judge Dan Traynor – appointed by President Trump during his first term – sided with 19 state attorneys general who filed a lawsuit against Biden’s rule in August. The state attorneys general argued it violates a law that bars ObamaCare benefits to illegal immigrants. Biden’s regulation will now not be enforced in those states. “The Court concludes, through a common-sense inference, that the powerful incentive of health care will encourage aliens who may otherwise vacate the Plaintiff States to remain,” Traynor wrote. The Biden administration’s executive action aimed to redefine illegal aliens as lawfully present. The states opposing the ruling were Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Ohio, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia. If Biden’s ruling remained in place, it would have resulted in over 100,000 uninsured illegal immigrants accessing health insurance. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) rule would have also allowed DACA recipients to apply for coverage through HealthCare.gov and state-based marketplaces. The rule would have done so by making what HHS calls “technical modifications” to the definition of “lawfully present” used to determine eligibility. FIREBRAND GOP LAWMAKERS DEMANDS MAYORKAS PRESERVE BORDER CRISIS RECORDS FOR TRUMP ADMIN: ‘UNDO THE DAMAGE DONE’ President Obama announced the DACA program on June 15, 2012, as an executive action to address the situation of young illegal immigrants brought to the U.S. as children. The program was not passed through Congress but was implemented via a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) memorandum. CLICK HERE FOR MORE COVERAGE OF THE BORDER SECURITY CRISIS Trump’s first-term administration tried to end DACA, but the Supreme Court blocked it in 2020. “The impact on federal taxpayers, if this Biden regulation had gone through, would have been immense, because the benefit of getting the ObamaCare subsidy in any given year might be $4,000 or so,” Kobach said. “But if you multiply that times the hundreds of dreamers who would have gotten this benefit, and they would have gotten year after year… that would have included basically any illegal alien who’s got work authorization, and they number in the thousands. So the total impact, the total financial impact on taxpayers would certainly have been in the millions, possibly in the hundreds of millions.” Centers for Medicare & Medicaid services (CMS) said in statement to media it is reviewing a lawsuit but does not comment on ongoing litigation. Fox News Digital’s Adam Shaw contributed to this report.
Dem NJ gubernatorial candidate cops to faking playlist to feature Bruce Springsteen
Democratic New Jersey gubernatorial candidate Rep. Josh Gottheimer admitted to manufacturing a Spotify Wrapped playlist in what he said was a “fun holiday tweet” that prominently featured New Jersey native Bruce Springsteen. “No surprises here…Fun fact: My first ever concert was at Meadowlands to see The Boss!” Gottheimer posted to X on Dec. 6, showcasing what appeared to be a Spotify screenshot of the songs he listened to most frequently in 2024. Music streaming platform Spotify releases yearly “wrapped” playlists each December that show a user’s top songs that year, which are then frequently shared by users, including politicians and celebrities. The top five songs on Gottheimer’s list were all Springsteen hits, including “Thunder Road,” “Because the Night,” “Glory Days,” “Badlands” and “The Rising.” Springsteen has found national acclaim across his decades in the music industry, while in his home state of New Jersey, he is considered a local legend with widespread popularity. BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN ‘WAS NOT COMFORTABLE’ IN LOS ANGELES OR NEW YORK, FEELS ‘SAFE’ IN NEW JERSEY Following Gottheimer’s post, speculation grew that the Spotify list appeared doctored or manufactured, with New Jersey Monitor first questioning on Monday if the screenshot was authentic. NJ.com reported on Tuesday that there were discrepancies with the font and spacing of Gottheimer’s screenshot compared to organic Spotify Wrapped playlists. RADIO HOST HAS MESSAGE FOR BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN ENDORSING HARRIS: HE’S ‘AGAINST THE PEOPLE IN HIS HOMETOWN’ Gottheimer admitted this week that the screenshot he published to X was manufactured, while maintaining he is a Springsteen fan. “This would be my Spotify Wrapped if I didn’t share my account with my 12 and 15-year-old kids,” Gottheimer said in a statement to NJ.com. “While it’s Springsteen all day for me — don’t get me wrong, I still love listening to Taylor Swift!” Gottheimer added on X that the original post was simply a “fun holiday tweet” and that his love of “The Boss” should never be called into question. “To paraphrase the Boss: I wasn’t here for business baby, I was only here for fun. So just relax. This was a fun holiday tweet. It’s a joke to question my Springsteen creds, just ask my dog named Rosalita!” he posted to X Wednesday morning. “Let’s get back to what people do care about—lower taxes, lower costs!” BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN ENDORSES KAMALA HARRIS IN NEW INSTAGRAM VIDEO: ‘VISION OF AMERICA’ History shows that the Garden State’s governors have frequently also been Springsteen fans. Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy, who is term limited and not running in the state’s 2025 election, declared Sept. 23, 2023 “Bruce Springsteen Day” and reportedly mulled naming a rest stop after the rocker – and other notable NJ natives – but Springsteen “respectfully declined” the offer. Former Republican Gov. Chris Christie has a well-documented love of Springsteen’s music, including attending over 100 concerts and having a tribute band play at his inauguration, NJ.com reported. While former Democratic Gov. Jon Corzine, when he served in the Senate, co-sponsored a resolution congratulating Springsteen on the 30th anniversary of the album “Born to Run” back in 2005. The New Jersey gubernatorial election will be held on Nov. 4, 2025. At least 10 candidates across both parties have thrown their hats in the ring, including former Republican gubernatorial nominee Jack Ciattarelli and Democratic Rep. Mikie Sherrill, who recently garnered headlines for misidentifying the type of bomber aircraft her grandfather flew in World War II when announcing her run for the office.
Republican military vets in Congress are on a mission to get Hegseth confirmed
FIRST ON FOX – More than 30 House Republicans who are military veterans are expressing their “strong support” for Pete Hegseth, President-elect Trump’s nominee for Defense Secretary. In a letter to Republican Sen. John Thune of South Dakota, the incoming Senate majority leader, and Democratic Sen. Chuck Schumer, the current majority leader, the House GOP lawmakers “call on the Senate to honor its constitutional duty of advice and consent by conducting a fair, thorough confirmation process.” The letter, shared first with Fox News on Wednesday, was written by Rep. August Pfluger of Texas. He urges that senators evaluate Hegseth’s nomination “solely on its substantive merits— his distinguished military service, academic credentials, and a bold vision for revitalizing our national defense.” TIDE TURNS FOR HEGSETH AS TRUMP’S DEFENSE SECRETARY NOMINEE GOES ON OFFENSE Hegseth, an Army National Guard officer who deployed to the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq and who until last month was a longtime Fox News host, has been the focus of a slew of reports spotlighting a series of drinking and sexual misconduct allegations, as well as a report alleging he mismanaged a veterans nonprofit organization that he once led. Trump’s defense secretary nominee has denied allegations that he mistreated women but did reach a financial settlement with an accuser from a 2017 incident to avoid a lawsuit. He has vowed that he won’t drink “a drop of alcohol” if confirmed as defense secretary. WHAT PETE HEGSETH TOLD FOX NEWS’ SEAN HANNITY While Hegseth’s confirmation is still far from a sure bet, a very public pronouncement of support from Trump late last week, behind-the-scenes efforts by Vice President-elect Sen. JD Vance to persuade his GOP Senate colleagues to support the nominee, and Hegseth’s own determination, seem to have resuscitated a nomination that appeared to be teetering last week. Pfluger, in the letter, emphasizes that Hegseth’s “ability to communicate across institutional landscapes—with military leadership, congressional representatives, and frontline troops—will set him apart. His media expertise and transparent communication style will be crucial in executing a clear vision that cuts through bureaucratic inertia.” WHAT SEN. ERNST SAYS ABOUT THE HEGSETH NOMINATION “Mr. Hegseth represents the strategic reset our defense infrastructure requires: an unorthodox yet qualified leader who can streamline the defense bureaucracy, accelerate modernization, and ensure America remains the world’s most formidable military power,” Pfluger argues. Pfluger, an Air Force Academy graduate who served as a pilot on active duty for two decades and flew combat missions in Iraq and Syria. He later served on the National Security Council during Trump’s first term in office before winning election in 2020 to the House in Texas’ 11th Congressional District. The letter is co-signed by Rep. Michael Waltz of Florida – Trump’s pick to serve as his national security adviser in his second administration. Waltz, a colonel in the National Guard, received four Bronze Stars while serving in the Special Forces during multiple combat tours in Afghanistan, the Middle East, and Africa. In 2018, he became the first “Green Beret” elected to Congress. The fellow veterans putting their signatures on the letter are – in alphabetical order – Republican Reps. Mike Bost of Illinois, Andrew Clyde of Georgia, Elijah Crane of Arizona, Jake Ellzey of Texas, Scott Fitzgerald of Wisconsin, Scott Franklin of Florida, Mark Green of Tennessee, Clay Higgins of Louisiana, Wesley Hunt of Texas, Ronny Jackson of Texas, Trent Kelly of Mississippi, Nick LaLota of New York, Barry Loudermilk of Georgia, Anna Paulina Luna of Florida, Morgan Luttrell of Texas, Brian Mast of Florida, Richard McCormick of Georgia, Max Miller of Ohio, Cory Mills of Florida, Barry Moore of Alabama, Troy Nehls of Texas, Zach Nunn of Iowa, Guy Reschenthaler of Pennsylvania, Keith Self of Texas, Greg Steube of Florida, William Timmons of South Carolina, Derrick Van Orden of Wisconsin, Brandon Williams of New York, Ryan Zinke of Montana, and Dan Crenshaw of Texas.
Nation’s largest labor union for federal employees rebukes GOP’s efforts to end telework
The American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), the country’s largest labor union for federal employees, is fighting back against GOP criticisms that government employees are abusing the use of remote work. With the incoming Trump administration, Republicans have gone on the offensive when it comes to challenging remote-work and work-from-home policies that came out of the COVID-19 pandemic and have been maintained for years later. Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., unveiled a package of bills last week that she plans to introduce, aimed at holding the federal government more accountable for its use of taxpayer dollars. One of the bills seeks to require federal agencies to submit a report on the impacts of expanded teleworking since the pandemic, as well as details about how they plan to implement remote-work policies going forward. Blackburn’s bills coincide with a report penned recently by Sen. Joni Ernst, R–Iowa, chair of the new Department of Government Efficiency caucus, which posits ways to reduce the level of government employees working remotely, such as by tracking their individual productivity and tying it to their ability to work-from-home. TO BE REMOTE OR NOT TO BE? THAT IS THE BURNING FEDERAL WORKPLACE QUESTION Meanwhile, AFGE, which represents roughly 800,000 civil servants, is rebuking these efforts, deriding them as “a deliberate attempt to demean the federal workforce and justify the wholesale privatization of public-sector jobs.” AFGE put out a press release Friday to “set the record straight” on what the group described as an exaggeration from GOP politicians about the misuse of telework. “AFGE believes that facts matter, and that lawmakers should be guided by the facts when making decisions that affect the lives of their constituents,” the press statement said. The document laid out a handful of “myths” about federal employee telework. Several they named came from Ernst’s report that she presented to President-elect Trump’s new Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) last week, including one that claims “nearly one-third” of the federal workforce is “entirely remote.” According to AFGE, only 10% of federal civilian workers “were in remote positions where there was no expectation that they worked in-person,” citing an August 2024 report to Congress from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). SENATE DOGE LEADER ERNST TO TAKE ON GOVERNMENT TELEWORK ABUSE AT FIRST MEETING WITH MUSK, RAMASWAMY The labor group also challenged Ernst’s claims from her report that “most federal workers are eligible to telework and 90% of [them] are,” as well as her claim that only 6% of the federal workforce goes into the office every single day. Citing the same OMB report to Congress, AFGE argued that actually fewer than half – roughly 46% – of federal workers are eligible for telework, while adding that 54% of the federal workforce have jobs that require them to be in-person every single day. In response to AFGE’s challenge of her claims, Ernst said “the real myth” was that bureaucrats are showing up to work. “Federal employees are already squealing, and the unions representing them are shamelessly fighting tooth and nail against returning to the office,” the Iowa senator told Fox News Digital. “I invite public sector unions to support my legislation to track their productivity during the workday. This will show how hard they are working for the American people and settle this debate once and for all. In the coming days, I will be highlighting more profiles of ‘working’ from home. The tips from whistleblowers just keep coming into my office.” Other “myths” the labor union sought to debunk included claims from Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy, both tapped by Trump to lead DOGE, and Russell Vought, Trump’s nominee to lead the Office of Management and Budget. One claim AFGE focused on from Musk argued that when you exclude federal personnel who cannot work remotely due to their day-to-day responsibilities, such as “security guards and maintenance personnel,” the number of federal workers going into the office for at least 40 hours per week is around 1%. A similar claim was also backed up by a source familiar with the data used in Ernst’s report, who said the numbers used by AFGE are cherry-picked because they rely on federal workers who could not work remotely if they wanted to, such as Border Patrol officers and Transportation Security Administration (TSA) agents. Last week, AFGE secured a deal with the Biden administration’s Social Security Administration to set current levels of telework at the agency through 2029. The move will impact roughly 42,000 federal workers, according to Bloomberg News, and will serve to protect the ability to do remote work until the agreed upon contract expires in five years. Fox News Digital reached out to AFGE for comment, but did not receive a response by publication time.
Fani Willis declines to share Jack Smith, Jan 6 records, in a blow to conservative watchdogs
The Fulton County District Attorney’s Office declined this week to turn over any new communications between District Attorney Fani Willis and outgoing special counsel Jack Smith, asserting in a new court filing that the documents either do not exist or are exempt from disclosure under Georgia law. The update was shared Tuesday by Judicial Watch, a conservative legal group that sued Willis in March after her office denied having any records of communication between Willis and Smith or between Willis and the House January 6th Committee. HOUSE JUDICIARY INVESTIGATING WHETHER FULTON COUNTY DA FANI WILLIS ‘COORDINATED’ WITH JAN 6 COMMITTEE Both Smith and the House Select Committee had been investigating alleged efforts by President-elect Donald Trump and his allies to overturn the results of the 2020 election—putting their investigations directly in the crosshairs of Judicial Watch and other conservative activists. Fulton County Superior Court Judge Robert McBurney ordered Willis last Monday to produce any records of communication with either Smith or the House Select Committee on Jan. 6 within five business days, siding with Judicial Watch in determining that Willis had indeed violated the state’s open records act by failing to respond to the lawsuit. Willis, for her part, claims she was not properly served by the group. The Fulton County Open Records Department appears to disagree. In a new court filing this week, they said that their staff conducted a “diligent search” but had not uncovered any records of documents or communications between Willis and Smith, the special counsel tapped by Attorney General Merrick Garland in 2022 to oversee two investigations into the alleged actions of former President Donald Trump. Additionally, staff for the Open Records Department asserted any records or documents between Willis and the House Select Committee on Jan. 6 are still “legally exempt” or “exempted from disclosure” to Judicial Watch under the Georgia Open Records Law, which itself protects against the release of documents or records that arose from an investigation, subsequent indictment, or prosecution in the ongoing case against Trump and his allies. The filing comes as Willis’s actions have come under scrutiny by Republican lawmakers and conservative nonprofit groups. Members of the Republican-led House Judiciary Committee have said Willis asked the House Select Committee on January 6th to share information with her office, prompting additional scrutiny into those communications. TRUMP BOOKED AT FULTON COUNTY JAIL AFTER CHARGES STEMMING FROM 2020 ELECTION PROBE Trump and 18 others pleaded not guilty in Fulton County last year to all charges stemming from a sweeping racketeering indictment brought by the DA’s office, which accused them of attempting to overturn the results of the presidential election. The charges against Trump in Georgia had been on hold after his attorneys filed an appeal to have Willis disqualified from the case, citing alleged conflicts of interest. Importantly, the charges against Trump in the state have not yet been officially dropped, despite his status as president-elect. The case’s status comes as Smith has wound down all federal court proceedings against Trump following his victory in the 2024 election and longstanding Justice Department policy that prevents U.S. prosecutors from bringing federal criminal charges against a sitting president. Fox News Digital’s Haley Chi-Sing contributed to this report.
‘Are you Raj Kapoor’s son…?’ Ranbir Kapoor’s heartfelt anecdote during meeting with PM Modi leaves netizens emotional
The Kapoor family met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi to invite him to the celebration of legendary actor-filmmaker Raj Kapoor’s 100th birth anniversary. The family is organizing nationwide screenings of Raj Kapoor’s iconic films as part of the tribute.
Lok Sabha passes Railways Amendment Bill 2024, minister Ashiwni Vaishnaw says won’t lead to…
The Railways (Amendment) Bill 2024 seeks to enhance the functioning and independence of the Railway Board.
‘DeSanta Claus’ strikes again: Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis announces extra days off for state workers
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis announced that state workers will get three extra days off this month. “In addition to Christmas Day and New Years Day, our state workers will get three extra days off—December 23, 24 and 31—to spend more time with their families and loved ones this holiday season,” the governor declared in a post on X. State offices will be closed on all five of those days, according to a press release from the governor’s office. “Florida is in great shape, and we want to reward our state employees,” DeSantis said, according to the press release. “After a full year—including three costly hurricanes—we hope these extra days off allow for state workers to spend more time with their families and loved ones during this holiday season.” Last month “state workers were given off for November 27,” the day before Thanksgiving, Dan Barrow of the Florida Department of Management Services confirmed to Fox News Digital via email on Wednesday. The department’s website lists nine dates “observed as paid holidays by state agencies,” in 2024, including, New Year’s Day, Birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Veterans’ Day, Thanksgiving Day, the Friday following Thanksgiving, and Christmas Day. “Full-time employees are entitled to one personal holiday each year,” the site also notes. Last year, DeSantis announced that state offices would be closed Nov. 22, Dec. 26, December 29, and Jan. 2, on top of regular closures during the holidays, according to a November 2023 press release. “Our state employees have worked tirelessly throughout the year to aid and assist Florida families,” DeSantis said, according to the release. “Over the past few months, they have selflessly responded to Hurricane Idalia and the State of Florida’s Israel Rescue Operation. Closing state offices on these additional days will provide state employees with some much-deserved time with their families and loved ones while enjoying the holiday season.”
‘Game on’: Trump border czar fires back after House Dem promises ‘resistance’ to deportations
FIRST ON FOX: Incoming border czar Tom Homan is not backing down from his plans to lead President-elect Donald Trump’s mass deportation operation in Chicago after a Democratic congresswoman told him to “be ready to meet the resistance.” “Message received. Please review 18 USC 111 and also see 8 USC 1324 (iii),” Homan told Fox News Digital in an interview on Wednesday. “Game on.” He was referring to two laws prohibiting impeding a federal law enforcement officer and the other prohibits the harboring or concealing of illegal immigrants from immigration officers. “So, message received, please review this statute and that statute and game on,” he said. TRUMP’S INCOMING BORDER CZAR REVEALS HE’S ALREADY MAKING PLANS FOR 1,400 ACRES OF LAND OFFERED BY TEXAS Homan had spoken in Chicago this week and told local Republicans he wanted Illinois Democrats to “come to the table” but if not, to “get the hell out of the way.” That comment sparked a fiery response from Rep. Delia Ramirez, D-Ill. “Tom Homan, the next time you come to #IL03 —a district made stronger and more powerful by immigrants — you better be ready to meet the resistance,” she warned. “You may think Chicago needs to get out of the way of Trump’s plans for mass deportation, but we plan to get ALL UP IN YOUR WAY.” CALIFORNIA COUNTY VOTES TO RAMP UP SANCTUARY POLICIES AHEAD OF TRUMP DEPORTATION PUSH: ‘RADICAL POLICY’ Ramirez’s comments are the latest in a slew of comments by Democratic lawmakers and officials across the country who have promised either not to co-operate with the incoming Trump administration’s plans for mass deportations or to resist them entirely. Last month, the mayor of Denver said he was willing to go to jail over the opposition to the deportations. Homan had responded to the statement by the mayor by saying he was willing to jail him, noting the same statutes he pointed to when speaking to Fox Digital. On Wednesday, he described Ramirez’s opposition as opposition that would stop the arrests of public safety threats. CLICK HERE FOR MORE COVERAGE OF THE BORDER SECURITY CRISIS “President Trump and I have been clear on every interview I do, that right out of the gate, we’re going to be prioritizing public safety threats,” Homan said. “Any elected official who wants to prevent the removal of public safety threats from their communities, especially if they’re illegal aliens, is not doing their job. Because their job, their number one responsibility to their communities is protection of that community, the safety of that community.” “No one should be arguing against removing public safety threats, and I find it just incredible that she supports more criminals, especially in Chicago for God’s sake,” he said. He said that the administration will also be prioritizing the bloodthirsty Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua, which has spread across the country and has established a presence in Chicago along with other gangs. “I would not say every criminal in Chicago is an illegal alien, but some are, many are. So let’s not only take them out of the community. Let’s take them out of the country.” “So, game on,” he said.