Business tax breaks closer to reality after Texas Senate approves compromise
The Texas House must approve changes to the proposal that were brokered by party leaders. It’s part of a package of bills to bring down property taxes statewide.
Fox News Politics Newsletter: Bondi Backs the Blue
Welcome to the Fox News Politics newsletter, with the latest updates on the Trump administration, Capitol Hill and more Fox News politics content. Here’s what’s happening… -Pete Buttigieg says Biden running for a second term was ‘maybe’ a mistake –Pope Leo XIV makes first social media post, calling for peace -DHS announces 200% increase in Secret Service applications since President Donald Trump took office The Justice Department (DOJ) is moving funds formerly granted to groups supporting transgender ideology and diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives to law enforcement, Fox News Digital has confirmed. A Justice Department official told Fox News Digital that the DOJ, under Attorney General Pam Bondi’s watch, will “not waste” funds on DEI. “The Department of Justice under Pam Bondi will not waste discretionary funds on DEI passion projects that do not make Americans safer,” the official told Fox News Digital. “We will use our money to get criminals off the streets, seize drugs, and in some cases, fund programs that deliver a tangible impact for victims of crime.”…READ MORE DOLLAR DIPLOMACY: Trump visits Qatar as country’s jet offer puts spotlight on nation’s growing influence in Washington ‘BLOODTHIRSTY CRIMINAL’: Vance sears US leaders turning cops into ‘enemies’ ‘ANOTHER LEVEL’ OF COOPERATION: Trump signs agreements with Qatar on defense and Boeing purchases ‘LOST HIS CONFIDENCE’: Trump says ‘there’s something wrong’ with top Democrat he’s known ‘a long time’ TENSE TALKS: Trump teases possible appearance at Russia-Ukraine peace talks in Turkey as world awaits to see if Putin will show UNDER FIRE: UN revisits ‘killer robot’ regulations as concerns about AI-controlled weapons grow ‘RACIST ATTACKS’: Dem lawmaker seethes RFK’s ‘legitimacy’ as HHS secretary has ‘expired’ in heated exchange REACTOR FACTOR: Republicans urge Trump to follow through on his plan to dismantle Iran’s nuclear capabilities FLYING HIGH: Dems condemn Trump’s jet deal, call $400 million gift ‘unconstitutional’ ‘GROSS VIOLATIONS’: House Republicans take one step closer to banning congressional stock trading ‘WON’T RESPOND’: AOC says DOJ ‘won’t respond’ to her inquiry on potential probe ‘DEFUNCT’: ‘DOGE caucus is dead,’ House Democrat declares TRUMP TRAIN: House GOP moves Trump’s agenda forward after all-night committee debate 2028 SPECULATION: Targeted by Trump, well-known Democrat sparks 2028 speculation with stop in key state FOR SALE: State Department approves sale of $1.4B worth of helicopters, F-16 parts to UAE ahead of Trump’s visit ‘I WANT TO GO FOR JIHAD’: Former Michigan Army National Guard member charged with plotting mass shooting at Army base on behalf of ISIS PRISON TIME?: Milwaukee judge indicted for helping immigrant evade ICE faces up to 6 years in prison Get the latest updates on the Trump administration and Congress, exclusive interviews and more on FoxNews.com.
Swing state judge strikes down 24-hour abortion waiting period as unconstitutional
A Michigan judge ruled on Tuesday that the state’s 24-hour waiting period and informed consent rules restricting abortion were unconstitutional. The waiting period, which allows abortion-seekers to consider their options before the procedure, was voted into the state constitution by Michigan voters in 2022, before being challenged in a 2024 lawsuit filed by abortion rights groups. “The mandatory delay exacerbates the burdens that patients experience seeking abortion care, including by increasing costs, prolonging wait times, increasing the risk that a patient will have to disclose their decision to others, and potentially forcing the patient to forgo a medication abortion for a more invasive procedure,” state Court of Claims Judge Sima Patel wrote in her opinion. SCOOP: REPUBLICANS DISCUSS DEFUNDING ‘BIG ABORTION’ LIKE PLANNED PARENTHOOD IN TRUMP AGENDA BILL Patel also ruled it was unconstitutional to ban nurse practitioners, certified nurse midwives and physician assistants from performing abortions. Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said in a post on X that she was “overjoyed” with the decision. “I’m overjoyed to say that the Michigan Court of Claims has seen these restrictive provisions for what they are: an unconstitutional overreach that infringes on our constitutional right to make our own reproductive health decisions,” Whitmer wrote. “Today’s ruling reaffirms what we already know: reproductive health decisions belong between a patient and their doctor, not the government. I’m proud to know that this Women’s Health Week, we can celebrate by protecting and expanding women’s fundamental rights and freedoms.” TRUMP FOE LETITIA JAMES LEADING CHARGE ON NEW MULTISTATE LAWSUIT OVER HHS CUTS Michigan Catholic Conference President and CEO Paul Long said the intent of the proposal was to grant constitutional protections to “an industry that places itself above the health and safety of women and the lives of pre-born children.” “This decision is a tragic reminder that the normalization of abortion in Michigan exists to the detriment of some 31,000 children every year who will never have the opportunity to experience the gift and blessings of life,” Long wrote in a statement. “Now, more than ever, we encourage others to envision a world where human life at every stage – from conception to a natural end – is truly cherished and protected, where expecting mothers are supported with love and care and have access to maternal needs, regardless of the circumstance of the pregnancy.” ‘GENDER-AFFIRMING’ TREATMENTS DON’T BENEFIT YOUTH, SAYS PEDIATRICIANS GROUP: ‘IRREVERSIBLE CONSEQUENCES’ The court upheld a rule that requires abortion providers to screen for signs of coercion. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP If the decision is appealed, the case would be elevated to the Michigan Court of Appeals.
WATCH: RFK Jr Senate hearing disrupted by screaming protesters: ‘RFK kills people with hate’
Angry protesters disrupted a Tuesday hearing on Capitol Hill during which Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. testified about how the agency’s 2026 budget aligns with President Donald Trump’s agenda. Kennedy did not even finish his opening statement when multiple protesters disrupted his testimony, yelling that the HHS secretary is killing people “with hate.” “RFK kills people with hate!” a protester blurted out, startling Kennedy, who quickly turned behind him to see where the commotion was coming from. “RFK kills people with hate!” the chant continued, with more voices joining in. “RFK kills people with hate!” DEM LAWMAKER SEETHES RFK JR’S ‘LEGITIMACY’ AS HHS SECRETARY HAS ‘EXPIRED’ IN HEATED EXCHANGE Multiple people were eventually escorted out of the room, during which the chairman of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP), Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., paused the hearing. “Members of the audience are reminded disruptions will not be permitted while the committee conducts its business. Capitol Police are asked to remove the individuals from the hearing room,” Cassidy said amid the commotion. “That was a made-for-C-SPAN moment,” Cassidy quipped after things settled down. FDA’S LATEST MAHA MOVE WOULD WIPE OUT KIDS’ FLUORIDE PRESCRIPTIONS AS HEALTH RISK EVIDENCE MOUNTS The Wednesday hearing with the Senate HELP Committee came a few weeks after HHS released its budget for fiscal year 2026. Kennedy was testifying to share how the budget aligns with Trump’s priorities. “When my team and I took the helm at HHS we set out with clear goals,” Kennedy said shortly before he was interrupted. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP “First, we aim to make America healthy again with a special focus on the chronic disease epidemic. Second, we committed to delivering more efficient, responsive, and effective service to over 100 million Americans who rely on Medicare, Medicaid and other programs. Third, we focus on achieving these goals by cutting costs for taxpayers and intend to do more – a lot more – with less.”
SCOOP: GOP plans investigation into ICE threats after Dems’ ‘storming’ of facility
FIRST ON FOX: House Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, is opening an investigation into threats facing Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facilities, Fox News Digital was told. It comes as fallout continues over three House Democrats accused of “storming” a detention center in New Jersey. Fox News Digital was told that Jordan is expected to schedule a hearing for next Tuesday, with former ICE and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) officials expected among the witness panel. The hearing will cover threats against ICE operations, likely including Delaney Hall Detention Center in Newark, New Jersey. NEWARK MAYOR ARRESTED AS DEM CONGRESS MEMBERS STORM NEW JERSEY ICE PRISON TO CONDUCT ‘OVERSIGHT VISIT’ It’s also expected to cover the Trump administration’s advancements in cracking down on illegal immigration and threats to national security, Fox News Digital was told. The hearing will likely be led not by Jordan’s full committee, but by the House Judiciary Committee’s subcommittee on oversight – a panel that’s led by Republican Rep. Jeff Van Drew of New Jersey, where the Delaney Hall incident took place. The planned move is a significant development in the situation led by one of President Donald Trump’s closest allies in the House of Representatives. Republicans have been discussing what, if any, consequences could be in store for the three Democratic lawmakers who protested Trump’s immigration policies at the Newark ICE facility late last week. Reps. Bonnie Watson Coleman, D-N.J., Rob Menendez, D-N.J., and LaMonica McIver, D-N.J., joined Newark Mayor Ras Baraka and other protesters outside the detention center, and apparently rushed in when the gates opened to let in a bus carrying detainees inside its walls. Democrats have contended that they had a right to enter the facility as federal officials. But Republicans, including DHS, have accused those Democrats of “storming” in and endangering both law enforcement and detainees in a bid to score political points. Both sides have also accused the other of assault. WHITE HOUSE BLASTS DEMS ‘CROSSING THE LINE’ BY STORMING ICE FACILITY GOP lawmakers and officials have suggested punishments ranging from censure to criminal charges, both of which House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., suggested were a “red line.” Rep. Buddy Carter, R-Ga., introduced a resolution to strip those Democrats of their committees earlier this week. The three Democrats said in a joint statement in response to Carter, “As we all know, Members of Congress have a legal right to conduct oversight at any DHS detention facility without prior notice, and that’s exactly what we were doing last week. This week, we’re back in Washington doing exactly what New Jerseyans sent us here to do: delivering for them.”
What does the PKK’s disarming mean for its regional allies?
When Abdullah Ocalan said his Kurdistan Workers’ Party, or PKK, should lay down its arms and disband after more than four decades of conflict with the Turkish state and tens of thousands of deaths, there was an instant look across the border to Syria. Syria’s northeast is largely controlled by the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), a Kurdish-led military force Turkiye has repeatedly fought against over the past decade. The SDF is led by the People’s Protection Units (YPG), which Turkiye views as a “terrorist” group and the Syrian branch of the PKK. The United States, however, has backed the YPG in Syria to fight against ISIL (ISIS). Since the fall of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in December, the SDF has been negotiating with the new Turkish-allied government in Damascus over what its future role in a newly unified Syria and as a military force will be and what kind of governance will extend to the northeast of the country. PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan said the group should disband and disarm, ending decades of violence [Umit Bektas/Reuters] No laying down of arms The removal of the PKK from the equation will likely facilitate the SDF’s integration with Damascus, analysts told Al Jazeera. “For the SDF, it makes it much easier to talk with the government in Damascus and also to de-escalate their relations with Turkey,” said Wladimir van Wilgenburg, an analyst of Kurdish politics based in Erbil, the capital of the autonomous Kurdish region of northern Iraq. While the SDF rejects Turkiye’s assertions that it is the Syrian arm of the PKK, analysts said the groups have strong links. Advertisement While the PKK’s announcement that it would heed Ocalan’s call and disarm was welcomed by SDF leader Mazloum Abdi, he said his group would not disarm and Ocalan’s decision did not extend to Syria. Ahmed al-Sharaa, right, and SDF commander-in-chief Mazloum Abdi sign an agreement, to integrate the SDF into state institutions in Damascus on March 10, 2025 [SANA via AFP] But this could give the group further incentives to bring its fighting force and governing structure – called the Autonomous Administration in North and East Syria (AANES) – under the umbrella of the new government in Damascus. When reached for comment on Monday, an AANES spokesperson told Al Jazeera: “The autonomous administration is not concerned with the internal affairs of other countries.” The SDF has clashed with Turkish-backed Syrian factions, including in the immediate days after the fall of al-Assad’s regime, and sustained attacks from Turkiye’s air force. In December, the US negotiated a ceasefire between the SDF and the Turkish-backed Syrian National Army, which has since been incorporated into Syria’s new armed forces. Abdi has been in discussions with the new Syrian government, led by Ahmed al-Sharaa, over how best to integrate the SDF into the post-Baathist Party security forces and govern Syria’s northeast. Increased pressure to negotiate The SDF has engaged in the talks with the pressure of an impending US troop withdrawal from northeast Syria. Without a US presence and support, the SDF has feared it might be vulnerable to attacks from Turkiye or Turkish-backed factions in Syria. But should the PKK’s decision to disarm bring a feeling of security to Turkiye along its border with Syria, analysts said the relations between the SDF and Turkiye would also likely improve. Advertisement “We know that Turkey’s hardline stance towards the SDF was very much linked to concerns over the PKK and not so much about the SDF being Kurdish-dominated,” Thomas Pierret, a Syria specialist and senior researcher at the Institute of Research and Study on the Arab and Islamic Worlds, told Al Jazeera. SDF members flash victory signs while departing the city of Aleppo on April 9, 2025, as part of an agreement with the Syrian government [Ahmad Fallah/EPA] This is evident by Turkiye’s relations with Masoud Barzani and his Kurdish Democratic Party in northern Iraq’s Kurdish region, Pierret said. Of course, this new reality “doesn’t mean it will be easy”, according to Pierret. Under the agreement between Turkiye and the PKK, some fighters could be relocated to third countries – essentially sent into exile. There’s also the possibility some fighters may decide to make their way to northeast Syria, in which case, Pierret said, Turkiye could see the SDF as a haven for PKK fighters. So Turkiye will keep a close eye on the SDF in Syria and the SDF’s negotiations with Damascus. In the past, the Turkish military has launched drones, fired artillery and carried out air strikes against Kurdish fighters, including the SDF. And analysts said military options may still be on the table going forward. “For now, they seem to be letting negotiations take their course,” Aron Lund, a fellow at Century International with a focus on Syria, told Al Jazeera. “And that’s probably related both to events in Syria but also to the PKK process.” Advertisement Beyond Syria The PKK’s affiliates and allies are spread across regions of the Middle East where Kurds live. Historically, the PKK has operated in Turkiye as well as northern Iraq. And their allies have operated in places where Kurds live in Syria and Iran. Their struggles have often opposed the national authorities in those places or sought self-determination or federalism. One example is the Kurdistan Free Life Party, or PJAK, in Iran, which says its goal is to declare an autonomous Kurdish region in Iran. “It’s unclear what will happen with the … PJAK because they also have a number of Iranian Kurdish fighters inside the PKK,” van Wildenburg said. “It’s possible that they will continue as a political party and not as an armed group because they are already not doing much fighting against the Iranian state anyway.” Analysts agree it is unclear whether the PKK’s allies will follow Ocalan’s lead and lay down their arms or, as is the case with the SDF in Syria, if they will view their own struggles as independent and make decisions on their own. Fighters display the SDF
Qatar Airways inks 96B Boeing jet deal during Trump visit
State-owned airline Qatar Airways has signed an agreement to buy 210 aircraft from United States manufacturer Boeing, coinciding with President Donald Trump’s visit to Qatar as part of his tour of the Gulf region. Trump and Qatar’s emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, witnessed the signing ceremony in Doha on Wednesday. The White House said that the deal for the Boeing 777X and 787 planes with GE Aerospace engines was worth $96bn. Trump said Boeing CEO Kelly Ortberg, who signed the deal with Qatar Airways CEO Badr Mohammed Al Meer next to Trump and the emir, told him: “It’s the largest order of jets in the history of Boeing. That’s good.” Trump had initially said that the deal was worth more than $200bn and was for 160 planes, before the White House issued updated numbers after his comments. The White House also said that agreements signed by the US and Qatar would “generate an economic exchange worth at least $1.2 trillion”. The sale is also a boost for Boeing and its biggest engine supplier at a time when large versions of rival Airbus’ A350, powered by Rolls-Royce engines, have struggled with maintenance problems from operating in the world’s hottest climates, including the Gulf region. Advertisement Boeing shares rose 0.9 percent in New York, while GE Aerospace stock edged up 0.1 percent. For the 787s, Qatar opted for GE Aerospace’s GEnx engines rather than Rolls-Royce’s Trent 1000, according to the administration. GE Aerospace’s GE9X is the only engine option for the 777X. It is the largest widebody engine deal for GE Aerospace, the company’s CEO Larry Culp said in a statement. Faisal al-Mudahka, editor-in-chief of the Gulf Times, said the Qatar Airways purchase of Boeing aircraft is a “win-win”. As one of the world’s top airlines with a growing market, Qatar Airways has more demand than supply at the moment and will need the fleet, he said. “I think Donald Trump and Qatar know how to package things to make political gains and economic gains.” Trump’s Qatar visit is the second destination of his Gulf tour, after an initial stop in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, where he made a surprise announcement about lifting sanctions on Syria and then met the country’s president, Ahmed al-Sharaa. Trump is to land on a third and final stop in the United Arab Emirates on Thursday for a one-day visit. No mention of Gaza The Qatari emir said the two leaders had a “great” few hours of discussion covering a range of issues. “I think after signing these documents, we are going to another level of relations,” he said. Trump thanked the emir and said it had been a “very interesting couple of hours” discussing topics including the Russia-Ukraine war, Iran and trade relations. However, Israel’s war on Gaza was not mentioned by either leader. Advertisement Omar Rahman, a fellow at the Middle East Council on Global Affairs, said the fact that Gaza wasn’t mentioned led him to believe the discussion is “ongoing”. “When it comes to Gaza, you have the Israelis there as well. On the issue of a ceasefire, Trump can put pressure on the Israelis, … but you still have the Israelis there making decisions. This is going to be a little bit more difficult to work out,” he told Al Jazeera. US Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff, who was also in Doha, said “we’re making progress” in response to a question by Al Jazeera Diplomatic Editor James Bays on whether discussions on Gaza were ongoing. “His tone was pretty telling. He was very positive,” Bays said. “When I asked him whether that was regarding aid deliveries or a ceasefire, he said, ‘We’re making progress on all fronts.’” “He said he hopes there would be a positive announcement ‘soon’, but we have no indication of what that might mean,” Bays added. Adblock test (Why?)
Toddler separated from mother deported from the US returned to Venezuela
Two-year-old Maikelys Espinoza Bernal was reunited with her mother in Venezuela following calls for her return. A Venezuelan toddler who was separated from her parents after they crossed the United States-Mexico border together has been returned to Venezuela, to where her mother was deported in April. Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro thanked the administration of United States President Donald Trump for the return on Wednesday of two-year-old Maikelys Espinoza Bernal to her mother, Yorely Bernal. “We must be thankful for all the efforts, for [Trump special envoy] Rich Grenell for his efforts … and thank Donald Trump, too,” Maduro said, calling the child’s return “an act of justice”. Both of the toddler’s parents were accused by the Trump administration of involvement with the Tren de Aragua gang, a claim for which the government has offered no evidence and is firmly denied by family members. The child’s father, 25-year-old Maiker Espinoza, was among at least 137 Venezuelans sent to a prison in El Salvador in March. Venezuelan officials had sought the return of Maikelys, and footage shown on state television showed First Lady Cilia Flores holding Maikelys after she arrived at an international airport near the capital of Caracas. Advertisement The child was reunited with her mother and grandmother in an event at the presidential palace attended by Maduro, who has voiced occasional criticism of Trump’s deportation push but reached an agreement in March to receive Venezuelans deported from the US. The Trump administration has invoked sometimes vague and unsubstantiated claims of Tren de Aragua membership to send Venezuelan migrants to CECOT, a maximum security prison in El Salvador, notorious for abusive conditions, without due process under the 1798 Alien Enemies Act. The toddler’s father, 25-year-old Maiker Espinoza, has been accused by the Trump administration, without evidence, of being a “lieutenant” in Tren de Aragua who oversees “homicides, drug sales, kidnappings, extortion, sex trafficking and operates a torture house”. “At no time has my son been involved with them,” his mother, Maria Escalona, told the news agency Reuters this month, of claims that her son is a member of Tren de Aragua. “I think this is political – they are using the case of my son to cover up the horror that is being committed against all these innocents.” The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) also accused Yorely Bernal of recruiting young women for narcotics smuggling and sex work, but has not provided any evidence for those claims and deported her to Venezuela in April. The Trump administration has invoked the Alien Enemies Act, a rarely used wartime law that grants the president powers to expeditiously expel people from the country without usual protections, under the pretext that irregular migration to the US constitutes a foreign “invasion”. Advertisement A report by the US intelligence community found no evidence for public claims by the Trump administration that Tren de Aragua was coordinating activities with the Maduro government as part of a clandestine attack on the United States. On Wednesday, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard fired two top members of the intelligence body that authored that assessment. Adblock test (Why?)
Clock is ticking for Texas lawmakers to settle differences on $8 billion public school funding package
Senators will hold a hearing Thursday on their counterproposal to the House’s school funding bill. House Democrats and public education advocates have criticized the upper chamber for not moving faster to advance the legislation.
Budget office with ‘fundamentally progressive roots’ used by Dems as latest tool in anti-Trump resistance
The White House is shutting down accusations from Democrats and anti-Trump “resistance” that nearly 14 million people will lose insurance coverage under Republican Medicaid reform proposals as part of President Donald Trump’s “big, beautiful bill” — with Republicans calling foul on the data spin and saying Dems are using it as a scare tactic. The infighting comes as Democrats and Republicans are going head-to-head over Medicaid spending levels, which has emerged as a prominent wedge between the parties amid the release of new analysis suggesting millions of people would lose their health insurance in order to foot the bill for Trump’s tax cuts. While Democrats have merged data from two new reports from the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO) to back up claims that nearly 14 million would lose coverage, the White House and Republicans are objecting, as not all the policy proposals evaluated were actually included in Republicans’ legislation, and far fewer people would actually face insurance loss. Instead, Republicans argue that their proposed reforms to implement work requirements, strengthen eligibility checks and crack down on Medicaid for illegal immigrants preserve the program for those who really need it. MEDICAID BECOMES FLASHPOINT IN HOUSE DEBATE OVER TRUMP BUDGET BILL “President Trump is protecting Medicaid for every eligible American who relies on it by eliminating waste, fraud, and abuse within this program,” White House spokesman Kush Desai said in a Tuesday statement to Fox News Digital. “By taking commonsense measures to strengthen Medicaid, we will ultimately improve care for those who this program is intended to serve: pregnant women, the disabled, seniors, and low-income families.” “The President has repeatedly said that he will save Medicaid to ensure it remains a reliable and sustainable lifeline for generations to come,” Desai said. A series of calculations from the CBO have recently emerged evaluating multiple different Medicaid proposals — further pitting Republicans and Democrats against one another on Medicaid reform. Much of the CBO’s Health Analysis Division consists of Democrats or Democrat donors, however, according to conservative government research nonprofit American Accountability Foundation, putting its standing as a nonpartisan organization into question, Fox News Digital. “The CBO likes to call itself ‘nonpartisan’ in an attempt to disguise its role as an undercover leftist think tank,” AAF President Tom Jones said in a statement to Fox News Digital. “In fact, the CBO is institutionally progressive, with 84% of its professional healthcare staff members being registered Democrats. These same staff members, who are on record donating to radicals like Elizabeth Warren and Hillary Clinton, ‘score’ legislation and present it to the American people like it’s sacrosanct.” The CBO declined to comment to Fox News Digital on these claims. SENIOR HOUSE REPUBLICAN EVISERATES DEMS FOR ‘FEAR CAMPAIGN’ AGAINST TRUMP’S ‘BIG, BEAUTIFUL BILL’ The first new CBO analysis, commissioned by Democrats and released Thursday, failed to examine the exact proposals Republicans are considering and instead, took a shot in the dark at what Republicans might introduce, according to experts. That’s because Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., and Rep. Frank Pallone, D-N.J., requested the CBO evaluate various policies that Republicans could have suggested. However, most of the policies analyzed are not identical to the ones that Republicans have actually put forward, experts said. “That was Democrats trying to guess what Republicans were going to do,” Ryan Long, a senior research fellow at the Paragon Health Institute, told Fox News Digital Monday. Michael Cannon, the director of health policy studies at the Washington-based libertarian-leaning Cato Institute think tank, voiced similar sentiments about the initial CBO report. “The first thing to know is that this is not a Republican proposal that CBO was examining,” Cannon told Fox News Digital Monday about the initial CBO analysis. “They’re similar to Republican proposals, but these were proposals, ideas that the Democrats asked CBO to examine for the purposes of criticizing those proposals, using them as a CBO score as a cudgel against Republicans.” While Democrats labeled the first scorekeeper’s report as proof that Republican policies would lead to “catastrophic” Medicaid cuts and force millions of people off their coverage, Republicans on the House Energy and Commerce Committee said in a post on X that Democrats sought to “fear monger” Americans. Ultimately, the CBO report released Thursday evaluated five different initiatives that would rein in Medicaid spending, freeing up billions of dollars in spending but jeopardizing healthcare coverage for up to 8.6 million people. HOUSE GOP UNVEILS MEDICAID WORK REQUIREMENTS IN TRUMP’S ‘BIG, BEAUTIFUL BILL’ Additional analysis from the CBO released Monday claimed that an additional 5.1 million Americans could lose their coverage if the measure fails to extend Affordable Care Act tax credits that will expire in 2034, and includes a provision to fully implement the Marketplace Integrity Rule that seeks to crack down on eligibility verification. Although neither of these proposals is included in the Republican legislation, Democrats have added the numbers from these two CBO reports and have asserted that roughly 13.7 million people would go uninsured under Republican policies. Meanwhile, the latest CBO analysis released Tuesday examining Medicaid proposals included in the GOP measure found that adding work requirements, new eligibility checks and removing illegal immigrants from Medicaid would result in 10.3 million people losing coverage, and would leave 7.6 million people without insurance. CBO declined to comment when reached by Fox News Digital on its recent reports. ANTI-ABORTION PROVIDER MEASURE IN TRUMP’S ‘BIG, BEAUTIFUL BILL’ COULD SPARK HOUSE GOP REBELLION Additionally, Cannon pushed back against accusations that any of the proposals would actually cut Medicaid funding. While federal Medicaid spending is set to increase by 4.5% annually, the proposals CBO evaluated would simply curb that growth to at least 3% annually. But ultimately, Cannon said the report is a mechanism Democrats are using to ignite fears among Republicans as they seek a legislative victory of their own. “Democrats want to beat up Republicans, of course they do,” Cannon said. “They want to win elections, and they think if they can scare people, they can do it… they don’t want