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Year: 2025

Trump admin fires Navy admiral at NATO targeted by conservative group

Trump admin fires Navy admiral at NATO targeted by conservative group

The Trump administration has sacked a senior NATO official who was recommended by a conservative research group to be fired as part of a broader effort to purge wokeness from the Pentagon. Navy Vice Admiral Shoshana Chatfield, the only woman on NATO’s military committee, was dismissed from the alliance over the weekend without explanation, according to multiple reports. She is one of only a handful of female Navy three-star officers and was the first woman to lead the Naval War College, a job she held until 2023. Chatfield reportedly got a call from Adm. Christopher Grady, the acting chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and was told the administration wanted to go in a different direction with the job, according to the Associated Press, citing officials. The officials said they believe the decision was made last week by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, but it was unclear whether he received any direction from President Donald Trump. Reuters was first to report on her termination.   CONSERVATIVE GROUP COMPILES LIST OF ‘WOKE’ SENIOR OFFICERS THEY WANT PETE HEGSETH TO FIRE It was unclear if her firing was related to any U.S. policy direction on the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. Trump and Hegseth have been vocal in their insistence that so-called woke policies are dead and have vigorously sought to remove leaders who promoted diversity, equity and inclusion and to erase DEI programs and online content. The U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland, is ditching almost 400 books from its library with DEI content. In December, the American Accountability Foundation (AAF), a conservative research group, sent a letter to Hegseth with a list of 20 general officers or senior admirals whom it said were excessively focused on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) and other similar left-wing initiatives. AAF wrote that focusing on such policies is an impediment to national security and Chatfield was one of eight women who made the list.  Chatfield made the list due in part to a 2015 speech where she bemoaned that lawmakers in the House of Representatives at the time were 80% males, proclaiming that “our diversity is our strength.” The group said she also quoted a slide from a presentation by the Defense Equal Opportunity Management Institute highlighting “Investing in gender equality and women’s empowerment can unlock human potential on a transformational scale.” Chatfield, a Navy helicopter pilot who also commanded a joint reconstruction team in Afghanistan, had been serving as one of the 32 representatives on NATO’s military committee. The panel is the primary source of military advice to the North Atlantic Council and NATO’s Nuclear Planning Group, according to NATO. It serves as the link between the political decision-makers and NATO’s military structure. NAVAL ACADEMY TOSSES 400 BOOKS FROM LIBRARY FOLLOWING TRUMP DEI EXPULSION ORDERS Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., vice chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, said that he was “deeply disturbed” by her sacking while blasting President Donald Trump.  “Trump’s relentless attacks on our alliances and his careless dismissal of decorated military officials make us less safe and weaken our position across the world,” Warner wrote on X. Senator Jack Reed, D-R.I., the ranking member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, also sounded off on the president for the firing of Chatfield, describing it as “disgraceful.” Admiral Chatfield is among the finest military officers our nation has to offer, and she has distinguished herself as the U.S. Military Representative to NATO. Her 38-year career as a Navy pilot, foreign policy expert, and preeminent military educator—including as President of the Naval War College—will leave a lasting legacy on the Navy and throughout the military. Admiral Chatfield’s record of selfless service is unblemished by President Trump’s behavior. Reed also called out Republicans for not voicing their displeasure at her sacking, noting that Trump has fired 10 generals and admirals since taking office. It follows Thursday’s removal of General Timothy Haugh, the head of the National Security Agency and U.S. Cyber Command.  For the Navy, it follows the firing of its top officer, Admiral Lisa Franchetti, the first woman to become Chief of Naval Operations. “I cannot fathom how anyone could stand silently by while the President causes great harm to our military and our nation,” Reed said. “I will continue to call out this unconscionable behavior and sound the alarm about the dangers of firing military officers as a political loyalty test. I urge my Republican colleagues to join me in demanding an explanation from President Trump and Secretary Hegseth.” Reuters and The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

Noem offers Homeland Security employee buyouts in move to shrink department

Noem offers Homeland Security employee buyouts in move to shrink department

Secretary Kristi Noem reportedly sent an email Monday night offering employees at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) three options to voluntarily exit and shrink the size of the federal government’s second-largest department.  A copy of her email, titled “Reshaping the DHS Workforce,” was obtained by Politico and Axios. In it, Noem reportedly said employees had until April 14 to apply for deferred resignation involving a “brief period of paid administrative leave to complete key tasks, submit retirement documentation and prepare for departure,” a buyout to receive a payment of $25,000 “or an amount equal to severance pay if lower,” or an early retirement program offering reduced pensions and healthcare benefits. “I am writing to share important news regarding new voluntary workforce transition programs approved for immediate implementation across the Department,” Noem wrote, according to Politico.  IRS AND DHS REACH HISTORIC DEAL TO AID IN PURSUIT OF ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS SUBJECT TO DEPORTATION She said the options “reflect our commitment to aligning our workforce with the evolving mission needs while supporting the personal and professional goals of our dedicated employees.” “By offering these options, we intend to provide flexibility for employees who may be considering a change, retirement or new career opportunities while also supporting the Department’s operational readiness,” Noem added, according to Axios.  A DHS spokesperson told Axios about the voluntary exit offers that “the American people deserve a government that works for them, something President Trump has promised.” NOEM’S HOMELAND SECURITY ‘UNAPOLOGETIC’ ABOUT USING LIE-DETECTOR TEST ON SUSPECTED INTEL LEAKERS “Every dollar spent and position filled at DHS should be focused on our core mission of securing our homeland and keeping the American people safe,” the spokesperson reportedly added. Noem is aiming to reduce the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) by as much as a third, and if the voluntary offers don’t adequately shrink the agency, “reduction in force” notices could come next, Axios reported, citing sources familiar with the matter. At a Cabinet meeting last month, Noem said she would “eliminate” the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), as the Trump administration moves to hand powers on disaster response back to the states.  It’s unclear if Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) could also be impacted by cuts, as the Trump administration prioritizes closing the border and deporting criminal illegal immigrants. Politico reported that the memo did not exempt any agencies from the buyout offer.  CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Fox News Digital also reached out to DHS for comment on the reported employee exit plans. 

New 6-figure ad touts Trump policies that have key industry ‘booming’: ‘You voted for it’

New 6-figure ad touts Trump policies that have key industry ‘booming’: ‘You voted for it’

FIRST ON FOX: A conservative energy group has debuted its latest ad as part of a seven-figure campaign supporting President Donald Trump’s “all-of-the-above energy” agenda. “You voted for it, you got it, America is booming,” the 30-second ad from The Restoring Energy Dominance Coalition, a conservative nonprofit organization headed up by former U.S. Secretary of Energy Dan Brouillette and former U.S. Secretary of the Interior David Bernhardt, says. “Meeting a quickly growing energy demand with an all-of-the-above approach will make good on President Trump’s promise to restore American energy dominance,” the ad continues.  “Solar and storage, wind, nuclear, oil and gas. All forms of energy, all across the country.” H2GO: HOW EXPERTS, INDUSTRY LEADERS SAY US HYDROGEN IS FUEL FOR THE FUTURE OF AGRICULTURE, ENERGY, SECURITY The ad then cuts to Trump, who says, “All forms of energy, yep”, before the ad says, “And that means more jobs and higher wages for you.” “In America, we show up, we get to work, we win.” The RED Coalition ad is supported by a six-figure ad buy that will air on broadcast, cable TV and digital platforms.  TRUMP ENERGY CHIEF DECLARES CLIMATE CHANGE A ‘GLOBAL PHYSICAL PHENOMENON’ AMID REVERSAL OF BIDEN-ERA POLICIES This ad is the fourth major television ad launched by the group since the start of this year as part of a broader seven-figure campaign to “support the administration’s energy priorities.” Last month, RED Coalition, along with Trump pollster Tony Fabrizio, put out a polling memo stating that 51% of registered voters are in favor of Trump’s “All-of-the-Above Energy agenda,” as well as 65% of GOP voters. Trump has vowed to use his second White House term to re-exit the Paris Climate Accord, undo strict emissions standards for vehicles and power plants, and bolster production of U.S. oil and gas, including through fracking, which is the controversial technology by which pressurized fluids are used to extract natural gas from shale rock. In the days after his victory, industry groups representing the nation’s biggest oil and gas producers told Fox News Digital they have little doubt Trump will make good on these promises in a second term. “Energy was on the ballot” in the 2024 elections, American Petroleum Institute President and CEO Mike Sommers said in a statement. Fox News Digital’s Breanne Deppisch contributed to this report.

Boasberg contempt showdown looms after Supreme Court hands Trump immigration win

Boasberg contempt showdown looms after Supreme Court hands Trump immigration win

A federal judge is weighing whether to hold Trump administration officials in civil contempt after they defied a court order blocking deportation flights last month – even as the Supreme Court on Monday handed the administration a temporary legal victory, allowing it to resume use of the 1798 Alien Enemies Act to deport illegal immigrants. President Donald Trump’s immigration agenda is colliding with the federal judiciary as his administration races to fulfill a central campaign promise: mass deportations. The aggressive pace – which has included the removal of alleged members of violent transnational gangs – has triggered a wave of legal challenges from critics who claim the administration is unlawfully ejecting migrants from the country. The high court’s 5–4 decision, which Trump praised on X as a “great day for justice in America,” lifted a lower court’s injunction and allows deportations to resume for now, though with added due process protections. The unsigned, four-page ruling focused narrowly on the lower court’s order and permits the administration to invoke the wartime-era Alien Enemies Act to expedite removals.  However, the ruling does little to halt the escalating feud between the Trump administration and U.S. District Judge James Boasberg, who has signaled he may hold administration officials in contempt for defying his order last month to ground deportation flights. Boasberg is set to preside over a hearing Tuesday to address the administration’s use of the state secrets privilege to block the court from accessing information about the flights. It will mark the judge’s first opportunity to respond since the Supreme Court sided with Trump. JUDGE BOASBERG POISED TO HOLD TRUMP ADMIN IN CONTEMPT, TAKES DOWN NAMES OF DHS OFFICIALS: ‘PRETTY SKETCHY’ Though Trump and his allies celebrated the Supreme Court’s intervention, the decision offers only a narrow and potentially short-lived reprieve. The ruling requires the administration to provide detainees slated for removal with proper notice and an opportunity to challenge their deportation in court. However, the justices said those legal challenges must be filed in Texas – not in Washington, D.C. – a jurisdictional shift that injects fresh uncertainty into the lower court proceedings. The decision drew a scathing dissent from Justice Sonia Sotomayor, who warned that the ruling would make it significantly harder for individuals to contest their removals on a case-by-case basis. “We, as a Nation and a court of law, should be better than this,” she said.   Boasberg blocked the administration’s use of the Alien Enemies Act for a 14-day period last month to allow the court time to review the case on its merits. The order drew scathing criticism from Trump, who labeled Boasberg an “activist judge” and called for his impeachment – prompting a rare warning from Chief Justice John Roberts. Boasberg has said he will decide as early as this week whether to pursue civil contempt proceedings against Trump administration officials for defying his order. Three planes carrying 261 migrants – including more than 100 individuals slated for removal solely under the Alien Enemies Act – were flown to El Salvador last month from the U.S., around the same time Boasberg issued an emergency order blocking the Trump administration from deporting Venezuelan nationals for 14 days. Boasberg also issued a bench ruling ordering that all migrant flights be “immediately” returned to U.S. soil. The administration did not comply, and hours later, the planes arrived in El Salvador. At a show-cause hearing last week, Boasberg instructed Justice Department attorney Drew Ensign to determine who in the administration knew about the restraining order and when. He also demanded to know who made the decision not to comply, saying that information could be relevant if he moves forward with contempt proceedings. Boasberg contested Ensign’s suggestion that the administration may not have violated the emergency restraining order. “It seems to me there is a fair likelihood that that is not correct,” Boasberg told Ensign. “In fact, the government acted in bad faith throughout that day,” he added. SUPREME COURT GRANTS TRUMP REQUEST TO LIFT STAY HALTING VENEZUELAN DEPORTATIONS Boasberg asked follow-up questions about agency affiliation, titles and the spelling of officials’ names – suggesting he would be examining their roles in the case very closely as he weighed whether there was probable cause to move on civil contempt. Ensign repeatedly told the court he did not know and was not privy to the information himself. “I made diligent efforts to obtain that information,” he told Boasberg. The Trump administration’s repeated failure to meet court deadlines may give Boasberg grounds to proceed with civil contempt proceedings, even if jurisdictional questions limit his ability to rule on the plaintiffs’ broader request for a preliminary injunction. Government lawyers have refused to share information in court about the deportation flights and whether the plane (or planes) of migrants knowingly departed U.S. soil after the judge ordered them not to do so, citing national security protections.  The Supreme Court has affirmed that federal judges have the authority to compel parties to act and hold them accountable for defying court orders in both civil and criminal cases. The potential contempt proceedings come amid soaring tensions between the executive branch and the judiciary, as Trump administration officials clash with federal judges overseeing a flood of lawsuits and emergency requests to halt administration actions. While contempt findings against executive officials are rare, they are not without precedent.  APPEALS COURT BLOCKS TRUMP ADMIN’S DEPORTATION FLIGHTS IN ALIEN ENEMIES ACT IMMIGRATION SUIT In civil cases, a judge will often reiterate the original order and set clear steps and deadlines for the party to demonstrate compliance. If those deadlines are missed, the court can take further action to compel obedience – consistent with the basic principle that “all orders and judgments of courts must be complied with promptly.” Boasberg sharply criticized Trump officials for failing to comply with his bench order requiring deportation flights to return to the U.S. and for refusing to provide basic information about the individuals who were removed. During last week’s hearing, it became clear the

‘Enough is enough’: House Republican touts GOP effort to pass bill cracking down on ‘rogue’ judges

‘Enough is enough’: House Republican touts GOP effort to pass bill cracking down on ‘rogue’ judges

As House Republicans move forward with legislation this week that they say would wrangle “rogue” judges across the country who have been blocking President Trump’s agenda, Fox News Digital spoke to GOP Rep. Abe Hamadeh about the importance of that quest. “If you look at what President Trump has been going through compared to previous presidents, it’s unheard of,” Hamadeh told Fox News Digital about the dozens of injunctions already issued against Trump since taking office.  “It’s unprecedented the amount of injunctions trying to stop President Trump’s America First agenda, which, overwhelmingly, the American people support, and to have one district court judge be able to determine the direction of our country is not what the judiciary is meant for.” The No Rogue Rulings Act (NORRA), introduced by Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Calif., would limit district court judges’ ability to issue orders blocking Trump policies nationwide, and Republicans are expected to advance the legislation out of the House Rules Committee and vote this week. GOP REP REVEALS AFTER F-16 RIDE WHY TRUMP’S LEADERSHIP IS ALREADY PAYING OFF FOR MILITARY Hamadeh says he supports Issa’s bill, which Issa told Fox News Digital when he introduced it was introduced in February, will push back on the current judge-shopping climate in the United States that he says represents “judicial tyranny” and “weaponization of courts.” Hamadeh explained that he has signed onto several efforts to impeach some of the judges who have issued nationwide injunctions, knowing that the efforts are unlikely to succeed but to send the message that the sentiment in Congress and with Trump voters is one that believes “enough is enough.” One of those judges facing impeachment calls, U.S. District Court Judge James Boasberg, issued an emergency order temporarily halting the Trump administration’s deportation flights under the Alien Enemies Act, which Hamadeh took particular issue with. JUDGE TARGETED BY GOP FOR IMPEACHMENT DEALS BLOW TO TRUMP’S FEMA OBJECTIVES “The federal bench right now has to be very careful, they’re losing legitimacy constantly every single day, when you see the constant pushbacks, I mean, it’s amazing,” Hamadeh said. “What President Trump wants to do is deport illegal immigrants who are terrorists, who are murderers, who are rapists, and they’re trying to stop that.” “They’re trying to keep them in our country. Well, what happened when Biden was importing so many of these illegal immigrants, literally flying them in from their countries of origin into the United States? They never weighed in on that issue. So it’s shocking to see that the judiciary, sadly, has been in the way of what President Trump is trying to accomplish. but we are going to limit them, here in the House, and I’m sure it’s gonna pass the Senate as well and make its way to the president’s desk.” Many prominent Democrats have praised Boasberg’s ruling after years of either silence or indifference about the border crisis, which Hamadeh told Fox News Digital is evidence that they “don’t know what they’re fighting for.” CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP “Democrats are in a world of trouble, especially knowing who is on the bench and what they’re actually fighting for has been really opposed to what the American people want,” Hamadeh said.  “We want to save communities, we want to stop fentanyl, and we want to deport these terrorists, illegals, and the rapists and murderers who have come into our country because of Joe Biden’s disastrous border. I’m from Arizona. To see President Trump, literally in two months, get the border encounters to a 97% decrease, it’s shocking. It’s amazing to see that type of result. That’s why the American people voted for President Trump. And unfortunately, you see these judges trying to stop them.” The House is also expected to move forward with the SAVE Act this week, which requires proof of citizenship in the voter registration process.  Fox News Digital spoke to Hamadeh about his efforts working with Republicans to push election integrity, an issue that saw a Republican victory recently when voters in Wisconsin voted to enshrine voter ID into the state’s constitution.  Hamadeh, along with GOP Rep. Claudia Tenney, recently introduced legislation to codify Trump’s recent executive order on election integrity that mandates voter ID into law.  “I want everybody to know that there’s never been a disenfranchised voter because of election integrity,” Hamadeh said. “Disenfranchisement is because of election fraud and President Trump is trying to prevent that.” Fox News Digital’s Liz Elkind contributed to this report

House Democrat stable after ’emergency medical event’

House Democrat stable after ’emergency medical event’

Rep. Donald Norcross, D-N.J., “suffered an emergency medical event likely related to his gallbladder” over the weekend while traveling, his office said in a statement on Monday. Norcross “was admitted to UNC Rex Hospital in North Carolina on Sunday and is in stable condition, where he is receiving exceptional medical treatment” while traveling over the weekend. His office says he “is currently in good spirits and wants to thank the doctors, nurses, and support staff at UNC Rex Hospital for all their work on his behalf during his stay.” The legislator will be transferred to Cooper University Healthcare in New Jersey “in the coming days to complete his recovery.”  TOP DEMS SUE TRUMP OVER EXECUTIVE ORDER REQUIRING PROOF OF CITIZENSHIP IN FEDERAL ELECTIONS The Democrat posted to X once on Monday evening about bills he and Rep. Brendan Boyle, D-Penn., introduced, the No Tax Breaks for Union Busting Act and Tax Fairness for Workers Act. “The No Tax Breaks for Union Busting Act and Tax Fairness for Workers Act both focus on protecting America’s workers,” Norcross said in a statement. “Every worker deserves a free and fair choice to join or form a union, and it’s time that our tax code reflects that.”  HOUSE DEM TO BLOCK VA NOMINEES TO PROTEST DOGE CUTS “The No Tax Breaks for Union Busting Act will end corporate handouts for union-busting campaigns, make our tax code fairer, and level the playing field for workers,” he continued. “The Tax Fairness for Workers Act will restore fairness and put money back into the pockets of workers who bet on themselves. During a time when the Trump Administration is attacking workers’ rights, I’m honored to have Representatives Brendan Boyle and Judy Chu partner with me in the fight to put more money into the pockets of hardworking Americans,” he said.  Norcross is 66 years old, according to the New York Post. He and his wife have three adult children and four grandchildren, according to his biography.