Trump admin lays out roles of ‘probationary employees’ as Dems claim critical employees are being cut
FIRST ON FOX: The Trump administration outlined the roles of probationary employees amid Democrats and some media outlets portraying recent mass firings of federal employees as a gutting of staffers critical to the infrastructure of the government. “Probationary employees are, by definition, subject to removal if their position is deemed not mission-critical to the executive branch, which is led by and reports to the president,” a Trump administration official told Fox News Digital. “The legacy media is missing the point: President Trump was elected with a resounding mandate to cut wasteful spending for American families — not to bankroll bureaucrats indefinitely on the taxpayer’s dime,” the official said. Democratic lawmakers, as well as media outlets, have described the recent cuts as the Trump administration wiping out agencies of critical employees focused on issues such as American safety or health. “I’m thankful that everyone in the flight incident in Toronto that took off from Minneapolis is safe, but we keep seeing these incidents day after day,” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer claimed on X after a Delta flight crashed and flipped upside down Monday. “Meanwhile, Trump’s doing massive layoffs at the FAA — including safety specialists — and making our skies less and less safe.” TRUMP ADMIN LAYS OUT WHO EXACTLY WAS CUT AT HHS IN FACE OF ‘DEMOCRAT HYSTERIA’ The crashed flight in Canada, which resulted in no deaths, unfolded as news broke that the Trump administration had culled hundreds of probationary employees at the Federal Aviation Association (FAA), which became a focal point of many media reports that linked the crash to the Trump cuts. Media outlets stretching from the Associated Press to local papers and British outlets also revisited January’s deadly Washington, D.C., crash while reporting on the FAA cuts. The D.C. crash left 67 people dead when an Army helicopter and passenger flight collided near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, marking the deadliest U.S. plane crash since 2001. Fox News Digital spoke to an administration official who explained the Office of Personnel Management’s policies on probationary employees and the independent agency’s mission to ensure “federal workforce is composed of qualified, high-performing individuals who support the mission of federal agencies.” The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) is an independent agency that works as the federal government’s human resources department, including providing policy, oversight and benefits for federal employees. A federal employee’s probationary period is considered part of the job application process, and does not serve as an entitlement for permanent employment, the administration official said. Under OPM guidance, a person’s employment is not final until the probationary period concludes, with the onus on the workers to demonstrate their qualifications to achieve permanent employment. The probationary period allows agency leaders to fully assess the performance of a worker and determine if they are fit for permanent roles. The agencies are then tasked with prioritizing the hiring of probationary employees who exemplify the highest standards, retaining them for mission-critical roles. ACADEMIC UNIONS PLAN DEMONSTRATIONS OUTSIDE HHS BUILDING, AT MED SCHOOLS, TO PROTEST TRUMP RESEARCH CUTS Separation of a probationary employee from the agency, on the flip side, should be done as soon as possible while also in accordance with agency policies and collective bargaining agreements, the administration official explained. Agencies are tasked with simultaneously aligning performance evaluations with both organizational goals and the current workforce reduction directive under the Trump administration. Agency leaders are required to send reports to OPM regrading retained or terminated probationary employees, including providing probation end dates and details on deferred resignation agreements, and justifications as to why a probationary employee was retained. As probationary employees face terminations amid the Trump administration’s efforts to align the federal government with the president’s “Make America Great Again” agenda, which includes cutting government fat and stamping out fraud and mismanagement. Democrats and government employees have repeatedly staged protests against the cuts or spoken out about them in media interviews and on social media. Lawsuits, including class action suits, have also increasingly mounted amid the Trump administration’s terminations. TRUMP ADMIN EXPECTED TO ENACT LAYOFFS AT DEFENSE DEPARTMENT AMID DOGE ARRIVAL: REPORT Georgia Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff claimed on the Senate floor Friday as the Department of Health and Human Services faced cuts within its agencies, such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “President Trump’s indefensible, indiscriminate firing of more than 1,000 CDC personnel in a single day leaves Americans exposed to disease and devastates careers and livelihoods for the world’s most talented doctors and scientists, many of them here in Georgia.” Meanwhile, the former head of the Food and Drug Administration’s food division, Jim Jones, submitted his resignation Monday in a letter that claimed the administration was conducting “indiscriminate firing” of employees. The Trump administration official stressed in comments to Fox Digital that OPM is focused on ensuring only the most qualified workers are hired for permanent employment within the federal government. “OPM’s approach is rooted in ensuring the federal workforce is composed of qualified, high-performing individuals who support the mission of federal agencies,” the official said. “The focus on performance during the probationary period aligns with broader efforts to increase government efficiency and accountability.”
Trump expected to sign executive order terminating all federal taxpayer benefits to illegal immigrants
President Donald Trump is expected to sign an executive order Wednesday eliminating federal taxpayer benefits for illegal immigrants. The order will direct all federal agencies to identify all federally funded programs currently providing any financial benefits to illegal immigrants and “take corrective action.” The order is intended to ensure that any federal funds to states and localities “will not be used to support sanctuary policies or assist illegal immigration.” It will also mandate improvements in eligibility verification to prevent federal benefits from going to anyone in the U.S. illegally. TRUMP FREEZES APPLICATIONS FOR BIDEN-ERA MIGRANT PROGRAMS AMID FRAUD, NATIONAL SECURITY CONCERNS The order will show that Trump is “committed to safeguarding federal public health benefits for American citizens who are truly in need, including individuals with disabilities and veterans.” “The surge in illegal immigration, enabled by the previous Administration, is siphoning dollars and essential services from American citizens while state and local budgets grow increasingly strained,” a White House fact sheet states. The House Homeland Security Committee estimated that taxpayers could pay as much as $451 billion to care for illegal immigrants and gotaways that have entered the U.S. unlawfully since January 2021, the sheet said. ACTIVISTS IN MEXICO REPORT FLOW OF MIGRANTS HAS ‘ENORMOUSLY DECREASED’ ONE MONTH INTO TRUMP ADMIN The order is part of Trump’s crackdown on illegal immigration through law enforcement raids and other measures to combat the flow of illegal migrants into the U.S. The White House noted that the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR) estimated that American taxpayers spend at least $182 billion annually to cover the costs incurred by the presence of 20 million illegal immigrants and their children. That figure includes $66.5 billion in federal expenses and an additional $115.6 billion in state and local funds.
Surprising new poll numbers released on Trump’s performance so far in the White House
Three new national polls released on Wednesday indicate President Donald Trump’s approval ratings are edging down slightly since taking over the White House one month ago. Forty-five percent of voters questioned in a Quinnipiac University survey said they approve of the way Trump is handling his job as president, with 49% disapproving. That’s down from a 46%-43% approval/disapproval in a Quinnipiac poll conducted in late January, during the president’s first week back in office following his inauguration. And a new national poll from Gallup indicated the president at 45% approval and 51% disapproval, down from 47%-48% approval/disapproval late last month. CLICK HERE FOR FOX NEWS COVERAGE OF TRUMP’S FIRST 100 DAYS And according to a Reuters/Ipsos national survey also released on Wednesday, the president stood at 44% approval and 51% disapproval. Trump registered at 45%-46% approval/disapproval in the previous poll by Reuters/Ipsos, which was conducted late last month during the first week of the president’s second administration. The latest Quinnipiac poll was conducted Feb. 13-17, with Gallup in the field Feb. 3-16, and Reuters/Ipsos conducting their survey Feb. 13-18. HEAD HERE FOR THE LATEST FOX NEWS POLLING Recent surveys from other polling organizations indicate Trump’s approval ratings remain above water. Trump has kept up a frenetic pace during his opening weeks back in the White House, with an avalanche of executive orders and actions. His moves not only fulfilled some of his major campaign trail promises, but also allowed the returning president to flex his executive muscles, quickly put his stamp on the federal government, take a meat cleaver to the federal workforce, and also settle some longstanding grievances. Trump has signed nearly 70 executive orders since his inauguration, according to a count from Fox News, which far surpasses the rate of any recent presidential predecessors during their first weeks in office. The president, never shy about advertising his accomplishments, took to social media last week to tout “THREE GREAT WEEKS, PERHAPS THE BEST EVER.” And at a news conference Tuesday, Trump argued that “incredible things are happening in our country.” “I think we’ve made more progress in three weeks than they’ve made in four years,” he added, as he appeared to point to his predecessor in the White House, former President Biden. While Trump’s approval ratings for his second term are an improvement from his first term — he started in 2017 in negative territory and remained underwater throughout his tenure in the White House — his numbers are below where Biden began his single term in office. Biden’s approval rating hovered in the low to mid 50s during his first six months in the White House, with his disapproval in the upper 30s to low to mid 40s. However, Biden’s numbers sank into negative territory in the late summer and autumn of 2021, in the wake of his much-criticized handling of the turbulent U.S. exit from Afghanistan and amid soaring inflation and a surge of migrants crossing into the U.S. along the nation’s southern border with Mexico. Biden’s approval ratings stayed underwater throughout the rest of his presidency. The new polls indicate a massive partisan divide over Trump’s performance. Nine in 10 Republicans questioned in the Quinnipiac survey gave Trump a thumbs-up. But his approval dropped to 43% among independents and just 4% among Democrats. It was a similar story in the Gallup poll. “Ninety-three percent of Republicans, 37% of independents and 4% of Democrats approve of Trump’s job performance overall,” the release from Gallup highlighted. Meanwhile, the Gallup poll noted that while Trump’s ratings have edged down, Americans’ approval of Congress has surged 12 points since early January, to 29% in their latest survey. That’s the highest approval rating for Congress in Gallup polling since May 2021.
Trump State Department declares Tren de Aragua, MS-13, Mexican drug cartels as foreign terrorist organizations
The Trump administration designated several gangs and cartels, such as Tren de Aragua, MS-13 and the Sinaloa Cartel, as foreign terrorist organizations (FTOs). Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in a public notice set to be published in the Federal Register on Thursday, that he had concluded there is a “sufficient factual basis” under section 219 of the Immigration and Nationality Act to designate eight groups as FTOs. The eight groups consist of Tren de Aragua; Mara Salvatrucha, also known as MS-13; the Sinaloa Cartel; New Generation Cartel of Jalisco; United Cartels; Northeast Cartel; Gulf Cartel; and La Nueva Familia Michoacana, or LNFM, many of which go under multiple different names. This comes after President Donald Trump signed an executive order on his first day in office to direct the State Department and other executive agencies to move to designate cartels and other criminal groups as FTOs. TRUMP ADMIN REVEALS LIST OF CARTELS AND GANGS TO BE DESIGNATED TERRORIST ORGANIZATIONS The order specifically mentioned Tren de Aragua – which is also known as “TdA” – as well MS-13, as groups needing to be designated as terror organizations. Trump gave Rubio 14 days to make policy recommendations – in consultation with the secretaries of the Treasury and Homeland Security as well as the U.S. attorney general and director of national intelligence – to make a recommendation regarding the designation of criminal groups to be designated as terrorist organizations. A foreign terrorist designation expands the government’s ability to crack down on criminal groups operating in the U.S., allowing all government agencies, including the Department of the Treasury, to target that group from every angle. CLICK HERE FOR MORE IMMIGRATION COVERAGE The order stated that these groups “present an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security, foreign policy, and economy of the United States,” and invokes the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEP) to declare a national emergency to “deal with those threats.” TRUMP GREENLIGHTS SOME PRO-IMMIGRANT MOVES AMID BROADER ANTI-MIGRANT CRACKDOWN “It is the policy of the United States to ensure the total elimination of these organizations’ presence in the United States and their ability to threaten the territory, safety, and security of the United States through their extraterritorial command-and-control structures, thereby protecting the American people and the territorial integrity of the United States,” the order read. Joseph Humire, executive director of the Center for a Secure Free Society, authored a report on how to dismantle TdA in 2024. He previously explained to Fox News Digital that designating these groups as foreign terrorist organizations places them “at the highest level” of U.S. national security interest, meaning their funding and any organizations enabling them can be targeted as well. “Trump just put all of them on notice,” Humire said. “This said: ‘We know you’re here; we know you’re up to no good, and we’re going to come after you.’” Fox News Digital’s Peter Pinedo contributed to this report.
Federal judge waits to decide about dismissing corruption charges against NYC Mayor Eric Adams
A federal judge has not decided whether he will dismiss a case against New York City Mayor Eric Adams after the Justice Department urged prosecutors to drop corruption charges against him. U.S. District Judge Dale Ho, who ordered Adams and the Justice Department to appear in court Tuesday, said Wednesday that he wouldn’t issue a decision on the matter from the bench and instead would take time to consider all the facts surrounding the case. “I’m not going to shoot from the hip right here on the bench,” Ho said. The indictment against Adams claims he inappropriately used his position as mayor to solicit illegal campaign contributions and luxury travel from foreign nationals from Turkey, businessmen and others, according to the Justice Department. Adams pleaded not guilty to the charges in September 2024. On Thursday, the Democrat mayor met with President Donald Trump’s border czar, Tom Homan, to discuss ways to work to weed out violent migrant gangs from New York. Adams said in a statement after the meeting that he wants to work with the Trump administration and not go to “war” with them when addressing illegal immigration. TRUMP’S JUSTICE DEPARTMENT ORDER TO DROP CHARGES AGAINST NYC MAYOR ERIC ADAMS SPARKS RESIGNATIONS The timing of the meeting, along with the Justice Department’s push to drop the charges against Adams, led to the resignation of multiple Justice Department officials who assert the exchange amounts to a “quid pro quo” offer erasing Adams’ charges and providing the Trump administration more support to tackle illegal immigration. But Adams denied such accusations. “I want to be crystal clear with New Yorkers: I never offered — nor did anyone offer on my behalf — any trade of my authority as your mayor for an end to my case. Never,” Adams said in a statement Friday. Adams was charged in September 2024 with one count of conspiracy to receive campaign contributions from foreign nationals and commit wire fraud and bribery; one count of wire fraud; two counts of soliciting campaign contributions from foreign nationals; and one count of soliciting and accepting a bribe. Acting Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove III issued a memo on Feb. 10 ordering federal prosecutors to drop the charges against Adams due to the timing of the proceedings that have “improperly interfered” with Adams’ campaign in the 2025 mayoral election. JUSTICE DEPARTMENT MOVES TO DROP CASE AGAINST NYC MAYOR ERIC ADAMS Additionally, Bove said the legal proceedings were diverting attention from “illegal immigration and violent crime.” Bove wrote in the memo that “the pending prosecution has unduly restricted Mayor Adams’ ability to devote full attention and resources to the illegal immigration and violent crime that escalated” when former President Joe Biden was in the White House. Trump has vowed to take an aggressive approach to border security and illegal immigration and has pushed for mass deportation of illegal immigrants. Already, Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrests have increased by 137% from Jan. 20 to Feb. 8 in comparison to the same time period in 2024 under the Biden administration, according to Department of Homeland Security data obtained by Fox News Digital. Bove’s memo prompted the resignation of multiple senior Justice Department officials, including Acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York Danielle Sassoon, who was temporarily tapped by Trump to lead the office prosecuting Adams. “Adams’s (sic) attorneys repeatedly urged what amounted to a quid pro quo, indicating that Adams would be in a position to assist with Department’s enforcement priorities only if the indictment were dismissed,” Sassoon said in a letter to Attorney General Pam Bondi on Feb. 12. NEW YORK CITY MAYOR ERIC ADAMS SAYS HE WILL RUN FOR RE-ELECTION AS A DEMOCRAT “Rather than be rewarded, Adams’s (sic) advocacy should be called out for what it is: an improper offer of immigration enforcement assistance in exchange for a dismissal of his case,” Sassoon said. But Bove said the case must be dismissed to prioritize national and public safety in lieu of a case that has been “tainted from the start by troubling tactics.” “There is no room at the Justice Department for attorneys who refuse to execute on the priorities of the Executive Branch — priorities determined by the American people,” Bove said in a statement to Fox News Digital on Feb. 13. “I look forward to working with new leadership at SDNY on the important priorities President Trump has laid out for us to make America safe again.” Fox News’ Louis Casiano and Adam Shaw contributed to this report.
‘Under attack’: JFK’s only grandson rips DOGE, family members in series of vulgar social media rants
JFK’s grandson took to Instagram on Tuesday and Wednesday to accuse President Donald Trump and the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) of attempting to “steal the past” from the American people. “I’m OK, but our country is not,” Jack Schlossberg, former President John F. Kennedy‘s only grandson, said in an Instagram post on Tuesday. “It’s under attack from its own government.” The 32-year-old alleged DOGE is “generating propaganda,” not cutting spending. ‘CATASTROPHIC RESULTS’: UNION, TAXPAYER GROUPS TAKE STAB AT DOGE IN LATEST LAWSUIT OVER IRS DATA ACCESS DOGE, a temporary White House organization with an 18-month lifespan, was created by an executive order earlier this year. It is tasked with optimizing the federal government, streamlining operations, and slashing spending. While Schlossbery announced he was quitting social media weeks ago, the post came after the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum confirmed on Tuesday it is closed “until further notice.” “The sudden dismissal of federal employees at the JFK Library forced the museum to close today,” according to the statement. “As the Foundation that supports the JFK Library, we are devastated by this news and will continue to support our colleagues and the Library.” LAWSUIT TRACKER: NEW RESISTANCE BATTLING TRUMP’S SECOND TERM THROUGH ONSLAUGHT OF LAWSUITS TAKING AIM AT EOS Schlossberg, who served on several of the library’s committees, panned the camera to a framed picture with a handwritten message, supposedly given to him by an astronaut, telling viewers they would never know that his grandfather contributed to space exploration if it weren’t for the library. “JFK sent a man to the moon, but you’d never know it if the JFK Library wasn’t open and no one was allowed to talk about it,” he said. “It’s time to speak out and resist what’s happening,” Schlossberg said. “If you’re not doing that, you’re not helping.” While the rant was initially posted on Instagram, Schlossberg shared the video on X, directly calling out organization leader Elon Musk. DOGE SCORES BIG COURT WIN, ALLOWED ACCESS DATA ON 3 FEDERAL AGENCIES “Hey DOGE eat s— buddy 🙂 @elonmusk,” he wrote. Just weeks ago, Schlossberg posted on X saying there was “nothing heroic” about President Donald Trump issuing an executive order to declassify the JFK files. “The truth is a lot sadder than the myth — a tragedy that didn’t need to happen. Not part of an inevitable grand scheme,” he wrote. “Declassification is using JFK as a political prop, when he’s not here to punch back.” Schlossberg worked on Barack Obama’s presidential primary campaign during high school, and later supported Chris Murphy, Hillary Clinton, Joe Biden, and Kamala Harris. The young Kennedy, who holds both Yale and Harvard University degrees, amassed nearly 600,000 followers on Instagram, with much of his content centering around video rants. In subsequent videos, Schlossberg went on to blast cousin “Kick” Kennedy and uncle Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who was sworn in as Secretary of Health and Human Services on Thursday. He also attacked cousin Joe Kennedy III for not speaking out against RFK Jr., who he referred to as “uncle schmuck.” “This is my cousin Joe who is happy to do media NOW but cannot find courage to say s— about RFKJR – classic self promo no spine,” Schlossberg wrote. “Grow a pair or sit down.” Photos he posted Wednesday afternoon featured Schlossberg shirtless, wearing feathers around his neck, alongside scantily clad women. One, featuring two women’s bottoms prominently turned toward the camera, was later deleted. “Making sure I always look professional,” he wrote alongside one of the pictures. Fox News Digital’s Rachel Wolf contributed to this report.
These soldiers risked their lives serving in Afghanistan. Now they plead with Trump to bring their sister to the U.S.
Trump’s executive orders have blocked entrance to the country for thousands of Afghans, including those who worked with the U.S. military and their relatives. Two brothers hope permission comes quickly for their sister and her husband, who they say are in danger.
Trump admin directs federal agencies to end DEI considerations in govt contracts as DOGE’s impact spreads
The Trump administration revised federal acquisition rules this week requiring the government to stop considering diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) when awarding contracts. This change aligns with the Department of Government Efficiency’s (DOGE) broader efforts to fundamentally transform federal operations. The General Services Administration (GSA) on Tuesday announced changes to the Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR) that are meant to align with the president’s executive order aimed at restoring meritocracy and ending discrimination in the public and private sectors. The move reverses previous Biden administration executive orders that made it mandatory to consider DEI when reviewing contract proposals. Elon Musk, who has been leading the charge to radically reform the government, praised the move on X, formerly Twitter, in advance of the GSA’s formal announcement about the changes. “Major FAR reform is needed,” Musk said in a post highlighting GSA acting administrator Stephen Ehikian’s announcement about the changes. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION CANCELS ANOTHER $350M IN ‘WOKE’ SPENDING FOR CONTRACTS, GRANTS “These actions are the first steps in transforming the FAR into a sensible, common sense guideline to ensure that the federal government is working with industry as an attractive partner for business,” Josh Gruenbaum, commissioner of the Federal Acquisition Service, told Fox News Digital on Wednesday. “Coming from private industry, I know how convoluted working through government regulations that don’t make sense can be. We’re going to streamline the FAR and make it industry friendly, more efficient, and deliver cost savings and better value.” FEDERAL JUDGE TEMPORARILY STOPS TRUMP ADMIN FROM FIRING 11 INTELLIGENCE OFFICERS ASSIGNED TO DEI PROGRAMS Trump’s Day One executive order, which the GSA is aligning its actions with, directed the federal contracting process to “be streamlined to enhance speed and efficiency, reduce costs, and require Federal contractors and subcontractors to comply with our civil-rights laws.” The order also commanded the Office of Federal Contract Compliance to “immediately cease” promoting “diversity,” as well as any encouragement of federal contractors and subcontractors to engage in affirmative action-like efforts that consider race, color, sex, sexual preference, religion or national origin when making hiring decisions. Trump’s order added that the heads of each executive agency must begin including contractual language that requires federal contractors to agree to comply with federal anti-discrimination laws. Meanwhile, language associated with DEI principles was also ordered to be removed from any federal acquisition, contracting, grant or financial assistance procedures. “The steps taken by GSA will make it easier for industry to sell their products and services to the government,” acting administrator Ehikian said Tuesday. “GSA is leading the way in transforming government and strongly encourages other agencies to follow our lead.” Trump and fellow Republicans have pushed hard against DEI policies in recent weeks, making the case that the government should instead focus on meritocracy. DOGE claims it has already addressed hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars in DEI-related contract cuts, including $350 million at the Department of Education last week. Last month, DOGE announced that taxpayers would see just over a $1 billion savings through the elimination of 104 DEI contracts.
Fox News Politics Newsletter: A Diagnosis of ‘Democrat Hysteria’
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… -Former migrant shelter director reveals he was attacked after blowing whistle on sexual abuse -Task force to expose ‘federal secrets’ on JFK assassination, Epstein, UFOs packed with GOP rebels –Border arrests hit lowest mark since last time Trump was in office, White House says FIRST ON FOX: The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) still employs more people than it did in 2019, despite “Democrat hysteria” over recent cuts within the department’s agencies, Fox News Digital exclusively learned. A senior Trump administration official told Fox News Digital that there have been 6,000 departures from HHS since Jan. 20, Inauguration Day. The agency, however, still employs nearly 6,000 more people than it did in 2019, including more than 2,000 employees at the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) relative to 2019 numbers, and 1,200 employees at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Hiring at HHS ballooned between fiscal year 2019 and 2024, the senior Trump administration official said, with 17% more full-time employees by 2024. Fifty percent of overall jobs in the U.S. that were created in 2024 were indirect or direct government jobs, the official added…Read more MIGRANT CRIME CRACKDOWN: Trump list of cartels being designated terror groups…Read more ‘RESTORE LAW AND ORDER’: Trump nominates Jan. 6 defense attorney for top prosecutor role in DC…Read more THE PLANE TRUTH: Are more airplanes crashing now in Trump’s presidency than under Biden?…Read more CHANGE OF HEART: Major K Street players previously skeptical of Trump now pledging to work together with him…Read more FIRING FREEZE: Federal judge temporarily stops Trump admin from firing 11 intelligence officers assigned to DEI programs…Read more ‘PULL THE RUG OUT’: US Conference of Catholic Bishops sues Trump over immigration, refugee funding freeze…Read more ‘UNPRECEDENTED ASSAULT’: Here’s the argument Trump hopes will net first major SCOTUS win in second term…Read more UNDOING BIDEN’S DAMAGE: Trump admin freezes applications for Biden-era migrant programs amid fraud, national security concerns…Read more ‘PAST DUE’: Zelenskyy faces perilous re-election odds as US, Russia push Ukraine to go to the polls as part of peace deal…Read more PROST!: Euro leaders offended by Vance should ‘have a beer with’ their people to understand concerns: US conservatives…Read more FLIGHT HAZARD: DHS helicopter patrolling border struck three times by laser from Mexico…Read more ‘AUTHORITY TO FIGHT BACK’: Cartels on alert as border state officials may get green light to take major action…Read more ‘DISINFORMATION SPACE’: Ukraine’s Zelenskyy says Trump lives in ‘disinformation space’ amid rift on Russia talks…Read more ‘FIGHTING FOR IRAN‘: Iranian crown prince calls for global action against Khamenei’s regime…Read more ‘TRANQUIL NIGHT’: Pope Francis slept peacefully, ate breakfast following diagnosis of pneumonia in both lungs…Read more JUDICIAL SMACKDOWN: Judge denies Democrat-led effort to block DOGE access, citing lack of harmful evidence…Read more KEY PICKUP: Trump FBI director nominee Kash Patel picks up support from key GOP senator…Read more ‘WEAKEN AMERICA’: Schumer spotted posing for photo with CCP official as warnings swirl about China influence…Read more ‘GOLDEN ERA OF PROSPERITY’: Senate confirms Kelly Loeffler to lead Small Business Administration…Read more RIGHT-TO-WORK: Trump’s nominee for labor secretary walks back support for PRO Act, embraces Right-to-Work laws…Read more GREEN NEW HEADACHE: Even Democrats are fleeing Phil Murphy’s “Energy Master Plan” as election approaches…Read more RETURN TO SENDER: Postmaster General Louis DeJoy stepping down amid US Postal Service financial turmoil…Read more ‘WAR ON REALITY’: ‘Misgendering’ trans people on their death certificates could be jailable offense under blue-state bill…Read more AGITATORS IN ACTION: Anti-Israel protest in NYC devolves into violence and mayhem…Read more CUFFS OFF: Bipartisan probation reform modeled off DeSantis and Jay-Z efforts primed for passage in VA…Read more FULL STOP: Sanctuary state’s ‘green light’ law is a red flag for public safety and national security: experts…Read more ROADBLOCK: Trump admin moves to block NYC congestion toll program…Read more WHAT’S IN YOUR WALLET?: DOGE uncovers over 4 million government credit cards responsible for 90 million transactions…Read more GUN CONTROL: Colorado poised to ban sale of AR-15s, other rifles and shotguns with extended mags…Read more SKEPTICAL JUDGE: Skeptical judge questions executive order barring transgender service members from joining the military…Read more SOUNDS ABOUT WHITE: CA post-wildfire beef heats up as state insurance chief accuses Dem congressman of ‘White mansplaining’…Read more Get the latest updates on the Trump administration and Congress, exclusive interviews and more on FoxNews.com.
Rep. Eli Crane stunned at ‘insane’ sum in taxpayer funds used for transgender animal studies
At least $241 million in taxpayer funds was spent on transgender surgeries and animal experiments, prompting a congressional lawmaker to question the rationale behind the expenditures. Rep. Eli Crane, R-Ariz., on Wednesday, said spending millions on such treatments was “insane, right?” During a Feb. 6 House Committee on Oversight and Reform hearing titled: “Transgender Lab Rats and Poisoned Puppies: Oversight of Taxpayer Funded Animal Cruelty,” earlier this month, Justin Goodman of the White Coat Waste Project (WCW) watchdog group said the federal government spent millions on “transgender animal testing.” GOP LAWMAKER SCRAPS WITH DEMOCRAT IN HEARING OVER TRANSGENDER ‘SLUR,’ BATHROOM RIGHTS: ‘NOT GOING TO HAVE IT’ “I would say that’s the floor, not the ceiling,” Goodman told Crane. “In a lot of these cases, they involve mice, rats, monkeys, who are being surgically mutilated and subjected to hormone therapies to mimic female to male or male to female gender transitions, gender-affirming hormone therapies, and then looking at the biological, psychological and physiological effects of the gender transitions, looking at the effects of taking vaccines after you’ve transitioned these animals from male to female or female to male, looking at the size of their genitals changing after you’ve put them on estrogen or testosterone therapies to transition them,” he added. In one instance, a $1.1 million grant was handed out to give female lab rats testosterone to mimic transgender male humans and observed to determine if they are likely to overdose on a rape drug, he said. “Anthony Fauci lied to the American people about masks, vaccines, social distancing, gain-of-function research, and the origins of COVID-19,” Crane said in a statement to Fox News Digital. “On top of these egregious actions, he also authorized more than $200 million of taxpayer funds for ‘transgender animal testing’.” “Hardworking Americans are sick of these disgusting uses of their resources. Congress must return to single-subject spending bills, so we can permanently cut these fraudulent programs line-by-line.” he added. Goodman said that many of the taxpayer-funded animal studies aren’t easily accessible to the public. “You essentially need a degree in information technology to navigate the federal spending databases to find any of this stuff,” he said, adding that the databases aren’t transparent “by design.” Goodman said the WCW estimates that more than $20 billion has been spent on ineffective animal research. WEST POINT DISBANDS GENDER-BASED, RACE CLUBS IN TRUMP’S DEI SWEEP Dr. Anthony Fauci, the former director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), funded 95% of the transgender animal experiments, Goodman said, citing a WCW analysis. In 2024, $10 million was spent on creating transgender animals, a study by the White Coat Waste Project revealed. “Last year, the White Coat Waste Project exposed more than $10 million in taxpayer funds that were spent creating transgender mice, rats and monkeys,” Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., at the hearing. “These DEI grants funded painful and deadly transgender experiments that forced lab animals to undergo invasive surgeries and hormone therapies at universities across the country.” Mace then criticized the Biden administration’s agenda for allowing taxpayer dollars to fund “surgically mutating animal genitals.” “The U.S. government spends in excess of $20 billion a year conducting experiments on animals,” Mace said. “We spent over $1 million to find out if female rats receiving testosterone therapy were more likely to overdose on a date rape drug. That’s what your taxpayer dollars were being spent on.” Goodman noted that animal testing is incredibly “inaccurate and expensive” and “not very good at projecting the human health effects or environmental effects of chemicals and pesticides.” He also noted that the Biden administration overturned a Trump-era plan to phase out animal testing. Fox News Digital has reached out to Crane’s office.