‘Dead of night’: Dems accuse GOP of cowardice over late-night votes on Trump’s ‘big, beautiful’ budget bill
Following news that the House Rules Committee will convene at 1 a.m. on Wednesday morning to take the next steps in advancing President Trump’s “big, beautiful” budget bill, Democrats are accusing Republicans of cowardice for advancing the monumental bill “in the dead of night.” The House Budget Committee reached an initial consensus to pass the bill to the Rules Committee late Sunday evening, after gaveling in at approximately 10:00 p.m. The Rules Committee must now take up the matter to set out the rules for debate and markup that are expected to take place next in the GOP-controlled House of Representatives. Shortly after, the House Budget Committee passed the bill in a late-Sunday night vote, the House Rules Committee announced it would be considering the One Big Beautiful Bill Act at 1 a.m. on Wednesday morning. The announcement, followed by the late-night Sunday vote, has stirred up criticism from Democrats who argue the late-night legislative sessions are the result of GOP cowardice. “Republicans are scheduling votes in the DEAD OF NIGHT on Trump’s ‘big, beautiful bill.’ They advanced their bill last night at 10:30PM. The next vote is scheduled for 1AM on Wednesday. Why hide?” questioned Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass. “Maybe because this bill rips away health care from babies, new moms, and seniors.” NEW PROJECTION SIGNALS GOOD NEWS FOR FAMILIES, WORKERS IN TRUMP’S ‘BIG, BEAUTIFUL BILL’ The legislative negotiations over the GOP’s budget bill have circulated around what federal programs, or funding, will need to be cut in order to extend the president’s tax cuts from his first term, which are set to expire. Among those cuts are new provisions to federal healthcare programs, like Medicaid, which Democrats have slammed as a move to take away public healthcare programs from those who need them the most. “Republicans know that their efforts to take away health care from millions of Americans is deeply unpopular. Republicans know that the effort to enact the largest cut to nutritional assistance in American history, which will literally take food from the mouths of children, veterans and seniors, is deeply unpopular. Republicans know that providing billionaire donors with a massive tax break for people, like Elon Musk, and at the same time, exploding the deficit by trillions of dollars is deeply unpopular,” the Democrats’ House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said during a Monday afternoon press conference. “That’s why Republicans are going to try to advance this bill in the dead of night at 1 a.m. in the morning.” HAROLD FORD, JR. ARGUES TRUMP’S ‘BIG, BEAUTIFUL BILL’ CUTS ONLY THE RICHEST PEOPLE’S TAXES Republicans, however, have indicated their hope to pass their new budget bill by Memorial Day, and, in order to do that, the lengthy reconciliation process Republicans are using to get the bill passed must move quickly as the date is fast approaching. As a result of the looming Memorial Day deadline, Republicans appear to be moving the bill forward as quickly as possible, and, to do so, it is reportedly requiring the House Rules Committee to convene early Wednesday morning. “Under the rules, Budget Dems get two calendar days to file minority views after last night’s markup. That could take until midnight Tuesday. Rules then has a one hour notice requirement, hence starting at 1 am,” political commentator Brendan Buck said on X, citing someone with expert knowledge of the legislative process. BUDGET OFFICE WITH ‘FUNDAMENTALLY PROGRESSIVE ROOTS’ USED BY DEMS AS LATEST TOOL IN ANTI-TRUMP RESISTANCE But that hasn’t stopped Democrats from claiming Republicans are engaging in late-night votes to somehow keep the budget bill process out of the limelight. “Remember when Republicans said late-night sessions were ‘not what the country needs or deserves’ during the American Rescue Plan? Now they’re getting ready to make dramatic cuts to Medicaid and SNAP so they can give tax breaks for billionaires – in the dead of night,” Rep. Gregory Meeks, D-N.Y., said following news of the Wednesday morning Rules Committee session. “Hypocrisy on full display.”
Texas Senate passes bill that would require public schools to use Christian B.C./A.D. system to track years
The legislation would prevent schools from using materials that do not use the terms “Before Christ” and “Anno Domini.” Many historians have moved away from them to be more inclusive.
Texas bill pushes strictest social media ban for minors in the nation
A bill making its way through the Texas Legislature would ban minors from accessing popular social media apps and websites in an effort to curb what a lawmaker says is an addictive and “harmful product.” Republican state Rep. Jared Patterson’s measure, House Bill 186, passed the Texas House with bipartisan support last month and appears poised to be pushed through by the state Senate en route to Gov. Greg Abbott’s desk. In an interview with Fox News Digital on Monday, Patterson said the bill came about by speaking with multiple committees and with parents who have young kids about the effect that popular social media sites like X, TikTok, Facebook and Snapchat have on children. These committees and conversations came during the last two interims in the state Legislature that studied the issue of social media and minors. “Learning more about it, we really came to the realization that this is the most harmful product that our kids have access to in terms of its addictive nature,” Patterson said. NEW TEXAS LAW TAKES EFFECT REQUIRING PARENTAL APPROVAL FOR CHILDREN TO CREATE SOCIAL MEDIA ACCOUNTS Bill 186 would ban minors from signing up for accounts on social media, require parental consent to download applications, and place warning labels about the dangers of social media. Websites that allow users to create content and share it will be considered a social media platform and thus be banned from minors. However, websites containing news and sports will be accessible for minors. While Texas isn’t the first state to put some restrictions on minors’ access to social media platforms, it right now would be the strictest. As of June 2024, there are 10 states that have age restriction laws on social media for minors, according to the Age Verification Providers Association. SNAPCHAT ‘OPENLY DEFYING’ LAW, ALLOWING KIDS ACCESS TO HARMFUL ADDICTIVE CONTENT: FLORIDA AG Currently, only Florida has laws banning minors from using social media, but its laws are not as strict as the proposed Texas Bill 186. Florida’s age restriction is currently 14 years old, while Texas’s proposed limit would be for those under the age of 18. However, Patterson said the age restriction isn’t set in stone. “We’ll see what happens with the Senate. When [the bill] left the House, people under the age of 18 will be prohibited from social media. There was broad bipartisan support when the bill left the Texas house,” Patterson said. “[The Senate has] every right to adjust it to whatever it needs to get out of that body.” MOMS FOR LIBERTY CO-FOUNDER SAYS CONGRESS’ LATEST BILL TO PROTECT KIDS ONLINE HAS SERIOUS LOOPHOLE Regardless of what changes are made, Patterson said he still feels strongly that protecting children is the No. 1 priority and that parents will realize just what exactly is happening. “It starts with the understanding that these parents don’t stand a chance against these algorithms,” he said. “It also starts with parents understanding that these apps aren’t for friends sharing information with friends; they are built to harvest data and get people hooked on their products.” CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Patterson said Texas will continue to “stand in the gap and protect these kids, even when these social media companies refuse to show up. “They refuse to answer for the harm they’ve caused, and they don’t even care to answer questions in a public forum about what they’ve done to our kids.”
Trump administration’s first “self-deportation” flight takes off from Houston
The Department of Homeland Security said the 64 people who volunteered received $1,000 and a chance to return to the U.S. legally. Advocates question whether the government will honor its promises.
Federal charges filed against Dem congresswoman following confrontation at ICE facility
Acting U.S. Attorney for the District of New Jersey Alina Habba is charging Rep. LaMonica McIver for her alleged misconduct toward law enforcement in front of Delaney Hall earlier this month, but she is dismissing the trespassing charge against Newark Mayor Ras Baraka. “Today my office has charged Congresswoman McIver with violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 111(a)(1) for assaulting, impeding and interfering with law enforcement,” Habba said in a post on X on Monday. In a letter posted with the comment, Habba announced that after extensive consideration, she was dismissing charges against Baraka. Newark Mayor Ras Baraka was charged with class C misdemeanor trespassing at the facility, which is privately operated by the GEO Group, last week, and he had his first court appearance on Thursday, which Habba personally attended. BLUE STATE ICE FACILITY RAMPS UP SECURITY WITH NEW BARRICADES AMID CLASHES WITH PROTESTERS “We believe that I was targeted in this,” Baraka said outside the courtroom after his appearance. Baraka and three congressional lawmakers – McIver, Robert Menendez Jr., and Bonnie Watson Coleman were outside the ICE facility last week with a group of protesters when the gates opened to allow an ICE bus in. All four officials then allegedly rushed through the gates past security, according to officials from the Department of Homeland Security. “If it was a typical U.S. citizen, and they tried to storm into a detention facility that’s housing dangerous criminals or any person at all, they would be arrested,” DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin told “Fox News Live” host Kevin Corke Saturday. “Just because you are a member of Congress or just because you’re a public official, does not mean you are above the law. DEM LAWMAKERS DEFEND ‘STORMING’ OF ICE FACILITY, SAY TRUMP ADMIN IS ‘LYING AT ALL LEVELS’ However, McIver and others allege that “ICE created chaos” and instigated the situation. “The way we were treated at Delaney Hall is almost unbelievable. ICE shoved me, manhandled [Watson Coleman], and arrested [Baraka]. They disrespected us and tried to stop us from conducting the oversight we’re elected to do. But we’ll never back down in our fight for what is right,” McIver posted to X last week. The arrest came as activists had been calling for access to the facility for days, which is a privately run facility that was revamped as an immigration detention facility this year. The city says that the facility is operating without a valid certificate of occupancy, whereas the GEO Group maintains that they are in full compliance with city laws. DHS SAYS ‘ARRESTS ARE STILL ON THE TABLE’ AFTER NEW JERSEY HOUSE DEMS CAUGHT ON CAMERA ‘STORMING’ ICE FACILITY CLICK HERE FOR MORE IMMIGRATION COVERAGE After another protest that went right up to the gates of Delaney Hall, large yellow barricades were placed in front of its entrance with signs warning against trespassing on private property. Fox News Digital reached out to McIver’s office for comment.
Navy’s former second-in-command convicted in historic corruption case
A retired four-star admiral who once served as the Navy’s second-highest ranking officer, was convicted of bribery and other conspiracy charges, making him the most senior member of the U.S. military ever convicted of committing a federal crime while on active duty. Following a five-day trial, retired four-star Adm. Robert P. Burke, 62, was found guilty on Monday of a scheme to direct lucrative contracts to a training company in exchange for a $500,000-a-year job after leaving the Navy, according to a news release from the Department of Justice. Burke is facing up to 30 years in prison for his role in the scheme to direct contracts potentially worth millions of dollars to a New York City-based company that offered training programs to the Navy. “When you abuse your position and betray the public trust to line your own pockets, it undermines the confidence in the government you represent,” U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro wrote in a post on X following the conviction. RETIRED NAVY ADMIRAL CHARGED WITH BRIBERY FOR ALLEGEDLY OFFERING GOVERNMENT CONTRACT IN EXCHANGE FOR JOB “Our office, with our law enforcement partners, will root out corruption – be it bribes or illegal contracts – and hold accountable the perpetrators, no matter what title or rank they hold,” Pirro continued. Burke, who served as vice chief of naval operations, was once the Navy’s second-highest ranking officer. According to court documents and as the evidence proved at trial, from 2020 to 2022, Burke was a four-star admiral who oversaw U.S. naval operations in Europe, Russia, and most of Africa, and commanded thousands of civilian and military personnel. Yongchul “Charlie” Kim and Meghan Messenger, co-CEOs of a company not named by the DOJ, allegedly participated in the scheme to get a government contract in exchange for offering Burke a position with the company. The company provided a training program for a small part of the Navy from 2018 and 2019, before their contract was terminated. FORMER US ARMY INTELLIGENCE ANALYST SENTENCED FOR SELLING SENSITIVE DOCUMENTS TO CHINESE NATIONAL The company was told by the Navy not to contact Burke, but the three met in Washington, D.C., in July 2021 and Burke allegedly agreed to use his influence to get the company a sole-source contract and urge other Naval officers to use the company for a more widespread training program that Kim estimated would be worth “triple digit millions.” In December 2021, Burke allegedly ordered his staff to award the company a $355,000 contract to train Naval personnel under his command in Italy and Spain and made an unsuccessful attempt to convince a senior Naval commander to give them another contract. “There was no connection between this contract and his employment. The math just doesn’t make sense that he would give them this relatively small contract for that type of job offer,” Burke’s defense attorney, Timothy Parlatore, previously told Fox News Digital. Burke allegedly implied that he had no role in awarding the contract, and that his discussions with Kim and Messenger didn’t start until after the contract started. ‘FAT LEONARD’ MASTERMIND BEHIND LARGEST CORRUPTION SCANDAL IN US MILITARY HISTORY SENTENCED TO 15 YEARS Both Kim and Messenger were arrested in May 2024 and were charged with conspiracy to commit bribery and bribery and could face 20 years in prison. Parlatore told Fox News Digital that they are “obviously disappointed by the verdict,” but said “this is a result of the fact that the jury did not get to hear the whole story.” “The investigation was very poorly conducted. It was conducted by the exact same investigator who completely screwed up the Fat Leonard case,” Paralore said. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP “They didn’t do any research and so you have an incompetent and unethical, corrupt investigator relying upon the word of a known liar, building this terrible case. And ultimately, the only way that they could bring it to a conviction was to only present certain evidence to the jury,” Paralore continued. Fox News Digital reached out to the DOJ for comment, but did not immediately receive a response. Fox News Digital’s Brie Stimson contributed to this report.
Stricter bail rules advance through Texas House, which had blocked an overhaul in previous sessions
The House advanced a measure that would ask voters to amend the state Constitution to tighten the state’s bail laws, setting up a major policy win for Gov. Greg Abbott.
President Trump confident Putin wants peace with Ukraine, thinks he’s ‘had enough’ of war
Following his phone calls with the leaders of Russia and Ukraine, President Donald Trump appeared confident that peace talks between the two warring nations will soon be progressing. In response to a reporter’s question outside the White House on Monday, Trump said that he believes Russian President Vladimir Putin is genuine in his seeking a peace deal. “President Trump, do you think Vladimir Putin wants peace?” the reporter shouted across the lawn. Trump stopped and responded: “I do. Yes.” “Do you still trust Putin?” the reporter continued, to which Trump responded: “I do.” TRUMP SAYS PUTIN IS ‘TIRED’ OF RUSSIA-UKRAINE WAR Speaking later that same day, after an event honoring fallen law enforcement officers in the White House, Trump said that he believes Putin has “had enough” of the war. “I think he’s had enough. I think he’s had enough. It’s been a long time. This has been going on for more than three years. When you think, it’s been going on for a long time,” said the president. Meanwhile, Trump seemed less confident in Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Asked whether Zelenskyy is doing enough to help the peace talks process along, Trump responded: “I’d rather tell you in about two weeks from now, because I can’t say yes or no.” “Look, he’s a strong person, Zelenskyy, a strong guy, and he’s not the easiest person to deal with,” said Trump. “But I think that he wants to stop, and it’s a very bad thing that’s happening over there. I think he wants to stop. But I could answer that question better in two weeks or four weeks from now. I hope the answer is that he wants to get it solved.” RUSSIA BOMBARDS UKRAINE WITH DRONES HOURS AFTER TRUMP ANNOUNCES TALKS WITH PUTIN Trump also commented on newly inaugurated Pope Leo XIV, saying he would like to help facilitate peace between the two nations. Trump said that it would be “great” to have the peace talks at the Vatican. “There’s tremendous bitterness, anger, and I think maybe that could help some of that anger,” said Trump. Trump and Putin held a two-hour call on Monday in what the U.S. said was a push to get Russia to end its deadly war in Ukraine. Both Trump and Putin described the call in a positive light, with the Kremlin chief saying it was “frank” and “useful,” but it is not immediately clear what results were achieved. Trump took to social media to praise the call as having gone “very well” and said, “Russia and Ukraine will immediately start negotiations toward a Ceasefire and, more importantly, an END to the War.” RUBIO TEASES DETAILS OF POTENTIAL TRUMP, PUTIN IN-PERSON MEETING AFTER RUSSIA-UKRAINE CEASEFIRE TALKS STALL “The conditions for that will be negotiated between the two parties, as it can only be, because they know details of a negotiation that nobody else would be aware of,” he added. Putin, in a statement after the call, also noted that “a ceasefire with Ukraine is possible” but “Russia and Ukraine must find compromises that suit both sides.” Any concrete details on the nature of these compromises remain unclear, despite negotiation attempts in Turkey on Friday, which Trump suggested failed because he needed to negotiate with Putin first. In the lead up to the talks, Trump also spoke with Zelenskyy, along with other world leaders like U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron, who said they discussed the urgent need for Putin to agree to an unconditional ceasefire or face serious repercussions, including more sanctions. TRUMP KICKS OFF 18TH WEEK IN OFFICE WITH HIGH-STAKES BID TO BROKER UKRAINE, RUSSIA PEACE Russia currently occupies about 20% of Ukraine’s landmass. However, the Russian military’s advance has significantly slowed to a virtual stalemate. In October, Fox News Digital reported that Russia has suffered some 600,000 casualties in its war with Ukraine — more than its losses in every conflict since World War II combined.
Eyewitness video shows Israeli airstrike on Khan Younis
NewsFeed Eyewitness video captured an Israeli airstrike hitting west Khan Younis in Gaza as people flee tents amid gunfire. Israel had warned of an “unprecedented attack” and ordered evacuations. Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu has vowed to control all of Gaza, despite global pressure and famine fears. Published On 19 May 202519 May 2025 Adblock test (Why?)
Trump tries to jump start peace talks with calls to Zelenskyy, Putin
[unable to retrieve full-text content] US President Donald Trump spoke with the leaders of both Ukraine and Russia in back-to-back calls.