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Chicago mayor lambasts Trump, claims US being run like ‘had the Confederacy won’

Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson continued his attack on President Donald Trump on Wednesday, saying anyone questioning what the U.S. would look like had the Confederacy won, should have no question at this point under his administration. A reporter asked Johnson during a press conference on Wednesday if he planned to go to Washington, D.C. to testify about sanctuary cities as the Trump administration continues to conduct operations targeting criminal illegal aliens. House Republicans, including U.S. Rep. James Comer, R-Tenn., chair of the GOP-controlled House Committee on Oversight and Reform, called on sanctuary city mayors to testify next month about the policy’s impact on public safety and the refusal to cooperate with federal immigration enforcement. This oversight committee, of all the things that they want to have sight over, they should look at the White House right now,” Johnson said. “That White House is being ran in one of the most raggedy forms of government that I’ve ever seen. If anybody is questioning whether or not what our country would look like had the Confederacy won, there should be no question now. They want us to be afraid. Do not be afraid, Chicago.” CHICAGO MAYOR RIPS ICE OPERATIONS, SAYS TRUMP ‘IS ATTEMPTING TO GET US TO SURRENDER OUR HUMANITY’ CHICAGO MAYOR IMPROPERLY ACCEPTING DESIGNER GIFST LIKE HUGO BOSS CUFF LINKS, GUCCI BAGS AND MORE: OIG REPORT The mayor said he will not be intimidated by an individual who refuses to stand up to another individual who believes “he’s a supreme being.” Johnson also accused Trump of rejecting the U.S. Constitution by carrying out his responsibilities. “If they want to have a real discussion about undocumented individuals who are criminals, they should look at the very individuals who enslaved my people and colonized this land,” Johnson said. Earlier in the press conference, another reporter asked the mayor if he had toned down rhetoric about relitigating the civil war. COMER LAUNCHES INVESTIGATION INTO SANCTUARY CITIES, ASKS MAYORS TO TESTIFY “I still believe that there are people who have not accepted the results of the Civil War, and here’s the thing: I said that before this administration took office,” Johnson said. “Unfortunately, I’m right. I mean, you have an entire administration that is looking to take away federal protections for the people who are most vulnerable. “So, no, my position has not changed,” he added. The mayor’s statement comes more than a week after he doubled down on a vow to oppose Trump’s sweeping reform aimed at removing dangerous illegal immigrants accused of crimes from the U.S. once he returns to the Oval Office. TRUMP’S ICE NABS CHILD SEX OFFENDERS AMONG 530+ ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS CAUGHT IN SINGLE DAY On day one of his second term, Trump issued ten executive orders aimed at overhauling U.S. immigration law and policy, and since then, armed federal immigration agents have swept cities in the first deportation raids.  In a letter, Comer, Johnson and other mayors of sanctuary cities, to provide documents and information related to the sanctuary policies of each city. Sanctuary cities limit cooperation between local law enforcement and federal immigration authorities. Supporters argue that enforcement of immigration is the job of the federal government.  Opponents say sanctuary policies harbor criminals, as well as those in the country illegally, and put the public, including legal and illegal immigrants, at risk. Fox News Digital’s Louis Casiano contributed to this report.

Senate advances Trump’s energy secretary nominee to final confirmation vote

The Senate Thursday evening advanced President Donald Trump’s nominee to head the Department of Energy to a final confirmation vote. The vote was 62-35.  Chris Wright, the CEO and founder of Liberty Energy Inc., an energy industry service provider based in Colorado, was tapped by the 47th president to head the  Department of Energy under his administration. The Trump nominee has received bipartisan support for his nomination, being introduced by a Democrat, Sen. John Hickenlooper of Colorado, during his confirmation hearing with the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee this month. The Senate held a late-night cloture vote for Wright, to end discussion over his nomination.  FIRST ON FOX: TRUMP CABINET NOMINEE LEOFFLER PLEDGES TO DONATE SALARY TO CHARITY IF CONFIRMED The cloture vote passed with bipartisan support, meaning Wright will advance to a final Senate vote, likely to take place on Friday. Wright, during his confirmation hearing, said he had identified three “immediate tasks” where he would focus his attention: unleashing American energy, leading the world in innovation and technology breakthroughs and increasing production in America.

Top Republican on Senate health committee says he’s ‘struggling’ to confirm RFK Jr

The top Republican on the Senate’s chief health committee, Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., indicated Thursday during Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s second confirmation hearing of the week that his vote for Trump’s nominee to head Health and Human Services was not a lock, noting that he was “struggling” to confirm Kennedy over his inability to admit vaccines are safe and don’t cause autism. Kennedy faced two separate hearings in front of Senate lawmakers this week in his bid to be the next secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services. Kennedy was probed frequently over his views on vaccines, which have been a sticking point for many senators as they figure out whether to vote in favor of Kennedy’s nomination or not. RFK JR RIPS DEM SENATOR FOR PUSHING ‘DISHONEST’ NARRATIVE ON PAST VACCINE COMMENTS: ‘CORRECTED IT MANY TIMES’ During the hearings, Kennedy refused to reject claims he has posited publicly in the past that vaccines cause autism and argued he is not anti-vaccine but rather “pro-safety.” Kennedy added during the hearings that his plan as HHS secretary would be to “follow the science,” noting that if the science says he is wrong on vaccines, he will publicly apologize.  But senators, like Cassidy, have suggested during Kennedy’s confirmation hearings that the science says vaccines are safe — and they don’t cause autism. “My responsibility is to learn, try and determine, if you can be trusted to support the best public health,” Cassidy, a former physician, said during his closing remarks at Kennedy’s Thursday confirmation hearing in front of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP). “A worthy movement called ‘MAHA,’” Cassidy continued, “to improve the health of Americans, or to undermine it, always asking for more evidence, and never accepting the evidence that is there … That is why I’ve been struggling with your nomination.”  DOCTOR DEFENDS RFK JR’S VACCINE STANCE: ‘HE’S NOT AGAINST VACCINES’ Cassidy repeatedly asked Kennedy during the Thursday hearing to publicly declare that vaccines don’t cause autism, but he refused. “That would have an incredible impact,” Cassidy said.  “There are issues we are, man, ultra-processed food, obesity, we are simpatico. We are completely aligned,” Cassidy continued during his closing remarks. “And as someone who has discussed immunizations with thousands of people, I understand that mothers want reassurance that the vaccine their child is receiving is necessary, safe and effective. We agree on that point, the two of us, but we’ve approached it differently. And I think I can say that I’ve approached it using the preponderance of evidence to reassure, and you’ve approached it using selective evidence to cast doubt.” Meanwhile, Cassidy pointed out the massive “megaphone” Kennedy has as a descendant of former President John F. Kennedy, and questioned whether he will use his credibility “to support” or “to undermine” the nation’s public health and its confidence in vaccines. “I got to figure that out, for my vote,” Cassidy said.

‘Can’t be trusted’: Schiff sets social media ablaze after clashing with Kash Patel during explosive hearing

A clash on Thursday between Sen. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., and Kash Patel, the nominee for FBI director, set social media ablaze when conservatives ripped into the new California senator after what they saw as a win for the Trump nominee. Schiff, in his line of questioning at Patel’s confirmation hearing, began by asking Patel whether he stood by prior testimony that he had nothing to do with the recording of a song about the Jan. 6 Capitol riot inmates. “[That] is interesting, because here’s what you told Steve Bannon on his podcast: ‘So, what we thought would be cool is if we captured that audio and then, of course, had the greatest president, President Donald J. Trump, recite the Pledge of Allegiance. Then we went to a studio and recorded it, mastered it, digitized it, and put it out as a song.’” KASH PATEL ENRAGES ADAM SCHIFF IN CLINTONIAN BATTLE OVER THE WORD ‘WE’ AND A JANUARY 6 SONG  The two quibbled over the meaning of “we” and whether it included Patel. “Yeah, and you’re part of that ‘we’ — right — when you say ‘we,’ that includes you, Mr. Patel,” Schiff said. “Not in every instance.” Patel said, adding he had not personally participated in the recording or mastering of the single. Schiff responded, “Well, that’s new. So, when you said ‘we,’ you didn’t really mean you. Is that your testimony?” “Not unless you have a new definition for the word ‘we,’” Patel said. In Thursday’s hearing, however, Patel said he was using the word “we” appropriately, while Schiff said he had “promoted the hell out of it,” referencing the inmates’ single. “I don’t know what that means, but I promoted the heck out of raising money for families in need,” Patel shot back. In another exchange, Schiff asked Patel if an FBI director promoted a song about people who sprayed pepper spray in the face of an FBI agent, “would you say they were fit to be director?” “I am fit to be the director of the FBI,” Patel said. Supporters of the Trump administration hammered Schiff and praised Patel over the exchanges. MAJOR CHANGES PATEL COULD MAKE ON DAY 1 AT FBI “California’s Senator @SenAdamSchiff screams and screeches about the January 6th choir during Kash’s confirmation – and completely misses an opportunity to represent commonsense Californians,” former DNI Director Richard Grenell posted on X. “We want representatives who don’t lie. Who don’t miss the big picture. Schiff is partisan and petty.” National Review contributor Pradheep Shanker said “any committee that [Sen. Mazie] Hirono, Schiff or [Sen. Sheldon] Whitehouse is on is one where Democrats completely lose all credibility.” “I honestly thought Bernie Sanders yelling at RFK Jr. about onesies was going to be the craziest thing from the hearings this week,” Daily Signal columnist Tony Kinnett said. “Then I watched Adam Schiff yelling at Kash Patel for 5 minutes about song remixes. Good Lord.” “Schiff can’t be trusted to serve on committees,” Judicial Watch Chairman Tom Fitton said. Schiff argued he had won the exchange. “Kash Patel raised money for January 6 insurrectionists who attacked law enforcement. I asked him to look those officers in the eye and tell them he was proud of what he did. He couldn’t,” Schiff wrote on X. It was one of a number of fiery exchanges during the hearing. Democrats quizzed Patel about his record, including statements he had made in his book, “Government Gangsters.” Patel slammed what he described as “grotesque” attacks against him. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP “If the best attacks on me are going to be false accusations and grotesque mischaracterizations, the only thing this body is doing is defeating the credibility of the men and women at the FBI,” he said. “I stood with them here in this country, in every theater of war we have. I was on the ground in service of this nation. And any accusations leveled against me that I would somehow put political bias before the Constitution are grotesquely unfair.”

Kash Patel turns tables on Dem senator with viral response: ‘You’ve got two minutes’

Conservatives on social media praised Kash Patel, President Donald Trump’s nominee for FBI director, after a thorny exchange with Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., during his confirmation hearing on Thursday. “That’s a general statement and a mischaracterization of what I said,” Patel told Klobuchar in response to questioning about a past quote that the senator suggested showed Patel believes some U.S. Capitol Police officers lied under oath during the Jan. 6 hearings.  “I encourage you to read the rest of the interviews,” Patel added. “This is why snippets of information are often misleading and detrimental to this committee’s advice and consent.” Klobuchar responded, “If you consent, I would love to have five hours of questions, and then I could read the whole transcripts.” KASH PATEL HAMMERS ‘GROTESQUE MISCHARACTERIZATIONS’ FROM DEMS AMID FIERY FBI CONFIRMATION HEARING “You’ve got two minutes,” Patel responded. “Wow,” Klobuchar replied before moving to another topic. KASH PATEL FLIPS SCRIPT ON DEM SENATOR AFTER BEING GRILLED ON J6 PARDONS: ‘BRUTAL REALITY CHECK’ Numerous conservatives on social media praised Patel for his “sass” during the exchange. “Amy Klobuchar continues to get outmaneuvered by Kash Patel at every turn of this committee hearing,” Townhall.com columnist Dustin Grage posted on X. “Damnnnn,” Mark Levin show producer Rich Sementa posted on X. “Kash Patel For The Win.” “SAVAGE,” conservative commentator Benny Johnson posted on X. “My favorite moment from this hearing,” former Trump campaign fundraiser Caroline Wren posted on X.  Fox News Digital reached out to Klobuchar’s office for comment.

Congressional subcommittee to hold hearing about overregulation in California following devastating wildfires

The House Judiciary Subcommittee on the Administrative State, Regulatory Reform, and Antitrust will hold a hearing next week addressing overregulation in California following the devastating Los Angeles wildfires, stating California’s “onerous regulatory regime” may have worsened the disaster, Fox News Digital has learned. The “California Fires and the Consequences of Overregulation” hearing will examine the real impacts of regulatory policy on the prevention of natural disasters, particularly in the case of California’s wildfires, according to a statement obtained by Fox News Digital. It will also address how excessive regulation on insurance and permitting serves as a roadblock to those recovering from disasters. Cal Fire reported more than 12,000 homes, businesses and schools were lost to the fires and more than 100,000 people have had to leave their homes. KELSEY GRAMMER SAYS CALIFORNIA LAWMAKERS ‘TOOK THEIR EYE OFF THE BALL’ IN WILDFIRES CATASTROPHE Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, described current disaster regulations as a “nightmare.” “Democrat-run California’s excessive regulations make preventing and recovering from natural disasters a nightmare,” he said.  LOS ANGELES WILDFIRES: SECOND CALIFORNIA REAL ESTATE AGENT CHARGED WITH PRICE GOUGING VICTIMS Jordan added that California needs a streamlined process, as suggested by President Donald Trump, to remove regulation and ensure citizens can rebuild and prevent similar tragedies in the future. Rep. Scott Fitzgerald, R-Wis., said the wildfires were a preventable tragedy, and Congress must examine whether California’s “onerous regulatory regime” worsened the disaster. “For years, California’s liberal government has prioritized environmental activism over effective forest management and disaster mitigation. Meanwhile, the politicization of their state insurance regulator has driven insurers out of the state and forced taxpayers to foot the bill,” Fitzgerald said. Witnesses will include Steve Hilton, founder of Golden Together; Steven Greenhut, resident senior fellow and western region director of state affairs for the R Street Institute; and Edward Ring, director of water and energy policy for the California Policy Center, according to the statement. The hearing is scheduled for Feb. 6 at 10 a.m. 

Legal rights groups urge school leaders not to adopt Texas’ Bible-infused curriculum

The coalition of legal organizations told Texas school district leaders that it would “take any action” necessary to protect the rights of students and their families.

Fox News Politics Newsletter: Trump Blasts DEI at the FAA

Welcome to the Fox News Politics newsletter, with the latest updates on the Trump administration, exclusive interviews and more Fox News politics content. Here’s what’s happening… -Trump says Reagan National Airport crash could have been prevented: ‘CLEAR NIGHT’ -Anti-Trump FBI agent responsible for opening Jack Smith elector case against president: Whistleblower –Patel flips script on Durbin with Biden reference after being pressed on J6 pardons: ‘Brutal reality check’ President Donald Trump set his sights on DEI standards at the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on Thursday after a deadly in-air collision at the nation’s capital. Trump, speaking to reporters in the White House briefing room, highlighted efforts by the Biden administration to lower aviation standards, though he acknowledged that the cause of Wednesday night’s crash has yet to be determined. “We must have only the highest standards for those who work in our aviation system,” Trump said. “Only the highest aptitude — you have to be the highest intellect — and psychologically superior people, were allowed to qualify for air traffic controllers.”…Read more KICKED OUT: Israel orders UNRWA to cease operations in country over terror ties: ‘miserably failed in its mandate’…Read more EMOTIONAL RETURN: Moment IDF soldier is reunited with family seen on video…Read more FINALLY FREE: Third round of hostage releases begins as part of Hamas’ Gaza ceasefire agreement with Israel…Read more HELD UP: Netanyahu furious about chaotic handover of Israeli hostages from Hamas…Read more MAKING THE CASE: Internal House GOP memo outlines case for Trump to buy Panama Canal…Read more BACK FOR MORE: Trump HHS nominee RFK Jr returns to Capitol Hill for round 2 after heated first day of hearings…Read more TULSI HITS TURBULENCE: Tension builds around Tulsi Gabbard’s confirmation with key GOP Senators undecided…Read more ‘FAKE CHRISTIAN’: First-term House Dem attacks WH press secretary Karoline Leavitt as ‘Fake Christian’…Read more CLOCK IS TICKING: Bipartisan senators target fentanyl classification as lapse approaches…Read more ‘LIES AND SMEARS’: Tulsi Gabbard rails against Dem narrative she’s Trump’s and Putin’s ‘puppet’…Read more ‘CORRUPT’: Graham grills FBI nominee Patel over ‘disgusting’ and ‘corrupt’ Crossfire Hurricane probe…Read more ‘VERY TROUBLING’: Top Senate Intelligence Dem grills Gabbard if Edward Snowden is ‘brave’: ‘very troubling’…Read more DH-YES: Senate confirms Kristi Noem as Trump’s Department of Homeland Security secretary…Read more ‘COUNT ON THAT’: Senate set for confirmation vote on Doug Burgum, Trump’s pick to lead the Interior Department…Read more FREEZING FUNDS: Risch proposes bill to block US foreign aid from funding abortions…Read more HAT IN THE RING: Former Michigan Rep. Mike Rogers considering GOP Senate run…Read more CLOSING THE CABINET: Where Trump’s Cabinet nominees stand in Senate confirmation process…Read more ‘GROTESQUE’: Patel hammers ‘grotesque mischaracterizations’ from Dems amid fiery FBI confirmation hearing…Read more IN THE HOT SEAT: Gabbard sheds light on Assad visit, expresses shock intelligence community showed no interest at the time…Read more ‘UNPRECEDENTED’ SITUATION: Los Angeles fire cleanup complicated by ‘unprecedented’ number of EVs with combustible lithium-ion batteries…Read more CRASH TIMELINE: DC plane crash timeline: Midair collision involves 67 passengers, crew members, soldiers…Read more ‘PERSONAL ATTACKS’: Anti-Israel groups spray paint Columbia University building, ‘cemented’ sewage system…Read more ‘INAPPROPRIATE’ RISK: Army sec nominee questions whether military pilots should train near DC airport…Read more PREVENTED: Gabbard says 9/11 likely could have been prevented if not for intelligence ‘stovepiping’…Read more ‘JUST DEVASTATED’: Miracle on the Hudson’s Capt. Sully reacts to deadly DC aircraft collision…Read more Get the latest updates on the Trump administration and Congress, exclusive interviews and more on FoxNews.com.

Measles cases reported in Texas as vaccine rates against the disease has fallen

Two of the cases have been reported in Lubbock, a first in more than 20 years. Meanwhile, measles vaccination rates in Texas have fallen over the last four years.

‘We’re the gold standard’: GOP lawmaker calls for congressional hearing over DC plane crash

EXCLUSIVE: The top Republican on the House Transportation Committee’s subcommittee on aviation is calling for a congressional hearing into the deadly collision between an American Airlines plane and a military helicopter in Washington, D.C. “We say we are the gold standard, we just need to continue to maintain that level,” Rep. Troy Nehls, R-Texas, who chairs the subcommittee, told Fox News Digital in an interview. “I just want to sit down with all of them and, when the [National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB)] does its report – make sure that it’s very accurate, it’s factual, and that they come up with some recommendations – and then we’ll have to see if we need to change direction or change course based upon those recommendations. But we don’t know yet.” Nehls praised Transportation Committee Chairman Sam Graves, noting his background as a pilot, and said he would be asking the Missouri Republican to convene meetings with the affected parties and those investigating the incident. Nehls suggested potential closed-door meetings to enable more candid discussions but said a public hearing would also be in order. DC PLANE CRASH INVESTIGATORS TO REVIEW COMMUNICATION BETWEEN 2 AIRCRAFT: SENATOR  “We have to find out the reason for the crash and then come up with, you know, recommendations to make sure it doesn’t happen again,” he said. “We don’t need to be sitting on this. I don’t want to hear, ‘It’s going to take 18 months.’ I don’t want to hear that.” And it appears federal investigators are on that same page. NTSB officials said they hope to have a preliminary report out in about 30 days. “I think that would be fair,” Nehls said. “But that shouldn’t stop Congress looking into this and doing what we can to help. I think President Trump… expects it, and he has a right to expect it from us, to make sure that we keep our aviation industry the standard for the world.” And while he is hoping for quick results, Nehls emphatically cautioned against any early speculation about who or what is to blame for the tragedy. RECOVERY EFFORTS UNDERWAY AFTER AMERICAN AIRLINES JET, MILITARY HELICOPTER COLLIDE MIDAIR NEAR DC “Everybody wants to speculate as to how did this happen, why this happened. Whose fault is that? Is it the helicopter? Was it the airplane?” Nehls said.  “I think that is irresponsible. I think you just need to give it time for the NTSB to investigate, you know, conduct a very thorough investigation.” Finger-pointing and speculation have already run rampant, however. Some have blamed Congress for authorizing too many new airline contracts at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, which is closer to the U.S. Capitol than the much larger Washington-Dulles International Airport. Others, primarily on the right, have argued that diversity initiatives by Democratic administrations helped lead to the tragedy. “I think it’s too early for all of that,” Nehls said when asked about both. No evidence has come out to support any conclusion or cause of the crash so far. Nehls spoke with Fox News Digital the day after a Black Hawk helicopter carrying three service members crashed into a passenger plane heading from Wichita, Kansas, which was moments away from landing at Reagan National Airport. Both aircraft were seen plummeting into the Potomac River between Washington and neighboring Arlington, Virginia, where the airport is located. U.S. officials have said there are no survivors, and recovery efforts are still underway. Fox News Digital reached out to the House Transportation Committee for comment. American Airlines has said 60 passengers and four crew members were aboard the plane, and the airline encouraged any loved ones looking for information to call the numbers on its site.