Trump temporarily thwarted in DOGE mission to end USAID
A D.C. federal judge sided with USAID workers Thursday, granting their request to extend a restraining order that prevents the Trump administration from effectively shutting down the foreign aid agency. U.S. District Judge Carl Nichols, a Trump appointee, said he would extend by one week the temporary restraining order, with plans to issue a final decision on a request to block President Donald Trump’s action on Feb. 21. His new order instructs the government to reinstate any USAID employees put on administrative leave and forbids the Trump administration from implementing any new administrative leave on USAID employees. The hearing Thursday centered on the level of “irreparable harm” alleged against Trump’s executive action in court. Nichols asked plaintiff’s attorneys detailed questions about the impact of a stop work order that placed virtually every USAID employee on leave. LAWSUIT TRACKER: NEW RESISTANCE BATTLING TRUMP’S SECOND TERM THROUGH ONSLAUGHT OF LAWSUITS TAKING AIM AT EOS Karla Gilbride, representing the American Foreign Service Association and the American Federation of Government Employees, told the judge that USAID employees had suffered harm both due to their own safety concerns and concerns for their well-being. “These are not a few isolated incidents, this is an unprecedented dismantling of a congressionally created agency,” she said. Plaintiffs “are being harmed by actions that are unconstitutional… This is a coordinated and unconstitutional effort to dismantle the agency.” Meanwhile, the Justice Department attorney, Eric Hamilton told Nichols that the USAID grievances are a matter of “personnel nature,” arguing that they should be handled via the Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB) appeals process, rather than the federal court system. HOUSE COMMITTEE HOLDS HEARING ON ‘THE USAID BETRAYAL’ Hamilton also pushed back on the claims of “irreparable harm,” telling Nichols that the government is “committed to their safety.” “98% of those placed on administrative leave were in the US and the remaining were in developed nations like the UK,” Hamilton said. He pointed to a Wednesday night ruling from U.S. District Judge George O’Toole in Massachusetts allowing the Trump administration’s deferred resignation program – colloquially known as the “fork in the road” resignation offer – to stand, arguing that this action is similar. Last week, Nichols granted a request from U.S. Agency for International Development employees to temporarily block the Trump administration’s order, which would have placed some 2,200 USAID employees on leave as of last Friday, and given all employees living abroad just 30 days to return to U.S. soil at government expense. The order also temporarily reinstated some 500 employees that had been placed on administrative leave by Trump. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Nichols said in his decision last week that, barring court intervention, the abrupt order would cause “irreparable harm” to employees affected by the withdrawal orders. He had paused the Trump administration’s plans through Friday, Feb. 14, which Nichols said would allow for “expedited” arguments to help the court determine the legality of the actions.
Bipartisan letter warns Gabbard new UK order for backdoor Apple data could jeopardize Americans
Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., and Rep. Andy Biggs, R-Ariz., penned a letter to newly sworn-in Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, warning that the United Kingdom’s reported new order demanding backdoor Apple data jeopardizes Americans. The letter, obtained by Fox News Digital, referenced recent press reports that the U.K.’s home secretary “served Apple with a secret order last month, directing the company to weaken the security of its iCloud backup service to facilitate government spying.” The directive reportedly requires the company to weaken the encryption of its iCloud backup service, giving the U.K. government the “blanket capability” to access customers’ encrypted files. Reports further state that the order was issued under the U.K.’s Investigatory Powers Act 2016, commonly known as the “Snoopers’ Charter,” which does not require a judge’s approval. “Apple is reportedly gagged from acknowledging that it received such an order, and the company faces criminal penalties that prevent it from even confirming to the U.S. Congress the accuracy of these press reports,” Wyden and Biggs note. TULSI GABBARD SWORN IN AT WHITE HOUSE HOURS AFTER SENATE CONFIRMATION The United Kingdom has been increasingly cracking down on British citizens for opposition commentary, especially online posts and memes opposing mass migration. As riots broke out in the U.K. last August after a mass stabbing at a Taylor Swift-themed dance event left three girls dead and others wounded, London’s Metropolitan Police chief warned that officials could also extradite and jail U.S. citizens for online posts about the unrest. The letter, however, described the threat of China, Russia and other adversaries spying on Americans. Wyden, who sits on the Senate Intelligence Committee, and Biggs, who chairs a House Judiciary subcommittee on Crime and Federal Government Surveillance, asked Gabbard to “act decisively to protect the security of Americans’ communications from dangerous, shortsighted efforts by the United Kingdom (U.K.) that will undermine Americans’ privacy rights and expose them to espionage by China, Russia and other adversaries.” The Washington Post was among the outlets to report about the U.K. order. “These reported actions seriously threaten the privacy and security of both the American people and the U.S. government,” Wyden and Biggs wrote. “Apple does not make different versions of its encryption software for each market; Apple customers in the U.K. use the same software as Americans. If Apple is forced to build a backdoor in its products, that backdoor will end up in Americans’ phones, tablets, and computers, undermining the security of Americans’ data, as well as of the countless federal, state and local government agencies that entrust sensitive data to Apple products.” The letter also references a Chinese hacking operation known as “Salt Typhoon.” Last year, the Biden White House admitted the Chinese hacked at least nine U.S. telecommunications companies. “The Salt Typhoon hack of U.S. telephone carriers’ wiretapping systems last year – in which President Trump and Vice President Vance’s calls were tapped by China – provides a perfect example of the dangers of surveillance backdoors,” the letter says. “They will inevitably be compromised by sophisticated foreign adversaries and exploited in ways harmful to U.S. national security. As the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) and the FBI confirmed last November, People’s Republic of China (PRC)-affiliated actors were involved in ‘copying of certain information that was subject to U.S. law enforcement requests pursuant to court orders.’” TRUMP LANDS KEY TULSI GABBARD CONFIRMATION FOLLOWING UPHILL SENATE BATTLE “While the U.K has been a trusted ally, the U.S. government must not permit what is effectively a foreign cyberattack waged through political means. If the U.K. does not immediately reverse this dangerous effort, we urge you to reevaluate U.S.-U.K. cybersecurity arrangements and programs as well as U.S. intelligence sharing with the U.K.,” the letter says. Citing a December 2023 report by the U.K. Parliament’s intelligence oversight committee, the letter states that the U.K. benefits greatly from a “mutual presumption towards unrestricted sharing of [Signals Intelligence]” between the U.S. and U.K. and that “[t]he weight of advantage in the partnership with the [National Security Agency] is overwhelmingly in [the U.K.’s] favour.” “The bilateral U.S.-U.K. relationship must be built on trust. If the U.K. is secretly undermining one of the foundations of U.S. cybersecurity, that trust has been profoundly breached,” Wyden and Biggs wrote. At her confirmation hearing, Gabbard stated that “backdoors lead down a dangerous path that can undermine Americans’ Fourth Amendment rights and civil liberties.” In written responses to senators’ questions, she also said, “mandating mechanisms to bypass encryption or privacy technologies undermines user security, privacy, and trust and poses significant risks of exploitation by malicious actors.” “We urge you to put those words into action by giving the U.K. an ultimatum: back down from this dangerous attack on U.S. cybersecurity, or face serious consequences,” Wyden and Biggs wrote. The letter asks Gabbard specifically whether the Trump administration was made aware of the reported order, either by the U.K. or Apple, prior to the press reports and, if so, when and by whom. They also ask what the Trump administration’s understanding is of U.K. law “and the bilateral CLOUD Act agreement with regard to an exception to gag orders for notice to the U.S. government.” Wyden and Biggs asked what the Trump administration’s understanding is “of its obligation to inform Congress and the American public about foreign government demands for U.S. companies to weaken the security of their products, pursuant to the CLOUD Act?” The letter asked that unclassified answers be provided by March 3. Fox News Digital reached out to Apple and the White House regarding the letter, but neither immediately responded.
Trump’s nominee for Commerce secretary passes key vote in the Senate
President Donald Trump’s nominee for U.S. Secretary of Commerce, Howard Lutnick, passed a key procedural vote in the Senate on Thursday, clearing the path for his final confirmation vote. The Senate’s vote this afternoon to invoke cloture ended the debate on Lutnick’s nomination and paved the way for his confirmation as Commerce secretary. Senators advanced his nomination by a 52-45 vote. Republicans control the Senate by a 53-47 majority. Lutnick, Chairman and CEO of the investment firm Cantor Fitzgerald and a co-chair of Trump’s 2024 presidential transition team, needed a majority vote to bring his final confirmation vote to the Senate floor. The Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee voted 16-12 on February 5 to advance Lutnick to the procedural vote. Lutnick testified for over three hours before the Senate Commerce Committee on January 29. TRUMP LANDS KEY TULSI GABBARD CONFIRMATION FOLLOWING UPHILL SENATE BATTLE If confirmed, Lutnick will become one of the wealthiest people to serve in a presidential administration, along with Elon Musk and Trump himself. During Lutnick’s confirmation hearing, he committed to selling all of his interests and assets if confirmed. TULSI GABBARD SWORN IN AT WHITE HOUSE HOURS AFTER SENATE CONFIRMATION “My plan is to only serve the American people. So I will divest — meaning I will sell all of my interests, all of my business interests, all of my assets, everything,” Lutnick said. “I’ve worked together with the Office of Government Ethics, and we’ve reached agreement on how to do that, and I will be divesting within 90 days upon my confirmation.” Lutnick said selling his businesses would prevent a conflict of interest. “Upon confirmation, my businesses will be for sale and someone else will lead them going forward,” Lutnick added. Trump announced Lutnick’s nomination two weeks after he was elected president. “I am thrilled to announce that Howard Lutnick, Chairman & CEO of Cantor Fitzgerald, will join my Administration as the United States Secretary of Commerce. He will lead our Tariff and Trade agenda, with additional direct responsibility for the Office of the United States Trade Representative,” Trump said. Trump applauded Lutnick’s leadership during the presidential transition, saying he “created the most sophisticated process and system to assist us in creating the greatest Administration America has ever seen.” With Lutnick teed up to lead Trump’s “Tariff and Trade agenda,” he faced questions during his confirmation hearing about tariff policy. Lutnick said the argument that tariffs create inflation is “nonsense.” “We are treated horribly by the global trading environment. They all have higher tariffs, non-tariff trade barriers and subsidies. They treat us poorly. We need to be treated better. We can use tariffs to create reciprocity,” Lutnick said. Lutnick testified that he shares Trump’s stance on tariffs, adding he prefers an “across-the-board” strategy to “country-by-country” tariffs. Trump on Monday announced a 25% tariff on all steel and aluminum imports from all countries, adding up to a 35% tariff for Chinese steel and aluminum imports. The tariffs are set to go into effect on March 12.
Social media pounces on Rick Warren tweet about Jesus: ‘You’ll find him in the middle’
Rick Warren faced a raft of backlash on X in response to a post in which he referred to the two thieves who were crucified on either side of Jesus, and declared, “If you’re looking for the #realJesus, not a caricature disfigured by partisan motivations, you’ll find him in the middle, not on either side.” Warren, the author of the popular book “The Purpose Driven Life,” founded Saddleback Church with his wife Kay in 1980, according to pastorrick.com. His Feb. 11 post has earned thousands of replies and more than 3 million views. TRUMP ANNOUNCES EXECUTIVE ORDER CREATING TASK FORCE TO ‘ERADICATE ANTI-CHRISTIAN BIAS’ Seth Dillon, the CEO of the satire site the Babylon Bee, sarcastically quipped, “Yeah, because if there’s one thing Jesus was known for, it was his desire to meet in the middle and compromise on the issues that matter most.” “This is possibly the worst Biblical interpretation I’ve ever seen, and that’s really saying something,” conservative commentator Allie Beth Stuckey declared. “Jesus is not ‘in the middle’ on the murder of children, gender deception, the definition of marriage, or anything else, for that matter. In fact, I seem to remember Him having a particular disdain for the lukewarm.” CANDACE CAMERON BURE FEELS PEOPLE ARE ‘LESS AFRAID OF BEING CANCELED’ IN HOLLYWOOD FOR THEIR FAITH “What happens when the authorial intent of a biblical text is discarded? The text becomes a wax nose, bent according to our own intent. Case in point,” Brad Klassen, a professor at The Master’s Seminary, wrote regarding Warren’s post. David Limbaugh, the brother of the late conservative radio icon Rush Limbaugh, tweeted, “Meaningless mush,” adding, “with all due respect.” SOUTHERN BAPTISTS REJECT RICK WARREN-FOUNDED CHURCH’S APPEAL OF OUSTER OVER FEMALE PASTORS In his most recent tweet prior to the one that came under so much scrutiny, Warren had written, “Jesus: “Whoever #serves me must #FOLLOW me.” Jn 12:26,” adding, “Seems obvious, right? But while serving Jesus in ministry, we can stop #following Him! Instead, we start following politicians, podcasters, or peers-and our vision, values & priorities come from social media, not Jesus. #bad”
Roughly 75,000 federal employees agree to Trump’s buyout offer
Roughly 75,000 federal employees have accepted President Donald Trump’s deferred resignation program, after the U.S. Office of Personnel Management offered more than 2 million federal civilian employees buyouts in January to leave their jobs or be forced to return to work in person. Employees who accepted the so-called “fork in the road” offer will retain all pay and benefits and be exempt from in-person work until Sept. 30, a move that’s part of a broader attempt by the Trump administration to downsize the federal government. “We have too many people,” Trump told reporters Tuesday in a press briefing. “We have office spaces occupied by 4% – nobody showing up to work because they were told not to.” The White House confirmed to Fox News Digital that numbers had climbed to 75,000 as of Thursday morning. JUDGE RESTORES TRUMP ADMINISTRATION’S BUYOUT OFFER TO FEDERAL WORKERS The Trump administration’s offer faced scrutiny, and a federal judge temporarily blocked the administration’s plan from advancing amid challenges from labor union groups who voiced concerns that the law didn’t require the Trump administration to hold up its end of the deal. However, U.S. District Judge George O’Toole of Massachusetts ruled in favor of the White House Wednesday evening, asserting the plaintiffs in the case aren’t directly impacted by the Trump administration’s offer. They “allege that the directive subjects them to upstream effects including a diversion of resources to answer members’ questions about the directive, a potential loss of membership, and possible reputational harm,” O’Toole wrote. “The unions do not have the required direct stake in the Fork Directive, but are challenging a policy that affects others, specifically executive branch employees,” O’Toole wrote. “This is not sufficient.” The Trump administration praised the court’s decision, and White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt described it as “the first of many legal wins for the president.” ‘GET BACK TO WORK’: HOUSE OVERSIGHT TO TAKE ON GOVERNMENT TELEWORK IN 1ST HEARING OF NEW CONGRESS “The court dissolved the injunction due to a lack of standing,” Leavitt said in a statement to Fox News Digital. “This goes to show that lawfare will not ultimately prevail over the will of 77 million Americans who supported President Trump and his priorities.” The buyout program is one of several initiatives the Trump administration has unveiled to cut down the federal workforce. On Tuesday, Trump also signed an executive order instructing the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to coordinate with federal agencies and execute massive cuts in federal workforce staffing numbers. The order instructs DOGE and federal agencies to work together to “significantly” shrink the size of the federal government and limit hiring new employees, according to a White House fact sheet on the order. Specifically, agencies must not hire more than one employee for every four that leave their federal post. Agencies also are instructed to “undertake plans for large-scale reductions in force” and evaluate ways to eliminate or combine agency functions that aren’t legally required, the fact sheet said. Fox News’ Andrea Margolis, Jake Gibson, Jacqui Heinrich and Patrick Ward contributed to this report.
Inheritance tax hits chopping block as more than 200 Republicans push for repeal
FIRST ON FOX: Republican lawmakers are mounting a massive effort to repeal the federal inheritance tax, colloquially known as the “death tax.” Rep. Randy Feenstra, R-Iowa, is leading more than 170 House Republicans on the “Death Tax Repeal Act,” which is also backed by the House’s top tax writer, Ways & Means Chairman Jason Smith, R-Mo. An inheritance or estate tax is levied upon the beneficiary who receives assets upon a person’s death. Republicans have long criticized the estate tax as a needless financial burden on grieving families, particularly hitting small family-owned businesses. It comes as Republicans work on extending President Donald Trump’s 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, whose provisions expire at the end of this year. Among the measures sunsetting in 2026 is a doubling of the estate tax exemption. SCOOP: KEY CONSERVATIVE CAUCUS DRAWS RED LINE ON HOUSE BUDGET PLAN Supporters of the federal estate tax point out that it affects a relatively small number of estates. Penalties are triggered for estates worth roughly $13.9 million at the time of death, according to the latest IRS data. A counterpart bill in the Senate is being led by Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., and is backed by 44 senators. Both Feenstra and Thune argued it was an unnecessary tax that unfairly affected family farms and small businesses in their home states of Iowa, South Dakota and elsewhere. BLACK CAUCUS CHAIR ACCUSES TRUMP OF ‘PURGE’ OF ‘MINORITY’ FEDERAL WORKERS “The death tax is an egregious double tax that unfairly targets American family farms and small businesses and directly threatens long-held farming traditions in rural Iowa and across the country,” Feenstra told Fox News Digital. “It is ridiculous that the federal government sends grieving families a massive tax bill when a loved one passes away.” He said it amounted to “double taxation.” “Family farms and ranches play a vital role in our economy and are the lifeblood of rural communities in South Dakota,” Thune told Fox News Digital. “Losing even one of them to the death tax is one too many. It’s time to put an end to this punishing, burdensome tax once and for all so that family farms, ranches and small businesses can grow and thrive without costly estate planning or massive tax burdens that can threaten their viability.” If Republicans fail to extend Trump’s tax cuts before the end of this year, the estate tax would affect any estates worth roughly $7 million or more, according to Modern Wealth Law. House Ways & Means Committee Republicans shared a memo late last year that said everyday American households could see taxes rise by over 20% if the tax cuts expired. Feenstra and Thune’s bill would abolish the tax altogether, however.
Alabama’s What is a Woman Act, to ‘codify common sense,’ primed for gov’s signature
Alabama Republican Gov. Kay Ivey is set to sign a new bill that she says answers a simple question: What is a woman? The bill from state Rep. Susan DuBose, R-Leeds, and Sen. April Weaver, R-Alabaster, would adjust state law to explicitly define “man,” “woman,” “boy,” “girl,” “father,” “mother,” “male,” female” and “sex.” It cleared the legislature in Montgomery on Wednesday. Ivey is expected to sign the bill later Thursday; remarking, “In Alabama, it does not take a biologist to answer the question: What is a woman?” KETANJI BROWN JACKSON REFUSES TO DEFINE THE WORD ‘WOMAN’ During Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson’s confirmation hearing, the jurist told Tennessee Sen. Marsha Blackburn she could not define the term “woman.” “In this context – I’m not a biologist,” Brown Jackson said. “There are only two genders: Male and female,” Ivey told Fox News Digital. “The What is a Woman bill by Rep. Susan Dubose and Sen. April Weaver is now heading to my desk. I look forward to signing it into law to codify common sense!” The law would require the government to collect vital statistics to identify a person’s sex at birth and “delete obsolete or unnecessary definitions and make nonsubstantive, technical revisions to update the existing code language to current style.” “For purposes of state law, a ‘female’ is an individual whose biological reproductive system is designed to produce ova, and a ‘male’ is an individual whose biological reproductive system is designed to fertilize the ova of a female,” a draft of the bill published on a government site read. WOMANHOOD IS NOT A GAME OF SEMANTICS, ATTORNEY SAYS Alabama House Speaker Nathaniel Ledbetter told Fox News Digital on Thursday the Yellowhammer State is one that “refuses to back down from commonsense conservative values.” “We believe boys should play against boys and girls should play against girls. We believe that men have no business using the girls’ restroom,” said Ledbetter, R-Rainsville. Ledbetter said every human is made in the image of God and their gender is defined by Him. “I am proud that the House has passed Rep. Susan Dubose’s ‘What Is a Woman Act’ and look forward to Governor Ivey signing it into law,” he said. The bill does have its opponents, including the ACLU of Alabama. “We oppose House Bill 405. The ‘What is a Woman’ Act seeks to answer a question that is contextualized by far more than biological gender norms that this bill seeks to codify,” a statement from the group read. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP “The bill establishes a stringent assertion of the definition of a man or woman that completely cuts transgender people out of the picture. This bill attempts to place antiquated gender assumptions as a rule of law.” The group added that the legislation will make it more difficult for transgender people to “authentically” live life. Democrats, including state Reps. Barbara Drummond of Mobile and Napoleon Bracy of Pritchard, also objected to the bill only being slated for 10 minutes of floor debate. The Blackburn-Jackson incident and ensuing public debate also led conservative commentator Matt Walsh to produce a documentary on the matter called “What is a Woman?” When the issue first came up in the Jackson hearing, Blackburn said the jurist being unable to give a “straight answer” about “something as fundamental as what a woman is” underscores the dangers of progressive education. Blackburn suggested that biological male athletes should not be allowed to compete against women.
Dems spar over DOGE cuts with Trump education nominee Linda McMahon
Democratic lawmakers on the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee sparred with President Donald Trump’s Department of Education nominee Linda McMahon on Thursday over cost-cutting efforts underway by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), an agency led by tech billionaire Elon Musk. “I believe the American people spoke loudly in the election last November to say that they want to look at waste, fraud and abuse in our government,” said McMahon, the former CEO of World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE). Pressed by Democrats, including Sen. Tim Kaine of Virginia, if she would follow through with cuts suggested by the “DOGE brothers,” McMahon said she can be counted on to follow congressional statute “because that’s the law.” TRUMP EDUCATION NOMINEE LINDA MCMAHON SAYS SHUTTING DOWN DOE WOULD ‘REQUIRE CONGRESSIONAL ACTION’ Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., also asked if McMahon believes DOGE should have access to “private student data,” suggesting that their probes “should frighten everyone.” “It is my understanding that those employees have been onboarded as employees of the Department of Education, and therefore, they operate under the restraints of utilizing access of information,” McMahon said. “That’s not my understanding,” Murray shot back. “That’s my understanding,” McMahon responded. Murray said it was “deeply disturbing” that DOGE staffers aren’t “held accountable” and that it should “frighten everyone” if they have access to students’ private information. INTO THE RING: TRUMP EDUCATION CHIEF PICK MCMAHON TO TESTIFY ON CUTTING ‘RED TAPE’ AMID DOGE SWEEPS The Department of Education canceled over $100 million in grants for diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) training as part of a broader cost-cutting effort led by DOGE, Fox News Digital previously reported. DOGE announced the termination of 89 DOE contracts, totaling $881 million, including $101 million allocated for DEI programs focused on educating educators about oppression, privilege and power, in a post Monday on X. “Your tax dollars were spent on this,” Musk wrote of the DOE spending. DOGE reported that the Department of Education spent an additional $1.5 million on a contractor to “observe mailing and clerical operations” at a mail center, a contract that was also terminated in the dramatic spending audit. At one point, moderate Republican Sen. Susan Collins of Maine raised the terminated contracts as she asked about fears from some educators that grants for tutoring might be on the chopping block. “There are many worthwhile programs that we should keep,” McMahon said in response to Collins. “But I’m not yet apprised of them. I want to study them. I’d like to get back and talk to you more and to work with you.” DOGE has been on a tirade to cut spending within the DOE, including terminating three grants in early February, one of which funded an institution that had hosted faculty workshops on “Decolonizing the Curriculum.” Trump’s early executive orders launched a federal review of DEI practices in federally funded educational institutions. McMahon testified during Thursday’s hearing that she has “not” had any conversation with Musk about the Department of Education.
Trump’s ‘Make America Healthy Again’ commission to target autism, chronic diseases
FIRST ON FOX: President Donald Trump will sign an executive order on Thursday establishing the Make America Healthy Again Commission, which will be led by newly confirmed Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Fox News Digital exclusively learned. The commission will be chaired by Kennedy and will be “tasked with investigating and addressing the root causes of America’s escalating health crisis, with an initial focus on childhood chronic diseases,” the White House explained of the commission to Fox Digital. Kennedy was confirmed as the nation’s leader of the U.S. Health and Human Services on Thursday, and is expected to be sworn in later in the afternoon. He will chair the upcoming mission, which will work to “restore trust in medical and scientific institutions and hold public hearings, meetings, roundtables” to receive input from health leaders. The commission, Fox Digital learned, will focus on four policy directives to reverse chronic disease, including: providing Americans transparency on health data to “avoid conflicts of interest in all federally funded health research;” prioritizing “gold-standard research on why Americans are getting sick” in all federally-funded health research; working with farmers to ensure food is healthy, as well as affordable; and expanding health coverage and treatment options “for beneficial lifestyle changes and disease prevention.” The commission will initially focus on childhood chronic diseases, such as autism and fatty liver disease, and also investigate adult chronic diseases, such as asthma and the U.S. average life expectancy compared to other nations. RFK JR. VOWS HE WON’T TAKE CHEESEBURGERS AWAY, JUST HIGHLIGHT HEALTH ISSUES: ‘MY BOSS LOVES’ THEM Within 100 days of the commission’s founding, it is expected to publish “an assessment that summarizes what is known and what questions remain regarding the childhood chronic disease crisis, and include international comparisons.” Within 180 days, it’s expected to “produce a strategy, based on the findings of the assessment, to improve the health of America’s children,” Fox Digital learned. SENATE CONFIRMS ROBERT F KENNEDY JR. TO SERVE AS TRUMP’S HEALTH SECRETARY Kennedy and Trump vowed on the campaign trail to “Make America Healthy Again,” including directing their focus on autism among youths in recent years. The commission will investigate chronic conditions for both adults and children, including those related to autism, which the White House said affects one in 36 children. TRUMP HEALTH SECRETARY NOMINEE RFK JR. SURVIVES HEATED HEARINGS Trump in recent months has cited autism stats while previewing his second administration, balking at the number of children currently diagnosed compared to just 25 years ago. “When you look at, like, autism from 25 years ago, and you look at it now, something’s going on,” Trump said in December 2024 ahead of his inauguration. “Think of this: 25 years ago, autism, 1 in 10,000 children. Today it’s 1 in 36 children. Is something wrong? I think so, and Robert and I, we’re going to figure it out.” Trump also vowed while on the campaign trail in June that he would “establish a special Presidential Commission of independent minds who are not bought and paid for by Big Pharma, and I will charge them with investigating what is causing the decades-long increase in chronic illnesses.” TRUMP INNER CIRCLE SHARES MCDONALD’S MEAL AS DONALD JR. JOKES ‘MAKE AMERICA HEALTHY AGAIN STARTS TOMORROW’ The Republican-controlled Senate voted 52–48 on Thursday to confirm Kennedy. His confirmation hearings before the Senate in late January included a few outbursts from protesters, as well as Democrats grilling him over his vaccine stances. Kennedy, who ran for president as a Democrat in 2024 cycle before ultimately dropping out and endorsing Trump, clarified to the Senate that he is not “anti-vaccine.” “I worked for years to raise awareness about the mercury and toxic chemicals in fish. And nobody called me anti-fish. And I believe that … that vaccines play a critical role in healthcare. All of my kids are vaccinated. I’ve read many books on vaccines. My first book in 2014, a first line of it is ‘I am not anti-vaccine’ and last line is ‘I am not anti-vaccine.’ Nor am I the enemy of food producers. American farms are the bedrock of our culture, of our politics, of our national security,” he said during his hearing before the Senate Finance Committee in January.
Shapiro latest Democrat suing ‘unconstitutional’ Trump admin
Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro sued President Donald Trump‘s administration on Thursday to unfreeze federal funds. Pennsylvania is now one of at least 24 states and the District of Columbia with lawsuits challenging Trump’s allegedly “unconstitutional” federal funding freeze. The White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) directed agencies to halt federal funding on January 27. Pennsylvania state agencies have been unable to access $1.2 billion in federal funds with an additional $900 million requiring federal review, according to the lawsuit. Shapiro is seeking to unfreeze those funds. The lawsuit names Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin, Energy Secretary Chris Wright, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy and OMB Director Russell Vought in their respective capacities. “The federal government has entered into a contract with the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, promising to provide billions of dollars in Congressionally approved funding that we have committed to serious needs – like protecting public health, cutting energy costs, providing safe, clean drinking water, and creating jobs in rural communities. With this funding freeze, the Trump Administration is breaking that contract – and it’s my job as Governor to protect Pennsylvania’s interests,” Shapiro said. TRUMP ADMINISTRATION APPEALS FEDERAL JUDGE’S ORDER TO UNFREEZE FEDERAL FUNDS The Trump administration has called the legal challenges to Trump’s executive orders “an attempt to undermine the will of the American people.” The White House on Thursday dismissed Shapiro’s lawsuit as an extension of the “Left’s resistance.” “Radical Leftists can either choose to swim against the tide and reject the overwhelming will of the people, or they can get on board and work with President Trump to advance his wildly popular agenda. These lawsuits are nothing more than an extension of the Left’s resistance — and the Trump Administration is ready to face them in court,” White House Principal Deputy Press Secretary Harrison Fields said. WHITE HOUSE STILL COMMITTED TO FREEZING ‘WOKE’ FUNDS DESPITE RESCINDING OMB MEMO Shapiro said federal funding could jeopardize Pennsylvania projects, including “reclaiming abandoned mine land, capping and plugging orphan wells, and lowering consumer costs.” Meanwhile, the Commonwealth is incurring debt on federally approved projects. Pennsylvania has joined at least 23 states and Washington, D.C., who have sued the Trump administration to unfreeze federal funds. Federal judges have issued a temporary restraining order to block the funding freeze in states with litigation against the Trump administration. Because Pennsylvania did not sue the Trump administration to unfreeze funds, they were not impacted by the order releasing funds. “While multiple federal judges have ordered the Trump Administration to unfreeze this funding, access has not been restored, leaving my Administration with no choice but to pursue legal action to protect the interests of the Commonwealth and its residents,” Shapiro said. Shapiro is suing the Trump administration to reap the benefit of the federal judge’s order. Democratic groups quickly came out in support of Shapiro’s lawsuit. “We strongly support Governor Shapiro’s action to protect Pennsylvanians, support communities and cut costs by challenging this funding freeze. Blocking these critical funds is an unacceptable attack on Pennsylvania families, communities and economic stability. These funds were legally approved by Congress and are crucial to supporting working families, rural communities and public safety initiatives across the commonwealth,” the Pennsylvania House Democrats said in a statement. Evergreen Action, a progressive climate action organization, applauded Shapiro for standing up for Pennsylvanians. “Pennsylvania and its communities, businesses, and local governments must regain access to their funds immediately and be freed from this chaos and uncertainty. We are grateful for the governor’s leadership and hope these critical funds are soon able to reach the people who need them most,” Evergreen Action Deputy State Policy Director, Julia Kortrey, said.