21 federal digital service staffers resign, refuse to help DOGE
Twenty-one civil service employees resigned from the Trump administration on Tuesday, saying that they refused to help the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) trim the federal workforce, according to the Associated Press. The 21 staffers, including engineers, data scientists and product managers, reportedly sent a joint resignation letter stating that they are opposed to using their technical expertise to “compromise core government systems.” “We will not use our skills as technologists to compromise core government systems, jeopardize Americans’ sensitive data, or dismantle critical public services,” the 21 employees said in their letter obtained by the AP. “We will not lend our expertise to carry out or legitimize DOGE’s actions.” DOGE adviser Katie Millier said in an X post that the employees who resigned were “full remote workers who hung Trans flags from their workplaces.” IRS TO SLASH NEARLY 7K EMPLOYEES STARTING THURSDAY: REPORTS The reported resignations come as DOGE leader Elon Musk has been spearheading the Trump administration’s efforts to increase government efficiency by laying off federal employees and eliminating wasteful federal spending. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt dismissed the resignation letter in a statement to the Associated Press, noting that any court challenges or other protests will not affect Trump from delivering his promises. “Anyone who thinks protests, lawsuits, and lawfare will deter President Trump must have been sleeping under a rock for the past several years,” Leavitt reportedly wrote. “President Trump will not be deterred from delivering on the promises he made to make our federal government more efficient and more accountable to the hardworking American taxpayers.” TRUMP SIGNS ORDER INSTRUCTING DOGE TO MASSIVELY CUT FEDERAL WORKFORCE Fox News Digital also reached out to the White House about the letter but did not immediately hear back. The 21 staffers were originally onboarded into DOGE after working for the United States Digital Service, an office established under former President Barack Obama’s administration following the botched rollout of Healthcare.gov, according to the AP. The web portal was used by millions of Americans to sign up for insurance plans through the Democrat’s signature healthcare law, the Affordable Care Act. The now-former staffers complained about their DOGE onboarding process after Trump took office. “Several of these interviewers refused to identify themselves, asked questions about political loyalty, attempted to pit colleagues against each other, and demonstrated limited technical ability,” the staffers reportedly wrote in their letter. “This process created significant security risks.” DOGE SCORES BIG COURT WIN, ALLOWED ACCESS DATA ON 3 FEDERAL AGENCIES During the transition, 40 staffers were reportedly laid off earlier this month and the 65 remaining staffers were integrated into DOGE. Only 44 employees now remain, according to the AP. “We swore to serve the American people and uphold our oath to the Constitution across presidential administrations,” the 21 staffers reportedly stated. “However, it has become clear that we can no longer honor those commitments.” The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Germany’s conservative election turn points to ‘Trump effect internationally,’ expert says
The victory for Germany’s conservative opposition in Sunday’s election was the latest example of the “Trump effect internationally,” according to Ned Ryun, the founder and CEO of American Majority. “I think you’re really seeing is many people waking up and realizing how immoral their leaders are. The moral imperative of every national leader is to prioritize, protect and advance his or her people and nation’s interests on every issue,” Ryun told Fox News Digital. “To not do that, in fact to sell out your people via terrible trade deals or terrible immigration policy, is deeply immoral.” The comments come after Friedrich Merz of Germany’s center-right Christian Democratic Union (CDU) won the country’s national election Sunday, ousting incumbent Chancellor Olaf Scholz of the center-left Social Democratic Party (SPD). The election also saw the rise of Germany’s right-wing Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, which finished second in the voting, according to exit polls. TRUMP CELEBRATES CONSERVATIVE PARTY WIN IN GERMANY The conservative victory in Germany was powered largely by voter discontent with a growing illegal immigration crisis in the country and across Europe, and a revolt against established policy that has been led by President Donald Trump. “I think more and more politicians are speaking out about it because it’s an existential crisis that’s dawning on not only some politicians but a growing number of the populace,” Ryun said. “This isn’t just about the incredible economic costs of immigration being shouldered by the people of a given country. It’s about who will we be as a people in the future? What will it mean, if anything, to be a citizen of a country? And what will it even mean to be a country if there are no real borders and mass migration?” “I think you’ll have some indication on the spread of this by what happens with Vox in Spain, AfD in Germany in the next elections, etc.,” he added. Trump himself welcomed the news of the conservative victory in Germany in an all-caps post on social media, calling the result a victory for common sense. “LOOKS LIKE THE CONSERVATIVE PARTY IN GERMANY HAS WON THE VERY BIG AND HIGHLY ANTICIPATED ELECTION,” Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social. “MUCH LIKE THE USA, THE PEOPLE OF GERMANY GOT TIRED OF THE NO COMMON SENSE AGENDA, ESPECIALLY ON ENERGY AND IMMIGRATION, THAT HAS PREVAILED FOR SO MANY YEARS. “THIS IS A GREAT DAY FOR GERMANY, AND FOR THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF A GENTLEMAN NAMED DONALD J. TRUMP,” he added. “CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL — MANY MORE VICTORIES TO FOLLOW!!!” GERMANY’S NEW CONSERVATIVE LEADER LOOKS TO ‘ACHIEVE INDEPENDENCE’ FROM US But it remains to be seen just how well Trump will be able to work together with the new German government, with Merz making clear shortly after his victory that it would be an “absolute priority for Germany to “achieve independence” from the United States. “I would never have thought that I would have to say something like this in a TV show but, after Donald Trump’s remarks last week… it is clear that this government does not care much about the fate of Europe,” Merz said on Sunday. “My absolute priority will be to strengthen Europe as quickly as possible so that, step by step, we can really achieve independence from the USA.” That skepticism of a new age of cooperating between the U.S. and Germany is shared by Ryun, though he believes Trump will ultimately get what he wants in the form of greater European contributions to its own defense. “I think Trump will actually have very few opportunities with this new government in Germany,” Ryun said. “I think Trump will get what he wants ultimately in forcing Germany and the rest of Europe to grow up. We’re not going to fund your national defense anymore so those countries can over invest in social welfare programs. Time to step up to the plate and act like adults and live in reality.” Some of that could change in the future, Ryun stressed, noting that the right-wing AfD party is likely to get locked out of Germany’s coalition government, despite finishing second in Sunday’s election, though the party’s continued momentum could see it make its way into the majority by Germany’s next election. The largest issue in that election, Ryun believes, will still be immigration. “I think AfD will be completely shut out, but I think in the next election it could even become the majority party in Germany,” Ryun said. “The reason I think AfD will see future success is that Merz and the CDU have already made it abundantly clear that they’ve no intention of shutting the borders down.”
Trump strips security clearances from law firm tied to Jack Smith cases
FIRST ON FOX: President Donald Trump is expected to sign a memo Tuesday suspending the security clearances for employees of a top D.C.-based law firm who assisted in former special counsel Jack Smith’s investigations, Fox News has learned. The memo, first reported by Fox News, outlines the administration’s sweeping plans to suspend security clearances for all counsel members involved in Jack Smith’s dual special counsel investigations into Trump, the White House confirmed. It’s the latest in a string of punitive actions Trump has taken to strip power from his political and legal foes. The memo orders the federal government to review and terminate the engagement of law firm Covington & Burling by the U.S. government “to the maximum extent permitted by law,” and will conduct a detailed evaluation of funding decisions to ensure they with American citizens’ interests and the priorities of this Administration, as detailed in executive directives. MORE THAN 1 MILLION FEDERAL EMPLOYEES COMPLIED WITH MUSK’S ‘WHAT DID YOU DO LAST WEEK’ EMAIL: WH Among those targeted is Peter Koski, the former deputy chief of the Justice Department’s public integrity section. Covington vice chair Lanny Breuer, who helped lead the Justice Department’s criminal division under then-President Barack Obama, is also expected to be squarely in the crosshairs of the review. Breuer, for his part, had recruited Smith in 2010 to head up DOJ’s Public Integrity Section. The two made headlines earlier this month after Politico reported they had been offering pro bono legal services to Jack Smith prior to his resignation from the Justice Department last month. The White House said Tuesday that the firm had offered Smith $140,000 in free legal services. In revoking the government clearances of top Justice Department personnel, the administration said Trump is “sending a clear message that the Federal Government will no longer tolerate the abuse of power by partisan actors who exploit their positions for political gain.” “The Federal Government will review and terminate engagement of Covington & Burling LLP by the United States to the maximum extent permitted by law,” the memo is expected to say, according to a White House official. Smith was tapped by then-Attorney General Merrick Garland in 2022 to investigate the alleged effort by Trump and his allies to overturn the results of the 2020 election, as well as Trump’s keeping of allegedly classified documents at his Florida residence after leaving the White House. He had previously indicted Trump in D.C. on charges stemming from his alleged efforts to overturn the 2020 election results. Smith also brought federal charges against Trump in Florida for his handling of classified documents after leaving the White House. Both cases were dropped after Trump’s election, in keeping with a longstanding Justice Department memo that states it is against DOJ policy to investigate a sitting president for federal criminal charges. The memo says it is a violation of the separation of powers doctrine to do so. They have also cited a July Supreme Court decision that widened the criteria for immunity for sitting presidents. Covington & Burling LLP did not immediately respond to Fox News’s request for comment. This is a breaking news story. Check back soon for updates.
Here are the agencies that followed Musk’s DOGE productivity email verdict – and the ones that didn’t
When Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) Chair Elon Musk asked federal staffers to respond to a personal productivity email or get fired — not all federal agencies complied. While some leaders of federal agencies voiced support for the Office of Personnel and Management (OPM) email instructing staffers to provide a summary of the tasks they accomplished the previous week by Monday at 11:59 p.m., and participated themselves, others instructed their agencies to ignore it. One million federal workers did comply with Musk’s request, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters Tuesday. “All federal workers should be working at the same pace that President Trump is working and moving,” Leavitt told reporters at the White House Tuesday. “We have a country to save, and we want this federal government to be responsive to the needs of the American people who re-elected this president to have historic, massive reform. And that’s what the intention of this idea is.” Musk unveiled the email in a post on X Saturday and cautioned that a failure to reply was equivalent to handing in a resignation. “Consistent with President @realDonaldTrump’s instructions, all federal employees will shortly receive an email requesting to understand what they got done last week,” Musk wrote. “Failure to respond will be taken as a resignation.” Although the deadline has passed, it’s not over for those who didn’t reply. Musk said later on Monday in a post on X that “subject to the discretion of the President, they will be given another chance” to respond. Failure to do so will result in termination, he said. ‘IF YOU DON’T ANSWER…YOU’RE FIRED’: TRUMP STANDS BEHIND MUSK’S DOGE PRODUCTIVITY EMAIL However, the White House said Tuesday that employees should look to their own agency for guidance on how to proceed with the directive. “Agencies should consider any appropriate actions regarding employees who fail to respond to activity,” a White House official told Fox News Digital Tuesday. “It is agency leadership’s decision as to what actions are taken.” Musk is heading up the newly created DOGE, which aims to reduce government waste and fraud. Here are the agencies that followed Musk’s directive: Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy listed five accomplishments he completed for the week, pointing to the Trump administration’s effort to halt New York City’s congestion pricing toll program, which charges passenger vehicles $9 to enter certain areas of Manhattan. “Mr. President, 5 things I did last week:” Duffy posted to X Monday. “1. Terminated NYC elitist, anti-worker congestion pricing. 2. Launched an investigation into the $16 billion in taxpayer dollars wasted on a high-speed rail project that, after 17 years, has yet to lay a single mile of track. 3. Saved $10 million a year by eliminating redundant and outdated landlines.” Other tasks Duffy listed included visiting the Air Traffic Control Command Center in Warrenton, Virginia, and touring the Burbank, California, traffic control tower. Secretary of Veterans Affairs Doug Collins posted his own productivity report to X Monday, taking credit for processing 1 million disability claims for fiscal year 2025 and identifying “wasteful” contracts to cancel. “I launched a review of VA’s community care practices so we can maximize Veterans’ health care choices (more on this in the future)!” Collins said in the post. Kelly Loeffler, who is leading the Small Business Administration (SBA), shared a list with Fox News Digital of five things she accomplished following her Wednesday confirmation. Among the tasks she cited were supporting “the Office of the Advocate to work across agencies to cut burdensome regulation imposed on small businesses,” and establishing the Office of Manufacturing and Trade to advance President Donald Trump’s “America First” agenda. Other tasks included creating a fraud working group to analyze loan fraud and meeting with governors to discuss SBA’s services at the state level. SBA aims to provide small business owners with counseling, capital and contracting expertise to advance their businesses. TRUMP RATTLES OFF ‘FLAGRANT SCAMS’ UNCOVERED BY DOGE, TAKES AIM AT FORT KNOX IN CPAC SPEECH Here are the agencies that have pushed back on Musk’s email edict: Darin Selnick, who is performing the duties of the undersecretary of defense for personnel and readiness, issued a letter Sunday to civilian personnel at the Pentagon about how to handle the matter. “When and if required, the Department will coordinate responses to the email you have received from OPM,” he wrote. “For now, please pause any response to the OPM email titled, ‘What did you do last week.’” The State Department also ensured its staff didn’t need to feel compelled to respond to OPM’s email. “The State Department will respond on behalf of the Department,” Tibor Nagy, the acting undersecretary of management, said in an email Saturday. “No employee is obligated to report their activities outside their Department chain of command.” FBI Director Kash Patel also instructed his employees to disregard Musk’s email. DOD TELLS CIVILIAN WORKFORCE TO IGNORE ELON MUSK’S REQUEST TO REPORT PRODUCTIVITY “FBI personnel may have received an email from OPM requesting information,” Patel told employees in an email on Saturday. “The FBI, through the Office of the Director, is in charge of all of our review processes, and will conduct reviews in accordance with FBI procedures. When and if further information is required, we will coordinate the responses. For now, please pause any responses.” Likewise, the Justice Department also issued similar instructions, according to a letter obtained by CNN. While the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) didn’t order its employees to disregard the OPM email, it did warn its personnel to exercise caution if they chose to respond and use “a high level of generality and describe your work in a manner to protect sensitive data,” NBC News reported. “There is no HHS expectation that HHS employees respond to OPM and there is no impact to your employment with the agency if you choose not to respond,” the email from HHS said, according to NBC News. “That said, if you choose to respond, here are the guidelines you should
Ohio transgender bathroom law takes effect as top proponent calls it ‘victory for safety & common sense’
Ohio’s new law, which designates student restrooms, locker rooms and shower facilities be categorized for use by biological sex, took effect Tuesday. The law, signed by Republican Gov. Mike DeWine in November, was a major win for Republicans, and derided by critics, including on the Buckeye State’s many college campuses. “No school shall permit a member of the female biological sex to use a student restroom, locker room, changing room, or shower room that has been designated by the school for the exclusive use of the male biological sex,” the text of the law reads. There are exceptions made for single-person “family restrooms” and other similar latrines. SPEAKER JOHNSON ANNOUNCES NEW CAPITOL BATHROOM POLICY IN RESPONSE TO DELAWARE LAWMAKER CONTROVERSY “The bathroom bill going into effect is a victory for privacy, safety, and common sense. Ohio is standing up for women and girls by ensuring that bathrooms and locker rooms remain single-sex spaces,” Ohio House Majority Whip Nick Santucci, R-Niles, told Fox News Digital. Santucci said just as Texas and Florida led the nation on this issue, Ohio is stepping up as well. “With the upcoming [midterm] election, Ohio is set to become a state to watch,” he said. FLASHBACK: SCOTUS DECLINES IN SCHOOL’S APPEAL OF TRANSGENDER BATHROOM ORDER “This is a small step in proving that Ohio is a state of common sense and leadership.” The whip said to expect more “bold” legislation from Columbus as the Buckeye State takes the “lead in protecting its citizens and upholding conservative values.” State Sen. Jerry Cirino, R-Cleveland, the bill’s sponsor, said at the time of DeWine’s signing, the policy “protects our children and grandchildren in private spaces where they are most vulnerable.” CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Among those college students and leaders who are opposed to the policy, the law’s enaction comes at a time for “soul-searching,” according to the Associated Press. Oberlin College published policies saying the school will comply with the law, and is offering counseling. The school is also reportedly allowing pupils to move out of their dormitories, according to the outlet. A student at Antioch College told the AP the law is bound to cause “uncertainty” on campus. “It’s in the back of your head that this law is hanging over us.” The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Trump admin guts White House Correspondents Association in bid to end ‘monopoly’ of ‘DC journalists’
The White House Correspondents Association will no longer be responsible for determining which outlets get privileged access to the briefing room and the White House, President Donald Trump’s administration announced Tuesday. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt says the White House press team will now determine the rotations and which outlets get access, upending decades of WHCA supremacy. Leavitt clarified that legacy media outlets that have been prominent within the WHCA will still have a presence at briefings, and that the five major television networks will still be relied on to broadcast White House events. “I am proud to announce that we are going to give the power back to the people who read your papers, who watch your television shows, and who listen to your radio stations. Moving forward, the White House press pool will be determined by the White House press team. Legacy outlets who have participated in the press pool for decades will still be allowed to join, fear not. But we will also be offering the privilege to well-deserving outlets who have never been allowed to share in this awesome responsibility,” Leavitt told reporters during Tuesday’s briefing. The announcement comes just days after The Associated Press sued the Trump White House for denying the outlet access to the briefing room, Air Force One and other exclusive areas. A federal judge ruled in favor of the White House on Monday. TRUMP OFFICIALS LIST 5 WEEKLY ACCOMPLISHMENTS AHEAD OF MUSK MIDNIGHT DEADLINE Leavitt argued the WHCA had represented an entrenched monopoly of “DC journalists” who no longer represented the wider media landscape and how Americans get their news. “A select group of D.C.-based journalists should no longer have a monopoly over the privilege of press access at the White House. All journalists, outlets and voices deserve a seat at this highly coveted table,” she said. The White House decision “tears at the independence of a free press in the United States,” WHCA president Eugene Daniels said in a statement. “It suggests the government will choose the journalists who cover the president. In a free country, leaders must not be able to choose their own press corps.” Daniels said the WHCA received no heads up from the White House before the decision. The Trump White House had earlier introduced a “new media seat” in the briefing room to provide access to more diverse outlets. The digital outlet Semafor was represented at Tuesday’s briefing. GOOGLE MAPS UPDATE: GULF OF AMERICA, MOUNT MCKINLEY WILL BE IN AFTER TRUMP ORDERS NAME CHANGES The White House originally blocked The Associated Press last week from the Oval Office and Air Force One because the news organization has refrained from renaming the “Gulf of Mexico” to the “Gulf of America.” “The Associated Press continues to ignore the lawful geographic name change of the Gulf of America. This decision is not just divisive, but it also exposes the Associated Press’ commitment to misinformation. While their right to irresponsible and dishonest reporting is protected by the First Amendment, it does not ensure their privilege of unfettered access to limited spaces, like the Oval Office and Air Force One,” White House deputy chief of staff Taylor Budowich wrote on X. “Going forward, that space will now be opened up to the many thousands of reporters who have been barred from covering these intimate areas of the administration,” Budowich continued. “Associate Press journalists and photographers will retain their credentials to the White House complex.” CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP AP senior vice president and executive editor Julie Pace wrote to White House chief of staff Susie Wiles last week after a reporter was blocked from attending a White House event. “The actions taken by this White House were plainly intended to punish the AP for the content of its speech,” Pace wrote, according to an AP report. “It is among the most basic tenets of the First Amendment that the government cannot retaliate against the public or the press for what they say.”
NSA investigates ‘secret sex chats’ under guise of DEI on internal agency message board
Federal employees within the intelligence community are under investigation for allegedly misusing an internal agency messaging board to dish on their sexual fantasies under the guise of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI), officials say. Chat logs from the National Security Agency’s (NSA) “Intelink” messaging platform, obtained by researchers from the conservative Manhattan Institute reportedly via sources within the NSA, revealed employees from various intelligence agencies discussing their experiences with gender-reassignment surgery, artificial genitalia, hormone therapy, polyamory and pronoun usage. Some of these agencies reportedly include the Defense Intelligence Agency, U.S. Naval Intelligence and the NSA. One Defense Intelligence Agency officer who had gender transition surgery appears to have written messages about experiences “being penetrated,” while other messages included graphic descriptions of laser hair removal, hormone replacement therapy and breast augmentation, among other procedures. Some discussions included talk about sexual arousal post-operation and other lewd sexual experiences. DOGE TEAM WELCOMED AT THE PENTAGON BUT SOME REMAIN SKEPTICAL After the Intelink chat logs were released Monday, an NSA spokesperson indicated to Fox News Digital that it was “actively investigating” potential abuses of the agency-operated messaging platform. “NSA hosts the Intelink service for the Intelligence Community. As the service provider, NSA takes very seriously the allegations in this reporting, and, if accurate, they would be violations of longn-standing Intelligence Community policy,” the agency spokesperson said. “The Intelligence Community places great trust in those personnel that we authorize to access U.S. Government systems, and in return we expect full compliance with all laws, policies and regulations which govern our work.” Meanwhile, recently confirmed Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard called the uncovered behavior “unacceptable,” writing on social media that “those involved WILL be held accountable.” JUDGE BLOCKS PARTS OF TRUMP EXECUTIVE ORDERS TARGETING DEI, CITING FREE SPEECH “These disgusting chat groups were immediately shut down when [the president] issued his EO ending the DEI insanity the Biden Admin was obsessed with,” Gabbard wrote on X, formerly Twitter, on Monday evening. “Our IC must be focused on our core mission: ensuring the safety, security, and freedom of the American people.” The chat logs in question stemmed from DEI-focused groups hosted on the NSA’s Intelink Messenger, titled “LBTQA” and “IC_Pride_TWG,” according to the Manhattan Institute’s Christopher Rufo, a senior fellow. Rufo said the sources that approached him indicated the sexually explicit chats were given legitimacy through the NSA’s DEI efforts, which the agency has described as “not only mission critical, but mission imperative.” TRUMP ADMIN DIRECTS FEDERAL AGENCIES TO END DEI CONSIDERATIONS IN GOVT CONTRACTS AS DOGE’S IMPACT SPREADS The messages were part of DEI-focused employee resource groups that had been hijacked by activists who “spent all day” holding meetings with titles such as “Privilege,” “Ally Awareness,” “Pride,” and “Transgender Community Inclusion,” the source who leaked the chat logs reportedly informed the Manhattan Institute. The source recounted, according to Rufo, that they were particularly “disgusted” by a chat that included discussions of weekend group sex. Other discussions included conversations about spending thousands of dollars in countries like Italy and Thailand to obtain gender-reassignment surgery, experiences of being publicly “groped” at a concert, and using “it/its” pronouns. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP The NSA source highlighted to Rufo that the chat logs raised questions about some intel officials’ mental fitness for their jobs. “These are folks with top secret clearances believing they are an IT!” the source said to Rufo.
Federal watchdog releases first DOGE-era report detailing areas of government prone to fraud, waste and abuse
The Government Accountability Office (GAO) released a report Tuesday detailing areas of the federal government especially vulnerable to fraud, waste and abuse, hours ahead of a House Oversight Committee hearing to discuss its findings. The government’s chief watchdog releases a report at the start of each Congress to identify which federal programs are most susceptible to waste, fraud, abuse, and mismanagement. Tuesday’s report, which includes recommendations to executive branch agencies as well as Congress, is the first delivered during the age of the Trump administration’s Department of Government Efficiency. The GAO’s 2025 High-Risk List highlights 38 areas across the federal government “that are seriously vulnerable to waste, fraud, abuse, and mismanagement or that are in need of transformation.” WHITE HOUSE PUSHES BACK ON REPORT CLAIMING SOME CANCELED DOGE CONTRACTS WON’T SAVE TAXPAYERS MON The report cites $84 billion in savings as a result of GAO recommendations over the past two years, but the watchdog adds that “the progress made overall varied.” The watchdog added a new section this year dedicated to federal disaster assistance in the wake of California wildfires and back-to-back hurricanes that pounded the Southeast over the past several months. GAO Comptroller General Gene Dodaro testified before the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform regarding the report. Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., has billed the report as a “roadmap” provided to the Trump administration and DOGE, led by Elon Musk, to “take on the runaway federal bureaucracy.” “Despite GAO’s recommendations to protect taxpayers and their comprehensive reports released each year, bloated federal programs continue to squander taxpayer funds and fail to meet basic objectives. Americans are tired of the federal government failing its report card and demand action,” Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., said in a statement last week. “Americans are demanding action and President Trump, DOGE, and Republicans in Congress are delivering on that promise.” FEDERAL AGENCY TELLS STAFF RESPONSES TO MUSK’S DOGE PRODUCTIVITY EMAIL MAY BE READ BY ‘MALIGN FOREIGN ACTORS’ Last year, 27 natural disasters caused at least $1 billion in economic damage and 568 deaths. The GAO assessed that the “federal approach to disaster recovery is fragmented across over 30 federal entities,” meaning “many entities involved with multiple programs and authorities, differing requirements and timeframes, and limited data sharing across entities could make it harder for survivors and communities to navigate federal programs.” “FEMA and other federal entities – including Congress – need to address the nation’s fragmented federal approach to disaster recovery,” according to the report summary. “Attention is also needed to improve processes for assisting survivors, invest in resilience, and strengthen FEMA’s disaster workforce and capacity.”
Trump surprises first White House tour of the year
President Donald Trump surprised guests at the first White House tour of the year Tuesday, drawing a “USA!” chant after thanking them for visiting. “I want to thank you very much for coming. The tour is so great… the First Lady worked very hard in making it perfect and I think you are going to really love it,” Trump was heard telling the group in a video shared by the White House. “And I heard you were here and I said ‘let’s stop by and say hello.’” “It’s a group of very smart looking people I must say, very smart, maybe someday you’ll be here as the president, right?” Trump continued, drawing laughter from the crowd. “Somebody in this group has a chance. Have a good time, have a great tour.” “You are going to get a special tour. Have fun everybody,” Trump concluded, before a “USA!” chant broke out. FIRST LADY MELANIA TRUMP ANNOUNCES REOPENING OF PUBLIC WHITE HOUSE TOURS The White House says on its website that the public can request tours through their member of Congress. EAGLES WILL ACCEPT WHITE HOUSE VISIT AS SOON AS PRESIDENT TRUMP EXTENDS INVITE “Tours of the White House include the public rooms in the East Wing and the Residence, which include the Vermeil Room, the Library, the China Room, the Blue Room, Red Room, Green Room, the State Dining Room, and a view of the White House Kennedy Garden,” the White House said. “Secret Service Officers are stationed along the tour route and are available to answer questions about each room’s history, art, furnishings, current uses, and beyond,” it added.
Dems demand Trump resume cash flow as they finally get leverage in race to prevent shutdown
Congressional Democrats want to make sure President Donald Trump and his administration don’t attempt to impound, or choose not to spend some of the money that is allocated in a new spending bill to avoid a government shutdown on the March 14 deadline. They are specifically demanding assurance that Trump spends the money as Congress has appropriated, and this could take shape in a provision in the bill to stop the government from shutting down next month, four sources familiar with the discussions shared with Fox News Digital. The demand comes as Trump and congressional Democrats continue to feud over the 1974 Impoundment Control Act, which reasserted Congress’ power of the purse and barred the executive branch from holding back any appropriated funds. EXCLUSIVE: TRUMP WARNS MAJOR DEM AGAINST MOVE THAT COULD COST VOTERS TRILLIONS However, some constitutional scholars have argued this law was unconstitutional, a philosophy that Trump and his Office of Management and Budget (OMB) chief Russell Vought share. The clash over impoundment could eventually prompt the courts to rule on it. “The administration will not accept infringement on its lawful or constitutional authorities,” White House deputy press secretary Anna Kelly told Fox News Digital in a statement. “Yeah, I think we’re looking through and considering all the various possibilities at this point of how to comply with it,” Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., told Fox News Digital in a statement. “And again, I remind people, we’re in this situation because the Democrats didn’t move a single appropriation bill last year across the floor, even though 11 of them had been passed by the committee. So this is a pileup that they created, and now we have to try and figure out how to manage. But we’ll sort it out and figure out how to keep the government funded,” he added. ETHICS WATCHDOG FLAGS SENATOR HELPING MAKE MILLIONS FOR WIFE’S GREEN NONPROFIT As the majority leader referenced, the government has been funded largely through stopgap spending bills in recent years, with the Democrats unwilling to bring appropriations bills to the floor when they were at the helm in the previous Congress. House Appropriations Committee Chairman Tom Cole, R-Okla., spoke up during the GOP conference meeting on Tuesday, telling his colleagues that Democrats were asking for too high a price in negotiations that is restraining Trump’s authority, a Republican lawmaker shared with Fox News Digital. “We cannot just reach an agreement, pass a bill, and then stand by while President Trump rips our laws in half,” Senate Appropriations Committee ranking member Patty Murray, D-Wash., said recently, her office noted. “There is a serious, bipartisan path forward for our country – but it is one where Congress works together to avoid a shutdown, stops the de facto shutdown that is already happening, and reasserts its authority to protect the funding our communities need.” TRUMP TAX CUT PLAN HITS TURBULENCE AHEAD OF HOUSE VOTE AS REPUBLICANS SPLIT Senate Appropriations Committee Chairwoman Susan Collins, R-Maine, also previously told reporters that Democrats’ request for guarantees from the Trump administration is “certainly a major issue,” as her office referenced. She explained, “There’s still not agreement. We’re close, but there’s still not agreement on the topline and the allocation under that for defense and non-defense. I’ve made four different offers. The last one was a joint offer with Tom Cole, and it was a very fair offer, as were all the others.” Democrats are in a position they haven’t been in the first several weeks of the new Congress as the two parties attempt to negotiate a spending bill to prevent a partial government shutdown: They have leverage. FOLLOWING KEY WINS, TRUMP POISED FOR CABINET COMPLETION IN RECORD TIME Republicans are going to need some level of Democratic support for a spending bill in order to get it through the House and Senate. Sixty votes are needed in the Senate, meaning at least seven Democrats will need to back the bill, provided that all Republicans also support it. In the House, only a majority is needed, but full Republican support of any bill is not guaranteed. With that in mind, Democrats are using their position to try and rein in Trump’s actions as it relates to shaking up the federal bureaucracy and canceling spending and contracts through the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which billionaire Elon Musk was tapped to lead. The White House, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., Rep. Rosa DeLauro, D-Conn., ranking member of the House Appropriations Committee, and Cole did not provide comment to Fox News Digital in time for publication.