Federal judge blocks Trump birthright citizenship order: ‘Unequivocal Constitutional right’
In a Washington state courtroom, a federal judge scolded the Trump administration Thursday as he blocked an order restricting birthright citizenship while criticizing the president over his executive order. “It has become ever more apparent that, to our president, the rule of law is but an impediment to his policy goals. The rule of law is, according to him, something to navigate around or simply ignore, whether that be for political or personal gain,” U.S. District Judge John Coughenour said while announcing his ruling from a Seattle courtroom. In his order, Coughenour said citizenship by birth “is an unequivocal Constitutional right.” TRUMP ADMIN HITS BACK AS ACLU LAUNCHES LAWSUIT ON BIRTHRIGHT CITIZENSHIP: ‘READY TO FACE THEM’ “It is one of the precious principles that makes the United States the great nation that it is,” the ruling states. “The president cannot change, limit, or qualify this Constitutional right via an executive order.” Thursday’s ruling came a day after a Maryland federal judge also blocked Trump’s executive order. In that case, U.S. District Judge Deborah Boardman, a Biden appointee, noted a prior ruling that had paused the implementation of Trump’s order. Boardman argued citizenship is a “national concern that demands a uniform policy.” The prior ruling only paused implementation of Trump’s order for 14 days, however, while Boardman’s ruling will last through appeal. “Citizenship is a most precious right, expressly granted by the Fourteenth Amendment to the Constitution,” she wrote in her ruling. TRUMP’S HOUSE GOP ALLIES PUSH BIRTHRIGHT CITIZENSHIP BILL AFTER PROGRESSIVE FURY AT PRESIDENTIAL ORDER At issue is whether the order violates the 14th Amendment, which states, “All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside.” Trump’s order essentially withholds citizenship for the American-born children of illegal immigrants. Critics contend that Trump exceeded his authority. Coughenour said Trump was trying to amend the 14th Amendment for political reasons. “In this courtroom and under my watch, the rule of law is a bright beacon, which I intend to follow,” the judge said. Fox News Digital has reached out to the White House. Meanwhile, multiple states have sued to stop the executive order. The case in Seattle was brought by four states — Arizona, Illinois, Oregon and Washington. The Justice Department is expected to appeal the ruling.
‘Tough decisions’ in store for ‘sanctuary’ cities after Bondi turns off federal funding spigot
With Attorney General Pam Bondi ordering a pause on federal funds for so-called “sanctuary cities,” Fox News Digital asked leaders of both parties in states likely to be affected their thoughts, and whether they believe their cities can handle the dearth of funding. Bondi also directed the DOJ probe instances of jurisdictions that are impeding law enforcement, and that they be prosecuted when necessary. In Pennsylvania, at least two major cities have enacted sanctuary policies, while leaders in a third have signaled opposition to working with federal immigration authorities. Philadelphia notably announced its new paradigm when then-Mayor Jim Kenney videotaped himself dancing in his office and singing, “We are a sanctuary city” after a judge ruled in the city’s favor on enacting such policies. The video went viral. BONDI ANNOUNCES DAY-ONE DOJ DIRECTIVES A representative for current Mayor Cherelle Parker declined comment on Bondi’s action when reached Thursday. Lancaster, a blue dot in Amish country’s sea of red, also approved sanctuary city status – while Republicans at the county level passed an ordinance ensuring cooperation with the feds. While Pittsburgh is not formally a sanctuary city, Democratic Mayor Ed Gainey recently announced: “I am not going to be working with ICE,” after border czar Tom Homan took the reins in Washington. Democrats hold a slim, one-seat majority in the state House and the GOP controls the Senate, with Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro leading the executive branch. House Minority Leader Jesse Topper, R-Bedford, said in a Thursday interview that it is the position of the GOP caucus to support the law. “If these municipalities are not upholding the law, then I would expect there to be consequences, and I support that,” Topper said. Asked what he would say if city leaders sought assistance from him, he would tell them they would have to enforce the law if they expect federal help – and that he and other lawmakers always examine closely all budget requests, whether they be from Philadelphia or elsewhere. PA GOV JOSH SHAPIRO REBUFFS PETA’S DEMANDS ON PUNXSUTAWNEY PHIL Topper added that Pennsylvanians showed their support for Bondi’s type of decisions when they elected Sen. David McCormick and President Donald Trump. State Sen. Jarrett Coleman, R-Allentown, said Bondi is totally within her rights to give cities this ultimatum. “I can’t imagine that losing that funding would be easy to manage for Philadelphia and imagine that they’re going to have some tough decisions to make,” said Coleman, who chairs the state’s panel on government operations. Sen. Doug Mastriano – the 2022 GOP nominee for governor – said failed sanctuary city policies “put illegals ahead of our citizens.” “Instead of admitting failure, the city leaders as well as our governor will double down and launch lawsuits for them to continue to put illegals ahead of our people,” said Mastriano, R-Gettysburg. Meanwhile, Shapiro said he supports Trump’s efforts to get “criminals who are here illegally out of our communities – I want to see that happen.” “I don’t want people who are breaking the law in our communities who are wreaking havoc on our communities or claiming lives in our communities to be here,” he added, though he did not directly address Bondi’s order. Across the state line, New York leaders were bracing for potential action against the sanctuary state and cities like Albany and New York City. House Speaker Carl Heastie, D-Bronx, was asked about Bondi’s order but did not respond by press time. But Senate Minority Leader Rob Ortt, R-Niagara, said Bondi is “doing exactly” what Trump promised. “For far too long, the Biden administration, aided and abetted by Kathy Hochul and New York Democrats, pretended to care about public safety while they did nothing about the migrant crisis in our backyards and continued to shovel taxpayer dollars to illegal migrants,” Ortt said, adding that Democrats have been ignoring Republicans and constituents’ calls to end such policies. State Sen. Steve Chan, R-Bensonhurst, one of few minority-party officials in New York City, said he welcomes action against his hometown. “I don’t blame the Trump administration at all. It’s called fiscal responsibility and ensuring that taxpayer dollars are being spent in the right place,” Chan said. “There’s a whole long list of more important issues that need funding – we have our own needy, our own homeless, our own veterans, our own victims of disasters, etc. I’d be very grateful to the Trump administration if they can fund New York City in regard to those issues instead of those here illegally.” Boston is another city likely to be hit with a Bondi withholding order. Mayor Michelle Wu has accepted an invitation to testify on the immigration matter before Congress. Massachusetts writ-large has some sanctuary-type policies, including those stemming from its unique right-to-shelter law shepherded by former Gov. Michael Dukakis, the 1988 Democratic presidential nominee. Current Democratic Gov. Maura Healey has said Massachusetts is “not a sanctuary state.” Fox News Digital reached out to both Massachusetts Senate Leader Karen Spilka, D-Ashland, and House Minority Leader Brad Jones, R-Reading. In California, where several major municipalities enacted sanctuary policies, Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom did not immediately respond to an inquiry on Bondi’s order. However, Newsom met with Trump on Wednesday and told CNN he was confident the two political foes will have a “strong partnership moving forward.” “Not specific commitments, but broad strokes,” Newsom said. As for Republicans in the Golden State, their state Senate leader said Bondi’s order shouldn’t be a shock to sanctuary cities there. “Local jurisdictions enforcing unlawful sanctuary policies are now officially on notice,” Sen. Brian W. Jones of San Diego told Fox News Digital. “Law enforcement should prioritize public safety, not cave to extreme, soft-on-crime policies that put our communities at risk.” Jones also announced he would be filing legislation within a few weeks to “overhaul” California’s sanctuary state policies. Jones’ bill will compel law enforcement to cooperate with ICE for violent criminal illegal immigrants, he said. Chicago is also likely to be a focus of Bondi’s order. Democratic
Trump must dump ‘One China’ policy and recognize ‘free’ Taiwan, House Republicans say
FIRST ON FOX: Two dozen House Republicans from across the political spectrum are backing a resolution to formally recognize Taiwan – a break from current U.S. policy that would rankle leaders in Beijing. The resolution, put forth by Reps. Tom Tiffany, R-Wis., and Scott Perry, R-Pa., would encourage President Donald Trump to abandon the U.S.’s long-standing “One China” policy and formally recognize Taiwan as autonomous. “Taiwan has never been under the control of the People’s Republic of China – not even for a single day. It is a free, democratic, and independent nation, and it is past time for U.S. policy to reflect this undeniable objective truth,” Tiffany said in a statement. The resolution implores Trump to support Taiwan’s entry into international trade organizations and negotiate a bilateral U.S.-Taiwan Free Trade Agreement. US FLIES JOINT PATROL WITH THE PHILIPPINES NEAR SHOAL REGION GUARDED BY CHINA The U.S. had established diplomatic relations with Taiwan until 1979, when President Jimmy Carter cut off formal ties with Taipei and recognized the Communist regime in Beijing. Congress then passed the Taiwan Relations Act, which created legal authority for unofficial relations with Taiwan and continued military aid. ‘THIS IS ABOUT FENTANYL’: TARIFFS ARE CRUCIAL TO COMBATING ‘DRUG WAR,’ TRUMP AND CABINET OFFICIALS SAY Currently, only 12 independent countries recognize the Taipei government. A change in U.S. policy would likely be viewed as a threat by Beijing. When the U.S. sent a military aid package to Taiwan in December, China’s foreign ministry warned Washington was “playing with fire” and called for a stop to “dangerous moves that undermine peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait.” U.S. military analysts have projected 2027 as the year by which China would be fully equipped for a military invasion of Taiwan. And the U.S. has long followed a policy of refusing to say whether it would come to the island’s defense under such a scenario. Trump slapped an additional 10% tariff on all Chinese goods last week, and China responded in kind with its own export levies. At the same time, Trump has demanded the U.S. take over the Panama Canal to counter Chinese influence. But Trump’s comments on the campaign trail suggest that he would not be willing to put boots on the ground to face another global superpower in defense of the island democracy. “I think Taiwan should pay us for defense,” Trump told Bloomberg Businessweek in June. US FLIES JOINT PATROL WITH THE PHILIPPINES NEAR SHOAL REGION GUARDED BY CHINA “You know, we’re no different than an insurance company. Taiwan doesn’t give us anything,” he added. Taiwan and China separated amid civil war in 1949 and China says it is determined to bring the island under its control by force if necessary. China is increasingly encroaching in the region in recent days with military activity in the Taiwan Strait. The legislation has both interventionist and America First cosponsors, including Reps. Lauren Boebert of Colorado, Carlos Gimenez of Florida, Andy Ogles of Tennessee, and Kat Cammack of Florida.
Senate DOGE Republican pushes bill to bring government computer systems ‘out of the stone age’
As the Trump administration’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) works to slash government waste, a bipartisan bill in Congress is aiming to bring the federal government’s computer systems “out of the Stone Age.” The bipartisan Strengthening Agency Management And Oversight Of Software Assets (SAMOSA) Act passed the House in December, and Sen. Joni Ernset, R-Iowa, is leading efforts to get it passed in the upper chamber. Ernst, the chair of the Senate DOGE Caucus, said the SAMOSA Act will “bring Washington out of the Stone Age and into the 21st century.” Fox News Digital is told the bill could potentially save $750 million annually for taxpayers by consolidating federal agencies’ cloud computing software licenses. A source close to the proposal said “fixing federal IT procurement will be a key part of her sweeping efforts as chair of the Senate DOGE Caucus to downsize government and eliminate more than $2 trillion in waste.” TRUMP ANNOUNCES EXECUTIVE ORDER CREATING TASK FORCE TO ‘ERADICATE ANTI-CHRISTIAN BIAS’ “If the government allowed meaningful competition in bidding for software, taxpayers could save up to $750 million a year,” Ernst said in a statement to Fox News Digital. “Let’s pass my bill to force federal agencies to take commonsense steps when purchasing software, instead of throwing away taxpayer dollars like monopoly money.” The legislative proposal has the support of industry groups. “The SAMOSA Act is a vital step toward modernizing the federal IT infrastructure, ensuring fair software licensing practices in its procurement and saving money for taxpayers,” Ryan Triplette, Executive Director of the Coalition for Fair Software Licensing, said in a statement to Fox News Digital. “There aren’t many areas in Congress where we see bipartisan support, but ensuring our IT infrastructure is as efficient, secure and cost-effective as possible is one of them. The Coalition for Fair Software Licensing will continue working with partners in Congress to get the SAMOSA Act across the finish line and signed into law.” The bill gives the Chief Information Officer of every government agency no more than 18 months to organize a “comprehensive assessment” of the software paid for or deployed throughout the agency. The review should include an inventory of all the current software, identify contracts for the use of the software and their expiration dates and list additional fees or costs, including fees or costs for the use of cloud services, not included in the initial costs of the contract. The review should then give each agency the information necessary to “consolidate software entitlements of each agency,” reduce unnecessary costs and “develop criteria and procedures for how the agency will adopt cost-effective acquisition strategies.” On the House side, the SAMOSA Act was introduced by Rep. Matt Cartwright, D-Pa., and co-sponsored by a bipartisan group of 20 members of Congress. Ernst penned a letter in November to Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy (who has since exited DOGE while reportedly weighing a potential Ohio gubernatorial bid), outlining “a trillion dollars’ worth of ideas for trimming the fat and reducing red ink.” WHITE HOUSE CALLS DEMOCRAT CRITICISM OF DOGE ‘UNACCEPTABLE’ AND ‘INCREDIBLY ALARMING’ Among the options, Ernst said “consolidating agencies’ cloud computing software licenses could save $750 million every year.” She cited a study by Michael Garland, a software and government procurement industry expert, that found Microsoft and Oracle, the world’s two largest software companies, received 25% to 30% of their contracts “without meaningful competition.” Citing one example of “vendor-lock,” the study found the government spent $112 million more to buy Microsoft Office than Google Workspace “in order to avoid perceived costs to switch.” “A five percent improvement in price performance, due to enhanced software competition, could produce savings up to $750 million annually,” the report said. It also described how the U.S government spent almost $2 trillion on Information Technology (IT) since 1994, and about $300 billion of that expenditure has been on commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) software. “On an annual basis, the government collectively spends $10 to $15 billion on new software and for the maintenance and support of previously purchased software. Unfortunately, the majority of the COTS software spend has been destined for only a limited set of software companies who have managed to create a largely vendor-locked COTS software estate,” Garland wrote. “Until now, the government has had little visibility into how resoundingly its incumbent software estate has been captured by so few. As a result, an oligarchy of software companies has been free to use fear, uncertainty, and sometimes questionable business practices to make authentic competitions against incumbent software applications relatively rare.” Ernst’s letter also pointed to how the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) identified 10 critical federal IT legacy systems – or systems that are outdated or obsolete – that were most in need of modernization in 2019. The legacy systems were said to provide “vital support to agencies’ missions” but ranged from about eight to 51 years old and “collectively cost about $337 million annually to operate and maintain.” Several of the systems used older languages, such as Common Business Oriented Language (COBOL). “The government runs on ancient computers & software. Needs an upgrade!” Musk wrote on X in November.
Newsom changes tone on Trump from campaign rhetoric with federal wildfire recovery funds at stake
Gov. Gavin Newsom of California has long been a leading adversary, and target, of President Donald Trump. But the governor of the nation’s most populous state, one of the Democratic Party’s leaders in the resistance against the second Trump administration and a potential White House contender in 2028, is leaving politics aside as he feverishly works to secure more federal assistance for people and businesses devastated by last month’s deadly wildfires in metropolitan Los Angeles. “Thank you, President Trump, for coming to our communities to see this firsthand and meeting with me today to continue our joint efforts to support people impacted,” Newsom said in a statement on Wednesday evening after his huddle with the president at the White House. In a video posted on social media, the governor said, “So, here at the White House. Just finished a meeting with President Trump. Had a very successful day up on Capitol Hill as well, meeting in a bipartisan manner with Republican and Democratic leaders about disaster aid and disaster recovery for people impacted by the fires in Southern California.” FRENEMIES: NEWSOM COMES HAT IN HAND TO MEET TRUMP AT WHITE HOUSE Newsom described his meetings with Trump and members of Congress as “the spirit of collaboration and cooperation … defined.” The governor’s trip was his first to Washington, D.C., since Trump took over in the White House and is part of his effort to secure additional federal funding to aid in wildfire recovery from the destructive blazes that killed 29 people, destroyed over 12,000 homes and forced tens of thousands to evacuate. TRUMP MEETS WITH CALIFORNIA RESIDENTS, FIRE AND LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS TO SEE LA WILDFIRE DAMAGE FIRST HAND Late last month, the governor approved $2.5 billion for fire recovery work, which he hopes will be reimbursed by the federal government. And the state will likely need much more help from the federal government because the bill to cover rebuilding costs is expected to reach into the tens of billions of dollars. Newsom, after his meeting with Trump and his crisscrossing of Capitol Hill, emphasized that “we continue to cut red tape to speed up recovery and cleanup efforts as well as ensure rebuilding efforts are swift. We’re working across the aisle, as we always have, to ensure survivors have the resources and support they need.” Relations between Newsom and Trump haven’t always been so harmonious. Their animosity dates back to before Trump was elected president the first time in 2016, when Newsom was California’s lieutenant governor. NEWSOM CALLS TRUMP’S CLAIMS ‘PURE FICTION’ AFTER HE POINTED FINGER OVER CALIFORNIA FIRE TRAGEDY And while they did seek common ground at times during Trump’s first term in the White House, the verbal fireworks resumed over the past two years as Newsom served as a top surrogate on the campaign trail for former President Joe Biden and former Vice President Kamala Harris, who replaced Biden as the Democrats’ 2024 standard-bearer last summer. Newsom regularly criticized Trump, and the former and future president handily returned the favor, treating Newsom and heavily blue California as a political punching bag. After Trump’s convincing election victory over Harris in November, Newsom moved to “Trump-proof” his heavily blue state. “He is using the term ‘Trump-Proof’ as a way of stopping all of the GREAT things that can be done to ‘Make California Great Again,’ but I just overwhelmingly won the Election,” Trump responded. But Newsom followed through, and earlier this week, California lawmakers approved $25 million in legal funding proposed by the Democratic governor to challenge actions by the Trump administration. And the legislature also allocated another $25 million for legal groups to defend undocumented immigrants facing possible deportation by new Trump administration efforts. After the outbreak of the fires early last month, Trump repeatedly criticized Newsom’s handling of the crisis. He has accused the governor of mismanaging forestry and water policy and, pointing to intense backlash over a perceived lack of preparation, called on Newsom to step down. “Gavin Newscum should resign. This is all his fault!!!” Trump charged in a social media post Jan. 8, repeating a derogatory name he often labels the governor. Trump also placed blame for the deadly wildfires on Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, another Democrat, and the policies approved by state lawmakers. In an executive order issued last month, he described management of the state’s land and water resources as “disastrous.” Newsom pushed back. Disputing Trump, the governor noted that reservoirs in the southern part of California were full when the fires first sparked, and he has argued that no amount of water could tackle fires fueled by winds of up to 100 miles per hour. Newsom also claimed Trump spread “hurricane-force winds of mis- and disinformation.” But when Trump arrived in Los Angeles late last month to survey the first damage — just four days after his inauguration as president — the governor greeted him at the airport. “Thank you first for being here. It means a great deal to all of us,” Newsom told Trump as he greeted the president upon his arrival in Los Angeles last month. “We’re going to need your support. We’re going to need your help.” The president declared that “we’re looking to get something completed. And the way you get it completed is to work together.” Ahead of his stop in Los Angeles, Trump had threatened to withhold wildfire aid until certain stipulations were met in California, including changes to water policy and requiring an ID to vote. “It wasn’t discussed, and I hope we can move beyond that,” Newsom said Thursday when asked in a CNN interview about any conditions for federal aid Trump may have demanded. “Some of the conditions that were being bandied about just seemed to be, for me, a little bit of noise, a little bit political. At the end of the day, we’re all in this together.” Newsom has also stepped back in recent weeks in pushing back against Trump’s zingers. Following Trump’s orders, the U.S. Army Corps
‘AI powerhouse’: White House encourages Americans to provide ideas for artificial intelligence strategy
The White House is opening its artificial intelligence plan up to Americans to contribute policy ideas to the Trump administration to ensure that the United States is “the undeniable leader” in AI technology. President Donald Trump signed an executive order at the end of January on artificial intelligence, which White House officials say shows that he is “dedicated to America’s global leadership in AI technology innovation.” JD VANCE TO ATTEND AI SUMMIT IN PARIS, FRENCH OFFICIAL SAYS That order directed the development of an AI Action Plan. On Thursday, the White House’s Office of Science and Technology Policy encouraged the American people to share policy ideas for the AI Action Plan by March 15. “The Trump Administration is committed to ensuring the United States is the undeniable leader in AI technology,” Principal Deputy Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy Lynne Parker said in a statement. “This AI Action Plan is the first step in securing and advancing American AI dominance, and we look forward to incorporating the public’s comments and innovative ideas.” Americans can share their proposals on the Federal Register’s website through the middle of March. White House officials said they are seeking input from interested public parties, including academia, industry groups, private sector organizations, state, local and tribal governments, and others. OPINION: HOW TEAM TRUMP CAN MAKE AI STAND FOR AMERICAN INNOVATION Officials said the AI Action Plan will “define priority policy actions to enhance America’s position as an AI powerhouse and prevent unnecessarily burdensome requirements from hindering private sector innovation.” “With the right governmental policies, continued U.S. AI leadership will promote human flourishing, economic competitiveness, and national security,” the White House said in a statement. The Trump administration says its focus on AI was a campaign promise of the president’s, after vowing to revoke former President Joe Biden’s executive order that they said hindered AI innovation and imposed “unnecessary government control” over AI development. Under Trump’s executive order, AI in the U.S. “must be free from ideological bias or engineered social agendas.” The order and focus on AI is not new for Trump. During his first administration, in 2019, Trump signed the first-ever executive order on artificial intelligence, recognizing the importance of American leadership in the space and for the economic and national security of the U.S. Trump also took executive action in 2020 to establish the first-ever guidance for federal agency adoption of AI to deliver services to the American people and “foster public trust” in the technology. White House officials said the Trump administration’s renewed focus on AI is rooted in “free speech and human flourishing.”
‘Power grab’: Jeffries unveils data protection bill amid DOGE crackdown
House Democrats unveiled legislation on Thursday that seeks to secure the personal data of Americans amid the Department of Government Efficiency’s (DOGE) spending sweep. House Democrats unveiled the Taxpayer Data Protection Act to “shield the American people from this out-of-control power grab, permanently, and make sure that the financial, personal, medical, and confidential information of the American people is protected.” Musk and his team at DOGE have spent the past two weeks going into various government departments and identifying “wasteful” spending where cuts can be made. Musk was recently granted access to the Treasury Department, which manages federal finances and taxes, where he has “read only” access to the government’s payment system, a Treasury Department official told members of Congress on Tuesday. USAID HAS ‘DEMONSTRATED PATTERN OF OBSTRUCTIONISM,’ CLAIMS TOP DOGE REPUBLICAN IN LETTER TO RUBIO Democrats have vocally opposed the sweep, suggesting during a press conference on Thursday that Musk is gaining access to the personal access of Americans and introducing legislation to circumvent any efforts. Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., claimed that Republicans are “working for Elon Musk and doing the bidding of an unelected, unaccountable, out of control billionaire puppet master.” MEET THE YOUNG TEAM OF SOFTWARE ENGINEERS SLASHING GOVERNMENT WASTE AT DOGE: REPORT “Why does Elon Musk and his minions need access to the names, Social Security numbers, addresses, and birthdates of millions of Americans?” Jeffries asked. “What are they doing with that information, and why aren’t House Republicans stopping them?” Jeffries said, adding that a Senate companion bill is expected to be introduced shortly. Amid Democratic opposition to the spending sweep, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent defended Musk and DOGE. “Elon Musk is the greatest entrepreneur of this generation,” Bessent told FOX Business host Larry Kudlow. “DOGE is not going to fail. They are moving a lot of people’s cheese here in the capital, and when you hear this squawking, then some status quo interest is not happy.” On Thursday, a federal judge temporarily blocked DOGE from obtaining access to certain Treasury Department payment records. According to a temporary restraining order, Treasury officials “will not provide access to any payment record or payment system of records maintained within the [Treasury] Bureau of Fiscal Service,” Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly wrote.
UFC heavyweight champ enters the ring for healthcare reform with new price transparency partnership
FIRST ON FOX: Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) heavyweight Jon Jones announced Thursday that he is about to deliver a big blow to hidden prices in healthcare. UFC heavyweight champ Jon Jones said that he would be launching a new initiative partnering with the nonprofit group Power to the Patients to take on hospitals, pharmacy benefit managers and insurance companies, which he says have “refuse[d]” to be transparent with their prices in order to rake in more profits. “This next fight for me is a personal one, but it’s not just for me. It’s for every American who has ever been bullied, robbed or deceived. It’s arguably the most important fight of my career,” Jones said in a mock press conference akin to those he participates in when announcing his next UFC opponent. “My next opponent will be: the American healthcare system.” VA SECRETARY DOUG COLLINS PRIORITIZES EFFICIENCY, HEALTHCARE FLEXIBILITY FOR VETERANS During his first term, President Donald Trump passed healthcare price transparency rules that forced hospitals and insurers to publish all their prices, so patients could make more informed decisions about where they want to get their treatment and, as a result, increase competition and lower prices. On the 2024 campaign trail, President Trump suggested during an interview with podcaster Theo Von that the lack of transparency around healthcare pricing amounted to “extortion” by these wealthy companies, and he charged former President Joe Biden and former Vice President Kamala Harris with refusing to enforce his first-term rule. However, according to Trump, he’ll be “pressing” to ensure that this sort of transparency in the healthcare system comes to fruition. Jones said during the mock press conference that people should know whether an MRI costs $600 or $6,000, noting that “in America, we shouldn’t have to advocate for honesty and accountability in healthcare.” LGBTQ+ ADVOCATES, FAMILIES SUE TRUMP ADMIN FOR ENDING FUNDING OF TRANSGENDER HEALTHCARE UNDER 19 Medical bills are a leading cause of bankruptcy in the U.S., according to some studies. The National Institutes of Health posited in 2019 that a survey of debtors showed that the majority of respondents, 58.5%, agreed that medical expenses contributed to their financial woes. Trump has said that if his first-term rules on healthcare pricing transparency had been enforced the way he envisioned, it could have brought down the price of care by as much as 50% to 60%. Trump also blamed the healthcare industry’s “powerful” lobby for a reason why the rules have not been adequately enforced. TRUMP HANDED ‘OPPORTUNITY TO SAVE MEDICARE’ AFTER BIDEN ADMIN’S FINAL BLOW TO SENIORS: EXPERT While Jones and Trump are allies – the fighter presented the president with his champion belt during one of his recent fights and also surprised fans with Trump’s signature dance move following his win – the issue is a bipartisan one. During the last Congress, a cohort of Republicans and Democrats sought to pass legislation clamping down on improving hospital and insurer price transparency. Power to the Patients is no stranger to star power. The group has partnered in the past with country superstars Lainey Wilson and Jelly Roll, as well as rappers Fat Joe, Method Man and others. “I am proud to be joining Power to the Patients to take on hospitals and insurance companies that refuse to show their prices,” Jones told Fox News Digital. “For years, hospitals and insurers have been disregarding rules requiring them to disclose prices to patients in advance of care. In a healthcare system that lacks transparency and accountability, Jones said, “Without real prices, hospitals and health insurers are making healthcare in America unaffordable, inaccessible, and totally dishonest. When we can’t see or compare real prices upfront, we are blindsided by overcharges, price-gouging and surprise bills that we can’t verify are correct.” “In his first term, President Trump took aggressive and historic action to make healthcare prices available to patients before they get care instead of sticking Americans with surprise bills,” said White House spokesperson Kush Desai. “After the Biden administration neglected implementation of these commonsense ideas and allowed the healthcare industry to keep patients in the dark, the second Trump administration is committed to lowering costs and Making America Healthy Again by giving Americans the choices they want and the transparency they need to make informed decisions.”
Trump’s Gaza ‘takeover’ rankles America First conservatives, allies suggest negotiator-in-chief is at work
President Donald Trump’s comments about the U.S. “taking over” Gaza sent shock waves through Washington – but allies suggest the negotiator-in-chief is using the suggestion as a tactic to apply pressure on the region and find workable solutions to the Israel-Palestinian conflict. “The U.S. will take over the Gaza Strip, and we will do a job with it, too,” Trump said Tuesday in remarks that set off a media firestorm. “We’ll own it and be responsible for dismantling all of the dangerous, unexplored bombs and other weapons on the site.” He suggested that Palestinians be cleared out of Gaza and taken in by neighboring nations like Egypt and Jordan – an idea Arab leaders have roundly rejected. Trump’s proposal would be a momentous departure from current policy – and run afoul with America First conservatives who want to see the U.S. less involved in the Middle East, not more. ARAB AMERICANS FOR TRUMP GROUP CHANGES NAME AFTER PRESIDENT’S GAZA TAKEOVER PROPOSAL “I thought we voted for America First,” Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., wrote back to the president’s suggestion on X. “We have no business contemplating yet another occupation to doom our treasure and spill our soldiers’ blood.” The idea of a U.S. takeover of Gaza originated with Trump himself, who questioned why Palestinians would want to live among the rubble, and was not formally mapped out by his aides before he announced it next to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House. Sources told the New York Times that Trump had been toying with the suggestion for weeks, and his thinking was reaffirmed when Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff returned from Gaza and described the dismal conditions there. ISRAELI DEFENSE MINISTER ORDERS IDF TO PLAN FOR GAZANS TO LEAVE IN LINE WITH TRUMP’S CONTROVERSIAL PROPOSAL Taking over ownership of Gaza would suggest U.S. forces on the ground to ensure security – and require Congress to get on board with appropriating funds to rebuild the territory. Trump explained his idea further in a Truth Social post Thursday morning. “The Gaza Strip would be turned over to the United States by Israel at the conclusion of fighting. The Palestinians, people like Chuck Schumer, would have already been resettled in far safer and more beautiful communities, with new and modern homes, in the region,” he wrote, calling out the Senate’s Jewish Democratic leader. “They would actually have a chance to be happy, safe, and free. The U.S., working with great development teams from all over the World, would slowly and carefully begin the construction of what would become one of the greatest and most spectacular developments of its kind on Earth. No soldiers by the U.S. would be needed! Stability for the region would reign!!!” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt also sought to quiet fears from the briefing podium. “I would reject the premise of your question that this forces the United States to be entangled in conflicts abroad,” she told a reporter on Wednesday. “The president has not committed to putting boots on the ground in Gaza. He has also said that the United States is not going to pay for the rebuilding of Gaza.” “This is an out-of-the-box idea. That’s who President Trump is. That’s why the American people elected him. And his goal is lasting peace in the Middle East for all people in the region.” Sen. John Fetterman, a Pennsylvania Democrat who typically finds little common cause with Trump, told Puck News his idea is a “provocative” way to “to kind of shake things up and to start a very more honest conversation of Gaza.” “Trump is speaking the language of the Middle East,” Simone Ledeen, deputy assistant secretary of defense for the Middle East during Trump’s first term, told Fox News Digital. “Middle East negotiations, they often happen in public, and public posturing is kind of part of the process. This is not President Trump’s messaging to the U.S., he is messaging to the Middle East… [that] the paradigm has failed, and so we need new ideas.” “I think it’s going to bring the entire region to come with their own solutions,” national security advisor Mike Waltz mused about the comments on CBS on Wednesday. Waltz went on: “He’s not seeing any realistic solutions on how those miles and miles and miles of debris are going to be clear, how those essentially unexploded bombs are going to be removed, how these people are physically going to live there for at least a decade, if not longer, it’s going to take to do this.” More than 46,000 Palestinians had been killed in the war between Israel and Hamas, according to the Hamas-run Gaza health ministry as of last month. Nearly 2 million have been displaced from their homes. TRUMP SAYS US WILL ‘TAKE OVER’ GAZA STRIP, REBUILD IT TO STABILIZE MIDDLE EAST An Israeli official suggested that Trump’s idea may not actually be met with opposition by Gaza’s neighbors. “Egypt and Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates that in the end of the day are threatened by Hamas would not shed a tear to see that the United States is actually taking control over the Gaza strip, because they don’t really want to do that,” Avi Melamed, a former Israeli intelligence official and Arab affairs adviser for Jerusalem, told Fox News Digital. “They will not, of course, express formally, because it will be breaking the cause of unity in the Arab world.” “Trump is being presented right now a construct of a ceasefire deal that is headed for a train wreck,” said Rich Goldberg, president of Foundation for Defense of Democracies, adding that there is a “fundamental disconnect” between what Israelis will accept and what Hamas will accept. “So he’s moving the Overton window, changing the strategic paradigm.” Goldberg said the first priority was convincing other Muslim nations in the region to take in Palestinians. “The Egyptians and the Jordanians should be honest with the world. We don’t want the Gaza population. We’re afraid of the
Federal judge delays Trump administration’s buyout deadline for federal workers
A federal judge pushed back the deadline for President Donald Trump’s buyout offer for federal workers on Thursday. Trump’s administration initially told federal workers they needed to decide whether to accept the buyout offer by Thursday. The new ruling delays the deadline to at least Monday, with another hearing on the issue scheduled for that day. U.S. District Judge George O’Toole Jr. did not express an opinion on the legality of Trump’s buyback program. Several labor unions have sued over Trump’s plans, which were orchestrated by Elon Musk, a top adviser. The Republican president is trying to downsize and reshape the federal workforce. ‘GET BACK TO WORK’: HOUSE OVERSIGHT TO TAKE ON GOVERNMENT TELEWORK IN 1ST HEARING OF NEW CONGRESS Under the buyout offer, employees were to stop working this week and receive pay benefits through Sept. 30. Exempt from the offer are public safety employees, like air traffic controllers. During Trump’s first week in office, he issued several directives to the federal workforce, including a requirement that remote employees must return to in-person work. TRUMP TO SIGN MEMO LIFTING BIDEN’S LAST-MINUTE COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENTS With a deadline quickly approaching, the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) and two other unions filed a complaint, claiming the buyout offer is “arbitrary and capricious” and “violates federal law.” The unions allege the administration cannot guarantee the plan will be funded and has failed to consider the consequences of mass resignations, including how it may affect the government’s ability to function. On Tuesday, AFGE filed a lawsuit calling for a temporary restraining order (TRO) to halt the Trump administration’s “Fork Directive” deadline of Feb. 6 and require the government to articulate a policy that is lawful, not arbitrary and unlawful. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP The buyouts do not apply to military personnel of the armed forces, postal service employees, positions related to immigration enforcement and national security, and any other positions specifically excluded by the agency the federal workers are employed by. Fox News’ Greg Wehner contributed to this report.