Two more state employees fired after accessing Texans’ private information
So far, nine HHSC employees have been fired for accessing without a “business” purpose the private information of Texans seeking public assistance that includes Medicaid and food stamps.
Rubio says ‘no choice’ but to bring USAID ‘under control’ after agency takeover: ‘rank insubordination’
EXCLUSIVE: Secretary of State Marco Rubio is accusing USAID of “rank insubordination,” adding “we had no choice but to bring this thing under control.” The top U.S. diplomat made the comments in an exclusive interview with Fox News in El Salvador, just after announcing he would take over as acting director of the humanitarian agency. Rubio blasted USAID for being “completely unresponsive” telling Fox “they don’t consider that they work for the U.S., they just think they’re a global entity and that their master is the globe and not the United States, and that’s not what the statute says, and that’s not sustainable.” US FOREIGN AID IS SUPPOSED TO SERVE AMERICAN INTERESTS, SAYS MARC THIESSEN Rubio refused to say whether the agency “needs to die,” as DOGE chief Elon Musk is suggesting, instead stressing the goal was always to reform it. “There are things that we do through USAID that we should continue to do, that make sense, and we’ll have to decide, is that better through the State Department or is that better through something, you know, a reformed USAID? That’s the process we’re working through.” Despite plans for restructuring, Rubio said the United States would remain the “most generous nation on Earth,” but added, in a way that makes sense, that’s in our national interests. Asked if changes to USAID would open the door for Communist China to increase its influence around the world, Rubio said “No, I mean, first of all, they don’t do that now. If they did, they’d be out there competing with us in these places. But my point is this, even if they did that, why would we fund things that are against our national interests or don’t further our national interests, whether China is there or not? If China wants to waste our money on something that’s against their China, their national interests, go ahead and do it. We’re not going to do it.” Monday evening, the group and labor union that represents U.S. foreign service workers, released a statement opposing the Trump administration’s actions regarding USAID. “The American Foreign Service Association (AFSA) strongly objects to the administration’s decision to dismantle the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). This will undermine U.S. national security, may subvert Congressional authority, and demonstrates a lack of respect for the dedication of the development professionals who serve America’s interests abroad.” RUBIO HEADS TO PANAMA, LATIN AMERICA TO PURSUE TRUMP’S ‘GOLDEN AGE’ AGENDA The wide-ranging interview came after Rubio’s visit to Panama and amidst repeated warnings from President Trump that the United State would “take back” the Panama Canal over concerns the Chinese have de facto operational control over it. Following his visit with the Panamanian President, Jose Raul Mulino announced the central American nation would leave China’s Belt and Road initiative. Rubio welcomes the move but tells Fox that’s not enough and that he hopes to see “additional steps in the days to come.” President Trump announced 30-day pauses on tariffs on Mexico and Canada. Rubio acknowledge that “changes our economic relationship with our closest neighbors,” adding the State Department is not involved in any negotiations to make Canada the 51st state. Despite Venezuela’s recent move to release U.S. hostages and accept migrants living illegally in the US, Secretary Rubio said there are still no plans to recognize the Maduro regime as legitimate. Rubio added “Maduro knows the US has many options to inflict serious damage on his regime.” Rubio, who is of Cuban descent, says he has “no intention” of going to Havana as America’s top diplomat “other than to discuss when they’re going to leave.” Rubio continues his western hemisphere trip Tuesday with stops in Costa Rica and Guatemala.
Trump agriculture nominee, Brooke Rollins, clears key Senate hurdle ahead of confirmation vote
Members of the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committee voted favorably Monday for President Donald Trump’s nominee, Brooke Rollins, to head up the Department of Agriculture (USDA), a widely expected outcome that clears her for a vote in the full Senate later this week. Rollins was passed favorably out of committee on a unanimous vote. Rollins, who served as a White House aide during Trump’s first administration and then as the president and CEO of the America First Policy Institute, is widely viewed as an uncontroversial nominee. TRUMP TAPS TEXAN BROOKE ROLLINS AS AGRICULTURE SECRETARY Her nomination earned the backing of a coalition of more than 415 farmers, agricultural, and growers groups earlier this month. Signatories urged the Senate to swiftly confirm Rollins, praising what they described as her foundational knowledge of agriculture, as well as her policy and business bona fides that they said made her uniquely qualified for the role of U.S. agriculture secretary. The committee vote comes at a crucial time for U.S. growers’ groups and agribusinesses across the country. Lawmakers in Congress have stalled on a new farm bill and on other key priorities for farmers and industry groups. AFTER STINGING ELECTION DEFEATS, DNC EYES RURAL VOTERS AS KEY TO 2026 MIDTERM SUCCESS They also failed to secure the full extent of farm aid and agriculture subsidies considered necessary by many groups in their eleventh-hour government spending bill passed late last month. Rollins vowed at her confirmation hearing that, if approved, she would use her post as agriculture secretary to embark on a “fast and furious” effort to distribute those funds to farmers, ranchers, and rural communities. She also vowed to combat fast-spreading animal disease in the U.S. and North America, including bird flu, which has hampered the poultry industry and sent egg prices soaring. TRUMP’S ULTIMATUM TO FEDERAL WORKERS: RETURN TO OFFICE ‘OR BE TERMINATED’ If confirmed, Rollins said last week, she would “immediately begin to modernize, realign, rethink the United States Department of Agriculture.” “We understand that serving all American agriculture and all the American people means ensuring that our rural communities are equipped and supported to prosper, not just today, but tomorrow and the day after that in the many tomorrows to come,” she told lawmakers. Those supporting Rollins’ nomination have also praised her “close working relationship” with the president, which they said will “ensure that agriculture and rural America have a prominent and influential voice at the table when critical decisions are made in the White House.” Rollins was not expected to face staunch opposition to her nomination to head up the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and lawmakers who have spoken out have largely praised both her experience and strong knowledge of the agriculture sector.
‘Corrupt’ FBI must become ‘pristine,’ Trump says, asserting Patel will ‘straighten it out’
President Donald Trump on Monday slammed the FBI as “corrupt” and praised his nominee for FBI director, Kash Patel, as the man to “straighten it out” as he declined to answer questions over whether his administration will remove bureau employees involved in the investigation into the Jan. 6, 2021, U.S. Capitol riot. Asked Monday by Fox News whether he believed anyone involved in the Jan. 6 investigation should be fired, Trump did not answer outright. Instead, he criticized the actions of a bureau he has repeatedly decried as “corrupt,” and one he insists has targeted him specifically. “I think the FBI was a very corrupt institution, and I’m a victim of it in the true sense,” Trump told Fox News while addressing reporters Monday at the Oval Office. He also added that he believes the bureau’s reputation has been “damaged badly, as has the DOJ’s.” “But you know what? We have to have pristine, beautiful, perfect law enforcement,” Trump said. AFTER STINGING ELECTION DEFEATS, DNC EYES RURAL VOTERS AS KEY TO 2026 MIDTERM SUCCESS “We have to bring the reputation of the FBI not even [back] to what it was, even better than it ever was,” Trump said. “But Kash has to be the one to do it,” he added. “Kash will straighten it out.” Trump’s remarks come days after Acting Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove directed the acting FBI director to terminate eight FBI employees and identify all current and former bureau personnel assigned to the Jan. 6 and Hamas cases for an internal review. “I do not believe that the current leadership of the Justice Department can trust these FBI employees to assist in implementing the President’s agenda faithfully,” Bove wrote in the memo, instructing that the eight employees be fired by Monday, Feb. 3, at 5:30 p.m. Former FBI and Justice Department officials warned in interviews with Fox News Digital that such firings, while within Trump’s authority, could have a chilling effect on the rest of the bureau should the administration move to get rid of the personnel involved in the Jan. 6 investigations. The Trump administration has not yet said if it will move to take action against the individuals involved. But new concerns were raised after Bove sent a 12-page questionnaire to FBI personnel across the country asking them to detail their involvement in the Jan. 6 investigations, noting that the department would begin a “review process to determine whether any additional personnel actions are necessary.” TRUMP’S ULTIMATUM TO FEDERAL WORKERS: RETURN TO OFFICE ‘OR BE TERMINATED’ The remarks come after Trump, in his second term as president, moved to immediately issue a blanket pardon and sentence commutation for all 1,600 criminal defendants in the Jan. 6 Capitol riots, who he has repeatedly referred to as “hostages.” Since taking office, Trump has also fired the inspectors general of 17 separate federal agencies, fired more than a dozen prosecutors involved in the special counsel investigations led by Jack Smith and ordered more than half a dozen FBI officials to either resign or retire from their posts or be fired. Combined, the actions have sparked new fears that the FBI could see the ousting of decades of expertise from within the bureau’s ranks, including employees well-versed in detecting and responding to counterterrorism threats, organized and violent crime, drug trafficking and more. DOJ DIRECTS FBI TO FIRE 8 TOP OFFICIALS, IDENTIFY EMPLOYEES INVOLVED IN JAN 6, HAMAS CASES FOR REVIEW Others noted that the Jan. 6 investigation was originally launched under the Trump administration, a detail that the president and some of his supporters neglect to mention in their frequent criticisms against it. “We’re in an extremely precarious time right now in a very chaotic world,” one former Justice Department official said in an interview. “The terrorism front is as concerning as I’ve seen it, ever. So it doesn’t make sense to me why we’d be taking a meat cleaver to agencies that defend against that.”
The Speaker’s Lobby: A palpably unfair act
Referee Shawn Hochuli educated football fans recently on Rule 12, Section 3, Article 4 of the NFL rulebook. Hochuli threatened to give the Philadelphia Eagles an automatic touchdown after the Washington Commanders committed three consecutive penalties at the goal line during the NFC Championship Game. Washington linebacker Frankie Luvu launched himself twice – mimicking Superman in mid-flight – diving over the line of scrimmage before the Eagles snapped the ball at the one-yard line. Luvu was trying to prevent Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts from sneaking into the end zone behind his massive linemen. Hochuli slid the ball closer to the goal line after each infraction. “Half the distance to the goal line” is the sanction, meaning the ball advanced a few centimeters each time and Philadelphia got a new set of downs. But following the second infraction, Hochuli announced he’d assess Luvu an unsportsmanlike penalty if he did it again. SPENDING SHOWDOWN: REPUBLICANS WILL NEED TO CORRAL VOTES – BUT THEY HAVEN’T ASKED, YET Luvu didn’t. But on the third play, Washington defensive tackle Jonathan Allen hopped briefly offside before the snap. Hochuli blew the whistle, assessed a penalty for encroachment and moved the ball forward until its nose practically kissed the goal line chalk. The referee then tutored the nation on one of the most obscure rules in any athletic rulebook. “Washington has been advised that the referees can award a score if this type of behavior happens again,” said Hochuli, much to the delight of the partisan crowd stuffed into Lincoln Financial Field in south Philly. The rule declares the following: “A player or substitute shall not interfere with play by any act which is palpably unfair. Penalty: For a palpably unfair act: Offender may be disqualified. The referee, after consulting the officiating crew, enforces any such distance penalty they consider equitable and irrespective of any other specified code penalty. The referee may award a score.” THE POLITICAL FIRESTORM THAT’S ABOUT TO SINGE CAPITOL HILL In short, had Washington committed another penalty, Hochuli could have quit creeping the ball toward the goal line. He would have just given the Eagles six points on the scoreboard. Rule 12, Section 3, Article 4 does not exist in governance or politics. Except the voters, there is no referee like Shawn Hochuli to assess penalties, mete out discipline and dock a team yardage. And this is what vexes Democrats – and some Republicans – when it comes to Trump Administration moves to freeze money appropriated by Congress across the board. Article I, Section 9 of the Constitution is clear about which branch of government controls the purse strings: “No Money shall be drawn from the Treasury but in Consequence of Appropriations made by Law.” In other words, Congress is responsible for spending money. The executive branch just cannot unilaterally thwart what Congress spends. President Richard Nixon tried this in the mid-1970s with “impoundment.” Nixon’s administration blocked spending money which Congress allocated. MUSK’S DOGE TAKES AIM AT ‘VIPER’S NEST’ FEDERAL AGENCY WITH GLOBAL FOOTPRINT This is why Elon Musk’s “Department of Government Efficiency” or “DOGE” is so controversial. First of all, it’s not a “department” like the State Department or the Department of Energy. It’s really the “U.S. DOGE Service,” positioned under the umbrella of a small agency within the executive branch: The U.S. Digital Service. But President Trump has granted Elon Musk and his team access to probe ways to cut spending. The DOGE service can’t just cut spending on its own. At least not constitutionally. And it certainly can’t eliminate another agency, like the U.S. Agency for International Development, USAID. Unless Congress says so. That’s why the drama last week about an automatic freeze on federal grants and loans rattled lawmakers from both parties on Capitol Hill. Granted, the administration called for a “temporary” pause. And even some powerful Republicans were okay with that. “I think that’s a normal practice at the beginning of administration until we have an opportunity to know how the money is being spent,” said Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., about the halt. “I think it’s just this is kind of a preliminary step that I think most administrations take.” But Congress generally safeguards its prerogatives of spending very closely. It would be remarkable for lawmakers to fork over fiscal responsibilities to the executive branch without a fight. THE POLITICAL FIRESTORM THAT’S ABOUT TO SINGE CAPITOL HILL This is why when granting a restraining order to quash moves by the administration to usurp congressional authority over spending, U.S. District Judge Loren AliKhan declared that there was potential for “irreparable harm” to federal agencies and that the administration’s actions could be “catastrophic.” Republicans raised few hackles about the administration’s decisions. But Democrats and their allies spelled out the gravity of the circumstances. “This is a profound Constitutional issue,” argued Sen. Angus King, I-Maine. “What happened last night is the most direct assault on the authority of Congress, I believe in the history of the United States. It is blatantly unconstitutional. Article two does not give the executive the power to determine budgets or expenditures that powers vested in article three in the Congress.” USAID shuttered Monday and staffers were locked out of the computer system. Musk said that the agency should be closed. House and Senate Democrats marched down to USAID headquarters in Washington Monday to protest the move by DOGE and Musk. “If you want to change an agency, introduce a bill and pass a law. You cannot wave away an agency that you don’t like,” said Sen. Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii. “Just like Elon Musk did not create USAID, he doesn’t have the power to destroy it,” said Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Md., the top Democrat on the House Appropriations Committee. “We don’t have a fourth branch of government called Elon Musk.” USAID CLOSES HQ TO STAFFERS MONDAY AS MUSK SAYS TRUMP SUPPORTS SHUTTING AGENCY DOWN The moves by the administration last week and over the weekend to trample on congressional spending powers were so egregious
‘Authoritarian’: Furious NY House Republicans send warning to Dem leaders in war over Stefanik seat
FIRST ON FOX: Republicans in New York’s congressional delegation are up in arms over reports that state Democrat leaders are considering legislative routes to delay the special election to replace Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y. The six GOP lawmakers signaled they would seek intervention from the Department of Justice (DOJ) if the alleged legislative maneuver runs afoul of federal law. “Your clear attempt at playing political games to limit Republican numbers in the House of Representatives is overreaching, corrupt, and undemocratic,” reads a letter led by Reps. Mike Lawler and Nick Langworthy. “We demand you cease any and all such attempts to change this law, and in preparation of this conspiratory, corrupt act that clearly threatens the constitutional rights of American citizens, we will also be alerting the Department of Justice.” BLACK CAUCUS CHAIR ACCUSES TRUMP OF ‘PURGE’ OF ‘MINORITY’ FEDERAL WORKERS The letter was also signed by New York Republican Reps. Nicole Malliotakis, Nick LaLota, Andrew Garbarino and Claudia Tenney. Their pressure on New York’s Democrat leaders is backed by House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., who told “Fox & Friends” on Monday morning, “This is open political corruption by state officials in New York.” “They’re going to try to disenfranchise over 750,000 New Yorkers who live in that 21st District. It’s unconscionable,” he said. New York lawmakers in the state Senate and Assembly met last week to discuss a rules change that could keep Stefanik’s seat empty until at least June, according to the New York Post. Stefanik was tapped to be President Donald Trump’s U.S. ambassador to the United Nations and is expected to easily pass a Senate confirmation vote. She and National Security Advisor Mike Waltz’s departure from Congress leave the House with a razor-thin GOP majority, leaving no room for Republican dissent to pass any legislation without Democrat support. The letter noted that Stefanik could be confirmed “as early as this week,” which would leave residents of New York’s 21st Congressional District without representation in the House until the seat is filled. The deep-red district is almost certainly going to stay in Republican control, as is the case with Waltz’s former Florida seat. While Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis acted quickly to set special elections for April, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul has been silent. Under current state law, Hochul has 10 days after Stefanik’s resignation to call a special election within a further 70 to 80 days. But the rule change would reportedly consolidate the special elections date with the June primary race, allegedly in the name of saving resources and time. GOP LAWMAKER CALLS FOR CONGRESSIONAL HEARING OVER DC PLANE CRASH “Your claims that you’re doing this to be cost-effective or to promote equity are laughable and will do nothing more than leave every New Yorker in the 21st district with no representation in the House for additional months,” the GOP lawmakers wrote. “Your scheme to alter the schedule for the special election is a serious abuse of power that is more alike to election processes in authoritarian countries than anything we see in the United States.” They argued that any delay would run afoul of the Constitution’s clauses on filling House vacancies as well as Supreme Court precedent. “Any delay or postponement in calling a special election to fill a vacancy in the House of Representatives is not just undemocratic, but it is unconstitutional as well,” they wrote. “It would be reminiscent of other failed efforts regarding New York’s elections in recent years, such as the unconstitutional attempts to gerrymander New York’s congressional districts.” The letter also cited a 2009 New York State Court of Appeals ruling that special elections to fill a vacancy should occur in the “shortest space of time reasonably possible.” “The citizens of New York’s 21st Congressional District are constitutionally entitled to representation in the House and it is our hope that these reports have little basis in reality. If not, we strongly urge you to abandon this absurd, shameful scheme to deny representation for more than 750,000 New Yorkers and maintain current state election laws,” the lawmakers wrote. Fox News Digital reached out to Hochul’s office as well as the offices of New York State Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie and state Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins.
Chris Wright confirmed to serve as Trump’s Secretary of Energy
CEO Chris Wright has been confirmed by the Senate to serve as President Donald Trump‘s secretary of energy, where he will be at the helm of shaping the president’s “Drill, baby, drill” agenda. Wright received bipartisan support from members of the Senate after being selected by Trump to lead the energy agency under his administration. The Trump nominee, who has served as the CEO and founder of Liberty Energy Inc. since 2011, advanced through the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee before his nomination was put on the floor for a final vote. He was confirmed on Monday night in a bipartisan vote, 59 to 38. TRUMP ENERGY NOMINEE HECKLED BY CLIMATE PROTESTERS, DERIDED BY DEM SENATOR AS ‘ENTHUSIAST FOR FOSSIL FUELS’ Upon his swearing-in, Wright will begin working closely with Trump to spearhead his energy agenda over the next four years. TRUMP AG PICK PAM BONDI CLEARS JUDICIARY COMMITTEE, WILL GET CONFIRMATION VOTE IN SENATE The 47th president has made energy a focus of his first two weeks in office, declaring an “energy emergency” on his first day in office, lifting former President Joe Biden’s pause on liquefied natural gas exports and axing climate standards set by the previous administration. Wright’s energy vision aligns with that of Trump’s, telling lawmakers during his confirmation hearing that his first focus would be on unleashing American energy and increasing energy production in the U.S.
Trump AG nominee Pam Bondi advances to final Senate vote
President Donald Trump‘s attorney general nominee, Pam Bondi, will now move on to a final Senate floor vote for confirmation after senators voted to invoke cloture and limit the remaining floor debate. Bondi, the former Florida attorney general who also spent 18 years as a prosecutor in Hillsborough County, earned praise this month for her composure during her confirmation hearing, which stretched for nearly six hours. She was also praised for her ability to deftly navigate thorny and politically tricky topics and lines of questioning from some would-be detractors. By a vote of 52-46, the Senate invoked cloture on the nomination on Monday night, defeating the legislative filibuster. If confirmed, Bondi stressed, her primary goal would be to enforce federal law without political considerations. “Politics has to be taken out of this system,” Bondi told the Senate Judiciary Committee, a refrain she returned to multiple times during her conversations with lawmakers. “This department has been weaponized for years and years and years, and it has to stop,” she said. TRUMP AG PICK PAM BONDI CLEARS JUDICIARY COMMITTEE, WILL GET CONFIRMATION VOTE IN SENATE Bondi’s experience and composure in her meetings with lawmakers, as well as during the confirmation hearing itself, won wide praise from Republicans on the panel, as well as some Democrats, who voted last week to approve her nomination. The vote clears Bondi’s nomination to the Senate floor for a full chamber vote. Bondi’s experience also earned the backing of former senior officials at the Justice Department, who urged lawmakers in a letter this month to swiftly move to confirm her. WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY DEFENDS TRUMP’S FIRING OF INSPECTORS GENERAL In letters previewed exclusively to Fox News Digital, the more than 110 senior Justice Department officials, including former U.S. attorneys general John Ashcroft, Jeff Sessions, Bill Barr and Edwin Meese, expressed their “strong and enthusiastic support” for Bondi, praising both her commitment to the rule of law and her track record as Florida’s former attorney general that they said make her uniquely qualified for the role. “It is all too rare for senior Justice Department officials—much less Attorneys General—to have such a wealth of experience in the day-to-day work of keeping our communities safe,” they wrote. She was also backed by dozens of former Republican and Democratic state attorneys general, who sent a letter urging her confirmation earlier this month. “Many of us have worked directly with Attorney General Bondi and have firsthand knowledge of her fitness for the office,” the former attorneys general said in the letter, also exclusively previewed to Fox News Digital. “We believe that her wealth of prosecutorial experience and commitment to public service make General Bondi a highly qualified nominee for Attorney General of the United States.”
Crucial moderate GOP senator backs Tulsi Gabbard ahead of committee vote
Moderate Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, revealed her plan to support Tulsi Gabbard’s nomination to be Director of National Intelligence (DNI) on Monday evening. “After extensive consideration of her nomination, I will support Tulsi Gabbard to be the Director of National Intelligence,” she said in a statement. “As one of the principal authors of the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004 that established this coordinating position, I understand the critical role the DNI plays in the Intelligence Community. The Office of the Director of National Intelligence, however, has become far larger than it was designed to be, and Ms. Gabbard shares my vision of returning the agency to its intended size. In response to my questions during our discussion in my office and at the open hearing, as well as through her explanation at the closed hearing before the Senate Intelligence Committee, Ms. Gabbard addressed my concerns regarding her views on Edward Snowden. I look forward to working with Ms. Gabbard to strengthen our national security.” RFK JR SPENT WEEKEND TALKING TO KEY SENATOR WHO COULD MAKE OR BREAK HIS CONFIRMATION Collins sits on the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, which will embark on a pivotal vote on Gabbard’s nomination on Tuesday, sources confirmed to Fox News Digital. The Maine Republican has developed a reputation for occasionally bucking her party, most recently doing so on Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s confirmation vote. Her support for Gabbard at the committee level was thus far from certain. SEN. TILLIS OPENS UP ABOUT ROLE IN PETE HEGSETH’S CONFIRMATION AFTER HEGSETH’S EX-SISTER-IN-LAW’S ALLEGATIONS She joins a handful of other committee Republicans who have already said they will vote to advance Gabbard to the Senate floor, including Sens. John Cornyn, R-Texas, and James Lankford, R-Okla. However, another GOP senator on the committee is still considered one to watch, as Gabbard is expected to need all of the Republican members’ votes to move forward. DEMS DISMISS CALLS FOR APOLOGY AFTER JEFFRIES VOWS ‘FIGHT’ AGAINST TRUMP AGENDA ‘IN THE STREETS’ Sen. Todd Young, R-Ind., hasn’t said how he plans to vote in committee. Because of this, he’s managed to garner the criticism of Trump-aligned billionaire Elon Musk, who recently claimed on X that Young is a “deep state puppet” in regard to his uncertainty about Gabbard. The post has since been deleted. A spokesperson for Young told Fox News Digital in a statement, “Senator Young and Mr. Musk had a great conversation on a number of subjects and policy areas where they have a shared interest, like DOGE.” ELIZABETH WARREN GRILLED RFK JR ON DRUG COMPANY MONEY, BUT RECEIVED OVER $5M FROM HEALTH INDUSTRY Musk also shared on X over the weekend, explaining, “Just had an excellent conversation with [Young]. I stand corrected. Senator Young will be a great ally in restoring power to the people from the vast, unelected bureaucracy.” While Collins’ support bodes well for Gabbard’s fate at the committee level, it also forecasts a better outlook among the full Senate, given her vote against Hegseth. If she advances to a floor vote, Gabbard can afford to lose just three Republican votes, assuming she does not get any Democratic backing.
Dem AGs warn federal workers about Trump buyout offer: ‘Aimed at dismantling our federal workforce’
A coalition of attorneys general are warning federal employees about the Trump administration‘s “questionable” buyout offer, saying those who choose to resign may not be guaranteed its benefits. Nearly all federal employees were offered a buyout as part of President Donald Trump’s efforts to get workers to physically report back to the office. They have until Thursday to opt in, according to an Office of Personnel Management (OPM) email sent out to all federal workers. Those who choose to resign under the program will retain all pay and benefits, regardless of workload, and will be exempt from their in-person work requirements until Sep. 30. However, the attorneys general said unions representing federal employees — the American Federation of Government Employees and National Federation of Federal Employees — have warned their members against accepting the offer, saying they are not guaranteed to be paid the benefits. HOUSE OVERSIGHT REPORT SAYS TELEWORK IS ‘WASTING BILLIONS’ IN TAXPAYER CASH AHEAD OF 1ST HEARING “Federal employees provide vital services that Americans rely on every day, and are an essential part of the California economy and communities across the state,” California Attorney General Rob Bonta said in a statement. “The Trump Administration’s so-called buyout offer is a pointed attack aimed at dismantling our federal workforce and sowing chaos for Americans that rely on a functioning government. I urge federal employees to heed warnings from their unions to be very cautious of any buyout offers.” The other attorneys general hail from Arizona, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, Vermont and Washington. Fox News Digital has reached out to the White House. ‘GET BACK TO WORK’: HOUSE OVERSIGHT TO TAKE ON GOVERNMENT TELEWORK IN 1ST HEARING OF NEW CONGRESS The buyout offer was made after Trump mandated all federal employees to return to the office. The email to federal workers noted that the majority of federal employees who have worked remotely since COVID will be required to return to their physical offices five days a week. “The government-wide email being sent today is to make sure that all federal workers are on board with the new administration’s plan to have federal employees in office and adhering to higher standards,” a senior administration official previously told Fox News. “We’re five years past COVID and just 6 percent of federal employees work full-time in office. That is unacceptable.” In a letter to its members, the AFGE noted that the program doesn’t guarantee that the employee’s resignation will be accepted or that the benefits will be paid. In a statement last week, NFFE National President Randy Erwin said the buyout shouldn’t be treated as a legitimate offer. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP “This offer from OPM should not be taken seriously,” Erwin said. “The offer is not bound by existing law or policy, nor is it funded by Congress. There is nothing to hold OPM or the White House accountable to the terms of their agreement.” “Federal employees will not give in to this shady tactic pressuring them to quit,” added Erwin. “Civil servants care way too much about their jobs, their agency missions, and their country to be swayed by this phony ploy. To all federal employees: Do not resign.”