Hungary’s Orban claims Trump said he won’t ‘give a penny’ to Ukraine
PM Viktor Orban tells Hungarian state broadcaster that Trump has a ‘clear vision’ after meeting former US president in Florida. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban says former US President Donald Trump has told him that he would “not give a penny” to the war in Ukraine. Orban related the comments by Trump, who is running in November’s presidential election, during an interview with state broadcaster M1 late on Sunday after he travelled to Florida to meet Trump. “He has a very clear vision, which is hard not to agree with. He says the following: First of all, he will not give a penny in the Ukraine-Russia war,” Orban said in the interview. There was no immediate response from Trump’s team on these comments from Orban. Orban often calls for a ceasefire and peace talks in the Russia-Ukraine war, which recently entered its third year. He also argues Trump is best qualified to end the conflict, having expressed hope for his return to power. “That is why the war will end because it is obvious that Ukraine cannot stand on its own feet. … If the Americans do not give money, the Europeans alone will not be able to finance this war. And then the war is over,” he said. A statement from Trump’s campaign did not mention Ukraine but said the pair on Friday discussed issues affecting both nations, including their respective border security. Orban angered fellow European Union leaders by meeting Russian President Vladimir Putin in October and has maintained ties with the Kremlin since Russia invaded Ukraine. He has also spoken out against Western sanctions on Moscow. US President Joe Biden criticised the Trump-Orban meeting, saying the Hungarian leader was “looking for dictatorship”. European leaders have long been nervous that another Trump presidency would mean waning US support for both Ukraine and NATO. Adblock test (Why?)
FDNY union head weighs in after staff cheered for Trump, booed NY AG Letitia James
The union leader who represents employees of the New York City Fire Department (FDNY) spoke with Fox News on Monday about a recent booing incident involving its firefighters. Last Thursday, New York Attorney General Letitia James was heckled during an FDNY ceremony at the Christian Cultural Center’s Brooklyn location in East New York. When James walked towards the podium, some audience members began shouting, “Trump! Trump! Trump!” The booing incident happened following the AG’s prosecution of the former president. FDNY ‘LOOKING INTO’ STAFF WHO BOOED NY AG LETITIA JAMES, CHEERED FOR TRUMP AT CEREMONY Andrew Ansboro, who serves as President of the Uniformed Firefighters Association of Greater New York, told Fox News that, to his knowledge, no FDNY members have turned themselves in. The labor union head also disclosed that no one has been charged with a violation yet. It is unclear what exact violation the firefighters could be accused of, or how they could be reprimanded. The FDNY has a catch-all clause about “unbecoming conduct” that may be used in this situation. “Before they find anyone liable, they are going to have to hold themselves accountable for failure to supervise,” Ansboro warned. He also said that firefighter ceremonies have had a “carnival-like” atmosphere in the past. “Maybe they shouldn’t host it at a church,” he added. The FDNY has been investigating to determine who participated in the booing. “Oh, c’mon, we’re in a house of God. Simmer down,” James said at the podium after she was met with boos. “Thank you for getting it out of your system.” FDNY TELLS FIREFIGHTERS TO PROTEST ‘ON YOUR OWN TIME’ AFTER BOOING NY AG LETITIA JAMES, CHEERING TRUMP: REPORT Ansboro also noted that event organizers could have told firefighters to “lock it up,” – which is a term used to tell firefighters to stop. “At any moment they could have shouted, ‘Lock it up,’ – before, during or after,” he continued. “It only seems like hours later they felt they needed to act.” FDNY Spokesman Jim Long previously told Fox News Digital that his department isn’t “hunting anyone down” over the incident. “We’re looking into those who clearly broke department regulations,” Long explained on Sunday. “It has nothing to do with politics. It’s about professionalism at an official event held in a house of worship.” James filed a lawsuit against Trump last year, accusing him of inflating his real estate assets and thereby committing fraud. In February, the judge ruled in James’s favor and ordered Trump to pay a $350 million fine. “The scale and the scope of Donald Trump’s fraud is staggering and so too is his ego,” James said last month. “And his belief that the rules do not apply to him. Today, we are holding Donald Trump accountable.” Fox News Digital reached out to the FDNY about Ansboro’s latest comments. Fox News Digital’s Stephen Sorace and Bradford Betz contributed to this report.
California bill would extend legal aid to illegal immigrants convicted of violent felonies
A bill introduced in the California state assembly would extend taxpayer-funded legal aid to illegal immigrants convicted of violent or serious felonies, with the Democratic lawmaker who introduced it saying it would be a step forward for racial justice. The Representation, Equity and Protections (REP) for all Immigrants Act would remove restrictions on grant funds to provide immigration-related legal services to those convicted of violent or serious felonies, according to the official summary of the bill. The funds would come from the One California program, which provides $45 million in grants each year for nonprofits to provide free immigration legal services, and to conduct “education and outreach” in “immigrant communities.” The funding is intended to help those who cannot otherwise afford an attorney. ILLEGAL BROTHER OF LAKEN RILEY MURDER SUSPECT LINKED TO VENEZUELAN CRIME GANG: DOJ The services include legal representation, including those facing deportation, and also those applying for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, naturalizing and Temporary Protected Status (TPS). But it currently bars those funds from being used for those convicted of certain crimes. The bill, introduced by Assemblyman Reggie Jones-Sawyer (D), would end those restrictions and also update the program to expand the services that can be provided to include interpreters, social services and litigation costs. In a press release, his office said that “the program has failed to match California’s commitment to equity, as the program prohibits funds from being used to assist certain individuals who had past interactions with the criminal legal system.” Jones-Sawyer said it would provide equal access to immigration services. “For as long as I have been in state office, I have worked towards ensuring people are given a second chance and have championed efforts to prevent people from being treated as second-class individuals,” he said in a statement. “The REP for All Immigrants Act ensures racial justice and truly equitable access to crucial immigration services for all – not some.” The bill also drew significant support from a number of immigrant activist groups who voiced their support of the legislation. MAYORKAS CALLS POLICY TO LET 30K MIGRANTS FLY IN EACH MONTH A ‘KEY ELEMENT’ OF BORDER PLAN AFTER LEGAL WIN “We eagerly and proudly champion the protection of human rights, civil rights, and racial justice for all immigrants. The recent reintroduction of the REP4All bill is a significant stride forward, and we are proud to support this crucial legislation that plays a pivotal role in safeguarding immigrants from deportation, ensuring access to legal representation, and addressing racial injustices in California,” Camila Alvarez, Legal Director at Central American Resource Center (CARECEN) said. “CARECEN stands with all immigrants, recognizing that every individual deserves legal representation, security, and the chance for prosperity, regardless of their past history.” But it also drew significant opposition from Republicans in the chamber, Assemblywoman Kate Sanchez called the bill “completely unacceptable.” “Why do they want to prioritize immigrant rapists & murderers over everyone else??” she asked.
Senate Republicans hammer Biden’s $7.3 trillion budget request as ‘liberal wish list’
Republicans in the Senate reacted to President Biden’s $7.3 trillion 2025 budget request on Monday, criticizing it as a “liberal wish list” and “reckless.” Biden’s requested budget was revealed on Monday, detailing his plan to raise taxes on corporations and high earners, as well as his desire to deliver additional aid to Ukraine. “Prices keep going up, interest rates keep going up, and taxes keep going up, but President Biden wants to add another $6.4 trillion in debt over the next four years with more reckless, inflation-fueling spending,” Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., slammed the budget in a statement. The U.S. national debt is currently just under $34.5 trillion, according to the latest numbers published by the Treasury Department. HOUSE LEADERS SMACK DOWN BIDEN’S $7.3 TRILLION SPENDING PLAN AIMED AT ‘PUSHING A LEFT-WING AGENDA’ Scott further called the request “an insult to the American people.” Scott added that he plans to press Director of the Office of Management and Budget Shalanda Young tomorrow morning during the Senate Budget Committee’s hearing. DEMOCRAT SEN WARNER CEDES ‘TRUMP WAS RIGHT’ ON TIKTOK BEING ‘ENORMOUS’ NATIONAL SECURITY ISSUE According to Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, Biden’s “MASSIVE new taxes on the job creators that make & sell what families need” will cause prices to increase. Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., claimed Biden’s budget doubled down on Biden’s inability to relate to Americans. “There is no serious plan to secure the border, address crime, lower energy prices, or save seniors from an automatic 24% Social Security benefit cut once the program goes insolvent. This is a failure of leadership,” he said in a statement. “Joe Biden’s budget is not only over a trillion dollars more than what he asked for last year, it mixes in a mishmash of liberal wish list items, programs, and $5 trillion in tax increases while completely disregarding the needs of struggling Americans,” echoed Sen. Eric Schmitt, R-Mo. He explained, “The United States took in around $4.5 trillion in revenue in 2023, and now Biden wants to spend just over $7.2 trillion.” Schmitt emphasized that the country is already “$35 trillion in debt,” calling the budget request “irresponsible and insane.” Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., claimed the multi-trillion dollar budget is “to fund a radical wish list spearheaded by the far left.” Biden’s budget will project “weakness to every corner of the globe,” per Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Miss. He slammed the president for again proposing cuts to defense spending at a pivotal time with several wars going on around the world. Fox News Digital reached out to the White House for comment. SOUTH CAROLINA BUDGET PROPOSAL WOULD INCLUDE RAISES FOR TEACHERS AND STATE WORKERS While Republicans in the upper chamber attacked the latest proposal for fiscal year 2025, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and Majority Whip Dick Durbin, D-Ill., backed up the president’s ask. Schumer described the budget as a “bold, optimistic, and responsible path for the nation,” which will “grow our economy” and make future investments. SEN. BOB MENENDEZ PLEADS NOT GUILTY TO NEW CHARGES “The President’s budget will lower costs for working families, reduce prescription drug prices, create good-paying jobs, provide safety and security at home and abroad, improve our economy, and much more,” claimed Durbin. The Senate Budget Committee will have the opportunity Tuesday to probe Young over the budget when she sits for a 10:15 a.m. hearing. The disagreement over the proposed 2025 budget comes as Congress has yet to fully fund the government for the 2024 fiscal year, only passing the first slate of funding bills on Friday, narrowly avoiding a partial government shutdown. On March 22, Congress will be tasked with passing the last of the funding measures to ensure the government’s operation until the end of the fiscal year. Four continuing resolutions were passed following the initial September 30 deadline for appropriations bills.
Schumer clip resurfaces showing him rip ‘illegal aliens’ amid Biden walking back using term for alleged killer
Democratic Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer is facing backlash on social media over a resurfaced clip that seemingly contradicts President Biden’s recent comment where he walked back calling Laken Riley’s alleged killer an “illegal.” “People who enter the United States without our permission are illegal aliens and illegal aliens should not be treated the same as people who enters the U.S. legally,” Schumer said during a 2009 speech. “Illegal immigration is wrong, plain and simple. Until the American people are convinced that we will stop future flows of illegal immigration we will make no progress on dealing with the millions of illegal immigrants who are here now,” Schumer said. “When we use phrases like undocumented workers we convey a message to the American people that their government is not serious about combating illegal immigration which the American people overwhelmingly oppose. If you don’t think it’s illegal you’re not going to say it. I think it is illegal and wrong.” Schumer drew criticism over the weekend from conservatives in light of President Biden referring to the illegal immigrant who allegedly killed 22-year-old nursing student Laken Riley as an “illegal” in his State of the Union address before later walking back that term after many in his party took issue with it. LAKEN RILEY MURDER SUSPECT’S SECOND BROTHER WAS TWICE DEPORTED BEFORE SETTLING IN GEORGIA “This is Democrat senate majority leader Chuck Schumer from 2009 talking about how unacceptable illegal immigration is,” Outkick.com founder Clay Travis posted on X. “Now Dems say it’s unacceptable to even use the word illegal. Things everyone said just a few years ago are now considered unacceptable.” “Democrats really used to want to stop illegal immigration,” conservative comedian Tim Young posted on X. “Here’s Chuck Schumer in 2009 telling us all how ‘illegal immigration is wrong.’ What changed?” LAKEN RILEY’S MOTHER SPEAKS OUT ABOUT ‘AVOIDABLE TRAGEDY’ AFTER DAUGHTER’S FUNERAL “Schumer and Pelosi had it exactly right about calling illegal immigration illegal,” Texas Republican Gov. Greg Abbott posted on X, referring to separate comments now-former House Speaker Pelosi made during a press conference over a decade ago. “Now they change their position to appease the far left progressive agenda. Their actions imperil our country.” “Do we have a commitment to secure the border? Yes. What are the options that we have available to us, let’s make sure they work,” Pelosi said during a 2008 press conference. While Pelosi went on to use the term “undocumented” in 2008, she followed up by saying the government did “not want any more coming in.” “Because we do need to address the issue of immigration and the challenge we have of undocumented people in our country,” she continued. “We certainly do not want any more coming in.” Pelosi recently downplayed Biden’s “illegal” comment during a CNN interview by saying, “Now he should have said undocumented, but that’s not a big thing, ok? What’s the big thing?” Aaron Bennett, a spokesperson for Pelosi, told Fox News Digital that “While Speaker Emerita Pelosi backs bipartisan legislation that includes the toughest and fairest reforms to secure the border in decades, Governor Abbot only backs Donald Trump, who directed MAGA Republicans to kill the deal because he thinks that will help him politically.” Missouri Republican Senator Eric Schmitt referred to the comparison of Schumer in 2009 and Biden today as “unbelievable” in a post on X. “Despicable,” Center for Renewing America Senior Fellow Mark Paoletta wrote on X. Schumer appeared to defend Biden last week when pressed during an interview on “The View” about Biden’s use of “illegal.” “Look, he showed in his heart how he feels for immigrants. He showed that he knows immigrants contribute greatly to America. He talked about our long history with immigrants and even showed real empathy for the family that lost a loved one in Georgia. So I think that Joe Biden comes out really well on the immigration issue in this speech,” Schumer said. WHITE HOUSE SAYS BIDEN ‘ABSOLUTELY DID NOT APOLOGIZE’ FOR CALLING LAKEN RILEY’S ALLEGED KILLER AN ‘ILLEGAL’ Over the weekend, Biden was pressed by MSNBC’s Jonathan Capehart about the backlash he has received from some Democrats for using “illegal” to refer to Jose Ibarra, a Venezuelan national charged with murdering Riley, an Augusta University nursing student who was out for a run on the University of Georgia campus last month. “And I shouldn’t have used illegal, I should’ve, It’s undocumented,” Biden recently told NBC News after members of his party criticized him for using the term “illegal” to describe the alleged killer. “And look, when I spoke about the difference between Trump and me, one of the things I talked about on the border was his – the way he talks about vermin, the way he talks about these people polluting the blood. I talked about what I’m not going to do, what I won’t do,” Biden said. “I’m not going to treat any, any, any of these people with disrespect. Look, they built the country. The reason our economy is growing, we have to control the border and more orderly flow. But I don’t share his view at all.” Biden was blasted by top Republicans over the weekend for walking it back, including House Speaker Mike Johnson calling it an “embarrassment.” While Biden said over the weekend that he had “regret” over the use of the term “illegal” in his major speech, White House spokesperson Olivia Dalton disputed a reporter’s characterization of Biden apologizing on Monday, saying, “First of all, I want to be really clear about something: the president absolutely did not apologize.” “There was no apology anywhere in that conversation. He did not apologize. He used a different word,” she added. Schumer’s office did not respond to a request for comment from Fox News Digital. Fox News’ Danielle Wallace and Jeffrey Clark contributed to this report.
LA judge, local officials launch bold review of city’s homeless service provider amid growing crisis
Leaders in Los Angeles are demanding more transparency from homeless service providers as the city’s crisis reaches historic highs. A federal judge in California wants an independent audit of Los Angeles’ homelessness programs, accusing the city of failing to do enough to significantly curb the problem in recent years. City and county officials are also demanding that its lead homeless service provider release data about its efforts. In a lawsuit filed by LA Alliance for Human Rights — a coalition of business owners and residents — U.S. District Court Judge David O. Carter argued the city hasn’t honored its settlement agreement that promised it would build thousands of shelters and sweep out homeless encampments, the Los Angeles Times first reported. The coalition is seeking $6.4 million in compensation from the city after the group claims it failed to uphold the terms of the settlement agreement nearly two years ago. SQUAD MEMBER TLAIB PROPOSES PILOT PROGRAM TO PAY SOME HOMELESS PEOPLE $1,400 PER MONTH FOR 3 YEARS Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass and City Council President Paul Krekorian first floated the idea of an independent audit to Carter, the mayor’s office confirmed to Fox News Digital on Monday. Bass’s “Inside Safe” Program — which took more than 21,000 Angelenos off the streets — could also be subject to overview if the audit comes to fruition. According to the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA), the city’s leading centralized hub for homeless services, more than 75,500 people were considered homeless in 2023, a 9% increase countywide. In the city, about 46,200 were considered homeless, a 10% increase from the previous year. Los Angeles City Councilmembers Monica Rodriguez and Bob Blumenfield have put forth a motion to develop an evaluation framework for LAHSA. The proposal would permit the city attorney to examine LAHSA’s contracts and expenditures as well as other data points. County supervisors also ordered more transparency from LAHSA in a similar proposal two weeks ago. HOLLYWOOD RESIDENTS GROW FRUSTRATED WITH LOCAL LEADERS OVER HOMELESS PROBLEM Rodriguez said during Friday’s council meeting that it’s “unfortunate” they have to demand transparency through legislative means. She said: “Tragically, we continue to see a lack of information. … We continue to demand the same information. It’s very basic and simple information, but there’s a continued hiding of the ball of these circumstances.” Meanwhile, City Controller Kenneth Mejia — who operates independently of the council — announced on X, formerly Twitter, on Friday he’d be launching his own audit of Bass’s Inside Safe initiative. “Today, at Judge Carter’s request, I spoke in court about our auditing powers & the City’s lack of transparency & accountability on homeless efforts despite billions of dollars spent,” Mejia said. “Based on today & repeated community calls, we are announcing a focused audit on Inside Safe.” CEO of LAHSA, Va Lecia Adams Kellum, told Fox News Digital in a statement Monday that she welcomed the city’s audit of the organization’s services. FLORIDA HOUSE PASSES BILL TO PROHIBIT HOMELESS PEOPLE FROM SLEEPING IN PUBLIC “When I started a year ago, I made accountability and transparency a key pillar of my effort to create a better LAHSA,” Kellum said. “LAHSA strives to deliver accurate information to inform and empower policymakers in their important work to bring more people home. I welcome the passage of the motion from Councilmembers Blumenfield and Rodriguez, and look forward to working with the City on developing a framework that provides greater insight into program performance.” LAHSA’s 2022-2023 budget totaled around $845.4 million, with $726.2 million going to service providers. About $662 million was earmarked for housing, according to LAHSA’s financial documents. Just over $40 million went to LAHSA administration. Despite more taxpayer dollars at work, the homeless population continues to rise in the Golden State. It’s up 6% compared to last year and has the highest number of homeless people living outdoors in the country. About 181,000 people were considered homeless in the state’s 2023 count, and most are suffering from drug addiction or mental illnesses. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP On Friday, the city doubled down on its efforts to make data on homelessness more transparent — an issue outside advocates have been sounding the alarm on for years. Last month, California Democratic senators Alex Padilla and Laphonza Butler announced just over $600 million in federal dollars to curb the spiraling homelessness crisis in the state, with $65.71 million set aside for LAHSA. The state has spent nearly $20 billion on homelessness in the last five years, while the city and county of Los Angeles has reportedly spent at least $7.5 billion in that same time period. Calls placed to LA Alliance for Human Rights were not returned at press time.
Democrat Sen Warner cedes ‘Trump was right’ on TikTok being ‘enormous’ national security issue
Senate Select Committee on Intelligence Chairman Mark Warner, D-Va., revealed on Monday that he believes former President Donald Trump was right when he sounded the alarm on TikTok and its national security implications. “It was rare for me to say that Donald Trump was right,” Warner said during a committee hearing on worldwide threats. “But Donald Trump was right years ago when he pointed out the enormous national security concerns around TikTok, both in terms of obtaining data, but also think about the percentage – I think there are about 170 million Americans who use TikTok.” HOUSE LEADERS SMACK DOWN BIDEN’S $7.3 TRILLION SPENDING PLAN AIMED AT ‘PUSHING A LEFT-WING AGENDA’ Warner further noted many young Americans even use the social media video app to receive news about current events. According to the senator, China’s potential to funnel propaganda through the app, owned by Chinese company ByteDance, “is a huge national security issue.” TRUMP SAYS HE’S ‘NOT CONSERVATIVE’: ‘I’M A MAN OF COMMON SENSE’ During his presidency in 2020, Trump signed an executive order to effectively ban the app in the U.S. But the action was blocked by the courts. However, the current presidential candidate has appeared to change his tune in 2024. “Frankly, there are a lot of people on TikTok that love it,” Trump said in a Monday interview. “There are a lot of young kids on TikTok who will go crazy without it.” LARA TRUMP SAYS RNC MUST USE ‘LEGAL BALLOT HARVESTING’ FOR FIRST TIME TO STAY COMPETITIVE AGAINST DEMOCRATS The former president’s reversal comes as the House of Representatives prepares to bring a bill to the floor for a vote that would force TikTok’s owner to either sell the company or see the app banned in the U.S. Warner expressed optimism about the bill’s fate in the Senate, if it passes the House. “It feels like this House bill has momentum,” he said.
White House says Biden ‘absolutely did not apologize’ for calling Laken Riley’s alleged killer an ‘illegal’
The White House on Monday said President Biden “absolutely did not apologize” for referring to the alleged illegal immigrant killer of Georgia student Laken Riley as “an illegal” – the latest turn in a spiraling controversy over an unscripted remark at the State of the Union. “First of all, I want to be really clear about something: the president absolutely did not apologize,” White House spokesperson Olivia Dalton told reporters when asked about why Biden “apologized.” “There was no apology anywhere in that conversation. He did not apologize. He used a different word.” Biden had been urged by Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., to say the name of Riley, who was killed last month, allegedly by a Venezuelan national who entered the country illegally but was paroled into the interior. BIDEN SAYS HE REGRETS USING ‘ILLEGAL’ TO DESCRIBE LAKEN RILEY MURDER SUSPECT DURING STATE OF THE UNION “Lincoln Riley [sic],” he said, holding up a badge with her name on it. “An innocent young woman who was killed by an illegal, that’s right.” The use of the term “illegal,” even in reference to an alleged illegal immigrant murderer, rankled some Democrats and immigration activists who consider the word offensive. “Let me be clear: No human being is illegal,” said Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., on X, formerly known as Twitter. BIDEN, IN STATE OF THE UNION, USES TERM FOR ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS THAT HIS DHS WARNED AGAINST IN 2021 “As a proud immigrant, I’m extremely disappointed to hear President Biden use the word ‘illegal,’” Rep. Chuy Garcia, D-Ill., said. Biden was later asked about the use of the word in an MSNBC interview and expressed regret for the perceived faux pas, while also claiming that illegal immigrants “built the country.” “And I shouldn’t have used illegal, I should’ve… It’s undocumented. And look, when I spoke about the difference between Trump and me, one of the things I talked about on the border was his – the way he talks about vermin, the way he talks about these people polluting the blood. I talked about what I’m not going to do, what I won’t do. I’m not going to treat any, any, any of these people with disrespect. Look, they built the country. The reason our economy is growing, we have to control the border and more orderly flow. But I don’t share his view at all.” When asked if he regrets his word choice, Biden replied, “Yes.” Biden’s response was savaged by many on the right, who interpreted his remarks as an apology. “The president is cowering to his base and showing deference to a man who deserves none. This man is an illegal immigrant who brutally murdered Laken Riley. President Biden should be apologizing to Laken’s family. What an embarrassment,” House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., wrote on X on Sunday. The White House on Monday, while clarifying that Biden was not apologizing for his remarks, accused his critics of “playing politics” and renewed its calls for Congress to pass a bipartisan border agreement that would increase funding and staffing while limiting some releases into the interior. The proposal has faced conservative opposition for what they say is a bill that would regularize high levels of illegal immigration. “I think it’s unconscionable that there are some people who are playing politics with this young woman’s tragic murder, and particularly at a time when, let’s not forget, House Republicans are standing in the way of a bipartisan border security agreement,” Dalton, the White House spokesperson, said. “That is the toughest bill we have ever seen in history. And they’re doing so because Donald Trump feels that the American people’s safety is less important than his personal politics,” she said. Fox News’ Joseph Wulfsohn, Joshua Comins and Danielle Wallace contributed to this report.
What to know about the SAVE plan, the income-driven plan to repay student loans
NEW YORK (AP) — More than 75 million student loan borrowers have enrolled in the U.S. government’s newest repayment plan since it launched in August. President Joe Biden recently announced that he was canceling federal student loans for nearly 153,000 borrowers enrolled in the plan, known as the SAVE plan. Forgiveness was granted to borrowers who had made payments for at least 10 years and originally borrowed $12,000 or less. BIDEN BRAGS SUPREME COURT ‘DIDN’T STOP’ HIM FROM CANCELING STUDENT LOANS: HE’S ‘HAPPY TO BREAK THE LAW’ The SAVE plan was created last year to replace other existing income-based repayment plans offered by the federal government. More borrowers are now eligible to have their monthly payments reduced to $0, and many will qualify for lower payments compared to other repayment plans. For Lauran Michael and her husband, the SAVE plan has reduced student loan payments by half. Since getting married, they’ve both been paying off her husband’s student loans, which would have amounted to about $1,000 a month when payments resumed after a pause during the pandemic. Under the SAVE plan, their payments are now $530 a month. “We don’t want our loans dictating our life choices, and us not being able to do other things because we’re paying so much money. The SAVE plan is definitely a game changer for us,” said Michael, a 34-year-old interior designer in Raleigh, North Carolina. Michael’s family is paying for daycare for their two children using the money they saved from not making payments during the pandemic and the reduced payments under the SAVE plan. If you are interested in applying for the SAVE plan, here’s what you need to know: WHAT IS AN INCOME-DRIVEN REPAYMENT PLAN? The U.S. Education Department offers several plans for repaying federal student loans. Under the standard plan, borrowers are charged a fixed monthly amount that ensures all their debt will be repaid after 10 years. But if borrowers have difficulty paying that amount, they can enroll in one of several plans that offer lower monthly payments based on income and family size. Those are known as income-driven repayment plans. Income-driven options have been offered for years and generally cap monthly payments at 10% of a borrower’s discretionary income. If a borrower’s earnings are low enough, their bill is reduced to $0. And after 20 or 25 years, any remaining debt gets erased. HOW IS THE SAVE PLAN DIFFERENT? More borrowers in the SAVE plan are eligible for $0 payments. This plan won’t require borrowers to make payments if they earn less than 225% of the federal poverty line — $32,800 a year for a single person. The cutoff for other plans, by contrast, is 150% of the poverty line, or $22,000 a year for a single person. Also, the SAVE plan prevents interest from piling up. As long as borrowers make their monthly payments, their overall balance won’t increase. Once they cover their adjusted monthly payment — even if it’s $0 — any remaining interest is waived. Other major changes will take effect in July 2024. Payments on undergraduate loans will be capped at 5% of discretionary income, down from 10% now. Those with graduate and undergraduate loans will pay between 5% and 10%, depending on their original loan balance. The maximum repayment period is capped at 20 years for those with only undergraduate loans and 25 years for those with any graduate school loans. WHO QUALIFIES FOR THE SAVE PLAN? The SAVE plan is available to all student loan borrowers in the Direct Loan Program who are in good standing on their loans. Read more about the SAVE plan here. HOW DO I APPLY FOR THE SAVE PLAN? Borrowers can apply to the SAVE plan using the Income-Driven Repayment Plan request through the Education Department’s website. HOW WILL I KNOW THAT MY DEBT HAS BEEN CANCELED? If you are one of the borrowers who is benefitting from forgiveness under the SAVE plan, you will receive an email from the Education Department. WHAT ARE OTHER PROGRAMS THAT CAN HELP WITH STUDENT LOAN DEBT? If you’ve worked for a government agency or a nonprofit, the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program offers cancellation after 10 years of regular payments, and some income-driven repayment plans cancel the remainder of a borrower’s debt after 20 to 25 years. Borrowers should make sure they’re signed up for the best possible income-driven repayment plan to qualify for these programs. Borrowers who have been defrauded by for-profit colleges may also apply for relief through a program known as Borrower Defense. If you’d like to repay your federal student loans under an income-driven plan, the first step is to fill out an application through the Federal Student Aid website. WILL THERE BE FUTURE FORGIVENESS? Several categories of borrowers would be eligible for relief under Biden’s second try at widespread cancellation after the Supreme Court rejected his first plan last year. The proposed plan includes relief for borrowers who have been paying their loans for at least 20 or 25 years, automatic forgiveness for borrowers who are eligible for income-driven repayment plans but are not enrolled, and loan cancellation for borrowers who attended a for-profit college that left them unable to pay their student loans, among others. Whether any of the relief will materialize is a looming question as conservatives vow to challenge any attempt at mass student loan cancellation. The new proposal is narrower, focusing on several categories of borrowers who could get some or all of their loans canceled, but legal challenge is almost certain. Currently, borrowers who are eligible for forgiveness under the SAVE program will get their loans discharged on a rolling basis, according to the Education Department.
Lara Trump says RNC must use ‘legal ballot harvesting’ for first time to stay competitive against Democrats
Lara Trump, recently elected co-chair of the Republican National Committee, said the GOP must use “legal ballot harvesting” to stay competitive against Democrats ahead of November. “We’ve been playing checkers, and the Democrats have been playing chess,” Trump, daughter-in-law to former President Trump, said in a recent interview with the Washington Examiner. “Unfortunately, we don’t have one day of voting, we don’t have paper ballots, we don’t have voter ID everywhere. So we have to play the hand that we’re dealt.” She emphasized the importance of early voting and mail-in voting where possible. “That way, we have votes banked as we head into Election Day, and we’re not playing catchup on Nov. 5 with the Democrats,” she said. “We need to be doing legal ballot harvesting – something that has never been done by the RNC, but I can promise you will be a huge part of what we’re planning to do,” Lara Trump told the Examiner. “And then come Election Day, and you’ll see that, I think, it’s not just about having poll watchers. It’s about having trained poll watchers and lawyers at locations around the country as necessary. And these are people who will be trained and able to physically count how many ballots are coming in. And how many ballots are going out.” LARA TRUMP SAYS ‘EVERY SINGLE PENNY’ OF RNC FUNDS WILL GO TO ELECTING DONALD TRUMP IF SHE IS MADE CO-CHAIR Explaining her vision for the RNC after longtime chair Ronna McDaniel stepped down on Friday, Trump said her goal is to “have people’s trust restored in our electoral process.” “Truthfully, people have felt like they don’t know if/when they donate their money to the RNC, it will ultimately go to the causes that they care about,” Lara Trump said. “I hope to be there as someone who will ensure that, indeed, every single dollar donated goes to making sure we win on Election Day – at the top of the ballot and down the ballot.” The Republican National Committee voted Friday to install Donald Trump’s handpicked leadership team, as the former president closes in on a third straight presidential nomination. Michael Whatley, a North Carolina Republican, was elected the party’s new national chairman in a vote Friday morning in Houston. Lara Trump, who is married to the former president’s son Eric Trump, was voted in as co-chair. “The RNC is going to be the vanguard of a movement that will work tirelessly every single day to elect our nominee, Donald J. Trump, as the 47th president of the United States,” Whatley told RNC members in a speech after being elected. WHO IS NEW TRUMP-BACKED RNC CHAIRMAN MICHAEL WHATLEY? Lara Trump is expected to focus largely on fundraising and media appearances. She emphasized that shortly after she was voted in, taking time in her inaugural speech as co-chair to hold up a check for $100,000 that she said had been contributed that day to the party. The functional head of the RNC will be Chris LaCivita, who will assume the committee’s chief of staff role while maintaining his job as one of the Trump campaign’s top two advisers. McDaniel was handpicked by Trump to lead the committee seven years ago, but she fell out of favor with Trump’s MAGA movement following GOP losses over the last few years. She alluded to that in her goodbye speech Friday, telling the members that she worries most about “internal cohesion” heading into the election. “We have to stop attacking other Republicans,” she said. “If we spend our time attacking each other, we guarantee the Democrats are going to win.” She also told the party that it needs to engage independent and swing voters, warning: “We don’t win if we only talk to each other.” The Associated Press contributed to this report.