DOJ slams Newsom’s ‘crass political stunt’ over Trump’s call-up of National Guard amid LA anti-ICE riots
The Department of Justice (DOJ) argues the courts should deny California’s request for a restraining order against the Trump administration over its decision to activate National Guard soldiers in Los Angeles after violent riots broke out over the weekend amid Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids in the city. Democratic leaders in California claim President Donald Trump abused his authority by invoking a provision of Title 10 that allows the president to mobilize the National Guard if an invasion or rebellion is underway. California Gov. Gavin Newsom, a Democrat, said in a statement Monday that Trump caused the bulk of the rioting because he unnecessarily deployed the military to protect ICE personnel and federal buildings. Newsom also claimed local and state police had the situation under control when Trump spurred chaos by issuing his National Guard proclamation. Weighing in on the matter a day ahead of a scheduled hearing, the DOJ made its case that Trump had the authority to call on the National Guard’s response. NOW AND THEN: HOW TRUMP’S RESPONSE TO LA RIOTS HAS CHANGED FROM 2020 BLACK LIVES MATTER AND ANTIFA “In a crass political stunt endangering American lives, the Governor of California seeks to use this Court to stop the President of the United States from exercising his lawful statutory and constitutional power to ensure that federal personnel and facilities are protected,” the DOJ said. “But, under the Constitution, the President is the Commander in Chief of the armed forces, and the President is responsible for ensuring the protection of federal personnel and federal facilities.” Since Friday, violent rioters who object to ICE’s enforcement of immigration laws have targeted and damaged federal buildings, injured federal personnel and impeded federal functions, the DOJ said. The Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) and other state and local law enforcement officials have been unable to bring order to Los Angeles, the DOJ claimed. FEDERAL JUDGE REFUSES TO BLOCK TRUMP’S LA NATIONAL GUARD DEPLOYMENT ON NEWSOM’S TIMEFRAME The agency also pointed to a comment made by LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell, who said during a news conference that “things have gotten out of control” and warned that “somebody could easily be killed.” “Evaluating the unrest and threats to the enforcement of federal law that local and state authorities were unable or unwilling to control, the President responded by using the authority vested in him by statute and the Constitution to federalize and deploy the California National Guard to protect federal personnel and property, quell the mobs, and restore order,” the DOJ wrote. “When the situation escalated further, the Secretary of Defense deployed a group of U.S. Marines to further assist. “The President has every right under the Constitution and by statute to call forth the National Guard and Marines to quell lawless violence directed against enforcement of federal law,” the DOJ continued. “Yet instead of working to bring order to Los Angeles, California and its Governor filed a lawsuit in San Francisco seeking a court order limiting the federal government’s ability to protect its property and officials.” NEWSOM FILES EMERGENCY MOTION TO ‘IMMEDIATELY BLOCK’ TRUMP’S USE OF MILITARY TO STOP LA RIOTS The DOJ said California’s request would “countermand” the president’s military directives, which would be “unprecedented.” “On the merits, Plaintiffs’ claims are baseless,” the DOJ said. Newsom also claimed Trump never consulted with him before activating the National Guard, though the statute does not have such a requirement, the DOJ said. “It merely directs, as a procedural matter, that the President’s orders be conveyed “through” the Governor,” the DOJ wrote. “They were.” Historically, courts did not interfere when former President Dwight Eisenhower deployed the military to protect school desegregation, nor did they interfere when former President Richard Nixon deployed the military to deliver the mail during a postal strike. Ultimately, the DOJ recommended the court deny California and Newsom’s motion for a temporary restraining order or preliminary injunction. Newsom’s office did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment. Fox News Digital’s Ashley Oliver contributed to this report.
House advances Trump’s $9.4B spending cuts package targeting NPR, PBS, USAID to House-wide vote
President Donald Trump’s $9.4 billion spending cuts package survived a key hurdle on Wednesday afternoon, setting the measure up for a final House-wide vote later this week. Trump’s proposal, which was introduced as legislation by House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La., would cut $8.3 billion from the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), and just over $1 billion from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. The Corporation for Public Broadcasting distributes federal funding to NPR and PBS. The House of Representatives made a procedural motion known as a “rule vote,” which passed mostly along party lines. MIKE JOHNSON, DONALD TRUMP GET ‘BIG, BEAUTIFUL’ WIN AS BUDGET PASSES HOUSE The rule passing now allows for debate on the $9.4 billion spending cut measure, followed by a final House-wide vote. But it’s not atypical for House leaders to include unrelated measures in rule votes, as is the case with the spending cuts package – House GOP leaders included a provision with minor changes to Trump’s “one big, beautiful bill” to account for the Senate needing to amend the bill. That latter piece of legislation, a vast tax and immigration bill, is moving through the budget reconciliation process. By dropping the Senate’s threshold for advancement from 60 votes to 51, it allows the party in power to skirt the minority – in this case, Democrats – on vast pieces of legislation, provided they adhere to a specific set of budgetary rules. House GOP leaders said they needed to make the recent changes to the bill to better adhere to the Senate’s “Byrd Bath,” when the Senate parliamentarian reviews the bill and removes anything not adhering to reconciliation guidelines. Whereas that deals with the government’s mandatory spending processes that are more difficult to amend, the $9.4 billion spending cuts package tackles discretionary spending that Congress controls every year. It’s called a “rescissions package,” which is a formal proposal by the White House to claw back federal funds already allocated for the current fiscal year. Like reconciliation, the mechanism allows for a 51-vote majority in the Senate rather than 60. Congress has 45 days to consider it, or it is deemed rejected. Republican leaders have held up this rescissions package as the first step to codifying the billions of dollars of government waste identified by Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). Trump allies have also made clear they view this first package as a test of what kind of cuts congressional Republicans can stomach. MCCAUL TOUTS MONEY IN TRUMP TAX BILL TO PAY TEXAS BACK FOR FIGHTING BIDEN BORDER POLICIES And while the rule vote was expected to pass, the bill could have trouble ahead of its expected Thursday afternoon vote. Rep. Mark Amodei, R-Nev., pointed out in a bipartisan statement that the media funding represents less than 0.01% of the federal budget and said taking that money away would “dismantle a trusted source of information for millions of Americans.” Rep. Don Bacon, R-Neb., told reporters on Tuesday that he got assurances that USAID cuts would exclude critical medical funding. “I feel better than what I was hearing last week, that was gonna be a total cut,” he said, without revealing whether he would support the bill.
Gavin Newsom mocked for tech issues during anti-Trump address to Californians: ‘Absolute fail’
California Governor Gavin Newsom is being mocked online for an “embarrassing” televised address Tuesday night that experienced several technology meltdowns, resulting in the governor not being audible for parts of his speech. In a prerecorded message, Newsom, a Democrat rumored to have presidential aspirations, harshly condemned President Donald Trump’s “brazen abuse of power” by using the military to respond to the ongoing anti-ICE riots in Los Angeles. He also said that those who engage in violence will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. “This isn’t just about protests here in Los Angeles,” Newsom said in the video. “This is about all of us. This is about you. California may be first, but it clearly will not end here. Other states are next. Democracy is next. Democracy is under assault before our eyes.” His address, however, was inhibited by several technical issues, which resulted in his audio being cut off and distorted several times. NEWSOM COMPARED TO INFAMOUS DEM GOVERNOR WHO ALSO TRIED TO BLOCK NATIONAL GUARD Noting the meltdown on X, David Freeman, a conservative political commentator, mocked “Gavin Newsom’s staff can’t even set up a stream properly as his ‘Major Announcement’ has NO AUDIO.” “If they can’t do this correct, what makes anyone believe they can run California at all? EMBARRASSING!” said Freeman. “UTTER CALAMITY,” commented Link Lauren, a political commentator and former senior advisor to Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Kevin Dalton, a popular conservative influencer, commented, “Gavin Newsom’s ‘Major Address to Californians’ was a prerecorded video that was initially streamed without audio. After several minutes, a new color corrected version of the same video with actual audio was started. What an absolute fail.” NOW AND THEN: HOW TRUMP’S RESPONSE TO LA RIOTS HAS CHANGED FROM 2020 BLACK LIVES MATTER AND ANTIFA Another popular conservative social media account, The Washington Observer, commented: “Sean Hannity is desperately trying to play Gavin Newsom’s speech — but he can’t, because Newsom’s audio is melting down for the third time tonight.” Sen. Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla., who observed the audio issues in real time on the Sean Hannity Show, also chimed in, saying, “So, I went on Sean Hannity to react to Gavin Newsom’s speech. Turns out, it was a total mess. Disorganized. Bad audio.” Mullin quipped, “But, what else should we expect from this poor excuse for a leader?” White House assistant to the president and director of communications Steven Cheung also piled onto the criticism, accusing Newsom of spending time creating the video rather than serving as governor. Likewise, Cheung took a swipe at the video’s audio, claiming the production quality was akin to Newsom’s leadership. “Gavin NewScum spent all this time–instead of doing his actual job– preparing for a webinar just for the audio to not work,” Cheung said in a post on X late Tuesday evening. “The production quality is just like his leadership quality– sh***y.” WHITE HOUSE MOCKS NEWSOM ADDRESS, ACCUSES GOVERNOR OF HIRING HARRIS’, BIDEN’S CAMPAIGN MANAGER Deputy assistant to the president and principal deputy communications director Alex Pfieffer responded to Newsom’s speech by saying that rather than Trump, “California is trying to subvert democracy.” “American voters elected President Donald Trump to carry out his agenda, which includes enforcing the immigration laws passed by their elected representatives,” said Pfeiffer. In response, Newsom’s press office referred Fox News Digital to a Tuesday night X post which acknowledged the issues by saying, “Sorry for the momentary silence earlier — our stream briefly went under Trump-era transparency rules.”
Trump appointee vows to focus DOJ’s largest division on DEI, denaturalization
FIRST ON FOX: The newly confirmed head of the Department of Justice’s Civil Division sent out a memo hours after being sworn in on Wednesday in which he directed staff to focus on a slate of conservative priorities, including rooting out antisemitism and diversity, equity and inclusion. Assistant Attorney General Brett Shumate’s internal memo, first obtained by Fox News Digital, also directed attorneys in the DOJ’s largest division to prioritize investigations and legal action that involved tightening restrictions on transgender medical care and denaturalizing citizens who “illegally procured” naturalization. In addition to initiating lawsuits, the Civil Division’s primary task is defending the government in court in non-criminal matters. These include the hundreds of lawsuits President Donald Trump and his administration have been hit with as Trump carries out executive actions that test the limits of presidential authority. TRUMP ORDERS ATTORNEY GENERAL TO INVESTIGATE BIDEN’S AUTOPEN USE Civil Division attorneys from the Federal Programs Bench have been fighting court battles with mixed success on behalf of Trump related to his sweeping tariffs, birthright citizenship, activities by the Department of Government Efficiency, and, most recently, his use of the National Guard in California. Shumate was confirmed by the Senate on Monday along party lines. The Civil Division head was seen during the confirmation process as a Trump loyalist. He previously worked as a partner at Jones Day, a Washington-based firm that has represented Trump during his campaigns. Shumate was a top official in the Civil Division for two years during the first Trump administration. Shumate’s memo indicated that he kicked off his first day in office by setting a tone for the division’s wealth of attorneys that aligned with Trump’s and Attorney General Pam Bondi’s agendas. In an unusual move, the division will coordinate with the Civil Rights Division on its anti-DEI efforts by bringing False Claims Act cases related to discrimination, Shumate noted in the memo. Trump has frequently described DEI as discriminatory. “Consistent with these directives, the Civil Division will use all available resources to pursue affirmative litigation combatting unlawful discriminatory practices in the private sector,” Shumate wrote.
LA Mayor Bass rips Trump, claims city part of ‘national experiment’ to test federal power amid anti-ICE riots
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass during a press conference on Wednesday claimed the LA riots were “provoked by the White House,” going so far as speculating the city is part of a national experiment to determine how much power the federal government has. Bass claimed local officials initially heard the administration was searching for violent felons, gang members and drug dealers. Yet, she alleged federal agents were raiding workplaces, “tear[ing] parents and children apart” and “run[ning] armored caravans through [the] streets.” Her comments came after protests against immigration enforcement escalated into fiery riots over the weekend, prompting President Donald Trump to deploy 2,000 National Guard troops and at least 500 Marines to the area. Local officials this week enacted a nightly curfew and announced hundreds of arrests, following the destruction of numerous local businesses and violence against police. TRUMP TAKES ACTION AGAINST ‘ORCHESTRATED ATTACK’ ON LAW ENFORCEMENT BY DEPLOYING MARINES TO LA: ASSEMBLYMAN “This was provoked by the White House,” Bass said. “The reason why—we don’t know. I posit that maybe we are part of a national experiment to determine how far the federal government can go in reaching in and taking over power from a governor, power from a local jurisdiction, and frankly, leaving our city and our citizens… in fear. … You’re not trying to keep anyone safe, you’re trying to cause fear and panic.” She did not denounce the violent rioting during the press conference, alleging the rioting issue is contained to six square miles. “@MayorOfLA suggests things won’t be ‘peaceful’ in Los Angeles until the Trump Administration stops enforcing immigration law and removing violent criminal illegals from the streets,” the White House wrote in a response on X. “Why are these Radical Left lunatics so obsessed with defending criminals who have no right to be here?” RIOTERS SMASH WINDOWS AT LAPD HEADQUARTERS AS ANTI-ICE AGITATORS CLASH WITH AUTHORITIES The LA mayor was joined by multiple surrounding mayors and local officials from 30 cities, who argued Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) should not be enforcing the law in California. “We want the National Guard out of our region,” said El Monte Mayor Jessica Ancona. “We want the military out of our region. They have no business here. And we also want ICE out of our cities. We need to keep our families safe.” Downey Council Member Mario Trujillo and South Gate Mayor Maria Davila noted ICE raids continued in their cities on Wednesday. Huntington Park Mayor Arturo Flores claimed the Trump administration’s actions were unconstitutional, and asked to send a message directly to the Marines on the ground. “The people that are here who have been called foreigners are not foreigners. These are Americans,” Flores said. “When we lifted our hands, we swore the oath to defend the Constitution and to defend this country. That oath was to the American people. It was not to a dictator, it was not to a tyrant, it was not to a president. “It was to the American people and the people that are here … Whether they have a document or they don’t, you’re dealing with Americans,” Flores said. “So please remember that if you’re ever put in a situation or asked to do something.” Bass later added Marines “are trained in warfare on foreign lands, not domestic,” and said she did not know what role they could play without the ability to make arrests. CALIFORNIA LT. GOVERNOR SAYS LOS ANGELES RIOTS ARE ‘GENERATED BY DONALD TRUMP’ Paramount Mayor Peggy Lemons said her city created a special fund Tuesday night that will financially help immigrant families. “The city council and staff are working tirelessly to develop other means of support and assistance, doing more to support our community,” Lemons said. “We will also be seeking out our residents who have been directly impacted so that we may hear from them and provide direct support.” CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP The White House and Department of Defense did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s requests for comment.
Gov. Greg Abbott sends Texas National Guard to sites of planned immigration protests
Demonstrations against immigration raids began in Los Angeles last week and have spread across the country, including to Texas. More are planned this weekend.
Trump sends clear message federalizing National Guard for LA riots: This is not 2020
As riots and immigration protests grip Los Angeles, President Donald Trump is determined not to repeat the violence of 2020. In recent days, Trump administration officials have pointed to the riots that broke out in Minneapolis in 2020 after the death of George Floyd at the hands of a white police officer, singling out Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, a Democrat, for slow-walking the activation of the National Guard. Now, Trump is at odds with another Democratic governor — this time California’s Gavin Newsom — as the president moves to deploy and federalize thousands of National Guard troops along with hundreds of Marines in an effort to prevent Los Angeles from suffering the same fate as Minneapolis. While Trump has said he is dispatching troops to prevent the destruction of Los Angeles, Newsom has accused Trump of “turning the U.S. military against American citizens.” FEDERAL OFFICIALS SLAM DEMOCRATS FOR ‘DANGEROUS’ RHETORIC AS ICE AGENTS FACE VIOLENT MOBS IN LA, NYC But Trump and his allies have persisted with a clear message for Democrats: This is not 2020. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, who previously served as governor of South Dakota, defended the Trump administration’s decision to deploy and federalize troops and override state authority, claiming Minnesota is an example of what happens when a “bad governor” is in charge. “I was a governor of a neighboring state to Tim Walz and watched him let his city burn,” Noem told reporters Tuesday. “And the president and I have talked about this in the past, and he was not going to let that happen to another city and to another community where a bad governor made a bad decision.” NATIONAL GUARD TO BE DEPLOYED IN LOS ANGELES COUNTY AS ANTI-ICE PROTESTS RAGE: BORDER CZAR TOM HOMAN Other administration officials expressed similar sentiments. “This isn’t the Summer of 2020 2.0,” DHS Deputy Secretary Troy Edgar said in a statement Monday. “I thank the brave men and women of the National Guard defending federal buildings so that immigration officials can keep us safe.” Walz was first elected governor of Minnesota in 2019, leading the state as protests broke out after the death of Floyd. While Walz has said he takes the blame for a delayed response activating the National Guard in his state, he has also said he is proud of how Minnesota reacted. “I’m proud of Minnesota’s response; I’m proud of Minnesota’s first responders who were out there, from firefighters to police to the National Guard, to citizens that were out there,” Walz said in a 2022 gubernatorial debate. Walz’s office did not respond to a request for comment from Fox News Digital. TRUMP GIVES BLUNT RESPONSE TO NEWSOM DARING HOMAN TO ARREST HIM: ‘I WOULD’ The political climate is also different for Trump this time around. Whereas in 2020 Trump faced an upcoming election, he no longer has a second term on his mind, influencing his actions, according to political columnist Kristin Tate. “Trump has learned a lot in the last five years. … Trump no longer cares about political consequences. He cannot run again. So, he’s just doing what’s right,” Tate told Fox News Digital. “He’s instilling law and order, regardless of the consequences. And that’s what should’ve been done all along. But the rioters in the Golden State are shocked to see that law and order is being implemented, and the good old days of burning down the city with impunity are over.” Trump has also moved to exert greater authority over the National Guard than he did in 2020, bypassing Newsom’s authority. While Republicans like Sen. Tom Cotton of Arkansas pushed Trump to invoke the Insurrection Act in 2020 to pave the way for Trump to federalize the National Guard, Trump ultimately chose not to. Although separate from the Insurrection Act, Trump has invoked another law to place National Guard troops under federal command this time around, prompting ire from Newsom and other Democrats. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Additionally, Newsom has filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration for federalizing the National Guard, labeling the move an “unmistakable step toward authoritarianism.” “Donald Trump is creating fear and terror by failing to adhere to the U.S. Constitution and overstepping his authority,” Newsom said in a statement Monday. “This is a manufactured crisis to allow him to take over a state militia, damaging the very foundation of our republic. Every governor, red or blue, should reject this outrageous overreach.” The Associated Press contributed to this report.
ICE ramps up arrests of convicted criminals as riots rage in blue city: ‘You will not stop us’
The Department of Homeland Security announced that several convicted criminals who are in the United States illegally were arrested as part of Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations in Los Angeles on Monday and Tuesday. The ICE operations in Los Angeles triggered protests and riots in parts of the city, and President Donald Trump deployed National Guard troops to protect the federal immigration officers while they continued arrests. “Murderers, pedophiles, and drug traffickers. These are the types of criminal illegal aliens that rioters are fighting to protect. How much longer will Governor Newsom and Mayor Karen Bass continue to prioritize these criminal illegal aliens over their own citizens?” Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement on Wednesday. CALIFORNIA SHERIFF SAYS NEWSOM ‘ENCOURAGED’ LA RIOTS AS ICE ARRESTS VIOLENT ILLEGAL ALIENS “Secretary Noem has a message to the LA rioters: you will not stop us or slow us down. ICE will continue to enforce the law and arrest criminal illegal aliens,” McLaughlin added. DHS highlighted nine arrests – all of whom the agency says are in the country illegally. Mexican national Gerardo Antonio-Palacios had been deported before but was previously convicted of burglary and homicide. Cambodian national Mab Khleb, 53, was convicted of transporting and possession of a controlled substance, battery, and “lewd action with a child,” according to DHS. Laotian Sang Louangprasert was criminally convicted of “lewd or lascivious acts with a child under 14” and “inflicting corporal injury, spouse or cohabitant.” DOZENS OF ANTI-ICE RIOTERS ARRESTED IN LA AS TRUMP SENDS IN NATIONAL GUARD TO QUELL VIOLENCE Mexican national Antonio Benitez-Ugarte was convicted on drug trafficking charges, and Alberto Morales-Mejia, also from Mexico, was convicted for amphetamine production. CLICK HERE FOR MORE IMMIGRATION COVERAGE Honduran national Carlos Alberto Escobar-Flores was also arrested, and he was previously convicted of grand theft. Another Honduran national, Jose Jimenez-Alvarado, was also arrested after a prior conviction of “two counts of theft.” Mexican national Jesus Romero-Retana, 52, had prior convictions of “threatening crime with intent to terrorize and battery.” Another Mexican national, Raul Teran-Guillen, was previously arrested for “human smuggling and money laundering” before his ICE arrest this week. ICE ARRESTS ‘WORST OF THE WORST’ ILLEGAL ALIENS IN LOS ANGELES WHILE PROTESTERS ADVOCATE FOR CRIMINALS: DHS The Trump administration has a goal of 3,000 ICE arrests daily in hopes of fulfilling the campaign trail promise of mass deportations following millions of people being let in during the Biden administration. The ICE efforts have received scrutiny from Democrats in California and nationwide, and saying that Trump’s decision to deploy the guard and conduct ICE sweeps is instigating. “Donald Trump’s government isn’t protecting our communities. They’re traumatizing our communities,” Gov. Gavin Newsom said in a brief address on Tuesday night. “Angelenos are trying to live their lives—going to work, caring for their families—while facing the constant threat of sudden immigration crackdowns,” Mayor Karen Bass posted to X on Wednesday morning. “This fear paralyzes communities. We saw it before: kids too scared to go to school, families torn apart without warning. Let’s not pretend this is about public safety. It’s political retribution—plain and simple.” Fox News Digital reached out to the offices of Newsom and Bass for comment, but they did not immediately respond.
Fox News Politics Newsletter: ‘Disturbing Pattern’ at Migrant Shelters
Welcome to the Fox News Politics newsletter, with the latest updates on the Trump administration, Capitol Hill and more Fox News politics content. Here’s what’s happening… A former immigrant shelter director in Massachusetts is petitioning Attorney General Pam Bondi and the Department of Justice to launch an investigation into the “disturbing pattern” of criminal activity, sexual assaults and financial abuse that he says is widespread in the state-run migrant shelter system. Jon Fetherston, a former director of an immigrant shelter in Marlborough, Massachusetts, first blew the whistle about the widespread abuse in the shelter system after he discovered a Haitian migrant named Ronald Joseph, who was living in his shelter, had repeatedly raped and impregnated his 13-year-old daughter… READ MORE. LAW AND DISORDER: Fresh wave of anti-ICE protests threatens uncertainty, volatility before massive military parade ‘ABUSE OF POWER‘: White House mocks Newsom address, accuses governor of hiring Kamala, Biden’s campaign manager ORDER BY FORCE: Trump deployment of troops to quell LA rioters latest page in president’s political playbook NOW AND THEN: How Trump’s response to LA riots has changed from 2020 Black Lives Matter and Antifa PODIUM PUSHBACK: Leavitt balks at reporters’ LA riot coverage, ‘disingenuous attack’ in briefing: ‘What a stupid question’ POWER TO REVOKE: DOJ argues Trump may cancel Biden-era national monuments PENNY PINCHING: Treasury chief says ‘remains to be seen’ if Trump tax bill will add to $36T national debt ‘POISONING’ ECONOMY: ‘Congress must act’: Nonprofit study exposes green energy org’s ties to CCP interests while undermining US US REJECTION: Trump admin slams UK, Canada, Australia and others who sanctioned Israeli officials IMMIGRATION BACKLASH: Police use water cannon in response to anti-immigrant violence in Northern Ireland town FINANCIAL GAINS: European nation agrees to ‘temporarily’ host deported migrants from US PUSHING FOR PEACE: Trump’s ‘peace through strength’ message resonates with Russian neighbor CULTURE WAR: Nation’s largest Protestant denomination calls for overturning Supreme Court decision legalizing gay marriage ‘LAW AND ORDER’: Hegseth spars with Senate Democrats over Marine deployment to LA anti-ICE riots: ‘Not about lethality’ ‘CREDIBLE REPORTING’: Senator launches investigation into Democratic org over potential support for LA rioters ‘UNACCEPTABLE’: GOP congressman ‘remains concerned’ over ICE operations in deep blue state DEBT BURDEN BACKLASH: Trump’s ‘big, beautiful bill’ cracks down on Biden’s student loan ‘scheme,’ top Republican says VISA CRACKDOWN: New legislation would ban anyone associated with Hamas, Hezbollah, al Qaeda, ISIS from entering US ‘WAGES FLATLINE’: Republican senator teams up with Democrat to push $15 per hour minimum wage plus annual inflation increases ‘RULE OF LAW’: Republicans target vulnerable Senate Democrat over Los Angeles rioting ELEVATING RESISTANCE: Newsom under fire from Trump world, but Democrats hope his speech resets his image POWER PLAY IN IOWA: GOP congressman takes major step toward gubernatorial announcement BOOTS ON THE GROUND: Federal judge refuses to block Trump’s LA National Guard deployment on Newsom’s timeframe ‘DUSTBIN OF HISTORY’: Newsom compared to infamous Dem governor who also tried to block National Guard PURPLE JERSEY: Democrat Mikie Sherrill wins NJ gubernatorial primary, setting up showdown with Trump-backed GOP winner Get the latest updates on the Trump administration and Congress, exclusive interviews and more on FoxNews.com.
Taiwan envoy urges congressional action, warns of rising China threat after meeting lawmakers
Taiwan’s top envoy to the U.S. urged the Senate to ease tax burdens between the two countries and asked Congress to fast-track foreign military sales, following a closed-door lunch Wednesday with the House. Ambassador Alexander Tah-Ray Yui, Taipei’s top representative in Washington, told Fox News Digital that he is encouraged that U.S. leaders recognize the urgent existential threat China poses, but emphasized the need to get weapons into the hands of the Taiwanese military more quickly and to address issues impeding two-way investment. “We appreciate the United States prioritizing Taiwan and helping us strengthen our defense capabilities,” Yui said. “We’re cheering on more military commitments to the states and [a] joint effort to speed up the delivery of the products that we bought.” Yui called on the Senate to advance a stalled double taxation agreement, which has already cleared the House. ROBERT MAGINNIS: 9 SIGNS BEIJING’S TAIWAN INVASION MAY BE IMMINENT “That’s an important incentive for Taiwanese companies to come to the United States and invest – but also vice versa for U.S. companies to go to Taiwan,” he said. “We are the only one of the large trading partners without this treatment, which is worrying for the whole country right now.” By a vote of 423 to 1, the House last Congress passed the United States-Taiwan Expedited Double-Tax Relief Act, legislation that prevents double taxation on cross-border investments. The ambassador also offered a sobering assessment of China’s increasingly belligerent posture in the Taiwan Strait and across the Indo-Pacific. “We are concerned,” Yui said. “The [People’s Liberation] Army and Navy are increasing their activities around Taiwan, harassing our territorial waters and airspace. These provocations are constant.” While emphasizing that “we don’t want war,” he noted that the U.S. and regional partners have begun ramping up their own defenses, recognizing the threat. ‘COMING FOR US’: EXPERT SOUNDS ALARM ON CCP’S MISSION TO ‘KILL AMERICANS’ AFTER FBI MAKES SHOCKING ARRESTS Rep. August Pfluger, who chairs the influential RSC, told Fox News Digital that the meeting was a show of solidarity with Taiwan’s democratic government and a rebuke of China’s authoritarian policies. “China is an existential threat to Taiwan,” said Pfluger, a Texas Republican. “The difference between mainland China and Taiwan is how they treat human life. Taiwan values openness. China suppresses free speech, targets groups like the Uyghur Muslims – it’s deeply concerning.” The lunch meeting, attended by dozens of House Republicans, comes amid rising tensions in the region – but just as President Donald Trump announced a deal with Chinese President Xi Jinping to ease the trade war. While Pfluger did not commit to further supplemental aid, he said he supports efforts by both nations to strengthen military readiness, including Taiwan’s move to increase defense spending to 3% of GDP. “It stands to reason that Taiwan increasing their own internal spending on defense, as well as the U.S. recapitalizing our Navy and Air and Space Forces, is vitally important,” he said. Asked what message Congress wants to send to the Taiwanese people, Pfluger was unequivocal: “We stand by them – as an ally, as a trading partner, as a democracy facing tyranny just next door.” The conversation came at a time when U.S. military officials are warning China is readying for battle in the Indo-Pacific in an effort to “dominate” the region. “Beijing is preparing for war in the Indo-Pacific as part of its broader strategy to dominate that region and then the world,” Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told Congress this week. He added that such an outcome could put the U.S. economy and its supply chains in a choke hold. “China is undertaking a historic military buildup and actively rehearsing for an invasion of Taiwan,” he said. “These aggressive maneuvers are not routine exercises, they are rehearsals for a forced unification,” Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, added in his own testimony. Taiwan has recently renewed an effort to purge its ranks of Chinese sympathizers, indicting four people on Tuesday suspected of spying for China that had infiltrated the presidential office. Two Chinese aircraft carriers spotted conducting operations in the Pacific demonstrated the country’s “expansionist” aims, Taiwan Defense Minister Wellington Koo said Wednesday. “Crossing from the first island chain into the second island chain sends a definite political message and their expansionist nature can be seen,” he told reporters in Taipei. The first island chain refers to the region from Japan to Taiwan and the Philippines to Borneo and the second island chain spreads farther into the Pacific, toward the U.S. territory of Guam.