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House Republicans push Johnson to go to war with Senate over SAVE Act

House Republicans push Johnson to go to war with Senate over SAVE Act

Several House Republicans are pushing Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., to go to war with the Senate GOP over an election security bill that has little chance of passing the upper chamber under current circumstances. House GOP leaders convened a lawmaker-only call on Sunday in the wake of a massive military operation against Iran launched by the U.S. and Israel. After leaders briefed House Republicans on how the chamber would respond to the ongoing conflict — including a vote on ending Democrats’ weeks-long government shutdown targeting the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) — Fox News Digital was told that several lawmakers raised concerns about the Senate not yet taking up the Safeguarding American Voter Eligiblity (SAVE America) Act. Among other provisions, the act would require voters in federal elections to produce valid ID and proof of citizenship. Rep. Derrick Van Orden, R-Wis., was among those pushing the House to reject any bills from the Senate until the measure was taken up, telling Johnson according to multiple sources on the call, “If we don’t get this done, or at least show that we’ve got some backbone, we’re done. The midterms are over.” SEN LEE DARES DEMOCRATS TO REVIVE TALKING FILIBUSTER OVER SAVE ACT, SLAMMING CRITICISM AS ‘PARANOID FANTASY’ At least three other House Republicans shared similar concerns. Sources on the call said Rep. Brandon Gill, R-Texas, argued that GOP voters were “not enthused” heading into November and that “the single biggest thing” to turn that around would be forcing the Senate to pass the SAVE America Act. The SAVE America Act passed the House last month with support from all Republicans and just one Democrat, Rep. Henry Cuellar, D-Texas. JEFFRIES ACCUSES REPUBLICANS OF ‘VOTER SUPPRESSION’ OVER BILL REQUIRING VOTER ID, PROOF OF CITIZENSHIP Republicans have pointed out on multiple occasions that voter ID measures have bipartisan support across multiple public polls and surveys. But Democrats have dismissed the legislation as an attempt at voter suppression ahead of the 2026 midterms. The legislation would require 60 votes in the Senate to break filibuster, which it’s likely not to get given Democrats’ near-uniform opposition. But House Republicans have pressured Senate Majority Leader John Thune to use a mechanism known as a standing filibuster to circumvent that — which Thune has signaled opposition to, given the vast amount of time it would take up in the Senate and potential unintended consequences in the amendment process. It also comes as Congress grapples with the fallout from the strikes on Iran and the need to ensure safety for the U.S. domestically and for service members abroad, both of which will require close coordination between the two chambers. Johnson told Republicans several times on the Sunday call that he was privately pressuring Thune on the bill but was wary of creating a public rift with his fellow GOP leader, sources said. HARDLINE CONSERVATIVES DOUBLE DOWN TO SAVE THE SAVE ACT “If we’re going to go to war against our own party in the Senate, there may be implications to that,” Johnson said at one point, according to people on the call. “So we want to be thoughtful and careful.” At another point in the call, sources said Rep. Andrew Clyde, R-Ga., suggested pairing a coming vote on DHS funding with the SAVE America Act in order to force the Senate to take it up. But both Johnson and House Homeland Security Committee Chairman Andrew Garbarino, R-N.Y., were hesitant about such a move given the enhanced threat environment in the wake of the U.S. operation in Iran. Both spoke out in favor of the SAVE America Act, people told Fox News Digital, but warned the current situation merited leaving the DHS funding bill on its own in a bid to end the partial shutdown, so the department could fully function as a national security shield.

Trump’s Iran strike rocks Texas Senate race as Dems demand ‘war powers,’ GOP applauds president

Trump’s Iran strike rocks Texas Senate race as Dems demand ‘war powers,’ GOP applauds president

SAN ANTONIO, TX – With hours to go until primary day in Texas, the U.S. and Israeli attack on Iran is the latest flashpoint in Lone Star State’s high-stakes and combustible Senate showdown. Republican Sen. John Cornyn and his two primary challengers are rallying around President Donald Trump‘s decision to launch the attacks, which are now in their second day and resulted in the killing of Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Three American military members were also killed in the fighting. But the two Democrats vying for their party’s nomination in a bid to try and flip the long-held Republican seat in right-leaning Texas are condemning the airstrikes on Iran. This year’s Senate showdown in Texas is one of a handful across the country that could determine if Republicans hold their majority in the chamber in the midterm elections. The GOP currently controls the chamber 53-47. FOX NEWS LIVE UPDATES ON THE ATTACK ON IRAN “I think the President did the right thing. It’s amazing to me that President Trump is the only president in my lifetime that is willing to take this kind of decisive action in order to stop the halt of terrorism and also radical Islam,” Cornyn said Sunday in a Fox News Digital interview. Cornyn praised the operation, saying “this was well planned and was very decisive.” But he added, “There’s still a lot more to be done, and unfortunately, Iran still has a lot of ability to inflict casualties on people in the region.” The senator’s top primary rival, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, thanked Trump for his “courageous leadership.” Paxton, a MAGA firebrand and longtime Trump supporter who has survived a slew of scandals over the past decade, said in a social media post that “President Trump’s Operation Epic Fury is yet another overwhelming and historic military success. Khamenei’s been killed and the terroristic regime threatening our troops and nation has been decimated.” IRAN’S NEAR HALF CENTURY WAR ON AMERICANS Rep. Wesley Hunt, the Army veteran turned MAGA rising star, also praised the president, saying, “Trump did it again. PEACE THROUGH AMERICAN STRENGTH!” “Iran’s Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is DEAD, and now the people of Iran have a chance to be free,” added Hunt, a West Point graduate who flew Apache helicopters during his Army service who is in his second term representing a safe Republican district in the Houston-area. Trump, whose clout over the GOP remains immense, has stayed neutral to date in the Republican primary. All three candidates, who have sought the president’s endorsement, were in attendance Friday as Trump held an event in Corpus Christi, Texas. “They’re in a little race together,” Trump said of Cornyn and Paxton. “You know that, right? A little bit of a race. It’s going to be an interesting one, right? They’re both great people, too.” Trump also complimented Hunt, and said that all three contenders were engaged in an “interesting election.” DEMS’ POTENTIAL 2028 HOPEFULS COME OUT AGAINST US STRIKES ON IRAN The two major Democrats in the race, progressive firebrand Rep. Jasmine Crockett and rising Democratic Party star state Rep. James Talarico, are chastising Trump for not seeking congressional approval. “CONGRESS, not the PRESIDENT, but CONGRESS has the EXCLUSIVE authority to declare war! Speaker Johnson needs to call us in IMMEDIATELY & it is time for the House & the Senate to pass a war powers resolution!” Crockett wrote on social media this weekend. And Crockett, a vocal Trump critic and foil, asked, “Why is it that this President refuses to even pretend that he cares about following the law?! I’ve been stomping & telling people that this election is life or death!” Talarico, taking to social media this weekend, emphasized, “No more forever wars.” But he didn’t make specific comments about the military strikes during a campaign event Sunday in San Antonio, Texas. Cornyn criticized the Democratic candidates for not supporting the U.S. operation. “When the President has, in an act of political courage, ordered the U.S. military, along with our ally Israel, to defeat the number one state sponsor of terrorism and to prevent them from acquiring a nuclear weapon. Whose side do they choose? They choose the Iranian side. It’s just mind-boggling to me,” he argued. And the senator predicted, “this will continue to be an issue in the midterm elections, because I don’t think that’s what the American people want, to live in a new world where a nuclear-armed terrorist state can literally terrorize not just the region but the world.”

Trump pledges to ‘avenge’ fallen US service members as tensions with Iran intensify

Trump pledges to ‘avenge’ fallen US service members as tensions with Iran intensify

President Donald Trump vowed Sunday to “avenge” the deaths of three U.S. service members killed in action as the conflict involving Iran deepens across the Middle East. “As one nation, we grieve for the true American patriots who have made the ultimate sacrifice for our nation,” Trump said in a video statement posted on Truth Social.  “Even as we continue the righteous mission for which they gave their lives, we pray for the full recovery of the wounded and send our immense love and eternal gratitude to the families of the fallen.” ENEMY WITHIN: COUNTERTERRORISM EXPERTS FEAR SLEEPER CELLS COULD BE POISED INSIDE US The president struck a somber note, warning that “sadly, there will likely be more before it ends.” “America will avenge their deaths and deliver the most punishing blow to the terrorists who have waged war,” Trump said. “Our resolve and likewise that of Israel has never been stronger.” Trump’s remarks, his first public statement since the U.S.-Israel strikes that led to the death of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and several senior Iranian officials, signaled a potentially prolonged confrontation. “This wretched and vile man had the blood of hundreds and even thousands of Americans on his hands and was responsible for the slaughter of countless thousands of innocent people all across many countries,” Trump said. TOMAHAWKS SPEARHEADED US STRIKE ON IRAN — WHY PRESIDENTS REACH FOR THIS MISSILE FIRST He said U.S. forces had struck “hundreds of targets” inside Iran, including key Revolutionary Guard facilities, air defense systems and naval assets. Trump said the U.S. “knocked out nine Iranian ships “in a matter of literally minutes.” Military operations, he added, would continue “until all of our objectives are achieved.” He went on to issue a direct warning to Iran’s Revolutionary Guard and military leadership, urging them to surrender in exchange for immunity or face “certain death.”  Ahead of the strikes, the U.S. military amassed what Trump previously called an “armada” in Iran’s backyard. Mapped out across the Persian Gulf and beyond, the deployment tells its own story, one of calculated pressure backed by credible capability. At the center of the U.S. presence are two aircraft carrier strike groups — the USS Abraham Lincoln and USS Gerald R. Ford — each supported by guided-missile destroyers and cruisers and capable of sustained air and missile operations. More than a dozen additional U.S. warships are also operating in the region in support roles, according to defense officials. THE ONLY MAP YOU NEED TO SEE TO UNDERSTAND HOW SERIOUS TRUMP IS ABOUT IRAN Meanwhile, Tehran has vowed retaliation for the strikes.  Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian declared that avenging Khamenei’s killing is both a “legitimate duty and right,” and added that Tehran “will forcefully crush the enemy’s bases.” The confrontation has already included missile and drone strikes launched by Iran against U.S. bases in Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates and Iraq, though U.S. Central Command has denied Tehran’s claims of successfully targeting American carriers. The unfolding conflict has ignited reactions far beyond the Middle East, including anti-war protests in U.S. cities and heightened diplomatic tensions near American embassies, underscoring how quickly the crisis has expanded beyond the region. In Austin, authorities are investigating a recent shooting as potentially an act of terrorism, further heightening concerns about spillover effects at home. Meanwhile, federal and local law enforcement have boosted security as a precaution, though officials say no specific, credible threats have been identified.   

Enemy within: Counterterrorism experts fear sleeper cells could be poised inside US

Enemy within: Counterterrorism experts fear sleeper cells could be poised inside US

American counterterrorism agencies are quietly monitoring suspected sleeper cells on U.S. soil in the wake of joint U.S.–Israel strikes on Iran, stepping up surveillance amid heightened fears of possible retaliation from Iran-linked operatives or sympathizers. Federal and local law enforcement have also boosted on-the-ground security in major U.S. cities as part of a precautionary posture, even though no specific, credible threats have been publicly identified. The move comes on the heels of a Saturday morning operation, dubbed Operation Epic Fury, that resulted in the death of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and several senior Iranian officials in a coordinated U.S.–Israeli military campaign. US, ISRAEL STRIKE IRAN: AYATOLLAH KHAMENEI, 40 TOP IRANIAN LEADERS KILLED Security experts warn that the fallout could extend beyond the Middle East. “If ever there’s going to be a Hezbollah cell or a Hamas cell act in the United States in a violent way, it’s now,” Chris Swecker, a former assistant FBI director, told Fox News. “Both organizations are Iranian-backed all the way. Both organizations have had a presence in the United States since the 1980s,” he added. Swecker said U.S. authorities have long been aware of domestic networks and sympathizers. “We know that they have cells here. We also know that there are lone sympathizers, many of whom have come out in these protest groups,” he added. TOMAHAWKS SPEARHEADED US STRIKE ON IRAN — WHY PRESIDENTS REACH FOR THIS MISSILE FIRST He also warned that border security vulnerabilities may have compounded the risk. “We just come off four years of open borders, and I have said before that that was an open door for terrorists to terrorist cells and terror sympathizers to infiltrate. Many were already here, but it’s impossible that they would not infiltrate into these particular groups and sort of act as catalysts, as enablers.” Against that backdrop, the FBI is moving to reinforce its domestic security posture. FBI Director Kash Patel said Saturday that counterterrorism and intelligence teams are now on high alert amid ongoing U.S. actions involving Iran. “Last night, I instructed our Counterterrorism and intelligence teams to be on high alert and mobilize all assisting security assets needed,” Patel wrote on X. Patel added that while the U.S. military is handling force protection overseas, the FBI “remains at the forefront of deterring attacks here at home” and will continue working around the clock to protect Americans. FBI RAISES COUNTERTERROR TEAMS TO HIGH ALERT AMID IRAN TENSIONS Jason Pack, a retired FBI supervisory special agent and Fox News contributor, said heightened monitoring is routine when U.S. military operations intersect with adversaries that have historically responded through indirect or unconventional means. “The intelligence and counterterrorism communities work on this kind of scenario continuously, long before any conflict begins,” Pack said. “When the United States commits to a joint military campaign with Israel, the domestic threat environment doesn’t simply remain static. It could shift, potentially significantly.” He noted that adversarial actors — including Hezbollah, Hamas’s external networks and Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps proxies — have historically demonstrated both intent and, in some cases, the capability to retaliate against U.S. military actions. Meanwhile, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said she is “in direct coordination with our federal intelligence and law enforcement partners as we continue to closely monitor and thwart any potential threats to the homeland.” The heightened alert comes as parts of the Department of Homeland Security face a partial shutdown, raising additional questions about resources and operational strain at a time when federal agencies are on elevated watch. While no specific plots have been identified, officials acknowledge the threat environment could shift quickly as tensions overseas evolve and whether that escalation reaches American soil remains to be seen. Fox News Digital’s Michael Dorgan and Kelley Kramer contributed to this report. 

GOP warns Democrats’ DHS shutdown could jeopardize World Cup security

GOP warns Democrats’ DHS shutdown could jeopardize World Cup security

The ongoing government shutdown over Homeland Security funding could disrupt security planning for the FIFA World Cup, raising concerns among lawmakers as U.S. cities prepare to host matches this summer. Congressional Republicans warn that with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) shuttered amid the funding lapse, host cities in both blue and red states gearing up for the games later this year could fall behind in planning. “I think it’ll be a concern real fast if we’re not able to get [DHS] reopened,” Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., told Fox News Digital. AGENCY THAT NABBED ‘EL CHAPO,’ ‘DIDDY’ THREATENED AS DEMOCRATS’ DHS SHUTDOWN DRAGS ON The World Cup kicks off in June and will be held across the U.S., Canada and Mexico. Several U.S. cities are set to host matches, including East Rutherford, New Jersey, New York, Boston, Dallas, Houston, St. Louis, Atlanta, Miami, Philadelphia, the San Francisco Bay Area and Seattle. DHS is the chief agency responsible for securing host cities as local officials prepare for an influx of fans from around the world. The agency has been shuttered for two weeks, with negotiations between the White House and Senate Democrats stalled. Sen. Andy Kim, D-N.J., told Fox News Digital he frequently discusses World Cup preparations with local officials but has not yet heard concerns about the shutdown’s impact. SCHUMER, DEMS AGAIN BLOCK DHS FUNDING, FORCE STATE OF THE UNION SHOWDOWN “I mean, look, if that’s the concern that Republican senators have, then have them press the White House to move forward on these negotiations,” Kim said. “You know, I just feel like they are not moving forward with the urgency that the American people want to see.” Congressional Democrats have blocked funding for DHS in a bid to enact reforms to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), but neither side has reached an agreement on a path forward. Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, told Fox News Digital it was clear to him the shutdown could affect the effort to prepare for the World Cup, though he said he had not yet heard concerns from local officials. “I think the Democrats took the wrong hostage,” Cornyn said. “I mean, they’re mad at immigration enforcement, which they don’t believe in, but they are taking TSA and FEMA and the Coast Guard hostage, and they didn’t have anything to do with that.” DEMOCRATS RISK FEMA DISASTER FUNDING COLLAPSE AS DHS SHUTDOWN HITS DAY 5 Senate Democrats argue there has been little urgency from the White House to move toward reopening DHS, citing a slowdown in negotiations over the past week. They have put the responsibility for ending the shutdown on the Trump administration, despite Republicans publicly pushing back against several of their demands, including requiring ICE agents to obtain judicial warrants and refrain from wearing masks, among other changes. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., told Fox News Digital she had not heard from officials in Boston about possible disruptions to World Cup preparations. She argued Democrats’ demands that ICE adhere to the same rules as local police forces were reasonable. Warren dismissed the criticism as typical political posturing. “Well, sounds like the usual for the Trump administration,” she said. “All talk, no action.”