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Trump pushes back on ‘rebel’ Republicans over tariffs: ‘You don’t negotiate like I negotiate’

Trump pushes back on ‘rebel’ Republicans over tariffs: ‘You don’t negotiate like I negotiate’

President Donald Trump on Tuesday blasted some Republican members of Congress for trying to limit his presidential powers on instituting tariffs so that Congress could retake control. Trump delivered a speech to the National Republican Congressional Committee, calling out “rebel” Republicans while speaking about his trade policies. “And then I see some rebel Republican, some guy who wants to grandstand, say, ‘I think that Congress should take over negotiations.’ Let me tell you, you don’t negotiate like I negotiate,” Trump said. Rep. Don Bacon, R-Neb., is leading a bipartisan bill to block Trump from instituting tariffs and retake that power for Congress. Bacon told reporters earlier on Tuesday that he didn’t like “the thought of waging a trade war with the entire world.”  TRUMP TRADE REP TAKES BIPARTISAN FIRE OVER TARIFFS AS DEM LAUNCHES BID TO HALT THEM In the Senate, a bipartisan group led by Sens. Rand Paul, R-Ky., and Ron Wyden, D-Ore., is also introducing a resolution to repeal Trump’s global tariffs.  Sens. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, and Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., have already introduced a bipartisan bill that would require the president to notify Congress about any new tariffs within 48 hours of imposition and require Congress to approve new tariffs within 60 days or allow them to expire. Trump chewed out the Republicans over the proposed bills. “I just saw it today, a couple of your congressmen,” Trump said before launching into an impression of a lawmaker. “‘Sir, I think we should get involved in the negotiation of the tariffs.’ Oh, that’s what I need, I need some guy telling me how to negotiate.” WHITE HOUSE WARNS AGAINST TARIFF RETALIATION, SAYS TRUMP ‘HAS SPINE OF STEEL AND HE WILL NOT BREAK’ Trump said that should Congress take over tariff negotiations, China would be “the happiest people in the world.” “They wouldn’t be paying 104%,” Trump said of China. “I’d say they’d be paying no percent — we’d be paying them 104%.” Trump said that even the talk around Capitol Hill about limiting his tariff powers “hurts your negotiation,” adding, “And then the fake news wants to build it up, and it has no chance anyway.” “We have to remain united as I defend workers from unfair trade,” Trump said.

‘Super mayor’ Tiffany Henyard skips Dolton meetings as controversial tenure nears quiet end

‘Super mayor’ Tiffany Henyard skips Dolton meetings as controversial tenure nears quiet end

The final days of Dolton Mayor Tiffany Henyard’s term appear to be unfolding with less acrimony than the controversies that marked much of her tenure in office. The scandal-plagued and self-described “super mayor,” a Democrat, failed to show up for her final village board meeting on Monday, marking her fourth consecutive absence, according to reports.   Henyard lost her bid for reelection in February when she was defeated in a landslide by Jason House, who campaigned on transparency and reform, promising a “clean house” and to bring accountability back to Dolton government. House then swept the April 1 election with 95% of the vote over Independent candidate Casundra Hopson-Jordan. FEDS SUBPOENA DOLTON, ILLINOIS RECORDS TIED TO OUSTED ‘SUPER MAYOR’ TIFFANY HENYARD’S BOYFRIEND House, who will be inaugurated on May 5, said audits for the 2023 and 2024 fiscal years will be conducted over the next four months over concerns about financial mismanagement, the Chicago Tribune reports. Since Henyard took office, the village has been delinquent in filing annual financial reports and audits with the state comptroller’s office. Henyard’s tenure has brought national attention to the small Chicago suburb for all the wrong reasons.  In April 2024, the FBI served subpoenas at Dolton Village Hall amid allegations of corruption among officials. Henyard was not served. DOLTON MAYOR TIFFANY HENYARD FOUND IN CONTEMPT OF COURT AFTER ALLEGEDLY STONEWALLING LIQUOR LICENSES A town meeting two months later descended into chaos when her opponents and supporters clashed after Dolton trustees voted to reinstate former Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot to investigate Henyard. Residents accused her of using village funds as her own piggy bank by billing taxpayers thousands of dollars for her hair and makeup team as well as going on a lavish trip to Las Vegas. The town had previously hired Lightfoot to look into Henyard, but the Dolton mayor vetoed the move. Henyard also previously vetoed the board’s request to launch a federal investigation into gathering information on her alleged spending and financial mismanagement. Henyard has been dubbed the “worst mayor in America” by critics, and has also come under fire for an alleged sexual assault by one of her allies during the Vegas trip, where the alleged victim claims to have been fired after speaking out. Henyard’s cancer charity is also facing scrutiny. A federal subpoena was signed on Feb. 25, the day Henyard lost the mayoral primary in Dolton, as authorities pursue a criminal investigation tied to the ousted mayor. The subpoena is tied to a development project involving land once reportedly owned by Henyard’s boyfriend, FOX 32 Chicago reported. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Meanwhile, Dolton trustee Andrew Holmes, a Henyard ally, was also a no-show for Monday’s meeting, with some residents saying he hasn’t turned up in months. The new administration wants to look into why Holmes is still getting paid even though he is not showing up to village meetings, CBS reports. Henyard also serves as supervisor for Thornton Township Supervisor, one of the 29 townships in Cook County, Illinois, with Dolton being located in Thornton Township. She was defeated in her bid for reelection for supervisor by Illinois state Senator Napoleon Harris. In January, Henyard was seen on video jumping into a chaotic brawl that broke out between her boyfriend and an activist who called her a “b—-” during a heated Thornton Township Board of Trustees meeting.

Violent attacks from anti-Musk, anti-Trump protesters plague nation, compel GOP lawmakers to take precautions

Violent attacks from anti-Musk, anti-Trump protesters plague nation, compel GOP lawmakers to take precautions

A spate of violent incidents targeting Tesla car owners, dealerships, charging stations and Republicans in general have been a common occurrence since President Donald Trump took office, compelling some GOP lawmakers to take certain safety measures. The pattern of violent incidents comes after a new report from the Network Contagion Research Institute (NCRI), which found that increasingly violent rhetoric online is becoming more normalized than ever. NCRI’s findings showed that more than half of left-leaning respondents said killing Trump would be at least “somewhat justified.” The increased normalization of violent rhetoric was exhibited in audio recordings of voice mails and handwritten letters sent to GOP North Carolina Sen. Thom Tillis. “Thom Tillis, afraid of death threats? Then get the f— out of office,” a caller said in a voicemail sent to the senator’s office. In an unsigned letter sent to Tillis, his staffers were referred to as “sacrificial lambs” who “signed up to be [Tillis’s] shield.” Citing the uptick in “Democrat threats of violence,” GOP Wyoming Rep. Harriet Hageman moved all of her in-person town halls online. The move came after an incident in which an attendee of one of her town halls followed Hageman as she left and initiated a physical confrontation with her staff, eventually requiring police to intervene. Tillis has similarly taken certain steps to protect his staff, telling them to telework on days when there could be trouble.  AMERICANS HAVE BECOME ‘DESENSITIZED’ TO POLITICAL VIOLENCE, SAYS BRIANNA LYMAN “What was formerly taboo culturally has become acceptable,” Joel Finkelstein, lead author of the NCRI report, told Fox News Digital. “We are seeing a clear shift – glorification, increased attempts and changing norms – all converging into what we define as ‘assassination culture.’” These new rhetorical norms have translated into significant real-life violence, including just a few days ago at the New Mexico GOP’s headquarters in Albuquerque.  Suspects set the building on fire using incendiary devices, and they spray-painted the words “ICE = KKK” across the side of the building. An investigation into the incident, which did not result in any injuries, was initiated after the incident. So far, no arrests have been publicly reported. DEMOCRATS ARE OUT OF STEP WITH THE AMERICAN PEOPLE, FORMER CLINTON ADVISOR SAYS Meanwhile, Tesla owners, show rooms and charging stations have been targets of political violence as agitators find ways to challenge CEO Elon Musk and the Trump administration’s attempts to reform the government. Outside Portland, Oregon, a man was arrested for setting a Tesla dealership on fire using Molotov cocktails and then returning the next day to fire more than a dozen bullets into the same showroom. The shooting was the second time in a week that someone opened fire on the Tesla dealership, damaging windows and vehicles but not hurting anyone. In Boston, seven Tesla charging stations were engulfed in an intentionally set blaze, while in Las Vegas a fire caused numerous Teslas to explode. According to witness reports, the suspect in the Las Vegas arson also fired shots at the dealership and spray-painted the word “Resist” across the dealership’s front entrance. THE LOUDEST SILENCE: TOP DEMOCRATS REMAIN MUM AMID VIOLENT ATTACKS ON TESLA Meanwhile, in addition to attacks on Tesla businesses and charging stations, individuals who simply own a Tesla have also been victims of attacks spurred by anti-Musk and anti-Trump sentiment.  In New York City, vandals targeted multiple Tesla vehicles parked around the city, etching swastikas and the word “Nazi” on their passenger-side doors. The attacks on Tesla vehicles haven’t only been when they are vacant either.  DEMS HAVE BEEN COMPLETELY CAPTIVATED BY ‘FAR-LEFT LUNATICS,’ SAYS KAROLINE LEAVITT Multiple videos of Tesla drivers getting forcibly stopped in the middle of the road and accosted have surfaced on social media. In Seattle, a woman driving a Tesla was cut off by a masked driver on her way to a doctor’s appointment before he got out of his car and accosted the woman for owning a Tesla. The driver indicated to local news that the incident made her scared to drive her Tesla. NCRI’s survey found that in addition to a majority of left-leaning respondents justifying violent political attacks against Trump, about 40% also agreed it was justifiable to destroy Tesla dealerships.  “Property destruction wasn’t just an outlier opinion, it clustered tightly with support for political assassinations and other forms of violence,” Finkelstein said. “This points to a coherent belief system, not just isolated grievances.” DEM SENATOR WHO DITCHED TESLA TO PROTEST MUSK REFUSES TO CALL VIOLENCE AGAINST CARS ‘DOMESTIC TERRORISM’ Last week, GOP Rep. Lauren Boebert, R-Colo., introduced a resolution in the House of Representatives that attempts to get every Democrat on the record over whether they condemn the violent acts or not.  While some Democrats have condemned acts of vandalism against Tesla, they have refrained from labeling it “domestic terrorism.” Additionally, a forceful condemnation from Democrat leadership has yet to surface.    “My House Resolution will make clear where all members of Congress stand,” Boebert said after she introduced the resolution. “Do they condemn domestic terrorism against Tesla or do they endorse it completely? The American people deserve to know where their representatives stand when it comes to condemning domestic terrorism.”

Biden admin held private talks with Beijing on Chinese spy balloon ahead of notifying public, officials say

Biden admin held private talks with Beijing on Chinese spy balloon ahead of notifying public, officials say

Biden administration State Department officials held private talks with Beijing counterparts about the Chinese spy balloon that intercepted U.S. airspace in 2023, and discussed the implications the balloon’s publicity would have on the relationship between the U.S. and China, according to Trump administration officials.  U.S. officials identified the spy balloon infiltrating U.S. airspace on Jan. 28, 2023, and an Air Force fighter jet shot down the Chinese spy balloon off the coast of South Carolina Feb. 4, 2023, two days after the Pentagon issued a statement on the matter.   Biden officials held discussions with Beijing Feb. 1, 2023, about the balloon, and discussed the impact disclosing the balloon to the public could have on the relationship with China, internal State Department documents show, two Trump administration officials told Fox News Digital.   CHINESE SPY BALLOON EQUIPPED WITH TECH FROM AT LEAST 5 US FIRMS: REPORT  An internal State Department readout of the talks between Blinken and a top Chinese diplomat said Blinken stated that if the presence of the balloon were revealed publicly, it could have “profound implications for our relationship” with China, particularly amid efforts to stabilize the bilateral relationship with Beijing, two Trump administration officials familiar with the documents told Fox News Digital.  The readout said that the incident could also have complicated Blinken’s travel plans to China in early February 2023, if not quickly resolved. Blinken ultimately postponed the trip until June 2023.  A former Biden administration official told Fox News Digital that the State Department summoned senior Chinese diplomat Zhu Haiquan Feb. 1, 2023, so that the U.S. could notify China to remove the balloon, and issue a warning that the U.S. could take action to eliminate the balloon.  “Former Secretary Blinken advocated strongly to tell the American people about China’s rogue balloon, which is exactly what happened,” a spokesperson for the former secretary of state said in a Tuesday statement to Fox News Digital. “He has a long history of being tough on China while actually delivering results.” Likewise, another senior State Department official also held private talks on Feb. 1, 2023, with Chinese counterparts. A readout from that discussion says that the official claimed the longer it took to mitigate the issue would only increase the likelihood that news of the balloon would become public, posing greater challenges managing the situation, the Trump administration officials said.  WHATEVER HAPPENED TO … THE INVESTIGATIONS INTO THE CHINESE SPY BALLOON Ultimately, the Pentagon issued a statement Feb. 2, 2023, claiming that the U.S. government had detected a “high-altitude surveillance balloon.”  While then-White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters that Biden received a briefing on the balloon on Jan. 31, 2023, she did not provide details regarding why his administration didn’t issue a statement on the matter until Feb. 2, 2023.  Secretary of State Marco Rubio, then a U.S. senator from Florida, repeatedly criticized the Biden administration for how it handled disclosing information to the public about the balloon — and how long it took the administration to shoot it down.  Biden’s failure to address the situation sooner was the “beginning of dereliction of duty,” Rubio said during an appearance on CNN with Jake Tapper.  “Why didn’t the president go on television?” Rubio told Tapper. “He has the ability to convene the country in cameras and basically explain what we’re dealing with here.”  On Feb. 4, 2023, an Air Force F-22 Raptor fighter jet from Virginia’s Langley Air Force Base shot down the balloon off the coast of South Carolina with an AIM-9X Sidewinder missile.  At the time, the Pentagon said that while the balloon was not a military or physical threat, its presence in U.S. airspace did violate U.S. sovereignty. The Pentagon also shut down China’s initial claims that the balloon was a weather balloon blown off course and labeled such statements false.  “This was a PRC surveillance balloon,” a senior defense official told reporters at the time. “This surveillance balloon purposely traversed the United States and Canada, and we are confident it was seeking to monitor sensitive military sites.” The Pentagon also said after shooting down the balloon that similar balloons from China transited continental U.S. airspace in at least three instances during Trump’s first administration.  Additionally, Biden “gave his authorization to take down the Chinese surveillance balloon as soon as the mission could be accomplished without undue risk to us civilians under the balloon’s path,” the senior defense official said, noting that there was concern debris could harm civilians.  The Pentagon later said in June 2023 that it did not believe that the balloon gathered information as it traveled across the U.S. Blinken is now a speaker with CAA Speakers, which represents high-profile celebrities. A spokesperson for Biden did not immediately provide comment to Fox News Digital.