Federal judge rules Trump’s Portland National Guard deployment unconstitutional in permanent injunction
A federal judge on Friday ruled that the Trump administration’s attempt to deploy National Guard troops to Portland, Oregon, was unconstitutional. On Sunday, U.S. District Court Judge Karin Immergut, a Trump appointee, temporarily extended an order blocking the administration from deploying troops to The Rose City, saying the government failed to justify the move. In the Sunday evening order, Immergut temporarily blocked “Defendant Secretary of Defense [Pete] Hegseth from implementing” memorandums that authorized the federalization and deployment of National Guard members from Oregon, Texas and California into Portland. The injunction remained in effect until Friday. WHITE HOUSE REBUKES ‘EGREGIOUS’ COURT ORDER BLOCKING TROOP DEPLOYMENTS AMID PORTLAND UNREST Friday’s 106-page ruling makes the order permanent. It followed a three-day trial over whether protests at the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement building in Portland warranted use of the military domestically under federal law. The administration said the troops were needed to protect federal personnel and property. PORTLAND POLICE ACCUSE FEDERAL TROOPS OF INFLAMING ANTI-ICE PROTESTS, WHICH CITY CLAIMS HAVE NOT BEEN VIOLENT Immergut said in the ruling the “evidence demonstrates that these deployments, which were objected to by Oregon’s governor and not requested by the federal officials in charge of protection of the ICE building, exceeded the President’s authority” because he wasn’t able to demonstrate there was a rebellion or threat of rebellion that couldn’t be enforced without the military. The judge added that “even giving great deference to the President’s determination, the President did not have a lawful basis to federalize the National Guard.” Immergut called the order unconstitutional, saying that it violated the 10th Amendment, “which ‘reserves to the States’ any powers not expressly delegated to the federal government in the Constitution.” The city of Portland and state of Oregon had sued the administration over the deployment in September after Hegseth sent 200 troops to the city. The administration can appeal the decision. The administration also faces a temporary injunction in Chicago, where a judge has barred the administration from deploying troops.
The Hitchhiker’s Guide to a potential procedrual vote on an interim spending bill
Fox has learned that Senate Republicans are hopeful that just enough Senate Democrats may be willing to join with them to help break a filibuster on a test vote to fund the government through sometime in January. This proposal would also fund the Department of Agriculture and Department of Veterans Affairs, plus, Congress until Sept. 30, 2026. ‘TWISTED IRONY’: DEMOCRATS RISK BETRAYING THEIR OWN PET ISSUES WITH GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN GAMBLE If Republicans are able to coax enough Democrats to vote yes, the Senate could vote as early as tomorrow to break a filibuster on this combination bill. That would require 60 yeas. However, what is unclear is the status of Obamacare subsidies. Democrats have balked at the lack of a concrete remedy to spiking health care premiums. “They’re looking for an off-ramp,” said one Senate source familiar with the Democrats’ thinking. THUNE SAYS ‘WHEELS CAME OFF’ AS REPUBLICANS MULL NEXT SHUTDOWN MOVE Fox is told that air traffic control and flight delays are a major consideration in the thinking of the Democrats. It is believed that the Senate GOP leadership is reluctant to force a vote related to the combination spending bill on the floor without a guarantee it could break a filibuster. One Senate source told Fox it would be “bad form at this stage” to endure a failed procedural vote on a plan which Republicans believe is the only way out of the government shutdown cul-de-sac. OPTIMISM FADES AS SENATE DEMOCRATS DIG IN, HOLD OUT OVER OBAMACARE DEMANDS Moreover, a break by these Democrats without an agreement on health care would be a blow to progressives and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.). It would also mark the first true progress toward re-opening the government. If enough Democrats are yeas, Fox is told the Senate could take a test vote on Saturday night. By the book, if the Senate breaks the filibuster, the Senate may not be able to take a final vote on the package until sometime Monday or Tuesday. But Fox is told there is a distinct possibility that Democrats could yield back time to expedite the process. If the Senate were to approve the deal, it’s on to the House. But the House’s disposition is unclear on this legislation. And the House would not even consider this plan until the middle of next week at the earliest. However, if the House aligns with the Senate, the government would re-open — at least for a couple of months.
FIRST ON FOX: California’s top public university under fire for ‘LatinX’ and ‘Pilipinx’ race-based scholarship
Cornell Law professor William A. Jacobson, founder of the Equal Protection Project, has filed a federal civil rights complaint with the U.S. Department of Education‘s civil rights office accusing the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) of running more than a dozen scholarships that exclude students based on race, sex or national origin. The 13 programs named in the complaint include awards limited to “LatinX” freshmen, “Pilipinx” students, “undocumented undergraduates,” and female-only applicants. The filing claims those criteria violate Title VI and Title IX of federal civil-rights law, which bar discrimination by federally funded schools. “That race- and sex-based discriminatory scholarships exist at a major and highly visible public university is shocking,” Jacobson told Fox News Digital. “UCLA should know better than to run scholarships or programs that treat students differently based on race, color, national origin, or sex.” UC BERKELEY CLASS FOCUSES ON HOW ‘RACIAL SUPERIORITY’ SHAPES IMMIGRATION LAW, ANTI-ICE RHETORIC The UCLA Latino Alumni Association scholarship states it was created for “incoming LatinX freshmen and transfer students,” while a Pilipino Alumni Association award is for students “who indicate their membership in the Pilipinx community.” The Undocumented Alumni Association Scholarship restricts eligibility to undocumented students, and the Raza Women’s Alumni Scholarship gives preference to “incoming Latina freshmen and transfer students.” That language stands in contrast to remarks by California Gov. Gavin Newsom, who said earlier this year that “no one says Latinx.” Despite the governor’s disavowal of the term, UCLA, part of the UC system he oversees, still uses “LatinX” as an official eligibility label in a taxpayer-funded scholarship. Other programs cited include two scholarships for students of Armenian descent and a Deloitte Foundation award that supports “meritorious female students.” The complaint argues that UCLA’s use of racial or sex-based criteria “violates federal law and the university’s own nondiscrimination policies.” The filing asks federal officials to investigate and, if necessary, suspend UCLA’s federal funding until the programs are changed. UCLA’s scholarship portal contains a statement defending its process for “identity-conscious” awards. ELITE CALIFORNIA COLLEGES FACE TITLE VI COMPLAINT OVER DEI-LINKED SCHOLARSHIPS “UCLA administers all identity-conscious financial aid and scholarships in compliance with federal, state, and university regulations,” the statement says. “Identity-conscious awards may include a preference for a student’s race, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, color, ethnicity, or national origin… The pooled application process allows students to be considered for multiple scholarships and is used in determining the source of a recipient’s aid, but not their eligibility, receipt, or amount of financial aid.” Jacobson said UCLA’s policies still cross a legal line. “Creating educational opportunities based on race, color, national origin, or sex violates Titles VI and IX of the Civil Rights Act,” he said. “It’s time for higher education to focus on the inherent worth of every student rather than categorizing them by identity groups.” The complaint, filed Nov. 7, 2025, asks the Education Department to open a formal investigation and enforce compliance with federal law. UCLA and Newsom’s office have not yet responded to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
House Dem reveals why she hijacked Speaker Johnson’s presser with viral outburst
Rep. Chrissy Houlahan, D-Pa., defended her interruption of Republican Speaker of the House Mike Johnson’s press conference that went viral this week, arguing her rage was justifiable because Johnson has been unwilling to negotiate with Democratic Party leaders to reopen the government. GOP lawmakers have argued the two warring parties could agree to a budget resolution and negotiate public healthcare subsidies Democrats are holding out for down the road. But Houlahan said she disagreed despite Democratic Party Senate leader Chuck Schumer unveiling a plan Friday afternoon to extend the Obamacare subsidies in question for just a year and develop a committee to negotiate further how to handle the subsidies once the government is open. “Because I believe that he’s our speaker, the speaker of the House, and it’s important that he do his job,” Houlahan responded when asked why she decided to interrupt Johnson’s press conference. “And as near as I can tell, in the more than 40 days [of the government shutdown], he hasn’t picked up a phone call and tried to speak to more than half of the country.” “Democrats could end this in the Senate if they would just pass the CR and then handle healthcare separate. Why do you see these as connected?” the congresswoman was asked. SCHUMER, DEMS UNVEIL ALTERNATIVE SHUTDOWN PLAN, ASK FOR ONE-YEAR EXTENSION TO OBAMACARE SUBSIDIES “I believe them to be inextricably connected,” Houlahan responded. “This is literally the healthcare — the livelihood and ability of people to thrive in our country — and I think this is the time to have this conversation.” Houlahan added that the Trump administration “has been slowly strangling the American people” and said that by shutting down the government it is “trying to complete the job.” “Over the last nine months, this administration has been slowly strangling the American people,” she said. “Shutting back down the government by itself and now it’s trying to complete the job.” When pressed further, Houlahan’s staff stepped in and said she needed to go and could not answer any more questions. THUNE SAYS ‘WHEELS CAME OFF’ AS REPUBLICANS MULL NEXT SHUTDOWN MOVE The Democrat went viral earlier this week when House Speaker Johnson’s press conference outside the Capitol building briefly descended into chaos when she got into a heated exchange with the speaker demanding he meet with her caucus to end the shutdown. Houlahan was jeered at, and, at a certain point, Johnson told her to respect his free speech rights. “You should respect free speech,” Houlahan clapped back. “I’m asking you a question if you’re ready to have a conversation with the other side. You represent all of us. You are the speaker for all of us, sir.” Johnson attempted to take a question from a reporter, but he said, “I can’t hear you because we have someone who doesn’t respect the rights of their colleagues.” Meanwhile, Houlahan kept shouting over the speaker even as he tried to call order. “You have an obligation not just to speak lies to the American people. You have an obligation to call the leadership of both parties and bring us together and solve this problem together,” she yelled. The following day, Houlahan participated in a Democratic Party press conference of her own on the steps of the Capitol, during which no interruptions appeared to take place, according to recordings posted online. Houlahan referred to the viral moment between her and the speaker as a “dialogue” during her comments. “I like to think of it as a dialogue more than a confrontation,” she said. “He reminded me and the American people that he has literally not sat down and talked to Democratic leaders since before the shutdown. They refuse to sit down with us, and they refuse to tell the American public the truth.”
Supreme Court blocks lower court order forcing Trump administration to fully fund SNAP program
The U.S. Supreme Court issued a temporary block on Friday on a lower court’s order requiring the Trump administration to fully fund the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) program amid the government shutdown. The decision came shortly after a federal appeals court on Friday denied a Trump administration request to temporarily block the lower court ruling. On Thursday, U.S. District Judge Jack McConnell rejected the administration’s effort to only partially fund the benefits program for some 42 million low-income Americans for November as the shutdown drags on, giving the government 24 hours to comply. “People have gone without for too long,” McConnell said in court. DOJ ACCUSES FEDERAL JUDGE OF ‘MAKING MOCKERY OF THE SEPARATION OF POWERS’ IN SNAP APPEAL After the appeals court ruling, the Trump administration filed the emergency appeal to SCOTUS late Friday. “Given the imminent, irreparable harms posed by these orders, which require the government to transfer an estimated $4 billion by tonight, the Solicitor General respectfully requests an immediate administrative stay of the orders pending the resolution of this application by no later than 9:30pm this evening,” an administration spokesperson told Fox News. New York Attorney General Letitia James responded to the Supreme Court decision Friday, calling it a “tragedy.” “This decision is a tragedy for the millions of Americans who rely on SNAP to feed their families. It is disgraceful that the Trump administration chose to fight this in court instead of fulfilling its responsibility to the American people,” she said in a statement. The Supreme Court ruling came after the U.S. Department of Agriculture on Friday said it is working to comply with a judge’s order to fully fund the program for November. In a letter sent to all regional directors of the SNAP program on Friday, Patrick Penn, deputy undersecretary for USDA’s Food, Nutrition and Consumer Services, said, “FNS is working towards implementing November 2025 full benefit issuances in compliance with the November 6, 2025, order from the District Court of Rhode Island.” He added, “Later today, FNS will complete the processes necessary to make funds available to support your subsequent transmittal of full issuance files to your EBT processor.” TRUMP SAYS SNAP BENEFITS WILL ONLY RESUME WHEN ‘RADICAL LEFT DEMOCRATS’ OPEN GOVERNMENT Penn said the department would keep regional directors “as up to date as possible on any future developments and appreciate your continued partnership to serve program beneficiaries across the country. State agencies with questions should contact their FNS Regional Office representative.” He scolded the Trump administration for failing to comply with the order he issued last week, which required the U.S. Department of Agriculture to fund the SNAP benefits programs before its funds were slated to lapse on Nov. 1, marking the first time in the program’s 60-year history that its payments were halted. The judge also said Trump officials failed to address a known funding distribution problem that could cause SNAP payments to be delayed for weeks or months in some states. He ordered the USDA to tap other contingency funds as needed. DOJ ACCUSES FEDERAL JUDGE OF MAKING ‘MOCKERY OF THE SEPARATION OF POWERS’ IN SNAP APPEAL “It’s likely that SNAP recipients are hungry as we sit here,” McConnell said Thursday. Trump administration officials said in a court filing earlier this week that they would pay just 65% of the roughly $9 billion owed to fund the SNAP program for November, prompting the judge to update his order and give the administration just 24 hours to comply. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP “The evidence shows that people will go hungry, food pantries will be overburdened, and needless suffering will occur,” McConnell said. “That’s what irreparable harm here means.” Fox News’ Breanne Deppisch contributed to this report.
Dems block GOP bill ensuring federal worker, military paychecks continue during shutdown
Senate Democrats again blocked a plan by Republicans to ensure that federal workers and the military would receive a paycheck as the shutdown back and forth revs into high gear. Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., again tried to advance a modified version of his “Shutdown Fairness Act” bill that would see federal workers and the military paid now and during subsequent government shutdowns. However, the bill failed 53-43 with 3 Democrats defecting to support the bill. Georgia Sens. Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff, and Ben Ray Luján of New Mexico voted for the bill. Last month, it was blocked over concerns from Senate Democrats that it did not include furloughed workers. SCHUMER, DEMS UNVEIL ALTERNATIVE SHUTDOWN PLAN, ASK FOR ONE-YEAR EXTENSION TO OBAMACARE SUBSIDIES Johnson noted on the Senate floor that after discussions with Senate Democrats he changed the bill to include furloughed workers, and that his legislation had the backing of several federal employee unions. “They are sick and tired, being used as pawns in this political dysfunction here. They’re tired of it,” Johnson said. Still, after fireworks on the Senate floor where Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., and Sen. Gary Peters, D-Mich., who initially blocked the bill over concerns that it allowed President Donald Trump to pick and choose who got paid, the bill was blocked largely along party lines. THUNE SAYS ‘WHEELS CAME OFF’ AS REPUBLICANS MULL NEXT SHUTDOWN MOVE “It’s about leverage, isn’t it? Isn’t that what y’all have been saying? It’s about leverage,” Thune said. “This isn’t leverage. This is the lives of the American people.” Johnson’s bill appearing on the floor wasn’t the initial plan Senate Republicans had going into Friday. Thune wanted to put the House-passed continuing resolution (CR) up for a vote again, but newfound Democratic unity after a sweeping victory on Election Night earlier this week had derailed bipartisan attempts to build an off-ramp. The GOP’s attempt to pay federal workers amid the ongoing, 38-day shutdown came as Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and his caucus announced their counter-offer to Senate Republicans’ plan to reopen the government. ‘TWISTED IRONY’: DEMOCRATS RISK BETRAYING THEIR OWN PET ISSUES WITH GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN GAMBLE Schumer’s offer included attaching a one-year extension onto expiring Obamacare subsidies — the main sticking point of the shutdown — in exchange for the Democratic votes to reopen the government. But the offer, which a source told Fox News Digital had been made in private to Senate Republicans last week and was summarily rejected, was again not going over well with Republicans. The Senate is expected to return on Saturday to vote on the House-passed plan for a 15th time. Whether Schumer and his caucus block it once more remains to be seen.
EXCLUSIVE: House Republican targets ‘woke’ testing in bill to restore classical education at military schools
Rep. Mary Miller, R-Ill., has introduced legislation that would require U.S. service academies and federally operated secondary schools to incorporate a new standardized test based on classical learning principles. The Promoting Classical Learning Act of 2025, introduced in the House Nov. 7, would direct West Point, the Naval Academy, the Air Force Academy and other service academies to accept the Classic Learning Test (CLT) alongside the SAT and ACT for admissions. It would also require federally-run schools to administer the exam to 11th grade students. “America’s service academies should represent the highest ideals of our nation — courage, integrity and intellect. The Classic Learning Test upholds those same ideals,” Miller said in an exclusive statement to Fox News Digital. TEACHERS UNIONS LOSE, PARENTS WIN UNDER MAJOR POLICY MOVE SAYS RED STATE SCHOOLS CHIEF “Requiring our military academies to accept the CLT will help cultivate a new generation of leaders who are not only exceptionally capable but deeply grounded in the principles that make America strong.” “The College Board claims to be neutral but pressures schools to adopt leftist curricula while censoring right-of-center materials,” Miller’s office said in a summary of the legislation. “The CLT validates the educational choices of millions of families nationwide who choose private, religious, classical and homeschool models.” NATION’S REPORT CARD GIVES PUBLIC SCHOOLS A FAILING GRADE. PARENTS ARE DEMANDING BETTER Miller introduced the measure in partnership with Sen. Jim Banks, R-Ind. The bill would compel both the Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) and the Bureau of Indian Education (BIE) to administer the CLT to all 11th grade students in their school systems. According to Miller’s office, the proposal would codify Secretary of War Pete Hegseth’s earlier directive that U.S. service academies begin accepting the CLT starting with the 2027 admissions cycle, a policy the Pentagon formally announced in September 2025. Created in 2015 by Jeremy Tate, the CLT assesses reading, writing and math skills using classical texts drawn from the Western canon. Supporters describe it as an alternative to the Common Core-aligned SAT and ACT. More than 320 colleges and universities nationwide now accept CLT scores, and Florida and Arkansas have approved the exam for use in public schools. Miller’s office says more than 120,000 students in Florida have taken the test since September 2023. “The College Board acts as a taxpayer-funded monopoly that dictates the curriculum for schoolchildren despite being unelected and unaccountable,” Miller’s summary continues. “This bill codifies Secretary Hegseth’s directive to military academies to accept the CLT beginning in 2027.” Miller’s office says the legislation is designed to break up that monopoly and expand access to “classical testing” for students in federal schools, offering what it calls a rigorous, standards-based alternative rooted in logic and timeless literature. The Pentagon did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
Brennan, Strzok, Page subpoenaed as part of federal Russiagate probe: Sources
EXCLUSIVE: A federal grand jury has subpoenaed former CIA Director John Brennan, former FBI officials Peter Strzok and Lisa Page, among others as part of the Justice Department’s investigation into the origins of the Trump-Russia probe, Fox News Digital has learned. Sources told Fox News Digital Brennan; Strzok, the FBI’s former deputy assistant director of counterintelligence; and Page, a former FBI lawyer, were served with federal subpoenas on Friday. Law enforcement sources told Fox News Digital that up to 30 subpoenas will be issued in the coming days relating to the investigation. The grand jury is out of the Southern District of Florida. U.S. attorney for the Southern District of Florida Jason Reding Quiñones is supervising the probe. Fox News Digital first reported this summer that Brennan was under criminal investigation. Strzok and Page first came under scrutiny in 2018 when Justice Department Inspector General Michael Horowitz uncovered a series of anti-Trump text messages between them. Both were assigned to work on Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s team in 2017. Page served on Mueller’s team on a short detail, returning to the FBI’s Office of General Counsel in July 2017. Strzok, though, was removed from the team and was reassigned to the FBI’s Human Resources Division. Prior to serving in the special counsel’s office, Strzok was a top agent in the bureau’s counterintelligence division. Strzok is the FBI agent who, in July 2016, opened the FBI’s initial Russia investigation, which was nicknamed “Crossfire Hurricane” inside the bureau. Page resigned from the bureau in May 2018, and Strzok eventually was fired in August 2018. EX-OBAMA INTEL BOSS WANTED ANTI-TRUMP DOSSIER INCLUDED IN ‘ATYPICAL’ 2016 ASSESSMENT DESPITE PUSHBACK Strzok was fired from the bureau in August 2018 after months of scrutiny regarding the anti-Trump text messages exchanged between himself and Page. During congressional testimony in 2018, Strzok confirmed that he and Page were involved in an extramarital affair. As for the criminal investigation into Brennan, CIA Director John Ratcliffe referred evidence of wrongdoing by Brennan to FBI Director Kash Patel for potential prosecution, DOJ sources told Fox News Digital. Sources, at the time, said that the referral was received and told Fox News Digital that a criminal investigation into Brennan was opened and is underway. DOJ sources declined to provide further details. It is unclear, at this point, if the investigation spans beyond his alleged false statements to Congress. The Brennan investigation came after Ratcliffe, this summer, declassified a “lessons learned” review of the creation of the 2017 Intelligence Community Assessment (ICA). The 2017 ICA alleged Russia sought to influence the 2016 presidential election to help then-candidate Donald Trump. But the review found that the process of the ICA’s creation was rushed with “procedural anomalies,” and that officials diverted from intelligence standards. It also determined that the “decision by agency heads to include the Steele Dossier in the ICA ran counter to fundamental tradecraft principles and ultimately undermined the credibility of a key judgment.” The dossier — an anti-Trump document filled with unverified and wholly inaccurate claims that was commissioned by Fusion GPS and paid for by Democrat presidential candidate Hillary Clinton’s campaign and the DNC — has been widely discredited. Last week’s review marks the first time career CIA officials have acknowledged politicization of the process by which the ICA was written, particularly by Obama-era political appointees. Records declassified as part of that review further revealed that Brennan did, in fact, push for the dossier to be included in the 2017 ICA. Brennan testified to the House Judiciary Committee in May 2023, however, that he did not believe the dossier should be included in that intelligence product. Ratcliffe was not surprised by the review’s findings, a source familiar told Fox News Digital, given the director’s long history of criticizing Brennan’s politicization of intelligence. But Ratcliffe was compelled to refer aspects of Brennan’s involvement to the FBI for review of possible criminality, the source said. WHITE HOUSE WANTS OBAMA INTEL OFFICIALS ‘HELD ACCOUNTABLE’ FOR ROLE PEDDLING 2016 RUSSIA HOAX The source was unable to share the sensitive details of Ratcliffe’s criminal referral to the FBI with Fox News Digital, but said that Brennan “violated the public’s trust and should be held accountable for it.” The false statements portion of the probe stems from a newly declassified email sent to Brennan by the former deputy CIA director in December 2016. That message said that including the dossier in the ICA in any capacity jeopardized “the credibility of the entire paper.” “Despite these objections, Brennan showed a preference for narrative consistency over analytical soundness,” the new CIA review states. “When confronted with specific flaws in the Dossier by the two mission center leaders – one with extensive operational experience and the other with a strong analytic background – he appeared more swayed by the Dossier’s general conformity with existing theories than by legitimate tradecraft concerns.” The review added: “Brennan ultimately formalized his position in writing, stating that ‘my bottomline is that I believe that the information warrants inclusion in the report.’” OBAMA ADMIN ‘MANUFACTURED’ INTELLIGENCE TO CREATE 2016 RUSSIAN ELECTION INTERFERENCE NARRATIVE, DOCUMENTS SHOW But Brennan testified the opposite in front of Congress in May 2023. “The CIA was very much opposed to having any reference or inclusion of the Steele dossier in the Intelligence Community Assessment,” Brennan testified before the House committee, according to the transcript of his deposition reviewed by Fox News Digital. “And so they sent over a copy of the dossier to say that this was going to be separate from the rest of that assessment.” CIA officials at the time of its creation pushed back against the FBI, which sought to include the dossier, arguing that the dossier should not be included in the assessment, and casting it as simply “internet rumor.” Ultimately, Steele’s reporting was not included in the body of the final ICA prepared for then-President Barack Obama, but instead detailed in this footnote, “largely at the insistence of FBI’s senior leadership,” according to a review by the Justice Department inspector
Senate Dems clash over why Sec Duffy is reducing flights and air traffic ahead of Thanksgiving
Democratic senators on Capitol Hill offered differing responses as to why they believe Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy made the call to reduce flights and air traffic ahead of the busy Thanksgiving travel surge. After news broke that Duffy was ordering a 10% reduction in flight capacity at 40 airports across the country, Republicans remained largely unified in their messaging that any chaos caused by the forced reductions fell at the feet of Democrats. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said short of “planes falling out of the sky,” Democrats will not vote to reopen the government. “Democrats are flirting with disaster,” Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, who is the chairman of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, wrote on X in response to Wednesday’s announcement, adding that there was no choice but to reduce air traffic to keep it safe. Democratic Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., appeared to agree in comments he made to reporters on Capitol Hill Thursday about the move, telling them “we’ve got to make sure that flights are safe.” REDUCING AIR TRAVEL CAPACITY AT 40 AIRPORTS IS ‘DATA-DRIVEN’ DECISION, DUFFY SAYS “I don’t question Secretary Duffy,” Kaine added. “He wants to make sure that flights are safe.” Meanwhile, Sen. Chris Coons, D-Del., had a much more sinister view about Duffy’s motivations for compelling a reduction in air traffic ahead of the busy Thanksgiving holiday. According to Coons, the new directive is an attempt by the Trump administration to “pressure” Democrats to reopen the government without their demands on Obamacare being met. Coons argued that air traffic controllers and other airport personnel have been facing strains since before the shutdown due to cuts from the president’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) led by Elon Musk. “I think it’s appropriate for us to focus on improving air safety. It is more urgent for us to focus on the health care cliff that is impacting millions of Americans,” Coons told reporters Thursday following Duffy’s announcement. “My impression is this is another attempt at putting pressure on Congress to reopen the government,” Coons added. FLIGHT CHAOS GRIPS US AIRPORTS AS SOME AIRLINES ADVISE BOOKING ‘BACKUP TICKET’: SEE THE LIST Coons was not the only congressional Democrat to chastise the Trump administration for the decision. Rep. Rick Larsen, D-Wash., called the move to order a reduction in flights “unprecedented” and insisted the move demanded “more transparency.” “The FAA must immediately share any safety risk assessment and related data that this decision is predicated on with Congress,” Larsen said after news of the reduction. “If we want to resolve issues in the National Airspace System, let us fix health care, open government and pay air traffic controllers.” In response to the directive to reduce air traffic ahead of the holiday, U.S. Travel Association President and CEO Geoff Freeman reaffirmed his group’s call for lawmakers to reopen the government or face potential “chaos” during the Thanksgiving surge. “Today’s announcement from Secretary Duffy and Administrator Bedford reinforces that safety is the number one priority in our nation’s air travel system. The decision to reduce scheduled flight capacity, while necessary to keep our skies safe, will inevitably affect the travel experience, leading to fewer flights, longer delays and more disruptions for travelers,” Freeman said. All government shutdowns are irresponsible and this decision underscores the urgent need to reopen the government. The shutdown is putting unnecessary strain on the system, forcing difficult operational decisions that disrupt travel and damage confidence in the U.S. air travel experience. The fault for this situation rests squarely at the feet of Congress.” Earlier this week, the travel industry trade group sent a letter to leaders in Congress warning of long-term economic impacts that could hurt American workers, businesses and the economy amid the Thanksgiving holiday if the current government shutdown does not come to an end soon. The letter, undersigned by hundreds of tourism and travel industry groups, also warned those planning to fly this Thanksgiving holiday that they could face higher costs and increased wait times, delays and cancellations that could derail family travel plans across the country, if the government shutdown doesn’t end before Thanksgiving arrives. “Last year, during Thanksgiving week, over 20 million passengers took flights in the United States. Thanksgiving is not only a time of national tradition and family connection, but also one of the most economically important travel weeks of the year,” the letter states. “The cost of continued inaction will be felt by families, workers, businesses, and communities in every part of the country.”
Fox News Politics Newsletter: Trump, Mamdani front-and-center in Empire State battle
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… -Obama once urged Black men to back Harris — then he, Democrats reversed race rhetoric legacy in 2025 -Duffy says air travel may take ‘days if not a week’ to return to normal, even after shutdown ends -Justice Barrett urges students to ‘take the high road like Erika Kirk’ amid campus hostility President Donald Trump and New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani are not on the ballot next year, but they are smack in the political spotlight in New York State’s 2026 race for governor. Republican Rep. Elise Stefanik, in her first interview after declaring her candidacy for governor on Friday, linked Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul to Mamdani, the 34-year-old socialist state lawmaker who won election on Tuesday as New York City mayor. “Kathy Hochul endorsed him and bent the knee,” Stefanik charged in an appearance on Fox News’ “Fox & Friends,” as she pointed to Mamdani, who she claimed is “a raging anti-Semite, pro-Hamas communist who wants to raise taxes.”…READ MORE. BENEFITS BATTLE: DOJ accuses federal judge of making ‘mockery of separation of powers’ in SNAP appeal RESEARCH DOLLARS: Cornell University to pay $60M in deal with Trump administration to restore federal funding DEAL OR NO DEAL: Trump considers granting Hungary potential exemption on Russian oil just weeks after imposing sanctions COMMANDING RESPECT: Trump says Hungary’s border stance keeps crime down, says Europe ‘flooding’ with migrants DRAGON SETS SAIL: China launches third aircraft carrier as Xi pushes military modernization against US influence STALEMATE SHIFT: Schumer, Dems unveil alternative shutdown plan, ask for one-year extension to Obamacare subsidies ‘WHEELS CAME OFF’: Thune says ‘wheels came off’ as Republicans mull next shutdown move NO DEAL IN SIGHT: Sen Kennedy says shutdown could last 2 more weeks amid ongoing Obamacare dispute ‘TWISTED IRONY’: ‘Twisted irony’: Democrats risk betraying their own pet issues with government shutdown gamble GROUNDED NATION: House Democrat sides with Trump officials on air traffic cuts amid shutdown chaos ‘FALSE NARRATIVE’: Nancy Mace’s ex claims she fabricated sexual assault allegations in plot with friend’s estranged wife: report STOP THE GAMES: Charlamagne Tha God calls on Dems to ‘stop playing politics with people’s lives’ and reopen the government SCANDALOUS CHOICE: Jay Jones’ transition team to be co-led by ex-governor from blackface scandal, abortion outrage UNDER WATCH: ADL launches ‘Mamdani Monitor’ to track NYC Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani over antisemitism concerns Get the latest updates on the Trump administration and Congress, exclusive interviews and more on FoxNews.com.