‘I didn’t know that’: Musk surprises Trump with revelation about his 2024 endorsement
DOGE chief Elon Musk revealed details about his thought process on endorsing President Trump during a sit-down interview with Trump and Fox News anchor Sean Hannity on Tuesday night that the president said he had not heard before. “I was going to do it anyway,” Musk said during the interview that aired Tuesday night when Hannity mentioned that his endorsement of Trump came after an attempt on his life in Butler, Pennsylvania on the campaign trail. “That was it?” Hannity said. “That was a precipitating event,” Musk said. KAROLINE LEAVITT: TRUMP, ELON MUSK’S DOGE TEAM ARE DOING WHAT DEMOCRATS PROMISED ‘FOR DECADES’ “That sped it up a little bit?” Trump then said to Musk. “I didn’t know that.” Musk responded, “It sped it up, but I was going to do it anyway.” EXPERT REVEALS MASSIVE LEVELS OF WASTE DOGE CAN SLASH FROM ENTITLEMENTS, PET PROJECTS: ‘A LOT OF FAT’ Musk announced that he “fully supports” former President Trump after gunshots rang out at his Pennsylvania rally in July in a move that many, including some Democrats, believe played a significant role in Trump’s campaign. “Not even just that he has endorsed [Trump], but the fact that now he’s becoming an active participant and showing up and doing rallies and things like that,” Dem. Sen. John Fetterman told the New York Times in October, explaining that the enormously successful Tesla and SpaceX CEO is an attractive figure for the kinds of voters Harris needs to win. “I mean, [Musk] is incredibly successful, and, you know, I think some people would see him as, like, a Tony Stark,” said Fetterman, referencing the popular Marvel Comics character. “Democrats, you know, kind of make light of it, or they make fun of him jumping up and down and things like that. And I would just say that they are doing that at our peril.” In an interview with CNN, Fetterman added, “Endorsements, they’re really not meaningful often, but this one is, I think. That has me concerned.” Fox News Digital’s Chris Pandolfo contributed to this report
‘Catastrophic results’: Union, taxpayer groups take stab at DOGE in latest lawsuit over IRS data access
In a lawsuit filed on Monday, multiple taxpayer and union groups alleged Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) violated multiple laws in its quest to unearth and eliminate wasteful government spending. The groups claim DOGE launched a “sweeping campaign to access highly-sensitive information systems” and violated laws that limit executive power, protect civil servants, and guard citizens’ data held by the government. The agency, which was created by an executive order earlier this year, remains a temporary organization within the White House and is tasked with optimizing the federal government, streamlining operations, and slashing spending in just 18 months. LAWSUIT TRACKER: NEW RESISTANCE BATTLING TRUMP’S SECOND TERM THROUGH ONSLAUGHT OF LAWSUITS TAKING AIM AT EOS Noting recent DOGE action at the Treasury, Labor, Education and Health departments, as well as at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, Office of Personnel Management and Internal Revenue Service (IRS), the suit alleges DOGE’s access to sensitive information systems “lacks statutory authority.” Specifically, it claims DOGE violated the Tax Reform Act, Privacy Act and Administrative Procedures Act. “The results have already been catastrophic,” according to the suit. Without the court’s intervention, the groups said they were concerned about DOGE having access to sensitive information including social security numbers, individuals’ finances, and bank account information. The lawsuit also asserted DOGE will have access to confidential business information, tax records and IRS investigations, which “could include investigations or reports pertaining to Mr. [Elon] Musk’s businesses or those of his competitors.” “No other business owner on the planet has acces to this kind of information on his competitors, and for good reason,” lawyers wrote in the suit. DOGE SCORES BIG COURT WIN, ALLOWED ACCESS DATA ON 3 FEDERAL AGENCIES The groups — the Center for Taxpaper Rights, Main Street Alliance, National Federation of Federal Employees, and Communications Workers of America — are seeking a temporary restraining order to maintain the status quo until the court has an opportunity to review DOGE and Musk’s actions. Following the review, plaintiffs asked the court to declare DOGE’s access unlawful, halt its use of IRS systems, order that information obtained illegally be deleted, and establish new security protections. The lawsuit was filed prior to a federal judge’s ruling on Tuesday to not block DOGE from accessing government data or firing federal employees. U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan rejected a request for a temporary restraining order, pointing to the absence of evidence showing the agency’s access caused “irreparable harm.” However, Chutkan did question what “appears to be the unchecked authority of an unelected individual,” referencing Musk. She also expressed concerns about DOGE’s accountability to Congress. ‘WASTEFUL AND DANGEROUS’: DOGE’S TOP FIVE MOST SHOCKING REVELATIONS Last week, more than a dozen Democratic state attorneys general sued to temporarily restrict DOGE’s access to federal data about government employees, citing concerns about Musk’s access and power. “There is no greater threat to democracy than the accumulation of state power in the hands of a single, unelected individual,” according to the lawsuit, filed by New Mexico Attorney General Raul Torrez. Attorneys general from Arizona, California, Connecticut, Hawaii, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont and Washington also signed onto the suit. Fox News Digital’s Breanne Deppisch contributed to this report.
West Texas measles outbreak climbs to 58, with four saying they were vaccinated
State health officials are seeking to confirm the vaccine status of the four self-reported cases, but no mutations of the virus have been recorded.
Bengaluru power cut on February 19: 7-hour outage announced by BESCOM; check list of affected areas, timings
According to details on KPTCL’s official site, maintenance will take place at the 66/11 KV Kumbalagod Substation on February 19.
State takes on ‘woke’ language, introduces bill to ban terms such as ‘pregnant person’ and ‘chestfeeding’
West Virginia lawmakers on Monday introduced a bill that bans “woke words” and agendas from state government content, citing concerns about the terms being “sexist” and “exclusionary.” The changes, which center around “accurate, female-affirming alternatives,” would restrict wording used in state government documents, websites, literature and in-person, according to legislators. Specific terms included in the bill include using “pregnant women” instead of “pregnant people,” using “woman” instead of “womxn or womyn,” and using “woman” instead of “birth-giver.” LGBT ACTIVISTS MOBILIZE TO CHALLENGE TRUMP’S ‘EXTREME GENDER IDEOLOGY’ EXECUTIVE ORDERS The phrases were designed for gender inclusivity, as some people do not identify with their biological anatomy. Other wording changes noted in the bill relate to breastfeeding and other pregnancy-related topics. Legislators suggested using “breastfeeding” as opposed to “chestfeeding,” “breast fed” as opposed to “body fed” or “person fed,” and “breast milk” instead of “human milk.” While supporters claim the gender-neutral terminology can “streamline” communication about various topics, critics allege the wording is “made up” and can lead to confusion. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in 2023 posted advice on its website for transgender and non-binary people wishing to “chestfeed” their children. Portions of the guidance detailed instructions for those who had breasts removed in gender-reassignment surgery or for biological men taking hormones to grow breasts on how to feed their newborns. Several doctors criticized the information, claiming the CDC failed to gauge the risks posed to children drinking milk produced by chemicals used in gender-reassignment medical operations. FEDS SPENT MILLIONS STUDYING TRANS MENSTRUATION, STRENGTHENING GAY RIGHTS IN THE BALKANS, DATABASE REVEALS House Bill 2406, which is sponsored by 11 delegates, would take effect on June 1. On Feb. 7, CDC researchers were told to remove words frequently associated with gender ideology from research manuscripts that they intend to publish. A screenshot of a leaked internal email sent out to CDC staff, obtained by the newsletter Inside Medicine, showed a list of terms and phrases that must be removed from scientific manuscripts produced by the agency’s researchers and intended for publication. Those terms included: “gender,” “transgender,” “pregnant person,” “pregnant people,” “LGBT,” “transsexual,” “non-binary,” “nonbinary,” “assigned male at birth,” “assigned female at birth,” “biologically male” and “biologically female.” According to the Washington Post, the list includes about 20 terms. They indicated that the directive also ordered the removal of any use of “they/them.” West Virginia University is the latest education institution to curb its diversity, equity and inclusion office due to reverse-discrimination claims. The delegates did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Fox News Digital. Fox News Digital’s Gabriel Hays and Charles Creitz contributed to this report.
Mark Zuckerberg’s philanthropy ends DEI programs, social advocacy efforts
FIRST ON FOX: Mark Zuckerberg’s philanthropy ended its Diversity, Equity and Inclusion programs Tuesday, along with its social advocacy efforts including immigration reform and racial equity grantmaking, Fox News Digital has learned. The Chan Zuckerberg Initiative’s chief operating officer Marc Malandro sent an email to staff Tuesday evening with the announcement. The move comes after Zuckerberg’s Meta ended its DEI programs last month– a move to ensure that the company is “building teams with the most talented people.” Meta also ended its fact-checking program and lifted restrictions on speech to “restore free expression” across Facebook, Instagram and Meta platforms, admitting its content moderation practices had “gone too far.” META POLICY CHIEF SAYS DECISION TO END DEI ENSURES COMPANY HIRES ‘THE MOST TALENTED PEOPLE’ In the company-wide memo, Malandro said he and the leadership team have been reviewing CZI’s programs and practices “to ensure that they align with our focus as a science philanthropy as well as the current legal and policy landscape.” “As a result, we want to reiterate that we made the decision a few years ago to wind down our social advocacy work and have since discontinued that funding, as well as share some new changes we’re making to our hiring and HR practices around diversity,” he wrote. Malandro explained that CZI invests “the vast majority of our resources into building Biohubs and supporting research teams to solve complex questions around biology and health.” META ENDS CORPORATE DEI PROGRAMS Malandro stressed that CZI is “very focused on solving four grand challenges that will give scientists the tools to help cure, prevent, or manage all diseases in the coming decades,” including building an AI-based virtual cell model to predict and understand cellular behavior; developing state-of-the-art imaging systems to observe living cells in action; instrumenting tissues to better understand inflammation, a key driver of many diseases; engineering and harnessing the immune system for early detection, prevention, and treatment of disease. But Malandro announced that with CZI’s focus on science, they have “wound down our social advocacy funding.” META ENDS FACT-CHECKING PROGRAM AS ZUCKERBERG VOWS TO RESTORE FREE EXPRESSION ON FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM “This includes our previous work on immigration reform, as well as our racial equity grantmaking as we’ve completed the five-year program we announced in 2020,” he wrote. “We haven’t launched new programs in this area for a few years. There are a small number of multi-year grant commitments we made previously that we will still honor, but none of these will support political activism.” Malandro added: “Looking ahead, we expect CZI’s increasing focus to continue to be pushing the frontiers of biology and AI.” As for DEI, Malandro cited “the shifting regulatory and legal landscape.” “In addition, given the shifting regulatory and legal landscape, we will no longer have a Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility team at CZI,” he wrote. “The three members of that team have transitioned to new roles and responsibilities.” As for hiring, CZI has also “discontinued our Diverse Slate Practice.” “Going forward, we will continue to cast a wide net to source top candidates while always selecting the best candidate for the role,” he wrote. “We remain dedicated to ensuring our work serves everyone, that you feel welcome at CZI, and that you can do the best work of your career here,” he continued. “To support this, we are building a workforce that reflects a broad range of experiences, thoughts, and opinions, supporting employees via our employee resource groups which are open to all to join, and driving effectiveness in our work by rewarding individual initiative, excellence, and hard work.”
Trump orders all Biden-era US attorneys to be fired: ‘We must clean house immediately’
President Donald Trump directed the Justice Department to fire all U.S. attorneys left over from the Biden administration. In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump said the agency has been “politicized like never before.” “Therefore, I have instructed the termination of ALL remaining “Biden Era” U.S. Attorneys. We must ‘clean house’ IMMEDIATELY, and restore confidence,” Trump wrote. “America’s Golden Age must have a fair Justice System – THAT BEGINS TODAY!” Terminating U.S. attorneys from previous administrations is generally standard procedure. Fox News Digital has reached out to the Justice Department. This story is breaking. Please check back for updates.
Howard Lutnick confirmed as Trump’s commerce secretary
The Senate confirmed Howard Lutnick on Tuesday to serve as President Donald Trump’s secretary of commerce. The Republican-controlled Senate voted to confirm Lutnick on Tuesday, less than a week after senators voted to invoke cloture on his nomination. He needed a simple majority for a full Senate confirmation, getting confirmed on a 51- 45 tally on Tuesday. Lutnick passed his procedural vote last week after the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee voted 16-12 to motion for cloture on Feb. 5. Lutnick said he aligns with Trump’s “trade and tariff agenda,” which seeks to remedy trade imbalances by imposing reciprocal tariffs. His confirmation indicates a milestone for Trump’s America First policy agenda. US WILL BE ‘FLOODED WITH JOBS’ AS FOREIGN NATIONS AVOID TARIFFS, TRUMP SAYS Lutnick, chair and CEO of investment firm Cantor Fitzgerald, is one of the wealthiest people to serve in a presidential administration. Lutnick vowed to divest his financial interests upon confirmation to remain impartial. TRUMP’S BILLIONAIRE COMMERCE SECRETARY PICK VOWS TO SELL ALL HIS BUSINESS INTERESTS IF CONFIRMED “My plan is to only serve the American people. So I will divest, meaning I will sell all of my interests, all of my business interests, all of my assets, everything,” Lutnick said. “I’ve worked together with the Office of Government Ethics, and we’ve reached agreement on how to do that, and I will be divesting within 90 days upon my confirmation.” During his confirmation hearing on Jan. 29, Lutnick said he would sell his businesses and elect someone else to lead them once confirmed. Lutnick aligned closely with Trump’s trade and tariff policies during the hearing. He said it’s “nonsense” that tariffs create inflation and advocated for reciprocity. “We are treated horribly by the global trading environment. They all have higher tariffs, non-tariff trade barriers and subsidies. They treat us poorly. We need to be treated better. We can use tariffs to create reciprocity,” Lutnick said. Trump last week directed federal agencies to explore the implementation of reciprocal tariffs to remedy tariff imbalances imposed by countries that sell American products. The presidential memorandum directed Lutnick to study reciprocal trade relations within 180 days. Lutnick said Thursday he will have the report ready by April 1. Trump also announced last week a 25% tariff on all steel and aluminum imports from all countries, adding up to a 35% tariff for Chinese steel and aluminum imports. The tariffs are set to begin March 12. Trump nominated Lutnick to serve as commerce secretary two weeks after he was elected. Lutnick was a co-chair of Trump’s 2024 presidential transition team. “I am thrilled to announce that Howard Lutnick, Chairman & CEO of Cantor Fitzgerald, will join my Administration as the United States Secretary of Commerce. He will lead our Tariff and Trade agenda, with additional direct responsibility for the Office of the United States Trade Representative,” Trump said in the announcement. Trump praised Lutnick’s leadership during the presidential transition and said he “created the most sophisticated process and system to assist us in creating the greatest Administration America has ever seen.”
Texas Senate bill would give public school teachers free pre-K and raises based on experience and performance
The proposal would expand a program that allows districts to award bonuses to educators based on their students’ academic growth.
NY Gov Hochul weighs decision to remove Mayor Adams
Governor Kathy Hochul, D-N.Y., met with “key leaders” in New York City on Tuesday to discuss the “path forward” for Mayor Eric Adams, D-N.Y., following a slew of City Hall resignations after the Justice Department dropped bribery, wire fraud and conspiracy charges against Adams last week. Protesters gathered outside Hochul’s Manhattan office during her meetings on Tuesday, chanting: “Governor Hochul, fight back, remove Eric Adams.” City Hall sources tell Fox News that Hochul met with the City’s Inability Committee as pressure mounts for Hochul to use her constitutional powers to remove Adams. Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., Public Advocate Jumaane Williams, City Comptroller Brad Lander, Rev. Al Sharpton and other community leaders met with Hochul this afternoon. Lander, a 2025 mayoral candidate, told Fox News he discussed with Hochul whether Adams could even do his job anymore, given the controversy surrounding his office and the logistical imperative of four deputy mayor resignations. NY GOV. HOCHUL TO MEET WITH ‘KEY LEADERS’ TO DISCUSS ‘PATH FORWARD’ AMID ERIC ADAMS TURMOIL “I do think the mayor should resign,” Lander said outside Hochul’s office on Tuesday. “The mayor is not able, in my opinion, to devote his full-time and attention to the needs of New Yorkers.” NY JUDGE ORDERS ERIC ADAMS, TRUMP DOJ OFFICIALS TO COURT OVER MOTION TO DISMISS CORRUPTION CHARGES Sharpton, the civil rights activist, said he is also concerned with Adams’ ability to govern, telling Fox News Hochul will continue to deliberate with city leaders and see what the judge decides tomorrow. U.S. District Judge Dale E. Ho ordered a status conference on Wednesday to discuss why the Justice Department filed a motion to drop indictment charges against Adams on Friday. Adams has maintained his innocence throughout legal proceedings, claiming the trial was politically motivated. “Despite our pleas, when the federal government did nothing as its broken immigration policies overloaded our shelter system with no relief, I put the people of New York before party and politics. I always knew that if I stood my ground for all of you, that I would be a target — and a target I became,” Adams said following his indictment on Sept. 27, 2024. Adams was critical of President Joe Biden’s handling of the migrant crisis, particularly as New York City struggled to keep up with the busloads of migrants entering the city’s overwhelmed shelter system. Adams said opposition to Biden’s leadership on the migrant crisis made him a target of political persecution. Adams’ chief campaign fundraiser Brianna Suggs’ home was raided in connection to Adams’ indictment charges in Nov. 2023. Adams was on his way to Washington, D.C., for a meeting with Biden White House officials to discuss the migrant crisis when news of the raid broke. Adams canceled his meetings and abruptly returned to New York City before those meetings could happen. “Through all the negative headlines, rumors and criticism, I have remained clear: I’m not stepping down, I’m stepping UP. No matter what you read, no matter what you see – they may want to fight me, but I’m always fighting for you,” Adams said on Sunday. Adams, who has developed a relationship with Trump and held private meetings with the president down in West Palm Beach, met with Trump’s border czar Tom Homan on Friday. Homan and Adams sat for a joint interview with Fox & Friends to discuss their plans to crackdown on illegal immigration in New York City. Homan said he would hold Adams to his commitments, telling Fox & Friends: “If he doesn’t come through, I’ll be back in New York City, and we won’t be sitting on the couch. I’ll be in his office, up his butt, saying, ‘Where the hell is the agreement we came to?’” New York City leaders did not appreciate the remark, questioning on Tuesday if Adams’ was still aligned with their views on immigration. “I’m very concerned that Mr. Homan came in here and acted like he could make Adams do what he wants, or he’d be up his butt. I can’t believe someone would say that on national television,” Sharpton said. “It’s one straightforward test of where his loyalties lie: with New Yorkers or with Donald Trump?” Lander added. In Dec. 2024, Trump said he would “look at” a pardon for Adams, claiming he was “treated pretty unfairly” by federal prosecutors and compared Adams’ indictment to his own “political persecution.” As Hochul decides whether to remove Adams as mayor, she said the “alleged conduct at City Hall” over the past two weeks cannot be ignored. Fox News contributor Byron York questioned why Hochul would choose now to consider removing Adams as mayor. U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi filed a lawsuit last week against Hochul for allowing illegal immigrants to obtain a driver’s license and restricting the DMV from releasing their information to immigration authorities without a warrant. “She didn’t seek to remove him before he was indicted. Not after the indictment, either. But the prospect of Adams not resisting enforcement of federal immigration law is just too much,” Fox News contributor Byron York said in a post. “The calls for Mayor Adams’ removal now reek of political maneuvering,” What has changed since September until now? Comptroller Brad Lander must recuse himself from any discussions on the mayor’s status, including any role in the Inability Committee if it convenes. These decisions must be free from political bias. I also urge the Department of Investigation and the Conflicts of Interest Board to examine Lander’s apparent misuse of city resources. Using official letterhead and staff to draft a politically charged letter that benefits his own mayoral ambitions is a clear abuse of public trust. New Yorkers deserve better.” Hochul, who has the authority under New York State law to remove Adams as mayor, said the resignation of four deputy mayors in New York City on Monday raised “serious questions about the long-term future” of Adams’ administration. “I recognize the immense responsibility I hold as governor and the constitutional powers granted to this office.