Planned Parenthood drops lawsuit challenging Trump administration’s Medicaid cuts
Planned Parenthood announced it is voluntarily dropping its lawsuit challenging the Trump administration’s ability to withhold Medicaid payments under a provision in President Donald Trump’s tax bill. The organization sued in July after President Donald Trump signed a spending bill that included prohibiting federal funding from going to abortion providers, a section of the legislation that Planned Parenthood attorneys argued unfairly targeted their clinics and would leave patients with even fewer health care options. In December, a federal appeals court ruled that the administration could continue to withhold Medicaid funding from Planned Parenthood and other abortion providers. A separate lawsuit filed by a group of mostly Democratic states suffered a similar setback in January but remains ongoing, and a related case filed in Maine was voluntarily dismissed in October. SOUTH CAROLINA GOP LAWMAKERS INTRODUCE BILL TO CRIMINALIZE ABORTION AS MURDER A third lawsuit filed in Maine by a network of medical clinics that was also impacted by the spending bill was voluntarily dismissed in October. Planned Parenthood moved on Friday to voluntarily dismiss the lawsuit in the U.S. District Court of Massachusetts. “The goal of this lawsuit has always been to help Planned Parenthood patients get the care they deserve from their trusted provider. Based on the 1st Circuit’s decision, it is clear that this lawsuit is no longer the best way to accomplish that goal,” the Planned Parenthood Federation of America, Planned Parenthood League of Massachusetts and Planned Parenthood Association of Utah said in a joint statement. Under the tax provision in Trump’s spending bill, Medicaid payments would be stopped if providers like Planned Parenthood primarily offered certain services, including abortion, and received more than $800,000 from Medicaid in 2023. Planned Parenthood was not specifically named in the legislation, but the organization’s leaders have said the law is intended to affect their clinics across the country, as Republicans at the federal and state level continue to target the organization. Federal law bans taxpayer money from covering most abortions, but many Republicans have long argued that abortion providers such as Planned Parenthood used Medicaid money for other health services to subsidize abortion. Planned Parenthood said 23 of their health clinics have been forced to close due to Trump’s spending bill. More than 50 clinics closed in 18 states last year, with most located in the Midwest. PRO-LIFE LEADERS FIRMLY REJECT TRUMP’S CALL FOR HYDE AMENDMENT ‘FLEXIBILITY’ IN HEALTHCARE TALKS “President Trump and his allies in Congress have weaponized the federal government to target Planned Parenthood at the expense of patients — stripping people of the care they rely on,” Alexis McGill Johnson, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood Federation of America, said in a statement. “Through every attack, Planned Parenthood has never lost sight of its focus: ensuring patients can get the care they need from the provider they trust,” she continued. “That will never change. Care continues, as does our commitment to fighting for everyone’s freedom to make their own decisions about their bodies, lives, and futures.” The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Jeffries says GOP ‘done eff’d up in Texas,’ vows they won’t win five seats: ‘They can’t ignore it’
Democratic House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries unloaded on Republicans Monday, saying they “done eff’d up in Texas,” accusing the GOP of overreaching on redistricting and predicting they will fall well short of flipping five congressional seats. During a news conference at the U.S. Capitol, Jeffries was asked about a recent Texas state senate race in which a Democrat flipped a seat in a district President Donald Trump carried in 2020. Jeffries was also pressed on whether Democrats could win four of the five redistricted congressional seats in Texas. “Yes, Republicans done eff’d up in Texas, and they know it,” Jeffries said. “We knew it months ago, and it’s because of a variety of reasons.” DESANTIS LAUNCHES FLORIDA REDISTRICTING PUSH TO POTENTIALLY ADD MORE GOP HOUSE SEATS Jeffries argued Republicans were never positioned to gain five seats but instead created a scenario in which they attempted to take seats from Democrats, believing there would be no response. “California responded decisively, and we will pick up five seats as a result of Prop. 50,” he said, referring to a California ballot measure that reshaped redistricting rules and boosted Democratic chances in multiple congressional districts. “It remains to be seen what happens in Texas, but I can guarantee you they won’t win five seats,” Jeffries continued. “They’re going to struggle to win three based on 2024 performance alone.” DEMS SCORE BIG IN TYPICALLY RED TEXAS DISTRICT THAT TRUMP EASILY WON IN 2024 Democrats scored another win Saturday when Taylor Rehmet captured a Texas state senate seat in a district long dominated by Republicans. Rehmet, a labor union leader and Air Force veteran, defeated Republican Leigh Wambsganss in the Fort Worth-area district. Jeffries praised Rehmet’s campaign, calling the victory decisive. WHY 2026 SHOULD TERRIFY REPUBLICANS AFTER TENNESSEE SPECIAL ELECTION “It was a shellacking for Republicans in Texas that even caught Ron DeSantis’ attention,” Jeffries said. “They can’t ignore it. Republicans have been losing elections, and Democrats have been winning elections since January of last year.” Fox News Digital has reached out to the Republican Party of Texas for comment. The Texas redistricting fight is part of a broader national battle for control of the House ahead of the 2026 midterm elections, with similar clashes unfolding in Virginia, North Carolina and California as both parties jockey for seats that could ultimately determine the majority.
Trump administration blocked from ending Temporary Protected Status for Haitians
A federal judge in Washington has blocked the Trump administration from closing down a humanitarian program that allowed around 350,000 Haitians to live and work legally in the U.S., according to reports. U.S. District Judge Ana Reyes granted an emergency request Monday to pause the termination of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haitians while a lawsuit challenging the decision goes ahead, the Associated Press reported. TPS allows eligible immigrants from countries facing unsafe conditions to stay in the U.S. and get work authorization, though it does not provide a path to citizenship. The Haitian designation was set to expire Feb. 3. In a two-page order, Reyes said the termination would be “null, void, and of no legal effect” during the stay, preserving recipients’ ability to work and shielding them from arrest and removal. FEDERAL COURT RULES NOEM TERMINATING TEMPORARY PROTECTED STATUS FOR VENEZUELANS IN US WAS ILLEGAL The judge also said the plaintiffs were likely to succeed on the merits of their case and found it “substantially likely” that Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem had preordained the decision because of “hostility to nonwhite immigrants.” TPS can be granted by the Homeland Security secretary when conditions in a foreign country are deemed unsafe because of natural disasters, armed conflict or other extraordinary circumstances. Haiti first received the designation in 2010 after a catastrophic earthquake and has remained under TPS because of political instability, natural disasters and surging gang violence. The designation has been extended several times. FEDERAL JUDGE HALTS TRUMP TPS POLICY, ACCUSES DHS OF MAKING MIGRANTS ‘ATONE FOR THEIR RACE’ “If the termination stands, people will almost certainly die,” attorneys representing Haitian TPS holders had warned in a December court filing. They cited violence, disease and food insecurity in Haiti. The lawsuit also alleges that Noem failed to properly assess whether the country is still unsafe and that the decision was motivated by “racial animus.” At the time, the Department of Homeland Security disputed those claims and said conditions in Haiti had improved. TRUMP CUTS FAMILY REUNIFICATION PROGRAMS FOR SEVEN COUNTRIES CITING FRAUD AND SECURITY CONCERNS Government attorneys argued that allegations of racial bias relied on statements taken out of context and insisted Noem provided “reasoned, facially sufficient explanations” for ending the protections. A DHS notice issued in November had also pointed to the authorization of a new force to combat gangs and determined that continued TPS for Haitians was against the national interest. Department of Homeland Security spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin said that “Haiti’s TPS was granted following an earthquake that took place over 15 years ago.” “It was never intended to be a de facto amnesty program, yet that’s how previous administrations have used it for decades,” McLaughlin said in a statement. Fox News Digital has reached out to the Department of Homeland Security for comment.
Plan to end government shutdown survives key House hurdle after Trump quells GOP rebellion threats
The Senate’s compromise to end the ongoing partial government shutdown survived an important hurdle on Monday night, teeing up the legislation for a vote in the House of Representatives on Tuesday. The House Rules Committee, the final gatekeeper before most bills get a chamberwide vote, advanced the upper chamber’s deal with the White House with little internal discord among Republicans on the panel. But the measure could face issues on the House floor during a second procedural hurdle called a “rule vote,” which needs a simple majority of lawmakers to unlock debate and a vote on final passage. House votes normally fall along partisan lines, and Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., will need virtually all GOP lawmakers to vote in lockstep to succeed. The current partial shutdown, affecting roughly 78% of the federal government, is in its third day after Congress failed to send its remaining spending bills to President Donald Trump’s desk by Jan. 30. REPUBLICANS, DEMS BREAK THROUGH RESISTANCE, MOVE FORWARD WITH TRUMP-BACKED FUNDING PACKAGE House lawmakers passed an initial set of bipartisan bills to finish funding the government through the end of fiscal year (FY) 2026, Sept. 30, but Democrats rebelled against the plan en masse in protest of Trump’s immigration crackdown in Minneapolis. Senate Democrats walked away from the deal in protest of its funding for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), after federal law enforcement shot and killed a second U.S. citizen during anti-Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) demonstrations in Minneapolis. Trump has responded by removing Customs and Border Protection (CBP), whose agents shot the second person, from the Midwest city, and replacing senior officials leading the crackdown there. HOUSE CONSERVATIVES SKEPTICAL AS SENATE DEAL SACRIFICING DHS SPENDING REACHED: ‘NON-STARTER’ But Democrats are demanding further guardrails, like judicial warrants, to restrict agents in Minneapolis even further. The resulting compromise would fund areas of government that were caught up in the political standoff — the departments of War, Health and Human Services, Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, Labor, and Education — while simply extending the current federal spending levels for DHS for two weeks. That two-week span is aimed at giving lawmakers time for more bipartisan negotiations on a longer-term deal. TENSIONS BOIL IN HOUSE OVER EMERGING SENATE DEAL TO AVERT GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN The Senate passed the new deal on Friday, but House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., is sharply divided from his counterpart, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., in his position. Despite Schumer and Senate Democrats negotiating the plan with Trump’s White House, Jeffries told Johnson not to rely on House Democrats’ support to pass the bill. It’s a stunning division between the top two Democrats in Congress, and one that will leave House Republicans largely on their own for much of the process of ending the shutdown. But Trump managed to quell another rebellion on the conservative side earlier on Monday, easing at least one headache for House GOP leaders. At least four House Republicans signaled they could vote against their own party during the rule vote on Tuesday over its exclusion of an unrelated measure requiring proof of citizenship in the voter registration process. The president posted on Truth Social earlier Monday demanding “NO CHANGES” to the current deal, effectively undercutting conservatives’ push for the legislation. Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, R-Fla., had been leading a group of conservatives threatening to tank the rule vote if the SAVE America Act was not attached. But Luna told reporters on Monday night that she and Rep. Tim Burchett, R-Tenn., both changed their minds after getting assurances from the White House that Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., would force a vote on the bill — called the SAVE America Act. “As of right now, with the current agreement that we have, as well as discussions, we will both be a yes on the rule,” Luna said. “There is something called a standing filibuster that would effectively allow Senator Thune to put voter ID on the floor of the Senate. We are hearing that that is going well and he is considering that…so we are very happy about that.” It’s not clear if it’s enough for other House Republicans, however, some of whom are upset over the new deal opening up the need for bipartisan discussions on reining in Trump’s immigration crackdown. Johnson can only lose one House GOP vote for the funding deal to survive a chamber-wide rule vote. In the meantime, nearly 14,000 air traffic controllers are expected to work without pay. Members of the military could also miss paychecks if the shutdown goes on long enough, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) will be limited in its ability to communicate public health updates to Americans.
EXCLUSIVE: Gabbard answers Democrats — and explains why Trump personally sent her to Fulton County
EXCLUSIVE: Director of National Intelligence (DNI) Tulsi Gabbard detailed her ongoing election security assessment in a letter to congressional lawmakers Monday, saying President Donald Trump “specifically directed” her to be present for the execution of a search warrant in Fulton County, Georgia, last week as part of the probe. Gabbard sent a letter, exclusively obtained by Fox News Digital, addressed to Senate Intelligence Committee Vice Chair Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., and House Intelligence Committee Ranking Member Rep. Jim Himes, D-Conn. The letter was also sent to House and Senate leadership, as well as GOP leadership on both committees. The letter is in response to one sent in late January by Warner and Himes, in which they requested Gabbard brief them on why she was present at the FBI search of an election office in Fulton County, Georgia. Gabbard announced in April 2025 that the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) was investigating electronic voting systems in order to protect election integrity. TRUMP CONFIRMS WHAT TULSI GABBARD WAS DOING AT GEORGIA ELECTION CENTER In the letter, Gabbard said Trump instructed her to be present at the FBI’s execution of a search warrant at the Office of the Clerk of the Court of Fulton County, Georgia, Wednesday. “For a brief period of time, I accompanied FBI Deputy Director Bailey and Atlanta Acting Special Agent in Charge Pete Ellis in observing FBI personnel executing that search warrant, issued by the United States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia pursuant to a probable cause finding,” she wrote. Gabbard said her “presence was requested by the President and executed under my broad statutory authority to coordinate, integrate, and analyze intelligence related to election security, including counterintelligence (CI), foreign and other malign influence, and cybersecurity.” “The FBI’s Intelligence/Counterintelligence divisions are one of the 18 elements that I oversee,” she said. DNI Press Secretary Oliva Coleman told Fox News Digital in a statement, “President Trump’s directive to secure our elections was clear, and DNI Gabbard has and will proudly continue to take actions within her authorities, alongside our interagency partners, including the FBI, to support ensuring the integrity of our elections.” Gabbard said senior FBI officials in twelve field offices nationwide, including Atlanta, are “dual-hatted” as Domestic DNI-Representatives under a program established through a 2011 memorandum of understanding between ODNI and the FBI, adding that she has visited several of those officials as part of her oversight of domestic threats, including risks to critical infrastructure. “While visiting the FBI Field Office in Atlanta, I thanked the FBI agents for their professionalism and great work, and facilitated a brief phone call for the President to thank the agents personally for their work,” Gabbard said. “He did not ask any questions, nor did he or I issue any directives.” FBI AGENTS SEARCH ELECTION HUB IN FULTON COUNTY, GEORGIA Gabbard stressed that the ODNI’s Office of General Counsel “has found my actions to be consistent and well within my statutory authority as the Director of National Intelligence.” In late January, FBI agents were seen carrying out a search at an election hub in Fulton County, Georgia, a location that became ground zero for concerns and complaints about voter fraud beginning in 2020. The search warrant authorized the seizure of election records, voting rolls, and other data tied to the 2020 election, according to a copy of the warrant reviewed by Fox News. Gabbard went on to address specific questions initially posed by Warner and Himes, detailing how election security “is a national security issue.” “Interference in U.S. elections is a threat to our republic and a national security threat,” she writes. “The President and his Administration are committed to safeguarding the integrity of U.S. elections to ensure that neither foreign nor domestic powers undermine the American people’s right to determine who our elected leaders are.” Gabbard said Trump “tasked ODNI with taking all appropriate actions” under her statutory authorities toward “ensuring the integrity of our elections” and specifically directed her to observe the execution of the Fulton County search warrant. She added that ODNI has been “actively reviewing intelligence reporting and assessments on election integrity” since she took office. “As part of the National Counterintelligence and Security Center’s responsibility to lead, manage, and coordinate counterintelligence matters related to election security, NCSC personnel traveled with me to Fulton County to support this effort,” she wrote, noting that they were not present during the execution of the warrant. In the letter, Gabbard stressed that the DNI has “broad authority to coordinate, integrate, and analyze intelligence related to election security.” She also said ODNI is “the lead intelligence agency in the Joint Cyber Planning Office,” which coordinates and oversees the nation’s strategy to secure critical cyber infrastructure, “including cyber infrastructure used for elections.” The DNI told lawmakers that ODNI “will not irresponsibly share incomplete intelligence assessments concerning foreign or other malign interference in U.S. elections.” “As I publicly stated on 10 April 2025, there is information and intelligence reporting suggesting that electronic voting systems being used in the United States have long been vulnerable to exploitation that could result in enabling determined actors to manipulate the results of the votes being cast with the intent of changing the outcome of an election,” she wrote. ODNI and the intelligence community continue to collect and assess intelligence related to the threat, she added, to ensure the security and integrity of U.S. elections. Gabbard previously raised similar concerns during an April 2025 Cabinet meeting, when she said ODNI had evidence that electronic voting systems have long been vulnerable to exploitation and argued the findings supported a broader push for paper ballots. Meanwhile, in the letter, Gabbard explained that the process of assessing the intelligence “ensures that the IC’s finished intelligence products are objective, independent of political considerations, and based on all available sources.” “I will share our intelligence assessments with Congress once they are complete,” she said. Gabbard said that the National Security Act of 1947 specifically highlights that the law
DHS Secretary Noem to testify before key House committee amid spotlight on deportation agenda
FIRST ON FOX: Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem has agreed to appear before the House Judiciary Committee next month, marking her second commitment to testify before Congress amid heightened scrutiny of the Trump administration’s aggressive deportation agenda. Noem will sit for a hearing with the House panel on March 4, Chairman Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, told Fox News Digital in a brief interview. Jordan said Noem’s appearance was part of routine oversight of Cabinet members over whom his panel has jurisdiction. He noted that it was unrelated to committee Democrats’ recent demand letter to Jordan that he bring Noem in for questioning about the two high-profile killings of U.S. citizens in Minnesota during immigration operations. BORDER CZAR TOM HOMAN VOWS TO STAY IN MINNESOTA ‘UNTIL THE PROBLEM’S GONE’ Both incidents are under investigation by the FBI, but the Democrats, led by ranking member Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Md., accused Noem of making premature remarks as a “cover-up” for her department’s mistakes. Jordan said one of his focuses during the hearing will be on so-called sanctuary cities and states, which typically have policies in place that limit or block local law enforcement from notifying federal authorities about anyone who has been detained in a local jail who has a questionable immigration status. Jordan said sanctuary jurisdictions raised a “fundamental question.” “You’ve got a guy in your jail who’s done some bad thing — that’s why he’s in your jail. — and, oh, also happens to be here illegally, and you’re not going to work with ICE. … I think the vast majority of the country thinks that’s just stupid,” Jordan said. “So I think that’s a point we have to stress.” Noem is also set to appear on March 3 before the Senate Judiciary Committee. Both testimonies come as DHS has been caught up in hundreds of court cases challenging arrests and detentions of suspected illegal immigrants. It also comes after Noem initially said both Renee Good and Alex Pretti, the two U.S. citizens killed by immigration authorities during chaotic altercations in Minnesota, were “domestic terrorists.” Noem and other Trump administration officials’ jump to make such comments on the killings before the conclusion of an investigation spurred backlash, including from some Republicans. President Donald Trump responded by rearranging immigration operations in Minnesota, pushing out their leader, Greg Bovino, and bringing in border czar Tom Homan. NOEM SAYS DHS CAN ‘ALWAYS DO BETTER’ WHEN PRESSED ON AGENCY’S ‘MISTAKES’ BEFORE HOMAN’S DEPLOYMENT Federal authorities are continuing to investigate whether agents legally used lethal force in the two incidents. Trump recently defended Noem in a Truth Social post, accusing “Radical Left Lunatics” of targeting her “because she is a woman, and has done a really GREAT JOB!”
Clintons agree to testify after House threatens contempt in Jeffrey Epstein probe
Former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton have agreed to testify in the House Oversight Committee’s Jeffrey Epstein investigation after lawmakers moved toward holding them in criminal contempt of Congress. The committee said in a post on X that the Clintons were “trying to dodge contempt by requesting special treatment,” adding that “The Clintons are not above the law.” Angel Ureña, deputy chief of staff to Bill Clinton, confirmed in a post on X that both Clintons will appear before the panel. “They negotiated in good faith. You did not,” Ureña wrote. “But the former president and former Secretary of State will be there and look forward to setting a precedent that applies to everyone.” CLINTON SPOKESMAN LASHES OUT AT COMER OVER EPSTEIN PROBE AS CONTEMPT VOTE NEARS The committee is examining what the Clintons may have known about Epstein and his associate Ghislaine Maxwell, including scrutiny of Hillary Clinton’s role overseeing U.S. efforts to combat international sex trafficking while serving as Secretary of State. A source familiar sent Fox News Digital text of the email the Clintons’ attorneys sent to the House Oversight Committee confirming they would testify on terms set by Chairman James Comer, R-Ky. DEMOCRATS DODGE QUESTIONS AS HOUSE GOP PREPARES CONTEMPT VOTES AGAINST THE CLINTONS “Please be advised, and please advise the Chairman, that my clients accept the terms of your letter and will appear for depositions on mutually agreeable dates,” the text read. “As has been the Committee’s practice, please confirm the House will not move forward with contempt proceedings, as the Chairman stated in his letter this morning.” CLINTON SPOKESMAN LASHES OUT AT COMER OVER EPSTEIN PROBE AS CONTEMPT VOTE NEARS Ranking member Robert Garcia said the message amounted to full compliance with the committee’s demands. “I mean, they sent us and the Republicans affirmation that they’ve accepted every single term that James Comer has asked for, and that they’re willing to come in and testify,” Garcia said. Comer, however, disputed that characterization, telling Fox News Digital the agreement lacked specificity. “The Clintons’ counsel has said they agree to terms, but those terms lack clarity yet again, and they have provided no dates for their depositions,” Comer said. “The only reason they have said they agree to terms is because the House has moved forward with contempt. I will clarify the terms they are agreeing to and then discuss next steps with my committee members.” The Clintons’ change of heart led the House to temporarily pause proceedings on holding them in contempt on Monday night. The House Rules Committee, the final gatekeeper before most legislation gets a chamber-wide vote, had been preparing to advance the contempt resolutions but abruptly changed course late Monday. It’s not clear when the postponed effort will continue, or if it will. Democrats on the committee have pointed out that Comer has not pushed to hold others who did not appear in contempt, nor has he made any threats against the DOJ for failing to produce all of its documents on Epstein by a deadline agreed to by Congress late last year. The department has produced a fraction of the documents expected so far.
House GOP majority shrinks to just one vote as Johnson swears in new House Democrat
The House Republican majority just got reduced to a perilously slim one-vote margin thanks to a Democrat’s victory in Texas over the weekend. Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., swore in newly minted Rep. Christian Menefee, D-Texas, on Monday evening, bringing the overall House of Representatives margin to 218 Republicans and 214 Democrats. That means if a bill gets no Democratic support and the House is in full attendance, losing more than one GOP vote will result in a 216-216 tie — meaning it would fail to pass. DEMOCRATIC TAKEOVER FEARS SOAR AS HOUSE REPUBLICANS CLING TO FRAGILE MAJORITY Johnson is no stranger to dealing with slim margins and has eked out significant GOP victories while dealing with majorities between two and three seats. But this is a particularly difficult week for House GOP leaders who are scrambling to end an ongoing partial government shutdown. The House is expected to vote on a funding compromise hashed out between Senate Democrats and the White House sometime on Tuesday, and Republicans will need nearly everyone in lockstep for the legislation to survive a chamber-wide “rule vote.” Rule votes are procedural hurdles that traditionally fall along partisan lines. REPORTER’S NOTEBOOK: HOUSE EXODUS THREATENS JOHNSON’S GRIP ON POWER AS OVER 40 MEMBERS HEAD FOR EXIT Menefee, a former attorney for Houston’s Harris County, won a special congressional election in a left-leaning district in Texas that has been vacant for nearly a year. He’s replacing the late Rep. Sylvester Turner, D-Texas, who died while in office in March 2025. The Associated Press reported that Menefee defeated former Houston City Council member Amanda Edwards, a fellow Democrat, in Saturday’s runoff election to fill the seat left vacant when Democratic Rep. Sylvester Turner died last March. Sylvester, a former longtime state lawmaker, served two terms as Houston mayor before winning election to Congress in 2024 to fill the seat of the late longtime Democratic Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee. While Texas has redrawn its congressional maps for the 2026 midterms, as part of the high-stakes redistricting battle between President Donald Trump and Republicans versus Democrats, the special election used the state’s current district lines. The addition of another lawmaker into the House Democrats’ ranks will give Republican leadership in the chamber further headaches. And House GOP leaders are painfully aware of the politically difficult situation they’re in. “They’d better be here,” Johnson said of his Republican members last month. “I told everybody, and not in jest, I said, no adventure sports, no risk-taking, take your vitamins. Stay healthy and be here.”
Fox News Poll: Too Fast, Too Unchecked? Voters sound off on rapid AI use & government regulation
As the emphasis on implementing artificial intelligence across society grows, voters think the use of AI technology is happening too fast — and they have little confidence the federal government can regulate it properly. The latest Fox News poll finds 6 in 10 registered voters feel the use of artificial intelligence is moving too quickly in the United States, while another 3 in 10 feels it’s progressing at the right pace. Just 6% say it’s moving too slowly. Although most think the use of AI is going too fast, there are some differences along demographic lines: Women, White voters, those ages 65+, and Democrats are more likely to say things are moving too fast compared to men, nonwhite voters, those under age 30, and Republicans. FOX NEWS POLL: AN EARLY LOOK AT THE 2026 MIDTERMS In addition, 63% lack faith in the federal government’s ability to properly regulate AI, a view that has been largely consistent since 2023. Thirty-six percent have a great deal or some confidence in the government’s ability. The main demographic groups where more than half are confident in the government regulating AI include MAGA supporters (57%), Republican men (55%), and very conservatives (52%). FOX NEWS POLL: 59% OF VOTERS SAY ICE IS TOO AGGRESSIVE, UP 10 POINTS SINCE JULY Despite all the hype, a slim majority of voters (53%) say artificial intelligence has not made much difference in their life, while the remaining half splits between saying AI has personally helped them (26%) vs. harmed them (20%). Those most likely to feel artificial intelligence has helped them are subsets of men, including dads (46%) and men under age 45 (43%). Voters under age 30 also feel AI has more likely benefited them (45% helped, 28% harmed). Those most likely to feel harmed are nonwhite women (33%) and moms (29%). CLICK HERE FOR CROSSTABS AND TOPLINE Conducted January 23-26, 2026, under the direction of Beacon Research (D) and Shaw & Company Research (R), this Fox News survey includes interviews with a sample of 1,005 registered voters randomly selected from a national voter file. Respondents spoke with live interviewers on landlines (106) and cellphones (645) or completed the survey online after receiving a text (254). Results based on the full sample have a margin of sampling error of ±3 percentage points. Sampling error for results among subgroups is higher. In addition to sampling error, question wording and order can influence results. Weights are generally applied to age, race, education, and area variables to ensure the demographics are representative of the registered voter population. Sources for developing weight targets include the most recent American Community Survey, Fox News Voter Analysis, and voter file data.
Kristi Noem orders immediate body camera deployment for Minneapolis federal officers after deadly shootings
Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem said DHS will immediately deploy body cameras to every federal officer in the field in Minneapolis, with plans to expand the program nationwide as funding allows. The move comes amid renewed scrutiny of body camera use in federal immigration enforcement operations, as recent shootings in Minneapolis highlighted uneven policies across agencies and raised questions about transparency and accountability. “I just spoke with @RealTomHoman @ICEdirector @CBPCommissioner,” Noem wrote on X. “Effective immediately, we are deploying body cameras to every officer in the field in Minneapolis. “As funding is available, the body camera program will be expanded nationwide,” she continued. “We will rapidly acquire and deploy body cameras to DHS law enforcement across the country. The most transparent administration in American history — thank you President Donald Trump.” BORDER CZAR TOM HOMAN VOWS TO STAY IN MINNESOTA ‘UNTIL THE PROBLEM’S GONE’ Noem concluded with, “Make America Safe Again.” Trump said Monday that the decision to deploy body cameras in Minneapolis was made by Noem, telling reporters he deferred to her judgment and said the devices are “generally” beneficial for law enforcement because they document encounters. DHS PROBES WHETHER AGENTS KILLED VA NURSE FOLLOWING ACCIDENTAL DISCHARGE DURING MINNEAPOLIS ICE RAID Trump added that body cameras are “80% good for law enforcement,” arguing they help prevent false claims about what happens during encounters and said he was comfortable with the rollout if Noem wanted to move forward. The issue has come into sharper focus in Minneapolis following recent immigration enforcement shootings, including the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti by Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers who were wearing body cameras and the separate killing of Renee Good by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent who was not. NOEM UNLOADS ON WALZ OVER ICE RAID CRITICISM: ‘REALLY? YOU’RE WORRIED ABOUT TAXPAYER DOLLARS?’ Good, 37, was shot and killed by the ICE agent during a federal operation in south Minneapolis earlier this year. ICE has been gradually rolling out body-worn cameras nationwide, including during recent high-profile arrests, but the team involved in the operation that led to Good’s death did not have the devices equipped, sources said. Persistent gaps in camera deployment across federal immigration operations have raised questions about consistency and accountability.