Fox News Poll: 59% of voters say ICE is too aggressive, up 10 points since July
While more than half of voters approve of the job President Donald Trump is doing on border security, a new Fox News survey finds a majority disapproves of how he is handling immigration and a growing number view the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency’s tactics as “too aggressive” — including significant portions of the president’s coalition. In addition, there is disagreement about how well ICE is carrying out its core mission. Twenty-nine percent of voters say ICE’s enforcement practices “almost always” reflect Trump’s pledge to focus on illegal immigrants with criminal records, 25% think that happens “most of the time,” 19% say “sometimes,” and 27% “not very often.” More Republicans (45%) than Democrats (17%) and independents (15%) think ICE is “almost always” keeping the pledge. At the same time, there is a backlash against the agency’s methods. Fifty-nine percent of voters characterize ICE as “too aggressive,” a 10-point increase since July 2025. This sentiment is increasingly defined by a shift in the center: the perception of ICE as too aggressive is up 14 points among Whites without a college degree, 19 points among moderates, and 22 points among independents. A similar shift is seen among right-leaning groups, including Trump voters (+9 more aggressive), Republican women (+14), and non-MAGA Republicans (+23). FOX NEWS POLL: VOTERS SAY GO SLOW ON AI DEVELOPMENT — BUT DON’T KNOW WHO SHOULD STEER When those saying ICE is too aggressive are asked to specify their concerns, they are more likely to point to tactics rather than targets: 44% say “using too much force,” while 23% say the agency is “targeting the wrong people.” Another 29% volunteer it’s both. FOX NEWS POLL: VIEWS ON THE YEAR ENDING ARE MERRIEST SINCE 2020 The survey was conducted from Friday through Monday (January 23-26); on Saturday, during a Minneapolis protest, federal agents fired shots that killed Alex Pretti. Border security remains Trump’s best issue, and currently the only one where he receives a net positive job rating: 52% of voters approve. That’s up 1 point from 51% in December, but down from a record high of 57% approval in September. Some 17% of Democrats approve of Trump on border security compared to 9% on immigration. Among Republicans, it’s 89% and 85% approval respectively. Forty-five percent of voters approve of the president’s job performance on immigration, while 55% disapprove. That’s unchanged since last month. His highest immigration approval was 48% in July 2025. In trends going back to early in Trump’s first term, only once has his disapproval rating on immigration been below 50% and that was 48% in April 2025. “This poll demonstrates something we’ve noted for a long time — border security and immigration are often distinct issues,” says Republican pollster Daron Shaw, who conducts the Fox News Poll with Democratic counterpart Chris Anderson. “Republicans in general, and the president in particular, are seen as effective when it comes to border security. But public sentiment is more complicated when it comes to handling immigrants in the U.S. illegally.” Currently, 44% approve of Trump’s overall job performance, while 56% disapprove — the same marks he received in December. Support for abolishing ICE has doubled since 2018, rising from 18% to 36%. Much of the increase comes from White voters (+20 points), women (+21), independents (+22), and Democrats (+34). Opposition to abolishing the agency held steady at 42%, while the share saying they are unsure dropped from 39% to 22%. Views are split on whether local governments should be required to collaborate with ICE: 49% favor requiring cooperation, 50% oppose it. The level of support for cooperation among Republicans (85%) is matched by opposition among Democrats (83%). Independents are against cooperation by a 30-point margin (34% favor, 64% oppose). 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. Fox News’ Victoria Balara contributed to this report.
Fox News Poll: Donald Trump starts 2026 with 44% approval
New year, same take. Voters say the economy is in bad shape, that President Donald Trump’s policies haven’t helped, that he isn’t spending enough time on the economy and that things are unlikely to get better this year. That’s according to a new Fox News survey released Wednesday. The poll finds a 54% majority thinks the country is worse off today than it was a year ago compared to 31% who say it is better off. That 23 percentage-point deficit comes from most Democrats (84%) and independents (71%) saying the U.S. is worse off and a smaller majority of Republicans saying the country is better off (61%). FOX NEWS POLL: VOTERS SAY GO SLOW ON AI DEVELOPMENT — BUT DON’T KNOW WHO SHOULD STEER On a personal level, only one quarter of voters say they are better off financially than they were a year ago, and more than 4 in 10 say the administration’s economic policies have hurt them, about twice the share who say they’ve been helped. Another 4 in 10 think the policies have had no effect. While the number who say they’ve been hurt by Trump’s policies is down 3 points since November, it’s up 22 points compared to his first term (in December 2018). Three in 10 give the economy positive ratings, but most, 7 in 10, say it is in bad shape. This is exactly how voters rated the economy last January. To top it off, more voters think the economy will get worse this year rather than better by a 13-point margin (45% worse vs. 32% better). That contrasts with views from a year ago when they were more likely to see the economy getting better by 2 points. Part of the shift is driven by fewer Republicans feeling optimistic now (58% vs. 63% a year ago). “The president faces two difficult obstacles — the virtually unanimous and intractable opposition of Democrats and the stubbornness of high prices,” says Republican pollster Daron Shaw, who helps conduct Fox News polls with Democrat Chris Anderson. “Republican officeholders think the economic benefits of the One Big Beautiful Bill will kick in later this year, which will be critical for GOP prospects in the midterm elections.” Approval of Trump’s overall job performance stands at 44%, unchanged since December. He receives 85% approval among all Republicans and 97% among Republicans who identify as MAGA supporters. Disapproval of the president is at or near all-time highs among White voters (54%), moderates (70%), and independents (78%). Trump’s current approval rating is the same as former President George W. Bush’s at this point in his second term (44%) and two points higher than former President Barack Obama’s (42%). Part of voter dissatisfaction comes from thinking the president is focused on the wrong things. About 4 in 10 say Trump is spending too much time on foreign policy and almost half feel the same about immigration and border security. By contrast, 7 in 10 think he is not spending enough time on the economy, including nearly half of Republicans and most Democrats and independents. FOX NEWS POLL: VIEWS ON THE YEAR ENDING ARE MERRIEST SINCE 2020 When asked to say in their own words what Trump’s top priority should be as president, voters are most likely to say the economy or prices. “Resigning” also comes in near the top, as that’s what the largest share of Democrats and many independents say should be his No. 1 task. Still, Democrats, Republicans and independents agree they want Trump to prioritize the economy over immigration and foreign policy. That contributes to the president’s ratings remaining low on inflation (35% approve), tariffs (37% approve) and the economy (40% approve). His marks are also underwater on healthcare (37% approve-62% disapprove) and immigration (45-55%), as well as foreign policy (39-61%), Greenland (31-67%), Russia (38-61%), Ukraine (40-59%), Iran (41-57%) and Venezuela (42-57%). Border security continues to be Trump’s only net positive job rating, as a majority of 52% approves. That’s about the same as it was in November (53%) and December (51%). However, it’s down from a high of 57% approval in September. Poll-pourri — Majorities oppose U.S. military intervention to affect regime change in Iran (59%) and Cuba (64%), and also oppose acquiring Greenland, whether by purchase (65%) or takeover (72%). — Opinion divided on using military force to bring Venezuelan President Maduro to the U.S. to face drug charges; 51% of voters approve vs. 48% disapprove. Approval stands at 72% among those who have served in the military. — Voters have a clear preference for checks and balances regarding military engagement, as 62% think the U.S. Congress should have the final say in authorizing any action, while 36% say that power should be with the president. Views among those who have served in the military are more closely divided: 52% say Congress should have the final say vs. 47% the president. — Military veterans have positive views of Trump’s foreign policy as a whole (+16 net approve), as well as on his handling of Venezuela (+21), Iran (+15), Ukraine (+10) and Russia (+2). — Fifty-five percent of voters say the U.S. position in the world is worse than it was a year ago, 30% think it’s better now, while 15% say it’s the same. Republicans (59% better), Trump voters (58%), and conservatives (54%) are the only groups with more than half saying the country’s position is better. 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.
Turning Point USA backs Trump Accounts program with ‘dollar-for-dollar match’ for eligible employee newborns
Turning Point USA and another nonprofit founded by Charlie Kirk will match the federal government’s $1,000 contribution to Trump Accounts, a program created with the intention of giving newborns a financial head start in life, for its employees. Erika Kirk, the CEO who leads the nonprofit that advocates for conservative causes, said Wednesday that TPUSA and Turning Point Action, a political advocacy group, would honor her late husband “through a company-sponsored dollar-for-dollar” match of the federal government’s $1,000 contribution established for every eligible employee’s newborn baby. “Charlie spoke so often about the importance of young families and having children, and his face would light up every time he learned about a Turning Point employee welcoming a newborn into their family,” she wrote on X. “We’re proud to stand with @POTUS in supporting families and investing in the future of America.” DELL FOUNDER SAYS $6.25B ‘TRUMP ACCOUNTS’ DONATION IS ‘SMARTEST INVESTMENT’ IN CHILDREN’S FUTURES Trump Accounts included in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) are slated to launch on July 4. Under the terms of the program, every American child born between Jan. 1, 2025, and Dec. 31, 2028, will receive $1,000 from the U.S. Treasury. That money is then invested in the stock market by private firms, and the child can access the funds when they turn 18. “For the first time ever, we’re going to give every newborn American child a financial stake in the future, a head start in life and a fair shot at the American dream,” President Donald Trump said Wednesday at a Treasury Department event. TRUMP SAYS TARIFF-FUNDED DIVIDEND PAYMENTS FOR AMERICANS WILL BEGIN NEXT YEAR The accounts can be established by an authorized adult, who can be a parent, guardian, adult sibling or grandparent, as long as they have a valid Social Security number. However, a Social Security number is not required to make contributions of up to $5,000 annually. “Business leaders and philanthropists across the country are answering the President’s call to action by investing in America’s children via Trump Accounts. TPUSA, led by the wonderful Erika Kirk, continues to do what’s right for America by helping the next generation of Americans build wealth and realize the American Dream,” White House spokesperson Kush Desai told Fox News Digital. The accounts are an opportunity to give the next generation of Americans a nest egg and the proper financial footing once they grow into adulthood. He also called on employers to match Trump Account contributions. “Every president in modern history has left our children with nothing but debt,” Trump said. “But under this administration, we’re going to leave every child with real assets and a shot at financial freedom.” Fox News Digital has reached out to the White House.
The Hitchhiker’s Guide to federal pay dates to watch if there’s a partial government shutdown
There is an old trick which may help you divine the length of a prospective government shutdown. The signpost to watch is the pay schedule for federal workers. Let’s start with the basics. This potential partial shutdown would impact six areas of the government and hits 78 percent of all federal spending. It’s set to begin at 12:00:01 a.m. ET on Saturday, January 31. But since it’s over the weekend, some call this a “lapse in appropriations.” DEMS RELENT, SENATE SENDS $174B SPENDING PACKAGE TO TRUMP’S DESK AS SHUTDOWN LOOMS OVER DHS FUNDING For starters, that technicality of a “lapse in appropriations” is a shutdown by another name. But it does give lawmakers wiggle room to resolve the issue before 9 am ET on Monday, February 2. That’s when most federal workers return to the job. But the real barometer to watch is the federal paycheck schedule. The government last paid many federal workers on January 21. That was one day later than usual because of the Martin Luther King federal holiday. However, the next batch of checks is due to go out on Monday, February 2. This paycheck covers the work period running through Thursday, February 5. But the government cuts the checks on Monday, ahead of the completion of the pay period. CONGRESS ROLLS OUT $80B SPENDING BILL AS DEMS THREATEN DHS FUNDING AMID SHUTDOWN FEARS But, Fox is told that workers would at least receive a partial paycheck for work completed through Friday, January 30. That’s the last day that the government is funded. So those checks still go out on February 2. But they don’t cover work for next Monday through Thursday if there’s a lapse in appropriations. Any money dealing with expenditures beginning on January 31 is illegal. It’s a violation of the Antideficiency Act. The executive branch is spending money not appropriated by Congress. So the weekend gives lawmakers a bit of a breather to figure things out. And the next day to cut many federal checks doesn’t fall until Tuesday, February 17. That is one day later than usual because of Presidents’ Day on Monday, February 16. Missing any portion of a paycheck is not optimal. But the upside is that Congress and the executive branch have nearly three weeks to solve this before most federal workers miss an ENTIRE paycheck. However, there are some anomalies. Workers at the FAA (which includes air traffic controllers, but not TSA) are scheduled to be paid on Tuesday, February 3. Fox is told that FAA employees will receive a full paycheck. That’s because the FAA pay period ended on Saturday, January 24. Thus, that work was completed before the shutdown deadline and Congress appropriated money for that pay. Therefore, payment on February 3 is NOT a violation of the Antideficiency Act. That said, the next FAA pay period ends on February 7. Paychecks are due to be sent on February 17. FAA and air traffic controllers would receive a PARTIAL paycheck at that point. That’s because some work was performed prior to the shutdown. This scenario mirrors what happened during the fall shutdown. Air traffic controllers received some of their paycheck because of the staggered pay schedule. But that doesn’t diminish the paycheck PTSD from which many air traffic controllers and TSA employees suffer. They were asked to report to work during the last shutdown, doing stressful work for six weeks without getting paid. One wonders if there’s any goodwill left among those workers to show up on the job gratis since Congress and the executive branch still can’t get their acts together. SENATE DEMS REVOLT AGAINST DHS FUNDING BILL AMID MINNEAPOLIS CHAOS, HIKING GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN RISK Lawmakers will watch these pay calendars closely if this gets to be a drawn-out fight. However, a minimal “partial” shutdown over the weekend provides lawmakers with a bit of cushion to find a solution. Fox is told that it’s unlikely that Republicans and Democrats achieve some sort of “breakthrough” on government funding before a likely failed test vote on the original spending bill tomorrow. Senate Democrats have now laid down their demands to rein in ICE. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., says Democrats insist on an end to roving patrols. They want a uniform code of conduct for ICE officers which is similar to local and state police. Finally, Democrats want masks off and body cameras on. After the prospective failed vote, things suddenly get real for everyone. The deadline looms and they don’t have a fix. However, the test vote gives Democrats the opportunity to put a “nay” vote on the scoreboard and show the other side – plus their progressive base – that they mean business when it comes to ICE. Congress only seems to work on a deadline. Finding an off-ramp before that 11:59:59 pm et deadline on Friday is tough. But the Senate often conducts some of its most productive business on Thursdays and Fridays – especially when staring at the specter of a weekend session. But the weekend – and the special payment schedules – give lawmakers some agility. In fact, one Democratic source told Fox that a weekend “lapse in appropriations” may help the party politically if they score the ICE reforms that Democrats want. Then they can demonstrate to their base just how far they are willing to push – again. Especially if they extract concessions from the White House. Schumer still wants Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., to rip apart the six-bill spending package and treat DHS funding as a separate animal. Thune didn’t rule that out. But Thune made it clear that the “best path forward is to keep the package intact.” Thune noted that splitting the bill was challenging in the Senate. But even if the Senate is successful, the measure must return to the House – after the funding deadline. “Who knows what happens with it over there,” said Thune. Meantime, Lisa Desjardins of the PBS NewsHour asked Schumer if he was willing to “accept
Conservative icon rips teachers’ unions as schools turn into ‘propaganda agencies’
Conservative icon and academic Thomas Sowell unleashed on the current state of the education system, warning it has become a massive arm of “propaganda” with little incentive to improve as union power and friendly Democratic politics shield schools from accountability. “It’s failing to teach students how to think,” the 95-year-old economist and historian said in a podcast interview published Tuesday. “It’s failing to give them a background of knowledge of history. And it’s failing to allow them to express views that are different from what is being propagandized.” “These have become propaganda agencies, more so than educational institutions,” he added. Sowell joined the Hoover Institution’s podcast “Uncommon Knowledge with Peter Robinson” in a more than hourlong interview that notably did not focus on Sowell’s economic expertise. Instead, it offered a sharp critique of the current education system, including reflecting on his own struggles as a youth in New York City schools before becoming one of the nation’s most treasured conservative minds. NEA INSIDER BLOWS WHISTLE ON ‘TOXIC’ CULTURE AND FAR-LEFT POLITICS INSIDE TEACHERS UNION: ‘IT’S A CULT’ Sowell’s core argument was that the education system is insulated from the kind of consequences that force correction in other arenas, such as private businesses facing punishment for poor performance with monetary losses. “Public school education, you have the almost inexhaustible amount of money from the taxpayers,” he said as to why school systems have failed students. “Private schools are becoming private more in name than in reality. They’re getting billions of dollars of taxpayers’ money and there’s very little following of what happens. So that they can keep on doing things that are wrong for generation after generation.” Basic math and reading scores among American students have been on a downward trajectory for years, with the COVID-19 pandemic and remote learning worsening the trends. Nearly half of high school seniors, for example, scored below basic in math and reading, according to the Nation’s Report Card data published in 2025. An EdChoice’s 2025 Schooling in America Survey found that 68% of Americans and 60% of parents believe K–12 education was on the wrong path. HOUSTON SCHOOL DISTRICT TRYING TO WOO PARENTS WHILE LOSING STUDENTS AMID SCHOOL CHOICE COMPETITION Sowell pointed to teachers’ unions as a major player keeping families trapped in a cycle of a failing education system. “Teachers’ unions collect billions of dollars in dues and then invest millions of dollars around the country to politicians who will protect the teachers’ unions from competition,” he said, agreeing with Robinson that the set-up is a “straightforward racket.” “We think of (schools) as noble places. Their goals are noble, but it’s amazing how many people will sell that down the river,” he said of unions. In Sowell’s 2020 book “Charter Schools and Their Enemies,” he found that charter schools are the clearest proof that the same kids, from the same neighborhoods, who are even taught in the same building, can post dramatically better results than students from traditional public schools. A charter school is a publicly funded institution that operates under a performance contract, giving it more independence over curricula and operations than traditional schools. Some Democrats, however, have stood in the way of promoting charter schools, which he said continues the cycle of promoting a failing U.S. school sytem beholden to the teachers’ unions. Sowell cited California as an example, pointing to a law he described as limiting charter schools’ ability to suspend or expel disruptive students. JOHNNY CAN’T READ — EVEN IN COLLEGE. I LEAD A UNIVERSITY AND IT’S TERRIFYING “That law can’t even offer a pretense of doing something that is educationally worthwhile,” he said. “It is doing something worthwhile to keep the charter schools from attracting more people out of the teachers’ union.” Democrats who oppose charter expansion often say charters pull students and funding from traditional district schools, weaken unionized teacher protections and raise alarms that they can operate with uneven oversight. Sowell’s critiques come as the nation celebrates National School Choice week. MAJOR CITY SCHOOL DISTRICTS LOSING STUDENTS AS PARENTS SEEK BETTER OPTIONS The Trump administration is currently pushing states to “opt in” to a new federal K-12 scholarship tax credit created under the Working Families Tax Cut Act, otherwise known as the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, warning families could miss out if their governors don’t take action. The tax credit is set to begin at the start of 2027. Taxpayers can get up to $1,700 back as a federal tax credit by donating that money to approved Scholarship Granting Organizations (SGOs) instead of sending it to Washington in income taxes. Those SGOs then turn the donations into K-12 scholarships and other education help families can use for a broad range of costs tied to public, private or charter schools. The Department of Education celebrated Monday that 23 states have so far opted in to a program the department called the “largest national expansion of education freedom in history and provides families with more affordable education options.”
Trump return to Iowa likely ahead of high-stakes midterms, GOP gubernatorial candidate says
President Donald Trump’s campaign blitz to help Republicans in the 2026 midterm elections will bring him back to Iowa just a few months before the November races, a Republican gubernatorial hopeful there said. Rep. Randy Feenstra, R-Iowa, was one of several House Republicans traveling with the president during his latest stop in the Hawkeye State Tuesday, which Trump capped off with a rally-style speech in Clive in the late afternoon. The conservative Republican is also the frontrunner in the Republican gubernatorial primary there and is expected to face off against Democrat state official Rob Sand in November. SEN TIM SCOTT: REPUBLICANS JUST GETTING STARTED, BUT NEED TIME TO STOP RADICAL LEFTISTS “He’s coming back. So, we have the 250th anniversary. That’s going to be at the state fair. He’s come down for that. We’re going to have a big bash. It’s going to be exciting. That’s gonna be a big deal,” Feenstra told Fox News Digital Wednesday. “Hopefully, he comes back a few more times.” The Iowa State Fair will take place in Des Moines from Aug. 13-23, according to the event’s website. That’s roughly three months ahead of what’s expected to be a tough midterm season for Republicans across the country. History dictates that the president’s party normally suffers political setbacks during the election cycle two years after power changes hands. Meanwhile, Democrats across the country have fallen back into positioning Trump as a divisive political boogeyman. But Feenstra argued the opposite, saying Trump’s effort to stay active during the election cycle will “absolutely” benefit Republicans. TRUMP SAYS DEMOCRATS ARE ‘MEANER’ THAN REPUBLICANS, WARNS OF IMPEACHMENT IF GOP LOSES MIDTERMS “He carried Iowa by 13 points, and him engaging and stimulating the base — I mean, he turns out voters like nobody else. He had 77 million Americans that voted for him in the last election talking about making America great again. Now, he’s talking about lowering prices, making things more affordable,” Feenstra said. “He’s lowered the price on gas. He lowered the price on eggs. He’s lowered the price on a lot of pharmaceuticals. He’s lowered the price on healthcare. I mean, people are going to get the biggest refund they’ve ever had through … the Working Families Tax Cuts Act. These are all things that are really relatable to people. I think that will help turn people out.” Other House Republicans who traveled with Trump Tuesday were Reps. Zach Nunn, R-Iowa, and Ashley Hinson, R-Iowa, the latter of whom is running for U.S. Senate. Before the speech, they and Trump traveled to the Machine Shed, a restaurant near the rally venue, where they met with everyday Iowa voters. “They wanted their hats signed. They want their napkins signed. They wanted to talk to him about, you know, how things were, and what he has done over the last year has truly benefited them,” Feenstra said. “We had one gentleman pray with him, which I found very interesting. He just said, ‘Hey, Mr. President, will you pray with me?’ And they prayed together. So, it was just the Iowa way of life.”
Powell warns Lisa Cook’s Supreme Court case could be most consequential legal threat in Fed’s history
Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell warned Wednesday that a Supreme Court showdown over sitting Fed governor Lisa Cook could have far-reaching consequences for the central bank’s independence and the U.S. economy. “I would say that that case is perhaps the most important legal case in the Fed’s 113-year history. As I thought about it, it might have been hard to explain why I didn’t attend,” Powell told reporters Wednesday at the Federal Reserve. “Paul Volcker famously attended a Supreme Court case in, I guess, 1985 or so, so there is precedent,” Powell said, referring to the former Federal Reserve chair who served under Presidents Jimmy Carter and Ronald Reagan. POWELL REVEALS WHAT IT WOULD TAKE TO STEP DOWN FROM THE FED AS PRESSURE MOUNTS Last week, the nation’s highest court heard oral arguments for two hours on whether President Donald Trump has the authority to remove Cook from the Federal Reserve’s Board of Governors. The court is expected to issue a ruling in the case by summer. Cook’s legal fight traces back to late August, when Trump said he was firing her from the board. He alleged she misrepresented information related to a trio of mortgages she obtained before joining the central bank. Cook has denied any wrongdoing and has not been charged with a crime. TRUMP VS THE FEDERAL RESERVE: HOW THE CLASH REACHED UNCHARTED TERRITORY She sued Trump in federal court in Washington, D.C., to block her removal. On Sept. 9, a district court judge barred Trump from firing her while the case proceeds, a decision later upheld by a federal appeals court. Her ascent to the Federal Reserve was historic from the start. Appointed by former President Joe Biden in 2022, she became the first Black woman to serve as a Fed board governor, the seven-member panel that sets national interest rates and oversees the banking system. Now, she stands at the center of an even more consequential moment, as Trump seeks to fire her — a step that would be unprecedented in the Fed’s history. What’s more, Powell’s long-standing insistence on finishing his term, which ends in May, now comes amid a Justice Department criminal investigation into his congressional testimony on the Federal Reserve’s headquarters renovation. Powell confirmed the investigation and said he respected the rule of law and congressional oversight, but described the action as “unprecedented” and driven by political pressure. Asked by reporters at the Federal Reserve for further comment, Powell declined to discuss the Justice Department investigation, pointing instead to remarks he made in a video statement on Jan. 11. His decision to address the issue so publicly, after days of private consultations with advisors, marked a sharp departure from the central banker’s typically measured approach. What comes next remains unclear, as the Federal Reserve navigates largely uncharted territory.
Schumer rolls out list of ICE demands as White House says Dems ‘blocked’ deal-making session
The White House invited rank-and-file Senate Democrats to discuss government funding options, but they declined, instead opting to unveil a list of demands to rein in Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents in exchange for their votes to avert a shutdown. “The White House hopes to avoid another debilitating government shutdown, and invited Democrats for a listening session to better understand their position,” a senior White House official told Fox News Digital in a statement. “It’s unfortunate their leadership blocked the meeting.” Meanwhile, Senate Democrats unveiled their laundry list of demands to rein in the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) immigration operations in exchange for their support to keep the government open. Democrats in the upper chamber have been quietly formulating a list of legislative demands to bring Republicans to corral DHS and ICE after another deadly shooting in Minnesota over the weekend. That incident, where Alex Pretti was fatally shot during an immigration operation in Minneapolis, spurred Democrats to reject the forthcoming six-bill funding package teed up for a key test vote on Thursday. SENATE REPUBLICANS TEE UP KEY SHUTDOWN TEST VOTE AS DEMOCRATS DIG IN ON DHS FUNDING Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., laid out three requirements for Democrats as the upper chamber hurtles toward a Friday deadline to fund the government. He noted that his entire caucus was unified on the “set of common sense and necessary policy goals that we need to rein in ICE and end the violence.” Schumer’s first demand was an end to roving patrols, tightening the rules governing the use of warrants, and requiring that ICE coordinate with state and local law enforcement. Second on the list was a uniform code of conduct and accountability for federal agents, akin to the same standards applied to state and local law enforcement. Schumer contended that when those policies are broken, there should be independent investigations. And third, Democrats want “masks off, body cameras on,” and for federal agents to carry proper identification. THUNE STEAMROLLS DEMS’ DHS REVOLT AS FETTERMAN DEFECTS, SCHUMER UNDER PRESSURE “These are common sense reforms, ones that Americans know and expect from law enforcement,” Schumer said. “If Republicans refuse to support them, they are choosing chaos over order, plain and simple. They are choosing to protect Ice from accountability over American lives.” Over the last few days, Senate Republicans have signaled their willingness to negotiate reforms to the agency beyond those baked into the existing DHS funding bill, but they have added the caveat that Senate Democrats have to actually produce a list, first. And Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., has made clear that Republicans would plow ahead with the current six-bill funding package, which among other bills includes funding for the Pentagon, for Thursday’s vote. However, he hasn’t entirely closed the door on stripping the DHS bill as Democrats have called for. DEMS’ DHS SHUTDOWN THREAT WOULD HIT FEMA, TSA WHILE IMMIGRATION FUNDING REMAINS INTACT Though conversations are ongoing at the rank-and-file level across the aisle, Thune said that Schumer and Senate Democrats should bring their asks to the White House and President Donald Trump. “If there’s a way that the Democrats have things that they want the White House could accommodate, short of having to modify the bill, that would be, I think the best way to do what we need to do here, and that is to make sure the government gets funded,” Thune said. Plus, if the DHS bill were stripped from the broader package and advanced through the Senate as Schumer has promised Democrats would do, it would still need to return to the House. Lawmakers in the lower chamber are still on their week-long recess and aren’t slated to return until next week. There is a possibility that Democrats’ demands could also be split into a separate bill, similar to what Republicans offered during the previous shutdown when Schumer and company demanded a clean, three-year extension to the expiring Obamacare subsidies. When asked if he would be amenable to that option, Schumer charged that the “White House has had no specific, good, concrete ideas.” “In terms of what we want, there’s two simple things to do to get this done, and we want to get it done, and we want to get it done quickly,” Schumer said. “Number one, Leader Thune has to separate the Homeland Security bill out from the other five. He can simply put an amendment on the floor to do that.” “So it’s simple to do, and I am quite confident it would pass overwhelmingly,” he continued. “Already I’ve seen 6 or 7 Republicans say they would vote for it. So that’s what we should do. And then we should sit down and go and come up with strong proposals to reform ICE and rein in ICE and end the violence.”
US moves fast to reopen Venezuela embassy after yearslong freeze
The U.S. will “very quickly” reopen its embassy in Venezuela and establish a diplomatic presence on the ground, according to Secretary of State Marco Rubio. “We have a team on the ground there assessing it, and we think very quickly we’ll be able to open a U.S. diplomatic presence on the ground,” Rubio told members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee Wednesday. The goal, he said, would be not just to interact with officials on the ground but also “civil society and the opposition.” Such a move would mean restoring diplomatic relations with Venezuela, which were broken off in 2019 when the U.S. embassy’s doors shuttered. VENEZUELA’S DELCY RODRÍGUEZ SNAPS AT WASHINGTON, DECLARES ‘ENOUGH’ OF US INFLUENCE The Trump administration has been in dialogue with Delcy Rodríguez, Nicolás Maduro’s former vice president whom U.S. officials describe as an interim leader, since the capture of the wanted Venezuelan dictator. Reopening the embassy would require the U.S. to acknowledge a governing authority in Caracas, Venezuela, capable of receiving diplomats — a step that would mark a clear shift from Washington’s long-standing refusal to engage Venezuela’s executive. The current Venezuelan leadership has “been very cooperative on that front,” Rubio said. “Obviously there’s been some hard asks along the way.” Rubio said the administration is not seeking further military action in Venezuela but stressed that force has not been taken off the table. “The president never rules out his options as commander in chief to protect the national interest of the United States,” Rubio told lawmakers, while emphasizing that the U.S. is “not postured to, nor do we intend or expect to have to take any military action in Venezuela at any time.” Rubio also offered details about the first $500 million of the U.S.-brokered sale of Venezuelan oil, saying $300 million went back to Venezuela to pay for public services, while $200 million remains in a U.S.-run account. CIA DIRECTOR WAS IN VENEZUELA TO MEET WITH ACTING PRESIDENT DELCY RODRIGUEZ, OFFICIAL SAYS He declined to share details on how long Rodríguez would remain in power, but said a diplomatic presence would help keep a check on the new government. “I can’t give you a timeline of how long it takes. It can’t take forever,” Rubio said. “But it’s not even been four weeks.” His comments come amid mixed signals from Venezuela’s interim leadership. In recent days, Rodríguez has struck a defiant tone toward Washington, declaring she had “enough” of U.S. influence in Venezuelan politics during a speech to oil workers broadcast on state television. The remarks appeared aimed largely at a domestic audience, even as Venezuela remains constrained by U.S. sanctions and dependent on American decisions over oil licenses and revenue controls. Rubio said the administration’s goal is to push Venezuela toward a democratic transition, describing the Maduro regime as “a base of operation for virtually every competitor, adversary and enemy in the world.” He said the U.S. is aiming for a “friendly, stable, prosperous Venezuela and democratic… with free and fair elections,” while acknowledging the process will take time. Pressed on corruption concerns, Rubio said an audit mechanism is being established. “The audit will be on,” he told senators, stressing that spending would be restricted to approved public needs.
Josh Shapiro knocks Biden’s record, says Democrats failed to deliver results Americans could ‘see or feel’
Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, a potential 2028 Democratic presidential contender, is criticizing former President Joe Biden and his administration for failing to deliver results for Americans. “The Biden-Harris administration didn’t provide those specific tangible things that people could see or feel,” Shapiro said this week during an appearance on the “Raging Moderates” podcast that comes amid a slew of interviews the governor’s giving as part of the rollout of his new memoir, “Where We Keep the Light: Stories From a Life of Service.” Shapiro, who is running for re-election this year in the crucial northeastern battleground state, has taken some jabs at Biden and former Vice President Kamala Harris, who may end up being a rival for the 2028 Democratic presidential nomination. The governor, in his interview, gave what he called “a very specific, concrete example” of the Biden-Harris administration’s failing optics. SHAPIRO REJECTS CLAIM HIS BOOK IS A RESPONSE TO KAMALA HARRIS CRITICISM “One of the biggest things holding back our rural communities is a lack of high-speed, affordable internet,” Shapiro said as he pointed to his home state. The governor added that he “was incredibly proud of President Biden when they got that infrastructure bill passed to provide the billions of dollars that were needed to plug everybody in, connect everybody in Pennsylvania. But, he added, “Do you know how many people … this many years later, have been connected to high-speed affordable internet thanks to President Biden’s law in Pennsylvania? Zero. Because the dollars were never driven out.” JOSH SHAPIRO ACCUSES HARRIS’ VETTING TEAM OF MAKING DISRESPECTFUL COMMENTARY TOWARDS HIS WIFE Shapiro used the episode to contrast the former president’s style of governing with his own. “That broadband example is just one where I think there’s a real difference in approach. I’m about concrete, get s— done, show your work and not just talking about it,” the governor added. Fox News Digital reached out to the former president’s spokesperson for comment but hadn’t received a response by the time this story published. But a longtime Democratic strategist and veteran of the Biden-Harris 2024 presidential campaign told Fox News Digital he found Shapiro’s comments “pretty weird and bizarre.” “Every Democrat, including Josh Shapiro, has a long record of praising and defending Joe Biden and the same legislation that Shapiro is now taking issue with,” the strategist, who asked to remain anonymous to speak more freely, said. Broadband funding for Pennsylvania was delayed in part due to federal rules changes, administrative bottlenecks and shifting technology focus. IT’S JANUARY 2026, BUT THE 2028 WHITE HOUSE RACE IS WELL UNDERWAY Shapiro, in his book, shared new details about briefly considering challenging Harris for the 2024 Democratic presidential nomination after Biden dropped out of the race one month after a disastrous debate performance against President Donald Trump. But he wrote that he ultimately agreed with his wife that it wasn’t the right time to seek the presidency. Shapiro was among a handful of top Democrats that Harris considered as a running mate before she chose Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz. The former vice president alleged in “107 Days,” her memoir published last year, that, during the running mate vetting process, Shapiro insisted on being “in the room for every decision” if he were to become vice president. Shapiro in an interview late last year rejected her claims as “bulls—” and “blatant lies.” And Shapiro’s book includes critiques of Harris, including the accusation that, during the Harris team’s vice-presidential vetting process, Shapiro was asked if he had ever been an agent of the state of Israel. Fox News’ Alexander Hall contributed to this story.