Trump praises Susie Wiles’ cancer fight in surprise gala video: ‘Winning it decisively’
President Donald Trump praised White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles as “winning it decisively” in her battle with cancer after she revealed she was diagnosed nine weeks ago while accepting a major award Thursday night. “It’s been especially inspiring to see her courage and toughness in recent weeks, and she’s been winning a battle with cancer and winning it decisively,” Trump said in a pre-recorded video message. “It was an early diagnosis, so she’s going to be in great shape.” Wiles said during an onstage conversation that she would continue to work following the diagnosis. “I come to work every day. I do my job, I don’t complain, and I think that sets an example, too, for the people I work with,” Wiles said. WH CHIEF OF STAFF SUSIE WILES DIAGNOSED WITH EARLY STAGE BREAST CANCER, PROGNOSIS ‘EXCELLENT,’ TRUMP SAYS Trump surprised Wiles with the video as she accepted the Independent Women’s Forum Barbara K. Olson Woman of Valor Award at a gala in Washington, D.C. He praised her as “the first female chief of staff in American history” and “one of the best White House chiefs of staff ever in history.” “I say the best, actually,” Trump said, adding that he was “tremendously grateful” for her “friendship, loyalty and support every single day.” TRUMP CHIEF OF STAFF PLEDGES NO ‘DRAMA’ OR SECOND-GUESSING IN WHITE HOUSE Wiles said she did not know the video was intended for the gala, despite briefly walking in while Trump was recording it. “I walked in when he was filming it, but I didn’t know what it was for, and I kind of ducked out the back door,” she said. Trump credited Wiles with playing a key role in each of his presidential campaigns, “especially in 2024,” and said his administration’s accomplishments have come with “her help and her leadership.” TRUMP CHIEF OF STAFF SUSIE WILES RECOUNTS BUTLER ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT, THOUGHT PRESIDENT WAS DEAD AT FIRST “Susie, we have a problem. I say go to Susie,” Trump said. “We owe her a tremendous debt and what she’s done is just incredible for our country.” Wiles, who described herself as a lifelong Republican, said her decision to back Trump in 2016 was one of the biggest risks of her career. “I wanted a disrupter,” Wiles said. “I looked around at the disrupters in the field and said, I think Donald Trump’s the one.” Asked about her role now, Wiles said, “This is the path God chose for me. And I’m here, and I’m doing the best I can every day.” The gala was held Thursday at the Waldorf Astoria in Washington, D.C. Fox News Digital’s Ashley Carnahan and Alex Nitzberg contributed to this reporting.
Trump takes motorcade into Reflecting Pool, blasts past ‘$38M disaster’ fix under Obama
President Donald Trump visited the National Mall on Thursday, driving his motorcade through the drained Reflecting Pool to inspect a restoration project he said is correcting a “disaster” left by the Obama administration. Standing on the pool’s floor, the president touted a $1.8 million overhaul of the landmark, contrasting it with the $38 million spent under former President Barack Obama on a project Trump described as a “construction nightmare” that leaked immediately upon completion. The Reflecting Pool, which stretches more than 2,000 feet between the Lincoln Memorial and the Washington Monument, is one of the most visited landmarks in the nation’s capital, drawing millions of tourists each year and serving as the backdrop for historic events and presidential ceremonies. Trump was joined by Interior Secretary Doug Burgum to review the application of a new, industrial-strength sealant. Trump revealed he personally selected the color for the new surface: “American Flag Blue.” TRUMP WORKING TO CLEAN ‘FILTHY’ LINCOLN MEMORIAL REFLECTING POOL, BLAMES BIDEN FOR MAINTENANCE DELAYS “The color was never good because basically it had a gray stone underneath,” the president told reporters. “Now it’s going to have the great color. It’s going to last a long time and you’ll have no leak—guaranteed.” While previous estimates to fix the 2,400-foot-long pool reached as high as $355 million over a multi-year timeline, according to prior National Park Service planning documents, Trump said his team is completing the work in two weeks for a fraction of the cost. The National Park Service previously oversaw a major rehabilitation of the Reflecting Pool that was completed in 2012 at a cost of roughly $30 million, addressing structural issues and chronic leaking that had plagued the site for years. WATCH: TRUMP REVEALS FLASHY NEW COLOR FOR NATIONAL MALL’S REFLECTING POOL MAKEOVER The inspection was part of a broader “beautification” push for the nation’s capital. Interior Secretary Doug Burgum said the Department of the Interior has cleared more than 1,000 graffiti sites and 82 homeless camps in recent months under Trump’s direction to make the city “safe and beautiful.” “We’ve never had a president who has cared more, invested more, or put more time and attention into everything about the Mall,” Burgum said. The president also previewed several upcoming projects, including improvements to the Lincoln Memorial Undercroft and a proposed Triumphal Arc, though details on timelines, funding, and final approvals were not immediately released.
Trump surprises famously low-profile power player with tribute as she steps out for rare public appearance
FIRST ON FOX: Susie Wiles, President Donald Trump’s White House chief of staff, received the Independent Women’s Forum’s valor award on Thursday night as the president honored his longtime aide with a surprise video tribute. “The woman of valor, that is Susie, come to think of it. Not only is Susie the first female chief of staff in American history, she’s also one of the best White House chiefs of staff ever in history, I say the best, actually. I’m tremendously grateful for her friendship, loyalty, and support every single day. She’s a real professional,” said Trump in the video message, which was shared with Fox News Digital, to Wiles on Thursday evening during the ceremony. The award honors the legacy of Independent Women Forum founder Barbara K. Olson, who was killed in the Sept. 11 attack on the Pentagon, and recognizes women who demonstrate the commitment and courage to advance economic liberty, personal responsibility and political freedom. Trump spotlighted Wiles making history as the first female White House chief of staff, following a long career in Republican politics and key roles in Trump’s 2016 and 2020 campaigns. TRUMP NAMES SUSIE WILES AS FIRST FEMALE WHITE HOUSE CHIEF OF STAFF IN HISTORY “I am deeply honored to receive the Barbara K. Olson Woman of Valor Award. Her strength, courage, and deep love of our country are inspiring to so many. I have the privilege of serving President Trump, our administration and my dedicated colleagues who fight every day to protect liberty, expand opportunity, and strengthen the lives of American families,” Wiles told Fox News Digital in a statement. “This award is not just a personal honor but a reflection of that shared mission, and I am grateful, humbled, and more committed than ever to continuing that work,” Wiles added. Trump continued in his surprise message during Thursday’s gala that she has been an inspiration while battling cancer. “It’s been especially inspiring to see her courage and toughness in recent weeks as she’s been winning a battle with cancer, winning it decisively. It was an early diagnosis, so she’s going to be in great shape. Susie played a key role in every one of my campaigns for president, but especially in 2024 or when she helped lead us to perhaps the most consequential election victory in modern times,” said Trump. IDAHO REPUBLICANS RALLY BEHIND DEMOCRATIC COLLEAGUE WITH CANCER, SHAVE THEIR HEADS IN SOLIDARITY “Everything we have done here in the White House has been with her help and her leadership. She’s respected by everybody. Every one of these people, they respect Susie. We have a problem. I say go to Susie, we owe her tremendous debt and what she’s done is just incredible for our country. Thank you to Susie and congratulations,” he added. In March, Wiles announced she had been diagnosed with early-stage breast cancer upon early detection and received a strong prognosis. She said she now joins the many women who have breast cancer and still continue to raise their children, go to work, and serve their communities. Wiles has been dubbed the “Ice Maiden” by Trump, which he noted in his 2024 victory speech, for her hard-nosed approach to handling politics. Wiles famously avoids the public spotlight, instead working as Trump’s behind-the-scenes enforcer from within the White House. Carrie Lukas, president of Independent Women, said in a statement to Fox News Digital that Wiles is an inspiration and a “powerhouse of getting work done,” making her a force in making “America’s future days bright.” TRUMP CHIEF OF STAFF SUSIE WILES ONCE HELPED NFL BROADCAST LEGEND FATHER PAT SUMMERALL BEAT ALCOHOLISM “Wiles was instrumental in securing President Trump’s victory and continues to keep the administration laser-focused on delivering results. Her impact is enormous—even if she rarely seeks the credit—and that’s exactly why it’s so meaningful to honor her,” said Lukas. Wiles is the 19th honoree of the award joining the previous recipients including Miranda Devine, Kimberley Strassel, Janice Dean, Maria Bartiromo, Betsy DeVos, Nikki Haley, Kellyanne Conway, Carly Fiorina, Ayaan Hirsi Ali and Condoleezza Rice. She had a show of support from Trump’s administration with several cabinet members in attendance. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, Attorney General Todd Blanche, Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, Energy Secretary Chris Wright, and FBI Director Kash Patel were all in attendance. Independent Women’s Forum, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, was founded in 1992, presenting itself as an alternative to mainstream feminist groups.
Bipartisan lawmakers want to strip Big Tech’s legal immunity that can shield social media companies
It was the mid-1990s. And the world was online. No doomscrolling for hours through Instagram and X. But people were plowing through GeoCities. There were Hotbot searches – before the days of Google and AI. There was even Ask Jeeves, long before Grok. Congress was on the precipice of adopting a landmark telecommunications law which would dictate the digital landscape for decades. When signing the Telecommunications Act of 1996 into law, former President Clinton declared how the measure would plow “a superhighway to serve both the private sector and the public interest.” RAND PAUL SAYS PERSONAL EXPERIENCE WITH YOUTUBE AND GOOGLE CHANGED HIS MIND ABOUT PLATFORM LIABILITY Yup. Back then, some still referred to the internet as “The Information Superhighway.” The 1990s were heady. Full of optimism and possibility. The. U.S. won the Cold War. The economy boomed and was “new.” The internet linked the world. But there was a serious debate about free speech. Who should regulate what was online? Should the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) address what was proper to post, the same way it oversaw the TV and radio airwaves? In the early ‘90s, the National Security Agency (NSA) used a cryptographic backdoor to intercept phone calls called the “clipper chip.” That raised questions about government surveillance. Would that carry over to what the government “watched” when people posted content online? Congress ultimately decided to give the internet a lot of leeway – in the interest of free speech. Telecommunications firms persuaded lawmakers to grant them a legal shelter. “Carriers” weren’t responsible if “customers” posted questionable or offensive material. “We said that the FCC would not regulate either the content or the character of the internet,” said then- Rep. Chris Cox (R-Calif.) during a 1995 floor debate. “We can’t have the government in the interest of uniformity coming up with standards to regulate this industry.” Cox was a key player behind shaping policy in that 1996 telecommunications law. So was then-Rep. and now Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.). “The internet is the shining star of the information age,” proclaimed Wyden in 1996. RULING AGAINST META AND GOOGLE COULD SET THE STAGE FOR CHANGES IN HANDLING HATE CONTENT But the Oregon Democrat fretted about some of the filth which was already permeating the internet in its earliest renditions. “My wife and I have seen our kids find their way into these chat rooms which make their middle age parents cringe,” said Wyden. But like Cox, Wyden feared that “censorship could really spoil much of its promise.” So they fought to keep some government regulation out of the telecommunications law. And they inoculated internet providers with something called “Section 230” of that law. Section 230 shielded telecom firms with immunity from lawsuits and criminal charges based on what customers posted on their forums. Rep. Jay Obernolte (R-Calif.) described the logic behind Section 230 and the role of service providers: “If you, as a public service, put up a billboard in a hall and someone puts something on the billboard that says, ‘Congressman Obernolte beats his wife,’ the owner of the billboard is not responsible for the content of that message,” said the California Republican. But lots of people and entities post all sorts of things on today’s worldwide “billboard.” That’s why some lawmakers want to fundamentally alter social media as we know it by paring back Section 230. “Section 230 is absolute liability protection, immunity for the largest social media companies in the world. It’s driving people to suicide. It is ruining our society,” said Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), one of the most ardent advocates for changing the law. “If you buy a bad car, you can sue. Every product you buy, the company has to stand behind it. This is the only area of the law I know where the largest companies in the world have absolute legal immunity.” Graham went as far to suggest that what is available online – and how people use social media – is “as dangerous as drinking.” WHY META AND GOOGLE ARE LOSING COURT BATTLES FOR DAMAGING KIDS BY TRYING TO GET THEM ADDICTED “It’s putting profits over people,” chimed in Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.). “(Social media) should not have this absolute shield when it is destroying the lives of young people by driving toxic content at them through its algorithms.” Bipartisan lawmakers are boiling about what social media firms allow users to post without legal consequences – even though Congress is partially responsible for creating this problem three decades ago. “As long as these companies believe they’re immune from liability, they’re going to tell all of us to go to hell,” said Graham. UNDER OATH, META’S ZUCKERBERG SHOWED WHY BIG TECH CAN’T POLICE ITSELF Some lawmakers want to strip legal immunity from Big Tech for what winds up on their platforms. “What we ought to do is start by allowing victims of child porn and other child abuse material and sexual abuse material to sue these companies,” said Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) Lawmakers believed that enhanced opportunities for voices and speech would enable the internet to flourish. They argued that the free market would create a rich environment online. So they sidelined their instincts to overregulate. “Government is going to get out of the way and let parents and individuals control it rather than government doing that job for us,” said Cox in 1995. But lofty hopes for a lush “marketplace of ideas” online are dashed by some of the digital slop – and addictive nature of “phones” today. “You talk to people and they’re scared to death of social media. They’re scared to death of AI,” said Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.). That’s why lawmakers demand changes to Section 230. One lawmaker says free speech safeguards are crucial for the people deciding what users see online. But not the technology behind it. Today, the technology makes many of those decisions about what we see and hear on our phones. “If you just have an algorithm spewing all this information..” sighed Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.). “The
FIRST ON FOX: Top Republicans take abortion pill fight to Supreme Court, citing coercion and safety risks
FIRST ON FOX: More than 100 Republican lawmakers are urging the Supreme Court to reinstate abortion pill restrictions, warning current policy allowing mifepristone to be mailed without in-person oversight has led to cases of women being coerced — and in some instances allegedly forced — to take the drug. The amicus brief, led by Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., Rep. Chris Smith, R-N.J., Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., and House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., backs Louisiana’s legal fight to restore an in-person dispensing requirement for the drug. At the center of the filing are allegations that loosened federal rules have enabled coercion, with lawmakers arguing the Biden-era policy “increases the risk of coercion,” referring to changes to the FDA’s Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy (REMS) that removed the in-person requirement. The brief points to several alleged cases in which abortion pills were obtained online or administered without a woman’s consent, including plaintiff Rosalie Markezich, who says her boyfriend ordered mifepristone from a California doctor and coerced her into taking it. ABORTION PILL MIFEPRISTONE SPARKS NEW PRO-LIFE DEBATE AS SOME DOCTORS STRESS SAFETY CONCERNS “Had she visited a doctor in person, her boyfriend would never have been able to obtain the drugs he made [her] take,” the brief says. Lawmakers also cite additional reported incidents, including a case in which a Louisiana mother allegedly obtained abortion pills online for her teenage daughter, leading to a medical emergency, as well as another case involving a man accused of administering the drugs to a pregnant woman without her knowledge. Lawmakers argue such cases are more likely under a system that allows abortion pills to be prescribed online and shipped without face-to-face medical screening. ‘ABORTION PILL’ FOUND TO HAVE ‘SEVERE ADVERSE EFFECTS’ FOR 1 IN 10 WOMEN, STUDY FINDS They say the policy not only weakens safeguards but puts women at risk while removing protections designed to prevent abuse. Cassidy said those safeguards should be restored immediately. “Chemical abortion drugs kill innocent children and put mothers’ lives at risk,” Cassidy said. “Safeguards protecting against coercion, such as the in-person dispensing requirement, must be reinstated immediately. The Fifth Circuit got this right, and I urge the Supreme Court to affirm that decision.” ABORTION PILL FIGHT HEADS TO SUPREME COURT AS MANUFACTURER WARNS OF ‘CHAOS’ AFTER RULING The filing comes after the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals sided with Louisiana and reinstated the in-person dispensing requirement while litigation continues. Lawmakers argue the FDA “overstepped its authority” by allowing abortion drugs to be distributed through the mail, saying the policy conflicts with the Comstock Act, which prohibits mailing items “designed, adapted, or intended for producing abortion.” Smith also argued the drug poses serious risks, citing claims that more than one in 10 women experience complications such as infection or hemorrhaging. They also contend the agency relied on insufficient safety data when it removed the in-person requirement, weakening adverse-event reporting standards and then using limited data to justify expanded access. NEW YORK GOV. HOCHUL SIGNS LAW PROTECTING ABORTION PILL PRESCRIBERS AFTER DOCTOR INDICTED IN LOUISIANA The brief further argues that eliminating in-person visits prevents doctors from screening for serious medical conditions, including ectopic pregnancies, and makes it more difficult to detect coercion or abuse. The legal fight intensified over the weekend when mifepristone manufacturers Danco Laboratories and GenBioPro filed emergency appeals to the Supreme Court, warning the lower court ruling is already causing “immediate confusion and upheaval” across the country. Danco argued the decision is disrupting access and forcing providers, pharmacies and patients to navigate rapidly changing rules, while GenBioPro said the order effectively eliminates mail-order access and upends a system relied on for years. The companies are asking the justices to block the ruling while litigation continues, setting up a high-stakes legal battle that could reshape how the abortion drug is distributed nationwide. The Supreme Court is now weighing emergency requests from the manufacturers, which are seeking to pause the 5th Circuit’s order while the case proceeds. The outcome could reshape access to abortion pills nationwide, determining whether they remain widely available by mail or are once again restricted to in-person medical oversight. “There are legitimate concerns about these drugs putting women and girls at significant risk,” said Leader Thune. “I urge the Supreme Court to reinstate the safety guardrails that were in place before the Biden administration while the Department of Health and Human Services reviews these drugs.”
Future of Ron DeSantis’ controversial ‘Alligator Alcatraz’ ICE holding facility revealed
Governor Ron DeSantis‘ famed “Alligator Alcatraz” U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) holding facility in the Florida swamp will “return to the Everglades” after it is no longer needed, a senior Florida government official has told Fox News. The New York Times reported Thursday that Florida is in talks with the Trump administration to shut the facility down, citing massive operational costs amounting to hundreds of millions. The outlet also reported that the Department of Homeland Security determined the facility was too expensive to continue operating. Though calling Alligator Alcatraz a “massive success,” the Florida official emphasized that the facility’s purpose was “to provide Florida and the Trump administration with a rapid, temporary solution to four years of Biden’s open border invasion.” “President Trump secured record funding from Congress to set up permanent sites for detaining and deporting illegal aliens,” the official noted, explaining, “As those sites come online, the need for Alligator Alcatraz as a holding area will wane.” DESANTIS HITS OBAMA WITH BRUTAL ONE-LINE RESPONSE TO DOJ POLITICIZATION ACCUSATION: ‘WOULD LIKE A WORD’ The official said Florida “is glad to see DHS rebuilt” under President Donald Trump. “We continue to fully support the mission,” they said. “And when it’s no longer required, Alligator Alcatraz will return to the Everglades with Florida’s commitment that it will never be developed.” That said, the official said the facility’s 2.5-mile runway will remain available for large flights from neighboring ICE facilities. Regarding the operational costs, the official said, “We also appreciate the federal government’s commitment to reimbursing Florida for its immediate efforts to step in and help with this mission.” FLORIDA OFFICIALS REVEAL CRIMINAL BACKGROUNDS OF MIGRANTS HELD AT ‘ALLIGATOR ALCATRAZ’ The official said that “since its inception, Alligator Alcatraz has processed over 21,000 illegal aliens for deportation.” “Needless to say, Alligator Alcatraz was a massive success,” they added. This comes shortly after the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in Florida’s favor that Alligator Alcatraz could remain open, following a judge’s order for the facility to wind down operations for failing to comply with federal environmental law. In a 2-1 decision, the majority on the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals found the state-run facility was not under federal control and was not subject to federal law requiring an environmental impact review. WATCH: CHAOS ERUPTS AS FLORIDA DEM IN PINK JUMPSUIT GRABS BULLHORN MID-VOTE: ‘IT’S ILLEGAL!’ “Florida, not federal, officials constructed the facility,” the majority wrote. “They control the land and ‘entirely’ built the facility at state expense.” The facility is located at the Dade-Collier Training and Transition Airport site, an area surrounded by protected wetlands within the Everglades ecosystem, according to court filings. The New York Times reported that Florida has been spending more than $1 million a day to run the center. Fox News Digital’s Landon Mion contributed to this report.
Tennessee passes new congressional map likely to flip final Dem seat as protests erupt inside Capitol
Tennessee lawmakers passed a new congressional map Thursday that sets up a potential flip of the state’s final Democratic seat. The push to redraw Tennessee’s congressional lines could erase the state’s final Democratic foothold in Washington, cementing a 9-0 Republican delegation and raising concerns about the future of Black voter representation in Memphis. Despite vocal disruptions from Democratic lawmakers, the Republican-controlled legislature passed the map, advancing the measure to Gov. Bill Lee for his expected signature. The new map targets the 9th Congressional District—the state’s sole majority-Black district and its last remaining Democratic stronghold. Republican lawmakers argue the shifts reflect the state’s overall political identity. Tennessee has trended increasingly red over the past several election cycles, and the new lines align with the state’s conservative lean. REDISTRICTING HELPS REPUBLICANS, DEMOCRATS FLIP HOUSE SEATS The legislative session was marked by high tension and protest tactics from the minority party. As the vote neared, Democratic lawmakers in the House linked arms and used air horns to drown out the proceedings. The unrest extended to the galleries, where Tennessee State Troopers were called in to maintain order. Law enforcement held back protesters who attempted to reach the chamber floor as the vote took place. Democrats characterized the move as a direct assault on minority representation. State Sen. London Lamar, D-Memphis, criticized the redistricting, framing the decision as a “political monopoly.” NAACP ACCUSES TEXAS OF ‘RACIALLY MOTIVATED’ REDISTRICTING MOVE IN NEW LAWSUIT Lamar told the chamber that while the GOP may have the votes to pass the map, they lack the “moral authority” to do so. She called the move an “insult” to the Black community and the city of Memphis, warning that the decision has “awakened a sleeping giant.” State Sen. Charlane Oliver, D-Nashville, echoed these sentiments, claiming the state’s political landscape is manufactured. “Tennessee is not a red state,” Oliver argued. “Tennessee is a gerrymandered state. We are a suppressed state.” The map was first presented Wednesday as part of a broader redistricting push backed by Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., who is the favored candidate to replace Lee. TENNESSEE SEN. MARSHA BLACKBURN LAUNCHES CAMPAIGN FOR GOVERNOR “I urge our state legislature to reconvene to redistrict another Republican seat in Memphis,” Blackburn previously wrote on X, sharing an image of the new Tennessee map. “It’s essential to cement @realDonaldTrump’s agenda and the Golden Age of America.” “I’ve vowed to keep Tennessee a red state, and as Governor, I’ll do everything I can to make this map a reality.” Legal challenges are already underway, including a lawsuit filed by the NAACP’s Tennessee chapter on Thursday arguing the map dilutes Black voting power and targets the state’s only majority-Black district. Fox News Digital’s Eric Mack contributed to this report.
Illegal trucker cases fuel GOP push to crack down on CDL mills as Dems largely silent
Republicans in Pennsylvania are pressuring Democrats to act on a legislative crackdown targeting illegal immigrant truckers on America’s highways. Several foreign nationals involved in dangerous incidents around the country were found to be holding commercial driver’s licenses from the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, leading to tensions between Harrisburg and Homeland Security. Republicans have called on state Democrats to address the issue, arguing such discrepancies do not appear to occur at the same level in other states. Democrats, including Gov. Josh Shapiro, previously alleged DHS failed to properly maintain its “alien verification” (SAVE) database, which PennDOT said it uses to verify an applicant’s “lawful presence,” while a top Republican recently demanded answers from PennDOT Secretary Mike Carroll after illegal immigrants with CDLs were apprehended as far away as Oklahoma. On Wednesday, Shapiro’s camp did not dismiss Republican-led bills aimed at addressing the issue, including efforts to shut down so-called “CDL mills,” which allegedly produce unqualified truckers and generate significant profits. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said the Biden administration adjusted rules to allow trucking schools to self-certify, creating a dynamic he compared to the Minnesota-Somali social-services fraud scandal and called “total bull—“ at a recent conference. LAWMAKERS WARNED PENNDOT OF ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT-CDL CRISIS BEFORE BUST; GOP DEMANDS ANSWERS FROM SHAPIRO “Highway safety is a cornerstone of our mission at PennDOT and the Shapiro administration remains unwavering in our work to make sure Pennsylvania’s roads are safe,” Shapiro spokeswoman Rosie Lapowsky said when presented with the bills newly passed out of Senate committee and considered favorable to the GOP-majority upper chamber. Harrisburg has faced divided government for some time, as the House is 102-99 Democratic, with two Republican-favored seats vacant that would normally create a one-seat margin, while the Senate holds a 27-23 GOP majority. Lapowsky pointed to the SAVE database and said PennDOT continues to issue CDLs to drivers verified by that and otherwise in accordance with applicable state and federal law. ICE ARRESTS 13 AFTER TIP ON TRUCK DRIVERS AT PENNSYLVANIA DMV SPARKS CHAOTIC SCENE “The fact remains that every person who applies for a non-domiciled commercial driver’s license issued by PennDOT must provide proof of identity and proof of their lawful presence in the United States,” she said. “We will monitor the bills as they go through the legislative process.” However, Shapiro’s allies in the State House were mum on the subject. When reached for comment, a representative for House Speaker Joanna McClinton, D-Southwest Philadelphia, said the lawmaker was unavailable due to a floor session and could not review Fox News Digital’s inquiry by next week. House Majority Leader Matt Bradford, D-Schwenksville, House Majority Whip Mike Schlossberg, D-Allentown, and House Transportation Committee Chairman Ed Neilson, R-Northeast Philadelphia, did not respond by publication time. While the top Republican on the Senate Transportation Committee that approved the bills — Sen. Judy Ward of Hollidaysburg — could not immediately be reached, other Republicans touted the plans as “commonsense reforms” needed to secure America’s highways. DEM GUBERNATORIAL HOPEFULS RIPPED FOR PLAYING ‘GARBAGE’ RACE CARD OVER CRACKDOWN ON TRUCKERS’ ENGLISH “Cracking down on CDL mills and requiring English language proficiency for truck drivers are easy ways for Pennsylvania to make the roads a little safer,” Senate Intergovernmental Operations Committee chairman Jarrett Coleman, R-Allentown, told Fox News Digital. Coleman previously led the charge against illegal immigrant truckers receiving CDLs in Pennsylvania after an Uzbek national residing in Philadelphia was nabbed in Kansas earlier this year. In that case, Ahkror Bozorov was also found to be wanted back home in Tashkent on suspicion of ties to terrorist groups, according to DHS. Coleman also highlighted a Senate fact-finding hearing involving Carroll and several trucking interests following another incident in which a Kyrgyz national with a PennDOT CDL caused a crash that killed a person in Indiana. “I can’t imagine how anyone could be opposed to these types of changes, and quite frankly they’re overdue,” said Coleman, a former commercial pilot and ex-member of the Parkland School Board. The first of the bills, SB 1294, seeks to crack down on so-called CDL mills that produce undertrained truck driver candidates who pay for their services. DOT CRACKDOWN PULLS HUNDREDS OF ENGLISH-ILLITERATE, ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT TRUCKERS OFF ROADS AS CRASHES MOUNT Ward, whose family owns the regionally prominent Ward Trucking firm out of Altoona, was listed as the lead sponsor of all three pieces of the package, accompanied by several colleagues as co-sponsors, including Sens. Camera Bartolotta, R-Washington, Wayne Langerholc, R-Johnstown, and Lisa Baker, R-Dallas. The first piece officially creates a CDL school licensing board and enforces $25,000 penalties on people who provide entry-level driver training without being certified. The second bill in the package would require English to be the primary language spoken or understood in testing applications in order to operate commercial vehicles in excess of 40 tons on Pennsylvania highways. The third bill, SB 1296, establishes new penalties for out-of-service violations issued to unsafe CDL drivers, including operating a heavy commercial vehicle on public highways without English comprehension. A Pennsylvania Democratic source familiar with the topic also pointed Fox News Digital to a recent hearing before Ward’s committee, where Deputy Secretary of Education Lynnette Kuhn testified about commercial vehicle safety policies under the Shapiro administration. Kuhn pointed out that the federal government lists 1,273 Pennsylvania-based CDL training firms, but only 40 are registered with Harrisburg. “Registration is a self-certifying process, and an applicant only needs to check a box attesting that they have met all applicable state requirements,” Kuhn said. “Additionally, FMCSA (a USDOT sub-agency focused on trucking) registration does not require a physical or mailing address, phone number, email address, website, business information, or an individual’s personal information, making it extremely difficult to locate a provider based on the registry.” “As a result, unlicensed training providers can appear legitimate to consumers, employers, and state regulatory agencies.” With the package likely to be approved by the full Senate soon, the fight will shift to McClinton’s chamber, where just a few Democratic defections on a nationally spotlighted issue could
California mom rips Newsom-backed ‘diversion program’ that appears to benefit her son’s killer
Compounding layers of leniency in California laws are allowing drivers charged with vehicular manslaughter to walk away with clean criminal and driving records, prompting calls for reform from victims’ families. Allison Lyman, who is looking for accountability for the crash that killed her son last year, believes soft-on-crime laws passed under Gov. Gavin Newsom’s tenure have weakened accountability for road deaths, amounting to what she described as “negligence.” “You know, our hunch is this was all happening during ‘soft on crime,’ ‘let’s clear the jails,’” Lyman said of California’s laws. “And the consequence now is us — with these drivers right back on our roads.” BLUE CITY ERUPTS AS 91-TIME FELON TRIES TO DODGE PRISON, WEASEL INTO REHAB AFTER CRASH Lyman’s son, Connor Lopez, was killed in a collision on April 23, 2025, when Harkit Kaur, a 50-year-old woman, turned into a clear view of incoming traffic and blocked the path of Lopez’s motorcycle, according to eyewitnesses to the accident. Kaur did not show signs of intoxication after taking a standardized field sobriety test, police reports indicate. Fox News Digital reached out to Kaur’s legal representation. After the accident, Lyman was shocked to hear the death was considered a “misdemeanor” under California laws dealing with non-violent crimes — something amounting to less than a shoplifting crime. But her shock only grew when she was told Kaur could soon have the accident wiped entirely from her record through a law Newsom approved in 2020. “I won’t ever forget the day I sat in front of the DA. He said something about a ‘diversion program.’ And then we learned: Governor Newsom signed AB 3234 into law,” Layman explained. CALIFORNIA’S SOROS-BACKED PROGRESSIVE EXPERIMENT COLLAPSES AFTER A DECADE That law expanded judges’ authority to grant pretrial dismissal in some misdemeanor cases, allowing charges to be completely dismissed if defendants complete court-ordered programs and “would deem the arrest upon which diversion was imposed to have never occurred.” The law can apply to more than just traffic violations. “And then the charge is dismissed. It is erased,” Lyman said. “The driver that killed Connor has never lost her license. I’ve seen her driving,” Lyman said. Lyman noted that Kaur hasn’t yet officially received a diversion ruling and will receive a final sentencing ruling next week. Coupled with other Newsom-approved laws, Lyman said courts are specifically told to consider diversion ahead of possible jail sentences. “I zoomed in for a woman whose husband was killed in Sacramento. It’s a misdemeanor. She has the same judge as Connor. And the judge was talking about making his decision and cited this code that I had never heard of — 17.2. And it was another law passed in 2023 that essentially tells judges to consider everything, including diversion, before jail,” Lyman said. Newsom approved 17.2 through AB 2167 — a law that requires “a court to consider alternatives to incarceration including collaborative justice court programs, diversion, restorative justice and probation.” In the wake of her son’s death, now one year ago, Lyman is working with state lawmakers to advocate for SB 953 — a law that would require all vehicular manslaughter to be reported to the California Department of Motor Vehicles. THIS IS HOW WE’LL KNOW IF CALIFORNIA GOV. GAVIN NEWSOM’S EPIPHANY ON ‘LIBERAL GOVERNANCE’ IS REAL Sen. Roger Niello, R-Calif., the bill’s sponsor, explained his legislation would put two points on the defendant’s driving record, regardless of diversion. “Under current laws, a speeding ticket can now have a greater reflection on a driver’s record than killing somebody with a car. A diversion does not change the fact that a fatality occurred,” Niello said at a press event earlier this week. “The DMV cannot do its job of determining who poses a risk and who does not.” SB 953 advanced unanimously out of committee on Tuesday. Fox News Digital reached out to Newsom’s office.
Viral Marco Rubio clip on his vision for America sparks more 2028 speculation
A viral clip of Secretary of State Marco Rubio delivering a hopeful vision for America’s future while answering a question this week at the White House is stoking more buzz about a possible 2028 presidential bid. Rubio, in his debut performance at a White House briefing, gave an uplifting answer that noted America’s “story of perpetual improvement” when asked about his hope for the country in the years ahead. Recordings of the secretary of state’s 53-second answer, including a campaign-style video put out by Rubio’s team, grabbed tons of views on social media. The frenzy is understandable, as every move and each comment Rubio makes is often seen as a possible prelude to a potential White House run in the race to succeed his boss, term-limited President Donald Trump. RUBIO GAINS MOMENTUM IN HYPOTHETICAL 2028 GOP PRESIDENTIAL NOMINATION RACE AS VANCE REMAINS CLEAR FRONT-RUNNER Rubio, briefing reporters ahead of his current overseas trip, including Thursday’s meeting with Pope Leo XIV at the Vatican amid strained relations due to recent critical comments of the U.S.-born pontiff from Trump, said his “hope for America is what it’s always been. I think it’s the hope I hope we all share. We want it to continue to be the place where anyone from anywhere can achieve anything, where you’re not limited by the circumstances of your birth, by the color of your skin, by your ethnicity, but frankly, it’s a place where you are able to overcome challenges and achieve your full potential.” “I think that should be the goal of every country in the world, frankly, but I think in the U.S. – we’re not perfect. Our history is not one of perfection, but it’s still better than anybody else’s history,” Rubio said. “And ours is a story of perpetual improvement. Each generation has left the next generation of Americans freer, more prosperous, safer, and that is our goal as well.” The secretary, who is a devout Catholic, added, “But it is a unique and exceptional country and, as we come upon this 250-year anniversary, I think we have a lot to learn and be proud of in our history. It is one of perpetual and continuous improvement, where each generation has done its part to bring us closer to fulfilling the vision that the founders of this country had upon its founding.” A clip of the comments grabbed over 6 million views on X. Rubio’s team also put out a minute-long vertical video of the soliloquy that included voice-over video of the secretary of state, Trump, jets flying over the White House, a diverse mix of Americans, the late President Ronald Reagan and the American flag being raised. The video, on the secretary’s X account, was viewed over 3 million times and grabbed the attention of some of the biggest names in MAGA world. Right-wing activist Laura Loomer, who is close to Trump, retweeted the video and said, “Wow! This looks like it could be a launch video for a Presidential campaign. Amazing production quality and vibes.” Meanwhile, Elon Musk retweeted a separate video of the Rubio comments. Vice President JD Vance has long been seen as the heir apparent to Trump and his MAGA and America First base. While Vance remains the hypothetical clear frontrunner ahead of the start of the 2028 White House race, which won’t ignite until after this year’s midterm elections, Rubio appears to be on the rise. WHITE HOUSE RACE UNDERWAY: WITH 2026 LOOMING, BOTH PARTIES ARE ALREADY PLAYING FOR 2028 Thanks to an increase in his responsibilities and public profile, more recently around the U.S. operation in Venezuela and the war against Iran, Rubio has seen speculation and support for a possible presidential bid soar in recent months. Among the most notable evidence is Rubio’s strong second-place finish in March in the 2028 Republican presidential nomination straw poll at the annual Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC). Rubio, who was one of more than a dozen Republican contenders who ran and lost to Trump in the tumultuous 2016 presidential race, grabbed 35% of the vote at CPAC when the straw poll results were announced this past weekend, up from a mere 3% a year earlier. Vance, who is popular with MAGA and America First groups, finished first at 53%. While the vice president saw his support slightly edge down from 61% last year, Vance’s numbers are higher than anyone else in CPAC presidential straw poll history other than Trump. Rubio insists he’ll support Vance if the vice president launches a White House campaign. “If JD Vance runs for president, he’s going to be our nominee, and I’ll be one of the first people to support him,” Rubio told Vanity Fair late last year. MARCO RUBIO SPOTTED BEHIND DJ BOOTH AT FAMILY WEDDING AS SOCIAL MEDIA REACTS TO VIRAL CLIP Vance, who like Rubio has highlighted his Catholic faith, will likely get plenty of chances next month to spotlight his devotion amid the release of his new book, “Communion: Finding My Way Back to Faith.” VANCE IN ‘CATBIRD SEAT’ FOR 2028 GOP PRESIDENTIAL NOMINATION, BUT THESE REPUBLICANS MAY ALSO RUN Partially fueling Rubio’s rise has been Trump, who has lavishly praised his secretary of state. The president recently declared that Rubio would go down as “the greatest secretary of state in history.” Trump has also promoted a Vance-Rubio ticket — calling it “unstoppable” a few months ago — but has not said who should be at the top of the ticket. But the president said last year that Vance is “most likely” his heir apparent. “In all fairness, he’s the vice president,” Trump added. And Trump, in an interview on NBC News’ “Meet the Press” last year, called Vance a “fantastic, brilliant guy.” Trump, who has yet to say whom he would endorse in the race for the 2028 Republican presidential nomination, added in that interview, “certainly you would say that somebody’s the VP, if that person is outstanding, I guess that person would have an advantage.”