Trump admin reviewing billions in government contracts, grants for Harvard amid antisemitism allegations
The Department of Education recently announced a “comprehensive review” of federal contracts and government-funded grants at Harvard University, which is part of an investigation to eliminate antisemitism on campuses. The efforts, on behalf of the Joint Task Force to Combat Antisemitism, are being launched in accordance with the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA). Its primary goal is to “eliminat[e] anti-Semitic [sic] harassment on college campuses,” which has proliferated amid the Israel-Hamas war and pro-Palestinian protests at universities. In a press release on Monday, the Department of Education said that over $255.6 million in contracts between Harvard, its affiliates and the federal government will be reviewed, plus nearly $9 billion worth of grants. “The review also includes the more than $8.7 billion in multi-year grant commitments to Harvard University and its affiliates to ensure the university is in compliance with federal regulations, including its civil rights responsibilities,” the agency described. TRUMP ANNOUNCES PLAN TO CHOP DOWN MAGNOLIA TREE PURPORTEDLY PLANTED BY ANDREW JACKSON: ‘MUST COME TO AN END’ “Any institution found to be in violation of federal compliance standards may face administrative actions, including contract termination.” In a statement, Secretary of Education Linda McMahon said that Harvard’s reputation was “in serious jeopardy” over the prevalence of antisemitism on campus. “Harvard has served as a symbol of the American Dream for generations — the pinnacle aspiration for students all over the world to work hard and earn admission to the storied institution,” McMahon’s statement read. “Harvard’s failure to protect students on campus from anti-Semitic [sic] discrimination — all while promoting divisive ideologies over free inquiry — has put its reputation in serious jeopardy.” TRUMP NOMINATES SUSAN MONAREZ TO BECOME THE NEXT CDC DIRECTOR, SAYS AMERICANS ‘LOST CONFIDENCE’ IN AGENCY “Harvard can right these wrongs and restore itself to a campus dedicated to academic excellence and truth-seeking, where all students feel safe on its campus.” The latest move comes nearly a month after the Trump administration announced it would rescind more than $400 million in federal grants to Columbia University. “Since Oct. 7, Jewish students have faced relentless violence, intimidation, and antisemitic harassment on their campuses — only to be ignored by those who are supposed to protect them,” McMahon said at the time. “Universities must comply with all federal antidiscrimination laws if they are going to receive federal funding.” Fox News Digital reached out to Harvard for comment.
Trump quips he’d ‘love’ to run against Obama in hypothetical third-term presidency
President Donald Trump said he would “love” to run against former President Barack Obama in a hypothetical third-term run for the presidency that he has floated in recent days. “I know it’s hypothetical right now, but if you were allowed for some reason to run for a third term, is there a thought that the Democrats could try to run Barack Obama against you?” Fox News’ Peter Doocy asked Trump on Monday evening from the Oval Office. “I’d love that,” Trump responded. “I’d love that …. That would be a good one. I’d like that. And no, people are asking me to run, and there’s a whole story about running for a third term. I don’t know, I never looked into it. They do say there’s a way you can do it, but I don’t know about that.” Trump said that he has not looked into the potential legal avenues of running for a third presidency, saying he has nearly four years left of his term and is focused on doing a “fantastic job.” TRUMP TEASES RUNNING FOR A THIRD TERM: ‘NOT JOKING’ The 22nd Amendment to the Constitution, which was ratified in 1951, prevents presidents from serving more than two terms. The amendment was ratified after President Franklin Delano Roosevelt was elected as president for four terms. LAWMAKER UNVEILS CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT TO GIVE TRUMP THIRD TERM Roosevelt died during his fourth term and Vice President Harry Truman assumed the presidency. FDR is the only president in the nation’s history who has been elected and served more than two terms, which was largely due to the political and economic climate at home and abroad, with his presidency unfolding amid the Great Depression and the beginning of World War II. TRUMP UNLOADS ON JUDGE BOASBERG, ‘RADICAL LEFT JUDGES’ FOR HALTING DEPORTATIONS OF VIOLENT ILLEGAL ALIENS Trump teased he might run for a third term in an interview with NBC News on Sunday, saying he is “not joking” about making another run for the Oval Office and enjoys working. ‘PEOPLE LOVE THE JOB THIS PRESIDENT IS DOING’: KAROLINE LEAVITT RESPONDS TO BUZZ ABOUT POTENTIAL TRUMP THIRD TERM “There are methods which you could do it,” Trump said when asked about how he could go about running for a third term. NBC News floated a possible method during the interview where Vice President JD Vance could run for the presidency, win and pass the torch to Trump. The president said such a scenario is one of the methods he could use to serve a third term. “It is far too early to think about it,” he added of another potential run.
Fox Politics Newsletter: Mike ‘Waltz-es’
Welcome to the Fox News Politics newsletter, with the latest updates on the Trump administration, Capitol Hill and more Fox News politics content. Here’s what’s happening… -Republican AGs urge Trump to crack down on obscure ‘loophole’ cartels use to flood U.S. with fentanyl -Where Trump stands 10 weeks into his second tour of duty in the White House -House Republicans brush off Stefanik’s Trump admin upheaval amid high-stakes Florida race The White House considers the Signal group chat leak case “closed,” Trump administration press secretary Karoline Leavitt told the media Monday while reiterating President Donald Trump’s support of national security advisor Mike Waltz. “As the president has made it very clear, Mike Waltz continues to be an important part of his national security team,” Leavitt told the media in brief remarks during a gaggle outside of the White House’s press room Monday afternoon. “And this case has been closed here at the White House, as far as we are concerned.” “There have been steps made to ensure that something like that can obviously never happen again,” she continued. “And we’re moving forward. And the president and Mike Waltz and his entire national security team have been working together very well, if you look at how much safer the United States of America is because of the leadership of this team.”…Read more UNLIKELY ALLY: Trump and his tariffs find unlikely ally in auto union boss, who blasted Dems and ‘corporate greed’ FOR THE RECORD: Trump admin breaking modern presidential staffing records, hiring ‘thousands of America First warriors’ ECONOMICS 101: Trump privatizing student loan system would spur higher-ed reform, lower costs ‘LIBERATION DAY’: Trump’s 11th week in office set to focus on tariffs as president touts ‘Liberation Day’ ‘DEGRADED THE AUTONOMY’: US sanctions 6 Beijing, Hong Kong authorities for ‘undermining’ the island region’s autonomy ILLEGAL ALIENS EXPELLED: El Salvador accepts more alleged Tren de Aragua gang members from Trump admin ‘SHAM CHARITY’: Iran-born Yale scholar fired over allegations of working with terrorist-tied ‘sham charity’ DIVIDED LOYALTIES: Massie and several GOP colleagues push proposal to require dual citizenship disclosure by political candidates ‘JUST SAY NO’: Conservative backlash erupts after Trump’s Graham endorsement: ‘I am not with Trump at all with this one’ MIDTERMS WATCH: Who are the most vulnerable Senate Republicans in 2026? FIRST ON FOX: New research reveals how EV, emissions mandates are inflating costs for gas-powered cars, utilities TOP 5 TAKEDOWNS: Top 5 wins for FBI since Kash Patel took office GRAD SCHOOL GRANDSTANDING: Tim Walz’s daughter ditches grad school, backs anti-Israel protesters ‘I AM OPTIMISTIC’: Another red state expected to cut income taxes PUMP THE BREAKS: NYC Dem calls on NYPD to investigate car buyers ‘aggressively’ test driving Teslas on city streets NO SAFE HAVEN: Texas claims border islands used by Mexican cartels, asks Trump admin to secure and defend OIL SLICK: $3B LA lawsuit could ‘destroy’ gulf energy industry, critics warn, as state’s position questioned STOPPING THE SLIDE: Hegseth says he’s signing memo on combat arms standards for men and women ‘TRUMP DESERVES PRAISE’: Oliver Stone to testify at JFK files House hearing ‘SUPER IMPORTANT’: Elon Musk hands out million-dollar checks in ‘super important’ Wisconsin judicial race ‘BIN LADEN’: Dems ridicule bill aimed at abolishing TSA, suggest ‘Bin Laden’ and ‘the Ayatollah’ would support it Get the latest updates on the Trump administration and Congress, exclusive interviews and more on FoxNews.com.
Anna Paulina Luna resigns from House Freedom Caucus, says ‘mutual respect’ was ‘shattered’
Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, R-Fla., is resigning from the House Freedom Caucus, she announced in a letter to fellow conservatives on Monday. It’s the latest escalation in her fight against House GOP leaders and a small group of members on the right flank of their conference over the issue of proxy voting. Luna has teamed up with Democrats and several other Republicans on a mechanism aimed at forcing consideration of legislation that allows new parents in the House to vote remotely for 12 weeks around their baby’s birth. “I have consistently supported each of you, even in moments of disagreement, honoring the mutual respect that has guided our caucus,” Luna wrote. “That respect, however, was shattered last week.” EXPERT TURNS TABLES ON DEM CRITICS AFTER MUSK ACCUSES SOCIAL SECURITY OF BEING ‘PONZI SCHEME’ The focus of her anger is a brief incident from earlier this month when a group of House conservatives held up a chamber-wide vote on unrelated legislation to press GOP leaders to kill Luna’s measure – known as a “discharge petition.” A discharge petition allows lawmakers to force a bill onto the House floor, despite objections from leadership, provided the mechanism gets signatures from a majority of the chamber. “Acting within the House conference rules – rules we all agreed to – I sought to bring a vote to the floor on a measure that would allow new mothers in Congress (fewer than 14 in our nation’s history) and fathers, if they choose, to vote by proxy,” Luna continued. “This was a modest, family-centered proposal. Yet, a small group among us threatened the Speaker, vowing to halt floor proceedings indefinitely – regardless of the legislation at stake, including President Trump’s agenda – unless he altered the rules to block my discharge petition.” She shared praise for House Freedom Caucus Chairman Andy Harris, R-Md., whose conduct she called “gentlemanly,” but added, “With a heavy heart, I am resigning from the Freedom Caucus.” “I cannot remain part of a caucus where a select few operate outside its guidelines, misuse its name, broker backroom deals that undermine its core values and where the lines of compromise and transaction are blurred, disparage me to the press, and encourage misrepresentation of me to the American people,” Luna wrote. She will be the first House Freedom Caucus member to leave the group, which does not advertise its membership, in the 119th Congress. The most recent departures before Luna include Reps. Warren Davidson, R-Ohio, and Randy Weber, R-Texas, who were both pushed out, and Rep. Troy Nehls, R-Texas, who left during the shakeup. APPEALS COURT RULES DOGE CAN CONTINUE OPERATING AT USAID IN ANOTHER WIN FOR TRUMP ADMINISTRATION Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., said he believed proxy voting was “unconstitutional” in remarks after House Republicans’ weekly closed-door meeting on Tuesday. “We addressed this in conference this morning. A couple of our, a handful of our colleagues, have gotten behind the effort, and, look, I’m a father. I’m pro-family,” the speaker said. “Here’s the problem. If you create a proxy vote opportunity just for young parents, mothers and, the fathers in those situations, then where is the limiting principle?” Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, one of Luna’s now-former House Freedom Caucus colleagues, wrote on X of the issue, “Respectfully to my friend – this (unconstitutional) rule would ultimately NOT be limited to moms. Cancer patients, dads, & worst of all, people who lazily abuse it (eg, voting from boats). She leaves out her discharge allows no amendments! We should show up to work/vote.”
Supreme Court appears likely to side with Catholic Church and Trump in key religious exemption case
The Supreme Court appeared likely to side with a Wisconsin-based Catholic Charities group in its fight with the government over a state ruling it says “distorts” and “undermines” its mission of caring for the sick and poor. The Trump Justice Department has filed a brief in support of the charity, arguing exemptions in federal tax laws, like the Wisconsin tax law, protect the rights of religious institutions. The group, Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Superior, Wisconsin, is appealing a ruling by the Wisconsin Supreme Court that found that because it does not conduct “typical” religious activity, it is not exempt from the state’s costly unemployment payment program. The Wisconsin Supreme Court ruled that a Wisconsin law exempting religious nonprofits from the program does not apply to the charity group, because it is not “operated primarily for religious purposes” and serves and employs non-Catholics and does not attempt to convert individuals, they said. TRUMP MAKES ENDORSEMENT IN ‘IMPORTANT’ WISCONSIN SUPREME COURT RACE Catholic Charities, however, argues that helping the disabled, elderly and those living in poverty — regardless of their faith — is a core tenet of their religious practice. The group’s attorney, Eric Rassbach, with the religious liberty law firm Becket, argued during the hearing that Catholic teaching forbids Catholics from conditioning assistance on acceptance of the church’s teachings. “The Wisconsin Supreme Court got it wrong when it interpreted a state-law religious exemption to favor what it called ‘typical’ religious activity and when it held that helping the poor can’t be religious, because secular people help the poor too,” he said. The group is seeking to be exempt from the state’s unemployment compensation program so it can join the Wisconsin Catholic Church’s private program, which they say would save them more money than paying into the state program. POPE FRANCIS’ DOCTORS CONSIDERED ENDING TREATMENT, SAID ‘THERE WAS A REAL RISK HE MIGHT NOT MAKE IT’: REPORT In nearly two hours of often heated debate, a majority on the bench seemed to agree the state engaged in an unnecessary entanglement over defining whether Catholic Charities should be treated differently from other similarly situated secular groups. Attorneys for Wisconsin faced intense questioning from the justices about the state entangling itself in religious doctrine and practice, thus violating the First Amendment by denying a religious organization an otherwise available tax exemption because the organization does not meet the state’s criteria for religious behavior. “Isn’t it a fundamental premise of our First Amendment that the state shouldn’t be picking and choosing between religions,” questioned Justice Neil Gorsuch. “Doesn’t it entangle the state tremendously when it has to go into a soup kitchen, send an inspector in, to see how much prayer is going on?” he asked. JUSTICE KETANJI BROWN JACKSON RAISES EYEBROWS WITH COMMENT THAT FIRST AMENDMENT ‘HAMSTRINGS’ GOVERNMENT Even some of the court’s liberal justices seemed to have concerns with Wisconsin’s ruling. “There are lots of hard questions in this area,” said Justice Elena Kagan. “But I thought it was pretty fundamental that we don’t treat some religions better than other religions and we certainly don’t do it based on the contents of the religious doctrine that those religions preach.” “The reason why we’re so worried about entanglement is because it gets us enmeshed in the content of religious doctrine,” she said. Justice Amy Coney Barrett commented during the hearing that “the problem here is how to figure out what the line is.” Alan Rock, executive director of the Catholic Charities Bureau, told Fox News Digital that following the hearing, he is “confident the Supreme Court will ensure our freedom to serve all those in need according to our Catholic faith.” EXCLUSIVE: GROUNDBREAKING NEW PRAYER BOOK DESIGNED FOR DEMOGRAPHIC MOST TARGETED FOR ABORTION “The state of Wisconsin said that our work isn’t religious. The state denied that our care for those in need is driven by our faith, simply because we serve everyone and do not try to convert those we serve. That view distorts the heart of our mission and undermines our ability to care for the most vulnerable,” he said, adding, “We look forward to the Court’s ruling.” Speaking with Fox News Digital after the hearing, Bishop James Powers, head of the Catholic Diocese of Superior, said that Wisconsin is “punishing Catholic Charities for following this example of Christian love.” “We do not help the needy because they are Catholic — we help them because we are Catholic,” he said. “The Good Samaritan did not ask about the wounded man’s faith: He simply saw a neighbor in need and responded with mercy. That is the model Catholic Charities has embraced since its founding.”
Red state moves to defund county after leader vows to ‘interfere and interrupt’ ICE deportations
Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird is suing to defund an entire county after its leading law enforcement authority vowed to “make every effort to block, interfere and interrupt” deportation operations based on ICE detainers, which he called unconstitutional. This comes amid the Trump administration’s concerted whole-of-government approach to cracking down on illegal immigration and migrant crime in the United States. Bird, a Republican, argues that the sheriff’s self-proclaimed “longtime” stance of interrupting immigration enforcement operations based on detainers “impeded and discouraged cooperation with federal immigration authorities in violation of Iowa law.” A detainer is a formal request by ICE to other law enforcement authorities to hold an individual the agency has good reason to believe is an illegal alien who poses a threat to the well-being and safety of the community. ICE officials have said that by refusing to honor detainers, law enforcement agencies put their communities at risk by allowing potentially dangerous illegals back onto the streets. BLUE STATE SANCTUARY LAWS ENABLED ILLEGAL ‘ABOLISH ICE’ ACTIVIST TO EVADE CAPTURE, SAYS LOCAL DA Despite this, Winneshiek County Sheriff Dan Marx pledged not to cooperate with ICE detainers in a Feb. 4 Facebook post in which he asserted that a detainer is “simply an unconstitutional *request* from ICE.” In the now-deleted post, Marx encouraged people to contact his office if they encounter “any federal agents” and said he and his staff are “always willing to assist with verifying credentials and the legitimacy of any paperwork federal agents should have to make certain your rights are not being abused.” “If the fed’s actions and paperwork are within constitutional parameters (such as proper and valid judicial warrants/court orders) we will assist if needed or requested to ensure their actions are carried out professionally and in the least intrusive fashion possible,” he said. “If their actions or paperwork are not within constitutional parameters,” he went on, “then we will make every effort to block, interfere and interrupt their actions from moving forward.” BLUE STATE LEADER SOUNDS ALARM ABOUT ‘PERFECT STORM’ OF DEM IMMIGRATION POLICIES DECIMATING PUBLIC SAFETY Actions the sheriff claimed are not within constitutional parameters include what he called “non-judicially vetted ‘detainers,’” which he claimed “are simply an unconstitutional *request* from ICE or other three letter federal agency to arrest or hold someone.” Marx claimed that “the only reason detainers are issued is because the federal agency does not have enough information or has not taken the time to obtain a valid judicial warrant.” “Simply put, they are not sure they are detaining the right person and need more time to figure it out,” he claimed, adding, “these detainers are violations of our 4th Amendment protection against warrantless search, seizure and arrest, and our 6th Amendment right to due process.” Marx concluded the long post by saying his “long-time stance on not recognizing detainers” and involvement with immigration enforcement will be based on “constitutional standards … not opinions, politics or emotions.” HOMAN BLASTS BLUE STATE AS REPORT SHOWS IT RELEASING ILLEGALS CHARGED WITH ‘HORRIFIC’ CRIMES ON LOW BAILS In response, Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds, a Republican, filed an official complaint with the attorney general about the sheriff violating a state law mandating law enforcement cooperate with federal immigration authorities. This prompted an investigation in which Bird found that, despite his defiant rhetoric, Marx’s office had complied with “every single ICE detainer request” since 2018. The attorney general gave Marx a deadline last week to amend his statements to comply with state law. When he refused to issue a correction, Bird launched a lawsuit to pull all state funding to Winneshiek County until the sheriff agrees to comply with state law regarding cooperating with federal immigration authorities. Bird argues that Marx’s post, which she said was “rife with legal and factual errors that discouraged enforcing immigration laws,” violated chapter 27A of the Iowa state legal code. The lawsuit, which was filed in the Polk County District Court, cites section 27A.4 of the Iowa legal code, which states that a county “shall be ineligible to receive any state funds if the local entity intentionally violates this chapter.” DEMOCRAT MAYOR BLASTED FOR VOWING TO MAKE MAJOR CITY ‘SAFE HAVEN’ FOR ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS Commenting on her suit, Bird said that “sanctuary counties are illegal under Iowa law.” “Sheriff Marx was given the chance to retract his statement, follow the law, and honor ICE detainers, but he refused—even at a cost to his home county,” she said. “He left us with no choice but to take the case to court to enforce our laws and ensure cooperation with federal immigration authorities.” CLICK HERE FOR MORE IMMIGRATION COVERAGE A representative for the Winneshiek County Sheriff’s Office declined Fox News Digital’s request for comment, saying the sheriff and office “are unable to provide any comments at this time due to the pending litigation.” The Winnishiek County Auditor, Benjamin D. Steines would not disclose how much money the county stands to lose, citing the same litigation. “Iowa is not a sanctuary for illegal immigration. Anyone who threatens to ‘block, interfere and interrupt’ with immigration enforcement, as this sheriff did, will be held accountable,” Bird told Fox News Digital. REPUBLICAN STATE AGS BACK TRUMP BIRTHRIGHT CITIZENSHIP ORDER IN COURT FILING: ‘TAXPAYERS ARE ON THE HOOK’ She noted that her office “gave the Sheriff an opportunity to fix his state-law violation and cooperate with immigration enforcement, but he refused—knowing that it would cost his home community. All he has to do to end this is fix the problem and follow the law.” “Years of a Biden-Harris border invasion takes a serious toll—even on Iowa, and we’re a long way away from the border,” she went on. “Thankfully, President Trump hit the ground running to secure the border, crack down on drug trafficking, and reduce crime. And as Iowa’s Attorney General, I will keep fighting to ensure our state cooperates with federal immigration authorities to keep our communities safe.”
Musk shares ‘mind blowing’ chart showing millions of ‘noncitizens’ given Social Security numbers under Biden
Elon Musk shared a chart during a get-out-the-vote rally in Wisconsin over the weekend, which he claimed showed millions of noncitizens received Social Security numbers during former President Joe Biden’s tenure. The event came just a day-and-a-half before polls opened in a contentious state judicial race. The Sunday town hall garnered a lot of attention Monday over Musk’s move to hand out $1 million checks to two Wisconsin voters who signed a petition calling for an end to “activist judges,” after the state’s Supreme Court declined to take up a challenge arguing the sweepstakes was unlawful. After handing out the money, Musk brought friend and DOGE colleague Antonio Gracias on stage to discuss the work he has done with the federal government’s Social Security system. Shortly after Gracias joined Musk, a large graphic that read, “New Non-Citizen Social Security Numbers Issued,” was illuminated on the screen behind them. EXPERT TURNS TABLES ON DEM CRITICS AFTER MUSK ACCUSES SOCIAL SECURITY OF BEING ‘PONZI SCHEME’ “We started at the top of the system, mapping the whole system of Social Security to understand where all the fraud was,” Gracias said, before turning his attention to the chart behind him. “But, this is what jumped out at us,” he continued. “When we saw these numbers, we were like, ‘What is this?’” Gracias was referring to the total number of noncitizens who received Social Security numbers between FY 2021 and FY 2025. The chart showed a steady year-over-year increase under Biden, reaching more than 2 million in FY 2024, which ended on Sept. 30. FY23 saw roughly 1 million noncitizens issued Social Security numbers, as did FY25, which began in October and will end in September of this year. “This literally blew us away,” Gracias said. “We went there to find fraud and we found this by accident.” APPEALS COURT RULES DOGE CAN CONTINUE OPERATING AT USAID IN ANOTHER WIN FOR TRUMP ADMINISTRATION “This is a mind-blowing chart,” Musk added. The eyebrow-raising numbers come amid Musk and DOGE’s ongoing probe into various federal programs and agencies, including the Social Security Administration (SSA). Last week, DOGE said it had removed approximately 7 million Social Security accounts belonging to people listed as being over 120 years old. DOGE has also found through its audits that the Social Security database included 20 million dead people marked as alive, Musk said at the Wisconsin town hall Sunday. Shortly after taking office, President Donald Trump signed an executive order directing all public assistance and social services in the U.S. to stop providing access to noncitizens, stating such services are intended for U.S. citizens. In line with the president’s directive, the Department of Housing and Urban Development launched a new initiative last week with the Department of Homeland Security that seeks to bolster inter-agency communication between the two departments to ensure noncitizens are not benefiting from public housing programs.
Trump to sign executive order to protect Americans from ‘exploitive ticket scalping’ in entertainment industry
President Donald Trump is expected to sign an executive order to protect Americans from “exploitive ticket scalping” in the concert and entertainment industry, Fox News Digital has learned. The president’s executive order will direct the Federal Trade Commission to work with the attorney general to ensure that competition laws are enforced in the concert and entertainment industry. The order will also enforce the Better Online Ticket Sales (BOTS) act and promote its enforcement by state consumer protection authorities. The president’s order will also ensure price transparency at all stages of the ticket-purchasing process, including through the secondary ticketing market; and will evaluate, and, if appropriate, take enforcement action to prevent “unfair, deceptive, and anti-competitive conduct” in the secondary ticketing market. The president’s order will also direct the attorney general and Treasury secretary to ensure that ticket scalpers are operating in full compliance with the Internal Revenue Code and other laws. Under the order, the Treasury Department, DOJ, and the FTC will also deliver a report within 180 days summarizing the actions taken to address the issue of unfair practices in live concert and entertainment industry and will recommend additional regulations or legislation needed to protect consumers. The order comes after President Trump, on the campaign trail, vowed to work to combat high ticket prices. While campaigning, the president described the current system where fans are priced out as “very unfortunate.” A White House official told Fox News Digital that the president is “committed to making arts and entertainment that enrich Americans’ lives as accessible as possible.” The official said that America’s live concert and entertainment industry has a total nationwide economic impact of $132.6 billion and supports 913,000 jobs. “But it has become blighted by unscrupulous middle-men who impose egregious fees on fans with no benefit to artists,” a White House official said. “Ticket scalpers use bots and other unfair means to acquire large quantities of face-value tickets, then re-sell them at an enormous markup on the secondary market, price-gouging consumers and depriving fans of the opportunity to see their favorite artists without incurring extraordinary expenses,” a White House official said. “By some reports, fans have paid as much as 70 times the face value of a ticket price to obtain a ticket.” The official added that when this occurs, the artists “do not receive any additional profit—it goes solely to the scalper and the ticketing agency.” This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
Matt Walsh to testify in favor of California bill to ban males from women’s sports: ‘This isn’t complicated’
EXCLUSIVE: A California Republican lawmaker is pushing to reverse a statewide policy that allows biological males to play in female sports, with The Daily Wire’s Matt Walsh slated to testify before elected officials in a Tuesday hearing. California Assembly member Bill Essayli has introduced AB 844, which calls for a student’s participation in sports programs and activities, use of facilities, including bathrooms, locker rooms, showers and hotel accommodations, to be based on their biological sex. In California, a law called AB 1266 has been in effect since 2014, giving students at the scholastic and collegiate levels the right to “participate in sex-segregated school programs and activities, including athletic teams and competitions, and use facilities consistent with his or her gender identity, irrespective of the gender listed on the pupil’s records.” HOW TRANSGENDERISM IN SPORTS SHIFTED THE 2024 ELECTION AND IGNITED A NATIONAL COUNTERCULTURE “I believe the Democrats will double down and reject this bill tomorrow,” Essayli, who has fought the Democratic-controlled state Legislature on everything from illegal immigration to soft-on-crime policies, told Fox News Digital. “They want to make a public scene out of it so they can be heroes to their progressive base.” The bill will have a hearing on Tuesday via the Arts, Entertainment, Sports and Tourism Committee. Walsh, a conservative activist who has criticized the inclusion of biological males in women’s sports, will testify in favor of the legislation. By restoring biological sex-based distinctions in school athletics and facilities, the bill will ensure fairness in competition, as well as safeguarding student privacy and dignity, according to a fact sheet provided to Fox News Digital. It would also provide clarity to school administrators and staff by establishing a clear and enforceable statewide policy and protect the integrity of Title IX. Also slated to speak on Tuesday will be Taylor Starling, a high school cross-country runner at Martin Luther King High School in Riverside, California, who lost her spot on the varsity team earlier this season to a transgender transfer student. FATHER OF FEMALE RUNNER FORCED TO COMPETE WITH TRANS ATHLETE SHARES FURY OF SITUATION: ‘CAN’T EVEN DIGEST IT’ Walsh, a conservative activist, has pushed back against child sex-change surgeries and treatments, as well as allowing men to play women’s sports. “Girls shouldn’t have to compete with boys or change next to them in locker rooms—this isn’t complicated,” Walsh, a podcast host for the Daily Wire and creator of the “What Is a Woman” documentary, told Fox News Digital. “Even Gavin Newsom, after sniffing the political wind, now admits it’s unfair—let’s see if California Democrats can stop playing pretend and follow his sudden rediscovery of basic truth.” California Code of Regulations section 4910(k) defines gender as: “A person’s actual sex or perceived sex and includes a person’s perceived identity, appearance or behavior, whether or not that identity, appearance, or behavior is different from that traditionally associated with a person’s sex at birth.” MAINE RESIDENTS AGREE WITH KEEPING TRANS ATHLETES OUT OF GIRLS’ AND WOMEN’S SPORTS, POLL SHOWS California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) Bylaw 300.D. mirrors the Education Code, stating: “All students should have the opportunity to participate in CIF activities in a manner that is consistent with their gender identity, irrespective of the gender listed on a student’s records.” California Gov. Gavin Newsom, a Democrat, has come out against allowing biological males to compete against females, prompting backlash from many progressives. “Gavin Newsom gets it on this issue,” said Eassayli. “He’s gotten the wake-up call. He’s found a new narrative now and he agrees with us that it’s unfair for women and girls to have boys play on their teams.” Eassayli noted that Republican lawmakers are almost paralyzed when it comes to making policy in Sacramento, the state capital, given that the Democrats control both chambers of state government with a super majority. “Common sense doesn’t prevail in Sacramento,” he said. “There’s a lot of things we do up there that I think alot of people think defy common sense.” Fox News Digital’s Jackson Thompson contributed to this report.
The US is not ready for a nuclear showdown with China, key conservatives warn Trump
FIRST ON FOX: A group of influential conservatives and lawmakers is warning the Trump administration that the U.S. does not have the tactical nuclear weapons to fight China if war breaks out in the Indo-Pacific. A 13-minute video obtained by Fox News Digital and set for release Thursday by the Heritage Foundation argues the U.S. nuclear arsenal is outdated, with the newest weapons nearly 40 years old – about as modern as a grandpa’s vintage Corvette. Military experts across Washington have begun gaming out the potential scenario if China invades Taiwan and the U.S. comes to the island democracy’s aid. The video opens by putting forth a scenario where China may launch a tactical nuclear weapon to destroy the U.S. Air Force Base at Guam, killing 3,000, in “an attempt to change the tide of the battle in their favor.” CHINA WILL DOUBLE ITS NUCLEAR ARSENAL TO OVER 1,000 WARHEADS BY 2030, ACCORDING TO US INTELLIGENCE “The president wants to respond in kind by targeting a similar Chinese target with our own tactical nuclear weapon. There’s only one problem with all this: we probably couldn’t do such a mission if we tried.” The video argues the U.S. has abandoned its buildup of tactical nuclear weapons, which are forceful but smaller and more targeted in their destruction than earth-shattering strategic nuclear weapons. Since the end of the Cold War, according to Bob Peters, strategic deterrence fellow at Heritage, the U.S. has “dramatically reduced the number of nuclear weapons around the world, signed multiple arms control agreements with the Soviet Union and the Russian Federation, and today has an arsenal that is roughly 85% smaller than the ones it fielded at the height of the Cold War.” The U.S. removed naval and land-based tactical nuclear weapons from Korea in 1991 and retired the nuclear variants of the Tomahawk cruise missile that were stationed across the Pacific. “We had Russia, we thought, under control with the breakup of the Soviet Union. We always thought China would be an economic threat,” Sen. Deb Fischer, R-Neb., a top member on the Armed Services Committee, said in the clip. IRAN, CHINA AND RUSSIA HUDDLE FOR NUCLEAR TALKS WHILE UN MEETS BEHIND CLOSED DOORS ON POSSIBLE SANCTIONS But now, China has tripled its nuclear arsenal over the past five years, and plans to go from 500 to 1,000 warheads by 2030. The newest nuclear weapon in the U.S. arsenal is now over 35 years old, Peters points out, and many are decades older, “meant to be retired and replaced in the 1980s.” “Like a 1975 Cadillac bought by our grandfather, we’ve been keeping America’s strategic deterrence on life support,” said Peters. Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, blamed it on a decades-long focus on the Middle East, at the expense of containing threats in the Indo-Pacific region. “Part of this is a hangover from what I call endless wars, where, instead of having that strong deterrence, we got involved with, you know, a quarter-century of endless conflict that caused a great toll, both in terms of blood and treasure.” China has not only been building up its strategic and tactical nuclear weapons, but its anti-ship nuclear capabilities and its fractional orbital bombardment systems, space-based platforms that can drop munitions, including nuclear ones, from space onto the Earth’s surface. WOULD THE US WIN A WAR WITH CHINA OVER TAIWAN? US LAWMAKERS BRIEFED ON THE POTENTIAL OUTCOME “At the same time, China’s building nuclear-capable long-range hypersonic missiles that could in time be able to deliver nuclear weapons to the American homeland with little to no notice,” Peters warned. The video argues that the U.S. has too few tactical nuclear weapons when compared with China – weapons that would offer a forceful response but avoid population-decimating strategic nukes. “Right now, we’re preaching about arms control but building nothing,” the video states. “We must modernize the existing strategic arsenal and replace the decades-old warheads and missiles that were meant to be retired in the 1980s and 1990s.” “We need a much stronger but modern Navy,” said Roy. “Not built on what K Street contractors are saying they need to be, but rather, what do we actually need?” “The world is really watching both allies and adversaries. Is the United States going to accept decline and live in a world in which the Chinese, the Russians, perhaps the Iran regime and the North Koreans can successfully coerce the United States of America to prevent us from moving in the world on terms that benefit the American people in our prosperity and freedom?” said Rebecca Heinrichs, senior fellow with Heritage. “The United States must field the military capabilities that will convince the Chinese leadership that today is not the day to pick a fight with the United States or its allies,” said Adm. Charles Richard, former head of U.S. Strategic Command.