HUD ends FHA mortgages for illegal immigrants: ‘Should benefit Americans who play by the rules’
The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) terminated some mortgages for illegal immigrants in an effort to ensure federal home loans don’t go to those living in the U.S. illegally. HUD Secretary Scott Turner announced the move Wednesday, a day after news of a joint effort with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to focus on homeownership for Americans. “Today, HUD terminated Biden’s taxpayer-backed FHA mortgages for illegal aliens,” Turner wrote on X. “American taxpayers will no longer subsidize open borders by offering home loans to those who enter our nation illegally.” HUD TERMINATES OBAMA-ERA HOUSING RULE THAT TRUMP WARNED WOULD ‘DESTROY’ HOME VALUES In another post, Turner said HUD-backed mortgages should benefit Americans “who play by the rules and work hard, not those who enter our country illegally.” “Today, HUD acted to protect the American Dream of homeownership,” he wrote. On Monday, Turner and DHS Secretary Kristi Noem signed a memo to end “wasteful misappropriation” of taxpayer-funded public housing resources going to illegal immigrants rather than U.S. citizens. ICE NEARING HISTORIC DEAL WITH IRS TO AID IN DEPORTATIONS: REPORT The initiative will help with data sharing between the two agencies via newly established lines of communication, officials said. A news release said U.S. veterans stood to benefit from the move. “American tax dollars should be used for the benefit of American citizens, especially when it comes to an issue as pressing as our nation’s housing crisis,” Turner said Monday. “This new agreement will leverage resources, including technology and personnel, to ensure American people are the only priority when it comes to public housing. “We will continue to work closely with DHS to maximize our resources and put American citizens first.” Roughly 9 million people live in subsidized housing across the country, according to HUD. About 59% of noncitizen households — those including green card holders or illegal immigrants — use one or more public assistance programs, costing taxpayers as much as $42 billion annually, according to the Center for Immigration Studies, a group that advocates for lower immigration levels. Upon taking office, President Donald Trump called for greater oversight to stop illegal immigrants from accessing taxpayer-funded resources. During the Biden administration, tens of millions of dollars were spent on housing for migrants, including for all-expense-paid stays at hotels for some. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Some states, such as Pennsylvania and Arizona, passed measures during the Biden administration aimed at ensuring illegal immigrants do not take public housing resources from Americans who need them. Fox News Digital’s Alec Schemmel contributed to this report.
Tesla robots visit Capitol Hill amid anti-DOGE protests, attacks on Elon Musk’s dealerships
Tesla made an appearance on Capitol Hill Wednesday where the company was held up as one of several key American manufacturers during a bipartisan event on U.S.-made robotics. Two Tesla humanoid robots were at the event, with onlookers crowding the machines as they struck various poses. They waved their arms at times, and held up hands with two fingers aloft on each in a Richard Nixon-like pose. At one point, a robot’s arm swung out and hit the rope dividing it from the crowd, briefly sending a security guard scrambling to fix it. Outside of Washington, however, Tesla car dealerships have been targeted by progressive activists across the country. The automaker and tech company is getting singled out for acts of vandalism over its founder, Elon Musk, and his Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) efforts in the Trump administration. DEMS WHO RAILED AGAINST DOMESTIC TERRORISM SILENT AS TRUMP FLOATS 20-YEAR JAIL SENTENCE FOR TESLA VANDALS House select committee on China Chairman John Moolenaar, R-Mich., suggested Tesla’s appearance at the bipartisan event showed Congress rising above partisanship. “The competition is with China, and we are united in winning that competition,” Moolenaar told Fox News Digital at the event. He called Telsa “innovative,” adding, “All the companies here have shown tremendous ingenuity, and we were pleased to highlight all of their efforts.” The event featured bots from other events, including so-called “robot dogs,” officially known as “Spot the Agile Mobile Robot” by Boston Dynamics, and a similar machine by Ghost Robotics. Moolenaar said Spot stood out to him in particular, as well as Tesla’s two robot humanoids that were present at the event. “It’s amazing technology, and what struck me was a lot of the same technology that’s in a vehicle is used in these humanoid robots,” he said. Rep. Carlos Gimenez, R-Fla., another member of the committee, said the Tesla robots could have “unbelievable applications.” “Maybe in agriculture — a lot of our farmers are going out of business, can’t compete labor-wise, right? You get a couple of robots that can actually do very detailed farm work and drive the labor costs down, we’ll save the American farmer,” Gimenez said. EXCLUSIVE: HOUSE GOP FIREBRAND DRIVES DOGE COMMITTEE INVESTIGATION OF GOVERNMENT MEDIA AGENCY CORRUPTION CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP He also accused Democrats outside the event of having their “hair on fire” over Musk and criticized Tesla critics who have been vandalizing its car dealerships. “Some people have taken things to an extreme,” Gimenez said. “There is no need for putting down something that is advancing American technology and is going to be beneficial for America.” The Trump administration has recently made moves to crack down on those vandals, with President Donald Trump himself threatening to jail protesters. The FBI, meanwhile, has commissioned a task force to look into the matter.
Transgender military ban will take effect during ongoing court battle
The Trump administration’s ban on transgender people serving in the military is scheduled to take effect Friday after delays and ongoing court challenges to the controversial Department of Defense (DOD) policy. D.C.-based U.S. District Judge Ana Reyes, a Biden appointee, presided over a hearing March 21 where she requested the department delay its original March 26 deadline to enact the policy. Reyes said she wanted to allow more time for the appeals process. She also said she had previously allowed plenty of time to appeal her earlier opinion blocking the ban from going into effect. “I don’t want to jam up the D.C. Circuit. That’s my main concern here,” Reyes said during the March 21 hearing. “My chambers worked incredibly hard to get out an opinion on time.” A SECOND JUDGE RULES AGAINST TRUMP’S REMOVAL OF TRANSGENDER TROOPS Reyes gave the government a 3 p.m. deadline that same day to return about her request to push the deadline. The government responded, saying it agreed to delay the March 26 deadline to March 28. The legal challenge comes as the U.S. Supreme Court also considers a high-profile case dealing with transgender rights. The issue in the case, United States vs. Skrmetti, is whether the equal protection clause, which requires the government to treat similarly situated people the same, prohibits states from allowing medical providers to deliver puberty blockers and hormones to assist with a minor’s transition to another sex. HEGSETH SUGGESTS JUDGE REPORT TO MILITARY BASES AFTER RULING THAT PENTAGON MUST ALLOW TRANSGENDER TROOPS A decision from the high court, however, is not expected until May or June. “The Skrmetti decision will occupy a good bit of the field here and provide some guidance. And so I doubt the D.C. Circuit is going to feel the need to rush things,” Charles Stimson, senior legal fellow at the Heritage Foundation, told Fox News Digital. “If I was sitting on the D.C. Circuit and I had all these other cases coming my way, and I was on a three-judge panel, I don’t think it’d be the top of my pile.” Despite the looming deadline, Stimson said the ban will be “on pause” as the parties work through the appellate process. “I don’t think the secretary is going to do anything in violation of a court order,” Stimson said. “Even if they disagree with that, you’d be wise not to.” TRUMP ADMIN ASKS FEDERAL JUDGE TO DISSOLVE INJUNCTION BARRING TRANSGENDER MILITARY BAN Reyes had issued a preliminary injunction in favor of the plaintiffs March 18. Reyes wrote in her opinion that the plaintiffs in the suit, who include transgender individuals, “face a violation of their constitutional rights, which constitutes irreparable harm” that would warrant a preliminary injunction.” On March 21, the defendants in the suit, who include President Donald Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, filed a motion to dissolve the injunction blocking the Pentagon’s ban. The filing argued that the policy is not an overarching ban but instead “turns on gender dysphoria – a medical condition – and does not discriminate against trans-identifying persons as a class.” The Trump administration further requested that, if the motion to dissolve is denied, the court should stay the preliminary injunction pending appeal. The government cited new guidance issued March 21 that it expected to enact the policy it not for the ongoing litigation. The guidance clarified that “the phrase ‘exhibit symptoms consistent with gender dysphoria’” solely applies to “‘individuals who exhibit such symptoms as would be sufficient to constitute a diagnosis.’” In its motion requesting to dissolve the March 18 injunction, the government wrote that the March 21 guidance constitutes a “significant change” that would warrant the court dissolving the injunction. Under the requirements, a party requesting to dissolve a preliminary injunction must demonstrate “a significant change either in factual conditions or in law” that shows that continued enforcement of the order would be “detrimental to the public interest.” “The March 21, 2025, guidance constitutes a ‘significant change,’” the filing states. “Whereas the Court has broadly construed the scope of the DoD Policy to encompass all trans-identifying servicemembers or applicants, the new guidance underscores Defendants’ consistent position that the DoD Policy is concerned with the military readiness, deployability, and costs associated with a medical condition — one that every prior Administration has, to some degree, kept out of the military.” Fox News’ Jake Gibson contributed to this report.
Appeals court blocks Trump admin’s deportation flights in Alien Enemies Act immigration suit
A federal appellate court declined to issue a stay on a lower court’s orders in a suit challenging the Trump administration‘s authority to deport Venezuelan nationals via a 1798 wartime law. In a 2-1 decision Wednesday, a three-judge panel sided with the plaintiffs in the suit, further blocking the Trump administration’s ability to move forward with its deportation agenda. Judges Karen Henderson, Patricia Millett and Justin Walker of the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals presided over Monday’s oral arguments, which they agreed to hear last week on an expedited basis. The back-and-forth Monday was dominated primarily by Millett, an Obama appointee, who seemed to be clearly on the plaintiffs’ side. She sparred with Justice Department lawyer Drew Ensign over the Trump administration’s implementation of the law in question, and whether the administration violated constitutional due process protections in possibly failing to allow individuals targeted for deportation enough time to seek habeas protections. In a concurring opinion of the ruling, Henderson, a Bush appointee, said: “At this early stage, the government has yet to show a likelihood of success on the merits. The equities favor the plaintiffs. And the district court entered the TROs for a quintessentially valid purpose: to protect its remedial authority long enough to consider the parties’ arguments. ‘WOEFULLY INSUFFICIENT’: US JUDGE REAMS TRUMP ADMIN FOR DAYS-LATE DEPORTATION INFO “Accordingly, and for the foregoing reasons, the request to stay the district court’s TROs should be denied.” Their decision could ultimately be kicked to the Supreme Court for further review. Attorney General Pam Bondi sharply criticized lower court judges for involving themselves in immigration issues, vowing in an interview on Fox News’ “Sunday Morning Futures” to appeal the case to the Supreme Court for review if necessary. “This is an out-of-control judge, a federal judge, trying to control our entire foreign policy, and he cannot do it,” Bondi said of the lower court decisions. At issue was the Trump administration’s authority to invoke the Alien Enemies Act, a 1798 wartime law, to immediately deport Venezuelan nationals, including alleged members of the Tren de Aragua (TdA) gang, from U.S. soil. U.S. District Judge James Boasberg issued a temporary restraining order last weekend blocking the Trump administration from using the Alien Enemies Act to deport Venezuelan nationals, citing the need to better consider the merits of the case — and prompting the administration to file an emergency request for the U.S. appeals court to intervene. JUSTICE DEPARTMENT TELLS FEDERAL JUDGE IT MIGHT INVOKE STATE SECRETS ACT ON HIGH-PROFILE DEPORTATION CASE Boasberg also issued a bench ruling ordering the Trump administration to return any planes to the U.S. that were carrying Venezuelan nationals or any other migrants subject to deportations under the Alien Enemies Act. Despite his order, planes carrying hundreds of U.S. migrants, including Venezuelan nationals removed under the law, arrived in El Salvador hours later. The Trump administration had filed an emergency appeal of Boasberg’s order that same day, describing his restraining order as a “massive, unauthorized imposition on the Executive’s authority to remove dangerous aliens who pose threats to the American people” in its initial filing. During Monday’s hearing, Justice Department lawyers were pressed by the appellate judges over the timing of the deportations, and whether the individuals deported under the law had any time to seek relief or challenge their status as a TdA member in the form of a habeas petition before they were sent to El Salvador. Millett told Justice Department attorney Drew Ensign that it appeared that there was not much time between Trump’s signing of a proclamation that authorized the use of the Alien Enemies Act to immediately deport Venezuelan nationals believed to be members of TdA and its first wave of deportation flights to El Salvador. TRUMP DOJ HAMMERS JUDGE’S ‘DIGRESSIVE MICROMANAGEMENT,’ SEEKS MORE TIME TO ANSWER 5 QUESTIONS If the Trump administration’s argument is that the restraining order handed down by a lower court judge last week is “an intrusion on the president’s war powers, and [that] the courts are paralyzed to do anything, then that’s a misreading of precedent,” Millett said. “And it’s a misreading of the text of the Alien Enemies Act. The president has to comply with the Constitution and laws like everybody else,” she added. Boasberg had ordered the Trump administration last week to submit more information to the court about its deportation flights as part of a fact-finding hearing to determine whether they knowingly defied his court order that blocked the deportations. The Justice Department repeatedly declined to do so, even after he offered the opportunity for them to do so under seal, prompting a scathing response from Boasberg last week. In a reply brief filed to the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals, lawyers for the Trump administration argued that the district court is “continuing to attempt to pry sensitive information from the Government,” describing the requests from Boasberg as “intrusive inquiries” and ones they said “could hamper negotiations in the future.” Boasberg wrote that the government had submitted a six-paragraph declaration from a regional ICE office director in Harlingen, Texas, which notified the court that Cabinet secretaries are “actively considering whether to invoke the state secrets [act] privileges over the other facts requested by the Court’s order.” CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP In a separate district court hearing, Boasberg pressed the government’s attorneys, at one point questioning them on their credibility. “So, your clients had you come argue this but kept you in the dark about it,” Boasberg said. “I often tell my clerks before they go out to practice law, that the most valuable thing they have is their reputation and their credibility. I would ask that your team retain that lesson.” “The government isn’t being forthcoming… but I will get to the bottom of if they complied with my order and who violated the order, and what the consequences are,” Boasberg said during the hearing.
US-Canada border eyed as vulnerability by China, Russia, says Patel: ‘The enemy adapts’
U.S. adversaries such as China and Russia have started to target the northern U.S. border with Canada, FBI Director Kash Patel told lawmakers Wednesday. During testimony in front of the House Intelligence Committee, Patel told lawmakers that the “effective resolution” to the crisis at the southern border has caused adversaries such as China, Russia and Iran to shift their resources to targeting the U.S. northern border. “The enemy adapts,” Patel said. FBI DIRECTOR KASH PATEL SENDS MEMO CALLING CNN REPORT OF ATF CUTS ‘ENTIRELY FALSE’ While Patel noted that adversaries have not stopped using the southern border altogether, the “monumental effort” to secure the border and stop known or suspected terrorists from coming into the country has made moving people and substances, such as fentanyl, illegally more difficult since President Donald Trump took office. Patel’s comments come as Trump has overseen a dramatic shift at the U.S. southern border since taking office in January, with the number of U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) recorded encounters plummeting by 90% in most sectors compared to the same time period last year. That shift has been aided by deployments of thousands of U.S. military troops to the border, who have assisted CBP agents with everything from reinforcing barriers to surveillance of potential illegal crossers. FBI LAUNCHES TASK FORCE TO CRACK DOWN ON VIOLENT TESLA ATTACKS, MIGRANT THREATS The sudden silence at the southern border comes after record-setting numbers of illegal crossings during the four years of the Biden administration, a trend that also saw a dramatic increase in attempted crossings from immigrants outside of North and Latin America. Chinese nationals were among the most likely to attempt illegal crossings, with the number of crossings from citizens of the country rising to over 24,000 in 2023, an over 5,200% increase from the 450 encounters just a year earlier, according to CBP data. Overall, Patel told lawmakers that between 2022 and 2025, roughly 178,000 Chinese nationals attempted to cross the southern border. Patel warned that the new security of the southern border could now open up threats to the north, arguing that U.S. adversaries will use the same tactics they previously used on sectors not receiving as much security attention. The FBI did not immediately respond to a Fox News Digital request for comment.
The loudest silence: Top Democrats remain mum amid violent attacks on Tesla
Democrats are once again giving the silent treatment to violence and vandalism against Tesla cars and dealerships. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., and former Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., refused to condemn the violence against Tesla when confronted on Capitol Hill. Few Democrats have unequivocally denounced the ongoing attacks on Tesla showrooms, charging stations and vehicles, even as the FBI has launched a task force to crack down on Tesla crime, the Justice Department announced charges against arson suspects, and Attorney General Pam Bondi labeled the attacks “domestic terrorism” – an issue Democrats have railed against for years. House Democratic leaders Jeffries and Pelosi gave Fox News Digital the cold shoulder when asked to respond to the string of violent attacks against Tesla, as Democrats’ silence on the “domestic terrorism” against Tesla grows louder by the day. Jeffries refused to acknowledge the question when asked to denounce the violence as his staff ushered him inside the Capitol, earning a disapproving shake of the head from one staffer. Pelosi brushed off a question about her take on the situation with a polite wave, telling Fox News Digital she was running late. Yet, both Democratic leaders have been steadfast in their rejection of “domestic terrorism” – until now. DEMS WHO RAILED AGAINST DOMESTIC TERRORISM SILENT AS TRUMP FLOATS 20-YEAR JAIL SENTENCE FOR TESLA VANDALS “We have to act decisively to address the poison of White supremacy and domestic terrorism in America. It’s a poison, it’s a cancer, it’s destroying our society. It shouldn’t be a partisan issue. It’s not a Democratic issue or Republican issue, dealing with the crisis of violent White supremacy. It is an American issue,” Jeffries said in 2022. DEMS WHO HAVE SPOKEN PASSIONATELY AGAINST DOMESTIC TERRORISM GO SILENT AS TESLA TORCHERS ARE CHARGED Pelosi applauded her Democratic colleagues in 2018 for “refusing to accept the House GOP’s continued failure to investigate domestic terrorism.” Pelosi has yet to condemn the House Democrats for failing to condemn domestic terrorism against Tesla. Jeffries and Pelosi are just the latest Democrats to brush off questions from Fox News Digital about the attacks on Tesla. Fox News Digital asked 13 Democrats who sponsored legislation to combat domestic terrorism if they agreed the attacks are “domestic terrorism” and if the government should target the people vandalizing Tesla. None of the lawmakers responded. Rep. Maxine Waters, D-Calif., responded after publication to imply President Donald Trump should serve time for his own convictions after the president last week floated 20-year prison sentences for “people that get caught sabotaging Teslas,” including their “funders.” “People who violate the law and have 34 convictions should serve time. In addition, the convicted criminals who were documented participants of the Jan 6th insurrection should not be pardoned by the president,” Waters told Fox News Digital. Waters has yet to call for an investigation into how Tesla protests are being funded as many conservatives are pointing the finger at liberal activist groups. Musk recently blamed left-wing billionaire George Soros, billionaire Democratic mega-donor and LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman and others, claiming they are bankrolling the destructive “protests.” Waters did, however, call for an investigation in 2022 into how domestic extremists are funded. “We are deeply concerned about the financing of domestic violent extremist activities in the U.S.,” Waters and her Democratic colleagues said in 2022. Rep. Rosa DeLauro, D-Conn., however, was clear in calling for an end to the violence when asked about the string of Tesla attacks. “I’m opposed to violence. I don’t believe in violence. People can voice their opposition, but we can’t live in a violent nation,” DeLauro told Fox News Digital. “People can be opposed to something, and people boycott stuff all the time… but the violence needs to stop. We can’t really make that a part of what our national discourse is.” Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., has also been firm in his condemnation of Tesla attacks and urged his Democratic colleagues to follow suit. “There is zero tolerance for acts of vandalism against Tesla. Spraying the words “nazi cars” or lighting fire to dealerships and chargers is wrong. Period. All Democrats should condemn it,” he said in an X post earlier this month. When asked by Fox News Digital last week if the Tesla attacks are domestic terrorism, Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., acknowledged that everyone has a right to protest but no one has the right to violence. “Well, I don’t know what domestic terrorism? It’s outrageous. It’s absurd. People have a right to protest. Musk, they have a right to protest, you know, in front of Tesla, nobody has the right to engage in any form of violence, period. But that’s all. No one has the right to engage in violence,” Sanders said. From Oregon to Massachusetts, Tesla cars and facilities have been vandalized in at least 10 locations this year. What began as protests against Elon Musk and his Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) have escalated into violent incidents against the Trump ally’s company, including shots fired at a building, destroyed dealership windows and charging stations set on fire. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP While no serious injuries have been reported, the FBI identified an anti-Musk website that was registered on March 17, 2025. It featured an interactive map with a Molotov cocktail cursor of Tesla owners’ names, addresses, phone numbers and e-mails, Tesla supercharger and dealership locations, and addresses of individuals associated with DOGE.
NRA legislative expert says gun rights could see ‘most monumental’ win in Congress since 2005
Congress advanced two bills this week aimed at expanding the rights of law-aiding gun owners. One of them, according to a legislative expert from the National Rifle Association, would mark the “most monumental” win for Second Amendment rights in more than 20 years, if signed into law. H.R. 38, the Constitutional Concealed Cary Reciprocity Act, and H.R. 2184, the Firearm Due Process Protection Act, were debated and passed out of committee on Tuesday. This was the first step before the bills could be considered by the full House of Representatives and ultimately the Senate. H.R. 38, which seeks to implement nationwide reciprocity for concealed carry permits, would allow law-abiding gun owners with a permit in one state to carry in another state that also permits concealed carry but may not have reciprocity. “The right of self-defense shouldn’t end simply because you cross the state line,” said John Commerford, executive director of the NRA’s congressional lobbying arm. “Passage of H.R. 38 — concealed carry reciprocity — would be the most monumental win for gun rights in Congress since 2005, when the Protection of Lawful Commerce and Arms Act was passed.” SUPREME COURT UPHOLDS BIDEN ADMIN ‘GHOST GUN’ REGULATION While more than half of U.S. states have reciprocity laws, H.R. 38 would allow people with concealed carry permits in gun-friendly states to carry concealed firearms in places like Los Angeles and Chicago — cities in states that do not have reciprocity laws but do allow concealed carry. Under current law, if a lawful gun owner from Pennsylvania were to cross the Delaware River into New Jersey with a concealed weapon, they could face “at least” a three-year mandatory prison sentence, according to Commerford. And while Second Amendment advocates like Commerford say they are hopeful about the potential for federal-level reciprocity for concealed carry, he and others like him fear it will add to the nation’s ongoing gun violence crisis. “This legislation is a dramatic infringement on states’ rights and would be disastrous for gun crime and law enforcement safety in our country,” said Emma Brown, executive director at the gun control advocacy group Giffords. “Violent crime rises when state concealed carry standards are weakened, and this would weaken the standard in every single state. It would also endanger police and make their jobs harder.” BLUE STATE GOP REP FORCED TO REMOVE 2A STICKER FROM LAPTOP: ‘OFFENSIVE’ The second bill advanced this week on Capitol Hill was H.R. 2184. It aims to enhance the rights of people wanting to purchase a firearm who may be denied as the result of errors in the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS). If a buyer appeals a judgment denying their right to purchase a firearm on the grounds that there was an error, H.R. 2184 would require federal officials to make a determination on their appeal within 60 days. If an answer is not provided within the two-month timeline, gun owners can then seek a court judgement to obtain one. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP “If your name is John Smith and you fill out a NICS check on Black Friday at Cabela’s to buy a firearm, you’re going to be in for a wait, and sometimes you’re going to be in for clerical errors that could restrict that [purchase],” Commerford said. “With a pro-gun House, a pro-gun Senate, and a pro-gun president in the White House, now is the time to put the foot on the gas and try to restore Second Amendment rights of America’s gun owners.” Fox News Digital reached out to the White House for comment but did not receive a response in time for publication.
Fox News Politics Newsletter: Hoax Signal
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… –Hunter Biden atty Lowell drops from LA case; replaced by Alex Murdaugh’s lawyer Harpootlian -Trump administration asks SCOTUS to approve DEI-related education cuts -How Mike Johnson and Jim Jordan could hit back at judges blocking Trump’s agenda Trump administration officials say the Atlantic “conceded” that its article providing a firsthand account of a Signal group chat involving the nation’s top national security leaders discussing an attack on terrorists in Yemen did not contain “war plans.” “The Atlantic has conceded: these were NOT ‘war plans,’” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt posted to X Wednesday morning. “This entire story was another hoax written by a Trump-hater who is well-known for his sensationalist spin.” National security advisor Mike Waltz posted to X Wednesday, “No locations. No sources & methods. NO WAR PLANS. Foreign partners had already been notified that strikes were imminent. BOTTOM LINE: President Trump is protecting America and our interests.”…Read more FIRST ON FOX: Top agency staffer trying to block crucial Trump directive previously managed DEI team SEARCH UNDERWAY: 4 American soldiers missing from training area in Lithuania found dead, NATO leader says ‘MY STATEMENT WAS CLEAR’: Rep Jasmine Crockett refuses to apologize for ‘Gov Hot Wheels’ comment OFFENSIVE LINE OF QUESTIONING’: CIA director blasts Democrat’s ‘offensive line of questioning’ about Hegseth’s ‘drinking habits’ ELMO COMMUNIST SPY?: Democrats invoke children’s shows in bizarre defense of PBS, NPR: ‘Fire Elon, Save Elmo’ ‘WITH REGARD TO THAT ARTICLE’: Ratcliffe says new Signal texts show he ‘did not transmit classified information’ ‘APPALLING’: Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene scolds NPR CEO over personal views during fiery DOGE subcommittee hearing ‘MASSIVE ERROR’: Veteran Dem senator demands Hegseth resign over Signal chat leak ‘MAKE AMERICA HEALTHY AGAIN’: West Virginia passes first-of-its-kind law banning food dyes and preservatives; Gov cites MAHA movement CUT ‘GREEN TAPE’: Cutting the ‘green tape’: Conservation group offers top 10 ways for Dept of Interior to streamline ‘VETO CORLEONE’: Youngkin kills left-wing dreams with record-setting bill nixing spree CUT THE CRAP: Republican bills put taxpayer-funded junk food on the chopping block TUFTS LUCK: ICE detains Tufts University student amid Trump admin’s campus crackdown DEATH’S DOOR: Florida Republicans open door to firing squads, lethal gas as they push death penalty expansion UNNECESSARY ROUGHNESS: Former NFL player LeShon Johnson charged in FBI’s largest dog fighting bust, 190 animals seized: indictment Get the latest updates on the Trump administration and Congress, exclusive interviews and more on FoxNews.com.
Inside Mike Johnson’s meeting with judiciary hawks over Trump court standoff
Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., huddled privately with House Judiciary Committee members on Tuesday afternoon for what was described as a “brainstorming” session on how to take on “activist judges” blocking President Donald Trump’s agenda. The House is scheduled to vote next week on a bill to limit U.S. district judges in ordering nationwide injunctions. But the consensus among Republicans on the committee is that the bill by Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Calif., is a good start, but more reform would be needed. “He came to offer his thoughts to the committee and [Chairman Jim Jordan, R-Ohio], about… what’s available to us related to the judges,” Rep. Scott Fitzgerald, R-Wis., told Fox News Digital. “So it was more like a brainstorming kind of thing. No decisions were made.” He said there was also “general” discussion about court funding – as senior Republicans publicly float the idea of using Congress’ appropriations powers to rein in activist judges. WHO IS JAMES BOASBERG, THE US JUDGE AT THE CENTER OF TRUMP’S DEPORTATION EFFORTS? “The purse strings related to the courts – how does that work, what do we have available to us, what don’t we, if we want to have that impact,” Fitzgerald said. “But I mean, nobody spelled out ‘Here’s what we’re going to do when it comes to funding.’” The Wisconsin Republican said the idea of legislating in a fast-tracked appeals process was also floated during the meeting. It’s an idea also backed by his fellow Judiciary member Rep. Kevin Kiley, R-Calif., who declined to share details of the meeting with Fox News Digital but said “there’s other solutions” beyond next week’s vote. “I think that it’s worth exploring some sort of expedited appeals process, right? So you can fast-track an appeal if there’s an injunction issue, to the D.C. circuit and ultimately to the Supreme Court,” Kiley said. “I think that’d be another way to approach the problem.” “But yeah, it’s an unfortunate state of affairs when you have someone, whose decisions are very much subject to appeal and reversal, who can keep administration policy in stasis.” A source briefed on the discussion told Fox News Digital that Johnson also signaled to House Judiciary Republicans that he was in close contact with the White House on the GOP judiciary strategy. The source described part of the conversation as a bid to rally Republicans behind the No Rogue Rulings Act, which is expected to get a House-wide vote either Tuesday or Wednesday next week, as of now. Led by Issa, the legislation would force most district court judges to narrow most orders to the most relevant scope, therefore blocking them from pausing Trump’s policies across the U.S. Fitzgerald said part of the discussion with Johnson also focused on legislation to limit the ability of progressive plaintiffs to so-called “judge-shop.” It’s a similar idea to an amendment by Rep. Derek Schmidt, R-Kan., a first-term Republican on the committee, that is already attached to Issa’s bill. “On the forum shopping issue, the amendment I’ve got on the Issa bill addresses that, and makes it more difficult to engage in judge shopping because it requires that any request for a nationwide injunction is properly brought,” Schmidt told Fox News Digital. “It would go to a three-judge panel that’s randomly selected.” ‘WOEFULLY INSUFFICIENT’: US JUDGE REAMS TRUMP ADMIN FOR DAYS-LATE DEPORTATION INFO The Kansas Republican suggested House Judiciary members were interested in looking at what could be long-lasting reform. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP “I do think there are other opportunities. And one of the things I think is very important is that – not just on this issue, but more generally – we think…about how we can make long-term, lasting change that will outlast any of us who are serving in office right now and leave the system better than we found it,” he said. Fox News Digital reached out to the speaker’s office and the Judiciary Committee for comment but did not immediately hear back. Jordan is expected to hold a hearing on April 1 examining judicial activism.
Facing possible primary challenge from Trump ally, long-serving senator gets backing of leader Thune
As he gears up for what may potentially be his roughest re-election of his decades-long career, longtime GOP Sen. John Cornyn of Texas landed the backing of the top Republican in the Senate. “I’ve been honored to work alongside @JohnCornyn—one of the most effective and respected conservative leaders in the country,” Senate Majority Leader John Thune wrote in a social media post on Wednesday. Thune, who topped Cornyn last year in the Senate GOP race to succeed longtime leader Mitch McConnell, emphasized that his one-time rival “was tireless and instrumental in building our majority. We need to keep him in the Senate & in the fight to deliver on President Trump’s agenda.” ONLY ON FOX NEWS: SENATE REPUBLICAN CAMPAIGN CHAIR REVEALS HOW MANY SEATS HE’S AIMING FOR IN 2026 The Senate Majority Leader’s endorsement came a couple of hours after Cornyn — who previously served six years as the No. 2 Republican in the Senate — officially launched his 2026 re-election campaign, as he bids for a fifth six-year term representing Texas on Capitol Hill. WHAT KEN PAXTON TOLD FOX NEWS ABOUT A POSSIBLE SENATE RUN IN 2026 The backing from Thune, which was widely expected, comes as the 73-year-old Cornyn faces a possible primary challenge from Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton. The conservative and MAGA firebrand who’s an ally of President Donald Trump has repeatedly for a couple of years flirted with taking on Cornyn. “I can’t think of a single thing he’s accomplished for our state or even for the country,” Paxton said in a September 2023 interview on the Fox News Channel. “Somebody needs to step up and run against this guy,” adding, “everything’s on the table for me.” And in a Fox News Digital interview earlier this year, Paxton said that he’s “looking potentially at the U.S. Senate.” TOP POLITICAL HANDICAPPER REVEALS DEMOCRATS’ CHANCES OF WINNING BACK THE SENATE MAJORITY While Paxton is very popular with the conservative base of the party, political strategists note that toppling Cornyn in a GOP primary would likely be a very expensive proposition, and it’s not clear if Paxton could raise the money needed for victory. Paxton has claimed Cornyn does not represent the conservative values of Texans and accused him of not being an ally of Trump. He has also regularly labeled Cornyn a “RINO,” a “Republican in name only” and an insult MAGA and “America First” Republicans have regularly used to criticize more mainstream or establishment members of the GOP. FORMER TRUMP AMBASSADOR EYES SENATE RETURN Cornyn, during the early stages of the 2024 Republican presidential nomination race, had said he would prefer that the GOP take a new direction, which angered Trump. But the senator endorsed Trump in late January of last year, after the then-former president won both the Iowa caucuses and the New Hampshire primary, the first two contests in the Republican White House calendar. Since Trump returned to the White House two months ago, Cornyn has been supportive of the president’s cabinet nominees and agenda. And in the senator’s campaign launch video, the announcer highlights that during Trump’s first term in office, “Texas Sen. John Cornyn had his back.” “Now I’m running for re-election and asking for your support so President Trump and I can pick up where we left off,” Cornyn says to camera in the video. Cornyn is a former state senator, former Texas Supreme Court justice, and former state attorney general, who first won election to the U.S. Senate in 2002. Fox News’ Peter Pinedo contributed to this report