Dems who have spoken passionately against domestic terrorism go silent as Tesla torchers are charged
Attorney General Pam Bondi on Tuesday labeled the violent streak of vandalism against Tesla vehicles and showrooms as “domestic terrorism” — an issue Democrats have rallied against for years. Fox News Digital asked 13 Democrats who sponsored legislation to combat domestic terrorism if they agreed with Bondi’s distinction. None of the lawmakers responded. The FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force is investigating the ongoing Tesla attacks across the U.S. From Oregon to Massachusetts, Tesla cars and facilities have been vandalized in at least seven locations. What began as protests against Elon Musk and his Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) have escalated into violent incidents, including shots fired at a building, destroyed dealership windows and charging stations set on fire. Former President Joe Biden’s administration launched the first-ever National Strategy for Countering Domestic Terrorism in 2021, identifying domestic terrorism as a major national security threat, particularly in the aftermath of the U.S. Capitol attacks on Jan. 6. Congressional Democrats led their own legislative efforts to combat domestic terrorism during the Biden administration. Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., and 10 Senate Democrats introduced the Domestic Terrorism Prevention Act of 2023, which was designed to enhance the government’s ability to prevent domestic terrorism. The Domestic Terrorism Prevention Act of 2022 also targeted domestic terrorism, with a focus on combating “white supremacist and neo-Nazi infiltration.” SUSPECTED TESLA ARSONISTS HIT WITH FEDERAL CHARGES IN ACTS OF ‘DOMESTIC TERRORISM’: AG Despite Democrats leading activism against domestic terrorism during the Biden administration, the Democratic response to the ongoing Tesla attacks has been noticeably silent. One Democrat, Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., urged his colleagues to condemn the Tesla vandalism in an X post last week. ELON MUSK IN ‘SHOCK’ OVER DEMS’ ALLEGED ‘HATRED AND VIOLENCE,’ LAMENTS ‘DERANGED’ ATTACKS ON TESLA PLANTS “There is zero tolerance for acts of vandalism against Tesla. Spraying the words “nazi cars” or lighting fire to dealership and chargers is wrong. Period. All Democrats should condemn it,” he said. While now refusing to condemn Tesla vandalism, Democrats have not missed an opportunity to vocalize their opposition to domestic terrorism in the past. “As I have said on many occasions, I condemn all violence, regardless of ideology,” Durbin said in 2023 while urging colleagues to support the Domestic Terrorism Prevention Act. “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,” House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., said in 2022. ‘DOMESTIC TERRORISM’ HITS TESLA DRIVERS, DEALERS AS FORMER FBI FIELD BOSS WARNS IT COULD GET WORSE “We are deeply concerned about the financing of domestic violent extremist activities in the U.S.,” Rep. Maxine Waters, D-Calif.; former Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio; and former Rep. Josh Gottheimer, D-N.J., said in 2022 while calling for a review into how domestic extremists are funded. Waters is yet to call for an investigation into how Tesla protests are being funded as many conservatives are pointing the finger at liberal activist groups, including Musk, who 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.” In 2021, Sen. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., said in a Facebook post, “Domestic terrorism is one of the gravest threats to America.” “When violence fueled by homegrown, hateful ideology poses a more immediate threat to the safety and security of Americans on American soil than an international terrorist organization, it’s time for our laws to catch up,” Schiff said in 2019. Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., said last summer following the first assassination attempt on President Donald Trump that “all political violence” should be condemned, adding she was the victim of political violence herself. Following the New Year’s Day terrorist attack in New Orleans, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said on X: “We must do more to fight terrorism at home and abroad.” Rep. Alexandria Ocasio Cortez, D-N.Y., demanded accountability in 2022 for those who perpetrate White supremacy, which is considered a form of domestic terrorism. “White supremacy has cost countless lives from El Paso to Mother Emanuel and now Buffalo. Our hearts break for the victims. And we demand accountability for those in Congress and in social media that perpetrate this deadly ideology,” she said on X after questioning Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg. Late-night host Jimmy Kimmel seemed to mock Tesla vandalism during his show on Tuesday. “People have been vandalizing Tesla vehicles, new Tesla vehicles. Please, don’t vandalize, don’t ever vandalize Tesla vehicles,” Kimmel said, pausing and looking into the camera for a dramatic pause as the audience laughed. A conservative social media account posted the clip and said: “Jimmy Kimmel wants more Tesla attacks.” “He’s such an unfunny jerk,” Musk replied to the post. Bondi on Tuesday said that the Tesla attacks are “nothing short of domestic terrorism” and the Department of Justice has already made several charges. “The swarm of violent attacks on Tesla property is nothing short of domestic terrorism. The Department of Justice has already charged several perpetrators with that in mind, including in cases that involve charges with five-year mandatory minimum sentences. We will continue investigations that impose severe consequences on those involved in these attacks, including those operating behind the scenes to coordinate and fund these crimes,” Bondi said in a statement. 10 PLACES WHERE TESLA VEHICLES, DEALERSHIPS WERE ATTACKED THIS YEAR While no serious injuries have been reported, anti-Musk cyberattackers posted an interactive map of Tesla owners’ names, addresses, phone numbers and e-mails. Bondi told Fox News’ Will Cain on Wednesday that the Justice Department believes the attacks are part of an organized effort. “We are coming after you,” Bondi said on “The Will Cain Show.” “We believe these are organizers, and these are not individuals out there throughout the country doing this on their own. They’re targeting Tesla owners. They’re targeting
Border state could invest eye-popping amount to crack down on immigration-related crimes
Arizona could see a boost in border security funding in this year’s state budget, Fox News Digital has learned. The state House of Representatives recently passed legislation in hopes of raising the budget meant to crack down on border-related crimes to $50 million, which would be a significant hike from the $17 million allotted last year. “We are expanding funding to give law enforcement the resources they need to fight border-related crime. This $50 million proposal is a direct investment in public safety and reinforces the House Republican Majority’s commitment to securing our communities. We certainly don’t want a California-style justice system that lets criminals off the hook while law-abiding citizens pay the price,” Republican state Rep. Quang Nguyen told Fox News Digital in a statement. WORLD LEADER AGREES WITH VANCE THAT MASS MIGRATION IS THREAT TO ‘DAILY LIFE’ Budget negotiations usually take place between the Republican legislative leadership and Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs’ office throughout the session. The governor’s office indicated that border security funding increases could be on the table for the final proposal, even if it’s not that exact amount. “The department shall use the monies to fund local law enforcement officer positions for border drug interdiction to deter and apprehend any individuals who are charged with drug trafficking, human smuggling, illegal immigration, and other border-related crimes,” the legislation itself states. CLICK HERE FOR MORE IMMIGRATION COVERAGE Her executive budget proposal already includes an increase of roughly $6 million to the fund. “The Governor’s Executive Budget dedicates $23 million to the same fund. The final amount will be negotiated in the budget. And she does not consider that $23 million number a cap,” Christian Slater, a spokesperson for Hobbs, told Fox News Digital in a statement. Past bipartisan agreements on border security funding are mostly tied to efforts to thwart the flow of drugs such as meth and fentanyl into the state and nationwide, and Arizona authorities regularly conduct seizures independent of the federal government. TOP ARIZONA ELECTION OFFICIAL EYES BID FOR BORDER CONGRESSIONAL SEAT AFTER HOUSE DEMOCRAT DIES The bill passed the Senate Committee on Military Affairs and Border Security on Monday along party lines. Part of the suggested increase has to do with the fate of Prop. 314, a law passed by voters in November that makes crossing into Arizona illegally a state crime on top of already being a federal one. However, the provision is already held up in federal court because of Texas Senate Bill 4, so it’s unknown whether it will be legally enforceable, according to Courthouse News Service. On the campaign trail, the proposition was frequently criticized as an unfunded mandate that could lead to the racial profiling of Arizonans, regardless of their immigration status. It passed with over 60% support. BORDER STATE LAWMAKER REVEALS WHAT ‘DRASTIC’ CHANGES CAN BE SOLIDIFIED WITH MAJOR CONGRESSIONAL ACTION “This bill, I believe, is not the right use of our state payer dollars. Instead of using state dollars for duplicate efforts that the federal government should be paying for, we should address the real priorities impacting Arizonans here at home every day,” Democratic state Rep. Mariana Sandoval said in opposition to the bill on March 5, when the House vote took place. State Rep. Kevin Volk, the only Democrat to vote in favor of the bill in the House, said he promised on the campaign trail to “increase funding to help secure our border.” Migrant encounters at the southern border have significantly decreased since President Donald Trump took office in January, which included vast policy changes, including the end of the CBP One app and sending troops to the border.
GOP senator says he’s working with Trump on bill to abolish Education Department
FIRST ON FOX: Sen. Mike Rounds, R-S.D., said he has been in discussions with President Trump’s White House to revive his bill to dismantle the Department of Education, which would codify the latest executive order. In the lead up to Trump’s much-anticipated executive order to abolish the department, his administration had been in talks with a longtime advocate of doing so: Rounds. His office shared with Fox News Digital that the senator and Trump’s White House have talked about bringing back his bill to abolish the department and pushing for it. ‘EDUCATORS WILL BE FIRED’: REPUBLICANS CHEER TRUMP ORDER DISMANTLING EDUCATION DEPARTMENT AS DEMS SEETHE Rounds is planning to re-introduce the bill now that Trump has signed the executive order. “The federal BUREAUCRACY of Education has never educated a single student,” the senator told Fox News Digital in a statement. “It’s time to shut it down. Today’s news is a step in the right direction. Congress should follow the executive branch’s lead and act accordingly. I am working on legislation that would return education decisions to states and local school districts while maintaining important programs like special education and Title I. We are discussing this legislation with Secretary McMahon, and we believe there is a very good path forward.” BIDEN’S FORMER SPOKESMAN SLAMS TRUMP AND GOP ‘COLLUDING TO IMPEACH’ JUDGES He introduced the “Returning Education to Our States Act” in the last Congress, but it never came to the floor, which was controlled by Democrats. Rounds’ bill would abolish the Department of Education and charge various other departments with certain responsibilities and programs that are currently administered by it. Trump notably claimed on the 2024 campaign trail, “One thing I’ll be doing very early in the administration is closing up the Department of Education in Washington, D.C., and sending all education and education work it needs back to the states.” DEM SENATOR ON SCHUMER FUTURE: ‘IMPORTANT’ TO KNOW ‘WHEN IT’S TIME TO GO’ He previewed his plans to do so for months prior to signing the Thursday executive order. During the signing ceremony, Trump explained, “The department’s useful functions such as … Pell grants, title one funding resources for children with disabilities and special needs will be preserved, fully preserved.” SCOOP: BILL PREVENTING ACTIVIST JUDGES FROM BLOCKING TRUMP’S AGENDA BACKED BY WHITE HOUSE “They’re going to be preserved in full and redistributed to various other agencies and departments that will take very good care of them,” the president continued. “But beyond these core necessities, my administration will take all lawful steps to shut down the Department.” Fox News Digital reached out to the White House but did not immediately receive a response.
‘Woefully insufficient’: US judge reams Trump admin for days-late deportation info
A federal judge said Thursday that the Trump administration missed a court deadline to disclose details on deportation flights to El Salvador, escalating President Donald Trump’s ongoing legal battle with the judiciary. U.S. District Judge James Boasberg said that the government’s lawyers failed to meet the deadline he set for them to submit information about the administration’s deportation flights, which included individuals who were targeted for immediate removal under the 1798 Alien Enemies Act, and whether they knowingly defied his court order. In a blistering order sent Thursday evening, the judge noted that the government “again evaded its obligations” to submit information about the flights, even after he offered the opportunity for them to do so under seal. The filing they did submit was hours late and failed to answer his questions. Instead, he said, the court was sent 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.” WHO IS JAMES BOASBERG, THE US JUDGE AT THE CENTER OF TRUMP’S DEPORTATION EFFORTS? “This,” he said, “is woefully insufficient.” Boasberg on Saturday had granted an emergency restraining order blocking the Trump administration from using the 1798 law to deport Venezuelan nationals, including alleged members of the gang Tren de Aragua, for a period of 14 days. He also ordered any flights in the air to return to U.S. soil immediately. Hours later, however, a plane carrying hundreds of U.S. migrants, including Venezuelan nationals removed under the law in question, arrived in El Salvador. Boasberg immediately ordered the government to submit more information to the court, as part of a “fact-finding hearing” to determine whether the Trump administration knowingly defied his order, and how many individuals were deported. After the government repeatedly failed to comply, citing national security issues, he told them they could do so under seal by noon Thursday. Boasberg had asked government lawyers to submit information on how many planes departed the U.S. on Saturday carrying people deported “solely on the basis” of that proclamation, how many individuals were on each plane, where the planes landed, what time each plane took off from the U.S. and from where. “To begin, the Government cannot proffer a regional ICE official to attest to Cabinet-level discussions of the state-secrets privilege; indeed, his declaration on that point, not surprisingly, is based solely on his unsubstantiated ‘understand[ing],’” he said. Boasberg then ordered the Trump administration to submit a brief by March 25 explaining why it did not violate his order by failing to return the individuals in question on the two earliest planes that arrived from El Salvador to the U.S. on March 15. “By March 21, 2025, at 10:00 a.m., Defendants shall submit a sworn declaration by a person with direct involvement in the Cabinet-level discussions regarding invocation of the state-secrets privilege,” he added. Boasberg had previously warned the Trump administration of consequences if it were to violate his order. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Still, at least one plane with deported migrants touched down later that evening in El Salvador. “Oopsie, too late,” Salvador President Nayib Bukele said in a post on X. In the days since, government lawyers have refused to share information in court about the deportation flights, and whether the plane (or planes) of migrants knowingly departed U.S. soil after the judge ordered them not to do so, citing national security protections.
Education experts say Trump ‘brought down a failed bureaucratic machine’ with order dissolving Ed Department
Education experts applauded President Donald Trump for sending educational issues back to the states with the signing of a long-awaited executive order dismantling the Education Department on Thursday. “It’s past time for a radical rethink of how education is administered in this country, because we cannot keep propping up a failing system,” Nicole Neily, President and Founder of Parents Defending Education (PDE), told Fox News Digital in a statement. Trump signed an executive order on Thursday “returning education, very simply, back to the states where it belongs.” “Today we take an historic action that was 45 years in the making,” Trump said of the decades-long conservative push to disassemble the department that dates back to former President Ronald Reagan’s presidency. TRUMP STILL NEEDS CONGRESS’ HELP WITH PLAN TO ABOLISH EDUCATION DEPARTMENT “The numbers don’t lie – over the past 45 years, per pupil spending has skyrocketed while achievement has plummeted,” Neily said. “The status quo has very clearly failed American children and done little more than line the pockets of bureaucrats and activists.” EDUCATION LEADERS SAY TRUMP DISMANTLING KEY GOVERNMENT AGENCY ‘SAVED EDUCATION’ Tommy Schultz, CEO of the American Federation for Children, said that “with this executive order, President Trump continues taking steps to fulfill his campaign promises on education, and now it is time for Congress to send school choice legislation to his desk so that he can fulfill his other mandate to the voters.” Schultz told Fox News Digital that in signing the order, Trump “brought down a failed bureaucratic machine in DC, and brought school choice to every state.” Moms for Liberty, a pro-parent political advocacy group, called the move an opportunity to “seize this moment to shape the future of learning!” “This is an incredible chance to empower parents and local communities to take charge of education, instead of letting Washington bureaucrats make the decisions!” the group wrote in a post on X. The White House, ahead of the signing ceremony, pointed to the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) scores showing low testing averages among students as an example of the department not working effectively to improve education. “NAEP (National Assessment of Educational Progress) scores reveal a national crisis — our children are falling behind,” Harrison Fields, the White House principal deputy press secretary, told Fox News. “Over the past four years, Democrats have allowed millions of illegal minors into the country, straining school resources and diverting focus from American students.” Margaret Spellings, Bipartisan Policy Center President and CEO, said in a statement that “parents and students are deeply frustrated by the state of our education system” and that “the president’s use of NAEP data in the executive order to highlight the recent trend of declining math and reading scores demonstrates the need to act immediately.” “The executive order is largely what was expected but it also included an important directive to continue funding beneficial programs like Pell grants, Title I, and IDEA ‘uninterrupted.’ That’s a welcomed commitment but taxpayers must also know what they are getting for their money,” Spellings added. “Recent layoffs at the department will make following through on that commitment a challenge.” “The hard work begins now among Congress, the Trump Administration, and families to determine how best to serve students,” she said. While many facets of the department will be gutted, Title I funding, resources for students with disabilities, and Pell Grants will be preserved, according to Trump. Trump’s order kick-started the effort to begin disassembling the department. However, the entire agency cannot be outright abolished unless Congress passes legislation that addresses the laws establishing the department.
‘Educators will be fired’: Republicans cheer Trump order dismantling Education Department as Dems seethe
Republicans were quick to applaud President Trump’s latest executive order to dismantle the Department of Education on Thursday, while Democrats blasted the administration for “betraying our kids.” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said in a statement, “Attempting to dismantle the Department of Education is one of the most destructive and devastating steps Donald Trump has ever taken. This. Will. Hurt. Kids.” “This horrible decision by Donald Trump will be felt by teachers, parents, school leaders, and in the quality of education our children receive. Across the country property taxes will go up, while the quality of many schools will go down. Presidents cannot make departments, and they cannot eliminate them either. Only Congress can do that.” The sentiment was echoed by House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., who said in a statement, “Enabled by compliant House Republicans, the Trump administration is determined to take a chainsaw to public education in America. Shutting down the Department of Education will harm millions of children in our nation’s public schools, their families and hardworking teachers.” BIDEN’S FORMER SPOKESMAN SLAMS TRUMP AND GOP ‘COLLUDING TO IMPEACH’ JUDGES “Class sizes will soar, educators will be fired, special education programs will be cut and college will get even more expensive, at a time when the cost of living is already too high,” Jeffries said. “Donald Trump and House Republicans are crashing the economy in real time. They believe that giving massive tax breaks to billionaires is more important than supporting our public school children. Congress created the Department of Education and only an act of Congress can eliminate it. We will stop this malignant Republican scheme in the House of Representatives and in the Courts,” he continued. “The courts must act to uphold the rule of law and stop Donald Trump’s tyrannical power grab.” Trump signed the order on Thursday after previewing his plan to do so for months. His choice to lead the department, Linda McMahon, was only confirmed by the Senate a couple of weeks prior and is completely on board with the effort, as signaled by her attendance at the signing event. “Donald Trump is betraying our kids and families,” said House Democratic Whip Katherine Clark, D-Mass. “Republicans promised to make working families’ lives easier and more secure. Now, they’re taking a chainsaw to our local schools — all to fund tax cuts and corrupt contracts for their billionaire donors. Let’s be clear: Trump and the GOP are unilaterally firing teachers, abandoning students, gutting special education, and forcing parents into a panic just as they’re dragging us into a recession.” DEM SENATOR ON SCHUMER FUTURE: ‘IMPORTANT’ TO KNOW ‘WHEN IT’S TIME TO GO’ “I agree with President Trump that the Department of Education has failed its mission,” Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Chairman Bill Cassidy, R-La., told Fox News Digital in a statement. “Since the Department can only be shut down with Congressional approval, I will support the President’s goals by submitting legislation to accomplish this as soon as possible.” “President Trump has my full support in eliminating the Department of Education. Bring the money back to states and with the students,” Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., wrote on X. House Freedom Caucus Chairman Andy Harris, R-Md., wrote on X, “The Department of Education has failed its mission because it is promoting everything EXCEPT reading, writing, and arithmetic. President Trump is returning education back to the states and giving power to parents and students.” Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., claimed in a statement, “President Trump’s executive order to gut the U.S. Department of Education underscores how out of touch he is with students, parents, and educators. This order will have negative impacts on every student and harm our economic growth and competitiveness.” SCOOP: BILL PREVENTING ACTIVIST JUDGES FROM BLOCKING TRUMP’S AGENDA BACKED BY WHITE HOUSE House Education and Workforce Committee Chairman Tim Walberg, R-Mich., said in his own statement, “The key to improving education is empowering parents and students and reducing the role of Washington bureaucrats. Over the last four years, the nation has seen the results of empowering the Department of Education. The Biden-Harris administration discouraged the reopening of schools, encouraged the adoption of discriminatory and divisive curriculum, oversaw the collapse of student performance across the country, repeatedly pushed the student loan obligations of the wealthy onto middle class taxpayers, and pushed a radical gender ideology that has been repeatedly slapped down by courts as unconstitutional.” “We now have a secretary of education, Linda McMahon, who understands the importance of getting the federal government out of the way. And I look forward to working alongside her to get the federal government off the backs of students, families, educators, and taxpayers,” he added. SPEAKER JOHNSON SAYS GOP LOOKING AT ‘ALL AVAILABLE OPTIONS’ TO ADDRESS ‘ACTIVIST JUDGES’ OPPOSING TRUMP “Bottom line, the Department of Education has failed to deliver results for America’s students and today’s actions by the Trump administration will help ensure our nation’s youth are put first.” During the signing ceremony on Thursday, Trump explained that “the department’s useful functions such as … Pell grants, title one funding resources for children with disabilities and special needs will be preserved, fully preserved.” “They’re going to be preserved in full and redistributed to various other agencies and departments that will take very good care of them,” he said. “But beyond these core necessities, my administration will take all lawful steps to shut down the Department,” Trump announced. The move to dismantle the education department comes amid the Elon Musk-helmed Department of Government Efficiency’s (DOGE) aggressive overhaul to slash the federal bureaucracy.
SCOOP: House Republican moves to codify Trump order to dismantle Department of Education
FIRST ON FOX: A House Republican is already making moves to get President Donald Trump’s executive order significantly curbing the Department of Education enshrined in federal law. Rep. Michael Rulli, R-Ohio, who was at the White House Thursday for Trump’s announcement, told Fox News Digital minutes after the event he was working on the legislation. “I want to thank President Trump for inviting me to the White House for the signing of this executive order. Government functions best when it is closer to the people it serves, which is why returning control of education to the states is such a critical step,” Rulli said. The Ohio Republican said he “will soon introduce legislation to codify the President’s agenda into law, ensuring that these essential reforms to our children’s education cannot be undone by future administrations.” INJUNCTION LIFTED ON TRUMP EXECUTIVE ORDERS SLASHING FEDERAL DEI SUPPORT Like Trump’s order, Rulli said his bill would allow for “funding for Pell Grants, Title I programs, and resources for children with disabilities and special needs” to continue under other federal departments. “Having served on my local school board for eight years, I’ve seen firsthand how our schools serve as the backbone of our communities,” he said. “This executive order empowers states to better address the unique needs of their communities and amplifies the voices of local school leaders.” Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., previously said there was support among congressional Republicans for Trump and Education Secretary Linda McMahon cutting the Department of Education. EDUCATION LEADERS SAY TRUMP DISMANTLING KEY GOVERNMENT AGENCY ‘SAVED EDUCATION’ “[T]his is a time for change. I think this will serve students, parents, teachers, administrators better to have that down at the local level. And Secretary McMahon is bringing that change about. This is a long time coming. You will have a greater choice for parents and students. You will have a lot better outcomes, I think. This is something we all applaud,” Johnson said during an interview on “Fox & Friends” this week. House Republican leaders will have multiple options on which route to take. In addition to Rulli’s bill, Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., who’s long advocated for dismantling the department, reintroduced his own bill to abolish the department altogether this year. The bill text simply said, “The Department of Education shall terminate on December 31, 2026.” The contours of Rulli’s bill are not immediately clear, but a spokesperson said it would closely mirror Trump’s executive order that specifically calls for returning education to the states. Even if it passed the House, however, such a bill would have an uphill climb in the Senate. Senate Republicans would need at least seven Democrats to cross the aisle and vote to advance the bill to meet its 60-vote threshold, something unlikely to happen given the left’s near-uniform opposition to the push. Nevertheless, Trump’s push to dismantle or eliminate the Department of Education will require an act of Congress to stay permanent and shield it from probable legal challenges.
Trans activist accused of witnessing sexual misconduct of minors leads chaplain prayer in Maine legislature
Maine Democrats, who censured a Republican lawmaker last month over an online comment about a transgender student in sports, reportedly selected transgender activist Quinn Gormley — who was accused of witnessing sexual misconduct with minors in 2023 and now claims to be a seminarian — to lead the state House of Representatives in prayer Thursday morning. “Let us be in the spirit of solemnity,” Gormley said in the opening prayer. “Your great holiness, I pray here today for these leaders in our state may they approach their work with regard for the dignity of all the people they serve. May they understand that diversity is the intent of the design, and may they have the wisdom to know that the path to justice begins with humility and travels through mercy. In the name of all that is sacred and good in this world, I pray, amen.” Maine Wire first reported on the prayer and published the story behind the accusations of sexual misconduct involving minors when Gormley was working with A Maine Transgender Network, Inc., an advocacy organization for transgender people. In that report, Gormley, a former leader in the Maine Transgender Network, was accused of witnessing inappropriate sexual behavior among minors on a Discord server for its youth program. The allegations, made by former member Sampson Spadafore, involved minors crossing sexual boundaries, though it was clarified that no adults were involved in the misconduct. MAINE RESPONDS TO TRUMP ADMIN’S DECLARATION STATE VIOLATED TITLE IX BY ALLOWING TRANSGENDERS IN GIRLS SPORTS Gormley — the clinical chaplain at MaineHealth Medical Center, according to Gormley’s LinkedIn profile — later went on a sabbatical from the organization, according to the report, and was replaced by Bre Kidman, a self-identified “queer feminist mermaid” who ran unsuccessfully in the Senate Democratic primary in 2020. Liberal Gov. Janet Mills and Democratic lawmakers have consulted the transgender network, including Gormley, on several bills in the last several years involving expanding minors’ access to gender transition treatments. The Maine Department of Education also endorses the Maine Transgender Network as a valuable resource for parents and students. TRUMP ADMIN RESPONDS TO MAINE’S RELUCTANCE TO BAN TRANS ATHLETES FROM GIRLS’ SPORTS “I got to do something really cool this morning! I was honored to be the clergy of the day for the Maine House today. So good to see familiar faces! And even though it looked different than I imagined for my first time, it was nice to speak in that chamber,” Gormley, whose bio on LinkedIn says “Transgender Death Educator, Clinical Chaplain, Anti-Violence Advocate, Recovering Lobbyist,” wrote Thursday on the platform. Meanwhile, Maine State Rep. Laurel Libby, who has become a key figure in the state’s ongoing battle over transgender inclusion in girls’ sports, is not allowed to speak or vote on the state’s House of Representatives floor. Libby was censured by the Maine House of Representatives’ Democrat majority and House Speaker Ryan Fecteau for a February social media post in which she pointed out a trans athlete who won a girls’ pole-vaulting event. Fecteau and Maine Democrats censured Libby on the basis that the athlete she identified by name and with a photograph was a minor. But Libby has argued that the athlete had already been identified in other social media posts. TRUMP VOWS TO CUT OFF FEDERAL FUNDING TO MAINE OVER REFUSAL TO COMPLY WITH ‘NO MEN IN WOMEN’S SPORTS’ ORDER “It’s a remarkable double standard as there are public photos of this individual in many places, on social media and even some posted by his school, and so yes, this post went viral, but this was an individual who participated in a public event, who publicly stood on a podium and accepted a championship medal that rightfully belonged to the girls standing on the second-place spot,” Libby previously told Fox News Digital. Libby has since filed a lawsuit against Fecteau, seeking to regain her voting and speaking rights. Maine has become ground zero for what President Donald Trump has touted as gender extremism ever since his spat with the governor last month over her refusal to enforce his executive order barring biological men from competing in women’s sports. This week, Trump escalated his demands that Maine adhere to the ban or face federal prosecution. Trump previously threatened to pull federal funds from the state’s education programs. Fox News Digital has reached out to Maine House Democrats for comment.
EXCLUSIVE: House GOP firebrand drives DOGE committee investigation of government media agency corruption
EXCLUSIVE – DOGE subcommittee Chairwoman Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-GA, is investigating “gross negligence” and “rampant cronyism” at the U.S. Agency for Global Media, a government media agency run by former legacy media executives. Greene told Fox News Digital that abuses at the U.S. Agency for Global Media – USAGM – pose a “direct threat to national security.” USAGM is a government-funded international media agency that oversees several radio, TV and digital media outlets worldwide, including Voice of America (VOA) and Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. Founded in 1999, the agency has been primarily staffed by journalists from mainstream media outlets, with former CEOs coming from agencies such as MSNBC and NPR. DEMS FORECAST ‘TRUMP RECESSION,’ AS REPUBLICANS SAY IT’S TIME TO DOUBLE DOWN Kari Lake, the Trump administration’s senior advisor overseeing USAGM, has previously bashed the agency as “not salvageable,” saying that “from top-to-bottom, this agency is a giant rot and burden to the American taxpayer—a national security risk for this nation—and irretrievably broken.” Last week, President Donald Trump signed an executive order titled “Continuing the Reduction of the Federal Bureaucracy,” commanding the dismantling of USAGM, as well as six other government offices. Before the agency is entirely shut down, however, Greene is requesting Lake give Congress access to key records from the agency to shed further light on “serious allegations of corruption, financial mismanagement, and national security failures.” In a letter obtained by Fox News Digital addressed to Lake, Greene said that over the past decade, the Office of Personnel Management and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence have uncovered “gross negligence and intentional defiance of national security protocols, resulting in unfettered and unauthorized access of sensitive information by federal employees.” TRUMP TO DISMANTLE THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT AMID FALLING U.S. TEST SCORES Greene pointed to a further “full-scale investigation” launched in 2020 by independent law firm McGuireWoods that confirmed whistleblower testimonies about severe mismanagement and corruption within the agency. According to Greene, abuses included unlawfully granting J-1 visas and awarding millions of dollars in contracts through the Open Technology Fund to friends and individuals with whom there were conflicts of interest. Greene said that other “egregious abuses” uncovered by the McGuireWoods investigation included senior officials at the agency erasing entire laptop hard drives before turning them in to investigators. Despite the individuals responsible being fired under the first Trump administration, Greene said that “nearly all” of those involved in the wrongdoing were rehired under the Biden administration, “allowing them to resume their previous activities with zero consequences.” TRUMP DOJ DROPS BIDEN-ERA LEGAL CHALLENGE TO TEXAS BORDER SECURITY LAW The congresswoman is demanding access to information regarding all grant agreements awarded through the Open Technology Fund, all settlement agreements for individuals implicated in the McGuireWoods report and any additional communications or information that Lake deems relevant. “For years, USAGM engaged in rampant cronyism, issuing corrupt contracts to friends and family through the Open Technology Fund (OTF), while senior officials bypassed security protocols, mishandled sensitive information, and obstructed investigations,” a statement by Greene’s office said. Greene told Fox News Digital that she considers the Biden administration’s decision to rehire the officials responsible for the abuse not only an “insult to taxpayers” but also a “direct threat to national security.” “We will not allow the former Biden regime to cover up illegal activity and shield bad actors from accountability,” she said. Fox News Digital politics reporter Emma Colton contributed to this report.
Department of Education significantly dismantled in new Trump executive order
President Donald Trump signed an executive order Thursday to scale down the Department of Education — a move that is expected to spur lawsuits challenging the directive and will likely require Congressional approval. Trump frequently has discussed plans to nix the Department of Education dating back to the campaign trail, and said in September 2024 that he wanted to cut down on the federal government’s influence over education to “stop the abuse of your taxpayer dollars to indoctrinate America’s youth.” “Everybody knows it’s right, and we have to get our children educated,” Trump said Thursday. “We’re not doing well with the world of education in this country, and we haven’t for a long time.” As a result, a White House fact sheet on the executive order said, the directive aims to “turn over education to families instead of bureaucracies,” and instructs Education Secretary Linda McMahon to “take all necessary steps to facilitate the closure the Department of Education and return education authority to the States, while continuing to ensure the effective and uninterrupted delivery of services, programs, and benefits on which Americans rely.” TRUMP SET TO SIGN EXECUTIVE ORDER TO ABOLISH THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Still, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters earlier Thursday that the executive order would not entirely shutter the agency, but would only “greatly minimize” it. Additionally, she said that the remaining agency would still oversee Pell Grants and student loans that provide financial aid for undergraduate students. “It’s not going to be shut down,” Leavitt said. “Pell Grants and student loans will still be run out of the department in Washington, D.C., but the great responsibility of educating our nation’s students will return to the states.” The White House did not immediately reply to a request for comment from Fox News Digital to clarify what the remaining Department of Education would do. The Department of Education did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Fox News Digital. Meanwhile, a Gallup Poll released in February shows that Americans’ satisfaction with education has dropped significantly in the past decade. The poll found that only 24% of Americans are satisfied with the quality of education in the U.S. as of January 2025, in comparison to 37% in January 2017. The White House has railed against the state of U.S. education and declining test scores from U.S. students. Critics in the White House have pointed to the “Nation’s Report Card,” the 2024 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) released every two years, published Jan. 27. The exam tests fourth and eighth-grade students, and found almost stagnant math scores for eighth-graders in comparison to 2022, and reading scores dropped 2 points at both grade levels. The Department of Education, established in 1979, seeks to improve coordination of federal education programs and support state and local school systems, according to its website. It also oversees student loans, and financial aid programs and nondiscrimination policies. The executive branch needs Congress to sign off on eradicating the agency, under Article II of the U.S. Constitution. Additionally, this measure would require 60 votes to pass in the Senate, and there are only 53 Republicans currently. Even so, Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., suggested in a Wednesday X post that the Senate use the budget reconciliation process to pass the measure, which would require only 51 votes. Massie has spearheaded legislative efforts to draw down the agency, and introduced a measure Jan. 31 to nix the Department of Education by December 2026. There is also some support in the Senate for such legislation. “I agree with President Trump that the Department of Education has failed its mission,” Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., said in a statement to Fox News Digital. “Since the Department can only be shut down with Congressional approval, I will support the President’s goals by submitting legislation to accomplish this as soon as possible.” Even without fully closing the agency, the Trump administration has moved to significantly cut down its force. On March 11, the Department of Education unveiled plans to cut its staff of just more than 4,000 people in half. TRUMP STILL NEEDS CONGRESS’ HELP WITH PLAN TO ABOLISH EDUCATION DEPARTMENT Should efforts to shutter the agency move ahead, National Education Association President Becky Pringle cautioned that college would become more costly for families and that students with disabilities would suffer. “If successful, Trump’s continued actions will hurt all students by sending class sizes soaring, cutting job training programs, making higher education more expensive and out of reach for middle-class families, taking away special education services for students with disabilities, and gutting student civil rights protections,” Pringle said in a statement Wednesday evening. Likewise, the American Federation of Teachers urged Congress earlier in March to oppose any executive orders to dismantle the agency. The teachers union pointed to an NPR/PBS News/Marist Poll conducted in February that found more than 60% of Americans “strongly oppose” eradicating the agency. EDUCATION DEPT LAUNCHES WIDESPREAD CIVIL RIGHTS PROBE: A LOOK AT WHAT THE AGENCY AS TRUMP EYES SHUTDOWN Following reports Wednesday evening regarding Trump’s intention to sign the directive on Thursday, American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten announced the union would challenge the order. “See you in court,” Weingarten said. Legal actions opposing Trump’s actions already are underway. A group of attorneys general from 21 states filed a complaint in the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts March 13 following the layoffs at the agency. The lawsuit said that efforts to dismantle the agency, including through the layoffs, are “an unlawful violation of the separation of powers, and the Executive’s obligation to take care that the law be faithfully executed.” Fox News’ Patrick Ward and Lawrence Edwards contributed to this report.