African war-torn nation invokes Trump ‘golden age’ for minerals deal in exchange for booting violent rebels
The president of the Democratic Republic of Congo sent a letter to President Donald Trump offering a minerals deal in exchange for a security agreement with the U.S. that would remove violent rebels from the war-torn nation. “Your election has ushered in the golden age for America,” President Félix Tshisekedi wrote in February to Trump, the Wall Street Journal reported Wednesday. “Our partnership would provide the U.S. with a strategic advantage by securing critical minerals such as cobalt, lithium, copper and tantalum from the Democratic Republic of Congo.” The Congo has over $20 trillion worth of minerals available, according to the Congo-based Panzi Foundation, including gold and copper. The African country is also the world’s largest producer of cobalt, which is essential for defense and aerospace applications, and a main component in the batteries of many electric vehicles and cellphones. Tshisekedi seeks to strike a “formal security pact” so Congo’s army can defeat a Rwandan-backed rebel group called M23 in exchange for a minerals deal, the Wall Street Journal reported. The letter did not provide details on what a potential security pact would look like or operate. CONGO’S MINERAL OFFER TO US RAISES QUESTIONS OF OWNERSHIP AMID BLOODY CIVIL WAR, MAJOR CHINA PRESENCE Congo “is interested in partnering with the Trump administration to end the conflict and stop the flow of blood minerals via Rwanda,” a Tshisekedi spokeswoman told the Wall Street Journal. “It is in both our interests that American companies – like Apple and Tesla – buy minerals direct from source in the DRC and unlock the engine of our mineral wealth for the benefit of all the world,” she added. RWANDA-BACKED M23 REBELS BREACH SECOND MAJOR CITY IN CONGO’S MINERAL-RICH EAST Congo and Rwanda are neighboring nations and have been involved in conflict for decades, including the First Congo War from 1996 to 1997, the Second Congo War between 1998 and 2003, and the most recent ongoing conflict that began in 2022. The current conflicts are rooted in gaining access to resources, such as minerals, and claims M23 will protect ethnic minorities from the Congolese government. The rebels seized Goma – the country’s largest city of the North Kivu province – in January as fighting between the Rwanda-backed rebels and government intensified, which included the deaths of 13 U.N. peacekeepers and foreign soldiers. WIDESPREAD KILLING, RAPE, DISEASE AND WAR MAKE DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO HELL ON EARTH Tshisekedi joined Fox News’ Bret Baier Wednesday to discuss the potential minerals deal with the U.S., explaining he wants to build jobs in his nation through the extraction of the minerals, while simultaneously building a partnership with the U.S. to ensure lasting peace in the nation. “We want to extract these minerals but also process them, as this would create a lot of jobs,” Tshisekedi told Baier. “And we want a partnership that will provide lasting peace and stability for our countries, which we need.” China has a large presence in Congo, and it runs the country’s cobalt mine, Fox Digital previously reported. Tshisekedi brushed off concerns that China’s presence could complicate any potential deal with the U.S. during his interview with Baier. 70 CHRISTIANS BEHEADED IN AFRICAN COUNTRY BY ISIS-ALIGNED MILITANTS, GROUPS SAY; WORLD MOSTLY SILENT “Nature abhors a vacuum, as the saying goes,” he told Baier. “It’s not that China is waxing in Africa. It’s more that America is waning in Africa… and we would be very happy to have our American friends here, who used to be more present than China in the ‘70s and ’80s.” Tshisekedi is also in negotiations with Erik Prince, the founder of private military firm formerly known as Blackwater and a Trump ally, to potentially aid the Congo’s government amid the war, the Wall Street Journal reported. Fox News Digital reached out to the White House for comment on the deal offer, but did not immediately receive a reply. The offer comes after the Trump administration worked to strike a minerals deal with Ukraine, which is rich in resources such as lithium and copper, in an effort to recoup the cost of aid sent to Ukraine amid its war with Russia. The deal, however, was put on ice after Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy‘s tense Oval Office meeting with Trump and Vice President JD Vance in February. Fox News Digital’s Paul Tilsley and Diana Stancy contributed to this report.
Fox News Politics Newsletter: A Primer on Abolishing the Dept of Education
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… -Trump drops Biden-era legal challenge to Texas border security law –ICE arrests Indian Georgetown doctoral student accused of spreading Hamas propaganda -Taliban frees American hostage George Glezmann following negotiations with US, Qatar President Donald Trump could begin to dismantle the Department of Education via an executive order, but he would need congressional approval in order to officially abolish the agency. Trump is expected to sign the order to start dissolving the department in an effort to “turn over education to families instead of bureaucracies,” according to a White House fact sheet previously reported by Fox News Digital. If Trump signs such an order, expected as soon as Thursday, he can significantly diminish the department. However, the entire agency cannot be outright abolished unless Congress passes legislation that addresses the laws establishing the department…Read more A NEW ERA: Trump admin rescinds Biden-era scientific integrity policy that prioritized DEI SIGN OF THE TIMES: What is an autopen? The signing device at the heart of Trump’s attacks on Biden pardons OIL SHIFT: WH may reverse decision to kill Biden-Maduro oil deal, apply tariffs instead to avoid hurting US firms STANDING THREAT: World leader agrees with Vance that mass migration is threat to ‘daily life’ COMING TOGETHER: Military leaders to meet on UK-France ‘coalition of the willing’ plan for Ukraine CRACKING DOWN: Israel reimposes blockade of northern Gaza, including capital Gaza City TROPICAL TROUBLE: Cuban-born rep alerts DHS to alleged Castro-connected ‘refugees’ living in US under federal program LOVE IN THE AIR?: Dem senator refuses to address relationship with founder of Soros-funded ‘propaganda’ news network JUDICIARY IN JEOPARDY: Speaker Johnson says GOP looking at ‘all available options’ to address ‘activist judges’ opposing Trump ‘MISSING’ IN ACTION: Florida Democratic Party uses posters to coax legislators to ‘stand up’ for voters ‘PRESIDENT LIKES IT’: Bill preventing activist judges from blocking Trump’s agenda backed by White House SCHUMER UNSTEADY: Dem senator on minority leader’s future: ‘Important’ to know ‘when it’s time to go’ ‘LEGAL LOOPHOLES’: Can Maine’s high school sports authority dodge Title IX? Conservative legal experts say no ‘WE WILL WIN’: Pentagon to appeal judge’s decision blocking transgender ban, Hegseth says ‘CHARGES MERIT EXPULSION’: Feds accuse Minnesota state senator of soliciting a minor for sex PHONING IT IN: Newsom’s free-phone gambit for state business leaders paid for by nonprofit run by ex-staffers FULL-THROTTLE DESTRUCTION: 10 places where Tesla vehicles, dealerships were attacked this year DETENTION: School choice activists warn parents about blue state’s homeschool bill with jail-time provision Get the latest updates on the Trump administration and Congress, exclusive interviews and more on FoxNews.com.
House GOP leaders privately wary of push to impeach federal judges blocking Trump agenda
House GOP leaders have little appetite to launch a full-scale impeachment process against judges who have been blocking President Donald Trump’s agenda, sources said Thursday. Three people – two senior House GOP aides and one source familiar with leadership’s discussions – told Fox News Digital that House leadership does not see impeachment as the most effective way to hold accountable those they view as “activist” judges. Republican leaders are still looking into it, however, after Trump himself called for the impeachment of U.S. District Court Judge James Boasberg over the weekend. Boasberg issued an emergency 14-day injunction on the Trump administration’s deportation of suspected Tren De Aragua gang members under the Alien Enemies Act. But impeachment would largely be a symbolic gesture, even if such a move passed the House. INJUNCTION LIFTED ON TRUMP EXECUTIVE ORDERS SLASHING FEDERAL DEI SUPPORT “I don’t think we know if we have the votes, and it’s another intense whipping process for something that won’t move at all in the Senate,” one senior House GOP aide said. “I think our focus is to do something that is easier to get votes for and could actually get all the Republicans in the Senate.” A second senior House GOP aide was more blunt with Fox News Digital: “It’s likelier that President Trump will acquire Canada as our 51st state than the U.S. House of Representatives impeaching federal judges.” “This is an impossible task,” the second senior aide said. A third source familiar with House GOP leadership discussions said, “The impeachment route isn’t anyone’s favorite on this.” It’s being pushed by a faction of conservatives primarily in the House Freedom Caucus, however – and they appear buoyed by Trump’s support for impeaching Boasberg. Rep. Brandon Gill, R-Texas, introduced a resolution to impeach Boasberg for abuse of power. Gill told Fox News Digital earlier this week that Boasberg was a “rogue” judge who was “overstepping” his authority. House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, who previously told Fox News Digital that all options were on the table, suggested in multiple media interviews this week that the committee could hold a hearing on the matter. Reps. Andrew Clyde, R-Ga., Eli Crane, R-Ariz., and Andy Ogles, R-Tenn., are pushing resolutions to impeach other federal judges who blocked Trump policies as well. However, with just 53 Republican senators, any impeachment resolution would need the help of Democrats to reach the two-thirds threshold required for removal after a Senate trial – which is highly unlikely to happen. Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, chairman of the House Judiciary Committee’s subcommittee on the Constitution, said all options should be available to Republicans. TRUMP ASKS SUPREME COURT TO REVIEW BAN ON BIRTHRIGHT CITIZENSHIP “We ought to look at [impeachment], we ought to look at jurisdiction-stripping, we ought to look at every option that needs to be addressed about judges that are actively taking steps to try to undermine the presidency,” Roy told Fox News Digital in a brief interview on Thursday. He also pointed out that an impeachment by the House is in itself a punishment, although symbolic – though Roy noted he was not “for or against” any one specific path right now. It’s worth noting that former Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas remains the second-ever Cabinet secretary impeached, a permanent note on his legacy even though the then-Democrat-controlled Senate quickly dismissed a trial. But getting the Mayorkas impeachment resolution passed through the House was a messy political affair, when the GOP was dealing with a similarly slim margin. It took two House-wide votes to pass that measure, with Republicans falling one vote short on the first attempt and then narrowly passing the resolution with three GOP defections on the second. GOP leaders have had more success with critical votes this year, however, with Trump in the White House pressing holdouts on key legislation. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., is not ruling anything out right now, at least publicly. A spokesperson for Johnson told Fox News Digital that he would look at all options available to take on “activist judges.” “Activist judges with political agendas pose a significant threat to the rule of law, equal justice, and the separation of powers. The speaker looks forward to working with the Judiciary Committee as they review all available options under the Constitution to address this urgent matter,” the spokesperson said. Two other sources told Fox News Digital that another option Trump showed support for was a bill by Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Calif., to block federal district court judges from issuing nationwide injunctions.
Biden’s former spokesman slams Trump and GOP for ‘colluding to impeach’ judges
FIRST ON FOX: A top former spokesperson for former President Joe Biden blasted President Donald Trump and Republicans in Congress for proposing potential judicial impeachments as the administration encounters court-imposed obstacles in enacting its agenda. Former White House spokesperson Andrew Bates now advises a group known as Unlikely Allies, which says it is working to create “cross-partisan support for the needs and interests of all Americans.” “Radical, corrupt attacks on judges are putting our Constitution and the freedom of every single American in danger from government overreach,” Bates told Fox News Digital on the group’s behalf. “For the first time in history, our president and members of his party in Congress are colluding to impeach any federal judge who stops the most powerful person in the world from breaking the law. DEM SENATOR ON SCHUMER FUTURE: ‘IMPORTANT’ TO KNOW ‘WHEN IT’S TIME TO GO’ “The president has also called for making dissent illegal, which would trample the First Amendment and threaten the fundamental right of any American to disagree with his agenda — whether it’s cutting taxes for the rich or raising the prices he falsely promised to lower.” According to the group, Unlikely Allies “is made up of everyday citizens, families, communities, and organizations who are committed to solving our toughest problems, together.” SCOOP: BILL PREVENTING ACTIVIST JUDGES FROM BLOCKING TRUMP’S AGENDA BACKED BY WHITE HOUSE “Driven by the values that unite us, our goal is to create unified, cross-partisan support for the needs and interests of all Americans. This isn’t about left or right, Republican or Democrat — it’s about American values and holding our government accountable,” a description of the organization says. The White House responded to Bates’ statement, with deputy press secretary Anna Kelly telling Fox News Digital, “Biden communications alum Andrew Bates has no credibility after lying to the world about Biden’s cognitive decline. Just like these judges, Bates is a left-wing activist masquerading as a nonpartisan as he works to destroy the separation of powers and subvert the will of the American people.” The dispute comes as federal judges across the country continue to impose restrictions on Trump actions until further review and legal determinations. Recently, U.S. District Judge James Boasberg granted an emergency order to temporarily halt the administration’s deportation flights of illegal immigrants. SPEAKER JOHNSON SAYS GOP LOOKING AT ‘ALL AVAILABLE OPTIONS’ TO ADDRESS ‘ACTIVIST JUDGES’ OPPOSING TRUMP The judge granted an order to review the 1798 wartime-era Alien Enemies Act being invoked by the administration to immediately deport Venezuelan nationals and alleged members of the violent gang Tren de Aragua. This only further angered the president, who appeared to call for Boasberg’s impeachment. “This judge, like many of the Crooked Judges’ I am forced to appear before, should be IMPEACHED!!! WE DON’T WANT VICIOUS, VIOLENT, AND DEMENTED CRIMINALS, MANY OF THEM DERANGED MURDERERS, IN OUR COUNTRY. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!!!” Trump said on Truth Social. DEM SENATOR REFUSES TO ADDRESS RELATIONSHIP WITH FOUNDER OF SOROS-FUNDED ‘PROPAGANDA’ NEWS NETWORK Republicans in general have appeared to scrutinize the ability of federal district judges to make blanket nationwide orders in recent days. “Federal judges aren’t there to replace presidential policy choices,” Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, wrote on X. “Nor is it their job to neuter presidents by delaying presidential decisions. “Their job is to resolve disputes about what the law says.” Lee also said he is working on a bill to address the issue. In the House, Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Calif., has a measure that would prevent federal judges from issuing nationwide injunctions. Multiple sources told Fox News Digital Trump has shown interest in Issa’s bill. Top White House aides shared as much with senior Capitol Hill staff this week, explaining that “the president wants this.”
First Amendment group defends anonymous X account as Maryland Dems file election law complaint
FIRST ON FOX: A prominent First Amendment group is crying foul on an election law complaint filed by Maryland Democrats against the anonymous X account and website NoMoore, which regularly ridicules Democratic Gov. Wes Moore. FIRE, the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression, told Fox News Digital it has great concern over what it views as attempted regulation of anonymous, free speech that happens to be political in nature. “The First Amendment is at its strongest and most essential when protecting speech about public officials and public affairs,” FIRE’s Aaron Terr said. “Anonymous political speech has been a cornerstone of American democracy since the Federalist Papers, allowing individuals to speak out without fear of government retaliation.” Whoever is behind NoMoore regularly posts memes, charts and editorial content featuring the Old Line State’s governor – and it drew the ire of the state party, which alleged that its activities qualify as campaign activity subject to regulation. MD GOV MOORE SAYS STATE HAS BEEN DOING ‘DOGE’ BEFORE ANYONE ‘KNEW WHAT [IT] WAS’ NoMoore, which has been compared to the anonymous pro-Trump account “Catturd” that rose to nationwide recognition via trolling former President Joe Biden and Democrats, does not identify itself by human name(s). The complaint said the “NoMoore” moniker and efforts that appear to prevent his re-election belie any claims they are issues-based rather than averse to Moore in a campaign-type way. But NoMoore said on Thursday, “Despite what Wes Moore and the MDDEMS think, the First Amendment still exists in Maryland. We will never stop telling the truth.” Some of the postings from NoMoore include a photoshopped image of the governor standing at a presidential podium adorned with a “NOPE” emblem as well as imagery of $100 bills hailing down around Moore superimposed on a Baltimore Sun story about a $1 billion business tax proposal. In recent comments to Semafor, Moore said he has been working to slash Maryland’s $3 billion deficit, which Democrats instead pin on “creative math” from his Republican predecessor, Gov. Larry Hogan Jr. LAWMAKERS FROM STATE WITH MOST FEDERAL WORKERS PER CAPITA WARN AGAINST TRUMP BUYOUT BID “One of the first hires I made was a chief performance officer. We’ve been doing DOGE in Maryland long before anyone knew what that word was,” Moore said over the weekend. In social media commentary, Hogan countered that he warned against profligate spending and said he hoped those now in power in Annapolis looked to his “proven approach” that eschewed tax hikes. NoMoore’s latest post contains a video portraying Moore as the King of Maryland, as a narrator says, “Nothing’s his fault, it’s all just fine.” NoMoore also listed several tax proposals supported by Maryland legislative Democrats – including a Doorstep Delivery Tax and a return of the state’s 1990s-era sugary drink tax, which is currently levied elsewhere in cities like Philadelphia. In comments to Fox Baltimore, Moore was asked about the tax-hike proposals and said he wants to let the legislature run its course and that he has been “very clear” that he wants to see tax cuts and a “release [of the] economic pressure” on Marylanders. A source familiar with the situation warned that First Amendment advocates should be alarmed by the investigation—especially with Democrats pushing for it—pointing out that America’s Founding Fathers used anonymous political speech, via the technology of their time, to advocate for the Constitution itself. Future President James Madison, future inaugural Treasury Secretary Alexander Hamilton and Supreme Court Justice John Jay collectively wrote under the pseudonym “Publius” in the 1780s – just as “NoMoore” exists today – to garner support for colonial state leaders to ratify the governing document, the source noted. The source also cited the 1995 U.S. Supreme Court decision of McIntyre v. Ohio Elections Commission, in which Ford-appointed Justice John Paul Stevens wrote that a state statute banning anonymous campaign literature violated the First Amendment. A representative for Moore declined comment and directed Fox News Digital to MDDEMS. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP A party official replied that Maryland law is clear: “Any group paying to defeat a candidate’s re-election must disclose its donors.” “This is about transparency. Marylanders deserve to know who’s behind shadow groups spreading disinformation about Governor Moore ahead of the 2026 elections,” said spokesperson Lindsay Reilly. An official at the Maryland Board of Elections confirmed the complaint and the probe: “Our investigation is ongoing,” said candidacy and campaign finance director Allen Norfleet.
Blue state’s top court strikes down law allowing noncitizens to vote
The New York Court of Appeals, the state’s highest court, blocked a law on Thursday allowing noncitizens to vote in local elections. A former New York City Council member responded to the ruling by saying it should have been an “open and shut case” and that the law was “embarrassing.” In a court filing by New York City attorneys, the city said non-U.S. citizens make up about a third of the adult population in the city. The near unanimous, 6-1, decision blocks a law passed in 2021 by New York City’s majority Democratic city council that would have made nearly 1 million noncitizens eligible to vote in municipal elections, including for mayor and city council. BLUE SANCTUARY STATE OPERATING AS ‘CONTROL’ CENTER FOR VICIOUS MIGRANT GANG: ACTING DEA CHIEF Those arguing in favor of the law claimed that a provision in the New York Constitution on the qualifications of voters only guaranteed the right of citizens over 18 to vote while not denying that right to noncitizens. Chief Judge Rowan Wilson wrote in the decision that the New York state Constitution clearly articulates that only citizens are eligible to vote. Wilson wrote that under the appellants’ logic, municipalities would be “free to enact legislation that would enable anyone to vote – including… 13-year-old children.” “The New York Constitution as it stands today draws a firm line restricting voting to citizens,” he said. “It is plain from the language and restrictions contained in that ‘citizen’ is not meant as a floor, but as a condition of voter eligibility: the franchise extends only to citizens whose right to vote is established by proper proofs.” ‘SAFER WITHOUT HIM’: COLUMBIA STUDENT CLAIMS CLASSMATE ARRESTED BY ICE ‘HATES AMERICA’ Joe Borelli, one of the plaintiffs in the case and a former New York City councilman who voted against the law, told Fox News Digital that “the state Constitution and statutes are plainly written and in clear language.” “This has always been an open and shut case, and it’s embarrassing that the city council fought so hard to skirt the law, undermine the Constitution, and weaken the votes of citizens,” he said. The ruling upholds an earlier decision by a lower court invalidating the law. Associate Judge Jenny Rivera was the only member of the court to dissent.
Institute that held office standoff against DOGE on ‘right path’ following judge’s order: admin
The Trump administration said the United States Institute of Peace is on the “right path” to enforce the president’s executive actions after a judge ruled in the administration’s favor following the office’s standoff with a Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) team. “The ruling by a U.S. District Court affirms the President’s clear authority to appoint and remove board members, ensuring that the U.S. Institute of Peace (USIP) operates in alignment with executive directives,” a Trump administration official told Fox News Digital Thursday following the order. “This decision reinforces the President’s commitment to accountability, transparency, and effective governance.” District Judge Beryl Howell on Wednesday denied a request from the USIP to grant a temporary restraining order that claimed DOGE committed “literal trespass and takeover by force … of the Institute’s headquarters building on Constitution Avenue.” The USIP lawsuit sought “the immediate intervention of this Court to stop Defendants from completing the unlawful dismantling of the Institute and irreparably impairing Plaintiffs’ ability to perform their vital peace promotion and conflict resolution work as tasked by Congress.” TRUMP ADMIN GUTS INSTITUTE OF PEACE OF ‘ROGUE BUREAUCRATS’ AFTER DOGE STANDOFF IN GOVERNMENT OFFICE The Institute of Peace is an independent, national institution funded by Congress that was established in 1984 under the Reagan administration to promote peace and diplomacy on the international stage. The institute hit national headlines recently after the Trump administration fired 11 of its 14 board members after the government-funded office failed to comply with a Trump executive order from February requiring it to reduce its size to the statutory minimum. WHITE HOUSE UNLEASHES ON ‘ROGUE BUREAUCRATS’ AFTER AGENCY HEAD REFUSES DOGE ENTRY TO HEADQUARTERS “President Trump signed an executive order to reduce USIP to its statutory minimum,” White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly said. “After noncompliance, 11 board members were lawfully removed, and remaining board members appointed Kenneth Jackson acting president.” The remaining board members include Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and National Defense University President Peter Garvin, who on Friday fired acting president and CEO of the institute, George Moose. THE UNELECTED POWER IS THE ROGUE BUREAUCRACY, STEPHEN MILLER SAYS Moose is a Clinton-era diplomat who served as assistant secretary of state for African affairs during the Rwandan genocide in 1994. The board replaced Moose with Kenneth Jackson, a State Department official, as acting president. Jackson and a DOGE team attempted to enter the Institute of Peace’s building in Washington, D.C., over the weekend, but were denied access by employees of the institute, an administration official told Fox News Digital. The standoff heightened on Monday, when Jackson and the DOGE team again attempted to gain entry to the building, while Moose accused them of breaking into the building. The Metropolitan Police Department reported it had received a call from the United States Attorney’s Office at about 4 p.m. that day regarding an ongoing incident at the institute and reported to the scene. “MPD members met with the acting USIP President, and he provided the MPD members with documentation that he was the acting USIP President, with all powers delegated by the USIP Board of Directors to that role,” the police department said in a news release of Monday’s incident. “The acting USIP President advised MPD members that there were unauthorized individuals inside of the building that were refusing to leave and refusing to provide him access to the facility.” TRUMP ORDERS THE DISMANTLING OF GOVERNMENT-FUNDED, ‘PROPAGANDA’-PEDDLING MEDIA OUTLET “MPD members went to the USIP building and contacted an individual who allowed MPD members inside of the building,” the release stated. “Once inside of the building, the acting USIP President requested that all the unauthorized individuals inside of the building leave.” Jackson was able to enter the building upon police intervention. Moose left the building without incident and no arrests were made, police said. “With Mr. Jackson lawfully appointed as Acting President, USIP is now on the right path to fully comply with the President’s February 19th Executive Order and uphold its responsibility to the American people,” the administration official told Fox Digital Thursday. MUSK AND DOGE HAVE ANOTHER PERFECT TARGET: MORE TAXPAYER-FUNDED, ANTI-AMERICAN MEDIA White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said during Wednesday’s news conference that staffers physically barricaded themselves in the building. “There was a concerted effort amongst the rogue bureaucrats at the United States Institute of Peace to actually physically barricade themselves essentially inside of the building to prevent political appointees of this administration who work at the direction of the president of the United States to get into the building,” she said. “They barricaded the doors. They also disabled telephone lines, internet connections and other IT infrastructure within the building. They distributed fliers internally, encouraging each other to basically prevent these individuals from accessing the building,” Leavitt continued. “It’s a resistance from bureaucrats who don’t want to see change in this city. President Trump was elected on an overwhelming mandate to seek change and implement change. And this is unacceptable behavior.” WHITE HOUSE SAYS FEDERALLY FUNDED NEWS SERVICE ‘SPENDS YOUR MONEY TO PROMOTE FOREIGN PROPAGANDA’ A similar standoff recently occurred between DOGE and the U.S. African Development Foundation when bureaucrats barred the acting head of the U.S. Agency for International Development, Peter Marocco, and DOGE members from the building. The foundation is an independent government agency established in 1980 by Congress to support “African-owned and African-led enterprises,” according to its website. U.S. African Development Foundation President Ward Brehm, who was fired by the administration in mid-March, subsequently filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration, asking a district court to bar the administration from removing him from his position. A federal judge denied Brehm’s request. Marocco was named acting chairman of the U.S. African Development Foundation’s board.
Barron Trump, celebrating 19th birthday, praised as ‘smart guy’ by his father
President Donald Trump praised his youngest son, Barron Trump, as a “smart guy” with an affinity for technology ahead of Barron’s 19th birthday on Thursday. The president said his teen son has a knack for technology when asked whether Barron had more of a talent for business or politics during an exclusive interview on “The Ingraham Angle” this week. “Maybe technology,” Trump said. “He can look at a computer. I try I turn it off. As I turn it off I turn off his laptop. I said, oh good. And I go back. Five minutes later, he’s got his laptop. I say, how did you do that? None of your business, dad. No. He’s got an unbelievable aptitude in technology.” “Barron’s a very smart guy,” the president said. BARRON TRUMP SPOTTED ON NYU CAMPUS FOR FIRST TIME SINCE INAUGURATION Barron Trump is a first-year student at New York University (NYU) in the Stern School of Business. During the inaugural parade at Capital One Arena, Barron Trump was acknowledged by his father for his role in the 2024 presidential election results — as he reportedly guided the president on how to target the youth vote through podcasts hosted by Joe Rogan, Theo Von and others. ‘CLASS ACT’: BARRON TRUMP SETS SOCIAL MEDIA ABLAZE FOR SHAKING HANDS WITH BIDEN AT DAD’S INAUGURATION The 2024 presidential race was the first election in which Barron Trump was eligible to vote and his mother, First lady Melania Trump, shared a photo of her son on Election Day while he was casting his ballot at the voting booth. Trump went on to praise all his other four children – Eric, Donald Jr., Tiffany and Ivanka – during the interview, telling Ingraham that they’re “very smart” and were “always good students.” “I’m lucky,” the president said. “Look, you have to be a little bit lucky, too. Fox News Digital’s Ashley J. DiMella contributed to this report.
Dean Phillips calls out ‘great way to lose even more Democrats’ as Tim Walz bashes Elon Musk
Former Rep. Dean Phillps, D-Minn., has suggested that bashing billionaire business magnate Elon Musk will not be a winning political strategy. “Objecting to his initiative is one thing, but calling @ElonMusk, a US citizen who’s built some of the most innovative companies in world history, a ‘South African nepo baby,’ is a great way to lose even more Democrats,” Phillips noted in a Wednesday post on X. Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz recently used that phrase to refer to Musk, who is spearheading an effort to expose government waste and fraud. ELON MUSK CONGRATULATES SPACEX, NASA FOR ‘EXCELLENT WORK’ RESCUING STRANDED ASTRONAUTS “And there’s nothing conservative about an unelected, South African nepo baby firing people at the VA,” he said last week during remarks in Iowa. He also deployed the phrase while speaking in Wisconsin on Tuesday, according to the New York Times, which also reported that he had called Musk a “dips—.” ELON MUSK CALLS JIMMY KIMMEL AN ‘UNFUNNY JERK’ AFTER HE APPEARS TO MAKE LIGHT OF TESLA ATTACKS Walz was Vice President Kamala Harris’ running mate when she sought the presidency last year, but the Democratic duo lost to the Republican ticket headed by political juggernaut, now-President Donald Trump. “Regardless of one’s opinion of Musk, this is a great strategy for further alienating center right and center left Americans and losing federal elections,” Phillips opined earlier this month when retweeting a post that featured footage of Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., calling Musk a “billionaire con man with a lot of money.” ‘SQUAD’ DEM AYANNA PRESSLEY TRASHES ELON MUSK, CALLING HIM A ‘NAZI NEPO BABY’ CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Rep. Ayanna Pressley, D-Mass., has called Musk a “Nazi nepo baby.” Phillips mounted a Democratic presidential primary bid in 2023 but ultimately dropped out in 2024.
Cuban-born rep alerts DHS to alleged Castro-connected ‘refugees’ living in US under federal program
EXCLUSIVE: A congressman who fled Cuba in the 1960s will send DHS a list of people allegedly tied to the communist regime who are circumventing U.S. Cuban refugee laws. Rep. Carlos Gimenez, R-Fla., will transmit to Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem a letter including a list of Cubans residing in the U.S. under various humanitarian laws or programs that he and/or pro-Cuban-democracy groups attest are actually tied directly to the communist regime in Havana, Fox News Digital has learned. Gimenez, who also represents the congressional district closest to Cuba – in Miami-Dade and Monroe counties – will tell Noem of the “presence of agents of the murderous Castro regime and the Communist Party of Cuba currently residing in the United States.” In the letter, obtained by Fox News Digital, Gimenez continues that “it is imperative that the Department of Homeland Security enforce existing U.S. laws to identify, deport, and repatriate these individuals who pose a direct threat to our national security, the integrity of our immigration system, and the safety of Cuban exiles and American citizens alike.” CUBA-BORN REP RECOUNTS FIRST EMOTIONAL RETURN TO HOMELAND IN 64 YEARS ON CONGRESSIONAL GITMO TRIP Gimenez said the Cuban Adjustment Act – a 1966 law written by Rep. Jacob H. Gilbert, D-N.Y., that laid out how to handle the unique situation of Cuban refugees from the then-new Castro regime – and other laws were designed to help those fleeing communism, not assisting in it. The Miamian – who is also the only Cuban-born member of Congress – wrote of people “with direct ties to the Communist Party of Cuba and the repressive state security apparatus” who have “gamed” the U.S. immigration system and are a direct insult to true Cuban exiles seeking personal freedom. Gimenez then included a list of about 100 people personally denounced by nonprofit organizations and human rights watchdog groups, asking Noem’s office to “thoroughly vet” the list and start deportation proceedings if their malign credentials check out. Of the names, several are labeled as tied to or members of Brigadas de Accion Rapida – or Rapid Response Brigade. That group is made up of designated citizens who essentially patrol for dissidents of dictator Miguel Diaz-Canel and his regime. EXCLUSIVE: VENEZUELAN OPPO LEADER JOINS CUBA-BORN REP TO LAUD TRUMP AFTER BIDEN’S MADURO OIL DEAL CANCELED Others were listed as affiliated with the Cuban Union of Young Communists, high-ranking officers in the country’s military tribunal, Cuban State Department, Cuban Communist Party leadership, police forces, and the equivalent of district attorneys offices. While Miami and surrounding areas continue to see their collective Cuban-American community grow and flourish – particularly along SE 8th Street, the famed Calle Ocho of Little Havana – Gimenez said he wants to work with DHS to identify, vet, detain and deport anyone living as such “despicable fraudsters in our country.” “Like so many in our community, I was forced from my native homeland of Cuba shortly after the communist revolution and it is absolutely reprehensible how agents of the murderous Castro regime have gamed our immigration laws to infiltrate our country,” Gimenez said. Gimenez said the Trump administration recently caught a Cuban spy in Florida and expects more action against those flagged by Cuban rights groups. DHS declined to publicly share the former intelligence officer’s name, but the Miami Herald reported ICE and the FBI arrested him in West Park, Florida – near the Miami Dolphins stadium – for fraudulently obtaining a green card. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP “I applaud President Trump and his administration for that swift action,” Gimenez said. Fox News Digital reached out to DHS for comment on its overall stance toward the Castro/Diaz-Canel regime and calls to democratize Cuba.