Trump’s approval rating matches his all-time high, new poll finds
President Donald Trump’s current approval rating matches his highest approval rating ever as president — even though a majority of voters disapprove of how Trump is handling the job, according to a new poll. Fifty-four percent of registered voters approve of Trump’s performance presently — which equals his previous all-time high during the entirety of his political career, a national NBC News poll released Sunday found. Likewise, the poll found that 44% of voters believe the country is on the right track — another all-time high for the president. However, 51% disapprove of his performance and 54% consider the country on the wrong track, according to the poll. As a result, the survey determined that the bulk of Trump’s support bolstering his approval rating comes from Republicans. The poll also found that Trump has the largest partisan divide between his approval rating from Republicans versus Democrats in the past 80 years, based on previous NBC News polling and data from Gallup. While 90% of Republicans approve of Trump’s performance, only 4% of Democrats approve. TRUMP PROMISES ‘THIS WILL BE OUR GREATEST ERA’ IN JOINT ADDRESS TO CONGRESS Meanwhile, a majority of voters disapprove of how he’s handling the economy — marking a first in the history of NBC News polls. Just 18% of voters consider the economy “excellent” or “good,” the poll found. Those numbers are even more stark along party lines. Twenty-six percent of Republicans responded that the state of the economy was “excellent” or “good,” while only 11% of Democrats responded the same way. The response indicates a stark shift from several months ago. It is a dramatic change from October 2024, when 5% of Republicans replied the state of the economy was “excellent” or “good,” in comparison to 52% of Democrats. A majority of voters do approve of Trump’s handling of immigration and border security, with 55% endorsing his performance. In comparison, 44% of voters said they disapprove. The Trump administration has promised to drive down illegal border crossings and Trump touted on March 6 that his administration has “launched the most sweeping border and immigration crackdown in American history.” TRUMP ADMIN REVEALS LIST OF CARTELS AND GANGS TO BE DESIGNATED TERRORIST ORGANIZATIONS One thousand registered voters participated in the NBC News survey, which was conducted from March 7 to March 11 and has a margin of error of 3.1 percentage points. The poll kicked off a day after Trump delivered a joint address to members of Congress, when he vowed that he would tackle the economy and work to reduce prices, after blaming former President Joe Biden for leaving him an economic disaster. Consumer prices increased roughly 20% under Biden’s administration, according to the consumer price index. “Among my very highest priorities is to rescue our economy and get dramatic and immediate relief to working families,” Trump told lawmakers March 6. “As president, I am fighting every day to reverse this damage and make America affordable again.”
America celebrates Irish culture and politics on St. Patrick’s Day
Americans once again donned their green beads and shamrocks for St. Patrick’s Day, celebrating the largest Irish diaspora in the world. St. Patrick’s Day has become an opportunity for Ireland and the United States to celebrate their rich cultural and political connections. New York City is hosting its 264th St. Patrick’s Day Parade today – marking the oldest and longest standing St. Patrick’s Day parade in the world. The first parade was held in 1762, predating America’s Declaration of Independence. Major cities across the United States hosted their own St. Patrick’s Day parades this weekend – including Boston, Philadelphia, San Francisco and Chicago. Chicago even dyes the Chicago River green each year to mark the celebration. President Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance and Speaker of the House Mike Johnson kicked off the Irish celebrations last week by welcoming Taoiseach Micheál Martin to the White House. IRISH LEADERS BOYCOTT WASHINGTON ST PATRICK’S DAY EVENTS OVER TRUMP’S GAZA COMMENTS “America’s truly been blessed by the courage and unstoppable spirit of the Irish,” Trump said at the annual Friends of Ireland luncheon on Wednesday. “Over the generations, Americans of Irish ancestry have helped build our railroads and raise our cities and man our factories, enrich our culture with art and music and literature – we see that all over – and protect our communities by joining the proud tradition of Irish-American police officers and firefighters. And few have done more for the Stars and Stripes than the sons and daughters of the Emerald Isle.” PRESIDENT TRUMP SLAMS ROSIE O’DONNELL AFTER SHE FLEES US: ‘YOU’RE BETTER OFF NOT KNOWING’ HER While the first wave of Irish immigrants arrived in the United States in the 1700s, immigration reports reveal the Great Famine in the 1800s nearly doubled the population of Irish in the United States – as over a million Irish died from starvation while another million immigrated to the United States. Trump, a native New Yorker, spoke with pride of New York City’s St. Patrick’s Day parade, watching “hundreds of citizens decked in Irish green” marching up Fifth Avenue and past “the most beautiful cathedral in the world,” St. Patrick’s Cathedral. The Taoiseach’s trip to Washington, D.C., began with a breakfast at the vice president’s residence, followed by the annual Friends of Ireland luncheon and a bilateral meeting in the Oval Office answering questions from reporters. “Irish America has been at the heart of shaping this great nation. The ideals of liberty, democracy and equality of opportunity forged in this country did much to inspire Irish independence. Our histories are interconnected because our people are interconnected. Today, as the president has said, more than 30 million people claim Irish ancestry in the United States,” Martin said. The celebratory events were not without some political tension when Trump said the United States has a “massive deficit” with Ireland because they “took our pharmaceutical companies away from presidents who didn’t know what they were doing.” Trump said the European Union, which includes Ireland, “treats us very badly.” Martin countered Trump’s comments, saying, “It’s a two-way street to where we are investing a lot more in America now.” However, Trump maintained that reciprocal tariffs were only fair. Martin presented Trump with a crystal bowl filled with shamrocks, a tradition that dates back to 1952 to symbolize the long-standing friendship between Ireland and the United States. Martin said the Shamrock Bowl ceremony is “an important moment to reflect upon the relationship between our two countries.” Speaker of the House Tip O’Neill, Sen. Ted Kennedy, and fellow Irish-American lawmakers began the Friends of Ireland Caucus and Luncheon in 1981, during “The Troubles.” “The Troubles” were a period of political and sectarian conflict in Northern Ireland from the late 1960s and 1998. Irish Republicans, who were predominately Catholic, sought a united Ireland, while Unionists, who were mostly Protestant, wanted Northern Ireland to remain part of the United Kingdom. When Britain tried to enforce military conscription in Ireland during World War I, Irish nationalists, labor unions and the Catholic Church united in opposition. As support for Irish independence grew, Sinn Féin, an Irish nationalist party, gained popularity following the 1916 Easter Rising. After winning a majority in the general election in 1918, Sinn Féin declared Irish independence and established the First Dáil, or the Irish Parliament. But Britain refused to recognize Irish independence, leading the Irish Republican Army (IRA) to launch the Irish War of Independence in 1919. The Anglo-Irish Treaty of 1921 ended the war and created the Irish Free State, which became the Republic of Ireland in 1949 and allowed the six counties of Northern Ireland to remain in the United Kingdom. Catholics in Northern Ireland faced discrimination from the unionist government, who favored Protestants. Inspired by the Civil Rights movement, Catholics began peaceful protests demanding equal rights in Northern Ireland in the 1960s. Conflicts between the unionist government and nationalist protesters escalated into “The Troubles” – 30 years of violence between British soldiers and the IRA. The United States was instrumental in ending “The Troubles” in 1998. Former President Bill Clinton helped negotiate the Good Friday Agreement of 1998, which largely ended the violence in Ireland by establishing a power-sharing agreement between unionists and nationalists – strengthening the relationship between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. Martin on Wednesday said former President Ronald Reagan initiated the United States’ role in the peace process, as the first U.S. president to visit Ireland. The Reagan administration helped develop the Anglo-Irish Agreement of 1985, which laid the groundwork for the Good Friday Agreement. “Nowhere is the strength of the U.S.-Irish relationship more in evident than in our own peace process. 44 years ago, President Reagan called for a just and peaceful solution to the conflict that has for so long devastated lives on our island. Politicians from both sides of the aisle rose to the occasion, and the lasting peace we enjoyed today on our island is a signature achievement of U.S. foreign policy, and this story of
‘We are bullish’: House GOP takes aim at these 26 Dem seats in midterms
The House GOP campaign committee is taking aim at more than two dozen Democrats in the chamber as it aims to expand its very fragile majority in next year’s midterm elections. The National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) on Monday released its initial target list for the 2026 midterms, which included 26 Democrats from coast to coast. Republicans currently control the House, when the chamber is at full strength, with a 220-215 majority. While the party in power, which clearly is the Republicans, traditionally faces serious political headwinds in the midterm elections, the NRCC chair is optimistic. FIRST ON FOX: HOUSE REPUBLICANS TAKE AIM AT DEMOCRATS OVER THIS KEY VOTE Rep. Richard Hudson, R-N.C., emphasized in an interview on Fox News’ “Fox and Friends” that 13 of the 26 House Democrats they are targeting are in districts that “were carried by President Donald Trump in the last election.” Hudson characterized the upcoming midterms as an “opportunity election for House Republicans.” And Hudson, who is steering the House GOP’s campaign arm for a second straight cycle, added, “We are bullish. Republicans are on offense thanks to Donald Trump.” HOUSE GOP CAMPAIGN COMMITTEE CHAIR MAKES PREDICTION ABOUT 2026 MIDTERM ELECTIONS The Democrats on the NRCC’s target list include Reps. Josh Harder (9th District), Adam Gray (13th), George Whitesides (27th), Derek Tran (45th), and Dave Min (47th) of California; Darren Soto (9th) and Jared Moskowitz (23rd) of Florida; Frank Mrvan (1st) of Indiana, Jared Golden (2nd) of Maine; Kristen McDonald Rivet (8th) of Michigan; Don Davis (1st) of North Carolina; Chris Pappas (1st) of New Hampshire; Nellie Pou (9th) of New Jersey; and Gabe Vasquez (2nd) of New Mexico. Also on the list are Dina Titus (1st), Susie Lee (3rd) and Steven Horsford (4th) of Nevada; Tom Suozzi (3rd), Laura Gillen (4th) and Josh Riley (9th) of New York; Marcy Kaptur (9th) and Emilia Sykes (13th) of Ohio; Henry Cuellar (28th) and Vicente Gonzalez (34th) of Texas; Eugene Vindman (7th) of Virginia; and Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (3rd) of New Mexico. The rival Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) recently released a list of what it considers its most vulnerable incumbents – known as Frontliners. Reps. Jahana Hayes of Connecticut, John Mannion of New York and Janelle Bynum of Oregon all made the DCCC list, but were not included on the NRCC list. Meanwhile, Moskowitz, Pappas and Soto weren’t listed as Frontliners, but were included on the NRCC list. The DCCC, responding, pointed to their performance in last November’s elections when the Democrats took a small bite out of the GOP’s House majority. “House Democrats overperformed across the country in 2024, powered by our battle-tested candidates who won despite the NRCC’s false bravado and these Frontliners will win again in the midterms,” DCCC spokesperson Viet Shelton told Fox News Digital. “The truth is House Republicans are running scared and refusing to hold town halls because they don’t want to get yelled at for their failure to lower prices, bungling the economy, and cutting Medicaid in order to pay for tax breaks for billionaires like Elon Musk.”
‘Face of evil’: Catholic Church named after St. Patrick vandalized with Satanic message
Federal and local authorities are investigating a possible hate crime after a Catholic Church named after St. Patrick was discovered with “extensive vandalism,” including a Satanic message in Wichita, Kansas. Police arrested a 23-year-old man in relation to the case, but authorities are continuing their investigation. The damage included the beheading of a statue of St. Patrick, the breaking of candles and windows, and the burning of an American flag. The vandalism also included a Satanic website being scrawled onto the Church’s wall, according to a statement by the Catholic Conference of Kansas. The Catholic conference responded to the incident by saying, “This is the face of evil.” The conference said the website is the same type of group that will be holding a Satanic worship ritual at the Kansas State Capitol on March 28. TRUMP PLEDGES TO MAKE US CAPITAL ‘CRIME-FREE’ AND THE ‘TALK OF THE WORLD’ Church members could not hold services on Saturday due to the attack, the conference said in a post that included pictures of the damage. “This is the hate crime scene at St. Patrick Catholic Church in Wichita. After forcing their way inside, statues were destroyed, glass smashed and other extensive damage exacted upon this sacred space,” said the conference. The Wichita Police Department also released a statement in which it said it is working with federal law enforcement to launch a “full-scale investigation.” According to the statement, police arrested a suspect in connection with the attack, a 23-year-old man from Saline County, at 2:20 a.m. on Sunday. Local outlet Salina Post identified the man as Michael Angel Gonzalez, citing Sedgwick County booking records. DANCING TRANSGENDER HECKLERS SHUT DOWN PARENTS’ EVENT AT BLUE STATE’S CAPITOL: ‘SAD AND UNFORTUNATE’ The man was arrested without incident and was booked into the Sedgwick County Jail on charges of Burglary, Criminal Desecration, and Criminal Damage to Property. The police said the case will be presented to the Sedgwick County district attorney and federal prosecutors for formal charging considerations. Speaking at the scene, Wichita Police Chief Joe Sullivan called the attack “disgusting,” according to local outlet KSNW. “It doesn’t matter what denomination. People should feel safe there, and they should feel that it’s a place that would be respected,” he said. Sullivan said, “this reprehensible act of vandalism will not be tolerated.” ICONIC ST. PATRICK’S DAY PARADE STARTING EARLIER TO PREVENT ‘TOMFOOLERY’ AFTER PAST ‘REGRETTABLE MOMENTS’ Despite the attack, Sullivan posted on Sunday that the church congregation – which is predominantly Hispanic – held a St. Patrick’s Day parade. “This afternoon, I attended the St. Patrick Catholic Church St. Paddy’s Day parade, where the congregation and the community came together in celebration,” he said. “Their resilience was evident, especially after the heartbreaking burglary and vandalism that occurred yesterday.” He added, “It was even more meaningful to know that the suspect responsible for this terrible act was taken into custody before sunrise, thanks to the swift and dedicated work of WPD officers. Great job to our team for getting him off the streets and behind bars!”
DHS’ Kristi Noem says Trump admin will resume construction of 7 miles of southern border wall
Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem announced the building of seven miles of new border wall in Arizona as part of the administration’s efforts to “make America safe again.” Noem’s announcement, coming in a short video posted to her X account, marks the beginning of additional border wall construction along the southern border during the second Trump administration. The DHS said in a press release Friday that U.S. Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) had awarded the first contract of President Donald Trump’s second term to Granite Construction Co. for more than $70 million, which will result in seven miles of new border wall in the Rio Grande Valley Sector, according to Noem’s announcement. “Everybody, I’m here in Arizona, and right at this spot, you can see where the border wall ends,” Noem said while standing along the border, donning a CBP hat and jacket. “As of today, we’re starting 7 new miles of construction, we’re going to continue to make America safe again.” VETS GROUP PATCHING BORDER FENCE PLEDGES VIGILANCE AMID TRUMP SUCCESS: ‘THERE ARE STILL GAPS’ The new wall will be paid for via CBP’s Fiscal Year 2021 funds, per DHS. Trump’s predecessor, former President Joe Biden, moved on his first day in office to halt all border wall construction along the U.S.-Mexico border. In late 2023, construction on roughly 20 miles of border barriers in South Texas was allowed to commence under Biden, since the money had already been appropriated by Congress during Trump’s first administration. Under Trump’s first term, approximately 458 miles of primary and secondary barriers were built, per CBP data. This included parts of the current wall that were dilapidated and needed to be replaced. SANCTUARY CITY LAWYERS PLOT TO HELP ILLEGAL MIGRANTS EVADE ICE IN EXPOSED GROUP EMAIL Vice President JD Vance said earlier this month during a visit to the U.S.-Mexico border in Texas that he was under the belief that Trump was hoping to build a wall across every mile of the southern border by the end of his term in 2029. “I think the president’s hope is that by the end of the term we build the entire border wall,” the vice president told reporters during a press conference. “And, of course, that’s the physical structure — the border wall itself — but we even heard today, there are so many good technological tools, so many great artificial intelligence-enabled technologies” that can also be used to secure the border, Vance added. CALIFORNIA EXPLOITING MEDICAID ‘LOOPHOLE’ TO PAY BILLIONS FOR ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS’ HEALTHCARE, STUDY SAYS The number of illegal migrant “gotaways,” or the number of successful illegal crossings, which are recorded using cameras and other surveillance methods, has dropped as much as 90% since Trump took office, according to some estimates based on numbers reported by Fox News’ Bill Melugin last week. According to the numbers reported by Melugin, border agents have been spotting an average of 77 “gotaways” per day, while during the height of the immigration crisis under Biden, that number reached as much as 1,800 per day, according to reports.
‘Dangerous’ order by liberal judge to rehire federal workers should go to SCOTUS, Trump says
President Donald Trump said the U.S. Supreme Court may need to decide if a Clinton-appointed judge can require the administration to reinstate thousands of probationary workers fired as the administration moves to shrink the federal workforce. “It’s a judge that’s putting himself in the position of the president of the United States, who was elected by close to 80 million votes,” Trump said aboard Air Force One on a flight back to Washington Sunday night. “That’s a very dangerous thing for our country. And I would suspect that we’re going to have to get a decision from the Supreme Court.” U.S. District Judge William Alsup, issued the order last week during a federal court hearing in San Francisco on a lawsuit brought by labor unions and other organizations challenging the mass firings ordered by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM). SECOND JUDGE REQUIRES TRUMP ADMIN TO REHIRE PROBATIONARY WORKERS LET GO IN MASS FIRINGS “And that’s a very dangerous decision for our country, because these are people in many cases, they don’t show up for work. Nobody even knows if they exist. And a judge wants us to pay them, even if they don’t know they exist and if they exist,” Trump said. “And I don’t think that’s going to be happening. But we’ll have to say you have to speak to the lawyers about that.” Shortly after Alsup’s order, a second judge – appointed by former President Barack Obama – also issued a ruling ordering the Trump administration to rehire the fired workers. In Baltimore, U.S. District Judge James Bredar, ruled the firings should cease for two weeks while the federal workforce returns to its previous regulations, arguing the Trump administration ignored procedures for mass layoffs. JUDGE ORDERS TRUMP ADMIN TO REINSTATE PROBATIONARY WORKERS FIRED AT 6 AGENCIES Trump, calling the order “absolutely ridiculous,” ordered the mass layoffs across six government agencies: the Departments of Veterans Affairs, Agriculture, Defense, Energy, Interior and Treasury. The Trump administration has already filed an appeal to the order, arguing that states have no standing to influence the federal government’s relationship with its employees. Trump’s attorneys contend the layoffs were performance-related, not subject to the regulations governing large-scale reductions. Probationary workers – employees who are still within their initial trial period of employment – have been the target of the layoffs since they’re typically new to the job and lack certain civil protection benefits offered to government employees. Several lawsuits have already been filed over the mass firings. BLUE STATE OFFERS TO HIRE FEDERAL WORKERS FIRED BY DOGE The Trump administration’s lawyers find themselves busy as more than 100 lawsuits have been filed against Trump’s orders since he took office in January. Trump has already filed an emergency petition last week in the high court asking justices to allow parts of his executive order restricting birthright citizenship to take effect while other legal battles in the states play out.
Americans want smaller government but new polls shows whether they like how Musk, DOGE, are going about it
Americans like the idea of downsizing the federal government but are far from thrilled with how billionaire Elon Musk and the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) are carrying out cuts to the federal bureaucracy, according to new national polling. President Donald Trump, after winning back the White House in last November’s election, created DOGE with marching orders to overhaul and downsize the federal government. Trump named Musk, the world’s richest person and the chief executive of Tesla and SpaceX, to steer the organization. DOGE has swept through federal agencies during the first two months of the Trump administration, rooting out what the White House argues was billions in wasteful federal spending. Additionally, it has taken a meat cleaver to the federal workforce, resulting in a massive downsizing of employees. The moves by DOGE grabbed tons of national attention and have triggered a slew of lawsuits in response. HEAD HERE FOR THE LATEST FOX NEWS REPORTING, ANALYSIS ON ELON MUSK American voters, by a 46%-40% margin in an NBC News poll conducted March 7-11 and released on Sunday, said creating DOGE was a good idea rather than a bad idea. However, when asked about their feelings towards DOGE, 47% of respondents held negative views, with 41% saying they saw DOGE in a positive light. It is a similar story in a Reuters/IPSOS survey conducted March 11-12. By a 59%-39% margin, Americans questioned in the poll said they supported downsizing the federal government. NEW POLLS SPELL TROUBLE FOR THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY However, 59% opposed the firing of tens of thousands of federal workers, with 38% supporting the moves by the Trump administration, and by a 50%-38% margin, they said Trump and Musk had gone too far in cutting federal spending. Trump has repeatedly praised Musk for his efforts with DOGE, including during a primetime address earlier this month to a joint-session of Congress. During an interview a week ago on Fox News’ “Sunday Morning Futures,” Trump called Musk a “real patriot” whose efforts have “opened a lot of eyes.” However, Americans do not hold such rosy views of Musk, according to the surveys. Only 39% of those questioned in the NBC News poll had a positive view of Musk, with 51% holding a negative view. He was underwater at 38% favorable and 59% unfavorable in the Reuters/Ipsos survey. WHAT THE LATEST FOX NEWS POLLS SHOW According to a Quinnipiac University national poll conducted March 6-10, 60% disapproved of the way Musk and DOGE are dealing with workers employed by the federal government, with only 36% approving. The survey’s release noted that “54% of voters think Elon Musk and DOGE are hurting the country, while 40% think they are helping the country.” A CNN poll conducted March 6-9 indicated that more than six in 10 thought the cuts by DOGE would go too far and that important federal programs would be shut down, with 37% saying the cuts wouldn’t go far enough in eliminating fraud and waste in the government. It appears Trump is well aware of the negative reviews for Musk and DOGE. Two weeks ago, Trump told the Cabinet secretaries that they, rather than Musk, would be in charge of department downsizing at their agencies. In a social media post, Trump said they would use a “scalpel” rather than a “hatchet” in making government staffing cuts.
Trump claims Biden pardons are ‘VOID,’ alleging they were signed via autopen
President Donald Trump claimed that former President Joe Biden’s pardons of lawmakers who served on the House Select Committee to investigate the Jan. 6 Capitol riot, and others, are “VOID,” alleging that they had been signed via an autopen and that Biden did not even know about them. “The ‘Pardons’ that Sleepy Joe Biden gave to the Unselect Committee of Political Thugs, and many others, are hereby declared VOID, VACANT, AND OF NO FURTHER FORCE OR EFFECT, because of the fact that they were done by Autopen,” Trump claimed in a Truth Social post. “In other words, Joe Biden did not sign them but, more importantly, he did not know anything about them! The necessary Pardoning Documents were not explained to, or approved by, Biden. He knew nothing about them, and the people that did may have committed a crime,” Trump added. TRUMP TAKES JAB AT BIDEN OVER ‘AUTOPEN SIGNATURE’ FOLLOWING CONCERNING REPORT OVER WHO RAN THE WHITE HOUSE The president continued in his post, “Therefore, those on the Unselect Committee, who destroyed and deleted ALL evidence obtained during their two year Witch Hunt of me, and many other innocent people, should fully understand that they are subject to investigation at the highest level. The fact is, they were probably responsible for the Documents that were signed on their behalf without the knowledge or consent of the Worst President in the History of our Country, Crooked Joe Biden!” While aboard Air Force One on Sunday night, Trump was asked whether executive orders and pardons signed by Biden via an autopen are void. “I think so. It’s not my decision. That would be up to a court,” Trump replied. BIDEN’S ‘AUTOPEN SIGNATURE’ APPEARS ON MOST OFFICIAL DOCS, RAISING CONCERNS OVER WHO CONTROLLED THE WH: REPORT Trump’s comments come after the Heritage Foundation’s Oversight Project suggested that an autopen had been heavily used during Biden’s White House tenure. “We gathered every document we could find with Biden’s signature over the course of his presidency. All used the same autopen signature except for the announcement that the former President was dropping out of the race last year. Here is the autopen signature,” the Oversight Project declared in a post on X earlier this month. TRUMP UNDOES STACK OF ‘HARMFUL’ BIDEN EXECUTIVE ORDERS, SHRINKS MULTIPLE AGENCIES CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP In a statement on Jan. 20, the same day he departed from office, Biden announced that he was pardoning “General Mark A. Milley, Dr. Anthony S. Fauci, the Members of Congress and staff who served on the Select Committee, and the U.S. Capitol and D.C. Metropolitan police officers who testified before the Select Committee.” “These public servants have served our nation with honor and distinction and do not deserve to be the targets of unjustified and politically motivated prosecutions,” he noted. Fox News Digital has reached out to a Biden spokesperson for comment.
Five years after COVID lockdowns: The 5 most bizarre ‘Stop-the-Spread’ moments
As the U.S. nears the five-year mark since nationwide lockdowns turned toilet paper into a hot commodity, Fox News Digital took a look back at some of the most controversial mandates – those that sparked debate – and, to some, defied logic. Former NIAID Director Anthony Fauci was a ubiquitous sight throughout the pandemic, during the administrations of both Donald Trump and Joe Biden. The octogenarian allergist, who had been with the government since 1968 and appointed head of the NIH’s infectious disease arm by former President Ronald Reagan, was often lambasted for contradictory or questionable medical orders. Fauci drew heat for apparent contradictions in mask-wearing orders, with critics often locking onto the certainty with which the Brooklynite announced each countervailing development. In March 2020, Fauci told “60 Minutes” about “unintended consequences” of wearing masks to prevent the spread of COVID-19. “People keep fiddling with the mask and they keep touching their face,” he said, suggesting germs and viruses could be spread by too much fidgeting. Soon after, and for most of the rest of the pandemic, Fauci was adamant that Americans must wear masks nearly at all times in public. He raised eyebrows further when he told CNBC it might be time to double up on masks – a stance that clashed with claims from right-wing physicians who warned that excessive face coverings could obstruct breathing. ‘CUOMO CHIP’ LOOPHOLE CRUMBLES AS NY NOW WANTS ‘SUBSTANTIAL FOOD’ SOLD WITH BOOZE “If you have a physical covering with one layer, you put another layer on it just makes common sense that it likely would be more effective,” Fauci said. National Review writer David Harsanyi balked at the order at the time, quipping, “No, thanks, Dad.” Current Secretary of State Marco Rubio also commented at the time about Fauci’s varied orders: “Dr. Fauci is a very good public-health official. His job is to advise policymakers and inform the public, but his job is not to decide what we can do, where we can go or which places can open or close. His job is not to mislead or scare us into doing the [supposed] right things,” the Floridian said. Pennsylvania’s most visible shutdown-opposing lawmaker, who later ran for governor on a related “Walk as Free People” slogan, regularly quipped in public remarks at people he would see driving alone in their cars on Interstate 81 while wearing a mask. “You can’t make this stuff up,” Sen. Doug Mastriano often repeated. New York City is known for its pizza, bagels, heros and chopped cheese – but western New York holds another food item just as dear – the Buffalo wing. The COVID-19 lockdowns proved the love upstaters have for their chicken apps after then-Gov. Andrew Cuomo laid out what “substantive food” a watering hole has to offer in order for patrons to go out for a drink. “To be a bar, you have to have food available. Soups, sandwiches – More than just hors d’oeuvres, chicken wings; you had to have some substantive food,” he said. New Yorkers used to sloshing Frank’s Red Hot on their chicken became Red Hot themselves and lambasted the governor for appearing to define their beloved dish as less than a meal. The outrage led to a New York state communications official later tweeting a diagrammed-sentence breakdown of Cuomo’s comments, seeking to illustrate that the clause “more than just hors d’oeuvres” was an interjection and that “chicken wings” were to be associated with the “soups, sandwiches” mentioned – but the damage had been done. In return, bars began charging a dollar or so each for a slice of deli meat, a handful of croutons or a single french fry in order to allow their patrons an end-round around the edict and have a cold one. PENNSYLVANIA GOV. TOM WOLF THREATENS TO WITHHOLD CORONAVIRUS AID TO COUNTIES THAT DEFY LOCKDOWN ORDERS In neighboring Pennsylvania, Gov. Tom Wolf instituted a similar ban – requiring a meal to be purchased before alcohol could be served. The state police’s bureau of liquor enforcement patrolled towns to enforce the mandate and other regulations, warning small-town saloons that their liquor licenses were on the line. When many restaurants were closed for eat-in dining in Pennsylvania, several lawmakers held a demonstration in Lebanon outside what was then the Taste of Sicily Italian Restaurant. Several area lawmakers – state Reps. Russ Diamond, Frank Ryan and the late Dave Arnold – joined Mastriano and restaurant manager Mike Mangano to decry “stop the spread” orders that cut off family restaurants’ income. Flanked by the others, Diamond read from Article I Sec. 2 of the Pennsylvania Constitution, which stated “all power is inherent in the people… and they have at all times an inalienable… right to alter, reform or abolish their government in such matter they see fit.” “That means,” he said, “You can exercise your constitutional right to abolish the interminable b—- of this government, which happens to be the governor’s obtuse, stupid and bass-ackward orders.” In Pennsylvania, Wolf and Health Secretary Rachel Levine were ubiquitous on the airwaves with their lockdown provisions and orders – from traffic-light color-coded maps instructing which counties’ residents could have varying levels of freedom, to Levine’s daily warning on TV to “stay home, stay calm, stay safe.” Early in the shutdown period, the Wolf administration utilized a seven-decade-old state law aimed at blunting a syphilis outbreak as legal backing for some of their orders. In April 2020, a York woman was charged under that statute when she tried to quell her cabin fever with a Sunday drive. Anita Shaffer told local media at the time she had been returning home from a drive when she passed police parked in the town of Yoe. Originally stopped for a broken taillight, Shaffer was ultimately issued a $202 ticket for violating the Disease Prevention and Control Act of 1955, which was described to her as the “stay-at-home-act” in force at the time – to which she pleaded “not guilty.” PENNSYLVANIA LAWMAKER SLAMS PA COVID LOCKDOWNS
Trump putting troops on border was game changer, San Diego sector chief says: ‘Force multiplier’
SAN DIEGO, Calif. — U.S. military personnel sent by President Donald Trump to the southern border to assist in security operations have had a profound impact on the number of illegal crossing attempts, a veteran border agent tells Fox News Digital. “It’s a force multiplier,” San Diego Sector acting Chief Patrol Agent Jeffrey Stalnaker said of the military assistance at the border in an interview with Fox News Digital. “It assists us to accomplish our mission.” At the San Diego border sector, traditionally one of the busiest crossing areas of the U.S. border with Mexico, hundreds of service members from the Army, Marines, and Navy have been deployed to assist U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents over the last several weeks. BORDER AREA BUSTLING UNDER BIDEN NOW QUIET UNDER TRUMP, SAYS VETERANS GROUP: ‘AMAZING DIFFERENCE’ The deployments, which were ordered just days after President Trump took office, have helped put an almost sudden stop to the record-setting illegal crossings seen in recent years. The number of southern border apprehensions in February hit lows not seen since the year 2000, according to CBP data, while CBP agent encounters with illegal migrants have also fallen sharply, with the agency recording just 30,000 encounters in February, compared to the over 130,000 recorded during the same time period in 2023 and 2024. According to Stalnaker, the military forces currently assisting at the border have had a lot to do with the recent success. “It’s not just walls and c-wire, it’s also our weather roads. It gives us access, quick access, to be able to move our agents … to be able to respond to an event, a law enforcement event,” he said. The nearly 500 Marines operating at the border as part of Task Force Sapper have helped CBP by reinforcing existing border barriers with additional protection, including the welding of razor wire that has been strategically placed to slow down any potential crossings and give CBP agents time to react. CALIF POLITICIAN PATCHES GAPING BORDER HOLE WITH 400 FEET OF RAZOR WIRE USING HER OWN CASH “We are the engineers that are conducting the construction down on the southern border in order to reinforce the existing primary and secondary barrier that exists in the San Diego sector,” Lt. Col Tyrone Barrion, the commanding officer of Task Force Sapper, told Fox News Digital, noting that the Marines’ efforts have created an “obstacle that disrupts any type of activity that tries to cross over the top or through the barrier.” “That allows more reaction time for border patrol,” he added. Barrion said that the Marines plan on continuing their efforts from the Pacific coastline of San Diego until about 20 miles inland, where they will then tackle a break in the existing barrier caused by the area’s rough terrain. Joining the Marines are multiple companies of Army engineers and military police officers based out of Ft. Campbell, Kentucky, who have fanned out across the landscape to help with surveillance and detection. While the soldiers don’t intervene to stop illegal crossings themselves, a CBP spokesperson told Fox News Digital that the troops have become the eyes and ears of agents, taking some tasks off their plate and allowing them to quickly and accurately respond to potential crossings. On Otay Mountain, which lies southeast of San Diego and overlooks the border near the Mexican city of Tijuana, Army soldiers perched high above a popular crossing valley helped operate a CBP surveillance station that can detect the potential movements of illegal crossings for miles in the surrounding area. While CBP agents are trained and typically tasked with operating the equipment, the help of Army soldiers has allowed CBP to make more efficient use of their limited resources. Facing limited manning, the CBP spokesperson said that the troops at the border have allowed agents to focus their attention on responding to crossers and making apprehensions, all done with the assistance of troops who are in constant contact with their CBP counterparts. Those Army forces have contributed to the drastic turnaround at the once-busy border sector. “They’re a great partner,” Stalnaker said. “We enjoy having them out here.”