‘Corrupt’ FBI must become ‘pristine,’ Trump says, asserting Patel will ‘straighten it out’
President Donald Trump on Monday slammed the FBI as “corrupt” and praised his nominee for FBI director, Kash Patel, as the man to “straighten it out” as he declined to answer questions over whether his administration will remove bureau employees involved in the investigation into the Jan. 6, 2021, U.S. Capitol riot. Asked Monday by Fox News whether he believed anyone involved in the Jan. 6 investigation should be fired, Trump did not answer outright. Instead, he criticized the actions of a bureau he has repeatedly decried as “corrupt,” and one he insists has targeted him specifically. “I think the FBI was a very corrupt institution, and I’m a victim of it in the true sense,” Trump told Fox News while addressing reporters Monday at the Oval Office. He also added that he believes the bureau’s reputation has been “damaged badly, as has the DOJ’s.” “But you know what? We have to have pristine, beautiful, perfect law enforcement,” Trump said. AFTER STINGING ELECTION DEFEATS, DNC EYES RURAL VOTERS AS KEY TO 2026 MIDTERM SUCCESS “We have to bring the reputation of the FBI not even [back] to what it was, even better than it ever was,” Trump said. “But Kash has to be the one to do it,” he added. “Kash will straighten it out.” Trump’s remarks come days after Acting Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove directed the acting FBI director to terminate eight FBI employees and identify all current and former bureau personnel assigned to the Jan. 6 and Hamas cases for an internal review. “I do not believe that the current leadership of the Justice Department can trust these FBI employees to assist in implementing the President’s agenda faithfully,” Bove wrote in the memo, instructing that the eight employees be fired by Monday, Feb. 3, at 5:30 p.m. Former FBI and Justice Department officials warned in interviews with Fox News Digital that such firings, while within Trump’s authority, could have a chilling effect on the rest of the bureau should the administration move to get rid of the personnel involved in the Jan. 6 investigations. The Trump administration has not yet said if it will move to take action against the individuals involved. But new concerns were raised after Bove sent a 12-page questionnaire to FBI personnel across the country asking them to detail their involvement in the Jan. 6 investigations, noting that the department would begin a “review process to determine whether any additional personnel actions are necessary.” TRUMP’S ULTIMATUM TO FEDERAL WORKERS: RETURN TO OFFICE ‘OR BE TERMINATED’ The remarks come after Trump, in his second term as president, moved to immediately issue a blanket pardon and sentence commutation for all 1,600 criminal defendants in the Jan. 6 Capitol riots, who he has repeatedly referred to as “hostages.” Since taking office, Trump has also fired the inspectors general of 17 separate federal agencies, fired more than a dozen prosecutors involved in the special counsel investigations led by Jack Smith and ordered more than half a dozen FBI officials to either resign or retire from their posts or be fired. Combined, the actions have sparked new fears that the FBI could see the ousting of decades of expertise from within the bureau’s ranks, including employees well-versed in detecting and responding to counterterrorism threats, organized and violent crime, drug trafficking and more. DOJ DIRECTS FBI TO FIRE 8 TOP OFFICIALS, IDENTIFY EMPLOYEES INVOLVED IN JAN 6, HAMAS CASES FOR REVIEW Others noted that the Jan. 6 investigation was originally launched under the Trump administration, a detail that the president and some of his supporters neglect to mention in their frequent criticisms against it. “We’re in an extremely precarious time right now in a very chaotic world,” one former Justice Department official said in an interview. “The terrorism front is as concerning as I’ve seen it, ever. So it doesn’t make sense to me why we’d be taking a meat cleaver to agencies that defend against that.”
The Speaker’s Lobby: A palpably unfair act
Referee Shawn Hochuli educated football fans recently on Rule 12, Section 3, Article 4 of the NFL rulebook. Hochuli threatened to give the Philadelphia Eagles an automatic touchdown after the Washington Commanders committed three consecutive penalties at the goal line during the NFC Championship Game. Washington linebacker Frankie Luvu launched himself twice – mimicking Superman in mid-flight – diving over the line of scrimmage before the Eagles snapped the ball at the one-yard line. Luvu was trying to prevent Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts from sneaking into the end zone behind his massive linemen. Hochuli slid the ball closer to the goal line after each infraction. “Half the distance to the goal line” is the sanction, meaning the ball advanced a few centimeters each time and Philadelphia got a new set of downs. But following the second infraction, Hochuli announced he’d assess Luvu an unsportsmanlike penalty if he did it again. SPENDING SHOWDOWN: REPUBLICANS WILL NEED TO CORRAL VOTES – BUT THEY HAVEN’T ASKED, YET Luvu didn’t. But on the third play, Washington defensive tackle Jonathan Allen hopped briefly offside before the snap. Hochuli blew the whistle, assessed a penalty for encroachment and moved the ball forward until its nose practically kissed the goal line chalk. The referee then tutored the nation on one of the most obscure rules in any athletic rulebook. “Washington has been advised that the referees can award a score if this type of behavior happens again,” said Hochuli, much to the delight of the partisan crowd stuffed into Lincoln Financial Field in south Philly. The rule declares the following: “A player or substitute shall not interfere with play by any act which is palpably unfair. Penalty: For a palpably unfair act: Offender may be disqualified. The referee, after consulting the officiating crew, enforces any such distance penalty they consider equitable and irrespective of any other specified code penalty. The referee may award a score.” THE POLITICAL FIRESTORM THAT’S ABOUT TO SINGE CAPITOL HILL In short, had Washington committed another penalty, Hochuli could have quit creeping the ball toward the goal line. He would have just given the Eagles six points on the scoreboard. Rule 12, Section 3, Article 4 does not exist in governance or politics. Except the voters, there is no referee like Shawn Hochuli to assess penalties, mete out discipline and dock a team yardage. And this is what vexes Democrats – and some Republicans – when it comes to Trump Administration moves to freeze money appropriated by Congress across the board. Article I, Section 9 of the Constitution is clear about which branch of government controls the purse strings: “No Money shall be drawn from the Treasury but in Consequence of Appropriations made by Law.” In other words, Congress is responsible for spending money. The executive branch just cannot unilaterally thwart what Congress spends. President Richard Nixon tried this in the mid-1970s with “impoundment.” Nixon’s administration blocked spending money which Congress allocated. MUSK’S DOGE TAKES AIM AT ‘VIPER’S NEST’ FEDERAL AGENCY WITH GLOBAL FOOTPRINT This is why Elon Musk’s “Department of Government Efficiency” or “DOGE” is so controversial. First of all, it’s not a “department” like the State Department or the Department of Energy. It’s really the “U.S. DOGE Service,” positioned under the umbrella of a small agency within the executive branch: The U.S. Digital Service. But President Trump has granted Elon Musk and his team access to probe ways to cut spending. The DOGE service can’t just cut spending on its own. At least not constitutionally. And it certainly can’t eliminate another agency, like the U.S. Agency for International Development, USAID. Unless Congress says so. That’s why the drama last week about an automatic freeze on federal grants and loans rattled lawmakers from both parties on Capitol Hill. Granted, the administration called for a “temporary” pause. And even some powerful Republicans were okay with that. “I think that’s a normal practice at the beginning of administration until we have an opportunity to know how the money is being spent,” said Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., about the halt. “I think it’s just this is kind of a preliminary step that I think most administrations take.” But Congress generally safeguards its prerogatives of spending very closely. It would be remarkable for lawmakers to fork over fiscal responsibilities to the executive branch without a fight. THE POLITICAL FIRESTORM THAT’S ABOUT TO SINGE CAPITOL HILL This is why when granting a restraining order to quash moves by the administration to usurp congressional authority over spending, U.S. District Judge Loren AliKhan declared that there was potential for “irreparable harm” to federal agencies and that the administration’s actions could be “catastrophic.” Republicans raised few hackles about the administration’s decisions. But Democrats and their allies spelled out the gravity of the circumstances. “This is a profound Constitutional issue,” argued Sen. Angus King, I-Maine. “What happened last night is the most direct assault on the authority of Congress, I believe in the history of the United States. It is blatantly unconstitutional. Article two does not give the executive the power to determine budgets or expenditures that powers vested in article three in the Congress.” USAID shuttered Monday and staffers were locked out of the computer system. Musk said that the agency should be closed. House and Senate Democrats marched down to USAID headquarters in Washington Monday to protest the move by DOGE and Musk. “If you want to change an agency, introduce a bill and pass a law. You cannot wave away an agency that you don’t like,” said Sen. Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii. “Just like Elon Musk did not create USAID, he doesn’t have the power to destroy it,” said Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Md., the top Democrat on the House Appropriations Committee. “We don’t have a fourth branch of government called Elon Musk.” USAID CLOSES HQ TO STAFFERS MONDAY AS MUSK SAYS TRUMP SUPPORTS SHUTTING AGENCY DOWN The moves by the administration last week and over the weekend to trample on congressional spending powers were so egregious
‘Authoritarian’: Furious NY House Republicans send warning to Dem leaders in war over Stefanik seat
FIRST ON FOX: Republicans in New York’s congressional delegation are up in arms over reports that state Democrat leaders are considering legislative routes to delay the special election to replace Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y. The six GOP lawmakers signaled they would seek intervention from the Department of Justice (DOJ) if the alleged legislative maneuver runs afoul of federal law. “Your clear attempt at playing political games to limit Republican numbers in the House of Representatives is overreaching, corrupt, and undemocratic,” reads a letter led by Reps. Mike Lawler and Nick Langworthy. “We demand you cease any and all such attempts to change this law, and in preparation of this conspiratory, corrupt act that clearly threatens the constitutional rights of American citizens, we will also be alerting the Department of Justice.” BLACK CAUCUS CHAIR ACCUSES TRUMP OF ‘PURGE’ OF ‘MINORITY’ FEDERAL WORKERS The letter was also signed by New York Republican Reps. Nicole Malliotakis, Nick LaLota, Andrew Garbarino and Claudia Tenney. Their pressure on New York’s Democrat leaders is backed by House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., who told “Fox & Friends” on Monday morning, “This is open political corruption by state officials in New York.” “They’re going to try to disenfranchise over 750,000 New Yorkers who live in that 21st District. It’s unconscionable,” he said. New York lawmakers in the state Senate and Assembly met last week to discuss a rules change that could keep Stefanik’s seat empty until at least June, according to the New York Post. Stefanik was tapped to be President Donald Trump’s U.S. ambassador to the United Nations and is expected to easily pass a Senate confirmation vote. She and National Security Advisor Mike Waltz’s departure from Congress leave the House with a razor-thin GOP majority, leaving no room for Republican dissent to pass any legislation without Democrat support. The letter noted that Stefanik could be confirmed “as early as this week,” which would leave residents of New York’s 21st Congressional District without representation in the House until the seat is filled. The deep-red district is almost certainly going to stay in Republican control, as is the case with Waltz’s former Florida seat. While Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis acted quickly to set special elections for April, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul has been silent. Under current state law, Hochul has 10 days after Stefanik’s resignation to call a special election within a further 70 to 80 days. But the rule change would reportedly consolidate the special elections date with the June primary race, allegedly in the name of saving resources and time. GOP LAWMAKER CALLS FOR CONGRESSIONAL HEARING OVER DC PLANE CRASH “Your claims that you’re doing this to be cost-effective or to promote equity are laughable and will do nothing more than leave every New Yorker in the 21st district with no representation in the House for additional months,” the GOP lawmakers wrote. “Your scheme to alter the schedule for the special election is a serious abuse of power that is more alike to election processes in authoritarian countries than anything we see in the United States.” They argued that any delay would run afoul of the Constitution’s clauses on filling House vacancies as well as Supreme Court precedent. “Any delay or postponement in calling a special election to fill a vacancy in the House of Representatives is not just undemocratic, but it is unconstitutional as well,” they wrote. “It would be reminiscent of other failed efforts regarding New York’s elections in recent years, such as the unconstitutional attempts to gerrymander New York’s congressional districts.” The letter also cited a 2009 New York State Court of Appeals ruling that special elections to fill a vacancy should occur in the “shortest space of time reasonably possible.” “The citizens of New York’s 21st Congressional District are constitutionally entitled to representation in the House and it is our hope that these reports have little basis in reality. If not, we strongly urge you to abandon this absurd, shameful scheme to deny representation for more than 750,000 New Yorkers and maintain current state election laws,” the lawmakers wrote. Fox News Digital reached out to Hochul’s office as well as the offices of New York State Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie and state Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins.
Chris Wright confirmed to serve as Trump’s Secretary of Energy
CEO Chris Wright has been confirmed by the Senate to serve as President Donald Trump‘s secretary of energy, where he will be at the helm of shaping the president’s “Drill, baby, drill” agenda. Wright received bipartisan support from members of the Senate after being selected by Trump to lead the energy agency under his administration. The Trump nominee, who has served as the CEO and founder of Liberty Energy Inc. since 2011, advanced through the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee before his nomination was put on the floor for a final vote. He was confirmed on Monday night in a bipartisan vote, 59 to 38. TRUMP ENERGY NOMINEE HECKLED BY CLIMATE PROTESTERS, DERIDED BY DEM SENATOR AS ‘ENTHUSIAST FOR FOSSIL FUELS’ Upon his swearing-in, Wright will begin working closely with Trump to spearhead his energy agenda over the next four years. TRUMP AG PICK PAM BONDI CLEARS JUDICIARY COMMITTEE, WILL GET CONFIRMATION VOTE IN SENATE The 47th president has made energy a focus of his first two weeks in office, declaring an “energy emergency” on his first day in office, lifting former President Joe Biden’s pause on liquefied natural gas exports and axing climate standards set by the previous administration. Wright’s energy vision aligns with that of Trump’s, telling lawmakers during his confirmation hearing that his first focus would be on unleashing American energy and increasing energy production in the U.S.
Trump AG nominee Pam Bondi advances to final Senate vote
President Donald Trump‘s attorney general nominee, Pam Bondi, will now move on to a final Senate floor vote for confirmation after senators voted to invoke cloture and limit the remaining floor debate. Bondi, the former Florida attorney general who also spent 18 years as a prosecutor in Hillsborough County, earned praise this month for her composure during her confirmation hearing, which stretched for nearly six hours. She was also praised for her ability to deftly navigate thorny and politically tricky topics and lines of questioning from some would-be detractors. By a vote of 52-46, the Senate invoked cloture on the nomination on Monday night, defeating the legislative filibuster. If confirmed, Bondi stressed, her primary goal would be to enforce federal law without political considerations. “Politics has to be taken out of this system,” Bondi told the Senate Judiciary Committee, a refrain she returned to multiple times during her conversations with lawmakers. “This department has been weaponized for years and years and years, and it has to stop,” she said. TRUMP AG PICK PAM BONDI CLEARS JUDICIARY COMMITTEE, WILL GET CONFIRMATION VOTE IN SENATE Bondi’s experience and composure in her meetings with lawmakers, as well as during the confirmation hearing itself, won wide praise from Republicans on the panel, as well as some Democrats, who voted last week to approve her nomination. The vote clears Bondi’s nomination to the Senate floor for a full chamber vote. Bondi’s experience also earned the backing of former senior officials at the Justice Department, who urged lawmakers in a letter this month to swiftly move to confirm her. WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY DEFENDS TRUMP’S FIRING OF INSPECTORS GENERAL In letters previewed exclusively to Fox News Digital, the more than 110 senior Justice Department officials, including former U.S. attorneys general John Ashcroft, Jeff Sessions, Bill Barr and Edwin Meese, expressed their “strong and enthusiastic support” for Bondi, praising both her commitment to the rule of law and her track record as Florida’s former attorney general that they said make her uniquely qualified for the role. “It is all too rare for senior Justice Department officials—much less Attorneys General—to have such a wealth of experience in the day-to-day work of keeping our communities safe,” they wrote. She was also backed by dozens of former Republican and Democratic state attorneys general, who sent a letter urging her confirmation earlier this month. “Many of us have worked directly with Attorney General Bondi and have firsthand knowledge of her fitness for the office,” the former attorneys general said in the letter, also exclusively previewed to Fox News Digital. “We believe that her wealth of prosecutorial experience and commitment to public service make General Bondi a highly qualified nominee for Attorney General of the United States.”
Crucial moderate GOP senator backs Tulsi Gabbard ahead of committee vote
Moderate Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, revealed her plan to support Tulsi Gabbard’s nomination to be Director of National Intelligence (DNI) on Monday evening. “After extensive consideration of her nomination, I will support Tulsi Gabbard to be the Director of National Intelligence,” she said in a statement. “As one of the principal authors of the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004 that established this coordinating position, I understand the critical role the DNI plays in the Intelligence Community. The Office of the Director of National Intelligence, however, has become far larger than it was designed to be, and Ms. Gabbard shares my vision of returning the agency to its intended size. In response to my questions during our discussion in my office and at the open hearing, as well as through her explanation at the closed hearing before the Senate Intelligence Committee, Ms. Gabbard addressed my concerns regarding her views on Edward Snowden. I look forward to working with Ms. Gabbard to strengthen our national security.” RFK JR SPENT WEEKEND TALKING TO KEY SENATOR WHO COULD MAKE OR BREAK HIS CONFIRMATION Collins sits on the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, which will embark on a pivotal vote on Gabbard’s nomination on Tuesday, sources confirmed to Fox News Digital. The Maine Republican has developed a reputation for occasionally bucking her party, most recently doing so on Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s confirmation vote. Her support for Gabbard at the committee level was thus far from certain. SEN. TILLIS OPENS UP ABOUT ROLE IN PETE HEGSETH’S CONFIRMATION AFTER HEGSETH’S EX-SISTER-IN-LAW’S ALLEGATIONS She joins a handful of other committee Republicans who have already said they will vote to advance Gabbard to the Senate floor, including Sens. John Cornyn, R-Texas, and James Lankford, R-Okla. However, another GOP senator on the committee is still considered one to watch, as Gabbard is expected to need all of the Republican members’ votes to move forward. DEMS DISMISS CALLS FOR APOLOGY AFTER JEFFRIES VOWS ‘FIGHT’ AGAINST TRUMP AGENDA ‘IN THE STREETS’ Sen. Todd Young, R-Ind., hasn’t said how he plans to vote in committee. Because of this, he’s managed to garner the criticism of Trump-aligned billionaire Elon Musk, who recently claimed on X that Young is a “deep state puppet” in regard to his uncertainty about Gabbard. The post has since been deleted. A spokesperson for Young told Fox News Digital in a statement, “Senator Young and Mr. Musk had a great conversation on a number of subjects and policy areas where they have a shared interest, like DOGE.” ELIZABETH WARREN GRILLED RFK JR ON DRUG COMPANY MONEY, BUT RECEIVED OVER $5M FROM HEALTH INDUSTRY Musk also shared on X over the weekend, explaining, “Just had an excellent conversation with [Young]. I stand corrected. Senator Young will be a great ally in restoring power to the people from the vast, unelected bureaucracy.” While Collins’ support bodes well for Gabbard’s fate at the committee level, it also forecasts a better outlook among the full Senate, given her vote against Hegseth. If she advances to a floor vote, Gabbard can afford to lose just three Republican votes, assuming she does not get any Democratic backing.
Dem AGs warn federal workers about Trump buyout offer: ‘Aimed at dismantling our federal workforce’
A coalition of attorneys general are warning federal employees about the Trump administration‘s “questionable” buyout offer, saying those who choose to resign may not be guaranteed its benefits. Nearly all federal employees were offered a buyout as part of President Donald Trump’s efforts to get workers to physically report back to the office. They have until Thursday to opt in, according to an Office of Personnel Management (OPM) email sent out to all federal workers. Those who choose to resign under the program will retain all pay and benefits, regardless of workload, and will be exempt from their in-person work requirements until Sep. 30. However, the attorneys general said unions representing federal employees — the American Federation of Government Employees and National Federation of Federal Employees — have warned their members against accepting the offer, saying they are not guaranteed to be paid the benefits. HOUSE OVERSIGHT REPORT SAYS TELEWORK IS ‘WASTING BILLIONS’ IN TAXPAYER CASH AHEAD OF 1ST HEARING “Federal employees provide vital services that Americans rely on every day, and are an essential part of the California economy and communities across the state,” California Attorney General Rob Bonta said in a statement. “The Trump Administration’s so-called buyout offer is a pointed attack aimed at dismantling our federal workforce and sowing chaos for Americans that rely on a functioning government. I urge federal employees to heed warnings from their unions to be very cautious of any buyout offers.” The other attorneys general hail from Arizona, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, Vermont and Washington. Fox News Digital has reached out to the White House. ‘GET BACK TO WORK’: HOUSE OVERSIGHT TO TAKE ON GOVERNMENT TELEWORK IN 1ST HEARING OF NEW CONGRESS The buyout offer was made after Trump mandated all federal employees to return to the office. The email to federal workers noted that the majority of federal employees who have worked remotely since COVID will be required to return to their physical offices five days a week. “The government-wide email being sent today is to make sure that all federal workers are on board with the new administration’s plan to have federal employees in office and adhering to higher standards,” a senior administration official previously told Fox News. “We’re five years past COVID and just 6 percent of federal employees work full-time in office. That is unacceptable.” In a letter to its members, the AFGE noted that the program doesn’t guarantee that the employee’s resignation will be accepted or that the benefits will be paid. In a statement last week, NFFE National President Randy Erwin said the buyout shouldn’t be treated as a legitimate offer. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP “This offer from OPM should not be taken seriously,” Erwin said. “The offer is not bound by existing law or policy, nor is it funded by Congress. There is nothing to hold OPM or the White House accountable to the terms of their agreement.” “Federal employees will not give in to this shady tactic pressuring them to quit,” added Erwin. “Civil servants care way too much about their jobs, their agency missions, and their country to be swayed by this phony ploy. To all federal employees: Do not resign.”
Omar slams Trump, Musk for changes at USAID, accuses president of running dictatorship
Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., slammed President Donald Trump and billionaire Elon Musk on Monday for their efforts to dismantle the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), while also accusing the president of starting a dictatorship. Omar and several other Democratic lawmakers spoke outside the USAID building in Washington, D.C., damning the efforts made by Trump and Musk to take control of independent agencies like USAID and strip them down to cut away wasteful spending. “It is a really, really sad day in America. We are witnessing a constitutional crisis,” Omar said. “We talked about Trump wanting to be a dictator on day one. And here we are. This is what the beginning of dictatorship looks like when you gut the Constitution, and you install yourself as the sole power. That is how dictators are made.” She continued, saying Trump, Musk and their “cronies” are attempting to take away Congress’ constitutional power of deciding where money is allocated. MUSK’S DOGE TAKES AIM AT ‘VIPER’S NEST’ FEDERAL AGENCY WITH GLOBAL FOOTPRINT Fifty senior USAID staff have been placed on administrative leave, sources told Fox News over the weekend. Staff have also been barred from communicating with anyone outside the agency without approval. Omar said she was “exceptionally upset” about USAID, explaining she lived in a refugee camp as a child for four years, and in that camp, USAID provided programs that kept her and her family fed and safe. GOP HARLINERS RALLY AROUND TRUMP, MUSK SCALING BACK USAID “Privileged billionaires who don’t give a damn about America and Americans should not be making decisions that put Americans at harm,” she said. “And a billionaire that hasn’t been vetted has not gone through confirmation, has not been elected by the American people who we still do not understand what in the world he’s doing should not be telling American employees that they cannot access the building they work at.” Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Md., also weighed in on the matter, telling Musk he did not create USAID, but Congress did. “Just like Elon Musk did not create USAID, he doesn’t have the power to destroy it. And who’s going to stop him? We are!” Raskin said. “We’re going to stop him. Elon Musk, you may have illegally seized power over the financial payment systems of the United States Department of Treasury, but you don’t control the money of the American people. The United States Congress does that under Article One of the Constitution.” As the lawmakers spoke from outside the USAID building, Musk fired back at them on social media. RUBIO PAUSES FOREIGN AID FROM STATE DEPARTMENT AND USAID TO ENSURE IT PUTS ‘AMERICA FIRST’ “The corrupt politicians ‘protesting’ outside the USAID building are the ones getting money from USAID,” Musk wrote on X. “That’s why they’re there – they want your stolen tax dollars!” While lawmakers on the left side of the aisle are shouting in opposition to the changes being made at the agency, GOP hardliners are in favor of what they say are much-needed modifications. USAID is an independent agency in the federal government that provides civilian foreign aid to help encourage development, fight poverty and disease and promote democracy overseas. However, conservatives argue that the agency has strayed from its intended purpose and have called for steep cuts to its multi-billion-dollar budget. For instance, the White House claims $1.5 million was sent to USAID to “advance diversity, equity and inclusion in Serbia’s workplaces and business communities,” while another $2 million was sent to Guatemala for sex changes and “LGBT activism.” The White House also says $6 million was used to fund tourism in Egypt, and hundreds of thousands of meals were sent to al Qaeda-affiliated fighters in Syria. “USAID is a corrupt governmental organization run by unelected bureaucrats created to shovel taxpayer dollars to Democrats’ pet projects overseas,” Rep. Andy Biggs, R-Ariz., told Fox News Digital. AFTER RAUCOUS FIRST WEEK IN OFFICE, DONALD TRUMP TO KEEP HIS FOOT ON THE GAS “At nearly $37 trillion in national debt – and a $1.8 trillion annual deficit – we can’t afford to continue giving money to countries that hate America and everything we stand for,” he said. Rep. Eric Burlison, R-Mo., told Fox News Digital that shutting down USAID “will help reduce our national debt and relieve the burden on taxpayers, while compelling aid-dependent countries to achieve true self-reliance, snapping them out of the dependency cycle USAID has perpetuated under the false banner of ‘development.’” The U.S. State Department posted on X that USAID has “long strayed” from its mission of responsibly advancing American interests abroad, adding that it is now clear that significant portions of USAID funding are not aligned with national interests. “As an interim step toward gaining control and better understanding over the agency’s activity, President Donald J. Trump appointed Secretary Marco Rubio as Acting Administrator,” a statement from the State Department read on X. “Secretary Rubio has also now notified Congress that a review of USAID’s foreign assistance activities is underway with an eye towards potential reorganization. As we evaluate USAID and ensure it is in alignment with an America First agenda and the efforts of the State Department, we will continue to protect the American people’s interests and ensure their tax dollars are not wasted.” Fox News Digital’s Elizabeth Elkind contributed to this report.
Trump agrees to pause tariffs on Canada in exchange for more border enforcement
President Donald Trump will pause additional tariffs on Canadian imports for 30 days after a call with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who made some concessions to temporarily stave off the levies. Trump and Trudeau spoke via phone on Monday, hours before additional 25% tariffs were to take effect on Canadian goods coming into the United States. In a post on X, Trudeau said Canada will implement a $1.3 billion border plan and appoint a fentanyl czar. In addition, Canada will reinforce its border with new helicopters, technology, personnel and enhanced coordination with American authorities. He added that nearly 10,000 personnel are and will be working on border protection. TRUMP DEFENDS TARIFFS, ACCUSES CANADA OF BEING ‘VERY ABUSIVE OF THE UNITED STATES’ “We will list cartels as terrorists, ensure 24/7 eyes on the border, launch a Canada-U.S. Joint Strike Force to combat organized crime, fentanyl and money laundering,” Trudeau wrote. “I have also signed a new intelligence directive on organized crime and fentanyl and we will be backing it with $200 million.” “Proposed tariffs will be paused for at least 30 days while we work together,” he added. Trump has long said Canada and Mexico have failed to do enough to prevent the flow of illegal migrants and drugs, particularly fentanyl, from those nations into the U.S. In addition, Trump claims the U.S. has subsidized Canada to the tune of $200 billion annually. ‘OVERDOSE EPIDEMIC’: BIPARTISAN SENATORS TARGET FENTANYL CLASSIFICATION AS LAPSE APPROACHES “We need to protect Americans, and it is my duty as President to ensure the safety of all,” Trump wrote in a statement on Saturday, when he imposed the tariffs. “I made a promise on my Campaign to stop the flood of illegal aliens and drugs from pouring across our Borders, and Americans overwhelmingly voted in favor of it.” Hours before his call with Trudeau, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said she would deploy 10,000 troops to the U.S.-Mexico border over tariff threats. Trump has promised to impose a 25% tariff on all Canadian and Mexican goods, as well as a 10% tariff on Canadian energy and a 10% tariff on all goods entering the U.S. from China. The tariffs on Canada and China were set to go into effect Tuesday at midnight. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Threats prompted leaders in multiple Canadian provinces to pledge to remove American alcohol from store shelves.
ICE scoops up illegal immigrants with murder, robbery convictions in weekend crackdown
EXCLUSIVE: Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) racked up a number of arrests of convicted criminal illegal immigrants over the weekend, including those convicted of murder, robbery and domestic violence — continuing its efforts to deport as many public safety threats as it can. Agents nabbed over 700 illegal immigrants over the weekend, including more than 500 with convictions or charges, according to information provided to Fox News Digital by a senior Trump administration official. Among those arrested were Denicela Julia Mejia Thomas, a Honduran national, in San Antonio, Texas. She has a conviction of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, according to that information. TRUMP ADMIN ENDS DEPORTATION PROTECTIONS FOR MASSIVE NUMBER OF VENEZUELANS AMID ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION CRACKDOWN In Phoenix, Arizona, agents arrested Julio Cesar Garcia-Soto, a Mexican national with a murder conviction who was sentenced to 17 years in prison. Meanwhile, ICE Seattle arrested Daniel De Jesus Lopez, a citizen of Mexico with a conviction for robbery and delivery of methamphetamine, for which he was sentenced to 90 months in prison. In Detroit, agents nabbed Charles Henry Pusey Mcnish, a Colombian national with a conviction for domestic violence and possession of cocaine. ICE in Houston nabbed Rutillo Alvarado Carranza, a Honduran national convicted of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, and who was sentenced to 10 years in prison. Meanwhile, in Los Angeles, there was a large-scale enforcement operation at several locations targeting those committing fraud via unauthorized cash withdrawals from victims’ EBT cards. ICE nabbed nine nationals from Romania and France, three who have extensive histories and one who has an arrest in Romania for murder. The arrests come after thousands of arrests throughout the country since the Trump administration took office in January. Trump promised to launch a “historic” mass deportation operation. Officials have said they are prioritizing public safety threats but are also not excluding illegal immigrants who do not have criminal convictions or charges. COLOMBIAN PRESIDENT URGES ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS IN US TO RETURN HOME DAYS AFTER DIPLOMATIC SPAT The administration has lifted a number of Biden-era restrictions on ICE agents, including limits on their ability to enter “sensitive” areas like churches or schools. COLOMBIAN PRESIDENT URGES ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS IN US TO RETURN HOME DAYS AFTER DIPLOMATIC SPAT On Monday, Fox News Digital reported that the administration has ended Temporary Protected Status — which protects migrants from certain nations from deportation — for over 300,000 deportations. The Biden administration had extended TPS for a number of nationalities before leaving office, a move that makes it harder for ICE to deport them. The move came after President Donald Trump announced that Venezuela had agreed to take back its illegal immigrants.