Biden’s ‘autopen signature’ appears on most official docs, raising concerns over who controlled the WH: report
The majority of official documents signed by President Joe Biden allegedly used the same autopen signature, reinvigorating concerns over the former president’s mental acuity and if he “actually ordered the signature of relevant legal documents,” a report published by an arm of the Heritage Foundation found. “WHOEVER CONTROLLED THE AUTOPEN CONTROLLED THE PRESIDENCY,” the Oversight Project, which is an initiative within the conservative Heritage Foundation that investigates the government to bolster transparency, posted to X on Thursday. “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 group claimed on X, accompanied by photo examples. Autopen signatures are ones that are automatically produced by a machine, as opposed to an authentic, handwritten signature. ‘EMBARRASSINGLY WRONG’: LIBERAL MEDIA FIGURES ADMIT BEING IN DENIAL ABOUT BIDEN’S MENTAL DECLINE The Oversight Project posted three examples showing Biden’s signature, including two executive orders and the president’s announcement he was bowing out of the 2024 presidential race. The signature on the two executive orders, one of which was signed in 2022 and the other in 2024, showed the same signature that included what appeared to be a line, followed by “R. Biden Jr.” CRITICISMS MOUNT THAT BIDEN IS A ‘SHADOW’ OF HIMSELF AFTER DISASTROUS DEBATE: ‘NOT THE SAME MAN’ FROM VP ERA Biden’s signature on the document announcing his departure from the 2024 race varied from the other two posted by the Oversight Project, showing a signature that wasn’t as clear as the one on the executive orders. Fox News Digital, at random, examined more than 20 Biden-era executive orders documented on the Federal Register’s office between 2021 and 2024 and found each had the same signature. LIES ABOUT BIDEN’S AGE, HEALTH DURING HIS PRESIDENCY IS A ‘SCANDAL OF EPIC PROPORTIONS,’ SCOTT JENNINGS SAYS Fox News Digital reached out to Biden’s office for comment on the Oversight Project’s findings on the autopen investigation, but did not immediately receive a reply on Sunday. Fox News Digital also examined the signatures on President Donald Trump’s executive orders, which are often signed in public or in front of the media, during his first administration and second administration and found the signatures were also the same. Biden and his administration, however, came under fierce concern and scrutiny over his mental acuity last year. The year 2024 kicked off with Biden in the driver’s seat of the Democratic Party as he keyed up a re-election effort in what was shaping up to be a rematch against Trump. In February of that year, however, Biden’s 81 years of age and mental acuity fell under public scrutiny after years of conservatives questioning the commander in chief’s mental fitness. Special counsel Robert Hur, who was investigating Biden’s alleged mishandling of classified documents as vice president, announced he would not recommend criminal charges against Biden for possessing classified materials after his vice presidency, calling Biden “a sympathetic, well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory.” The report renewed scrutiny over Biden’s mental fitness, which rose to a fever pitch in June 2024 after the president’s first and only presidential debate against Trump. BIDEN INSIDER EXPOSES HOW WHITE HOUSE ‘GASLIT’ THE PUBLIC ABOUT FORMER PRESIDENT’S DECLINE Biden faced backlash for a handful of gaffes and miscues in the days leading up to his ill-fated debate against Trump, including former President Barack Obama taking Biden’s wrist and appearing to lead him off a stage during a swank fundraiser, and also abroad when Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni guided Biden back to a group of world leaders when he appeared to wander off to give a thumbs-up to a parachutist during the G-7 summit. When the big debate day arrived, Biden missed his marks repeatedly, tripping over his responses and appearing to lose his train of thought as he squared off against Trump. The disastrous debate performance led to an outpouring from both conservatives and traditional Democrat allies calling on the president to bow out of the race in favor of a younger generation. Biden dropped out of the race in July, with the signature on that official document showing it was noticeably different from the signature on his EOs. Republican Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey sent a letter to the Department of Justice on Wednesday of last week demanding an investigation be opened into whether Biden’s “cognitive decline allowed unelected staff to push through radical policy without his knowing approval.” “There are profound reasons to suspect that Biden’s staff and political allies exploited his mental decline to issue purported presidential orders without his knowing approval,” the letter read. “Speaker Johnson, for example, reported that staff and elected officials – including former Vice President Kamala Harris and former Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer – tried to prevent Johnson from meeting with Biden,” it continued. BIDEN RIPPED FOR ‘OLD’ APPEARANCE, ‘WEAK’ VOICE DURING FIRST PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE: ‘DEEPLY ALARMING’ “Though presidents always have gatekeepers, in Biden’s case, the walls around him were higher and the controls greater, according to Democratic lawmakers, donors and aides who worked for Biden and other administrations. Staff limited Biden’s ability to speak with others and limited the sources of information he consumed.” The Oversight Project shared Bailey’s letter in its thread investigating Biden’s signature on official documents, in addition to an interview with Speaker Johnson, R-La., when he recounted that Biden didn’t remember signing an order freezing new liquid natural gas exports in 2024. “I didn’t do that,” the president said, Johnson recounted during an interview with the Free Press’ Bari Weiss in January. “Sir, you paused it, I know. I have the export terminals in my state. I talked to those people in my state, I’ve talked to those people this morning, this is doing massive damage to our economy, national security,” Johnson said he told the president at the time. “I walked out of that meeting with fear and loathing because
Weeks after Epstein file fallout, a new deadline looms in the release of the RFK and MLK files
Sunday marks the second deadline in an effort to release the RFK and MLK assassination files, just weeks after the fallout from the highly anticipated release of the Epstein files by the Department of Justice. In light of President Donald Trump‘s executive order in January to declassify files on the assassinations of former President John F. Kennedy, his brother Robert F. Kennedy and civil rights icon Martin Luther King Jr., the director of national intelligence (DNI) and other officials were expected to submit their proposed release plans for the RFK and MLK files on March 9. DNI and the attorney general were previously given a Feb. 7 deadline to submit their release plans for the JFK files. EPSTEIN FILES DEBACLE SPURS NEW INTEREST IN CONTENTS OF PROMISED RFK, MLK ASSASSINATION FILES The RFK and MLK release plan deadline comes just weeks after the Justice Department revealed a batch of Jeffrey Epstein files in late February. Many of the documents publicized then had already been released during the federal criminal trial of Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein’s former lover and convicted accomplice. The lack of new material prompted an outcry and criticism of the Trump administration’s handling of the Epstein files – and questions about what the RFK and MLK documents could hold upon their release. Gerald Posner, author of “Case Closed,” told Fox News Digital at the time that he expects “there will be news in there, but it’s not going to be something that turns upside down our understanding of what really happened with those cases.” AG PAM BONDI SAYS FBI DELIVERED ‘TRUCKLOAD’ OF EPSTEIN FILES AFTER SHE PUT OUT HARD DEADLINE Trump’s declassification executive order came after he promised to declassify the documents upon entering his second term while on the campaign trail, saying at the time, “When I return to the White House, I will declassify and unseal all JFK assassination-related documents. It’s been 60 years, time for the American people to know the truth.” The FBI said in a February statement that it had conducted a new records search in light of Trump’s executive order, saying at the time, “The search resulted in approximately 2400 newly inventoried and digitized records that were previously unrecognized as related to the JFK assassination case file.” “The FBI has made the appropriate notifications of the newly discovered documents and is working to transfer them to the National Archives and Records Administration for inclusion in the ongoing declassification process,” the agency continued. Fox News Digital reached out to DNI and the FBI for additional comment. PEDO ACT: LAWMAKER MOVES TO PROTECT EPSTEIN FILES, ACCUSES ‘CERTAIN FBI AGENTS’ OF TRYING TO DESTROY DOCS After the Epstein file fallout, Attorney General Pam Bondi sent FBI Director Kash Patel a fiery letter accusing federal investigators in New York of withholding thousands of pages of Epstein documents. “I repeatedly questioned whether this was the full set of documents responsive to my request and was repeatedly assured by the FBI that we had received the full set of documents,” Bondi wrote. “Late yesterday, I learned from a source that the FBI Field Office in New York was in possession of thousands of pages of documents related to the investigation and indictment of Epstein.” Bondi told Fox News’ Sean Hannity last week that the DOJ had received a “truckload” of Epstein files from the FBI following the Friday 8 a.m. deadline she had imposed on the agency. Fox News’ David Spunt and Jake Gibson contributed to this report.
DOGE says $312M in loans were given to children during COVID pandemic
The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) announced a further wave of contract terminations late Saturday, noting that they also identified thousands of cases where more than $300 million in loans were granted to children. The announcements come as the Elon Musk-led agency continues to root out waste, fraud and corruption in the federal government. DOGE said it identified that the Small Business Association (SBA) granted nearly 5,600 loans for $312 million to borrowers whose only listed owner was 11 years old or younger at the time of the loan. The loans were issued in 2020 and 2021 – while the world struggled with the COVID-19 pandemic – and it is unclear what they were used for. “While it is possible to have business arrangements where this is legal, that is highly unlikely for these 5,593 loans, as they all also used an SSN with the incorrect name,” the agency wrote. “@DOGE and @SBAgov are working together to solve this problem this week,” they added. DOD TELLS CIVILIAN WORKFORCE TO IGNORE ELON MUSK’S REQUEST TO REPORT PRODUCTIVITY When making the announcement, DOGE shared a post on X from Tuesday when it also revealed that in 2020 and 2021 the SBA issued 3,095 loans for $333 million to borrowers over 115 years old. The borrowers were still marked as alive in the Social Security database. In one case, a 157-year-old individual received $36,000 in loans, the agency said. The loans included PPP (Paycheck Protection Program) and EIDL (Economic Injury Disaster Loan) loans. In President Donald Trump’s address to Congress on Tuesday, he bashed instances where he said millions of people aged over 100 were listed on the Social Security database, with one being as old as 360 years of age. “I know some people who are rather elderly but not quite that elderly,” Trump said. “3.47 million people from ages 120 to 129. 3.9 million people from ages 130 to 139. 3.5 million people from ages 140 to 149. And money is being paid to many of them, and we are searching right now.” MUSK TELLS CABINET THAT DOGE EMAIL WAS ‘PULSE CHECK’ FOR WORKERS, WARNS US WILL ‘GO BANKRUPT’ WITHOUT ACTION DOGE also said they canceled one Department of Agriculture contract worth $10.3 million, which it said was “ironically” initiated for “identifying unnecessary contracts.” The cost-saving agency said the termination was one of 162 nonessential contracts it canceled with a total ceiling value of $205 million and savings of $90 million. The agency did not specify what areas of the federal government the remaining contract terminations were made. Meanwhile, Musk met with a small group of House Republicans on Wednesday evening to discuss the quest to find as much as $1 trillion in government waste, people familiar with the discussion told Fox News Digital. “The executive DOGE team is confident, they think they can get $1 trillion,” one lawmaker familiar with the meeting told Fox News Digital. “Now, we’ll see, right? And the thing is, he acknowledged that we’re going to make mistakes, but we’re going to correct them very quickly.” Fox News’ Elizabeth Elkind contributed to this report.
Trump’s speech to Congress ends notion that Dems are the ‘compassionate’ party after 92 years: expert
President Donald Trump’s speech before a joint session of Congress put the final nail in the coffin of the Democrats’ recognition as the political party of compassion – which was first promoted by Franklin Delano Roosevelt 92 years ago – former Reagan speechwriter Clark Judge told Fox News Digital. “In the 1930s, thanks to the energy, determination and humanity that FDR projected in his first hundred days and thereafter, particularly in contrast to what was seen as four years of heartlessness and fecklessness in the Hoover administration, the Democratic Party claimed the mantle of the ‘compassionate’ party, the party of the common man and woman, the party of social justice. A new political era was born,” Judge, who served as speechwriter and special assistant to both President Ronald Reagan and Vice President George Bush, told Fox News Digital in an assessment of Trump’s speech last week. “On Tuesday night, with the Democrats sitting on their hands through story after heartrending story of overcoming the injustices of economic mismanagement and wokeness, even as a little boy, whose political ‘incorrectness’ went no farther than loving the police even as he struggles with brain cancer, and following a mere month (a third of a hundred days) of President Trump’s rapid-fire reform rivaling FDR’s, that 92-year-old political era came to an end. For good. Forever,” he added. Trump spoke for about an hour and 40 minutes, notching the longest address a president has delivered before a joint session of Congress, according to the American Presidency Project at the University of California at Santa Barbara. The longest speech on record was previously held by former President Bill Clinton, when he spoke for one hour and 28 minutes during his State of the Union Address in 2000. DEMOCRATS PRIVATELY REBUKE PARTY MEMBERS WHO JEERED TRUMP DURING SPEECH TO CONGRESS: REPORT “To my fellow citizens, America is back,” Trump declared at the start of his speech. “Six weeks ago, I stood beneath the dome of this Capitol and proclaimed the dawn of the golden Age of America,” he said. “From that moment on, it has been nothing but swift and unrelenting action to usher in the greatest and most successful era in the history of our country. We have accomplished more in 43 days than most administrations accomplished in four years or eight years. And we are just getting started.” 13-YEAR-OLD CANCER SURVIVOR EARNS STANDING OVATION AS HE BECOMES SECRET SERVICE AGENT DURING TRUMP SPEECH Guests invited to the speech included “everyday Americans,” according to first lady Melania Trump’s office, including families who have lost their loved ones to murders carried out by illegal immigrants, the widow of a slain New York Police Department officer, a teenager who was the victim of AI-generated images passed around at school, and a young cancer survivor named DJ Daniel who stole the show with his dad when Trump made his dream of becoming a cop come true. TRUMP TO MAKE ‘FULL-THROATED’ CASE DURING PRIMETIME SPEECH: FORMER PRESIDENTIAL SPEECHWRITERS “Joining us in the gallery tonight is a young man who truly loves our police,” Trump told the crowd. “His name is DJ Daniel. He is 13 years old, and he has always dreamed of becoming a police officer. But in 2018, DJ was diagnosed with brain cancer. The doctors gave him five months at most to live. That was more than six years ago.” “Tonight, DJ, we’re going to do you the biggest honor of them all,” Trump said. “I am asking our new Secret Service director, Sean Curran, to officially make you an agent of the United States Secret Service.” Judge, who is the founder of the communications firm the White House Writers Group Inc., continued in his assessment of Trump’s speech that the president’s guests last Tuesday brought “life” to the “callousness of the old order.” “Brilliant speech. Vivid. Great structure and flow. Unusually memorable illustrations. The stories of his well-selected guests in the gallery brought to undeniable life the senseless callousness of the old order and the hope for the nation and its future that the Trump administration’s electric beginning has now demonstrated is achievable,” he said. TOP 5 MOMENTS FROM TRUMP’S ADDRESS TO JOINT SESSION OF CONGRESS “Great use of humor, too. Particularly clever was the section that climbed the ladder of rising ages in the supposedly active recipients in the Social Security rolls, all the way to the name of a 360-year-old, whoever that turns out to be, or have been. In a moment, wringing waste, fraud, and abuse out of Social Security and much else the government does was no longer code for heartless cutting and became a duty we could all embrace and expect our government to undertake for the benefit of all,” he continued. Other former presidential speechwriters have weighed in favorably over Trump’s speech, including former President George W. Bush’s chief speechwriter, Bill McGurn, during an appearance on FOX Business’ “Mornings with Maria” on Wednesday. “I greatly enjoyed just having to listen to it. I thought President Trump did exactly what he needed to do. It was well received by Republicans, and he played the Democrats against themselves,” McGurn said. Trump’s director of speechwriting under his first administration, Stephen Miller – who serves as White House deputy dhief of staff for policy under the second administration – shared his criticisms of Democrats on X throughout the speech. ‘HE’S BACK’: TRUMP’S JOINT ADDRESS TO CONGRESS TO BE BLANKETED WITH 6-FIGURE AD BUY TOUTING TAX PLAN Democrats overwhelmingly remained seated throughout Trump’s address, including when he spotlighted various Americans for nonpolitical issues, such as when Daniel was spotlighted by the president, or when Trump remembered the lives of 22-year-old Laken Riley and 12-year-old Jocelyn Nungaray, who were killed at the hands of illegal immigrants. Democrats protested during the speech, including holding up signs reading “false,” “lies,” “Musk steals” and “Save Medicaid.” Some female Democratic lawmakers wore pink suits in protest of policies they claim are anti-woman, and other Democrats were heard jeering Trump throughout the speech. TOP 5 MOMENTS
Meet Sandra Whitehouse, whose husband’s votes funneled millions into NGO that pays her
Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I., has emerged into the spotlight amid a new ethics complaint due to his voting in favor of laws that ultimately funded millions in grants to a nonprofit climate group that pays his wife’s consulting firm. But who is his wife, Sandra Whitehouse? Whitehouse earned her bachelor’s degree at Yale University, similar to her now-senator husband, according to her LinkedIn page. TRUMP FDA NOMINEE TURNS VACCINE QUESTION ON DEM, RECALLING CONTROVERSIAL BIDEN DECISION After that, she earned her master’s degree at the Graduate School of Oceanography at the University of Rhode Island, studying there from 1986 to 1994. She and Sheldon Whitehouse married in 1986 at the St. George’s School Chapel in Newport, Rhode Island, according to a newspaper announcement. The couple live in Newport and have two children, Molly and Alexander, as well as two grandchildren, according to the senator’s website. Throughout her career, Whitehouse has advised nonprofits, nongovernmental organizations, a state agency, a legislative body and private companies, according to a biography from the Atlantic Council, where she was a nonresident senior fellow at the Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security. TRUMP’S BIPARTISAN-BACKED LABOR PICK CLEARS LAST HURDLE BEFORE CABINET CONFIRMATION Her husband was first elected to the U.S. Senate in 2006. She first began working for the group at the center of the latest ethics complaint roughly two years later, in 2008. Whitehouse started working for Ocean Conservancy in September 2008, according to her LinkedIn page. She served as a senior policy advisor, and her “consulting work includes providing strategic advice for the Executive Team and Program Directors, raising awareness of ocean policy issues at various workshops and conferences, and engaging key stakeholders in Ocean Conservancy’s mission. Areas of policy focus include climate change, ocean plastics, and ocean planning.” Whitehouse is no longer directly employed by Ocean Conservancy, but the organization does pay her firm, Ocean Wonks LLC, for similar consulting. She became president of Ocean Wonks LLC in 2017, and in this capacity, she “consults for various non-profit organizations, leveraging decades of scientific, regulatory, and policy experience to educate on and advocate for ocean policy issues,” according to her LinkedIn. INSIDE ELON MUSK’S HUDDLE WITH GOP SENATORS: DOGE HEAD TOUTS $4M SAVINGS PER DAY Ocean Conservancy has notably received more than $14.2 million in federal grants since 2008, according to USASpending.gov. It was given two sizable grants in just 2024, one for $5.2 million from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and another for $1.7 million from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), both for marine debris cleanup. The former was funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL), and the latter was funded through the EPA’s annual appropriations bill. The senator voted for both. According to tax documents, Ocean Conservancy has paid Whitehouse a total of $2,686,800 either directly or through her firm since 2010. This was cited in last month’s complaint to the Senate Select Committee on Ethics Chairman James Lankford, R-Okla., and Vice Chairman Chris Coons, D-Del., from ethics watchdog the Foundation for Accountability and Civic Trust (FACT). EXCLUSIVE: ELON MUSK PAC THANKS TRUMP FOR ‘SAVING THE AMERICAN DREAM’ IN NEW MILLION-DOLLAR AD In a statement to Fox News Digital, Whitehouse spokesperson Stephen DeLeo said, “This is a repeat dark money performance, and the previous attempt by a dark money group to plant these same smears was roundly dismissed by Senate Ethics. The billionaires and Supreme Court capture operatives behind FACT would like to try to stop Senator Whitehouse from shining a light on what they’ve done to deprive regular people of a fair shake before the Court.” “But false accusations from far-right special interests and billionaires will not impede the Senator’s pursuit of an accountable, ethical government that responds to Americans’ needs,” he added. Whitehouse’s office also provided a letter to Fox News Digital from the committee last year informing another watchdog group, Judicial Watch, that the senator’s actions did not violate “federal laws, Senate rules, or other standards of conduct.” The group had filed a similar ethics complaint to FACT.
Travel headaches show need for feds to focus on airline tech jobs as true major delay culprit revealed
With airline safety being top-of-mind after several deadly or near-death incidents on America’s tarmacs and in its skies, maintenance experts and lawmakers alike are calling for more support for specialized training in jet maintenance. President Donald Trump has also called for reforming the education system and increasing overall government efficiency, which experts Fox News Digital spoke with said falls in line with their goals as well. Delays and gate changes at airports are also often attributed to urgent maintenance of aircraft. In the last congressional session, Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C., unsuccessfully introduced the Aviation Workforce Development Act to expand the “529” qualified-tuition program to include expenses for aviation maintenance and pilot training. Scott’s hometown of Charleston is notably a hub for the aircraft manufacturer Boeing, and the Senator said that pilot and aviation maintenance jobs are in high demand and provide well-paying careers. CHARITY LEADER, FORMER NY GIANT SLAM BIDEN RESPONSE TO PLANES SHOT IN HAITI “Unfortunately, the extensive and expensive training they require has undermined Americans’ ability to tap into this vital industry,” Scott said, adding that he plans to reintroduce his bill in Congress soon. “By giving parents flexibility with the hard-earned money they invest into 529 plans, this commonsense legislation provides a pathway to turn today’s students into tomorrow’s pilots. Affording our aviation sector the workforce necessary to sustain the tremendous growth South Carolina has enjoyed will ensure tourists continue to flock to our great state and will provide South Carolinians with reliable and efficient travel.” Meanwhile, the leader of one of the nation’s largest aircraft maintenance training centers said the challenge to properly staff jobs in the increasingly needed field is one that needs support to continue feeding its “pipeline of skilled professionals.” Jason Pfaff, president of Aviation Institute of Maintenance – a school with 15 campuses nationwide that aims to fill the 13,000 annual job openings in its field of study – said support is needed now for these crucial roles. “The aviation industry relies on highly trained experts to keep planes safe and operational, yet many people don’t realize the demand for these roles—or the impact they have on air travel,” Pfaff said. He spoke of meeting with a student who felt a social stigma about pursuing an aircraft maintenance career, compared to what her friends were seeking to do in life. However, that feeling changed when she took a tour firsthand to watch aircraft maintainers do their work. HOW JIMMY CARTER TRANSFORMED THE AIRLINE INDUSTRY With the deadly crash off Hain’s Point, DC into the Potomac River last month, a jet landing upside down in Toronto and several other incidents, Pfaff said that maintenance workers play a crucial role in ensuring safe air travel. “[The institute] is thrilled to see a renewed focus on trade careers, and we applaud leaders like Senator Tim Scott for championing aviation education. Aviation maintenance isn’t just a job—it’s a high-paying, high-skill career that keeps the world moving. As industry leaders and policymakers, we have a shared responsibility to spotlight the incredible opportunities in this field.” Pfaff noted some jobs in the field earn upwards of $150,000 per year for a person in their 20s and that thousands of applicants are needed – and Scott and others are right to draw attention to the need for such jobs. Jose-Marie Griffiths, president of Dakota State University in South Dakota, said that higher education is not “one-size-fits-all” and that universities must play a big role in meeting the changing needs of the U.S. job market – whether it be in the industrial sector or otherwise. “Higher education institutions must adapt to meet the needs of students at different points in their lives and careers,” she said. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP In the House, Rep. Max Miller, R-Ohio, also introduced a bill similar to Scott’s in the last cycle, to increase awareness of tech education opportunities in the same way Pfaff described. Miller’s bill, if reintroduced, would establish a $1 million grant program for such training in airline maintenance and the similar fields, with the lawmaker saying in a statement that career and technical education “empower students to explore exciting career options, discover their passions, and develop real-world skills that are in high demand.” “A four-year degree is not right for everyone, and our young people should know that they can lead successful careers based on technical expertise. We cannot continue to diminish the role of career and technical education in this country,” he said, as nationwide pressure continues to direct students toward standard collegiate postsecondary education.
JD Vance says he was confronted by pro-Ukrainian protesters while walking with toddler daughter
Vice President JD Vance said Saturday he was confronted by pro-Ukrainian protesters while he was out walking with his 3-year-old daughter. “Today while walking my 3 year old daughter a group of ‘Slava Ukraini’ protesters followed us around and shouted as my daughter grew increasingly anxious and scared,” Vance posted Saturday afternoon on X. “I decided to speak with the protesters in the hopes that I could trade a few minutes of conversation for them leaving my toddler alone,” he continued. “Nearly all of them agreed.” Vance said it was a “mostly respectful conversation, but if you’re chasing a 3-year-old as part of a political protest, you’re a s— person.” VICE PRESIDENT JD VANCE REVEALS WHERE THINGS ‘BROKE APART’ DURING TRUMP-ZELENSKYY BLOWUP AT THE WHITE HOUSE “Slava Ukraini” is a battle cry for the Ukrainian armed forces, meaning “Glory to Ukraine.” While the vice president didn’t specify what he talked to the protesters about, the Trump administration has cut off funding in the last week for Ukraine and stopped intelligence sharing with the country after a tense Oval Office exchange between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, President Donald Trump and Vance. Fox News Digital has reached out to the vice president’s office for comment. Tensions rose during the Oval Office meeting Feb. 28 over a potential peace deal between Russia and Ukraine after Zelenskyy said Russian President Vladimir Putin couldn’t be trusted and had breached other agreements. TRUMP PAUSES AID TO UKRAINE AFTER FIERY MEETING WITH ZELENSKYY Trump and Vance then accused Zelenskyy of not being grateful for the support the U.S. has provided over the years and said the Ukrainian leader was in a “bad position” at the negotiating table. “You’re playing cards,” Trump said. “You’re gambling with the lives of millions of people. You’re gambling with World War III. You’re gambling with World War III. And what you’re doing is very disrespectful to the country, this country.” After Vance told Zelenskyy Ukraine had manpower and military recruiting problems, Zelenskyy said war means “everybody has problems, even you,” adding the U.S. would feel the war “in the future.” “Don’t tell us what we’re going to feel,” Trump responded. “We’re trying to solve a problem. Don’t tell us what we’re going to feel.” Zelenskyy was asked to leave the White House after the exchange, a scheduled news conference was canceled and a deal for Ukraine to give the U.S. its rare earth minerals was left unsigned. The White House has said Zelenskyy must publicly apologize for the Oval Office meeting or the minerals deal won’t be considered. On Tuesday, Zelenskyy called the meeting “regrettable” and said he is ready to pursue peace with Trump’s help. Vance was also met by protesters last weekend, when his family went on a ski vacation in Vermont a day after the Feb. 28 exchange. The protesters called him a “traitor” and told him to “go ski in Russia.” Liberal commentator Tim Miller criticized Vance over his X post Saturday, writing, “Dozens are dead in Ukraine because you stopped giving them the intelligence that protected the country from bombs so you can probably handle some yelling in a free country boss.” CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP On Friday, Trump wrote on Truth Social that he was considering “large-scale” sanctions on Russia “until a ceasefire and final settlement agreement on peace is reached.” “Get to the table right now, before it is too late,” he wrote of Russia and Ukraine.
Blue state mayor proposes city ordinance to strengthen transgender care protections in the face of Trump EOs
Seattle’s Democratic mayor this week proposed a city ordinance that would strengthen protections for those seeking transgender care and surgeries, while calling out the Trump administration’s “hateful, dangerous and discriminatory attacks” against the LGBTQ+ community. Mayor Bruce Harrell campaigned as a moderate before his win in 2021, pushing public safety and helping local businesses, according to The Seattle Times, although he has expressed support for transgender care previously. Harrell was elected following riots in the city after George Floyd’s death and the deadly Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone that, along with the pandemic, devastated parts of the downtown area. Harrell “symbolized a shift toward the center, away from some of Seattle’s further-left leaders,” The Seattle Times wrote in 2023 of Harrell’s 2021 win. SEATTLE MAYOR INTERRUPTS SPEECH TO DUPE FANS OVER POTENTIAL NBA EXPANSION TEAM: ‘JUST KIDDING’ On Thursday, conservative Seattle radio host Jason Rantz called Harrell’s proposed city legislation “extreme,” but “mostly toothless” and mainly “virtue signaling” to gain favor with Seattle progressives. Harrell proposed the legislation after President Donald Trump signed an executive order halting federal funding for providers of transgender healthcare for people under 19. “We are proud of Seattle’s reputation as a welcoming and inclusive city for the LGBTQ+ community and recognize their immeasurable contributions to the vibrancy and culture of our city,” Harrell said in a statement this week. “This legislation is a tangible step to strengthen local protections and stand with our LGBTQ+ community in the face of hateful, dangerous and discriminatory attacks from the Trump administration and others, ensuring that everyone has access to essential healthcare services.” HOSPITALS WARNED THEY MUST PROTECT CHILDREN FROM CHEMICAL AND SURGICAL MUTILATION: HHS AGENCY MEMO Trump’s executive orders have been met with lawsuits and are currently blocked by the courts. Some hospitals across the country halted transgender care after Trump’s executive orders to avoid losing funding. A judge in Seattle also blocked the orders in four states in one of the lawsuits filed by a group of Democrat-led states. Harrell added that the ordinance affirms Washington state’s “Shield Law” that protects transgender people needing reproductive services and those who provide them from prosecution. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Harrell noted this week in a release by the city that he signed a bill in 2022 that made encroaching on reproductive or transgender care a misdemeanor offense. He added that, as a member of Seattle’s City Council before his election, he was a “vocal” supporter of access to transgender care for city employees. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Republicans demand Trump cut American legal association out of nominee process
Several Republican senators have taken issue with the American Bar Association (ABA) and are calling for President Donald Trump to take drastic action against the group. In a letter to ABA President William Bay, lawmakers said the group, which plays a key role in judicial nominations, had become “biased and ideologically captured.” Now, those lawmakers want President Trump to “remove the ABA from the judicial nomination process entirely.” Sen. Eric Schmitt, Sen. Ted Cruz, Sen. Marsha Blackburn, Sen. Josh Hawley, Sen. Bernie Moreno and Sen. Mike Lee are also calling on their fellow senators to “disregard the ABA’s recommendations.” BONDI WARNS THREE STATES TO COMPLY WITH LAW KEEPING BOYS OUT OF GIRLS’ SPORTS OR FACE LEGAL ACTION In the explosive letter there are allegations, including that the ABA has taken political stances against the Trump administration and that the group has been quiet about its taking funds from USAID. The federal aid group has been a target of the Trump administration, something the ABA has criticized. “The ABA states, ‘Americans expect better.’ But President Trump won both electoral and popular votes. It seems Americans expect — and want — the Trump administration,” the senators’ letter reads. Sen. Schmitt tweeted out the letter along with several criticisms of the ABA’s recent actions and statements. In particular, Schmitt took issue with statements the ABA published on Feb. 10 and March 3, both of which were critical of the Trump administration. “It has been three weeks since Inauguration Day. Most Americans recognize that newly elected leaders bring change. That is expected. But most Americans also expect that changes will take place in accordance with the rule of law,” the ABA wrote in its Feb. 10 statement. Additionally, the Feb. 10 statement condemns the “dismantling of USAID.” LAW PROFESSORS SAY NEW FOCUS ON RACE AND GENDER CAUSE THEM TO ‘MASSIVELY’ CENSOR THEMSELVES The senators reference this statement in their letter, saying that the ABA made “inflammatory claims” against the Trump administration “without citing legal reasoning for those arguments.” One of these claims is that the “dismantling of USAID” is illegal, but the senators note that the ABA does not explain why these actions are not permitted under the law. “It is questionable whether the ABA is committed to defending liberty or its own sources of funding,” the senators wrote, referring to the organization’s defense of USAID. The lawmakers also criticized the ABA’s March 3 statement in which the group slams purported “efforts to undermine the courts.” In their letter, the lawmakers note that the association did not issue any statements against former President Joe Biden when he defied the Supreme Court on student loan forgiveness. In their letter, the senators call out the ABA’s implementation of diversity, equity and inclusion policies, which the Trump administration has been working to root out of the government.
Congress unveils spending plan after Trump calls on Republicans to avoid government shutdown
Congressional negotiators have released a bill that, if passed, will avert a partial government shutdown during the first 100 days of President Donald Trump’s term. The 100-page legislation would roughly maintain current government funding levels through the beginning of fiscal year (FY) 2026, which begins Oct. 1. The current deadline to avert a shutdown is Friday, March 14. House GOP leaders are confident that they can pass a bill to keep the government funded with Republican votes alone, something that has not been achieved since they took over the chamber majority in January 2023. But on a call with reporters on Saturday morning, House Republican leadership aides emphasized that the bill was “closely coordinated” with the White House – while stopping short of saying Trump backed the measure completely, noting he has not reviewed the specific pages yet. DEMOCRATS PRIVATELY REBUKE PARTY MEMBERS WHO JEERED TRUMP DURING SPEECH TO CONGRESS: REPORT Defense spending would increase by roughly $6 billion from FY 2024, while non-defense spending that Congress annually appropriates would decrease by about $13 billion. There’s also an added $6 billion for healthcare for veterans. The White House has requested additional spending in areas that were not present in the last government funding extension, known as “anomalies.” Among the anomalies requested by Trump and being fulfilled by the bill is added funding for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Aides said the funding is meant to meet “an operations shortfall that goes back to the Biden administration.” “That money, most of that, has already been obligated prior to the start of this administration. So that request reflects an existing hole,” a source said. The bill also ensures that spending caps placed under a prior bipartisan agreement, the Fiscal Responsibility Act (FRA), are followed. The FRA mandated no more than a 1% federal spending increase in FY 2025. Cuts to non-defense discretionary spending would be found by eliminating some “side deals” made during FRA negotiations, House GOP leadership aides said. Lawmakers would also not be given an opportunity to request funding for special pet projects in their districts known as earmarks, another area that Republicans are classifying as savings. Overall, it provides for $892.5 billion in discretionary federal defense spending, and $708 billion in non-defense discretionary spending. “Discretionary spending” refers to dollars allocated by Congress on an annual basis, rather than mandatory spending obligations like Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security. The bill is what’s known as a continuing resolution (CR), which differs from Congress’ annual appropriations bills in that it just extends the previous fiscal year’s government funding levels and priorities. It would be the third and final CR extending FY 2024 numbers, through the remainder of FY 2025. Republicans believe it will put them in the best possible position to negotiate conservative government funding priorities in time for Oct. 1. The previous two extensions were passed under the Biden administration, when Democrats controlled the Senate. And while some Democratic support is needed to reach the Senate’s 60-vote threshold, it’s very possible Republicans will have to carry it through the House alone with their razor-thin majority. DEMOCRATS PRIVATELY REBUKE PARTY MEMBERS WHO JEERED TRUMP DURING SPEECH TO CONGRESS: REPORT House Democrats traditionally vote to avoid government shutdowns. Now, however, Democratic leaders are directing lawmakers in the lower chamber to oppose the Republican CR. In a joint letter to colleagues sent on Friday, House Democratic leaders accused Republicans of trying to cut Medicare and Medicaid through their CR – despite it being the wrong mechanism to alter such funds. “Republicans have decided to introduce a partisan continuing resolution that threatens to cut funding for healthcare, nutritional assistance and veterans benefits through the end of the current fiscal year,” the statement said. “House Democrats would enthusiastically support a bill that protects Social Security, Medicare, veterans health and Medicaid, but Republicans have chosen to put them on the chopping block to pay for billionaire tax cuts.” But House GOP leaders will need to work to convince nearly all Republican lawmakers to support the bill – despite a history of dozens of conservative defections on CRs over the last two years. At least one Republican has already signaled he will oppose it. Rep. Tony Gonzales, R-Texas, who has voted against CRs previously, wrote on X last week, “I am a NO on the CR. Congress needs to do its job and pass a conservative budget! CR’s are code for Continued Rubberstamp of fraud, waste, and abuse.” GOP leaders are hoping their close coordination with the White House and a blessing from Trump, however, will be enough to sway remaining holdouts. While he has not weighed in on the specific bill, Trump posted on Truth Social this week, “I am working with the GREAT House Republicans on a Continuing Resolution to fund the Government until September to give us some needed time to work on our Agenda.” “Conservatives will love this Bill, because it sets us up to cut Taxes and Spending in Reconciliation, all while effectively FREEZING Spending this year,” Trump wrote.