RFK Jr’s confirmation hearing goes off rails amid multiple clashes with Dem senators: ‘Repeatedly debunked’
It didn’t take long for the confirmation hearing of Robert F. Kennedy Jr., President Donald Trump’s nominee for secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), to turn contentious as Senate Democrats grilled him. The verbal fireworks exploded minutes into the Senate Finance Committee hearing on Wednesday, the first of two straight days of congressional confirmation hearings for the controversial vaccine skeptic and environmental crusader who ran for the White House in 2024 before ending his bid and endorsing Trump. Kennedy repeatedly insisted that he was not “anti-vaccine” and slammed multiple Democrat senators for pushing a “dishonest” narrative against him that he has “corrected” on national television many times. Democrats on the committee pointed to a slew of past comments from the nominee in which he questioned or disparaged COVID shots and other vaccines. “The receipts show that Mr. Kennedy has embraced conspiracy theories, quacks, and charlatans, especially when it comes to the safety and efficacy of vaccines. He’s made it his life’s work to sow doubt and discourage parents from getting their kids life-saving vaccines,” Sen. Ron Wyden of Oregon, the top Democrat on the panel, charged in his opening statement. MULTIPLE OUTBURSTS AT COMBUSTIBLE RFK JR. CONFIRMATION HEARING Moments later, as Kennedy delivered his own opening comments and said “news reports have claimed that I am anti-vaccine or anti-industry. I am neither. I am pro-safety,” a protester shouted out “you lie.” The heckler was led out of the hearing room by Capitol Police, as was a second protester minutes later. WATCH: RFK JR. WARNS THAT AMERICA’S HEALTH IS IN ‘GRIEVIOUS CONDITION’ And another protester was spotted in the audience holding a sign reading, “Vaccines Save Lives, Not RFK JR.” Democrats on the committee repeatedly pointed to Kennedy’s controversial vaccine views, including his repeated claims in recent years linking vaccines to autism, which have been debunked by scientific research. They also spotlighted Kennedy’s service for years as chair or chief legal counsel for Children’s Health Defense, the nonprofit organization he founded that has advocated against vaccines and sued the federal government numerous times, including a challenge over the authorization of the COVID vaccine for children. In his opening statement, which Fox News exclusively obtained ahead of the hearing, Kennedy spotlighted that “I believe vaccines play a critical role in healthcare. All of my kids are vaccinated. I’ve written books about vaccines. My first book in 2014, the first line of it is ‘I am not anti-vaccine’ and last line is ‘I am not anti-vaccine.’” FOX NEWS SCOOP: RFK JR.’S OPENING STATEMENT AT MUST WATCH HEARING But he quickly faced a grilling from Democrats. Wyden led off his questioning of Kennedy, the scion of the nation’s most storied political dynasty, by spotlighting a scathing letter from the nominee’s well-known cousin, Caroline Kennedy, which accused him of being a “predator” and urged lawmakers to reject the nomination. The senator also pointed to past Kennedy vaccine comments in podcasts, including one from 2020 when he said he “pay anything” to be able to go back in time and not vaccinate his kids. “Are you lying to Congress today when you say you are pro-vaccine? Or did you lie on all those podcasts?” Wyden asked. Pushing back in a very heated exchange, Kennedy claimed that statements he made on podcasts have “been repeatedly debunked.” And he vowed that he would do nothing to prevent Americans from obtaining certain vaccines. “I support the measles vaccine. I support the polio vaccine. I will do nothing as HHS Secretary that makes it difficult or discourages people from taking anything,” Kennedy emphasized. The next Democrat to question Kennedy, Sen. Michael Bennet of Colorado, accused him of peddling half-truths, peddling false statements.” Benett grew heated as he asked Kennedy about other past comments, asking, “Did you say Lyme disease is a highly likely militarily engineered bioweapon?” “I probably did say that,” Kennedy answered. RFK JR. ACCUSES DEMOCRATS OF PUSHING DISHONEST NARRATIVE And Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island, who has known Kennedy for decades – dating back to their days as law school students at the University of Virginia, told his friend “frankly, you frighten people.” If confirmed, Kennedy would have control over 18 powerful federal agencies overseeing the nation’s food and health, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Food and Drug Administration, the National Institutes of Health and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. The 71-year-old Kennedy launched a long-shot campaign for the Democratic presidential nomination against President Joe Biden in April 2023. But six months later, he switched to an independent run for the White House. Kennedy made major headlines again last August when he dropped his presidential bid and endorsed Trump. While Kennedy had long identified as a Democrat and repeatedly invoked his late father, former Sen. Robert F. Kennedy, and his late uncle, former President John F. Kennedy – who were both assassinated in the 1960s – Kennedy in recent years built relationships with far-right leaders due in part to his high-profile vaccine skepticism. Trump announced soon after the November election that he would nominate Kennedy to his Cabinet to run HHS. In the two months since Trump’s announcement, it’s not just Democrats who’ve raised questions about Kennedy’s confirmation. Social conservative Republicans took issue with his past comments in support of abortion rights. “My belief is we should leave it to the woman. We shouldn’t have the government involved, even if it’s full term,” Kennedy said as he ran for president. But since endorsing Trump, Kennedy has walked back his stance on abortion. And in an exchange Wednesday with Democratic Sen. Maggie Hassan of New Hampshire, Kennedy declared “I agree with President Trump that every abortion is a tragedy.” Independent Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont, a former two-time Democratic presidential candidate, argued that Kennedy made a “major U-turn” on abortion. Kennedy was also questioned about how he would reform Medicare and Medicaid, the massive government health care programs used by millions of older, disabled, and low-income Americans.
White House still committed to freezing ‘woke’ funds despite rescinding OMB memo
The White House remains committed to freezing federal grants and loans aimed at “woke” programs, Fox News has learned, despite the administration’s move to rescind the original Office of Management and Budget memo — effectively ending the legal battle and any “confusion” for recipients. A federal judge on Tuesday paused the Trump administration’s Office of Management and Budget (OMB) memo, which aimed to freeze funding to various federal programs. ‘ANSWERED THIS QUESTION FOUR TIMES’: LEAVITT PUSHES BACK ON MEDIA’S ‘UNCERTAINTY’ ABOUT FEDERAL FUNDING FREEZE On Wednesday, the Trump administration rescinded the original memo. “In light of the injunction, OMB has rescinded the memo to end any confusion on federal policy created by the court ruling and the dishonest media coverage,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told Fox News on Wednesday. “The Executive Orders issued by the President on funding reviews remain in full force and effect and will be rigorously implemented by all agencies and departments.” Leavitt told Fox News that rescinding the memo “should effectively end the court case and allow the government to focus on enforcing the President’s orders on controlling federal spending.” “In the coming weeks and months, more executive action will continue to end the egregious waste of federal funding,” Leavitt said. The memo, sent to federal agencies on Monday, issued a pause on all federal grants and loans aiming to eradicate “wokeness” and the “weaponization of government” to improve government efficiency. “Federal agencies must temporarily pause all activities related to obligation or disbursement of all Federal financial assistance, and other relevant agency activities that may be implicated by the executive orders, including, but not limited to, financial assistance for foreign aid, nongovernmental organizations, DEI, woke gender ideology, and the green new deal,” the memo, obtained by Fox Digital, reads. The pause was set to take effect at 5 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on Tuesday. Democrats had criticized the Trump administration’s freeze of federal funds, arguing that President Trump is circumventing Congress and withholding congressionally appropriated funds, violating the Impoundment Control Act. FEDERAL JUDGE PAUSES TRUMP ADMIN’S TEMPORARY FEDERAL GRANTS, LOANS FREEZE U.S. District Judge Loren AliKhan for the District of Columbia, appointed by former President Joe Biden, imposed an administrative stay on Tuesday afternoon, pausing the Trump administration’s action. The administrative stay pauses the freeze until Monday. The White House stressed that despite the memo being rescinded, if money coming out of federal agencies is at odds with the president’s executive orders, for example, funding for diversity, equity and inclusion programs, those funds will still be frozen. But programs including Social Security benefits, Medicare, food stamps, welfare benefits and other assistance going directly to individuals will not be impacted under the pause, according to Leavitt. Leavitt, during the White House press briefing on Tuesday, described the pause as “temporary,” and noted that the Trump administration has executed other freezes throughout the government, including a regulatory and hiring pause. “It’s incumbent upon this administration to make sure, again, that every penny is being accounted for honestly,” Leavitt said. Additionally, Leavitt said that Trump’s newly created Department of Government Efficiency that aims to eliminate government spending and waste identified $37 million that was about to go to the World Health Organization, along with $50 million to “fund condoms in Gaza.” “That is a preposterous waste of money,” Leavitt said.
Lee Zeldin faces Senate confirmation vote to lead Trump’s EPA
The Senate will vote Wednesday on whether to confirm former Rep. Lee Zeldin to head the government’s leading agency on environmental rules and regulations. President Donald Trump tapped Zeldin, who previously served as a congressman from New York’s 1st Congressional District from 2015 to 2023, to lead the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) under his administration. During his tenure in Congress, Zeldin, an Army Reserve lieutenant colonel, launched a campaign for governor in New York, when he trailed only five percentage points in the largely Democratic state. Zeldin underwent a confirmation hearing earlier this month, when he was questioned on climate change by members of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee. The Senate held a cloture vote for Zeldin on Wednesday afternoon, which ended the debate over his nomination. The chamber will now proceed to a final floor vote. ZELDIN GRILLED BY DEMOCRATS ON CLIMATE CHANGE, TRUMP’S STANCE ON CARBON EMISSIONS DURING EPA HEARING If confirmed on Wednesday, Zeldin will head the agency that surveys environmental issues, provides assistance to wide-ranging environmental projects, and establishes rules that align with the administration’s views on environmental protection and climate change. During his confirmation hearing, Zeldin pledged that if confirmed, he would “foster a collaborative culture within the agency, supporting career staff who have dedicated themselves to this mission. I strongly believe we have a moral responsibility to be good stewards of our environment for generations to come.” The latest round of voting comes as Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., continues to advance the confirmation process to push through Trump’s Cabinet nominees.
Howard Lutnick, Trump Commerce secretary pick, says it’s ‘nonsense’ that tariffs cause inflation
President Donald Trump‘s nominee to lead the Commerce Department, Howard Lutnick, told senators the argument that tariffs cause inflation is “nonsense” during a confirmation hearing. “The two top countries with tariffs, India and China, do have the most tariffs and no inflation,” Lutnick noted. “A particular product’s price may go up,” he conceded, while arguing that levies would not cause broad inflation. “It is just nonsense to say that tariffs cause inflation. It’s nonsense.” Lutnick testified before members of the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee on Wednesday ahead of an impending committee and full Senate floor vote to confirm him to the Cabinet position. Inflation, which ticked as high as 9.1% in June 2022 under the Biden administration, became a defining issue in the 2024 election as Trump promised to bring household prices back down. Lutnick also said he prefers “across-the-board” tariffs on a “country-by-country” basis, rather than ones aimed at particular sectors or products. A VICTORY FOR TRUMP’S ‘FAFO’: HOW THE WHITE HOUSE STRONG-ARMED ONE-TIME CLOSE ALLY COLOMBIA OVER IMMIGRATION “I think when you pick one product in Mexico, they’ll pick one product. You know, we pick avocados, they pick white corn, we pick tomatoes, they pick yellow corn. All you’re doing is picking on farmers.” “Let America make it more fair. We are treated horribly by the global trading environment. They all have higher tariffs, non-tariff trade barriers and subsidies. They treat us poorly. We need to be treated better,” Lutnick went on. “We can use tariffs to create reciprocity.” He said Trump, a longtime friend, was of a “like mind” that tariffs need to be simple. “The steel and aluminum had 560,000 applications for exclusions,” said Lutnick. “It just seems that’s too many.” Trump recently signed an executive order directing the Commerce Department and the Office of the US Trade Representative to conduct a review of U.S. trade policy and tariff models, with a focus on China. Trump has said he intends to impose a 25% tariff on goods from Canada and Mexico on Feb. 1 amid concerns of mass migration and drug trafficking. He also said he would increase tariffs on China by 10%. Lutnick also sounded off about Europe treating the U.S. industry unfairly. AOC ROASTED OVER POST ABOUT COLOMBIA TARIFFS AND COFFEE PRICES THAT ‘AGED LIKE HOT MILK’ “I think our farmers and ranchers and fishermen are treated with disrespect overseas,” he said. “Europe, for example, comes up with all these sort of policies, that our ranchers can’t sell steak. If you if you saw European, steer and an American steer, it’s laughable. The American steers are three times this size. The steaks are so much more beautiful.” “But they make up this nonsensical set of rules so that our ranchers can’t sell there.” Lutnick said Chinese tariffs “should be the highest.” “But the fact that we Americans cannot sell an American car in Europe is just wrong. And it needs to be fixed. “While they’re an ally, they are taking advantage of us and disrespecting us. And I would like that to end.” His comments echoed those of Trump last week. “The European Union is very, very bad to us,” he said. “So they’re going to be in for tariffs. It’s the only way … you’re going to get fairness.” The governments of Mexico, Canada and nations in Europe have prepared a list of their own U.S. imports that will face tariffs in a tit-for-tat trade war if Trump follows through on taxing their own goods as they’re brought into the U.S. Kaja Kallas, the European Union’s top diplomat, said Monday that European nations needed to united to use their collective economic force against the U.S. if needed. “As the United States shifts to a more transactional approach, Europe needs to close ranks,” she said at a news conference in Brussels. “Europe is an economic heavyweight and geopolitical partner.”
Trump’s new legal team begins appeals process for Manhattan conviction
President Donald Trump’s legal team filed a notice of appeal for his conviction in his Manhattan trial, Fox News Digital confirmed on Wednesday, which found him guilty of 34 counts of falsifying business records. “PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that President Donald J. Trump hereby appeals to the First Department of the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of the State of New York from the judgment of conviction on 34 counts of falsifying business records in the 1st degree under LP § 175.10 and sentence of unconditional discharge, rendered in the supreme court, New York County (Merchan, J.) under Indictment No. 71543/2023 on January 10, 2025 (attached hereto as Exhibit A), and further appeals from each and every part thereof and every intermediate order made therein,” the notice of appeal reads. Trump’s newly-minted attorney, Robert J. Giuffra Jr. said in comment provided to the Associated Press on Wednesday that “President Donald J. Trump’s appeal is important for the rule of law, New York’s reputation as a global business, financial and legal center, as well as for the presidency and all public officials.” “The misuse of the criminal law by the Manhattan DA to target President Trump sets a dangerous precedent, and we look forward to the case being dismissed on appeal,” he continued. ‘ANYTHING BUT ORDINARY’: LEGAL EXPERTS SHRED NY V. TRUMP AS ‘ONE OF THE WORST’ CASES IN HISTORY Trump was found guilty of 34 counts of falsifying business records in the Manhattan case in May. Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s office worked to prove that Trump had falsified business records to conceal a $130,000 payment to former porn star Stormy Daniels ahead of the 2016 election, to quiet her claims of an alleged affair with Trump in 2006. Trump has maintained his innocence in the case and repeatedly railed against it as an example of lawfare promoted by Democrats in an effort to hurt his efforts ahead of the November 2024 election. “The appeal of Trump’s criminal conviction has finally begun with the filing of the notice of appeal today,” Fox News contributor Jonathan Turley posted on X Wednesday of the appeal. “While expectations are not particularly high for relief in the NY court system, this process moves the case closer to an appeal to the Supreme Court,” he continued. Presiding New York Judge Juan Merchan sentenced Trump on Jan. 10, just days before his inauguration as the 47th president, to unconditional discharge — meaning he faces no punishment such as fines or jail time. Legal experts railed against the sentencing earlier in January, with Fox News’ Mark Levin remarking that it will be remembered as “one of the worst” legal cases in world history. “I’ll tell you how it strikes me, when you look at cases throughout history, not just in the United States, but really all over the world, this will be remembered as one of the worst. This will be remembered as an absolute injustice from the beginning,” Levin said on Fox News after the sentencing. DONALD TRUMP SENTENCED WITH NO PENALTY IN NEW YORK CRIMINAL TRIAL, AS JUDGE WISHES HIM ‘GODSPEED’ IN 2ND TERM Fox News Digital exclusively reported on Wednesday that Trump retained a new legal team after some of his top attorneys joined his administration. He is now represented by Sullivan & Cromwell, including co-chair and partner of the firm, Giuffra Jr. and Matthew Schwartz, a partner of the firm. Giuffra previewed the importance of an appeal to the conviction in comment to Fox Digital earlier Wednesday. REPUBLICANS BLAST ‘JOKE’ SENTENCING OF TRUMP 10 DAYS BEFORE SWEARING IN “President Donald J. Trump’s appeal is important for the rule of law, New York’s reputation as a global business, financial and legal center, as well as for the presidency and all public officials,” Giuffra told Fox News Digital. “The misuse of the criminal law by the Manhattan DA to target President Trump sets a dangerous precedent, and we look forward to the case being dismissed on appeal.” Trump had also previously said he will appeal the conviction, including earlier this month when he said on Truth Social that “JUSTICE WILL PREVAIL.”
Missouri AG backs up Trump’s birthright citizenship order, argues 14th Amendment has been ‘perverted’
Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey defended President Donald Trump’s efforts to end birthright citizenship on Wednesday, arguing that the 14th Amendment clause that the policy is based on has been “perverted.” Bailey told Fox News Digital in an interview that the 14th Amendment “was never intended to be perverted into some kind of bad incentive to violate our national immigration laws.” He went on to note the multiple attempts by President Biden’s administration to bend or break appropriations laws, saying he fought each and every one. Trump’s order ending birthright citizenship has already faced numerous legal challenges. “Look, the 14th Amendment was drafted and ratified after the Civil War to fix the problem that an activist Supreme Court inflicted on the United States of America in the form of the Dred Scott decision,” Bailey said. “Again, the 14th Amendment was intended to protect Americans like Dred Scott.” The 14th Amendment, which was ratified after the Civil War to acknowledge citizenship for former slaves and their descendants, was not used to confer birthright citizenship to illegal aliens until more than 100 years after it was adopted by Congress, according to legal expert Hans von Spakovsky of the Heritage Foundation. TRUMP ADMIN HITS BACK AS ACLU LAUNCHES LAWSUIT ON BIRTHRIGHT CITIZENSHIP: ‘READY TO FACE THEM’ Bailey went on to defend another of Trump’s controversial orders, this one pausing the flow of federal appropriations funding. Trump signed the order this week to ensure that federal agencies were in line with the new administration’s policies before distributing funding. “The president has the authority to determine the appropriation laws that are passed that appropriate funds toward items in the federal budget, but it’s up to the president to then carry into effect that appropriations law,” Bailey said. TRUMP DHS REPEALS KEY MAYORKAS MEMO LIMITING ICE AGENTS, ORDERS PAROLE REVIEW “I would ask our friends on the left, where were they when President Biden refused to build the border wall for which Congress had appropriated funds and commanded erection of new border barrier systems, period? We had to sue the Biden administration,” Bailey said, noting that Missouri led the ultimately successful effort against the previous administration. “They want to call it a constitutional crisis, but they’re silent on issues like that. They’re also silent on issues like when President Biden attempts to appropriate funds by himself without congressional authority. How many times did he try to take taxpayer money to try to pay off student loan debt?” Bailey added. TRUMP TO DEPLOY MILITARY TO BORDER, END BIDEN PAROLE POLICIES IN FLURRY OF DAY 1 EXECUTIVE ORDERS Meanwhile, Trump’s opponents have lined up lawsuits in an effort to block executive orders across the board. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) sued over the birthright citizenship order last week, arguing it was unconstitutional. Twenty-two Democrat-led states joined the ACLU in its effort. Trump’s opponents argue that of those born on U.S. soil, the text of the law precludes only the children of foreign diplomats from becoming U.S. citizens.
Sen. Kaine claims Trump will ‘stiff’ federal employees who take buyout offer: ‘Do not be fooled’
Sen. Tim Kaine is claiming that President Donald Trump is going to “stiff” federal employees who accept buyout offers instead of returning to the office, telling workers “Do not be fooled by this guy.” The Trump administration is offering buyouts for nearly all federal employees, including those who work remotely, as part of the president’s efforts to get employees back into the office, but they only have until Feb. 6 to opt-in. However, Kaine argued on the Senate floor Tuesday night that Trump has no such grounds to make that kind of deal. “The federal employees received an interesting email at the end of the day today…. that said, from the administration, if you tender your resignation by next Friday, we will guarantee you payment through the end of September whether or not you show up for work. So tender your resignation and then boy, it’s just going to be a gravy train, you are just going to get paid for seven months without working,” Kaine said. “The president has no authority to make that offer. There’s no budget line item to pay people who are not showing up for work. This is a guy who made this promise to contractors again and again and again when he was a private business guy. ‘Oh, come work for me on my casino.’ ‘Come work for me in a hotel.’ ‘We’re going to do a handshake. We’re going to do a contract.’ The contractor does the work and then finds out they get stiffed,” Kaine continued. TRUMP ADMINISTRATION OFFERS BUYOUTS TO FEDERAL EMPLOYEES, INCLUDING REMOTE WORKERS “So my message to federal employees who receive this is, yeah, the president has tried to terrorize you for about a week and then gives you a little sweetheart offer: ‘If you resign in the next week, we’re just going to pay you for doing nothing for the next seven months.’ Don’t be fooled. He’s tricked hundreds of people with that offer. If you accept that offer and resign, he’ll stiff you just like he stiffed the contractors. He doesn’t have any authority to do this. Do not be fooled by this guy,” the Virginia Democrat also said. When asked to respond Wednesday, the White House referred Fox News Digital to a statement by White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt, in which she said “After four years of incompetence and failure, President Donald Trump is committed to making our government efficient and productive again. “American taxpayers pay for the salaries of federal government employees and therefore deserve employees working on their behalf who actually show up to work in our wonderful federal buildings, also paid for by taxpayers,” Leavitt added Tuesday. TRUMP FIRES TWO DEMOCRATIC COMMISSIONERS ON CIVIL RIGHTS ENFORCEMENT AGENCY AS WHITE HOUSE TARGETS DEI This morning, a reporter asked Leavitt if the buyouts are a way to purge the government of people who disagree with Trump. “That’s absolutely false. This is a suggestion to federal workers that they have to return to work. And if they don’t, then they have the option to resign. And this administration is very generously offering to pay them for eight months,” she said. “Six percent of the federal workforce in this city actually shows up to work. That’s unacceptable. We’re all here at work at the office. There are law enforcement officers and teachers and nurses across the country who showed up to the office today. People in this city need to do the same,” Leavitt also said. “It’s an overwhelmingly popular policy with people outside of Washington D.C. The president campaigned on this and his administration is keeping a promise.” Fox News’ Greg Wehner and Jacqui Heinrich contributed to this report.
Smelt test: Trump order overrides California’s fish-protecting rules to maximize water supply
President Donald Trump is taking executive action to override California’s “actively harmful” state and local environmental policies in an effort to maximize water supply in the aftermath of January’s deadly wildfires. In an executive order issued Sunday, Trump called on federal agencies to overrule California regulations on endangered species to create more water availability, expedite the removal of debris in the areas affected by the fires, and conduct investigations into the city of Los Angeles’ use of federal grants. The president’s order overrides environmental regulations potentially limiting water availability in the area, such as the Endangered Species Act (ESA), which seeks to minimize water infrastructure to protect certain fish species, such as the Delta smelt. The order comes just weeks after Trump accused Gov. Gavin Newsom, D-Calif., of caring more about protecting an endangered fish species than the state’s residents amid the wildfires. Trump also called on the Interior Department to immediately override existing regulations in California that “unduly burden efforts to maximize water deliveries” to the Central Valley Project (CVP), a water management effort in the state. TRUMP MEETS WITH CALIFORNIA RESIDENTS, FIRE AND LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS TO SEE LA WILDFIRE DAMAGE FIRST HAND The order calls on several federal agencies to conduct reviews of environmental programs in the state. The director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) will also conduct a review of all federal programs, projects and activities relating to land management, water availability, water supply, water storage, water infrastructure, and disaster preparedness and response, according to the executive order. NEWSOM THANKS TRUMP FOR COMING TO CALIFORNIA TO TOUR FIRE DAMAGE IN TARMAC FACE-OFF Additionally, Trump called on Cabinet secretaries to “expeditiously take all measures, consistent with all applicable authorities, to ensure adequate water resources in Southern California,” and issue a report within 15 days on all resources and authorities available to “fight and prevent” wildfires in the area. Specifically, the Interior and Commerce departments will designate an official to investigate any “regulatory hurdles” under current environmental protection laws “that unduly burden each respective water project,” and propose a plan to suspend or revise any regulations. Trump also asked the attorney general to launch an investigation into Los Angeles’ “misuse” of federal preparedness grants. “These Federal preparedness grants shall not be used to support illegal aliens,” the executive order reads. The city was recently criticized for cutting the fire department budget by $17 million while hundreds of thousands of dollars were allocated to fund programs such as a “Gay Men’s Chorus” and housing for the transgender homeless. The White House suggested that the order would “deliver more water and produce additional hydropower, including by increasing storage and conveyance, and jointly operating federal and state facilities, to high-need communities, notwithstanding any contrary state or local laws.” Trump and first lady Melania Trump visited the areas devastated by the Los Angeles fires on Friday, pledging federal assistance to the victims during a roundtable with Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass and other state officials. “I don’t think you can realize how rough, how devastating it is until you see it,” Trump said of the wildfire damage. “The federal government is standing behind you, 100%.” Fox News’ Alex Schemmel contributed to this report.
‘What a jacka–‘: Conservatives hammer Dem senator’s ‘droning monologue’ during RFK Jr hearing
Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I., was blasted by conservatives on social media on Wednesday over his contentious line of questioning toward President Donald Trump’s Health and Human Services (HHS) secretary nominee, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. “Frankly, you frighten people,” Whitehouse told Kennedy while seemingly linking Kennedy’s skepticism of some vaccines to the first case of measles in Rhode Island since 2013. “Americans are going to need to hear a clear and trustworthy recantation of what you have said on vaccinations, including a promise from you never to say vaccines aren’t medically safe when they, in fact, are, and making indisputably clear that you support mandatory vaccinations against diseases where that will keep people safe,” Whitehouse said. “You’re in that hole pretty deep.” Whitehouse, who attended law school with Kennedy where the two were friends, used the majority of his time to list concerns about Kennedy, allowing the HHS hopeful a small window at the end to address the line of questioning. ‘MASTERCLASS’: BONDI FLIPS SCRIPT ON DEM SENATOR AFTER SUGGESTING SHE WILL WEAPONIZE DOJ Whitehouse’s comments quickly drew criticism from conservatives on social media. “Sen. Whitehouse (D-RI) beginning his confirmation ‘questioning’ of RFK Jr. by saying ‘I’m very experienced, so you’re just going to have to listen,’ then talking for 7 minutes nonstop is such a perfect picture of why Democrats are failing around the nation right now,” Daily Signal columnist Tony Kinnett posted on X. “You know what would be good?” columnist John Podhortez posted on X. “Sheldon Whitehouse going away forever to an island. And not Rhode Island, which isn’t an island. More like St. Helena.” NOBEL LAUREATE LETTER OPPOSING RFK JR CONFIRMATION LOADED WITH DEM DONORS, OFFICIALS: ‘THINLY VEILED ATTEMPT’ “Whitehouse delivers a droning monologue then tells RFK he’s out of time, can respond in writing,” National Review senior writer Dan McLaughlin posted on X. “What a jacka–,” Twitchy.com editor Samantha Janney posted on X. “RFK Jr. should ask Sheldon about his membership at multiple whites-only clubs.” Fox News Digital reached out to Whitehouse’s office for comment but did not immediately receive a response. Opposition to Kennedy’s nomination has been fierce, with advocacy groups running ad campaigns urging senators to vote against his confirmation mainly due to his past skepticism of some vaccines. “I want to make sure the Committee is clear about a few things. News reports have claimed that I am anti-vaccine or anti-industry. Well, I am neither; I am pro-safety,” Kennedy said in his opening statement in front of the Senate Finance Committee.
Justice Department moves to drop prosecution of Mar-a-Lago staff in Trump classified docs case
The Justice Department filed a motion Wednesday to drop all criminal proceedings against two former Trump co-defendants charged in the special counsel’s classified documents case, putting a final end to the probe more than two years after it began. The request for the charges to be dropped was filed Wednesday by the acting U.S. attorney in Miami, Hayden O’Byrne, without explanation. The co-defendants, Carlos De Oliveira, a Mar-a-Lago property manager, and Walt Nauta, a valet at the property, were charged alongside President Donald Trump in the classified documents case led by former Special Counsel Jack Smith. WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY DEFENDS TRUMP’S FIRING OF INSPECTORS GENERAL Smith was tapped by Attorney General Merrick Garland in 2022 to investigate both the alleged effort by Trump and his allies to overturn the results of the 2020 election, as well as his keeping of allegedly classified documents at his Florida residence after leaving the White House. Both investigations were halted shortly after Trump won election for the second time in 2024, in keeping with long-standing Justice Department policy against investigating a sitting president. JUSTICE DEPARTMENT LOOKING TO WIND DOWN TRUMP CRIMINAL CASES AHEAD OF INAUGURATION But the charges against Nauta and De Oliveira still stood. Attorneys for two of Trump’s former co-defendants in the classified documents case filed an emergency motion to U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon to block the report’s publication earlier this year, alleging that their civilian clients would “irreparably suffer harm” as a result of its release. Both had been charged with conspiring with Trump to obstruct an investigation, and making false statements to the FBI.