Pete Buttigieg meets with Chuck Schumer as he considers Michigan Senate bid
Former Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg met with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., as he contemplates wading into the 2026 Michigan Senate race. The two met last week to discuss Buttigieg potentially running for outgoing Democratic Sen. Gary Peters’ seat in the Trump-won swing state, a source familiar confirmed to Fox News Digital. HOUSE GOPERS HOPE TRUMP KEEPS DOOR TO MINERAL DEAL OPEN FOR UKRAINE DESPITE OVAL OFFICE DISPUTE Schumer’s office and a representative for Buttigieg did not immediately provide comment to Fox News Digital. The meeting was first reported by Politico. Buttigieg, 43, previously served as mayor of South Bend, Indiana, before launching a presidential bid in 2020. Fans affectionately referred to him as “Mayor Pete,” and he has maintained popularity within the Democratic Party as one of its younger stars. GOP REBELS FIRE WARNING SHOT IN SHUTDOWN SHOWDOWN: NO DOGE, NO DEAL The millennial Democrat was later chosen to serve as President Biden’s transportation secretary. Soon after Peters revealed in January he wouldn’t seek re-election in the pivotal battleground state of Michigan, a source familiar with Buttigieg’s thinking told Fox News Digital, “Pete is exploring all of his options on how he can be helpful and continue to serve.” SENATE BID TO PREVENT BOYS FROM PLAYING GIRLS’ SPORTS GETS STUCK ON FILIBUSTER “He’s honored to be mentioned for this, and he’s taking a serious look.” Peters announced his retirement to the Detroit News, telling the outlet, “I always thought there would be a time that I would step aside and pass the reins for the next generation. I also never saw service in Congress as something you do your whole life.” WHO IS ELISSA SLOTKIN, AND WHY DID DEMS CHOOSE HER FOR THE PARTY’S REBUTTAL TO TRUMP SPEECH? “And that goes back to 2008 when I first won that House seat. I thought it would be for a matter of a few terms that I would serve, and then I would go back to private life,” he added. The Michigan Senate race is considered a “Toss Up” by top nonpartisan political handicapper the Cook Political Report.
Florida governor spotlights timely golf outing he and Casey DeSantis had with President Trump
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis took to social media on Tuesday to share a photo from a golf outing he and his wife, first lady Casey DeSantis, had with President Donald Trump this past weekend. The move by DeSantis comes as the race to succeed the term-limited conservative governor heats up, with Trump ally Rep. Bryon Donalds announcing his candidacy after landing the president’s endorsement, and the high-profile first lady acknowledging she’s considering a 2026 run. Trump and Florida’s first couple had breakfast together this past weekend at the president’s West Palm Beach golf course, and also played a round of golf. “.@CaseyDeSantisteeing off at Trump Int’l in Palm Beach (made birdie on the hole). Casey and @realDonaldTrump had no trouble winning the match…,” the governor wrote in a post on his political account on X. DESANTIS TAKES VICTORY LAP IN IMPLEMENTING TRUMP’S IMMIGRATION CRACKDOWN A Republican source in Florida confirms to Fox News that the governor and first lady used their morning with Trump, in part, to appeal to the president to not further engage in the gubernatorial race beyond his initial endorsement of Donalds. The president, who moved his primary residence to Florida in 2019, two weeks ago took to social media to write that Donalds – who was a major surrogate for Trump on the 2024 campaign trail – “would be a truly Great and Powerful Governor for Florida.” Trump added that Donalds, “should he decide to run, will have my Complete and Total Endorsement. RUN, BYRON, RUN!” WATCH: BYRON DONALDS ANNOUNCES RUN FOR GOVERNOR IN FOX NEWS CHANNEL APPEARANCE Donalds announced his candidacy a week later, in an appearance on Fox News’ “Hannity.” The conservative former state lawmaker, who has represented parts of southwest Florida in Congress for four years, had been eyeing a potential gubernatorial bid for nearly a year. “I’ve thought about it. I don’t really rule anything out,” Donalds said in a Fox News Digital interview last spring when asked about a possible run for governor. Trump and DeSantis have a long but at times combustible political history. The president backed then-Rep. DeSantis successful 2018 run for governor and the two were allies for a couple of years. But the two GOP heavyweights waged a bitter battle in 2023 and early last year during a very combative and divisive 2024 GOP presidential nomination race. They seemed to make peace after Trump quickly clinched the nomination during the primaries, and DeSantis helped raise funds for Trump during the general election. After Donalds jumped into the race, DeSantis seemed to criticize the congressman, saying at a news conference that “I think people look at it and say you’ve got a guy like Byron, he just hasn’t been a part of any of the victories that we’ve had here over the left over these last years.” Since he made those comments, the governor has refrained from criticizing Donalds, but has repeatedly touted his wife’s accomplishments as Florida first lady and framing her as a worthy successor. Casey DeSantis last week stoked speculation when asked by reporters if she would run. “To quote the late Yogi Berra,” DeSantis said as she reiterated a famous line from the late baseball legend. “If you see a fork in the road, take it.” The governor then quipped to reporters that “you guys can read into that what you will.” Fox News last week also confirmed that Gov. DeSantis was reaching out to donors on behalf of his wife. Asked about Casey DeSantis, Donald told Fox News’ “Sunday Morning Futures” host Maria Bartiromo this past weekend that “I remember back in 2018 campaigning for then-Congressman DeSantis, who had the support of Donald Trump, and that worked out great for our state. So, in 2025, moving into 2026, I am really honored to have the same support from President Trump.” “He has a history of making good picks, and I think his picks have always worked out for the Sunshine State,” Donald emphasized. And he added that “we will worry about the primaries as other people decide to get in the race or not, but we are going to be focused on Floridians.” While Florida was once a top general election battleground, it’s now firmly red – DeSantis won re-election in 2022 by nearly 20 points and Trump carried the state in November by 13 points – and the eventual winner of the GOP primary will be considered the front-runner in next year’s gubernatorial election.
House GOPers hope Trump keeps door to mineral deal open for Ukraine despite Oval Office dispute
House Republicans said President Donald Trump should keep a proposed minerals deal with Ukraine on the table, despite the public Oval Office showdown with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy Friday. “I hope that Zelenskyy will come back humbly to the president, thanking the president for being willing to engage (and) having those business interests,” Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, told Fox News Digital Tuesday. He added that it would have been a “really great” way for Ukraine to signal to Russia that America is on its side. “I hope we’ll go down that road,” Roy said of the proposed deal. GOP REBELS FIRE WARNING SHOT IN SHUTDOWN SHOWDOWN: NO DOGE, NO DEAL Trump and Vice President JD Vance’s Friday meeting with Zelenskyy at the White House was cut short after they publicly sparred over the effort to end the Ukraine-Russia war. An agreement that would give the U.S. access to Ukraine’s critical minerals in exchange for the financial support the U.S. has given Ukraine since 2022 and future investment in the country was left unsigned and Zelenskyy was asked by Trump to depart early. Rep. Burgess Owens, R-Utah, said the deal should “absolutely” still be in consideration. He pointed out that the U.S.’s presence in Ukraine would deter “the threat of having attacks that we had three years ago. So it’s a win-win.” SENATE BID TO PREVENT BOYS FROM PLAYING GIRLS’ SPORTS GETS STUCK ON FILIBUSTER “I think everything should be on the table. Right?” remarked House Majority Whip Tom Emmer, R-Minn. “I’m very I was encouraged by President Zelenskyy’s move today to say everything he should have said last week when he was in the Oval Office. And I think that bodes well.” Rep. Ralph Norman, R-S.C., agreed with his GOP colleagues that the deal shouldn’t be scrapped. “Donald Trump did the right things,” he said. “What Zelenskyy did to disrespect the president. Watch how he interrupted the president. Watch how he challenged the vice president. It’s unheard of.” WHO IS ELISSA SLOTKIN, AND WHY DID DEMS CHOOSE HER FOR THE PARTY’S REBUTTAL TO TRUMP SPEECH? Trump is “going to have to decide what he wants,” according to Norman. Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Calif., said, “I think that President Zelenskyy regrets not signing it and keeping his mouth shut.” House Freedom Caucus Chairman Andy Harris, R-Md., also said the deal should remain in consideration, “absolutely.” “I think it’s a win-win for the Ukrainians,” he added. “I was very disappointed they didn’t take advantage of it.” FLASHBACK: DEM SENATOR EMBROILED IN CONFLICT OF INTEREST ROW TARGETED SCOTUS IN ETHICS CRUSADE In a new development, Zelenskyy addressed the contentious meeting once again Tuesday, and said Ukraine was “ready to come to the negotiating table.” He further remarked that the discussion with Trump and Vance “did not go the way it was supposed to be,” but Zelenskyy said “it is time to make things right.” “My team and I stand ready to work under President Trump’s strong leadership to get a peace that lasts,” he said in a lengthy statement on social media.
Former Harris 2024 advisor sends warning to Democrats in audience for Trump speech: ‘Do not do dumb sh–‘
A former top official for Kamala Harris’ presidential campaign is warning Democrats not to cause a stir at President Trump’s speech to a joint session of Congress. “Democrats: PLEASE do not do dumb sh– like this during Trump’s speech,” former Harris 2024 senior advisor Ian Sams posted on X Tuesday, hours before President Trump delivered his joint address to Congress. Sams was responding to an Axios report that revealed Democrats were “floating” the idea of bringing props to Trump’s speech, including anti-Trump signs, egg cartons to highlight the current costs of eggs, pocket Constitutions to protest DOGE or hand clappers. Earlier, the White House brushed off reports that some Democrats in Congress are discussing plans to go further than ever to protest and even disrupt Trump’s speech. ‘SHE’S REALLY THIS DUMB’: HOUSE DEM RIPPED AFTER CALLING TRUMP ‘ENEMY OF THE UNITED STATES’ White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told Fox News Digital Trump is prepared for whatever the Democrats throw at him. “Democrats behaving like children would be the least surprising news of the night,” Leavitt told Fox News Digital. ELON MUSK TAKES AIM AT NATIONAL DEBT, WARNS OF ‘DE FACTO BANKRUPTCY’ WITHOUT DOGE: ‘$2 TRILLION IN DEFICITS’ TUNE IN: LIVE COVERAGE OF TRUMP’S ADDRESS TO CONGRESS TONIGHT ON FOX NEWS Axios reported that some Democrats may even walk out of the speech if Trump makes a comment they find offensive. “The part that we all agree on is that this is not business as usual, and we would like to find a way — productively — to express our outrage,” one lawmaker told Axios. White House officials exclusively told Fox News Digital earlier this week that the speech, “The Renewal of the American Dream,” will feature four main sections — accomplishments from Trump’s second term thus far at home and abroad, what the Trump administration has done for the economy, the president’s renewed push for Congress to pass additional funding for border security and the president’s plans for peace around the globe. Fox News Digital’s Anders Hagstrom and Brooke Singman contributed to this report
Conservatives flip script on Senate Dems pushing identical talking points against Trump: ‘Like robots’
Conservatives on social media slammed Senate Democrats for posting videos with identical scripts ahead of President Donald Trump’s joint address to Congress Tuesday night. Mashups of the identical videos, which included Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., leading the “Sh– That Ain’t True” social media campaign, have gone viral on social media. Many conservatives on social media, including Elon Musk, are asking, “Who is writing the words that the puppets speak? That’s the real question.” Senators Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., and Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., led the charge with their matching social media videos this morning. About two dozen Senate Democrats have since followed with their own identical posts. The video begins with a clip of Trump vowing to “bring prices down starting on day one” followed by a cut-in of the Senate Democrats saying: “Sh– That Ain’t True? That’s what you just heard.” KAROLINE LEAVITT SENDS MESSAGE TO DEMS WHO MAY DISRUPT TRUMP’S ADDRESS TO CONGRESS TUNE IN: LIVE COVERAGE OF TRUMP’S ADDRESS TO CONGRESS TONIGHT ON FOX NEWS “Since Day One of Donald Trump’s presidency, prices are up, not down. Inflation is getting worse, not better. Prices of groceries, gas, housing, rent, eggs – they’re all getting more expensive. Meanwhile, Donald Trump has done nothing to lower costs for you,” the Democrats said in near-perfect unison. The social media campaign reflects the Democratic National Committee’s broader media strategy ahead of Trump’s joint address to Congress. The DNC directed Democrats to focus their message on the economy tonight, advising Democrats to tell voters that Trump is breaking his promise to lower prices and boost America’s economy while promoting his billionaire cabinet. REP. JASMINE CROCKETT CALLS PRESIDENT TRUMP AN ‘ENEMY TO THE UNITED STATES’ “The truth hurts sometimes. Donald Trump promised to lower prices ‘on day one’ of his presidency but has failed to do so. Instead, inflation has accelerated, costs are rising and Trump’s actions are making things worse. Democrats are highlighting Trump’s failures and speaking with a unified voice. And we’re grateful that Elon Musk lifted our voices higher,” a Booker spokesperson said in a statement to Fox News Digital. “Every time Fox News plays this video, an angel gets its wings. We hope you will keep playing it,” a Schumer spokesperson told Fox News Digital. “Democrats all spewing the same scripted talking points like robots,” conservative influencer Tim Pool posted on X. “This is extremely dangerous to our democracy.” “These political dinosaurs need to realize that the propaganda that was once fed to various local news outlets doesn’t work in the era of X,” communications strategist Erica Knight posted on X. “Weird,” North Carolina Republican Congresswoman Virgina Foxx posted on X. Sen. Warren did not respond to a Fox News Digital media inquiry before publication.
Who is Andrew Lennox, the veteran appearing beside Slotkin during Democrat rebuttal?
Sen. Elissa Slotkin, D-Mich., will be accompanied Tuesday night during her rebuttal speech to President Donald Trump’s address to Congress by Andrew Lennox, a Marine Corps veteran and former Veterans Affairs employee who was among the many probationary employees whose jobs were abruptly terminated by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) in February. Lennox, a U.S. Marine mortarman veteran with deployments to Afghanistan, Iraq and Syria, according to Mother Jones, started his role at the Department of Veterans Affairs Office in Ann Arbor, Michigan, in December 2024 — roughly two months before DOGE began its firing of probationary employees across the federal government. His decadelong tenure as a Marine — which Lennox has described as the “greatest job” he’s ever had — and his abrupt firing by DOGE is expected to be a major theme of Slotkin’s speech, which will focus on the sharp reductions to the federal workforce, including former U.S. service members. THEME OF TRUMP’S ADDRESS TO CONGRESS REVEALED Lennox, for his part, said he was notified about his firing in a Feb. 13 email, which read in part: “The Agency finds, based on your performance, that you have not demonstrated that your further employment at the Agency would be in the public interest.” He provided a copy of the email to local news outlets and members of Congress who criticized DOGE’s decision to cut VA jobs as part of its effort to trim federal spending. While the email suggested Lennox had been fired for his performance, he told news outlets later that he had never received a performance evaluation during his two-month tenure. TOP OFFICIAL AT FBI NEW YORK FIELD OFFICE FORCED TO RETIRE Lennox said he later realized it was identical to the emails received by other VA colleagues cut by DOGE. “Every single person got the same copy-and-pasted email,” he told Mother Jones in a February interview. “There were people that were on probationary periods because they were recently promoted for outstanding performance,” he said. “That’s what really angered me, everybody else that had been there for a long time.” Lennox later found out he was among roughly 1,000 employees DOGE abruptly fired at the VA. That news was noted by DOGE in a press release the following day, announcing the layoffs of “non-bargaining unit probationary employees who have served less than a year in a competitive service appointment or who have served less than two years in an excepted service appointment.” While DOGE said the personnel cuts will save the department more than $98 million annually, Lennox has taken issue with the manner in which the VA employees were notified — as well as prospects for continued care and services for veterans. “If you want to lay me off as an in a reduction of force, please do that, but give us the time to prepare for a proper transition so that the veterans don’t suffer from this,” Lennox told a local news outlet in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Slotkin, a former House member and CIA analyst, likely will focus a portion of her speech on the sharp reductions DOGE has made to the federal workforce as it seeks to shrink the federal budget. In a press release announcing her rebuttal, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y. said Slotkin “will offer a bold vision of hope, unity, and a brighter future for everyone, not just the wealthy few at the top.” Her remarks are slated to begin at 10 p.m. Eastern Standard Time.
DOGE slashes nearly $1M for alpaca farming in Peru, other questionable grants in latest wasteful spending cut
The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) on Tuesday announced the cancelation of $4.5 million in grants, including one for alpaca farming in Peru, another for reducing social discrimination of recyclers in Bolivia and another for promoting cultural understanding of Venezuelan migrants in Brazil. The Inter-American Foundation, an agency given a $60 million budget to issue foreign grants, was reduced to its statutory minimum — one active employee, according to a statement from DOGE. Grants that were canceled in the process included $903,811 for alpaca farming in Peru, $364,500 to reduce social discrimination against recyclers in Bolivia, and $323,633 to promote cultural understanding of Venezuelan migrants in Brazil, according to DOGE. Other big ticket grants that were slashed included $813,210 for vegetable gardens in El Salvador, $731,105 to improve the marketability of mushrooms and peas in Guatemala, $677,342 to expand fruit and jam sales in Honduras, $483,345 to improve artisanal salt production in Ecuador and $39,250 for beekeeping in Brazil. DOD TELLS CIVILIAN WORKFORCE TO IGNORE ELON MUSK’S REQUEST TO REPORT PRODUCTIVITY DOGE, led by Elon Musk, is a temporary organization within the White House created via executive order earlier this year. President Donald Trump tasked the organization with optimizing the federal government, streamlining operations, and slashing spending — and gave them just 18 months to do it. OPM’S SECOND EMAIL TO FEDERAL EMPLOYEES ASKS WHAT THEY DID LAST WEEK—AND ADDS A NEW REQUIREMENT: REPORT As of March 4, DOGE’s website claims 2,334 contract terminations totaling $8 billion in savings, 3,489 grant terminations for roughly $10 billion in savings, and 748 lease terminations totaling about $660 million in lease savings. It also claims to have saved about $105 billion from a “combination of fraud detection/deletion, contract/lease cancelations, contract/lease renegotiation, asset sales, grant cancelations, workforce reductions, programmatic changes and regulatory savings.” DOGE critics allege the organization has too much access to federal systems and should not be permitted to cancel federal contracts or make cuts at various agencies. It canceled numerous diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives at federal agencies, consulting contracts, leases for underused federal buildings, and duplicate agencies and programs. The Inter-American Foundation did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment on Tuesday. Fox News Digital’s Eric Revell contributed to this report.
Lawmakers reveal top issues they want Trump to hammer home during joint address to Congress
WASHINGTON — Lawmakers on Capitol Hill who spoke to Fox News Digital revealed the issues they would like President Donald Trump to discuss during his address to Congress on Tuesday night. Trump is scheduled to deliver a speech at 9 p.m. Tuesday to a joint session of Congress, meaning both members of the House and the Senate will convene at the U.S. Capitol to hear the president speak. Democrat lawmakers said the president should focus on costs during the speech, and they hope he “keeps it short.” “The economy, how we’re going to lower the cost of groceries,” Rep. Debbie Dingell, D-Mich., told Fox News Digital when asked what Trump should focus on. TRUMP TO DELIVER FIRST ADDRESS OF HIS SECOND TERM TO JOINT SESSION OF CONGRESS TUNE IN: LIVE COVERAGE OF TRUMP’S ADDRESS TO CONGRESS TONIGHT ON FOX NEWS “Actually doing something that is going to help lower the cost of living for the American people, something he promised to do, but since he’s become president, the cost of living has gone up for people,” said Rep. Jim McGovern, D-Mass. “I hope he keeps it short, because he tends to keep it long-winded.” Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., told Fox News Digital that she had already heard the speech and that it is going to be “historic.” “I’ve heard the speech. It’s going to be incredible. It’s going to be epic. It’s going to be historic,” Mace told Fox. “You will laugh. You will cry. And you’ll question what the hell has been going on the last four years under the Joe Biden administration. The Democrats have lost their effing minds.” Rep. Dan Newhouse, R-Wash., who voted to impeach Trump during his first term, said the president should focus on farmers, while Rep. Russell Fry, R-S.C., said the president should highlight “his vision for the country.” Rep. Ralph Norman, R-S.C., thinks the president should focus on the “promises made” and “promises kept” during his first month in the White House. PAYTON MCNABB, HS VOLLEYBALL PLAYER SEVERELY INJURED BY TRANS OPPONENT, TO BE AT TRUMP’S SPEECH TO CONGRESS Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, said Democrats are “not working with us at all” but that Trump has “got a great track record to celebrate” during his speech. Roy said he hopes to hear Trump talk about “what he’s accomplished the past month,” specifically the issue at the border. Some Democrats, such as Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., and Rep. Don Beyer, D-Va., said they will not attend the president’s speech, the first joint address of his second term.
DeSantis takes victory lap on Florida’s ‘momentous immigration legislation’ enforcing Trump agenda
Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis says that when it comes to implementing President Donald Trump’s crackdown on illegal immigration, Florida is “rocking and rolling.” Florida’s two-term conservative governor used a portion of his State of the State address on Tuesday to spotlight a sweeping package of immigration laws passed a few weeks ago during a special session of the GOP-dominated legislature. “We are convening for the regular legislative session having already enacted groundbreaking legislation to fulfill the historic mission of delivering on President Donald Trump’s mandate to end the illegal immigration crisis once and for all,” DeSantis said in his address to lawmakers inside the state capitol in Tallahassee. FLORIDA SHOWDOWN: GOP STATE LAWMAKERS DEFY DESANTIS OVER IMMIGRATION PUSH And the governor touted that “no state has done more, and no state did it sooner than we did in Florida.” Florida’s new measures stiffen immigration enforcement by state and local law enforcement. ‘THANK YOU RON’ – TRUMP PRAISES DESANTIS IMMIGRATION PUSH IN FLORIDA “Thanks to the recent legislation, it is now a crime to enter Florida illegally, the days of catch and release are over, and all state and local law enforcement have a duty to assist in interior immigration enforcement efforts,” the governor emphasized. The new law also mandates the death penalty for immigrants in the U.S. without legal authorization who commit capital offenses such as first-degree murder or child rape. The legislation goes even further than a slew of executive orders signed by Trump since his return to the White House in late January. Speaking with reporters following his speech, DeSantis described the new laws as “momentous immigration legislation” and touted that “we’ve gone so much faster than any other state.” The governor signed the immigration bills into law last month after a compromise with the Republican leaders of the legislature was brokered, which brought to an end a weekslong standoff over dueling bills. DeSantis called the original special legislative session, but lawmakers quickly gaveled out and then held a separate special session, where they passed their own immigration bills, which the governor criticized. DeSantis, reflecting Tuesday on the standoff with lawmakers, said “we got there. It wasn’t necessarily a straight shot, but we got there.” The governor, who waged a bitter and unsuccessful primary challenge against Trump for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, was praised by the then-president-elect in January for calling the special session. “Thank you Ron, hopefully other governors will follow!” Trump wrote in a social media post after DeSantis announced the special session.
Supreme Court appears skeptical of Mexico’s lawsuit against American gunmakers
The U.S. Supreme Court looked skeptically Tuesday at Mexico’s efforts to hold American gunmakers legally responsible for their weapons being smuggled in and contributing to that country’s drug cartel violence. In a brisk 90-minute oral argument, the justices debated whether the production and sale of firearms in the United States is the “proximate cause” of alleged injuries to the Mexican government and its people, by somehow knowingly aiding and abetting illegal sales of guns to traffickers across the border. The U.S. neighbor to the south, which has strict gun sale restrictions, argues it should be allowed to file a $10 billion civil suit in American courts. DOD SENDS OVER 1,000 ADDITIONAL TROOPS TO HELP BOLSTER SOUTHERN BORDER EFFORTS But weapons manufacturers say their “routine business practices” are being unfairly targeted, and strongly deny being aware their products have been illegally transported into Mexico. Both sides of the bench asked tough questions. “We know that a straw seller is going to sell to someone who is going to use the gun illegally, because if they weren’t, they wouldn’t use the straw purchaser, and that illegal conduct is going to cause harm, and harm like this that the gun is going to be used in some way to injure people, correct?” said Justice Sonia Sotomayor, summarizing Mexico’s legal position. “Your theory of aiding and abetting liability would have destructive effects on the American economy,” said Justice Brett Kavanaugh. “Lots of sellers and manufacturers of ordinary products know that they’re going to be misused by some subset of people. They know that to a certainty, that it’s going to be pharmaceuticals, cars, what you can name, lots of products. So that’s a real concern.” The case comes to the high court during a delicate time for both countries, politically and diplomatically. The Trump administration has pushed the Mexican government to better patrol its border to block drugs and migrants from entering the United States, while Mexican officials have demanded the U.S. stop military-style firearms from ending up in Mexico – fueling the very drug crisis both sides seek to end. The public session arguments provide a high-profile American forum for Mexico and its complaints about its northern neighbor, just as the U.S. on Tuesday launched historic tariffs on Mexican imports. MEXICO’S PRESIDENT ON TRUMP TARIFFS: ‘NOBODY WINS’ The case could also affect the broader national debate over competing rights contained in the Second Amendment. A 2005 federal law known as the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act (PLCAA) was designed to shield gunmakers from civil suits when their products were criminally misused by others. But Mexico is relying on exceptions in the law to pursue its claims. Families of gun violence, like the parents of the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School massacre, have since still tried to file such claims, but this will be the first time the Supreme Court will rule on its limits. Those families reached a $73 million out-of-court settlement with gunmaker Remington. Supporters of gun control argue a high court ruling against Mexico will make it harder for them to go after U.S. gunmakers when future mass shootings occur, if it can be proved they knowingly and foreseeably broke the law. Gun rights groups counter that a lawful, heavily regulated industry should not be subject to liability for criminal acts committed by armed gangs in another country. Known as the “Iron River,” anywhere from 200,000 to 500,000 American-made guns are illegally trafficked into Mexico each year, according to U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives estimates. More than 70% of illegal guns seized in Mexico between 2013-18 were sold in the U.S., according to the Giffords Center for Violence Intervention, named after former Rep. Gabby Giffords, severely wounded in a Tucson, Arizona-area mass shooting in 2011. Mexico has only one gun store – managed by the country’s military – with no private shops, gun shows or commercial manufacture of firearms. Court records show only 3,215 private gun licenses were issued in the country for low-caliber weapons as of the year 2018, and that illegal possession was the third leading cause of criminal imprisonment. Mexico is usually among the top three countries globally in annual gun deaths. Two weeks ago, the Trump administration designated six Mexican cartels as foreign terrorist organizations. Much of the oral arguments centered on whether gunmakers could be sued on the “proximate case” standard, when the complex commerce pipeline goes from them to wholesalers, distributors, rogue retail dealers, straw purchasers, smugglers, and then to Mexican cartels themselves. “You haven’t sued any of the retailers that were the most proximate cause of the harm,” Justice Amy Coney Barrett told Catherine Stetson, lawyer for Mexico. “And you haven’t identified them that I can tell in the complaint.” “All of the things that you asked for in this lawsuit would amount to different kinds of regulatory constraints that I’m thinking Congress didn’t want the courts to be the ones to impose,” said Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, when it came to such remedies as gun distribution and marketing practices. But some on the court suggested the scope of the problem Mexico alleges has real consequences. “The complaint says that 2% of the guns manufactured in the United States find their way into Mexico,” asked Chief Justice John Roberts of the gunmakers’ attorney Noel Francisco. “And I know you dispute that, but is there a number where your legal analysis might have to be altered – if it’s 10%, if it’s 20%? At some point, the proximate cause lines that you draw really can’t bear the weight of the ultimate result.” The case is Smith & Wesson Brands, Inc. v. Estados Unidos Mexicanos (23-1141). A ruling is expected by late June.