EXCLUSIVE: Inside Republicans’ long game to confirm Trump FBI Director Kash Patel
FIRST ON FOX: Now-FBI Director Kash Patel worked hard to get the Senate support necessary for confirmation, studying the lawmakers, sitting for countless meetings and even enlisting the assistance of Sens. Mike Lee, R-Utah, and Ted Cruz, R-Texas, to prep for his hearing, Fox News Digital has learned. Patel met with 61 senators in his bid to take on the role that President Donald Trump nominated him for, a transition official told Fox News Digital. They noted this is significant for a position that is not even within the president’s Cabinet. GOP SENATOR SUFFERS SEIZURE, BRAIN BLEED AFTER FALLING ON ICE “He studied what was important to the FBI and everyone in these meetings,” they said, explaining how close to home the question of who directs the bureau hits for each senator. “You can touch and feel an FBI office in nearly every state.” Prominent Republicans Lee and Cruz were part of “murder board” sessions to critique and question Patel before his hearing. There were roughly 10 such meetings to prepare him. “I was happy to assist Director Patel through the confirmation process, because President Trump picked a man of great integrity and dedication to lead the FBI. America will be more free, fair, and safe with him at the Bureau,” Lee told Fox News Digital in a statement. A source familiar said the sessions consisted of a series of round-robin questions on hot-button issues. He was asked about some of the FBI controversies of recent memory, particularly former FBI officials Peter Strzok and Lisa Page, who infamously exchanged anti-Trump text messages while investigating him for potential collusion with Russia. DEMS DEMAND TRUMP RESUME CASH FLOW AS THEY FINALLY GET LEVERAGE IN RACE TO PREVENT SHUTDOWN They also took turns grilling Patel over a group of individuals listed in his 2023 book who he considers deep-state actors. Democrats dubbed it an “enemies list,” which the then-nominee denied. According to the transition official, the enthusiasm was palpable upon Patel’s nomination. “There’s a cadre of senators that knew Kash before he was nominated,” they said, adding that they were excited. He was confirmed last week by a narrow margin of 51-49. This caught his team by surprise as they actually expected both Sens. Susan Collins, R-Maine, and Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, to come down in favor of his nomination. During his meeting with Collins, a source familiar told Fox News Digital that Patel referenced the fact that she is the only elected Republican from Maine in Congress and is up for re-election in 2026. The then-nominee also told her that he understood if she was in a position in which she couldn’t vote for him. Collins’ office did not provide comment to Fox News Digital in time for publication. Patel’s meetings with both Collins and Murkowski had been good, per the transition official. “Kash and Lisa had many conversations and talked a lot,” they explained. While she didn’t vote for him, the Alaska Republican did call Patel in the hours leading up to the vote, giving him a heads-up that she wasn’t going to be able to support him, a source familiar shared. Another significant vote was that of former Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., who opted to support Patel after opposing Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard. EXCLUSIVE: TRUMP WARNS MAJOR DEM AGAINST MOVE THAT COULD COST VOTERS TRILLIONS Trump’s team leading Patel through the process had strategically worked on getting McConnell’s backing behind closed doors. Before Christmas, the then-nominee had already done 40 meetings with senators. This was on purpose; they wanted to get senators talking with each other, the source said. This early meeting blitz was specifically designed to lay the groundwork for Patel’s eventual discussions with McConnell, Murkowski and Collins, along with others who were potentially skeptical. When McConnell’s meeting came around, it appeared the strategy worked, with the seemingly open-minded Republican asking questions about Patel’s background experience in law and national security. McConnell also seemed particularly interested in Patel’s plans to increase transparency. Another key win for the now-FBI director was having Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., in his corner. The senator had previously hesitated on Hegseth’s confirmation, waiting until the last minute to announce his support. ETHICS WATCHDOG FLAGS SENATOR HELPING MAKE MILLIONS FOR WIFE’S GREEN NONPROFIT What truly sold Tillis on supporting Patel, with whom he was relatively unfamiliar, was the opinion of former South Carolina Republican congressman and current Fox News weekend host Trey Gowdy. Patel and Gowdy worked with one another when the former was a staffer for former Republican congressman Devin Nunes. The two were part of investigating the FBI’s probe into potential Russian interference in the 2016 election. Gowdy spoke with Fox News Digital, sharing that he received calls about his experience with Patel from “maybe a dozen” senators. He said he was happy to share his opinion but urged each of them to meet with the nominee themselves rather than just take his word for it. Tillis quickly became one of Patel’s biggest supporters, giving him advice as he met with other lawmakers. The North Carolina Republican even introduced Patel for his hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee, also creating a “K$H Bingo” game that included subjects Tillis expected to be brought up by Democrats during the hearing. The sheet included subjects such as “Deep State,” “Enemies List” and Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, among others.
SCOTUS to hear straight woman’s discrimination case that could reshape employment law
The U.S. Supreme Court is poised to hear oral arguments Wednesday in a case involving an Ohio woman who claims she was unfairly discriminated against for being straight, while she watched her less-qualified LGBT colleagues in Ohio’s youth corrections system climb the career ladder. Marlean Ames, the woman at the center of the case, argued she was discriminated against because of her heterosexuality at the Ohio Department of Youth Services and contends that her demotion and pay cut constitutes a violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The decision of the case could have a significant impact on employment law. Ames’ case is before the Supreme Court after lower courts dismissed her claim in light of the precedent in the 1973 McDonnell Douglas Corp. v. Green decision. In that case, the high court created a three-step process for handling discrimination cases based on indirect evidence, with the first step being the key issue in the case. SCOTUS TURNS DOWN ABORTION CLINIC BUFFER ZONE CHALLENGE, THOMAS SLAMS ‘ABDICATION’ OF DUTY At this first step, plaintiffs in such cases must present enough evidence to make a basic case of discrimination. This requirement applies to all plaintiffs, whether they are from minority or majority groups. Thus, Ames is challenging the legal standard used by lower courts, which requires her to provide additional “background circumstances” to “support the suspicion that the defendant is that unusual employer who discriminates against the majority.” The majority in this case appears to be Ames, since she is straight. Ames’ attorney, Edward Gilbert, argued in a Feb. 7 court filing that this additional evidence burden is inappropriate and that discrimination should be assessed equally. “Judges must actually treat plaintiffs differently, by first separating them into majority and minority groups, and then imposing a ‘background circumstances’ requirement on the former but not the latter,” the filing read. “In other words, to enforce Title VII’s broad rule of workplace equality, courts must apply the law unequally.” Ames started working at the Ohio Department of Youth Services in 2004 as an executive secretary, which oversees the rehabilitation of juvenile offenders. Since 2009, she was promoted several times, and by 2014, she was promoted to program administrator, according to the Supreme Court filing. In 2017, Ames began reporting to a new supervisor, Ginine Trim, who is openly gay. During her 2018 performance review, Trim rated Ames as meeting expectations in most areas and exceeding them in one. ‘THE PENDULUM IS SWINGING’: EXPERTS WEIGH IN ON HISTORIC SCOTUS TRANSGENDER CASE AMID ORAL ARGUMENTS However, in 2019, after Ames applied for a bureau chief position and did not get it, she was removed from her program administrator role, the court filing states. The department’s assistant director and HR head, both of whom are straight, offered her the choice to return to her previous job with a pay cut. Ames chose to remain with the department and was later promoted to a different program administrator position. The department then hired a gay woman for the bureau chief role Ames had wanted, and a gay man for the program administrator position she previously held. After assuming Ames’ role, the co-worker “expressed to Ames an ‘impatient attitude towards climbing the ranks within the Department,’ ‘claim[ed] that he could manipulate people to get what he wanted on the basis of being a gay man,’ and ‘acknowledge[d]; that he had ’been angling for Ames’s position for some time, stating in front of their coworkers that he wanted the PREA Administrator position,’” according to the filing. In an amicus brief filed by Elizabeth Prelogar, the U.S. solicitor general under the Biden administration, the federal government supports Marlean Ames’ argument. Prelogar said the “background circumstances” requirement imposed by the lower court has no basis in Title VII of the Civil Rights Act and goes against the Court’s past rulings, which allow all plaintiffs to be judged by the same standards, SCOTUS Blog reported. On the other hand, the Ohio Department of Youth Services disagrees with the idea that Ames was held to a higher standard because she is straight. The department argued that the “background circumstances” rule is not an additional burden on plaintiffs, but rather a “method of analysis” to examine cases like Ames’ without creating a new legal precedent. UNPACKING THE SUPREME COURT: WHY IT’S NOT JUST A MAGA STRONGHOLD, AND HOW THE JUSTICES REALLY VOTE The Supreme Court will hear oral arguments in the case Wednesday morning, with a ruling expected by the end of June. The case’s hearing before the high court comes amid a second Trump administration that is working to dismantle Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives in the federal sector while pressuring private sectors to do the same.
USAID instructions for fired employees gives them 15 minutes to gather belongings from shuttered DC building
The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) has posted detailed instructions on its website for the thousands of employees seeking to retrieve personal belongings from their offices inside the Ronald Reagan Building after being fired or placed on administrative leave. The agency is giving employees two days – Thursday, Feb. 27, and Friday, Feb. 28 – to enter the building during designated time slots if they have items they would like to bring home. While the slots range from 60 minutes to 90 minutes overall, employees will have approximately 15 minutes to collect personal belongings from their work spaces. “Staff will be given approximately 15 minutes to complete this retrieval and must be finished removing items within their time slot only,” the instructions stated. “Staff with a significant amount of personal belongings to retrieve must be cognizant of time; however, flexibility may be granted in select circumstances with the approval of the Office of Security.” They must also bring their own containers and supplies to remove and pack up their belongings. USAID WORKERS SEND MESSAGE TO TRUMP ON BOXES WHILE LEAVING OFFICE FOR LAST TIME Before leaving the building with their items, USAID said staff “will be required to acknowledge receipt of their personal belongings” in order to keep agencies from being liable for items left behind. They will also be required to confirm that they do not have any physical or electronic government records with them. USAID said Thursday and Friday are the only two days when retrieval will be allowed and employees must do it within the time slot that coordinates with their bureau. If staff members cannot make the time slot, only a designated alternate staff member can retrieve belongings as visitors, children and staff without proper credentials will not be allowed. General Services Administration will pack up personal items that were not retrieved and will send them to a warehouse to be collected at a later date, the instructions said. TRUMP ADMIN TO SLASH 1,600 USAID POSITIONS JUST BEFORE MIDNIGHT ON SUNDAY There are 14 time slots for employees of 25 bureaus between the two retrieval days. Employees will also return all USAID-issued government-furnished equipment during their time in the building. On Sunday at midnight, the Trump administration placed nearly 1,600 USAID employees on administrative leave globally, excluding those working on mission-critical functions, core leadership or specially designated programs. The reduction-in-force call came after thousands of USAID employees were fired, leaving only around 300 staffers left at the agency. Trump decided to significantly cut down the agency after the Department of Government Efficiency, led by Elon Musk, determined that USAID wasted millions of dollars funding questionable programs and initiatives around the world. For instance, Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, the Senate DOGE Caucus Chairwoman, recently published a list that included $20 million to produce a Sesame Street show in Iraq. Several more examples have been uncovered, such as more than $900,000 to a “Gaza-based terror charity” called Bayader Association for Environment and Development and a $1.5 million program slated to “advance diversity, equity, and inclusion in Serbia’s workplaces and business communities.”
Gov. Glenn Youngkin offers support to federal workers fired by DOGE: ‘We care about you’
Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin appears to be following through with a promise to help federal workers find new employment after their jobs were cut by the Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE. The Republican governor has announced a new website to assist them find employment in the Virginia government on virginiahasjobs.com. “We care about you,” Youngkin said at the Capital One Center in McLean. “And we have a support system in order to help you find that next great opportunity.” VIRGINIA GOV. YOUNGKIN CALLS FOR END TO TAXES ON TIPS AHEAD OF LEGISLATIVE SESSION The new website is described as a “federal workers support resource package.” Youngkin says the site was designed to help federal employees transition into new roles if they “experience job dislocation.” “We have openings in state government, and they will find a link on our website to go find those opportunities as well,” Youngkin. The site will connect those searching for employment to job sources and regions as well as listings on Indeed and LinkedIn. “Take advantage of the resources that will help you find your pathway to that career of your dreams,” adding: “I actually have extraordinary empathy for the fact that there are many workers in Virginia today, from our federal workforce, who are experiencing real concerns,” Youngkin added. DESANTIS ANNOUNCES FLORIDA ‘DOGE TASK FORCE’ Democrats in Virginia have made a note that they believe Youngkin is backing the president and not defending Virginians. House Speaker Don Scott, D-Portsmouth, called the website “an insult.” “Glossy websites and slogans can’t cover up his political capitulation and a Governor who has turned his back on his constituents when they need it most,” Senate Majority Leader Scott A. Surovell, D-Fairfax, said in a statement. Youngkin has not denied that he is in support of recent DOGE cuts, stating that he believes they are essential. “We have a federal government that is inefficient, and we have an administration that’s taking on that challenge, rooting out waste, fraud and abuse and driving efficiency in our federal government,” and “It needs to happen,” he said. However, Youngkin does believe the “federal workforce is not at fault here.” “But the reality,” he said, “is that any CEO who steps into a position where there is an organization that has had such deep financial challenges is going to have to make change.” Virginia is home to one of the largest populations of federal employees with over 144,000, according to a December 2024 congressional report. That number rises significantly when you add in commuters working in Washington, D.C. and Maryland, rising to over 300,000.
Dolton, Illinois, mayor Tiffany Henyard projected to lose primary in landside
Dolton, Illinois, mayor Tiffany Henyard, a Democrat, is projected to lose in a landslide in the village’s mayoral primary held on Tuesday amid various scandals and allegations of corruption. The embattled mayor predicted earlier on Tuesday that she would win in a landslide, according to Fox 32, but challenger Jason House overwhelmingly defeated Henyard in convincing fashion, securing 3,896 votes to Henyard’s 536. House, a village trustee and former ally of Henyard, campaigned on transparency and reform, promising a “clean house” and to bring accountability back to Dolton government. DOLTON, ILLINOIS MAYOR TIFFANY HENYARD, OTHERS HIT WITH FEDERAL LAWSUIT OVER FIGHT AT MEETING “Not only is Ms. Henyard depriving the public of what they deserve, it’s costing the village money,” he said on Election Day. “Day one, every record will be turned over.” Henyard, who assumed office in 2021, made headlines during her time as mayor over controversy surrounding her alleged financial mismanagement and other scandals. A federal subpoena issued in May of last year asked for Dolton’s financial records in an attempt to review the mayor’s expensive out-of-state trips. Former Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot, also a Democrat, was hired last year to investigate Henyard’s handling of Dolton’s funds. Lightfoot’s probe revealed that the village’s general fund had diminished from a $5.6 million surplus in 2022 to a $3.6 million deficit in 2024, raising concerns about questionable credit card purchases and a lack of financial accountability. Henyard was heavily criticized by residents ahead of the election over her various scandals. She has also been accused of civil rights violations, is facing numerous lawsuits over her alleged corruption and was involved in a brawl at a board meeting last month. DOLTON MAYOR TIFFANY HENYARD INVOLVED IN BOARD MEETING BRAWL BETWEEN BOYFRIEND, ACTIVIST CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP “The way that the present mayor has been doing things just hasn’t been sitting right with me,” voter Sharon Hunley told Fox 32. Another voter, Regan Lewis, said, “We’re kinda like a joke. It’s not a good thing, it’s embarrassing.”
Georgia bill passed in state Senate likened to ‘DOGE Lite’
The Georgia state Senate passed a bill on Monday that they are referring to as “DOGE lite.” Senate Bill 28, Red Tape Rollback Act of 2025, has the goal of reducing costs and increasing accountability for state agencies by having them review and update rules and regulations every four years. During the vote, Democrats were against the measure, accusing Republicans of trying to bring DOGE to Georgia. “DOGE” refers to the Department of Government of Efficiency, headed by SpaceX CEO Elon Musk and aimed at shrinking the federal government. WHITE HOUSE PUSHES BACK ON REPORT CLAIMING SOME CANCELED DOGE CONTRACTS WON’T SAVE TAXPAYERS MONEY “This is a power grab. Plain and simple, this is DOGE coming to Georgia,” said state Sen. Emanuel Jones (D-Decatur) during the debate. The bill is also aimed at small businesses and requires state agencies to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of rules and will solicit the public’s input regarding whether rules are justified and if the government can further reduce those costs. MEET THE FAR-LEFT GROUPS FUNDING ANTI-DOGE PROTESTS AT GOP OFFICES ACROSS THE COUNTRY The vote was split between party lines, but the majority was Republican. “Now that Donald Trump is president, we need to feign outrage about a commonsense bill,” claimed Sen. Greg Dolezal following the vote. “That’s just the state of play in Georgia politics.” Dolezal says there has been some mischaracterization of the bill. He went on to say before President Trump was reelected that a similar bill passed with bipartisan support last year. Overall, Senate Democrats believe the bill will be effective in aggressive cost-cutting, much like at the federal level. The bill will now go to the House for consideration.
Musk blasts judges over Trump executive orders: ‘We do NOT have democracy, we have TYRANNY of the JUDICIARY’
DOGE leader Elon Musk suggested the United States has a “TYRANNY of the JUDICIARY” following a series of court rulings that have paused or blocked some of President Donald Trump’s executive orders, while also saying corrupt judges should be impeached and removed. In a post on X, Musk lamented judicial rulings that have blocked some of the Trump executive orders, many that have included slashing wasteful government spending and deporting illegal immigrants. “If ANY judge ANYWHERE can block EVERY Presidential order EVERYWHERE, we do NOT have democracy, we have TYRANNY of the JUDICIARY,” Musk wrote. ‘IF YOU DON’T ANSWER…YOU’RE FIRED’: TRUMP STANDS BEHIND MUSK’S DOGE PRODUCTIVITY EMAIL The post came hours after a federal judge blocked raids by immigration authorities targeting certain places of worship and another gave the Trump administration two days to resume hundreds of millions of dollars in payments for U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) projects across the globe. On Monday, a federal judge also blocked Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) from accessing personal records at the Department of Education (ED) as part of their cost-cutting sweep. In response to Musk’s post, U.S. Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, said: “Corrupt judges should be impeached. And removed. Pass it on if you agree.” OBAMA-APPOINTED JUDGE BLOCKS ICE RAIDS AT CERTAIN PLACES OF WORSHIP, DEFYING TRUMP ADMINISTRATION “It’s the only way,” replied Musk. He cited the ousting of rivals to El Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele. Parliamentary leaders in that country recently sacked supreme court judges and an attorney general. “The only way to restore rule of the people in America is to impeach judges,” said Musk. “No one is above the law, including judges. That is what it took to fix El Salvador. Same applies to America.” “Unfortunately, as President Bukele eloquently articulates, there is no other option,” he added. “We must impeach to save democracy.” Bukele replied, saying that “if you don’t impeach the corrupt judges, you CANNOT fix the country.” “They will form a cartel, (a judicial dictatorship) and block all reforms, protecting the systemic corruption that put them in their seats,” he added.
Florida Rep. Byron Donalds announces plans to run for governor
Rep. Byron Donalds, R-Fla., announced plans to run for Florida governor next year during an interview on Fox News’ “Hannity” Tuesday night. The next Florida gubernatorial election is slated for Nov. 3, 2026. Speaking to host Sean Hannity, Donalds said he came to the decision to run “after a lot of prayer [and] a lot of thoughts with my family and my friends.” “Sean, we have a wonderful state,” Donalds said. “I got to Florida when I was 17 years old, off of a Greyhound bus with just a trunk full of clothes. And over the rest of my time in Florida, I built a family, I built a career. … I was able to serve four years in a state legislature, four years in Congress. “And I think now is the time to now take the mantle and lead our state into the future.” RON DESANTIS: FLORIDA WAS DOGE BEFORE IT WAS COOL The Florida Republican said he is the only candidate in the race so far and commended Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis for his service to the state. “We have a great governor. Ron DeSantis has done a tremendous job for our state,” Donalds said. “But now the job is to keep the best state in the country as the best state in the country. And so that’s going to be the mission at hand. And I’m excited to announce my candidacy with you tonight.” Donalds was endorsed by President Donald Trump, who recently wrote that his fellow Sunshine State resident “would be a truly Great and Powerful Governor for Florida.” “I am hearing that Highly Respected Congressman Byron Donalds is considering running for Governor of Florida, a State that I love, and WON BIG in 2016, 2020, and 2024,” a Trump social media post said. “[S]hould he decide to run, [Donalds] will have my Complete and Total Endorsement. RUN, BYRON, RUN!” KAMALA HARRIS TAKES VEILED JABS AT TRUMP, ELON MUSK IN 1ST MAJOR SPEECH SINCE ELECTION DEFEAT DeSantis, however, has not signaled support for Donalds. On Monday, DeSantis told reporters he wants Florida congressmen to be “focused on enacting [Trump’s] agenda.” “They haven’t done very much yet,” DeSantis said. “They’re not putting his executive orders into place. We’ll see what they do on the spending, but we have such a narrow majority that to be trying to campaign other places and missing these votes, I think, is not something that’s advisable at all.” DeSantis’ comments came amid rumors that his wife, Casey, might run for governor. The Florida governor dodged a reporter’s question about his wife’s plans at a press conference Monday. “People ask me all the time about our wonderful first lady, who has done a fantastic job as first lady of Florida,” DeSantis responded. “I will tell you this. You’re talking about somebody like her. I won by the biggest margin that any Republican has ever won a governor’s race here in Florida. She would do better than me.” Fox News Digital’s Danielle Wallace and Paul Steinhauser contributed to this report.
Noem announces DHS registry for illegal aliens in US that will require them to be fingerprinted
Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem is warning illegal immigrants in the U.S. that they should leave the country now or face serious consequences, including losing the opportunity to enjoy freedom and live the American dream. Noem appeared on “Jesse Watters Primetime” on Tuesday night to discuss her latest initiative, announcing an illegal alien registry that requires fingerprinting. The secretary said DHS will enforce the Immigration and Nationality Act, which was enacted in 1952 and created several tools to track illegal aliens and compel them to voluntarily leave the U.S. DHS said the tools include criminal penalties for migrants who choose not to leave the U.S., fail to register with the federal government and get fingerprinted, and fail to notify the federal government of changes to their address. NOEM SENDS MESSAGE TO THOSE CONSIDERING ENTERING US ILLEGALLY: ‘DON’T EVEN THINK ABOUT IT’ Illegal immigrants who fail to depart the U.S. will be charged with a crime resulting in a “significant penalty,” DHS said. But migrants who fail to register with the federal government could be fined, imprisoned or both. “For decades, this law has been ignored – not anymore,” DHS said. DHS SECRETARY NOEM APPEARS TO ACCUSE ‘CORRUPT’ FBI OF LEAKING LA ICE RAIDS Noem and DHS hope to convince illegal immigrants that self-deportation is a safer path, not just for them, but also for law enforcement officials. “President Trump and Secretary Noem have a clear message for those in our country illegally: leave now. If you leave now, you may have the opportunity to return and enjoy our freedom and live the American dream,” DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin said. “The Trump administration will enforce all our immigration laws—we will not pick and choose which laws we will enforce. We must know who is in our country for the safety and security of our homeland and all Americans.” The DHS encourages immigrants in the U.S. illegally to visit the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services website, where there are instructions on how to register with the federal government. NOEM ENDS BIDEN-ERA USE OF CONTROVERSIAL APP TO ALLOW MIGRANTS TO BOARD FLIGHTS, EXCEPT TO SELF-DEPORT Noem’s push comes more than a week after she sent a stern warning on behalf of President Donald Trump, to those planning on entering the U.S. illegally. “Let me deliver a message from President Trump to the world. If you are considering entering America illegally, don’t even think about it,” she said. “Let me be clear. If you come to our country, and you break our laws, we will hunt you down. Criminals are not welcome in the United States. For too long, weak leadership has left our borders wide open, flooding our communities with drugs, human trafficking, and violent criminals. Well, those days are over.” Noem was the fourth member of the Trump administration to gain approval from the Senate, and is leading the department at a time when securing the border and tackling illegal immigration are top priorities for the new administration. The administration has taken a number of actions to secure the border, including deploying the military, restarting wall construction and ending Biden-era parole programs. Fox News Digital’s Julia Johnson and Adam Shaw contributed to this report.
Trump budget bill with $4.5 trillion in tax cuts survives House vote
The House of Representatives has adopted a resolution that will eventually become a massive multi-trillion-dollar bill full of President Donald Trump’s priorities on the border, defense, energy and taxes. In a major victory for House GOP leaders, the resolution passed in a 217 to 215 vote. All Democrats voted against the measure, along with lone Republican rebel Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., who was concerned about its effect on the national deficit. The next step is now for the relevant House committees to meet and build their own proposals, which will eventually be returned into the framework and negotiated into a compromise deal with the Senate. BLACK CAUCUS CHAIR ACCUSES TRUMP OF ‘PURGE’ OF ‘MINORITY’ FEDERAL WORKERS It was a dramatic scene in the House chamber on Monday night as Republican leaders delayed formally ending a vote for roughly 45 minutes as they worked to convince conservative fiscal hawks to support the legislation. Impatient Democrats called out loud for the vote to be closed as Republicans huddled in varied groups. Two people on the House floor told Fox News Digital that President Donald Trump got involved at one point, speaking to one of the holdouts, Rep. Victoria Spartz, R-Ind., by phone. Reps. Tim Burchett, R-Tenn., and Warren Davidson, R-Ohio, could be seen on the phone at other points on the House floor as well, but it’s not clear if they were speaking with Trump. At one point, House GOP leaders appeared to lose confidence that they had enough support and abruptly canceled the planned vote. Moments later, however, lawmakers on both sides of the aisle were rushing back to the House floor and Fox News Digital was told the vote would be held. Meanwhile, three House Democrats who had been absent early in the day returned for the Tuesday evening vote in dramatic fashion. Rep. Brittany Pettersen, D-Colo., who had a baby roughly a month ago, returned to the House floor with her infant to oppose the bill. And Rep. Kevin Mullin, R-Calif., who was recently hospitalized for an infection, appeared in the chamber aided by a walker. House and Senate Republicans are aiming to use their majorities to advance Trump’s agenda via the budget reconciliation process. It’s a Senate maneuver that lowers the threshold for passage from two-thirds to a simple majority, but it’s used when a party controls both houses of Congress and the White House because it allows that party to pass its policy goals even under the slimmest margins. And Republicans are dealing with slim margins indeed; with current numbers, the House GOP can afford no more than one defection to pass anything without Democratic votes if all liberals are voting. On the Senate side, Republicans can lose no more than two of their own in the reconciliation process. The House resolution aimed to increase spending on border security, the judiciary and defense by roughly $300 billion, while seeking at least $1.5 trillion to $2 trillion in spending cuts elsewhere. As written, the House bill also provided $4.5 trillion to extend President Donald Trump’s 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act provisions, which expire at the end of this year. An amendment negotiated by House Budget Committee Chairman Jodey Arrington, R-Texas, and conservatives on his panel would also force lawmakers to make $2 trillion in cuts, or else risk the $4.5 trillion for Trump’s tax cuts getting reduced by the difference. The resolution also fulfilled Trump’s directive to act on the debt limit, raising it by $4 trillion or roughly two years. NONCITIZEN VOTER CRACKDOWN LED BY GOP AHEAD OF 2026 MIDTERMS A bipartisan deal struck in 2023 saw the debt limit suspended until January 2025. Now, projections show the U.S. could run out of cash to pay its debts by spring if Congress does not act. The resolution’s odds were touch and go for much of the week so far, since House lawmakers returned from a week-long recess period Monday. Several fiscal conservatives had demanded more assurances from House GOP leadership that Republicans would seek deep spending cuts to offset the cost of Trump’s priorities. Republican lawmakers in more competitive districts are concerned some cuts may go too far, however. The resolution directs the House Energy & Commerce Committee to find at least $880 billion in spending cuts – which those lawmakers fear will mean severe cuts for federal programs like Medicaid. Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., pushed back against fears of such cuts during his weekly press conference on Tuesday. “Medicaid is hugely problematic because it has a lot of fraud, waste and abuse. Everybody knows that. We all know it intuitively. No one in here would disagree,” Johnson said. “What we’re talking about is rooting out the fraud, waste, and abuse. It doesn’t matter what party you’re in, you should be for that because it saves your money, and it preserves the programs so that it is available for the people who desperately need it.” It was also supported by a wide swath of Republicans, including conservative Rep. Brandon Gill, R-Texas, a member of the House Budget Committee that approved the bill earlier this month. “It’s the best bill we’re going to get,” Gill said while praising Committee Chairman Jodey Arrington, R-Texas, for his efforts. “If I were writing it then I’d write it differently, but this is the best we’re gonna get it.” Rep. Randy Feenstra, R-Iowa, said he was eager to begin working on “cutting taxes for Iowans, securing our border, unleashing American energy production, and eliminating waste and fraud in our government.”