Trump’s most vulnerable nominees RFK Jr, Tulsi Gabbard get back-to-back hearings
Two of President Donald Trump’s most vulnerable administration picks will get back-to-back confirmation hearings in the Senate this week. Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who Trump nominated to be Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), and former Democratic Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, whom he selected to be Director of National Intelligence (DNI), will have committee confirmation hearings on Wednesday and Thursday. REPUBLICANS REACT TO PETE HEGSETH’S CONFIRMATION AS DEFENSE SECRETARY: ‘HE IS THE CHANGE AGENT’ On Wednesday, Kennedy will have his first hearing with the Senate Finance Committee, who will eventually vote on whether to advance his nomination to the full Senate. He will have an additional hearing on Thursday with the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP), but that committee will not have a vote on the nomination. Gabbard’s hearing with the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence will take place Thursday morning. The two Trump picks were some of the more controversial administration selections. Both Kennedy and Gabbard are former Democrats with histories of policy positions that clash with what many Republican senators believe. At issue for lawmakers on both sides is Kennedy’s history of significant criticism of vaccines and vaccination programs. For some Republicans whose states have a large farming constituency, his positions on further regulating agriculture and food production have been cause for concern. TIM SCOTT EMPHASIZES ‘RESULTS’ OVER RECONCILIATION PROCESS AS HE STAYS OUT OF DEBATE Gabbard’s past policy stances as they relate to national security have given bipartisan lawmakers some reason for pause, since the role she is nominated for is critical to the nation’s safety and defense. Both of the nominees have taken steps to moderate themselves amid the confirmation process. Kennedy has pushed back on suggestions that he is “anti-vaccine” and explained, “If vaccines are working for somebody, I’m not going to take them away.” DEM WHO CALLED TRUMP ‘EXISTENTIAL THREAT TO DEMOCRACY’ NOW BLOCKING HIS NOMINEES “People ought to have choice, and that choice ought to be informed by the best information,” he said in an interview with NBC News. “So I’m going to make sure scientific safety studies and efficacy are out there, and people can make individual assessments about whether that product is going to be good for them.” Gabbard recently made a remarkable reversal on a controversial intelligence tool used by the government. And her choice to change her position on the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act’s (FISA) section 702 managed to win her the backing of a Republican senator on the intel committee that she will need to advance out of. HEGSETH LAWYER SLAMS ‘FLAWED AND QUESTIONABLE AFFIDAVIT’ FROM EX-SISTER-IN-LAW Recently asked whether her change of heart on section 702 had earned his vote, Sen. James Lankford, R-Okla., said, “Yeah, I am, and that was a very important piece for me.” While both nominees have gotten some necessary Republican backing in the relevant committees, not everyone has said whether they will vote to advance the selections. And even if they are voted out of the committees, they could still face an uphill battle to be confirmed by the full Senate.
Biden’s controversial pardons shine new light on power, as PA lawmakers take next step to strip Joe’s name
Lawmakers at the state and federal levels are responding to President Joe Biden’s record presidential pardon spree – as more than 3,000 people found their sentences commuted or pardoned. The pardons, some of which came in the final hours of Biden’s presidency, were issued to many members of his own family. The last-minute tranche on Sunday that included James Biden, Hunter Biden and Valerie Biden-Owens came only weeks after a record 1,500 commutations in a single day – notably including that of disgraced Pennsylvania Judge Michael Conahan. Conahan, of Wilkes-Barre, was dubbed the “kids for cash judge” after he was charged in connection with a scheme to send juvenile offenders to for-profit prisons in exchange for kickbacks. Pennsylvania state Sen. Lisa Baker, R-Dallas, represents the area where Conahan once sat on the bench. LAWMAKERS DEMAND SCRANTON CHANGE ‘BIDEN EXPRESSWAY’ NAME AFTER JUDGE PARDONED Baker told Fox News Digital the former president’s pardon in that case was “disrespectful to the victims, their families, the juvenile justice system, and to all the officials who have worked to reform the system so that this kind of scandal cannot happen again.” She and other lawmakers are also trying to bring new attention to victim notification processes that exist at the federal level and in many states, including Pennsylvania. A source familiar with the federal process said the system is a voluntary construct, in that victims may sign up for notifications but are not automatically informed if convicts are pardoned, transferred or released. Rep. Dan Meuser, R-Pa., said he was troubled by much of Biden’s pardon spree, including those given preemptively to family and President Donald Trump critics, as well as convicts like Conahan – whose “kids for cash” scandal greatly affected his constituents – and added that the former president may have damaged the pardon process. “These preemptive actions amount to an implicit admission of wrongdoing,” Meuser said of pardons given to Biden family members. ECONOMY BORDER & ABORTION DIVIDE BIDEN’S HOMETOWN AS RESIDENTS LOOK BACK ON NATIVE SON’S FIRST TERM “This sets a dangerous precedent that undermines the long-standing purpose of the presidential pardon power. Historically, pardons have been used to offer clemency or correct injustices—not to shield one’s family members from potential accountability before any charges are even brought.” Unfortunately for Biden critics, Meuser said the presidential pardon power is enshrined in Article II of the Constitution, and Congress has no power to intervene or change it. “While I vehemently disagree with Biden’s decision to preemptively pardon members of his family, the presidential pardon power is established [therein]. That means, absent the ratification of a constitutional amendment, Congress does not have the power to review, alter, or pass legislation limiting a president’s pardon power.” Meuser pointed to the 1974 Supreme Court case Schick v. Reed, which confirmed Congress cannot have a role. “Nevertheless, our Founding Fathers never could have conceived that a president would pardon a son who broke countless laws and utilized the White House to defraud and leverage millions of dollars in a pay-to-play scheme that also involved other family members.” Rep. Rob Bresnahan, R-Pa., who flipped Biden’s home district in November, has also expressed concern over Biden’s use of presidential pardons. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP “I think what’s discouraging is that you heard time and time again along the campaign trail that he wasn’t going to do something like this, but I’m certainly not surprised,” Bresnahan recently told WBRE. “I’m sure much of America is not surprised.” While countless Americans who fell victim to those pardoned, including Conahan, may have little recourse, Baker said she is participating in the drafting of legislation in Harrisburg late Friday that will attempt to remove Biden’s likeness from part of his home area. While the former Spruce Street in Scranton – since renamed Biden Avenue – is city property, Baker said the “President Joseph R. Biden Jr. Expressway” splitting off Interstate 81 into his hometown is within PennDOT’s bounds. “The reaction has been so strong that many have called for renaming the President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. Expressway, which was designated by Scranton City Council in 2021,” Baker said. The lawmaker added Biden’s legacy is forever “stained” by Conahan’s “inexplicable and infamous commutation.” “We owe it to the juvenile victims, their families, and all the believers in equal justice to remove the name of Joe Biden and replace it with someone truly deserving of the honor.”
House Republicans fly down to Trump’s backyard for annual working retreat
House Republicans are flying down to South Florida this week for their annual issues conference, where President Donald Trump is expected to speak with lawmakers hashing out the GOP agenda for the next two years. It’s another sign of the House GOP conference’s push for unity with Trump that the conference is being held at Trump National Doral, his golf course and resort near Miami. “He’s going to come and address the Republicans there, and we’re looking forward to that,” Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., confirmed to reporters last week. Trump has made no secret of his intent to keep a close eye on the Republican majorities in the House and Senate this year, particularly as they discuss how to use their numbers to pass a massive conservative policy overhaul via the budget reconciliation process. REPUBLICANS REACT TO PETE HEGSETH’S CONFIRMATION AS DEFENSE SECRETARY: ‘HE IS THE CHANGE AGENT’ By reducing the threshold for Senate passage from 60 votes to a 51-seat simple majority, reconciliation allows a party in control of both congressional chambers to enact sweeping changes, provided they’re relevant to budgetary and fiscal policy. Meanwhile, lawmakers are also contending with the debt ceiling being reinstated this month after it was temporarily suspended in a bipartisan deal during the Trump administration. And coming on March 14 is the deadline to avert a partial government shutdown, which Congress has extended twice since the end of the previous fiscal year on Oct. 1. “I think obviously everyone is ready to get to work,” Rep. Mike Lawler, R-N.Y., told Fox News Digital. “With President Trump’s inauguration behind us, now we’re focused on the task at hand – everything from the border to the tax package, energy and defense and national security, and our debt. What we need to do over the next two years to really fulfill the agenda that we laid out for the American people.” Lawler said he anticipated reconciliation would be a key focus of Trump’s remarks. With razor-thin margins in the House and Senate, Republicans can afford few dissenters if they are going to get to the finish line. REPUBLICAN SENATORS ISSUE WARNING TO HISTORIC MUSEUMS AHEAD OF PRO-LIFE MARCH Lawler is one of several Republicans who have drawn red lines in the discussions, vowing not to vote for a reconciliation bill that does not lift state and local tax (SALT) deduction caps – limits that have put a strain on suburban districts outside major cities. He was realistic about setting expectations for their short Florida trip but was optimistic Republicans would eventually come together. “I think we’re in the middle of the process and, you know, this is obviously not going to be resolved over these three days,” Lawler said. “But this is, I think, an important opportunity for everyone to really sit down and spend their time going through a lot of these issues.”
Rubio pauses foreign aid from State Department and USAID to ensure it puts ‘America First’
Secretary of State Marco Rubio paused all U.S. foreign assistance funded by or through the State Department and U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) to allow the Trump administration to review if the money puts “America First.” On Sunday, the State Department released a statement about falling in step with President Donald Trump’s executive order to reevaluate and realign foreign aid from the U.S. “Consistent with President Trump’s Executive Order on Reevaluating and Realigning United States Foreign Aid, Secretary [Marco] Rubio has paused all U.S. foreign assistance funded by or through the State Department and U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) for review,” the statement read. “He is initiating a review of all foreign assistance programs to ensure they are efficient and consistent with U.S. foreign policy under the America First agenda. President Trump stated clearly that the United States is no longer going to blindly dole out money with no return for the American people.” The statement continued, saying the review and alignment of foreign assistance on behalf of taxpayers is a “moral imperative,” adding that Rubio is proud to protect America’s investment “with a deliberate and judicious review” of how the money is spent on aiding foreign countries overseas. AFTER RAUCOUS FIRST WEEK IN OFFICE, DONALD TRUMP TO KEEP HIS FOOT ON THE GAS “The implementation of this Executive Order and the Secretary’s direction furthers that mission,” the statement read. “As Secretary of State Marco Rubio has said, ‘Every dollar we spend, every program we fund, and every policy we pursue must be justified with the answer to three simple questions: Does it make America safer? Does it make America stronger? Does it make America more prosperous?’” The announcement comes after the Trump administration ordered staffers with USAID to stop providing foreign aid worldwide or face “disciplinary action” for not complying. Reuters reported that the Trump administration sent a sharply-worded memo to more than 10,000 staff members at USAID on Saturday, offering a “stop-work” directive from Friday that put a freeze on U.S. foreign aid around the world. TRUMP ADMINISTRATION NEEDS MORE PLANES TO CARRY OUT DEPORTATIONS: REPORT The wire service reviewed the memo and said it laid out expectations for the workforce on how to achieve Trump’s goals to put “America First.” “We have a responsibility to support the President in achieving his vision,” Ken Jackson, assistant to the administrator for management and resources wrote in the internal memo, titled “Message and Expectation to the Workforce.” “The President has given us a tremendous opportunity to transform the way we approach foreign assistance for decades to come,” the memo added. Reuters reported that it confirmed the authenticity of the memo with several sources. SPEAKER JOHNSON INVITES TRUMP TO ADDRESS CONGRESS AMID BUSY FIRST 100-DAY SPRINT Trump ordered a 90-day pause in foreign aid just hours after taking office, to review if the funding was in line with his foreign policy priorities. On Friday, the State Department issued a pause on aid worldwide. The U.S. is the largest donor of aid globally. During fiscal year 2023, the U.S. dispersed $72 billion in assistance. It also provided 42% of all humanitarian aid tracked by the United Nations in 2024. Fox News Digital has reached out to USAID for comment. Reuters contributed to this report.
Trump signs executive order aimed at ‘drastically’ improving FEMA efficacy, priorities, competence
President Donald Trump put the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) under review on Sunday after signing an executive order aimed at “drastically” improving the agency’s efficacy, priorities and competence. Trump’s executive order establishes the FEMA Review Council, which will be composed of no more than 20 members and co-chaired by the secretaries of Homeland Security and Defense. The council is being formed after FEMA’s response to Hurricane Helene and other recent disasters showed the need to improve “efficacy, priorities, and competence, including evaluating whether FEMA’s bureaucracy in disaster response” hinders its ability to respond successfully. “Despite obligating nearly $30 billion in disaster aid each of the past three years, FEMA has managed to leave vulnerable Americans without the resources or support they need when they need it most,” the executive order reads. “There are serious concerns of political bias in FEMA. Indeed, at least one former FEMA responder has stated that FEMA managers directed her to avoid homes of individuals supporting the campaign of Donald J. Trump for President.” ‘FEMA IS NOT GOOD:’ TRUMP ANNOUNCES AGENCY OVERHAUL DURING VISIT TO NORTH CAROLINA Trump also said FEMA has lost mission focus, diverting limited resources and staff to support missions outside its scope and authority. The president particularly highlighted that FEMA has spent over a billion dollars welcoming illegal immigrants. “Americans deserve an immediate, effective, and impartial response to and recovery from disasters,” the order continued. “FEMA therefore requires a full-scale review, by individuals highly experienced at effective disaster response and recovery, who shall recommend to the President improvements or structural changes to promote the national interest and enable national resilience.” TRUMP SAYS NEWSOM IS TO ‘BLAME’ FOR ‘APOCALYPTIC’ WILDFIRES Trump announced Friday that he plans to overhaul FEMA as North Carolina is still recovering from Hurricane Helene more than 120 days after the storm devastated the state. “I’ll also be signing an executive order to begin the process of fundamentally reforming and overhauling FEMA, or maybe getting rid of FEMA,” Trump told reporters in North Carolina on Friday morning. “I think, frankly, FEMA is not good.” FAST-MOVING HUGHES FIRE ERUPTS IN LOS ANGELES COUNTY AS CALIFORNIA OFFICIALS ORDER EVACUATIONS Trump promised his administration would step in and assist North Carolina to fix the damage quickly, vowing to “do a good job” for the state. The president also said he would like to see the states assume more responsibility when disaster strikes, arguing those familiar with the state are better equipped to provide disaster response and relief. So far, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers claim that only half of the debris recovery from Hurricane Helene is complete. Additionally, thousands of families in North Carolina remain in hotels that FEMA is footing the bill for through its Transitional Housing Assistance program. Fox News Digital’s Diana Stancy contributed to this report.
AOC roasted over post about Colombia tariffs and coffee prices that ‘aged like hot milk’
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., weighed in on President Donald Trump’s ongoing tariff feud with Colombian President Gustavo Petro – but not every social media user bought her comments. The spat between Trump and Petro began when the Colombian leader refused to accept two deportation flights over the weekend, prompting Trump to unleash retaliatory measures. Both world leaders threatening to raise tariffs on imported products by 25% to 50%, and Trump ordered a travel ban and visa revocations for all Colombian government officials. “I was just informed that two repatriation flights from the United States, with a large number of Illegal Criminals, were not allowed to land in Colombia,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “This order was given by Colombia’s Socialist President Gustavo Petro, who is already very unpopular amongst his people.” “Petro’s denial of these flights has jeopardized the National Security and Public Safety of the United States, so I have directed my Administration to immediately take the following urgent and decisive retaliatory measures.” COLOMBIAN LEADER QUICKLY CAVES AFTER TRUMP THREATS, OFFERS PRESIDENTIAL PLANE FOR DEPORTATION FLIGHTS In an X post on Sunday, Ocasio-Cortez insisted that American consumers are the only party that pay tariffs. “To ‘punish’ Colombia, Trump is about to make every American pay even more for coffee,” the New York congresswoman said in a post. “Remember: WE pay the tariffs, not Colombia.” “Trump is all about making inflation WORSE for working class Americans, not better,” she added. “He’s lining the pockets of himself and the billionaire class.” Petro appeared to be a fan of AOC’s post, reposting it on his own X account. While tariffs do have the potential to inflate prices, the importer, which is the company or entity bringing the goods into the U.S., will pay the actual tariff to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP). But inflated prices are not guaranteed – sometimes, tariffs can reduce the world price of an object as suppliers rush to retain access to the large U.S. market. It is possible that coffee suppliers in different countries, such as Vietnam and Brazil – which produce more coffee than Colombia – would lower or maintain their prices. BILLIONAIRES COZY UP TO TRUMP WITH SEVEN FIGURE INAUGURAL DONATIONS AFTER PAST FEUDS WITH PRESIDENT Ocasio-Cortez’s tweet racked up over 47,000 likes from supporters as of 8 p.m., but received scorn from Trump supporters and tariff advocates. “World record. 35 minutes and the tweet already aged like hot milk,” the social media account Catturd wrote, referencing Petro’s immediate offer to transport Colombian migrants on his presidential plane. “Who wants to tell her that there are other countries that export coffee, not just Columbia,” California State Assembly Bill Essayli wrote. Conservative commentator John Cardillo echoed Essayli’s sentiment, suggesting that the South American country “should take their illegal aliens back.” “Plenty of other nations grow coffee beans,” Cardillo wrote on X. “We can buy the coffee from them.” Activist Adam Lowisz responded to Ocasio-Cortez by insisting that the Democratic politician “doesn’t understand how tariffs work.” “Coffee from Colombia will increase in price, so we will purchase coffee from suppliers in other countries who do take back their illegals,” the conservative X user wrote. “Businesses will hesitate to invest in Colombia any further if they continue to be bad actors.” Fox News Digital reached out to Ocasio-Cortez’s office for additional comment. Fox News Digital’s Kyle Schmidbauer contributed to this report.
After raucous first week in office, Donald Trump to keep his foot on the gas
Following a torrid first week in office, President Donald Trump does not have a very busy public schedule on Monday. That does not mean there won’t be plenty of action. The 47th president is known to spring major actions and announcements without much notice. TRUMP ADMINISTRATION NEEDS MORE PLANES TO CARRY OUT DEPORTATIONS: REPORT The president starts off the week by attending a House GOP Conference meeting at Trump National Doral Miami at a time to be determined. The GOP January retreat is an opportunity for Republicans to game-plan their approach to implementing their shared agenda with President Trump. Major policy initiatives that are likely to be addressed are the president’s sweeping border security and ongoing deportation initiatives, increasing domestic energy production and advancing a new tax plan. House Speaker Mike Johnson told Politico that he expects to have a “blueprint” for a massive reconciliation package in place after the retreat. The House Budget Committee, which is tasked with writing the instructions on the bill, is set to meet next week. Johnson sent a letter to the president to address a joint session of Congress on March 4, 2025. In the letter, Johnson wrote, “Your administration and the 119th Congress working together have the chance to make these next four years some of the most consequential in our nation’s history.” He went on to write, “To that end, it is my distinct honor and great privilege to invite you to address a Joint Session of Congress on Tuesday, March 4, 2025, in the Chamber of the U.S. House of Representatives, to share your America First vision for our legislative future. I eagerly await your response.” SPEAKER JOHNSON INVITES TRUMP TO ADDRESS CONGRESS AMID BUSY FIRST 100-DAY SPRINT Another event that is key to an early Trump priority will be a hearing at the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation titled “Fees and Foreign Influence: Examining the Panama Canal and Its Impact on U.S. Trade and National Security.” The committee is headed by Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas. In his inaugural address, Trump said, “China is operating the Panama Canal. And we didn’t give it to China, we gave it to Panama, and we’re taking it back.” Newly confirmed Secretary of State Marco Rubio is scheduled to visit Panama this week. According to the State Department, the trip will include visits to the Dominican Republic, Costa Rica, Guatemala and El Salvador. Confirmation hearings continue in the Senate this week with Tulsi Gabbard, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Kelly Loeffler and Kash Patel all appearing. Continued immigration and deportation activities are expected to continue with border czar Tom Homan and the acting deputy attorney general, Emil Bove, traveling to Chicago on Sunday to witness the stepped-up enforcement actions. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth says ‘no more DEI at Department of Defense’: ‘No exceptions’
The Department of Defense (DoD) is the latest agency that is disbanding all diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs following President Donald Trump’s executive order terminating all federal DEI programs. “The President’s guidance (lawful orders) is clear: No more DEI at Dept. of Defense,” Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth wrote in a post on X. In a handwritten note shared along with the post on X, Hegseth wrote: “The Pentagon will comply, immediately. No exceptions, name-changes, or delays.” Hegseth added that “those who do not comply will no longer work here.” WHITE HOUSE OPM ORDERS ALL DEI OFFICES TO BEGIN CLOSING BY END OF DAY WEDNESDAY Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., echoed Hegseth, writing: “The best way to stop discriminating against people on the basis of race or gender is to stop discriminating against people on the basis of race or gender,” Kennedy wrote in a post on X. “Let DEI die.” Hegseth, 44, was sworn in on Saturday morning after he secured his confirmation to lead the Pentagon on Friday after weeks of intense political drama surrounding his nomination and public scrutiny into his personal life. “All praise and glory to God. His will be done and we’re grateful to be here,” Hegseth said after taking the oath of office, surrounded by his wife and children. Hegseth is a former Minnesota National Guard officer who served in Iraq and Afghanistan and a former Fox News host. Trump’s newly created Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), headed up by Elon Musk, reported that approximately $420 million in current/impending contracts, mainly focused on DEI initiatives, had also been canceled. On Inauguration Day, Trump signed an executive order that forced all DEI offices to close and placed all government workers in those offices on paid leave. TRUMP’S FEDERAL DEI PURGE PUTS HUNDREDS ON LEAVE, NIXES $420M IN CONTRACTS Acting Director of the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Charles Ezell sent a memo to heads and acting heads of departments and agencies directing them that by the end of business on Jan. 22, they were to inform all agency employees of the DEI shutdown. In addition, they were instructed to tell workers directly involved in DEI to take down all DEI-related websites and social media accounts, cancel any related contracts or training, and ask employees to report any efforts to disguise DEI programs by using coded or imprecise language. The memo also directed the heads of agencies and departments that by noon on Jan. 23, they were to provide OPM with lists of all DEI offices, employees, and related contracts in effect as of Nov. 5, 2024. By Friday, Jan. 24, at 5 p.m., agency heads were required to submit to OPM a written plan for executing a reduction-in-force action regarding DEI employees and a list of all contract descriptions or personnel position descriptions that were changed since Nov. 5, 2024, to obscure their connection to DEI programs. The president also signed an order making it “the official policy of the U.S. government to only recognize two genders: male and female.” 3 IN 10 VOTERS THINK ENDING DEI PROGRAMS IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT, POLL SHOWS, AS FEDERAL DEADLINE LOOMS Trump issued two other executive actions targeting DEI — an executive order to end discrimination in the workplace and higher education through race- and sex-based preferences under the guise of DEI and a memo to eliminate a Biden administration policy that prioritized DEI hiring at the Federal Aviation Administration. In his executive order, Trump wrote that he sought to protect Americans from discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex or national origin. He said these civil-rights protections “serve as a bedrock supporting equality of opportunity for all Americans” and that he “has a solemn duty to ensure that these laws are enforced for the benefit of all Americans.” CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP “Yet today, roughly 60 years after the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, critical and influential institutions of American society, including the Federal Government, major corporations, financial institutions, the medical industry, large commercial airlines, law enforcement agencies, and institutions of higher education have adopted and actively use dangerous, demeaning, and immoral race- and sex-based preferences under the guise of so-called ‘diversity, equity, and inclusion’ (DEI) or ‘diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility’ (DEIA) that can violate the civil-rights laws of this Nation,” the order reads. It adds that these “illegal DEI and DEIA policies also threaten the safety of American men, women, and children across the Nation by diminishing the importance of individual merit, aptitude, hard work, and determination when selecting people for jobs and services in key sectors of American society, including all levels of government, and the medical, aviation, and law-enforcement communities. Prior to Trump’s order, the FBI closed its DEI office in December. Fox News’ Brooke Singman, Brie Stimson, Michael Dorgan and Landon Mion contributed to this report.
Colombian leader quickly caves after Trump threats, offers presidential plane for deportation flights
Colombian President Gustavo Petro offered his presidential plane to repatriate migrants coming back from the U.S. on Sunday in response to stern warnings made by President Donald Trump. In a statement translated from Spanish, the Colombian government said that the plane will help facilitate a “dignified return.” “The Government of Colombia, under the direction of President Gustavo Petro, has arranged the presidential plane to facilitate the dignified return of the compatriots who were going to arrive in the country today in the morning, coming from deportation flights,” the translated statement read. “This measure responds to the Government’s commitment to guarantee decent conditions.” The move came after Trump hit the South American country with retaliatory measures in response to Petro’s refusal to accept deportation flights. This weekend, American officials sent two flights of Colombian illegal aliens as part of Trump’s ongoing deportation program. Petro rejected the flights, writing that the U.S. cannot “treat Colombian migrants as criminals.” “I deny the entry of American planes carrying Colombian migrants into our territory,” Petro said. “The United States must establish a protocol for the dignified treatment of migrants before we receive them.” BILLIONAIRES COZY UP TO TRUMP WITH SEVEN FIGURE INAUGURAL DONATIONS AFTER PAST FEUDS WITH PRESIDENT In response, Trump unleashed a slew of punishments, including ordering a 25% tariff on all goods coming into the U.S. from Colombia. The tariff would rise to 50% after one week, Trump said. The president also ordered a travel ban and visa revocations for all Colombian government officials, plus “allies and supporters.” “These measures are just the beginning. We will not allow the Colombian Government to violate its legal obligations with regard to the acceptance and return of the Criminals they forced into the United States!” Trump warned. Fox News Digital’s Anders Hagstrom contributed to this report.
Trump admin touts purging ‘worst’ illegal immigrant criminals from US streets: ‘Working tirelessly’
The Trump administration rolled out a social media thread on Sunday highlighting the “worst criminals” arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) since President Donald Trump was sworn in as the nation’s 47th president last week. “Under President Trump’s leadership, ICE agents are working tirelessly to protect our communities. From illegal alien child rapists to gang members and individuals with suspected ties to ISIS, here are some of the worst criminals arrested,” the White House X thread reads. The post shows nine different illegal immigrants who have already been convicted of vicious crimes, such as child rape, or have alleged links to gangs and terrorist organizations and other serious crimes. The nine illegal immigrants highlighted in the thread include their photos, as well as short biographies explaining their crimes. “MAKE AMERICA SAFE AGAIN: Edgar De La Cruz-Manzo, a convicted child rapist and Mexican national, was arrested by ICE Seattle on January 25, 2025,” one post reads. ICE ARRESTS 3 TREN DE ARAGUA GANG MEMBERS IN MASS DEPORTATION PUSH Another explains: “MAKE AMERICA SAFE AGAIN: A Mexican national wanted for murder with an active INTERPOL Red Notice was arrested by ICE Los Angeles on January 24, 2025.” “MAKE AMERICA SAFE AGAIN: A Jordanian national with suspected ties to ISIS was arrested by ICE Buffalo/Rouses Point on January 24, 2025,” another post reads. TRUMP’S ICE NABS CHILD SEX OFFENDERS AMONG 530+ ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS CAUGHT IN SINGLE DAY Trump’s 2024 campaign prominently focused on the immigration crisis under the Biden administration, vowing to deport illegal immigrants, including those with long rap sheets in other nations, cartel members and others with alleged ties to terrorism. Less than a week back in the Oval Office, Trump touted that he is keeping his campaign promises with a series of directives and policies to secure the border. BORDER ENCOUNTERS DROP SHARPLY AS TRUMP LAUNCHES CRACKDOWN ON ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION “Within hours of taking the oath of office, I declared a national emergency at our southern border. I sent active duty troops on the border to help repel the invasion. Tom Homan is leading the charge. You know that. We like Tom Homan. Doing a great job. We immediately halted all illegal entry and began sending every border trespasser and violator back to the places from which they came. I signed an order that will designate the cartels as foreign terrorist organizations. It’s a big deal, it’s a big deal. Biden didn’t want to do that,” he said from Las Vegas during a rally on Saturday. “Biden didn’t know he was alive. He didn’t want to do it.” A senior GOP strategist, who spoke to Fox Digital about efforts to secure the border and remove dangerous illegal immigrants, remarked that the Biden administration could have done the same, but “did nothing about it.” INDIANA ATTORNEY GENERAL FILES LAWSUIT AGAINST SHERIFF FOR DEFYING FEDS ON ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION “The most absurd part of all of this is that it’s clear the Biden administration knew EXACTLY where these pedophiles, murderers, and rapists were and did nothing about it,” the strategist said. “President Trump was given a mandate to execute his America First agenda and that starts with restoring the rule of law, securing our borders, and punishing known criminals.” Other illegal immigrants arrested by ICE include a convicted sex offender from Ethiopia who was arrested in New Orleans on Friday; a Brazilian national convicted of vehicular manslaughter who was arrested by ICE Boston; and a Honduran national arrested by ICE Seattle who was found with cocaine, fentanyl and a gun. Law enforcement agencies stretching from ICE, to the DEA and U.S. Marshals, have been on an arresting blitz since Trump’s first day in office on Jan. 20. The Trump administration deputized thousands of federal agents on Thursday evening to aid agencies such as ICE and U.S. Customs and Border Protection in efforts to arrest illegal immigrants. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt reported that on Thursday alone, law enforcement nationwide arrested more than 500 illegal immigrants, and deported hundreds of others. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP “The Trump Administration arrested 538 illegal immigrant criminals including a suspected terrorist, four members of the Tren de Aragua gang, and several illegals convicted of sex crimes against minors,” she posted to X last week. “The Trump Administration also deported hundreds of illegal immigrant criminals via military aircraft. The largest massive deportation operation in history is well underway. Promises made. Promises kept,” Leavitt added.