Trump admin declares the Atlantic’s Signal article a ‘hoax’ after it drops ‘war plans’ rhetoric
Trump administration officials say the Atlantic “conceded” that its article providing a firsthand account of a Signal group chat involving the nation’s top national security leaders discussing an attack on terrorists in Yemen did not contain “war plans.” “The Atlantic has conceded: these were NOT ‘war plans,’” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt posted to X Wednesday morning. “This entire story was another hoax written by a Trump-hater who is well-known for his sensationalist spin.” National security advisor Mike Waltz posted to X Wednesday, “No locations. No sources & methods. NO WAR PLANS. Foreign partners had already been notified that strikes were imminent. BOTTOM LINE: President Trump is protecting America and our interests.” TRUMP OFFICIALS ACCIDENTALLY TEXT ATLANTIC JOURNALIST ABOUT MILITARY STRIKES IN APPARENT SECURITY BREACH The Trump administration came under fire from Democrats and other critics Monday after the Atlantic magazine published an article revealing that top national security officials discussed a planned strike in Yemen against terrorist forces in a Signal group chat that also included the editor-in-chief of the Atlantic. The Atlantic’s Jeffrey Goldberg published a firsthand account Monday of what he read in the Signal group chat, called “Houthi PC Small Group,” after he was added to the chain March 13 alongside high-ranking federal officials stretching from Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth to Waltz and Trump chief of staff Susie Wiles. Monday’s article was headlined: “The Trump Administration Accidentally Texted Me Its War Plans.” Trump administration officials have repeatedly argued since the release of the article that no classified information was included in the Signal correspondence. On Wednesday morning, the Atlantic published a follow-up story that included direct texts from the Signal chat, but notably did not include the phrase “war plans” in its headline, instead characterizing the texts as “attack plans.” The phrase “war plans” was included in the Wednesday piece as quotes attributable to the administration pouring cold water that they shared classified information in the chat. HEGSETH FENDS OFF REPORTER’S QUESTIONS ABOUT SIGNAL CHAT LEAK: ‘I KNOW EXACTLY WHAT I’M DOING’ A spokesperson for the Atlantic defended that the outlet did expose a “war plan” in its Wednesday report, pointing Fox News Digital to a screenshot included in the piece of Hegseth’s messages related to F-18s and drone strikes that were accompanied by timestamps for the operation. “If this information – particularly the exact times American aircraft were taking off for Yemen – had fallen into the wrong hands in that crucial two-hour period, American pilots and other American personnel could have been exposed to even greater danger than they ordinarily would face,” the report stated. The Department of Defense does not specifically define what constitutes a “war plan,” according to the U.S. Army War College, though war plans are understood as in-depth plans for an “overarching strategy.” “If we consider war to be a political act between two or more states, nations, or other polities, a war plan must consider the totality of those polities’ potential political objectives, industrial capabilities, and military options for the expected duration of the conflict,” the Army War College posted in 2020 in an explainer article headlined, “What’s in a War Plan?” “A war plan develops a concept to win a war militarily and politically; it is the detailed ways and means of an overarching strategy. A review of two historical examples of such planning offer approaches to overcome organizational and institutional obstacles to effective comprehensive war planning.” Officials with the Trump administration continued on X that the Atlantic’s report was a “hoax” for initially describing the chat as containing “war plans.” “So, let’s me get this straight. The Atlantic released the so-called ‘war plans’ and those ‘plans’ include: No names. No targets. No locations. No units. No routes. No sources. No methods. And no classified information. Those are some really s—– war plans. This only proves one thing: Jeff Goldberg has never seen a war plan or an ‘attack plan’ (as he now calls it). Not even close. As I type this, my team and I are traveling the INDOPACOM region, meeting w/ Commanders (the guys who make REAL ‘war plans’) and talking to troops. We will continue to do our job, while the media does what it does best: peddle hoaxes,” Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth posted to his personal X account Wednesday. A Department of Defense memo from 2023 under the Biden administration detailed that while Signal was approved for some use by government officials, the platform could not be used to “access, transmit, process non-public DoD information.” The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), the federal office in charge of ensuring cybersecurity at all levels of the government, published a “best practice” for “highly targeted” government officials in December 2024 advising “highly targeted” government officials to use Signal as an extra precaution against potential hackers. CISA’s “Mobile Communications Best Practice Guidance” defined as highly targeted individuals as high-ranking government officials or politicians who are “likely to possess information of interest to these threat actors.” The document specifically addressed high-targeted politicos and officials, though it noted the guide was “applicable to all audiences.” “Adopt a free messaging application for secure communications that guarantees end-to-end encryption, such as Signal or similar apps,” the guidance states. “CISA recommends an end-to-end encrypted messaging app that is compatible with both iPhone and Android operating systems, allowing for text message interoperability across platforms. Such apps may also offer clients for MacOS, Windows, and Linux, and sometimes the web. These apps typically support one-on-one text chats, group chats with up to 1,000 participants, and encrypted voice and video calls. Additionally, they may include features like disappearing messages and images, which can enhance privacy.” Signal’s popularity grew in the past few months, after it was discovered that Chinese-linked hackers were targeting cellphone data in the U.S., including data belonging to President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance during the campaign, Politico reported Tuesday. TRUMP NOT PLANNING TO FIRE WALTZ AFTER NATIONAL SECURITY TEXT CHAIN LEAK The texts released in
Cutting the ‘green tape’: Conservation group offers top 10 ways for Dept of Interior to streamline
EXCLUSIVE: A leading conservation group that champions collaboration over regulation is releasing its top 10 recommendations for the Department of the Interior to cut so-called “green tape” – as opposed to “red tape” – which seeks to streamline the agency’s work. The Montana-based Property and Environment Research Center (PERC), a nonpartisan leader in “market solutions” for conservation, will seek to triple the rate of endangered species’ recovery, double fee revenues for national parks without putting all the onus on visitors and eliminate regulations for Americans who voluntarily want to provide assistance in managing habitat restoration. PERC CEO Brian Yablonski told Fox News Digital in an exclusive interview that there is a $23 billion backlog in national parks’ infrastructure needs, conservation projects and wastewater management. As parks grow and visitor numbers hit record levels, the Interior Department needs a responsible way to fund the increased needs without burdening U.S. taxpayers or implementing restrictions, Yablonski said. AZ SENATE LEADER URGES BURGUM TO REVERSE BIDEN-OBAMA LAND GRAB AT URANIUM SITES “One way to address the needs of our national parks directly is to connect funding with demand,” Yablonski said. Doubling fee revenue does not mean doubling fees, he said, noting that in other countries, American visitors often pay a surcharge to that park system because they do not contribute any of the baseline taxes to park conservation. In that way, a visitor to Skyline Drive who hails from abroad should be charged a little more than a local Virginian going from Staunton to Front Royal who already pays into park coffers through taxation, he said. However, Yablonski underlined that the national park system is unique in that 80% of fee revenue collected at any particular park stays to support that park specifically. The other 20% goes elsewhere, including into general funds supporting parks that do not charge fees. It would also “depoliticize” park funding because fees are collected independently of Congress. Record increases in park visitors – according to the National Park Service (NPS) – have shown that people are willing to pay to enjoy America’s parkland. Therefore, an increase in the $80 America the Beautiful pass would be one area where there may not be much pain for eager park visitors. NPS reported nearly 332 million visits to parks in 2024, an increase of 6.3 million. TRUMP INTERIOR PICK FACES SENATE SCRUTINY The pass gets Americans into many national parks for free, allows entrance to Skyline Drive and also gives the bearer free parking at other park-owned properties, such as the Harpers Ferry, West Virginia, Amtrak station. Reducing obstacles to voluntary conservation is one of the best ways to cut ‘green tape’,” Yablonski said. Landowners seeking to aid voluntary conservation must currently go through an at-times costly and/or strung-out chronological process before they can formally assist the agency. “It can take up to a year to get those kind of agreements approved,” Yablonski said. “We just think there’s a way to streamline that and get those agreements approved sooner, especially if a landowner is taking measures to do voluntary conservation on his or her land,” he said. That “green tape” cut leads into PERC’s recommendations regarding the Endangered Species Act, Yablonski added. While the act has been effective in preventing extinction, it has not helped recover species listed as endangered. Only 3% of endangered species have recovered and been taken off the list, while 99% remain extant. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP “That’s because the tools needed for both are different. A tool to prevent extinction might be a more regulatory-oriented tool to actually recover something and proactively improve. It is going to be more of a market-based incentive,” he said. “The problem is we’re using the regulatory tool when we should be using the incentive-based tool. And so the idea of cutting green tape is actually what are some of the new tools to take in endangered species recovery from a number like 3% and get it to 10%. And I think it’s important to set goals because there are folks that seem to be okay with 3% recovery in the environmental community, which to me is shocking. We should want to try something different, try new things, bring new tools to bear to increase endangered species recovery.” The full report will be available on PERC’s website on Wednesday. Fox News Digital reached out to the Interior Department for comment on its communications with PERC thus far.
Republican bills put taxpayer-funded junk food on the chopping block
Multiple Republican lawmakers are pushing proposals to ban the purchase of unhealthy foods through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), which is meant to help low-income families. Sugary sodas are in the crosshairs in three separate proposals, though two of the bills would go further by also banning purchases of other junk foods. Rep. Keith Self, R-Texas, introduced the Funding Is Zero for Zero Nutrition Options (FIZZ-NO) Act of 2025, which would block purchases of sodas with SNAP benefits — the text defines soda as “a carbonated beverage that contains more than 1 gram of added sugar, artificial sweetener, or flavoring per serving.” Three House Republicans have been listed as cosponsors on congress.gov. “Allowing taxpayer dollars to subsidize sugary sodas, which offer zero nutritional value and contribute to costly health conditions, is counterproductive. The FIZZ-NO Act is a common-sense solution to strengthen public health and reduce the financial burden on taxpayers,” Self said in a statement included in a press release. Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., just put forward a measure that would implement an even broader prohibition on purchasing junk foods with SNAP benefits. GOP LAWMAKER EXPLAINS WHY HE CALLED TRANS DEM ‘MR. MCBRIDE’: ‘I DON’T HAVE TO PARTICIPATE IN HIS FANTASY’ The Nutritious SNAP Act of 2025 would put the kibosh on SNAP purchases of “any nonalcoholic beverage that is not water, cow’s milk, a milk-substitute beverage (such as almond milk, soy milk, and coconut milk), or 100 percent juice,” plus “snack and dessert food items,” described in the U.S. Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service “Accessory Foods List.” That list includes various items such as potato and corn chips, pretzels, doughnuts, cookies, ice cream and more. “It makes no sense that taxpayer dollars are being used to fund an epidemic of obesity and diet-related illness in low-income communities. My bill ensures that this assistance program actually supports health and wellness, not chronic disease,” Paul said, according to a press release. TEXAS LAWMAKERS CONSIDER MEASURE PROHIBITING SNAP BENEFITS FROM BEING USED TO PURCHASE JUNK FOOD A group of GOP lawmakers in both chambers of Congress are pushing the Healthy SNAP Act of 2025. The measure would target “soft drinks, candy, ice cream, prepared desserts such as cakes, pies, cookies, or similar products,” and call for the Agriculture Secretary to “conduct a scientific review” of foods allowed under SNAP at least every 5 years. Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, and several other Republican senators are pushing the bill in the Senate, while Rep. Josh Brecheen, R-Ok., and a number of other House Republicans are pushing it in the lower chamber, according to congress.gov. SNAP RECIPIENTS MAY BE BARRED FROM JUNK FOOD PURCHASES UNDER NEW HOUSE GOP BILL CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP “American tax dollars should not be used to pay for junk food and endanger the health of the most vulnerable Americans,” Lee said, according to a press release. “The fastest way to Make America Healthy Again is to encourage balanced diets and stop subsidizing unhealthy food choices. The Healthy SNAP Act is a solid step forward in building a society where all families can be enjoy strength, health, and good nutrition.”
Veteran Dem senator demands Hegseth resign over Signal chat leak
Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., is calling on Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to resign over the Houthi strikes group chat controversy. Kelly, a former astronaut and United States Navy pilot who served in combat, has been a vocal critic of Hegseth, including during the confirmation process. “Two months ago, on the day of Secretary Hegseth’s confirmation vote, I asked my colleagues if it was worth the risk to our servicemembers and our national security to confirm the most unprepared nominee for this job we’ve ever seen. This is what happens when you put unqualified people in important jobs where lives are on the line,” Kelly said in a statement on Wednesday morning. TRUMP HAS ‘RESTORED’ PEACE THROUGH STRENGTH: PETE HEGSETH “It’s fortunate this massive error didn’t result in American casualties, but for the safety of our servicemembers and our country, Secretary Hegseth needs to resign,” he added. Members of the administration are looking ahead after The Atlantic editor-in-chief Jeffrey Goldberg was included in a group chat on Signal, an encrypted messaging app, about a strike against the Houthis in Yemen. Goldberg later went on to publish the messages on Wednesday. “I’m incredibly proud of the courage and skill of the troops, and they are ongoing and continue to be devastatingly effective,” Hegseth said in the wake of the story. “The last place I would want to be right now is a Houthi in Yemen who wants to disrupt freedom of navigation, so the skill and courage of our troops is on full display.” JEFFRIES BECOMES HIGHEST-RANKING DEM TO CALL FOR HEGSETH TO RESIGN “As I also stated yesterday, nobody’s texting war plans, and that’s all I have to say about that,” Hegseth added. Meanwhile, National Security Advisor Michael Waltz took ownership of the incident. “I take full responsibility. I built the group,” he said on “The Ingraham Angle” Tuesday. “It’s embarrassing. We’re going to get to the bottom of it.” Kelly is one of many Democratic members of Congress calling on Hegseth to step down, including Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jefferies, D-N.Y. “When the stakes are this high, incompetence is not an option. Pete Hegseth should resign. Mike Waltz should resign,” Warner posted on Tuesday. ATLANTIC REPORTER PUBLISHES MORE TEXTS ABOUT ATTACK ON HOUTHI TARGETS Still, some have argued that there is a double standard from Democrats over military mishaps during the Biden administration. “You can acknowledge the Signal fiasco was a mistake while also refusing admonishment from people who A) slept with Chinese spies B) didn’t demand any resignations after 13 US Service members were killed in Afghanistan C) didn’t care that Lloyd Austin was MIA for 5 days,” conservative commentator Grace Curley posted. “This won’t be the first time [Kelly] calls on [Trump] officials to resign. He’s not interested in working with the administration to advance national or state interests; he’s doing whatever he can to try to embarrass the White House and stop their efforts to make America great again,” the Republican Party of Arizona posted. The Department of Defense did not respond in time for publication.
Ratcliffe says new Signal texts show he ‘did not transmit classified information’
CIA Director John Ratcliffe said the Signal chat texts published by The Atlantic Wednesday revealing the so-called “attack plans” targeting Yemen’s Houthi rebels prove he “did not transmit classified information.” Ratcliffe, speaking during a House Intelligence Committee hearing on worldwide threats, told lawmakers “With regard to that article, I also would appreciate the opportunity to relay the fact that yesterday I spent four hours answering questions from senators as a result of that article that were intimating that I transmitted classified information because there were hidden messages.” “Those messages were revealed today and revealed that I did not transmit classified information, and that the reporter who I don’t know, I think intentionally intended it to indicate that,” Ratcliffe continued. “That reporter also indicated that I had released the name of an undercover CIA operative in that Signal chat. In fact, I had released the name of my chief of staff who was not operating undercover. That was deliberately false and misleading.” “I used an appropriate channel to communicate sensitive information. It was permissible to do so. I didn’t transfer any classified information. And at the end of the day, what is most important is that the mission was a remarkable success is what everyone should be focused on here, because that’s what did happen, not what possibly could have happened,” he also said. ATLANTIC REPORTER PUBLISHES MORE TEXTS ABOUT ATTACK ON HOUTHI TARGETS In messages published Wednesday, The Atlantic quoted Hegseth as saying in the Signal group text chat “TEAM UPDATE: TIME NOW (1144et): Weather is FAVORABLE. Just CONFIRMED w/CENTCOM we are a GO for mission launch. 1215et: F-18s LAUNCH (1st strike package). 1345: ‘Trigger Based’ F-18 1st Strike Window Starts (Target Terrorist is @ his Known Location so SHOULD BE ON TIME – also, Strike Drones Launch (MQ-9s),” Hegseth apparently wrote in a screenshot of a text message released Wednesday by The Atlantic. “1410: More F-18s LAUNCH (2nd strike package). 1415: Strike Drones on Target (THIS IS WHEN THE FIRST BOMBS WILL DEFINITELY DROP, pending earlier ‘Trigger Based’ targets). 1536 F-18 2nd Strike Starts – also, first sea-based Tomahawks launched,” Hegseth reportedly continued, before adding “we are currently clean on OPSEC [operational security]” and “Godspeed to our Warriors.” Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard vowed during a Senate Intelligence Committee hearing Tuesday that there was “no classified material” in the messages. “My answer yesterday was based on my recollection, or the lack thereof on the details that were posted there. What was shared today reflects the fact that I was not directly involved with that part of the signal chat and replied at the end, reflecting the effects, the very brief effects that the national security advisor had shared,” Gabbard said Wednesday when asked about the matter. “So it’s your testimony that less than two weeks ago, you were on a Signal chat that had all of this information about F-18s and MQ-9 Reapers and targets on strike. And you, in that two-week period, simply forgot that that was there. That’s your testimony?” Ranking Member Jim Himes, D-Conn., asked her. TRUMP TEAM’S SIGNAL CHAT LEAK SPARKS DEBATE OVER SECURE COMMUNICATIONS “My testimony is I did not recall the exact details of what was included there,” Gabbard said. “That was not your testimony,” Himes responded. “Your testimony was that you were not aware of anything related to weapons, packages, targets and timing.” “As the testimony yesterday continued on, there were further questions, related to that, where I acknowledged that there was conversation about weapons,” Gabbard said. “And, I don’t remember the exact wording that I used, but I did not recall the specific details that were included.” At one point in Wednesday’s Senate hearing, Lt. Gen. Jeffrey Kruse, the director of the Defense Intelligence Agency, said there were “operational details” in the Signal messages. Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, D-Ill., and Rep. Jason Crow, D-Colo., also joined other Congressional Democrats calling for the resignation of Secretary of State Pete Hegseth over the leak. “There can be no fixes. There can be no corrections until there is accountability. And I’m calling on the administration to move forward with accountability,” Crow said.
Judge fighting Trump over El Salvador deportations assigned to lawsuit over Signal chat leak
A new lawsuit targeting President Donald Trump’s administration over leaked Pentagon plans in a Signal chat has been assigned to Judge James Boasberg, the same judge who ordered a halt to the administration’s deportation efforts. The government watchdog group American Oversight filed the lawsuit on Wednesday, alleging that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and others violated federal records laws by discussing Houthi attack plans in a Signal groupchat. The contest has now been randomly assigned to Boasberg, who serves on the U.S. District Court for Washington, D.C. Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., condemned “rogue judges” like Boasberg in a statement to Fox News Digital on Wednesday. He has introduced legislation that would prohibit district-level judges from issuing nationwide injunctions like the one Boasberg used to block deportations. “These judges have proven they care more about unlawfully knee-capping President Trump’s agenda than accurately applying the facts to the law in each individual case. Congress can change that,” he said. Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Calif., echoed Hawley in another statement to Fox, calling on Boasberg to recuse himself from the case. “The bias Judge Boesberg has already demonstrated toward President Donald Trump and his administration is unmistakable.It is not a random act that Boesberg has the case and I don’t expect him to recuse himself, but that would be the best arrangement for the integrity of the court,” Issa said. HEGSETH FENDS OFF REPORTER’S QUESTIONS ABOUT SIGNAL CHAT LEAK American Oversight says its lawsuit centers on the Federal Records Act, which “requires federal officials to preserve communications related to official government business.” “Generally, agencies ensure retention of messages sent on apps like Signal by setting policies requiring officials and personnel to forward them to official systems for proper archival or take other steps to preserve their content,” it continued. The lawsuit names Hegseth; Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard; CIA Director John Ratcliffe; Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent; Secretary of State Marco Rubio, as well as the National Archives and Records Administration, as defendants. The lawsuit notes that Signal group chats can be set up to delete messages after a certain time threshold, leading to the possibility that certain records were illegally destroyed. JEFFRIES BECOMES HIGHEST-RANKING DEMOCRAT TO CALL FOR HEGSETH TO RESIGN Former federal prosecutor and legal analyst Andrew Cherkasky argued the assignment of the lawsuit to Boasberg is “legally provocative” and could discredit the D.C. District Court “for generations to come.” “With [Boasberg’s] prior outrageous rulings under review by the Circuit Court, I don’t think it is wise to allow him more Trump injunction cases,” Cherkasky told Fox News Digital. Former Trump lawyer Alina Habba also condemned the lawsuit in a statement to Fox News Digital on Wednesday. “This is another example of improper judicial political advocacy. The judicial system must not be weaponized any further to attempt to distract Americans from the amazing work of this Administration and our commitment to our National Security,” Habba said. Meanwhile, the White House has rejected claims that the groupchat’s members used the app for “war planning,” as has been described by various media outlets. Gabbard emphasized during a Wednesday House Intelligence Committee hearing that no classified information was shared in the chat. “It was a mistake that a reporter was inadvertently added to a signal chat with high-level national security principles, having a policy discussion about imminent strikes against the Houthis and the effects of the strike,” Gabbard said. “The national security advisor has taken full responsibility for this, and the National Security Council is conducting an in-depth review, along with tech technical experts working to determine how this reporter was inadvertently added to this chat.”
‘Removing the shackles’: Major proposal could lower gas prices in this state
A legislative proposal in Arizona hopes to lower gas prices amid a recent appeal to Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin. Currently, federal ozone attainment standards have prompted parts of the state, especially heavily populated Maricopa County, to use a “boutique” blend of gasoline since 1997, and it is the only place in the country that has done so. The legislative proposal would make it state law for other types of gasoline blends to be used aside from the specific winter and summer blends currently allowed, as it would be what is available in other states. LOWER GAS PRICES AREN’T LUCK. TRUMP’S ENERGY POLICIES ARE FUELING AMERICAN INDEPENDENCE Gas prices in the Grand Canyon State are currently among the highest in the country at $3.33 per gallon on average on Tuesday, according to AAA. In Maricopa County, that average is roughly 20 cents higher. “Modeling shows that 80% of the ozone in Maricopa County travels here from outside the state. This includes wildfires, pollution from Mexico, and emissions from California,” President Pro Tempore T.J. Shope said in a statement. “Even if 4 million gas burning cars were removed from our roads, Arizona would still not attain the impossible ozone standards set by the EPA.” Similar legislation was worked on in the legislature last year, but the renewed push on the issue comes as Senate President Warren Petersen recently met with Zeldin. LIZ PEEK: TRUMP, ZELDIN BRING A KEY INGREDIENT TO AMERICA’S ‘GREEN AGENDA’ “Following that meeting, Administrator Zeldin publicly raised our concerns about being punished for emissions outside of our control, and he committed to ensuring air quality will be protected while allowing us to grow the economy,” Petersen said in a statement. “HB 2300 is the first step in removing the shackles off Arizona and positions us to reduce gas prices quickly, in coordination with upcoming action from Administrator Zeldin on behalf of the Trump Administration. Providing multiple fuel options allows the market to compete during unexpected shortages and will help keep gas prices low for Arizona drivers.” Some Democrats have argued the legislation would pose an environmental risk and “does nothing to lower gas prices.” “House Bill 2300 weakens Arizona’s clean air protections by changing the rules for gasoline standards in certain areas. Here’s why that’s a problem: It could lead to more air pollution as this bill puts gas companies over public health,” State Sen. Rosanna Gabaldón said in a statement after the bill passed out of committee. “Current fuel standards help keep our air cleaner, especially in cities with high traffic. Loosening these rules could make pollution worse. It would allow for more loopholes for gas suppliers. Instead of sticking to proven fuel standards, the bill opens the door for changes that may not meet strict environmental guidelines,” she continued. SEN SHELDON WHITEHOUSE: THE EPA’S ENVIRONMENTAL REGULATION ROLLBACK PUTS AMERICANS LAST On March 12, Zeldin released a statement saying that there have been various complaints nationwide about communities being penalized for air quality regulations they can do little about. If the bill were to be signed into law by Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs, the EPA would still need to clear those blends through the State Implementation Plan, which Zeldin’s office says there’s a “backlog” of. “The Biden Administration’s focus on ideological pursuits instead of the agency’s core mission and statutory duties resulted in a delay in air quality improvement. With more than 140 million Americans living in nonattainment areas around the country, cooperative federalism and clearing out the State Implementation Plan backlog will make significant strides to improving the air we breathe,” Zeldin said in a statement at the time. The EPA did not respond in time for publication. “We are still evaluating the legislation so nothing to share at the moment,” a spokesperson for Hobbs’ office told Fox News Digital.
Supreme Court upholds Biden admin ‘ghost gun’ regulation
The U.S. Supreme Court on Wednesday upheld the Biden administration’s regulation of so-called “ghost guns,” by a 7-2 vote. Justice Neil Gorsuch wrote the opinion, joined by Chief Justice John Roberts, as well as Justices Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan, Brett Kavanaugh, Amy Coney Barrett and Ketanji Brown Jackson. Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito dissented. At issue was whether the devices meet the federal definition of a “firearm” and “frame and receiver,” and whether the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) exceeded its authority to regulate and enforce their sale. Ghost guns are do-it-yourself functional weapons that are often purchased online and marketed by some sellers as easy to assemble. The Justice Department said more than 19,000 hard-to-trace ghost guns were seized by law enforcement in 2021, a more than tenfold increase in just five years. That was driven in part by recent technological advances, many containing polymer-based unassembled firearm components. FBI DIRECTOR KASH PATEL SENDS MEMO CALLING CNN REPORT OF ATF CUTS ‘ENTIRELY FALSE’ Final home assembly typically requires the use of some readily available tools, including drilling holes and milling or sanding the unfinished frame or receiver, which enable the installation of parts. The 1968 Gun Control Act was revised in 2022 to regulate the growing market for certain “buy build shoot” kits. The seven-justice majority found that the Gun Control Act “permits ATF to regulate…some weapon parts kits and unfinished frames or receivers.” The law defines a “firearm” to include “any weapon… which will or is designed to or may readily be converted to expel a projectile by the action of an explosive,” as well as “the frame or receiver of any such weapon.” SUPREME COURT HEARS PIVOTAL LOUISIANA ELECTION MAP CASE AHEAD OF 2026 MIDTERMS “Congress could have authorized ATF to regulate any part of a firearm or any object readily convertible into one,” Thomas wrote in his dissent. “But, it did not. I would adhere to the words Congress enacted. Employing its novel ‘artifact noun’ methodology, the majority charts a different course that invites unforeseeable consequences and offers no limiting principle.” The administration said it was not seeking to ban the sale or use of these kits, merely requiring them to comply with the same requirements of other commercial firearms dealers. That includes serial numbers on the parts and background checks on the purchasers. A federal appeals court struck down the updated rules after a legal challenge from kit sellers and buyers, but the Justice Department appealed to the Supreme Court. Gun rights groups say that the rule is “unconstitutional and abusive,” arguing the ghost gun kits consist of “non-firearm objects.” The devices can also be made from 3D printers or from individual parts. That is part of separate legal challenges in the lower courts. READ THE SUPREME COURT OPINION – APP USERS, CLICK HERE: The ATF’s rule requires unfinished parts of a firearm, like the frame of a handgun or the receiver of a long gun, to be treated like a completed firearm. These parts need to be licensed and must have serial numbers. The rule also requires manufacturers to run background checks before selling these parts, as they are required to do for whole commercial firearms. The justices have been revisiting the Second Amendment in recent years, after the conservative majority in 2022 made it easier to carry handguns outside the home for protection. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP In June, a federal ban on bump stocks, devices that can convert semi-automatic rifles into weapons that can fire hundreds of rounds a minute, was struck down by the high court. However, that same month, the justices upheld a federal ban on firearm possession for people subject to certain domestic violence restraining orders. The case is Garland v. VanDerStok (23-852).
West Virginia passes first-of-its-kind law banning food dyes and preservatives; Gov cites MAHA movement
West Virginia will begin prohibiting certain synthetic dyes and additives used in food items sold in the state following the passage of a bill that marks the most comprehensive effort to regulate food ingredients at the state level. Gov. Patrick Morrisey, a Republican, on Monday signed House Bill 2354 into law, which will implement the ban on a tiered basis. Starting Aug. 1, seven different artificial food dyes will no longer be allowed for use in school lunches. Beginning Jan. 1, 2028, the same food dyes and two additional food preservatives will not be allowed in any food products sold in the state. Red Dye No. 3, Red Dye No. 40, Yellow Dye No. 5, Yellow Dye No. 6, Blue Dye No. 1, Blue Dye No. 2 and Green Dye No. 3 will all be banned from school lunches starting in August. The same food dyes, plus the preservatives butylated hydroxyanisole and propylparaben, will then be banned from all food items sold in the state beginning in 2028. RFK JR TARGETS COMPANIES MAKING BABY FORMULA AFTER SHORTAGES ROCKED BIDEN ADMINISTRATION While several states have introduced or passed similar bills, West Virginia’s marks the broadest and most sweeping action on this issue by any state, per local and national media reports. Proponents of the West Virginia bill have suggested the move will help improve health outcomes, particularly for children, but those who are against it argue the move will lead to higher food prices. “West Virginia ranks at the bottom of many public health metrics, which is why there’s no better place to lead the Make America Healthy Again mission,” Morrisey said after signing the new bill. “By eliminating harmful chemicals from our food, we’re taking steps toward improving the health of our residents and protecting our children from significant long-term health and learning challenges.” Morrisey also thanked Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and the Trump administration “for helping us launch this movement right here in West Virginia.” Earlier this month, Kennedy instructed FDA officials to explore potential changes to its “Substances Generally Recognized As Safe (GRAS)” standards that apply regulatory classification to substances added to food. Kennedy has long been a proponent of food safety and said as HHS secretary he wants to promote “radical transparency” on the issue. “We want the dyes out of the food,” Kennedy told Fox News earlier this month. The issue isn’t entirely a Republican one, either. In January, under former President Joe Biden, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) revoked its authorization of Red Dye No. 3 following pressure from consumer advocates. NUTRITIONISTS REACT TO THE RED FOOD DYE BAN: ‘TOOK FAR TOO LONG’ However, American Beverage, a leading national trade organization representing the nation’s top non-alcoholic beverage companies, said the new West Virginia bill will significantly limit consumer choices, raise grocery store prices, impact jobs and impose new costs on businesses. “We want to be really clear about the impact of this sweeping ban, it will hurt West Virginians, both consumers, workers and the overall economy, all over ingredients that have been proven safe,” said Meridith Potter, American Beverage senior vice president. “West Virginians deserve choice, information and facts, not fear,” Potter added. “The fact is, this bill will take away choices from West Virginians by eliminating products in nearly every aisle of the grocery store.” Fox News Digital reached out to the White House for comment but did not receive a response in time for publication.
Rep Jasmine Crockett claims ‘hot wheels’ comment was misinterpreted, her past comments say otherwise
Facing a possible censure in the House of Representatives, far-left Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-TX, is claiming her recent comment seeming to mock a disabled Republican leader as “Governor Hot Wheels” was misinterpreted. Her previous comments about the governor, however, indicate otherwise. While giving a speech at a Human Rights Campaign event on Saturday, Crockett appeared to mock Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, a Republican who is paraplegic and wheelchair-bound, by calling him “Governor Hot Wheels.” “Y’all know we got Governor Hot Wheels down there – come on now! And the only thing hot about him is that he is a hot a– mess, honey,” Crockett said. This statement surfaced as Crockett was already facing heavy criticism for other recent statements calling for Elon Musk to be “taken down” and for Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, to be “knocked over the head, like hard.” FAR-LEFT DEMOCRAT SLAMMED FOR ‘UNHINGED’ THREAT AGAINST PROMINENT GOP SENATOR: ‘INCITING VIOLENCE’ Crockett, however, is claiming her statements are being misinterpreted and that she was not mocking Abbott’s disability. Kimberly McClain, Crockett’s chief of staff, responded to a request for comment by Fox News, by saying, “Please be assured that the Congresswoman, in no way, meant any harm toward the Governor OR meant to take lightly any medical conditions that he may have.” McClain pointed to a statement by Crockett on X in which she said, “I wasn’t thinking about the governor’s condition—I was thinking about the planes, trains, and automobiles he used to transfer migrants into communities led by Black mayors, deliberately stoking tension and fear among the most vulnerable. Literally, the next line I said was that he was a ‘Hot A** Mess,’ referencing his terrible policies. At no point did I mention or allude to his condition.” Despite her statements, Crockett seems to have a pattern of making comments about Abbott “rolling” places, seeming to mock Abbott’s condition. PAM BONDI ON JASMINE CROCKETT’S COMMENTS: WORDS HAVE CONSEQUENCES Just last week, the congresswoman reposted a post featuring Abbott in the White House, which read, “Rolling up to the White House to cheer on the president destroying the agency that makes sure kids in wheelchairs have equal access to education is wild.” During his re-election campaign against former Democratic Rep. Robert Francis “Beto” O’Rourke, Crockett again slammed Abbott on X, saying, “The new nickname I have for Beto O’Rourke is the king of the clap backs! Beto is rolling around the state… Where is Abbott rolling to?” In response, Abbott said during an interview on “Hannity” that “it’s another day and another disaster by the Democrats.” “The reality is they have no vision, no policy. They have nothing to sell but hate, and Americans are not buying it,” Abbott said. “It’s one reason why Texas is going to remain red and why Republicans are going to continue to win elections across the country. The fact, Sean, is that Texas is actually in direct contrast to what she was talking about … The bottom line is that Republican states like Texas are leading the way, and with comments like this by Democrats, we will just leave them in the dust in future elections.” BLUE CITY MAYOR RIPPED BY LOCAL LEADERS FOR PRIORITIZING POLITICS OVER SAFETY: ‘UNDERMINING PUBLIC TRUST’ Rep. Randy Weber, R-TX, told Fox News Digital he would soon be introducing a resolution to censure Crockett because of her statements. “Jasmine…words have meanings & actions have consequences. I look forward to introducing my resolution to censure you for your words and actions,” Weber said on X. “The story of our great governor of Texas is one of unwavering resilience and perseverance. Meanwhile, the actions of Jasmine Crockett – stooping to vile levels of discrimination and despicable political attacks – are nothing short of reprehensible,” Weber said to Fox News Digital. Fox News Digital’s Elizabeth Elkind contributed to this report.