Fox News Politics Newsletter: Pardons from Trump
Welcome to the Fox News Politics newsletter, with the latest updates on the Trump administration, Capitol Hill and more Fox News politics content. Here’s what’s happening… -HUD joins forces with DHS to ensure federal housing resources go to US citizens, not illegal immigrants -Top Dem used same app in Atlantic scandal to set up contact with Steele dossier author -Trump admin cuts additional $1M in federal funding for ‘transgender animal’ experiments President Donald Trump on Tuesday pardoned Hunter Biden’s former business associate, Devon Archer. “Many people have asked me to do this. They think he was treated very unfairly. And I looked at the records, studied the records, and he was a victim of a crime, as far as I’m concerned. So we’re going to undo that. … Congratulations, Devon,” Trump said on Tuesday ahead of signing the pardoning. Archer was a business associate of former first son Hunter Biden at Burisma Holdings. Archer was convicted in 2018 of defrauding a Native American tribe in a scheme that involved the issuance and sale of fraudulent tribal bonds. ‘PERSONAL DIGNITY’: A second judge rules against Trump’s removal of transgender troops FULL FORCE: Staffing reductions at Education Department haven’t hit FAFSA office amid Trump cuts, agency says HHS REORGINIZATION: Trump administration to shutter HHS’ long Covid office ‘NO IMPACT AT ALL’: Trump reveals who was behind Signal text chain leak LOCK THEM UP?’: ‘The View’ hosts gleeful over Trump officials’ texting debacle, suggest some should face jail time ‘CURIOUS TO ME’: Rosie O’Donnell questions validity of Trump’s 2024 election win, wants Musk’s influence ‘investigated’ MISSING CHILDREN: State Dept says data on Ukrainian orphans is ‘secure’ despite concerns it was lost following Trump funding cut ‘HAMAS’ PROPAGANDA ARM’: Israeli hostage families sue Mahmoud Khalil, ‘Hamas propaganda arm’ at Columbia University campus SENATE SPARS OVER TEXT CHAIN LEAK: CIA Director Ratcliffe hits back on Dem senator’s group chat allegations: ‘I didn’t say any of those things’ CROCKETT CRACKDOWN: Jasmine Crockett hit with House censure threat for mocking paraplegic Texas governor as ‘hot wheels’ TESLA TANTRUM: Democrat decries FBI task force to crackdown on Tesla attacks: ‘Political weaponization of the DOJ’ ‘UNDERMINE OUR WORKERS’: GOP senator threatens ‘real consequences’ if universities hire illegal immigrants ‘FUTILE EXERCISE’: House GOP push to impeach judges blocking Trump fizzles out THE LOUDEST SILENCE: Dems who railed against domestic terrorism still silent as Trump floats 20-year jail sentence for Tesla vandals ‘BOILING POINT’: Progressive grassroots group says liberal base at ‘boiling point’ over Democratic strategy to oppose Trump PAGING PAM: CT ballot fraud saga leads GOP to alert Bondi as 150 charges lodged, Dem reforms ‘miss the mark’ ‘FREE PALESTINE!’: Anti-Israel protesters interrupt Huckabee hearing, attack Trump nominee’s faith COLLEGE TRY: Teachers union sues Trump administration over $400M cuts to Columbia University BUYER BEWARE: Illegal immigrant in Texas who purchased thousands of rounds for Mexican drug cartel gets 5 years in prison FRAUD FINDERS: Nevada investigates more than 300 potential voter fraud cases from 2024 election Get the latest updates on the Trump administration and Congress, exclusive interviews and more on FoxNews.com.
Senate committee advances nomination of Dr Oz to run Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
The Senate Committee on Finance voted along party lines Tuesday afternoon to advance Dr. Mehmet Oz, President Donald Trump‘s pick to lead the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, to a full confirmation vote. The party-line vote, which saw 14 GOP senators vote in favor of Oz’s nomination and 13 Democrats vote against it, follows two hearings by the Senate Finance Committee that probed Oz over his plans for the federal healthcare programs, his views on abortion, potential conflicts of interest in the healthcare industry and more. “Dr. Oz has years of experience as an acclaimed physician and public health advocate. His background makes him uniquely qualified for this role, and there is no doubt that he will work tirelessly to deliver much-needed change at CMS,” Sen. Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, the chairman of the committee, said Tuesday. HAWLEY SKEPTICAL OF TRUMP PICK OZ: ‘I HOPE HE’S CHANGED HIS VIEWS’ Oz graduated from Harvard University and received medical and business degrees from the University of Pennsylvania. He is a former heart surgeon who saw his fame rise through his appearances on daytime TV and 13 seasons of “The Dr Oz Show.” Oz later transitioned into politics, launching an unsuccessful bid for Pennsylvania’s open Senate seat in 2022. He ultimately lost to John Fetterman, then the state’s lieutenant governor. If confirmed by the full Senate, Oz would be in charge of nearly $1.5 trillion in federal healthcare spending. Medicare, a federal healthcare program for seniors aged 65 and up, currently provides coverage for about 65 million Americans, according to the Center for Medicare Advocacy. Medicaid, which assists people with low incomes, covers roughly 72 million Americans, according to Medicaid.gov. DR. OZ BATS BACK DEMOCRATIC ATTEMPTS TO PAINT HIM AS A ‘SNAKE OIL’ SALESMAN IN SENATE HEARING Oz’s leadership would direct decisions related to how the government covers procedures, hospital stays and medication within the federal healthcare programs, as well as the reimbursement rates at which healthcare providers get paid for their services. Earlier this month, Trump’s pick to lead the NIH and FDA, Dr. Jay Bhattacharya and Dr. Marty Makary, respectively, were also approved in committee and are awaiting full confirmation votes in the Senate scheduled for later Tuesday. It is unclear when Oz’s full Senate vote will take place. Around the same time that Bhattacharya and Makary won committee approval, Trump withdrew his nomination of former Florida Rep. David Weldon to run the CDC, over fears he did not have the GOP support to clear full confirmation. On Monday, the Trump administration named Susan Monarez, acting director of the CDC, as its new nominee.
Trump orders FBI to declassify documents from ‘Crossfire Hurricane’ Russia investigation
President Donald Trump signed an executive order Tuesday directing the FBI to immediately declassify files concerning the Crossfire Hurricane investigation, the agency probe launched in 2016 that sought information on whether Trump campaign members colluded with Russia during the presidential race. After signing the order, Trump said that now the media can review previously withheld files pertaining to the investigation – although he cast doubt on whether many journalists would do so. TRUMP FBI DIRECTOR KASH PATEL ‘INSTRUMENTAL IN UNRAVELING’ RUSSIA COLLUSION HOAX, FORMER CHAIR SAYS “You probably won’t bother because you’re not going to like what you see,” Trump said. “But this was total weaponization, it’s a disgrace. It should have never happened in this country. But now you’ll be able to see for yourselves. All declassified.” The FBI on July 31, 2016, opened a counterintelligence investigation into whether Trump, then a presidential candidate, or members of his campaign were colluding or coordinating with Russia to influence the 2016 election. That investigation was referred to inside the bureau as “Crossfire Hurricane.” FBI IGNORED ‘CLEAR WARNING SIGN’ OF CLINTON-LED EFFORT TO ‘MANIPULATE’ BUREAU FOR ‘POLITICAL PURPOSES’ The opening of the investigation came just days after a July 28 meeting during which then-CIA Director John Brennan briefed then-President Barack Obama on a purported proposal from one of Hillary Clinton’s campaign foreign policy advisers “to vilify Donald Trump by stirring up a scandal claiming interference by the Russian security service.” Clinton was the Democrat nominee for president that year. By January 2017, then-FBI Director James Comey had notified Trump of a dossier, known as the Steele dossier, that contained salacious and unverified allegations about Trump’s purported coordination with the Russian government, a key document prompting the opening of the probe. The dossier was authored by Christopher Steele, an ex-British intelligence officer, and commissioned by Fusion GPS. Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign hired Fusion GPS during the 2016 election cycle. HOUSE INTEL TRANSCRIPTS SHOW TOP OBAMA OFFICIALS HAD NO ‘EMPIRICAL EVIDENCE’ OF TRUMP-RUSSIA COLLUSION It eventually was determined that the Clinton campaign and the Democratic National Committee funded the dossier through the law firm Perkins Coie. Trump fired Comey in May 2017. Days later, Robert Mueller was appointed as special counsel to take over the “Crossfire Hurricane” probe and investigate whether the Trump campaign colluded with Russia to influence the 2016 election cycle. While Mueller investigated, the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence opened its own investigation into alleged Trump-Russia collusion. Now-FBI Director Kash Patel, as chief investigator for then-House Intelligence Committee Chairman Devin Nunes, by February 2018 had discovered widespread government surveillance abuse, including improper surveillance of former Trump campaign aide Carter Page. Patel was an integral part of the creation of a memo released by then-Chair Nunes in February 2018, which detailed the DOJ’s and FBI’s surveillance of Page under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. Nunes and Patel revealed that the infamous anti-Trump dossier funded by Democrats “formed an essential part” of the application to spy on Page. The memo referred to closed-door testimony from former FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe, who said that “no surveillance warrant would have been sought” from the FISA court “without the Steele dossier information.” But when applying for the FISA warrant, the FBI omitted the origins of the dossier, specifically its funding from Clinton, who was Trump’s 2016 presidential opponent. The memo also said Steele, who worked as an FBI informant, was eventually cut off from the bureau for what the FBI described as the most serious of violations, “an unauthorized disclosure to the media of his relationship with the FBI.” FLASHBACK: DNI DECLASSIFIES BRENNAN NOTES, CIA MEMO ON HILLARY CLINTON ‘STIRRING UP’ SCANDAL BETWEEN TRUMP, RUSSIA The memo noted that the FBI and DOJ obtained “one initial FISA warrant” targeting Page and three FISA renewals from the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court. The statute required that every 90 days a FISA order on an American citizen “must be reviewed.” The memo revealed that Comey signed three FISA applications for Page, while McCabe, former Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, former Deputy Attorney General Sally Yates and former Acting Deputy Attorney General Dana Boente signed at least one. The memo was widely criticized by Democrats but was ultimately correct. The Justice Department inspector general, Michael Horowitz, reviewed the memo and confirmed the dossier served as the basis for the controversial FISA warrants obtained against Page. DESPITE ACQUITTAL, DURHAM TRIAL OF SUSSMANN ADDED TO EVIDENCE CLINTON CAMPAIGN PLOTTED TO TIE TRUMP TO RUSSIA Meanwhile, Special Counsel Robert Mueller completed his investigation into a possible Trump-Russia connection in April 2019. The extensive probe yielded no evidence of criminal conspiracy or coordination between the Trump campaign and Russia. After Mueller’s report was made public, then-Attorney General Bill Barr tapped John Durham, a U.S. attorney for Connecticut, to serve as special counsel to investigate the origins of “Crossfire Hurricane” itself. Durham, in his final report released in May 2023, said he found, after years of investigating, that the FBI did not have any actual evidence to support the start of that investigation. He also found that the Department of Justice and FBI “failed to uphold their mission of strict fidelity to the law” when it launched the Trump-Russia investigation. Durham also found that the FBI “failed to act” on a “clear warning sign” that the bureau was the “target” of a Clinton-led effort to “manipulate or influence the law enforcement process for political purposes” ahead of the 2016 presidential election. Durham was referring to intelligence about the Clinton plan to tie Trump to Russia to distract from the investigation into her use of a private email server and mishandling of classified information. FLASHBACK: DNI DECLASSIFIES BRENNAN NOTES, CIA MEMO ON HILLARY CLINTON ‘STIRRING UP’ SCANDAL BETWEEN TRUMP, RUSSIA Durham found that Brennan “realized the significance” of the intelligence that Clinton was stirring up a plan to tie Trump to Russia – so much so, that he “expeditiously” briefed Obama, then-Vice President Joe Biden, and other top national security officials. But nothing came
HUD joins forces with DHS to ensure federal housing resources go to US citizens, not illegal immigrants
Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Scott Turner and Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem have forged a new inter-agency initiative aimed at ensuring federal housing funds do not go to illegal immigrants. The two secretaries signed a Memorandum of Understanding on Monday cementing the partnership, which will serve to end what they call “wasteful misappropriation” of taxpayer-funded public housing resources going to illegal immigrants rather than U.S. citizens. The new initiative will facilitate data sharing between the two agencies via newly established lines of communication, according to a press release about the effort, which added that U.S. veterans stood to benefit from the move. “American tax dollars should be used for the benefit of American citizens, especially when it comes to an issue as pressing as our nation’s housing crisis,” Turner said Monday. “This new agreement will leverage resources, including technology and personnel, to ensure American people are the only priority when it comes to public housing. We will continue to work closely with DHS to maximize our resources and put American citizens first.” HUD TERMINATES OBAMA-ERA HOUSING RULE THAT TRUMP WARNED WOULD ‘DESTROY’ HOME VALUES In total, per HUD, there are roughly 9 million people who live in subsidized housing across the country. Meanwhile, about 59% of noncitizen households – those including green card holders or illegal immigrants – use one or more public assistance programs, costing taxpayers as much as $42 billion annually, according to the Center for Immigration Studies, a group that advocates for lower immigration levels. Tens of millions of dollars – at least – went to housing for migrants, including for all-expense-paid stays at hotels for some, during the Biden administration. Some states, such as Pennsylvania and Arizona, passed measures during the Biden administration aimed at ensuring illegal immigrants do not take public housing resources from Americans who need them. President Donald Trump, shortly after his inauguration, signed an executive order calling for an end to illegal immigrants’ use of public resources. ICE NEARING HISTORIC DEAL WITH IRS TO AID IN DEPORTATIONS: REPORT “The Biden Administration prioritized illegal aliens over our own citizens, including by giving illegal aliens taxpayer-funding housing at the expense of Americans. Not anymore,” Noem said in a statement Monday. “The entire government will work together to identify abuse and exploitation of public benefits and make sure those in this country illegally are not receiving federal benefits or other financial incentives to stay illegally. If you are an illegal immigrant, you should leave now. The gravy train is over.” As part of the new initiative, HUD will provide a full-time staff member to assist with operations at the federal government’s Incident Command Center, which facilitates information sharing between agencies during national crises. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Additionally, in conjunction with the establishment of the new initiative, Turner ordered numerous federal housing programs under his purview to comply with Section 214 of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1980, which bars HUD-funded service providers from providing assistance to illegal immigrants.
Trump pardons former Hunter Biden business associate Devon Archer
President Donald Trump on Tuesday pardoned Hunter Biden’s former business associate, Devon Archer. “Many people have asked me to do this. They think he was treated very unfairly. And I looked at the records, studied the records, and he was a victim of a crime, as far as I’m concerned. So we’re going to undo that. … Congratulations, Devon,” Trump said on Tuesday ahead of signing the pardoning. Archer was a business associate of former first son Hunter Biden at Burisma Holdings. Archer was convicted in 2018 of defrauding a native American tribe in a scheme that involved the issuance and sale of fraudulent tribal bonds. “We have a pardon for Devon Archer. Devon Archer was a former business partner of the Biden family,” Trump political advisor William Scharf said ahead of Trump signing the pardon. “He was prosecuted relating to a fraud investigation, but notably, the tone and tenor of that prosecution changed dramatically after he began to cooperate with congressional investigators and serve as a witness against Hunter Biden and the Biden family.” “We believe that was an injustice. And therefore, we’re asking you to pardon,” Scharf added. Archer met with Trump over the weekend at the NCAA wrestling championships in Philadelphia, where he said he received some “very encouraging words.” Fox News Digital’s Ashley Carnahan contributed to this report.
Top Dem used same app used in Atlantic scandal to set up contact with Steele dossier author
FIRST ON FOX: Mark Warner, D-Va., vice chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, used an encrypted messaging app to work with a lobbyist for a Russian oligarch to connect with the disgraced Steele dossier author. It’s the same app Warner bashed top Trump administration officials for using to discuss plans for a strike on the Houthis in Yemen. Somehow, Jeffrey Goldberg, The Atlantic’s editor-in-chief, had been inadvertently added to the Trump administration’s chat. Afterward, Goldberg reported his experience in an article, “The Trump Administration Accidentally Texted Me Its War Plans.” The debacle quickly drew criticism over the non-secure nature of the conversation about national security matters. ‘STOP THEM!’: DEMOCRAT CLASHES WITH TRUMP SOCIAL SECURITY NOMINEE OVER DOGE ACCESS However, the app was also used by vocal critic Warner to reach former British spy Christopher Steele, Fox reported in 2017. “Signal worked great for Senator Warner when he wanted to meet with the disgraced liar Christopher Steele. It’s a little surprising Warner is pretending to be so upset about it today,” a Senate GOP leadership aide told Fox News Digital in a statement. Warner spokesperson Rachel Cohen told Fox News Digital, “The fact that Fox News is in possession of these messages demonstrates exactly why Signal shouldn’t be used to discuss classified national security material like war plans.” Steele infamously compiled a dossier of unverified information about Trump that was ultimately used by FBI and Justice Department officials during the 2016 presidential campaign to get a warrant to conduct surveillance of former Trump advisor Carter Page. However, the dossier was found to be funded through a law firm hired by the Hillary Clinton campaign and was revealed to largely contain uncorroborated and salacious rumors. CAN CONGRESS DEFUND FEDERAL COURTS WITH KEY TRUMP BUDGET PROCESS? Warner began corresponding on Signal with lobbyist Adam Waldman in March 2017, Fox News reported exclusively at the time. Waldman texted Warner, writing, “Chris Steele asked me to call you.” “Will call tomorrow be careful,” Warner replied. The two had some difficulty connecting by phone, according to the messages. Later in the month, the senator pushed Waldman for direct access to Steele. “Can you talk tomorrow want to get with ur English friend,” Warner said in one message. “I spoke to him yesterday,” Waldman had replied. However, when Warner asked for an update on contact with Steele in April, the lobbyist said, “Yes seems to have cold feet from the leaks. Said he wanted a bipartisan letter followed by written questions.” CHUCK SCHUMER FACING ‘UPHILL FIGHT’ AMID LEADERSHIP DOUBTS: ‘MATTER OF WHEN, NOT IF’ During an annual threat assessment of the U.S. intelligence community hearing Tuesday, the vice chairman opened by addressing the recent scandal in which it was revealed 18 people, including National Security Advisor Michael Waltz, Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, CIA Director John Ratcliffe and White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, were in a group chat on Signal with Goldberg. In the chat, the officials talked about an upcoming attack on the Houthis, a terrorist group in Yemen. Goldberg’s article later exposed this glaring national security vulnerability. “Two of our witnesses here today were members of a group chat that discussed highly sensitive and likely classified information that supposedly even included weapons packages, targets and timing and included the name of an active CIA agent,” Warner said, referring to CIA Director John Ratcliffe and Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard. “It’s also just mind-boggling to me that all of these senior folks were on this line, and nobody bothered to even check security hygiene 101,” the senator remarked. BATTLE OF THE CHAMBERS: HOUSE AND SENATE TENSIONS BOIL OVER AS TRUMP BUDGET HANGS IN LIMBO “I think this is one more example of the kind of sloppy, careless, incompetent behavior, particularly towards classified information, that this is not a one-off or a first-time error,” he added, criticizing the administration. Despite the “mistake,” as President Trump called the Signal group chat with Goldberg, Waltz is “not getting fired,” he told Fox News. He added that “nothing important” was in the chat. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt also posted on X about the debacle, slamming Goldberg and “his sensationalist spin.” “No ‘war plans’ were discussed,” she said, quoting the title of his article. “No classified material was sent to the thread. “As the National Security Council stated, the White House is looking into how Goldberg’s number was inadvertently added to the thread. Thanks to the strong and decisive leadership of President Trump, and everyone in the group, the Houthi strikes were successful and effective. Terrorists were killed and that’s what matters most to President Trump.”
Bipartisan bill aims to prevent Syrians with terror ties from reaching US border
A bipartisan group of House members is introducing legislation they claim would strengthen border security by identifying and tracking potential terrorists well before they reach the U.S. homeland. “Border security doesn’t begin or end at the border. Across the globe, individuals with ties to terrorist organizations pose threats to our homeland that can’t be downplayed,” Rep. Lou Correa, D-Calif., said in a release provided to Fox News Digital. “Our constituents are relying on DHS and its partners to identify these threats and address them long before they pose a tangible threat to the communities we represent.” Correa is joined by Rep. Morgan Luttrell, R-Texas, in introducing the Syria Terrorism Threat Assessment Act, which would require the Department of Homeland Security to evaluate terror threats to the U.S. homeland that could potentially originate in Syria, where recent regime change has led to a quickly evolving political situation in a country home to multiple terrorist organizations. ISRAEL FACES NEW SYRIA CHALLENGE AS IT ADJUSTS TO NEW STRATEGY AMID REGIONAL POWER STRUGGLE FOR INFLUENCE The legislation comes just two months after opposition groups in Syria toppled longtime leader Bashar Assad, who ruled the country for almost 25 years. The surprise offensive against Assad was led by Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham, or HTS, an Islamist group with ties to al Qaeda that is listed by the U.S. government as a terrorist organization. One of the group’s leaders, Ahmad al-Sharaa, has become interim leader of the country’s new government, leading to concerns about the future political direction of the country. EVANGELICAL LEADER SAYS US MUST PROTECT SYRIAN CHRISTIANS FROM ATTACKS BY JIHADI TERRORISTS Luttrell said the new legislation, which is set to be voted on in the House Homeland Security Committee on Tuesday, will require DHS to “evaluate the threat posed to the United States by individuals in Syria with ties to Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTO) or a Specially Designated Global Terrorist Organization (STGT).” “The United States cannot afford to turn a blind eye to the growing terrorist threats in Syria. My legislation, the Syria Terrorism Threat Assessment Act, ensures that DHS is actively identifying and assessing the risks posed by individuals with ties to terrorist organizations before they can threaten our homeland,” Luttrell said in a release to Fox News Digital.
CIA Director Ratcliffe hits back on Dem senator’s group chat allegations: ‘I didn’t say any of those things’
CIA Director John Ratcliffe clashed with a Democratic senator Tuesday over the lawmaker’s description of the Trump administration’s leaked Signal chat – pushing back multiple times before snapping, “I didn’t say any of those things.” The exchange between Ratcliffe and Sen. Michael Bennet, D-Colo., happened Tuesday morning during the Senate Intelligence Committee’s annual “Threats to the Homeland” hearing. Much of this year’s hearing, however, centered on the extraordinary news that more than a dozen of Trump’s top national security officials, including Ratcliffe, had inadvertently included Atlantic editor-in-chief Jeffrey Golberg in a Signal group chat that discussed plans for a forthcoming strike on the Houthis in Yemen. The news was first reported by Golberg Monday, in a first-person account that sent shockwaves throughout Washington, D.C. TRUMP NOT PLANNING TO FIRE WALTZ AFTER NATIONAL SECURITY TEXT CHAIN LEAK Ratcliffe, especially, was grilled by lawmakers over the Trump administration’s use of the encrypted messaging app to exchange purported classified security information. Senators demanded to know who added Goldberg, a well-known editor and journalist, to the so-called “Houthi PC Small Group,” where he remained unnoticed for several days. Bennet asked Ratcliffe if it was his view that there was nothing wrong with the Signal thread in question, and whether he shared the view of Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard that the chat in question did not include any targeting information or battle sequence. Bennet said this was in Ratcliffe’s testimony, before noting, “I’m a little staggered that that is your view, Director Ratcliffe.” “Does the CIA have any rules about [the] handling of classified information?” he asked. “Yes or no?” “Yes,” Ratcliffe responded. He added that he had not previously heard of Goldberg, though he acknowledged “clearly he was added” to the Signal thread by someone in the group. “I don’t know how he was added,” Ratcliffe said, before Bennet interrupted, asking, “You don’t know that the president’s national security advisor invited him to join the signal thread,” referring to national security advisor Mike Waltz. TRUMP REVEALS WHO WAS BEHIND SIGNAL TEXT CHAIN LINK “Everybody in America knows,” Bennet said. Ratcliffe said he does not use the app to share classified information, or to share targeting information. “And your testimony as the director of the CIA, is that it’s totally appropriate” to conduct conversations like this on Signal, Bennet asked. “Is it appropriate?” Ratcliffe began to respond, saying “No, that is not what I—” before the Democratic senator cut him off. He then tried again, challenging Bennet: “Did I say it was? When did I use the word ‘appropriate’?’” TRUMP OFFICIALS ACCIDENTALLY TEXT ATLANTIC JOURNALIST ABOUT MILITARY STRIKES IN APPARENT SECURITY BREACH “Clearly, ‘nothing to see here,’ is what your testimony is,” Bennet said. “It was just a normal day at the CIA where we chat about this kind of stuff over Signal. In fact, it’s so normal that the last administration left it here for us.’ That’s your testimony today.” “No, that is not my testimony,” Ratcliffe fired back. “I didn’t say any of those things that you just related, senator.” The back-and-forth wrapped with a blistering remand from Bennet, who told Ratcliffe of the Signal chat: “This sloppiness, this incompetence, this disrespect for our intelligence agencies and the personnel who work for them is entirely unacceptable. It’s an embarrassment,” he said. “You need to do better. You need to do better.” During the hearing, other Democrats, including Sen. Ron Wyden of Oregon, called for Waltz and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to resign over the Signal chat in question. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt previously attempted to brush off the Signal chat, telling reporters Monday that the attacks on the Houthis discussed in the group chat “have been highly successful and effective.” “President Trump continues to have the utmost confidence in his national security team, including national security advisor Mike Waltz,” she said.
Trump administration to shutter HHS’ long COVID office: report
A federal office dedicated to the research of long COVID is set to close following the Trump administration’s decision to slash the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) workforce. Ian Simon, head of the Office of Long COVID Research and Practice (OLC), made the announcement in an email on Monday, Politico reported. “The Office of Long COVID Research and Practice will be closing as part of the administration’s reorganization coming this week,” the email read, according to Politico. “We are proud of what we have accomplished together, advancing understanding, resources, and support for people living with Long COVID.” Fox News Digital reached out to HHS and Simon for more information, but they did not immediately respond. TRUMP ADMIN LAYS OUT WHO EXACTLY WAS CUT AT HHS IN FACE OF ‘DEMOCRAT HYSTERIA’ It is unclear when the OLC will close nor whether its staff will remain employed by the federal government. The Biden-era office was established as a federal response to the widespread and long-term effects of COVID, which can result in chronic conditions that require comprehensive care. ACADEMIC UNIONS PLAN DEMONSTRATIONS OUTSIDE HHS BUILDING, AT MED SCHOOLS, TO PROTEST TRUMP RESEARCH CUTS The decision to shutter the office comes after HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said during his confirmation hearing in January that he was committed to continuing funding and prioritizing long COVID research. However, President Donald Trump directed HHS in a presidential action last month to “terminate the Secretary’s Advisory Committee on Long COVID.” The National Institutes of Health (NIH) said more than $1.5 billion was approved in the last several years for its Researching COVID to Enhance Recovery (RECOVER) Initiative, which studies the impact of long COVID. The NIH reported in 2023 that 23 million people were affected by the illness, while the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimated in 2023 that 6% of American adults suffered from long COVID, down from 7.5% in 2022. “While our office is closing, we hope that the work we have been dedicated to will continue in some form,” the email read.
SCOOP: Jasmine Crockett hit with censure effort for mocking paraplegic Texas governor as ‘Hot Wheels’
FIRST ON FOX: A GOP lawmaker is moving to have Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Texas, formally rebuked by the House of Representatives for appearing to mock Texas Gov. Greg Abbott’s disability. Rep. Randy Weber, R-Texas, Crockett’s fellow delegation member, told Fox News Digital he would introduce a censure resolution against the Democratic lawmaker imminently. “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 told Fox News Digital. PAM BONDI ON JASMINE CROCKETT’S COMMENTS: WORDS HAVE CONSEQUENCES | FOX NEWS VIDEO He said the House should censure Crockett “for the venomous rhetoric she spews as a representative of the Democratic Party.” “It’s painfully obvious she was never taught a single thing about Texas class, as her behavior is a disgrace to everything Texas and the United States stands for,” Weber said. Crockett made the comments during an event held by the Human Rights Campaign over the weekend. JASMINE CROCKETT DESCRIBES DEMOCRATIC DONOR TALK ON SCHUMER ‘REMINISCENT’ OF BIDEN BEING TAKEN DOWN “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. Abbott has been paraplegic since age 26, according to his campaign website, when a large oak tree fell on him during a jog. Weber’s resolution calls Crockett’s comments about Abbott “discriminatory in nature” and “the latest in a continued series of inappropriate comments expressed by the representative from Texas,” according to a draft copy shared with Fox News Digital. Fox News Digital reached out to Crockett’s office for comment but did not immediately hear back. The House voted to censure Rep. Al Green, R-Texas, last month for protesting during President Donald Trump’s address to a joint session of Congress. Before the censure could be formally read, however, Democrats derailed House proceedings by gathering around Green and singing, “We Shall Overcome.”