‘We’re taxing the rich’: NYC Mayor Mamdani touts new $500M-a-year tax on luxury second homes
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani celebrated a proposal to tax luxury second homes owned by the ultra-wealthy, a plan expected to generate at least $500 million annually. Earlier in the day, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul unveiled a pied-à-terre tax on luxury second homes in New York City valued at $5 million or more, allowing the city to impose an annual surcharge on ultra-wealthy nonresidents. The proposal is projected to generate at least $500 million annually, according to Hochul. Mamdani praised the plan, noting he campaigned on taxing the wealthy. FROM ‘JUMP ON A BUS’ TO TAX CRACKDOWNS: BLUE STATES CHASE WEALTHY RESIDENTS FLEEING TO RED HAVENS “When I ran for mayor, I said I was going to tax the rich. Well, today, we’re taxing the rich,” he said in a video posted on X. He said the tax is designed for the “richest of the rich,” people who “store their wealth in New York City real estate but who don’t actually live here.” “This is a fundamentally unfair system that hurts working New Yorkers,” Mamdani said. “Now, it’s coming to an end.” STEVE FORBES: DON’T CRUSH HOMEOWNERS TO PAY FOR NYC’S OUT-OF-CONTROL BUDGET He added that revenue from the tax would go toward initiatives such as free childcare, cleaner streets and safer neighborhoods. “As mayor, I believe everyone has a role to play in contributing to our city, and some a little bit more than others,” Mamdani said. “Happy Tax Day, New York.” MAMDANI’S ESTATE TAX PLAN COULD DRIVE WEALTH OUT OF STATE, CRITICS WARN According to the governor’s office, the pied-à-terre tax would apply to residential properties in New York City that are not used as a primary residence. Hochul said the tax would “ensure that those that own luxury homes, but do not live in the City or pay City income tax are still fairly contributing towards the funding of the essential services like policing and parks that make New York City a global destination.” “It is not a tax on residents. That is so important. We’re talking about people who are ultrawealthy,” she said during a news conference Wednesday. Hochul added that the proposal would help generate revenue as the city faces budget constraints without affecting most residents.
Sotomayor walks back remarks criticizing Kavanaugh, says comments were ‘inappropriate’
U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor said Wednesday she regretted “hurtful” remarks about a colleague, apologizing in a court-issued statement after seemingly taking aim at Justice Brett Kavanaugh’s perspective on immigration enforcement. During a prior appearance at the University of Kansas School of Law, Sotomayor, without mentioning him by name, criticized Kavanaugh “for failing to grasp the real-world effects of an unsigned order last year that allowed immigration enforcement sweeps in Los Angeles to resume.” “I had a colleague in that case who wrote, you know, these are only temporary stops,” Sotomayor said during the appearance, noting a Kavanaugh concurrence in an emergency appeal filed by the Trump administration, Noem v. Perdomo. It was a case SCOTUS stayed 6-3 in September, allowing ICE to use “apparent race or ethnicity” language and work location to justify immigration stops in California. “This is from a man whose parents were professionals and probably doesn’t really know any person who works by the hour.” CHIEF JUSTICE ROBERTS WARNS AGAINST PERSONAL ATTACKS ON JUDGES AS ‘DANGEROUS’ AFTER TRUMP COURT TIRADE In his concurring opinion on the Sept. 8, 2025 stay, Kavanaugh wrote that legal residents’ encounters with immigration agents are “typically brief, and those individuals may promptly go free after making clear to the immigration officers that they are U.S. citizens or otherwise legally in the United States.” Sotomayor, who filed the dissenting opinion, alleged in her remarks at KU that Kavanaugh failed to grasp that even short detentions can have major “financial consequences” for hourly workers despite him citing the legal reasoning of immigration stops being longstanding and based on reasonable suspicion. JONATHAN TURLEY: LIBERAL JUSTICE’S SWIPE AT KAVANAUGH LATEST SIGN OF SCOTUS’ SLIPPING STANDARDS She added her “life experiences” taught her how to “think more broadly and to see things others may not,” seemingly in reference to racial profiling as the first Hispanic justice. TRUMP REVEALS HE HAS MULTI-PICK SCOTUS PLAN READY AS RETIREMENT SPECULATION HEATS UP In a statement released by the Supreme Court Wednesday, Sotomayor said she “referred to a disagreement with one of my colleagues in a prior case” but “made remarks that were inappropriate.” “I regret my hurtful comments,” she wrote in the statement. “I have apologized to my colleague.”
Bessent says Trump tariffs could return by July after Supreme Court setback
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent suggested Tuesday that President Donald Trump’s tariffs could be restored as early as July, signaling a rapid pivot by the Trump administration after the Supreme Court struck down Trump’s IEEPA-based tariffs earlier this year, forcing the administration to turn to other trade authorities. “We had a setback at the Supreme Court in terms of the tariff policy,” Bessent said Tuesday at an event hosted by the Wall Street Journal. “But we will be implementing or conducting Section 301 studies — so the tariffs could be back in place at the previous level by [the] beginning of July.” His remarks come after the Supreme Court ruled in February that the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, or IEEPA, does not authorize tariffs. Trump has billed tariffs as “life or death” for the U.S. economy — underscoring the outsize importance the administration has placed on the issue. TRUMP TARIFF PLAN FACES UNCERTAIN FUTURE AS COURT BATTLES INTENSIFY Bessent’s comments also come as the U.S. collected more than $133 billion in IEEPA tariff duties as of mid-December, according to data published by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection agency, a figure that later grew to roughly $166 billion by early March 2026. The administration moved to preserve tariffs in the weeks since the Supreme Court’s ruling to find new ways to implement the import fees, invoking several provisions of the U.S. Trade Act of 1974 in order to do so. Bessent’s remarks, first reported by Bloomberg, are a sign that the Trump administration plans to enact a combination of statutes under the trade law as it looks to move past the high court’s ruling and find new ways to sustain U.S. tariff pressure. The strategy, long-term, appears to focus largely on Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974, which allows the president and the U.S. Trade Representative’s office (USTR) to implement “retaliatory import restrictions” against a country that is found to have engaged in unfair or “discriminatory” trade policies or practices towards U.S. businesses. Section 301 allows the U.S. Trade Representative to investigate and respond to “unfair” foreign trade practices flagged by the president, though they require a formal period of notice and public comment, delaying enforcement. Since the Supreme Court’s ruling, the Trump administration has initiated a flurry of more than 75 investigations under Section 301, according to a report from Alan Wm. Wolff, a senior fellow for the Peterson Institute for International Economics — far outpacing the average annual number of Section 301 investigations initiated during the past five decades. TRUMP WARNS SUPREME COURT TARIFF SHOWDOWN IS ‘LIFE OR DEATH’ FOR AMERICA That’s not the only lever administration officials have pulled in an effort to keep Trump’s tariffs in place, however. Trump last month announced new 10% global tariffs — an emergency provision under the trade law that allows a president to unilaterally impose import fees of up to 15% on U.S. trading partners for a period of 150 days, to respond to large and serious “balance of payments deficits,” or instances that risk immediately depreciating the power of the dollar. The Section 122 announcement prompted a lawsuit from 24 attorneys general, who argued the move was an illegal attempt to “sidestep” the Supreme Court’s ruling. It also prompted another lengthy hearing before the U.S. Court of International Trade in Manhattan Friday, as judges on the three-member panel weighed the legality of Trump’s effort. Lawyers for the challenges told the court Friday that upholding the administration’s broader view of the law would effectively turn Section 122 into an all-purpose trade weapon. US COURT OF INTERNATIONAL TRADE SIDES WITH TRUMP IN TARIFF CASE But Justice Department lawyer Brett Shumate argued that Congress had provided presidents with broad discretion to assess economic conditions. “A trade deficit was a large driver of a balance of payments deficit in 1974 as it is today,” Shumate said. “We’re not on the gold standard anymore,” he said. “We don’t have a fixed currency, but we can still have balance-of-payment problems.”
Melania Trump challenges Congress to make her foster care executive order permanent law: ‘Their birthright’
First lady Melania Trump delivered a plea to lawmakers on Wednesday, demanding “action over awareness” to secure the futures of America’s foster children by turning her recent executive action into permanent law. During a bipartisan congressional committee meeting, Trump outlined her vision to transform vulnerable youth into financially independent business owners, explaining the American dream should be “their birthright.” While describing the Fostering the Future executive order she signed in November as a “transformative vision,” she said Congress now has an opportunity to create a lasting, positive impact by passing permanent legislation. Since the start of her nationwide initiative, Fostering the Future, in 2021, the program has a footprint in more than 20 universities across the country, including major institutions like LSU, the University of Virginia, University of Texas and Ohio State University. FIRST LADY MELANIA TRUMP: AI COULD IMPROVE TEACHING AND HELP DELIVER A WORLD-CLASS EDUCATION TO OUR CHILDREN Rather than relying on perpetual government assistance, Trump said her goal at the university level is to prepare those in foster care to secure entry-level jobs, become financially independent, create new businesses and generate employment opportunities. She also highlighted roadblocks within the current system, noting that only roughly 3% of people in the foster care community earn a college degree. “We can close this gap, but still, foster youth face a special set of challenges outside the classroom that have a serious impact on their academic performance,” Trump said. “These issues include housing instability, educational advocacy, financial barriers [and] transportation continuity,” she continued. “New legislation for the foster care community is a moral imperative.” The first lady added that safeguarding foster children’s well-being helps “shape the integrity of our nation” and reminded bipartisan lawmakers that “America’s children are our moral equals.” “As parents and leaders, it is our ethical obligation to ensure American children develop emotionally and physically within a safe environment,” Trump said. “As a community, we strive to nurture our children’s curiosity, protect their innocence and guide them with hearts full of care. … But to get there, a strong knowledge base is required. Education is the cornerstone of a child’s future.”
Spanberger receives DHS plea to hold illegal immigrant repeat offender now charged in attempted rape
FIRST ON FOX: Virginia Democratic Gov. Abigail Spanberger has been asked not to release yet another criminal illegal immigrant as northern Virginia, a major suburb of Washington, D.C., continues to be rocked by a migrant crime spree. Fox News Digital has learned that the Department of Homeland Security has asked Spanberger and “sanctuary politicians” in Arlington, Virginia, to honor a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement detainer on a Guatemalan illegal immigrant charged with attempted rape. The illegal immigrant, Luzvin Orvando Garcia Moran, 28, faces charges of abduction of a person with intent to defile, sodomy by force or victim helplessness and assault in an alleged attempted rape, according to DHS. Local outlet ABC7 reported that Garcia Moran allegedly approached a woman waiting on a rideshare around 6 a.m. on Sunday and attempted to force himself on her. She attempted to escape multiple times but was grabbed, shoved against a wall and assaulted. The outlet reported that two good Samaritans intervened to stop the assault but that the assailant escaped. ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT RELEASED UNDER BIDEN CHARGED WITH GROPING FEMALE STUDENTS AT VIRGINIA HIGH SCHOOL Garcia Moran was arrested in the assault and is being held without bond. Since Arlington has several sanctuary policies limiting local cooperation with ICE, DHS said the agency filed a detainer request with the Arlington County Jail to ensure that Garcia Moran is not released back into the community. DHS said Garcia Moran entered the U.S. illegally on an unknown date. Citing Arlington County Court records, the agency said he has “at least” 25 prior charges dating back to 2020, including nine counts of being intoxicated in public, assault and battery, disorderly conduct, attempting to disarm a law enforcement officer and several probation violations. SPANBERGER DODGES QUESTIONS ON WHETHER SHE WOULD REVERSE SANCTUARY POLICY AS DHS TURNS UP HEAT This comes as Spanberger is facing mounting pressure from ICE and local citizens to reverse her executive order limiting cooperation with federal immigration authorities in the face of a slew of attacks and a sexual assault in nearby Fairfax County. Recent crimes by illegal aliens in Fairfax County include multiple murders by stabbing, a baby killing and a string of alleged gropings by an 18-year-old of minor girls at a high school. Illegal aliens have committed 75% of the murders in Fairfax County in 2026, according to DHS. Acting Assistant Secretary Lauren Bis claimed it was “Virginia’s sanctuary policies [that] allowed this illegal alien to go on a crime spree.” “Despite prior arrests by law enforcement, this criminal was released from jail multiple times before he went on to commit this heinous rape,” Bis said. “We are calling on Arlington County sanctuary politicians and Governor Abigail Spanberger to commit to not releasing this criminal from jail back into our communities. ICE LODGES DETAINER FOR ILLEGAL MIGRANT CHARGED WITH STRANGLING WIFE AND DUMPING BODY NEAR OKLAHOMA HIGHWAY “How many more times must they release criminals into our neighborhoods to create more innocent victims?” Fox News Digital reached out to Spanberger’s office and Arlington County for comment.
ODNI sends criminal referrals to DOJ for ex-IG, whistleblower tied to Trump impeachment
EXCLUSIVE: The Office of the Director of National Intelligence sent criminal referrals to the Justice Department for the whistleblower whose complaint helped trigger President Donald Trump’s 2019 impeachment and for the former intelligence community inspector general who notified Congress of the allegations, Fox News Digital has learned. “I want to refer information that may constitute possible criminal activity in violation of federal criminal law committed by one or more former employees of the intelligence community,” ODNI’s general counsel wrote in the referral to the Justice Department. Fox News Digital on Wednesday reviewed the referrals ODNI sent to the Justice Department. “The possible criminal activity concerns the circumstances described in the following congressional briefings: Discussion with Intelligence Community Inspector General, House Permanent Select Comm. on Intel., 116th Cong. (2019); Briefing by the Intelligence Community Inspector General, House Permanent Select Comm. on Intel., 116th Cong. (2019),” it continued. GABBARD CLAIMS ‘COORDINATED EFFORT’ BY INTELLIGENCE COMMUNITY TO ADVANCE NARRATIVE TO IMPEACH TRUMP The referrals come after DNI Tulsi Gabbard released documents earlier this week exposing what was described as a “coordinated effort” by elements within the intelligence community—including then-Inspector General Michael Atkinson, to “manufacture a conspiracy” that was used as the basis to impeach Trump in 2019. An intelligence official told Fox News Digital that the language in the referral is broad, but that it’s specifically directed at Atkinson and the whistleblower who reported concerns about President Trump’s July 2019 phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. FLASHBACK: NUNES THREATENS TO REFER WATCHDOG’S HANDLING OF WHISTLEBLOWER COMPLAINT TO DOJ ODNI directed Fox News Digital to a recent X post from Gabbard when asked for comment on the referrals. “Newly-declassified records expose how deep state actors within the Intelligence Community concocted a false narrative that Congress used to usurp the will of the American people and impeach duly-elected President @realDonaldTrump in 2019,” Gabbard posted to X on Monday. Fox News Digital reached out to the Department of Justice on Wednesday afternoon regarding the referrals. The documents Gabbard released earlier this week include transcripts from Atkinson’s closed-door testimony before the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, which were withheld from the House Judiciary Committee during the first impeachment trial. House Intelligence Committee Chairman Rick Crawford, R-Ark., led a vote to release the transcripts in March. ODNI said the documents confirmed that Atkinson “failed to conduct basic due diligence and willfully exceeded his statutory jurisdiction to mischaracterize the president’s phone call with Zelensky as an ‘urgent concern’ to Congress.” Atkinson, during his investigation, found that the whistleblower showed indications of “political bias” and was “in favor of a rival political candidate,” while still deeming the complaint a matter of “urgent concern.” Atkinson received a complaint in August 2019 from the whistleblower, who was raising concerns about Trump’s July 2019 phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, pressing him to launch investigations into the Biden family’s actions and business dealings in Ukraine. The president specifically suggested Zelensky look into Hunter Biden’s ventures with Ukrainian natural gas firm Burisma Holdings and former President Joe Biden’s successful effort to have former Ukrainian prosecutor General Viktor Shokin ousted. Hunter Biden was quietly under federal investigation, beginning in 2018, at the time of the call, a probe prompted by suspicious foreign transactions. Trump’s request was regarded by Democrats as a quid pro quo because millions of dollars in U.S. military aid to Ukraine had been frozen. Democrats also said Trump was meddling in the 2020 presidential election by asking a foreign leader to look into a Democrat political opponent. Biden has acknowledged that when he was vice president, he successfully pressured Ukraine to fire Shokin. At the time, Shokin was investigating Burisma Holdings and Hunter had a highly lucrative role on the board, receiving thousands of dollars per month. The then-vice president threatened to withhold $1 billion of critical U.S. aid if Shokin was not fired. “I said, ‘You’re not getting the billion.’ … I looked at them and said, ‘I’m leaving in six hours. If the prosecutor is not fired, you’re not getting the money,’” Biden recalled telling then-Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko. Biden recollected the conversation during an event for the Council on Foreign Relations in 2018. FLASHBACK: HOUSE INTEL REPUBLICANS INVESTIGATING ICIG HANDLING OF WHISTLEBLOWER COMPLAINT “Well, son of a b—-, he got fired,” Biden said during the event. “And they put in place someone who was solid at the time.” Biden allies maintain the then-vice president pushed for Shokin’s firing due to concerns the Ukrainian prosecutor went easy on corruption, and they say that his firing, at the time, was the policy position of the U.S. and international community. Meanwhile, House Republicans, back in 2019 and 2020, sought to refer Atkinson and the whistleblower to the DOJ for investigation. Republicans, at the time, complained that the whistleblower made contact with the staff of then-Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff, D-Calif., in advance — though Schiff downplayed the nature of that contact. The White House, under Trump’s first term, released a declassified version of the whistleblower complaint, which revealed that the whistleblower’s concerns stemmed from the secondhand accounts of “more than half a dozen U.S. officials.” The declassified whistleblower complaint, though, stated: “I was not a direct witness to most of the events described. However, I found my colleagues’ accounts of these events to be credible, because, in almost all cases, multiple officials recounted fact patterns that were consistent with one another.” Trump was impeached in the House of Representatives in December 2019. He was acquitted by the Senate in February 2020. Fox News Digital reached out to the White House for comment on the matter Wednesday.
Hunter Biden now living abroad as legal troubles mount, court filing reveals
Embattled former first son Hunter Biden has reportedly moved out of the United States amid mounting legal issues, just a year after his father left the presidential office in 2025. His attorney, Barry Coburn, disclosed Biden’s current living situation in an April 6 court filing tied to a civil lawsuit over unpaid legal fees. “Mr. Biden lives abroad,” the document stated. “He cannot pay his current lawyers.” It remains unclear where the first son of former President Joe Biden has relocated. However, the 56-year-old previously indicated late last year that he had been visiting Cape Town in South Africa, where his wife, Melissa Cohen Biden, is originally from. PRESIDENT BIDEN PARDONS HIS SIBLINGS JUST MINUTES BEFORE LEAVING OFFICE “When all of the political and personal stuff came to an end in the last six months, I had always promised that we would spend some time over here,” Biden said during a November appearance on The Wide Awake Podcast, based in South Africa. “We’re trying to be between Cape Town and the States, go back and forth.” “I’ve fallen madly in love with Cape Town,” he added. “You guys do not know how good you have it here. It’s the most beautiful city in the world.” Most recently, Biden was photographed with his family — alongside his parents, Joe Biden and Jill Biden — in Santa Ynez, California, over Easter weekend, according to photos shared on Instagram last week by his sister, Ashley Biden. The court document disclosing Biden’s current living situation was submitted in a Washington, D.C., civil court by Winston & Strawn LLP, which previously represented him in a series of criminal cases that drew intense national scrutiny over the years, including a felony gun trial in Delaware and a tax crimes prosecution in California. According to the filings, the former first son has not paid a “substantial portion” of the fees owed to his legal team. He reportedly has limited financial resources and also cannot afford to hire specialized professionals to assist with the lawsuit, citing instances that Biden manually “hand-searched” his own emails to locate relevant documents rather than relying on outside resources. Biden also noted during his podcast appearance that he is facing “$17 million in debt … as it relates to my legal fees.” DAVID AXELROD QUESTIONS BIDEN’S MASCULINITY AFTER LAST-SECOND FAMILY PARDONS: ‘MAN UP’ In summer 2024, Biden was found guilty of multiple criminal offenses, including the illegal purchase of a firearm in 2018. Prosecutors proved he lied on a federal form by stating he was not using illegal drugs at a time when he was struggling with a crack cocaine addiction. He also pleaded guilty to nine federal tax charges, including three felonies, in connection with a scheme to evade $1.4 million in taxes between 2016 and 2019. He was ultimately pardoned by his father on all federal charges in December 2024.
Trump administration’s Federal Reserve HQ probe escalates with unannounced site visit by prosecutors
Deputies from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia (USADC) showed up earlier this week, unannounced, at the Federal Reserve’s construction site in Washington, D.C., which is part of an investigation tied to congressional testimony from Chairman Jerome Powell. After speaking with construction workers, two prosecutors from the USADC were reportedly turned away and told they could not be permitted access because they had not gotten preauthorized clearance, the Wall Street Journal first reported. They were then reportedly given the contact information of the appropriate Fed staff to reach out to. The visit underscores U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro’s view of the case the Trump administration launched in November against Powell. In January, the Trump administration’s Department of Justice served the Federal Reserve with grand jury subpoenas amid an investigation into the Federal Reserve’s $2.5 billion headquarters renovation that began in November. The investigation centers on whether Powell lied to Congress about the renovation or failed to comply with the appropriate permitting rules. BOASBERG BLOCKS SUBPOENAS AGAINST FED CHAIR JEROME POWELL A Fed spokesperson did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s inquiry and it declined to comment when contacted by the WSJ. “Any construction project that has cost overruns of almost 80% over the original construction budget deserves some serious review,” Pirro said in a statement to Fox News Digital. “And these people are in charge of monetary policy in the United States?” An outside attorney for the Federal Reserve, Robert Hur, reportedly objected to the visit in a letter to Pirro’s office. Hur, in his letter, pointed to U.S. District Judge James Boasberg’s ruling last month that threw out the subpoenas in a 27-page ruling describing them as an effort to “harass and pressure Powell.” Boasberg is an appointee of former President Barack Obama. TRUMP’S PICK TO LEAD THE FEDERAL RESERVE MEETS GOP SENATOR HOLDING UP HIS CONFIRMATION Powell has been pressured by President Donald Trump to lower interest rates and to step down as chairman of the Federal Reserve. His term as chair ends in May, but the probe also threatens Trump’s pick to replace him, Kevin Warsh. Outgoing Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., has said he would withhold his vote to confirm Warsh if the Fed investigation is not dropped. Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C., head of the Senate Banking Committee, proposed that Pirro’s investigation would be completed in a few weeks during an interview with Fox News. However, when pressed on whether he knew for sure the investigation would end, Scott indicated he did not have any evidence of that. President Trump, meanwhile, thanked Pirro and others for having “courage” to persevere in the investigation. “We have a moron at the Fed. Who wouldn’t be lowering interest rates right now?” Trump said last month. “I want to thank Jeanine Pirro and Pam and her group for having the courage to bring this suit. And I believe that the contractor on that job is probably one of the richest men in the country right now. I believe that it’s not possible to spend that kind of money – $3 billion, $4 billion – nobody knows, nobody has any idea what it is. But it’s over $3 billion and it’s probably going to be over $4 billion by the time they finish and it may never get finished, unless I take it over. I’ll get it finished. But it can never be what it was.”
GOP holds with Trump on Iran war, but cracks emerge as deadline nears
Republicans aren’t ready to jump ship against President Donald Trump’s Iran war, as evidenced by another failed attempt to handcuff his war powers in the Middle East, but they also aren’t lining up to support a prolonged conflict. Senate Republicans blocked another war powers resolution from Senate Democrats for a fourth time on Tuesday as Operation Epic Fury entered its 46th day. It comes as a fragile ceasefire between Iran and the U.S. is nearing its end, and talks toward a broader peace agreement remain tenuous. Democrats initially started their war powers strategy to compel Secretary of State Marco Rubio and War Secretary Pete Hegseth to testify publicly on the administration’s rationale behind the conflict. They argued that Iran posed no imminent threat, making the war unconstitutional without congressional approval under the War Powers Resolution. ROGUE DEM BUCKS PARTY ON TRUMP WAR POWERS, CALLS IRAN ‘47-YEAR-OLD WAR CRIME’ Now, they’ve loaded up six new resolutions to continue that push. “We’re going to have a debate and a vote every week in the United States Senate until either this war comes to an end or our Republican colleagues decide to do their constitutional duty,” Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., said. Most Republicans, for now, aren’t breaking with the president. But a 60-day deadline that will require either Congress to weigh in or Trump to cease hostilities is fast approaching, and it’s raising questions among some in the GOP. Under the War Powers Resolution, Trump has 60 days until Congress is required to weigh in and either authorize or disapprove of the war. If the latter, the administration has 30 days to draw down forces in Iran. SCHUMER BLASTS TRUMP’S IRAN WAR AS FAILURE, MOVES TO REIN IN HIS WAR POWERS AMID CEASEFIRE “The president needs to come to Congress in the absence of some imminent threat to the country or an attack on the country, to seek an authorization,” Sen. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., said. “Otherwise, it’s illegal to make war as he’s doing.” Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, who has bucked Trump before on Venezuela but toed the party line on Iran, is drafting an Authorization for the Use of Military Force (AUMF) on the war in Iran, describing the effort in an interview with The New York Times as a way to put parameters around Operation Epic Fury. When asked by Fox News Digital if she was still working on the AUMF, she said, “Uh huh, I’m working on so much.” Whether Republicans will support the administration and authorize the war remains an open question. Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., who has sided with Senate Democrats on each effort to handcuff Trump’s war powers, wouldn’t say how he’d vote on a potential AUMF. TOP GOP HAWK GRAHAM WARNS IRAN DEAL HAS ‘TROUBLING ASPECTS’ AS CEASEFIRE BEGINS “I’m not for the war in Iran, I think it’s a war of choice but not my choice,” he said. Others see an AUMF as a potentially useful tool, if successful, for Trump and his efforts in the Middle East. “I think maybe an AUMF could be an advantage for the president, to say, even Congress is here for the long time, removing the political calculation that maybe the president doesn’t have Congress’ support,” Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., said. Still, the economic toll at the pump and on goods is making Republicans’ constituents feel the immediate pain of the conflict. Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., acknowledged the crunch that the war was having on the cost of fertilizer in his agriculture-heavy state, but he questioned the authority of the War Powers Resolution. “If you accept the war powers as being constitutional, it would be the threshold under which that law would apply,” Thune said. “But I think, you know, at least right now, the steps that have been taken so far I think have been very effective and successful. But we do, they need a plan out, how to wind this down, how to get an outcome.” Democrats still argue that the war was illegal to begin with and have no plans of letting up on their war powers push, even as the deadline nears. “If the president has a plan, he can come to Congress and ask for authorization, and we can have the debate we should have had beforehand,” Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., said.
Leavitt puts Democrats on defense as ‘disgusting’ allegations against Swalwell mount
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt slammed Democrats on Wednesday over mounting sexual assault allegations against former Rep. Eric Swalwell, questioning what they knew and why no one spoke out sooner. “I think the accusations and allegations against former Rep. Swalwell are despicable and disgusting,” said Leavitt. “It’s also quite plausible that there were many other Democrats in this town on Capitol Hill who knew about his, perhaps illegal behavior, certainly his disgusting and inappropriate behavior,” said Leavitt. Swalwell announced Monday that he would step down from the House after four women came forward accusing the longtime congressman of assault. The mounting allegations, which ultimately derailed his political future, followed his decision to exit California’s 2026 gubernatorial race just a day earlier. KASH PATEL TAUNTS SWALWELL WITH FBI SIT-DOWN AS RESIGNATION FALLOUT GROWS Leavitt urged journalists to press lawmakers on why no one spoke out sooner, specifically calling out Sen. Ruben Gallego, D-Ariz. “Ask Democrats in power how they knew about such despicable behavior from one of their elected representatives for so long, but never said or did anything about it,” said Leavitt. Gallego on Monday accused his close congressional ally and longtime friend of living a double life. “I want to be clear: I had no knowledge of the allegations of assault, harassment, and predatory behavior against Eric Swalwell,” Gallego said in a statement following Swalwell dropping out of California’s 2026 gubernatorial race. 5TH ACCUSER COMES FORWARD AGAINST REP ERIC SWALWELL AHEAD OF EXPECTED RESIGNATION Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., has also denied having any knowledge of Swalwell’s alleged behavior, saying “none whatsoever” in response to a reporter. Pelosi added Swalwell’s resignation announcement Monday was a “smart decision” and the “right thing to do” after a wave of allegations threatened to force his ouster. Fox News Digital reached out to Gallego’s office for comment. Fox News Digital’s Adam Pack contributed to this report.