DHS suspends TSA PreCheck, Global Entry as partial government shutdown continues
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) will suspend TSA PreCheck and Global Entry beginning Sunday as a partial government shutdown continues. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem on Saturday blamed Democrats for shutting down the government, saying they were causing “serious real world consequences.” “This is the third time that Democrat politicians have shut down this department during the 119th Congress,” Noem said in a statement provided to Fox News Digital. “Shutdowns have serious real world consequences, not just for the men and women of DHS and their families who go without a paycheck, but it endangers our national security.” The suspension of the programs, which allow some travelers to quickly get through airport security, was first reported by The Washington Post, which noted the changes would begin Sunday at 6 a.m. EST. DHS FUNDING BILL FAILS AFTER SCHUMER REJECTS TRUMP’S ICE REFORM OFFER Noem said the department was making “tough but necessary workforce and resource decisions to mitigate the damage inflicted by these politicians.” She said TSA and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) would be “prioritizing the general traveling population at our airports and ports of entry and suspending courtesy and special privilege escorts.” The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), she added, will halt all non-disaster-related response to prioritize disasters. Noem noted the suspension comes as a major storm is expected to hit the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast. NOEM SLAMS DEMS BLOCKING DHS FUNDING BILL CITING TSA, FEMA, COAST GUARD: ‘I HOPE THEY COME TO THEIR SENSES’ Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., ranking member of the House Homeland Security Committee, criticized the Trump administration for “idiotically” shutting down the programs “to punish the American people.” “This is Trump and Kristi Noem purposely punishing the American people and using them as pawns for their sadistic political games,” he said in a statement. “TSA PreCheck and Global Entry REDUCE airport lines and ease the burden on DHS staff who are working without pay because of Trump’s abuse of the Department and killing of American citizens.” He called on the administration to immediately reverse the decision. The third government shutdown in under half a year began on Feb. 14 after Democrats and Republicans were at an impasse on reaching a deal regarding President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown. DHS was the only department left without federal funding after Democrats walked away from a bipartisan plan released last month in response to the deaths of two U.S. citizens at the hands of federal law enforcement agents in Minneapolis during anti-ICE demonstrations. DHS is the third-largest Cabinet agency with nearly 272,000 employees. Roughly 90% of DHS workers were expected to continue working, many without pay, according to the department’s Sept. 2025 government shutdown plan. DHS has jurisdiction over numerous agencies and offices, including CBP, TSA, FEMA, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), the U.S. Coast Guard, and the U.S. Secret Service. Fox News Digital’s Elizabeth Elkind and Alex Miller contributed to this report.
Grenell calls ice rink vandal a ‘terrorist’ as federal authorities hunt suspect in toxic attack
Surveillance video and images of a suspect accused of vandalizing the Trump-Kennedy Center’s outdoor ice rink were released Saturday as federal authorities investigate what officials described as a “targeted attack.” Trump-Kennedy Center President and Ambassador Richard Grenell shared the footage on social media and urged the public to help identify the suspect. “Help us find this terrorist suspect who attacked the Trump Kennedy Center,” he wrote. He added: “Notice his shoes and his umbrella.” TRUMP–KENNEDY CENTER DETAILS MASSIVE REPAIRS, WARNS VENUE WON’T SURVIVE WITHOUT FIXES U.S. Park Police have obtained video footage, recovered what officials described as a toxic chemical container for DNA processing, and are reviewing cellphone tower data. Investigators are also canvassing nearby cameras, including Metro bus footage showing the suspect. The FBI is assisting in the investigation. The Trump-Kennedy Center previously described the incident as a “calculated, malicious attack.” Roma Daravi, vice president of public relations for the Trump-Kennedy Center, said in a statement to Fox News Digital on Friday: “Today, a targeted attack on the Trump Kennedy Center vandalized and destroyed our outdoor arena, causing severe damage that we unfortunately must cancel tonight’s performance, but we are working feverishly to complete repairs so programming can resume tomorrow.” TRUMP’S NAME ADDED TO KENNEDY CENTER FOLLOWING UNANIMOUS BOARD VOTE TO RENAME HISTORIC BUILDING She added: “We have turned over video footage to the authorities who are investigating this calculated, malicious attack and hold those responsible accountable.” Officials said a brown-black substance was poured across the ice surface and that a gallon-sized container was left behind. Leadership described the substance as “toxic.” The exact chemical has not been publicly identified. The Trump-Kennedy Center confirmed to Fox News Digital that U.S. Park Police are investigating and surveillance video was also offered to the FBI for review. BOARD VOTES KENNEDY CENTER TO BE RENAMED ‘TRUMP-KENNEDY CENTER,’ LEAVITT SAYS Daravi later said authorities recovered the chemical container and are reviewing digital and cellphone data as part of the probe. In a separate post linking to Fox News Digital’s exclusive reporting on the incident, Grenell wrote: “This is so sad & unnecessary— @TheDemocrats have been calling artists urging them to cancel and attacking the Center non-stop. It’s a calculated campaign. And now they have mentally unstable people taking action – and vandalizing the Center. We’ve seen serious death threats and constant harassment. Commonsense Democrats must speak up before this violence takes a life.” KENNEDY CENTER BLASTS ‘FAR-LEFT BIAS’ IN RATINGS COVERAGE, POINTS TO NO. 1 DEMOGRAPHICS TIE No suspect has been publicly identified. Authorities have not publicly released a motive. The vandalism forced the cancellation of a scheduled performance at the outdoor rink. Officials previously stated that violence “will not be tolerated” and said those responsible would be held accountable. The board of trustees voted unanimously in December 2025 to rename the facility “The Donald J. Trump and The John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts.” President Donald Trump was later elected chairman of the board. The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment Saturday. Ambassador Grenell is urging anyone with information to call 202-416-7900 or reach out to U.S. Park Police.
Bianco says ‘Democrat policy is indefensible’ as GOP candidates top California governor polling
California Democrats are reportedly panicking over the possibility that the state’s jungle primary system could send two Republicans to the November ballot, a scenario Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco told Fox News Digital is the result of “decades of complete Democrat failure.” The New York Post reported that Democratic lawmakers are privately warning a crowded and “uninspiring” field of candidates could split the vote in California’s top-two primary system, allowing Republicans to advance to the two-person runoff in a state long dominated by Democrats. One Democratic state legislator described the situation as a “sh**show,” while another criticized party leadership for doing little to consolidate the field, according to the Post. Under California’s system, only the top two vote-getters, regardless of party, advance to the general election. Polling cited by the Post shows former Fox News host Steve Hilton leading with 17% support, followed by Bianco at 14%. Rep Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., also polled at 14%, with former Rep. Katie Porter at 12% and billionaire Tom Steyer at 9%. EXTREME SPORTS STAR LASHES OUT AT NEWSOM FOR KILLING THE CALIFORNIA DREAM: ‘WHAT HAPPENED?’ The concern comes as Democrats gather this weekend in San Francisco for their state party convention, where candidates are expected to make their case to party activists ahead of the June primary. Nancy Pelosi took to the stage as well as gubernatorial hopefuls Swalwell and Porter at Moscone Center. Former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa dismissed the possibility of two Republicans advancing. “At the end of the day, everybody has a right to run,” Villaraigosa told the Post. “The notion that two Republicans can win [the primary] is poppycock.” UFC CHAMPION TITO ORTIZ REVEALS HE FLED HOME STATE CALIFORNIA BECAUSE OF NEWSOM’S LEADERSHIP Bianco disputed that assessment. “Yeah, so yes, I think it’s a little bit odd that they’re panicking about that, and they don’t recognize that it’s because of decades of complete Democrat failure,” Bianco told Fox News Digital. “It’s not because of a lack of a Democrat candidate, it’s the lack of a Democrat policy that they can show has helped California. The Democrat policy is indefensible in California.” Responding to Villaraigosa’s dismissal, Bianco pointed to polling trends. NO CLEAR CHAMPION OF CASH PAYMENT REPARATIONS AMONG DEMOCRATS IN CALIFORNIA GUBERNATORIAL RACE “Obviously, polling contradicts that statement,” he said. “Two Republicans have been ahead in the polls for the last six months.” Bianco said he believes voter sentiment is shifting more broadly. “California is looking for change. They are looking for honesty, integrity, transparency, and leadership,” he said. “And that is why they’re looking at me to be their next governor.” The California Democratic Party did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment. It is still unclear which of the eight Democrat gubernatorial candidates will receive the party’s official nomination leaving the convention this weekend. The New York Post reported that Democrats fear vote-splitting among multiple candidates could allow Republicans to capture both top spots, a scenario that could put a Republican in the governor’s office for the first time since Arnold Schwarzenegger left in 2011.
Newsom weighs in on social media age restrictions, citing experience as a parent: ‘We need help’
California Gov. Gavin Newsom entered the battle over social media age limits for kids under 16 on Thursday, stating “it’s long overdue.” Newsom shared his thoughts on the issue during a news conference regarding public transportation in the Bay Area. He shared his own experience as a father, recalling a recent incident where he confronted his daughter and her friends at a birthday party. “I literally stopped everybody because there were seven of them together on their cellphone at the birthday party, not one of them talking to each other,” Newsom told reporters. FRANCE LAWMAKERS DECLARE ‘BATTLE FOR FREE MINDS’ AFTER APPROVING SOCIAL MEDIA BAN FOR CHILDREN UNDER 15 Seven members of the California State Assembly introduced a bipartisan bill this month to establish a minimum age requirement to “open or maintain a social media account.” “It’s long overdue that we’re having the debate we’re having now in the legislature, and I’m very grateful the legislature is taking this very seriously,” Newsom said. The bill doesn’t clarify a cutoff age. The bill cites preexisting laws that “impose various requirements on social media platforms,” including things such as requiring platforms to post terms of service, “disclose threat reporting procedures and maintain a law enforcement contact process.” JILLIAN MICHAELS: BIG TECH BUILT A DIGITAL DRUG — AND OUR KIDS ARE HOOKED Newsom also stated he recently met with leaders at the Munich Security Conference and World Economic Forum in Switzerland concerning social media. “I was overseas to meet with Prime Minister Sanchez of Spain, who’s also moving in this direction. We had a direct conversation about this. I also met with the Vice Premier of Australia,” Newsom said. “It’s something that I’m very grateful that we are debating and pursuing at the state level,” Newsom continued. Newsom later confirmed to Politico that he wants state legislation that would restrict access to online platforms for individuals under 16. Newsom spokesperson Tara Gallegos said the governor supports “age-gating rules,” inspired by rules that took effect in Australia. NEARLY TWO-THIRDS OF AMERICAN VOTERS BACK SOCIAL MEDIA BAN FOR KIDS UNDER 16, FOX NEWS POLL SHOWS He doubled down in a social media post Saturday, saying, “Bad news for child predators: they’ll soon lose access to kids on the platforms they use to groom them,” while taking a swipe at President Donald Trump. “As a parent, we need help,” Newsom said Thursday. “We have a generation that’s never been more anxious, less free, more stressed and we have to address this issue.” Newsom’s office and the White House did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
Trump pulls endorsement from GOP lawmaker over alleged lack of support for administration’s tariff agenda
President Donald Trump on Saturday withdrew his endorsement of Rep. Jeff Hurd, R-Colo., accusing the congressman of lacking support for his tariff policies after Hurd publicly touted Congress’ constitutional authority over trade decisions. “Based on a lack of support, in particular for the unbelievably successful TARIFFS imposed on Foreign Countries and Companies which has made America Richer, Stronger, Bigger, and Better than ever before, I am hereby WITHDRAWING my Endorsement of RINO Congressman Jeff Hurd, of Colorado’s 3rd District, and fully Endorsing Highly Respected Patriot, Hope Scheppelman, to take his place in Congress,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. The move came one day after Hurd cited the Constitution’s separation of powers following a Supreme Court ruling Friday limiting the president’s tariff authority, and hours after Trump announced he would raise the global tariff rate to 10% and then 15% on Saturday. The endorsement reversal marks a rare public break between Trump and a Republican incumbent. JOHN YOO: SUPREME COURT TARIFF RULING SHOULD END COMPLAINTS THAT JUSTICES FAVOR TRUMP “The Supreme Court has clarified the scope of IEEPA, and that clarification matters,” Hurd posted Friday on X. “Article I assigns Congress the authority to regulate commerce with foreign nations and to impose tariffs. Major trade decisions should rest on clear statutory authority, not expansive emergency interpretations.” Hurd wrote that while he shares Trump’s broader trade goals, “Strong trade enforcement must be grounded in durable legal footing.” “If tariffs are necessary, Congress should debate them and vote on them directly. That is how our constitutional system is designed to function,” Hurd said. TRUMP GIVES GRUDGING PRAISE TO LIBERAL TRIO WHO HELPED SINK HIS TARIFFS In his Truth Social post announcing the endorsement withdrawal, Trump wrote that Hurd “is one of a small number of Legislators who have let me and our Country down.” “He is more interested in protecting Foreign Countries that have been ripping us off for decades than he is the United States of America,” Trump added. Trump also stressed pulling endorsements is uncommon and “difficult” for him: TRUMP REVEALS HIS ‘NEW HERO’ SUPREME COURT JUSTICE AFTER TARIFFS RULING “Taking back an Endorsement is a difficult decision for me. I have only done it once before, with a former Congressman named Mo Brooks, from Alabama… These are the decisions that must be made, however, to MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!” Earlier Saturday, Trump announced he was raising the global tariff rate from 10% to 15% following a 6-3 Supreme Court decision blocking his use of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA). “Based on a thorough, detailed, and complete review of the ridiculous, poorly written, and extraordinarily anti-American decision on Tariffs issued yesterday … I, as President of the United States of America, will be, effective immediately, raising the 10% Worldwide Tariff … to the fully allowed, and legally tested, 15% level,” Trump wrote. The order was issued under Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974. Trump called the ruling “deeply disappointing,” saying he was “ashamed” of certain members of the court. Trump praised Hope Scheppelman as a “distinguished Critical Care Nurse Practitioner, and a brave U.S. Navy Veteran, who knows the America First Policies required…” and concluded, “unlike RINO Jeff Hurd, HOPE WILL NEVER LET YOU DOWN!” Fox News Digital reached out to Rep. Hurd’s office for comment but did not immediately receive a response.
Mamdani promotes NYC where ‘every family can afford a home,’ rips ICE’s ‘cruelty’ amid budget blowback
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani promoted a Big Apple “where every family can afford a home” and ripped “ICE’s cruelty and violence” Saturday as he faces criticism for proposing hiking property taxes to balance the city’s budget. Mamdani made the remarks while paying tribute to the late Rev. Jesse Jackson at an event hosted by Al Sharpton’s National Action Network. “When New Yorkers link arms with someone they have never met before and marched for the voiceless and the downtrodden, hope is alive. When New Yorkers sacrifice their precious free time in a city where every child can have the education that they deserve, where every family can afford a home in the stability that it holds, where our criminal justice system is fair and our economy is just, when New Yorkers link arms in the fight for those things, hope is alive,” Mamdani said. “Hope is the light. And we know this, that while Reverend Jackson may not be with us any longer, his purpose has not dimmed, his clarity has not faded. As we work every day towards a New York that delivers dignity for all, towards a nation that rejects ICE’s cruelty and violence, towards the stranger among us, and towards a society where compassion is not a rarity, where solidarity is not abstract, let the reverend’s words be our guide,” he added. NYC RESIDENTS SAY MAMDANI RENEGING ON AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROMISE WITH PROPOSED PROPERTY TAX HIKE During a news conference on Tuesday, Mamdani called on New York Gov. Kathy Hochul and state lawmakers in Albany to raise income taxes on the “ultra-wealthy and the most profitable corporations” to help close the city’s budget gap. If they do not, Mamdani warned about “painful decisions of last resort” that include a potential 9.5% property tax increase. MAMDANI TELLS ‘THE VIEW’ HE FAVORS ABOLISHING ICE This increase would affect approximately 3 million homes across working and middle-class New Yorkers. Some New York City residents now argue that Mamdani is reneging on his affordable housing campaign promises by floating potentially hiking property taxes. “You are giving only two options. You’re saying if we don’t tax the rich then I gotta increase property taxes,” one Queen homeowner, James Johnson, reportedly told WABC. “We are not a pawn in Southeast Queens. We are not part of your negotiation tactics.” Mamdani admitted that middle class New Yorkers would bear the brunt of his proposal. “This would effectively be a tax on working and middle class New Yorkers, who have a median income of $122,000,” Mamdani said. Fox News Digital’s Lindsay Kornick and Alex Nitzberg contributed to this report.
Trump reveals his ‘new hero’ Supreme Court justice after tariffs ruling
President Donald Trump revealed which Supreme Court justice he considers to be his “new hero” after a high court ruling rejected his sweeping tariff powers on Friday. Trump made the declaration in a post on his Truth Social platform on Saturday morning, a day after the Supreme Court voted 6-3 to block Trump’s tariff powers under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA). “My new hero is United States Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh and, of course, Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito,” the post read. “There is no doubt in anyone’s mind that they want to, MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!” While all three justices voted with the minority, Kavanaugh wrote a fiery dissent that called the high court’s decision “illogical.” TRUMP RESPONDS TO SUPREME COURT RULING REJECTING SWEEPING TARIFFS POWERS: ‘A DISGRACE’ “As they interpret the statute, the President could, for example, block all imports from China but cannot order even a $1 tariff on goods imported from China,” Kavanaugh wrote. “That approach does not make much sense.” Kavanaugh asserted that the IEEPA “does not draw such an odd distinction between quotas and embargoes on the one hand and tariffs on the other,” but rather empowers the president to regulate imports during national emergencies using tools such as quotas, embargoes and tariffs. Trump last year bypassed Congress and unilaterally levied tariffs on nearly every country in the world by invoking the IEEPA. The president argued that an influx of illicit drugs from China, Mexico and Canada and a trade deficit that has decimated American manufacturing constituted emergencies that justified the tariffs. SCOTT BESSENT SAYS SUPREME COURT STRENGTHENED TRUMP WITH ‘DRACONIAN’ MOVE DESPITE RULING ON TARIFFS Trump, in a Friday speech remarking on the decision, praised Kavanaugh for “his genius and his great ability,” adding he was “very proud of that appointment.” Kavanaugh wrote in his dissent that while he disagrees with the court’s ruling, its decision may not “substantially constrain” a president’s ability to order tariffs going forward because of “numerous other federal statutes” that allow the president to impose tariffs. The justice added that the court’s decision may, however, have substantial interim effects. “The United States may be required to refund billions of dollars to importers who paid the IEEPA tariffs, even though some importers may have already passed on costs to consumers or others,” Kavanaugh wrote. “As was acknowledged at oral argument, the refund process is likely to be a ‘mess.’” He added that the high court’s decision could “generate uncertainty” regarding what the government has said were trade deals worth trillion of dollars with foreign nations, including with China, the United Kingdom and Japan. Trump on Saturday raised the global tariff to 15% — up from the 10% global tariff he announced Friday in the wake of the Supreme Court ruling. He cited Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974 in announcing the new levy.
Trump raises global tariff to 15%
President Donald Trump announced Saturday he is raising a global tariff to 15% after a ruling this week by the Supreme Court. “Based on a thorough, detailed, and complete review of the ridiculous, poorly written, and extraordinarily anti-American decision on Tariffs issued yesterday, after MANY months of contemplation, by the United States Supreme Court, please let this statement serve to represent that I, as President of the United States of America, will be, effective immediately, raising the 10% Worldwide Tariff on Countries, many of which have been ‘ripping’ the U.S. off for decades, without retribution (until I came along!), to the fully allowed, and legally tested, 15% level,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “During the next short number of months, the Trump Administration will determine and issue the new and legally permissible Tariffs, which will continue our extraordinarily successful process of Making America Great Again – GREATER THAN EVER BEFORE!!!” In a 6-3 decision Friday, the Supreme Court rejected the president’s authority to issue sweeping tariffs under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act. In response, Trump announced a 10% global tariff, citing a different law. SUPREME COURT BLOCKS TRUMP TARIFFS IN MAJOR TEST OF EXECUTIVE BRANCH POWERS “It is my Great Honor to have just signed, from the Oval Office, a Global 10% Tariff on all Countries, which will be effective almost immediately,” Trump wrote in a Truth Social post Friday evening. The order was issued under Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974 and applies in addition to the standard tariffs that are already in place, the president announced during a White House press briefing Friday afternoon. DEMOCRATS CHEER SUPREME COURT MOVE BLOCKING TRUMP TARIFFS – DESPITE PAST SUPPORT FOR TRADE DUTIES The high court blocked Trump’s tariffs levied under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act in what amounts to a major test of executive branch authority. The president noted he will pursue “alternatives” to tariffs under emergency law. Trump called the ruling “deeply disappointing,” saying he was “ashamed” of certain members of the court. Fox News’ Alexandra Koch, Alex Nitzberg, Jacqui Heinrich and Charles Creitz contributed to this report.
Trump torches ‘stupid’ AOC’s Munich showing, tees up fresh fight with progressive Democrats
President Donald Trump turned up the heat on progressive Democrats during his public remarks Thursday, including slamming New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez for her “horrible” efforts at diplomacy during the Munich Security Conference. “Her performance was horrible,” Trump told the media aboard Air Force One on the way to an event in Rome, Georgia, Thursday. “I was surprised, actually. I didn’t know she was stupid.” Ocasio-Cortez attended the Munich Security Conference last weekend and faced criticism for a handful of “sputtering” and “embarrassing” responses, including when she was asked, “Would and should the U.S. actually commit U.S. troops to defend Taiwan if China were to move?” The progressive New York Democrat delivered an answer that included a handful of pauses, punctuated by repeatedly saying “um.” BUTTIGIEG, NEWSOM, AOC TOP THREE IN NEW 2028 POLL IN KEY PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARY STATE She ultimately answered: “This is, of course, a very long-standing policy of the United States, and I think what we are hoping for is that we want to make sure that we never get to that point. And we want to make sure that we are moving in all of our economic research and our global positions to avoid any such confrontation and for that question to even arise.” Vice President JD Vance called the response “embarrassing,” while social media critics compared it to “Kamala cringe” or that she “SELF-DESTRUCTED” with her answer. Ocasio-Cortez is viewed as a potential 2028 presidential contender, and Trump’s sharp critique of the left-wing Democrat lawmaker set a tone for potential future campaign attacks. Ocasio-Cortez made a point to downplay 2028 speculation during the security conference. She said she joined the forum that attracts hundreds of world leaders, business titans and celebrities “not because I’m running for president, not because I’ve made some kind of decision about a horse race or a candidacy, but because we need to sound the alarm bells that a lot of those folks in nicely pressed suits in that room will not be there much longer if we do not do something about the runaway inequality that is fueling far-right populist movements.” Earlier Thursday, when Trump held the first Board of Peace meeting, he described Ocasio-Cortez as a weak representative for the U.S. on the world stage. TRUMP HITS CAMPAIGN TRAIL IN KEY BATTLEGROUND AS RACE TO REPLACE MARJORIE TAYLOR GREENE HEATS UP “She was unable to answer a simple question. And she could have said, ‘Well, I’m studying it, and I’ll report back to you next week.’ You know, you can get away with that. But she just went ‘uhhh.’ I think it could be a career-ending answer because, for 25 years, anybody running against her, I think Susie is going to use that, that little piece of stuff. It was not good. It was not good. That was not a natural,” Trump said. The White House told Fox News Digital Friday that “Trump is always transparent with his thoughts, and he’s right. AOC should be working on behalf of the American people instead of embarrassing our country on the world stage.” “It’s ridiculous that third-rate Congresswoman AOC decided to frolic around Munich, where no one knows or cares who she is, while New Yorkers are suffering as a result of Democrats’ shutdown, which is cutting off resources to FEMA, TSA, the Coast Guard and thousands of federal law enforcement officers,” White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly said. Trump, later that day during a steel event in Georgia, took a shot at Democrats who have promoted a message of “affordability.” Left-wing Democrats such as New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani carried out a successful campaign in 2025 on a message of lowering costs for New Yorkers, including increasing taxes on some high earners in the state. MOCKED IN MUNICH? WHY AOC WAS A MUCH BIGGER SUCCESS THAN HER CRITICS REALIZE Trump has slammed the party for using the term, arguing sky-high inflation during the Biden era was caused by Democrat policies. Trump took aim at Democrats again Thursday for their message of affordability, claiming he hasn’t heard the media specifically promote affordability in weeks because he “won affordability.” “I added $9 trillion, and your retirement accounts and 401(k)s are at the highest level they’ve ever been. And then I have to listen to the fake news talking about affordability. Affordability. Do you notice what word have you not heard over the last two weeks? Affordability. Because I’ve won, I’ve won affordability,” he said on Thursday from Georgia. Fox News Digital reached out to Ocasio-Cortez’s office for additional comment Friday afternoon.
Labor Dept deploys ‘strike team’ to California over $21B unemployment debt, fraud concerns
The Labor Department deployed a “strike team” to California to address federal findings of improper payments and alleged fraud within the state’s unemployment insurance (UI) program. California has been found to have a depleted UI trust fund, along with $21 billion in borrowed federal funds to keep the system running — which federal officials say has led state employers to pay higher UI taxes to repay the debt. In a statement, the department cited an 83-page California State Auditor report that determined the state’s UI system is high-risk, in part due to “inadequate fraud prevention and claimant service [in its employment development department (EDD)], as well as a high rate of overturned eligibility decisions in its Unemployment Insurance Program.” EXCLUSIVE: SENATE BILL TARGETS MINNESOTA-STYLE ‘RUNAWAY FRAUD’ TO FORCE SCAMMERS REPAY TAXPAYERS “Financial issues and potential fraud in California’s unemployment insurance program will be fully examined. The previous administration turned a blind eye toward failing Labor programs: This ends now,” Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer said. “Immediately, we are engaging a specialized strike team to uncover any potential fraud or abuse and quickly moving to protect the American worker and taxpayers. I look forward to restoring the California UI program’s integrity and financial health.” Chavez-DeRemer added that the “strike team” will include Labor Department specialists from both its national and regional offices. The secretary also wrote a letter to the EDD, citing increasing improper payment rates, insufficient timeliness, data accuracy and quality concerns, and questions about participants’ eligibility and the use of taxpayer funds. California received about $290 billion in COVID relief, part of, part of which helped what the California Post described as “rapidly implementing expanded unemployment benefits.” FEDERAL PROSECUTOR CALLS NEWSOM ‘KING OF FRAUD’ AS TRUMP LAUNCHES CALIFORNIA CORRUPTION PROBE At least one California UI steward was convicted of using her position to file nearly $860,000 in fraudulent UI claims, while some civilians were convicted of creating nonexistent businesses to claim UI. Just prior to the strike team’s deployment, DOL Inspector General Anthony D’Esposito said he found nearly $1 billion in taxpayer funds “at risk” nationwide due to COVID-related UI fraud. D’Esposito, a former NYPD officer and ex-congressman from Long Island, said in a statement that an analysis of 6.5 million prepaid debit cards used for COVID UI benefits still had $720 million loaded on them. WALZ’S MINNESOTA MESS COULD SPARK THE TOUGHEST FRAUD REFORMS IN DECADES “My office has warned that, absent swift action, U.S. taxpayers risk losing nearly a billion dollars in fraudulently obtained benefits,” D’Esposito said in a statement. “This is taxpayer money — and it demands immediate attention.” D’Esposito said fraud is not a victimless crime and that every misspent dollar is one that an actual needy family could use. “When we root out fraud, we protect taxpayers and lower the real cost of living,” he said. Fox News Digital reached out to Newsom and the state Senate’s top Republican for comment.