‘Gut check time’: Dissent among Senate GOP ranks threatens to reduce Trump’s spending cut demand
Senate Republicans are gearing up to claw back billions of dollars in foreign aid and public broadcasting funding, but dissent is brewing among some who could eat into President Donald Trump’s cut request. A cohort of Senate Republicans are publicly and privately growing squeamish over the White House’s $9.4 billion rescissions package, which would slash $8.3 billion from the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and over $1 billion from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB), the government-backed funding arm for NPR and PBS. ‘BAIT AND SWITCH’: SCHUMER WARNS OF BITTER FUNDING FIGHT OVER GOP CUTS PLAN The cuts stem from Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which was lauded by most Republicans for its mission to root out waste, fraud and abuse in the federal government. Still, concerns and calls for changes are being made, in particular to proposed slashes to the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) and the public broadcasting fund. Publicly, Sens. Susan Collins, R-Maine, Mike Rounds, R-S.D., and Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, have all aired their concerns about the House-passed bill and are eyeing changes that could see the cuts reduced. TRUMP’S PLAN TO SLASH ‘WOKE’ FOREIGN AID, NPR FUNDS CLEARS HOUSE AS SENATE BATTLE LOOMS “I don’t like it as it is currently drafted,” Murkowski said. “I’m a strong supporter of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, and our health programs are important.” Collins has raised issues with slashes to PEPFAR, an issue brought forth during a hearing with White House officials last month, while Rounds is worried about funding being slashed to rural radio stations, particularly for Native American populations in his state and others “and their ability to get good information during times of stress.” Senate Republican leadership already has plans for an amendment process on the bill, which will likely culminate in another marathon vote-a-rama amendment session — roughly two weeks after the grueling amendment process for Trump’s “big, beautiful bill.” Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., said that he intended to put the package on the Senate floor next week, likely ahead of the Friday deadline for lawmakers to advance the clawbacks. If the bill is amended, it would have to be sent back to the House before heading to Trump’s desk. Sen. Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla., told Fox News Digital that he expected the vote-a-rama to begin Wednesday, and said the hope was that leadership would be able to address as many concerns among Republicans as possible before bringing the bill to the floor. “Whatever it takes, we’re having those conversations,” he said. “The point is, once we get to the vote-a-rama, we want to have as much issues resolved so we know where we’re at on the floor without any surprises. And I think we can do that, maybe not, but I think we can. I think we got a good picture of where we’re at right now.” Other lawmakers see the package in its current form as a no-brainer to pass. Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., said that if amendments were offered to keep spending that he agreed with, he could find himself supporting tweaks to the package. But he challenged his colleagues to reject a spending cut package that ultimately amounted to less than half a percent of the nation’s entire budget. “This is gut check time for our Republican colleagues,” he said. “They either believe in reducing spending or they don’t. They either believe in spending porn or they don’t, and I’ve listened to my colleagues, especially in the last 100 plus days, talk about how great DOGE was. Well, now is the chance to show it.”
Trump had very unexpected convo with Obama at Carter’s funeral: Book
President Donald Trump and former President Barack Obama chatted about golf during a viral moment of bipartisanship during former President Jimmy Carter’s funeral in January, just days before Trump’s return to the Oval Office, a new book detailing the unprecedented 2024 election cycle reported. Trump and Obama were seen smiling and quietly chatting with one another in the pews of the Washington National Cathedral on Jan. 9, 2025, in a moment that spread like wildfire on social media as Americans sounded off with speculation over what the pair of presidents who had long traded political barbs were talking about. “2024: How Trump Retook the White House and the Democrats Lost America,” which was released Tuesday, said that Trump arrived in Washington for Carter’s funeral as a “conqueror” following the November 2024 election and sat next to Obama for the funeral service. “He’d attended Jimmy Carter’s funeral, walking into Washington not as a scourge but as a conqueror,” the book reported of Trump. “He could ignore the speech on character by the outgoing president, and the cold shoulder from the vice president he’d defeated.” “Instead he sat next to Barack Obama and invited him to play golf, enticing him with descriptions of Trump’s courses around the world,” the book continued of the pair’s conversation. “He was no longer an anomaly. He was being treated like an American president. He wanted to be remembered as a great one.” BIDEN AIDES PUSHED FOR EARLY DEBATE TO SHOW OFF BIDEN’S ‘STRENGTH,’ EXPOSE TRUMP’S ‘WEAKNESS,’ BOOK SAYS ART OF THE SURGE: BEHIND THE SCENES ON PRESIDENT TRUMP’S ROAD BACK TO WHITE HOUSE Trump and Obama were seated near other high-profile former U.S. leaders, including former President George W. Bush, former Vice President Mike Pence, former President Bill Clinton, former first lady and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, as well as then-President Joe Biden and then-Vice President Kamala Harris. Social media commenters at the time remarked that footage and video clips of the pair were unexpected, and others joked that Obama may have voted for Trump despite years of the pair trading political barbs. “Trump and Obama sitting next to each other was not on the 2025 bingo card,” one social media user posted to X in January. TRUMP: JIMMY CARTER DIED A HAPPY MAN BECAUSE BIDEN HOLDS TITLE FOR ‘WORST’ PRESIDENT IN HISTORY “Did Obama vote for Trump too?!” Clay Travis, founder of sports and politics commentary platform OutKick, joked at the time. “We need lip readers to see what Trump said to make Obama laugh,” another person posted to X in January. Trump was asked about the viral moment ahead of his inauguration, remarking that he “didn’t realize how friendly it looked.” “I said, ‘Boy, they look like two people that like each other.’ And we probably do,” Trump added at the time. “We have a little different philosophies, right? But we probably do. I don’t know. We just got along. But I got along with just about everybody.” Fox News Digital’s Kristine Parks contributed to this report.
Ukrainian US ambassador, seen with head in hands during Oval Office meeting, is departing DC
Ukrainian ambassador to the U.S. Oksana Markarova is departing Washington, D.C., according to Ukraine’s foreign ministry. The move comes as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy looks to inject new blood into U.S.-Ukraine relations. Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha announced the change on Wednesday in a broadcast on Ukrainian radio. “She is extremely effective and charismatic, but every diplomat has a rotation cycle,” Sybiha said. Markarova made headlines for her reaction to President Donald Trump’s disastrous meeting with Zelenskyy inside the Oval Office in late February. Markarova could be seen holding her head in despair as Trump and Vice President JD Vance needled Zelenskyy. PUTIN REJECTS TRUMP’S VATICAN PUSH AS KREMLIN ACCUSES HIM OF BEING ‘EMOTIONAL’: ENVOY KELLOGG Markarova has also faced criticism from Republicans for being overly partisan in her dealings with Washington. House Speaker Mike Johnson called her out in September 2024 for hosting what he described as a campaign event for Democrats just weeks before the general elections. The event saw Zelenskyy visit a munitions factory in Pennsylvania alongside Democratic politicians and officials. Johnson noted that no Republicans were invited to the event and demanded Zelenskyy fire Markarova. Johnson said the tour “purposely excluded” Republicans, calling it “election interference.” “The facility was in a politically contested battleground state, was led by a top political surrogate for Kamala Harris and failed to include a single Republican because — on purpose — no Republicans were invited,” Johnson wrote in a letter to Zelenskyy, noting the attendance of Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro. He said the “shortsighted and intentionally political move” prompted Republicans to “lose trust” in Markarova’s ability to fairly and effectively serve as a diplomat. “She should be removed from her post immediately,” Johnson wrote.
Trump taps Sean Duffy to serve as interim NASA chief
President Donald Trump on Wednesday announced he is tapping Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy to serve as interim administrator of NASA, a move the president said reflects the growing importance of space in national priorities. “I am pleased to announce that I am directing our GREAT Secretary of Transportation, Sean Duffy, to be Interim Administrator of NASA,” Trump posted to Truth Social. “He will be a fantastic leader of the ever more important Space Agency, even if only for a short period of time.” The president praised Duffy’s performance at the Department of Transportation, calling his tenure “TREMENDOUS,” and sharing his work on air traffic control modernization and infrastructure revival. “Rebuilding our roads and bridges, making them efficient, and beautiful, again,” Trump wrote. SNUB OF MUSK’S NASA NOMINEE ALLY PRECEDED SUDDEN ‘BIG, BEAUTIFUL BILL’ CRITICISM, TRUMP FEUD Duffy, a former congressman from Wisconsin and longtime Trump ally, accepted the role enthusiastically. “🚀 Honored to accept this mission. Time to take over space. Let’s launch.” he wrote on X. Duffy replaces Janet Petro, who has served as acting NASA administrator since January. Trump withdrew Jared Isaacman’s nomination for the role in May. TRUMP ADMIN PULLS JARED ISAACMAN’S NOMINATION FOR NASA ADMINISTRATOR, REPLACEMENT TO BE ANNOUNCED ‘SOON’ Isaacman, a billionaire private astronaut and longtime associate of Elon Musk, was nominated by Trump in December 2024 but faced mounting scrutiny over ties to Musk and SpaceX, which some officials viewed as a conflict of interest. According to The Associated Press, Trump said the decision to pull Isaacman’s name came after a “thorough review of prior associations” and growing concern over “corporate entanglements.” NASA has increasingly factored into the Trump administration’s national defense, innovation, and economic agenda. Trump has long emphasized the strategic importance of space, launching the Space Force during his first term. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP The White House did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
Trump’s Justice Department targets doctors, clinics who provide sex change procedures to minors
The Justice Department on Wednesday said it has subpoenaed more than 20 doctors and clinics that are involved in providing minors with sex change procedures. The agency is investigating healthcare fraud, false statements and more, it said. “Medical professionals and organizations that mutilated children in the service of a warped ideology will be held accountable by this Department of Justice,” Attorney General Pamela Bondi said in a statement. FBI LAUNCHES PROBES INTO 3 CHILDREN’S HOSPITALS FOR ALLEGED GENITAL MUTILATION OF MINORS The DOJ did not disclose which doctors or clinics have been served with subpoenas. In April, Bondi issued a memo stating that the DOJ would be investigating and prosecuting those who offer sex change treatments for minors. Bondi said she was instructing all U.S. attorneys to investigate all suspected cases of female genital mutilation (FGM) under the “banner of so-called ‘gender-affirming care’” and to “prosecute all FGM offenses to the fullest extent possible.” Bondi also ordered the DOJ’s Civil Division’s Consumer Protection Branch to investigate manufacturers and distributors engaged in misbranding by making false claims about the on- or off-label use of puberty blockers, sex hormones or any other drug used to facilitate a child’s sex change. DOCTOR WHO BLEW WHISTLE ON TRANSGENDER MEDICINE MOCKS LIBERAL JUSTICES’ ‘INSANE’ DISSENT IN LANDMARK CASE In the first days of his second administration, President Donald Trump issued an executive order barring the federal government from funding, sponsoring, promoting, assisting or supporting sex changes for children. The order also pledged to rigorously enforce all laws that prohibit or limit the procedures on minors. “Across the country today, medical professionals are maiming and sterilizing a growing number of impressionable children under the radical and false claim that adults can change a child’s sex through a series of irreversible medical interventions,” the order states. “This dangerous trend will be a stain on our Nation’s history, and it must end.” CLICK TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP In June, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled 6-3 that a Tennessee law banning specific transgender medical treatments for adolescents in the state is not discriminatory.
Gov. Abbott demands comprehensive overhaul of Texas flood warning systems as death toll rises
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott on Wednesday called for a special session to consider legislation to improve warning systems and emergency response in flood-prone areas across the state. The proclamation comes days after more than 100 people died, and nearly 200 others went missing, in the July Fourth Texas Hill Country floods. The floods, which were caused by excessive rainfall near the Guadalupe River, swept away people and homes across multiple counties early Friday morning. Officials said the river rose nearly 30 feet within 45 minutes. SEVERE WEATHER EMERGENCY ALERTS: HOW TO GET LOUD PHONE WARNINGS Following the disaster, which claimed the lives of 27 campers at a riverfront youth camp, citizens criticized an apparent lack of prior notice. The National Weather Service (NWS) said notifications were expanded about 12 hours before the tragedy, though the warning remained “moderate.” TEXAS RIVER FLOODS AS EMERGENCY CREWS RACE TO FIND OTHERS MISSING; CAMP EVACUATED Abbott specifically called for new legislation to improve early warning systems and other preparedness infrastructure, strengthen emergency communications and other response infrastructure, provide relief funding, and evaluate and streamline rules and regulations to speed preparedness for and recovery from natural disasters. Other legislation requests unrelated to the floods but included in the proclamation surrounded eduction, taxes, abortion, human trafficking, crime and public safety, elections and redistricting, and hemp-derived products. DEADLY TEXAS FLOOD EXPOSES ‘NEGLECTED’ WEATHER ALERT SYSTEM TRUMP AIMS TO MODERNIZE Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem addressed flood notification failures at a news conference on Saturday, claiming the administration was working on updating the National Weather Service and NOAA’s “neglected” and “ancient” systems. Noem vowed to upgrade the weather service technology, which she described as being “neglected for far too long,” to ensure families have “as much advanced notice as possible.” She added reform is ongoing, though she did not provide a timeline. Skeptics argued the upgrades are unlikely due to the reduced National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) workforce following Department of Government Efficiency’s (DOGE) spending cuts. Democrats previously alleged more than 880 NOAA workers were laid off, though a spokesperson would not confirm a specific number.
Mamdani’s far-left allies aim to primary Hakeem Jeffries and other NYC House Democrats
Zohran Mamdani’s democratic socialist allies may be eyeing primary challenges next year against some congressional Democrats in New York City, including House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries. But a senior political advisor to Jeffries is promising that anyone who tries to oust the top Democrat in the House in next year’s primaries will face a “forceful and unrelenting” response. Mamdani, the 33-year-old Ugandan-born democratic socialist assemblyman from Queens, sent political shock waves across the country with a convincing victory two weeks ago over former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo and nine other candidates in New York City’s Democratic mayoral primary. And Mamdani took a big step toward becoming New York City’s first Muslim mayor. In the wake of Mamdani’s primary victory last month, the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) highlighted that “this movement is bigger than one person, election, city, or organization.” MAMDANI POLITICAL TSUNAMI SWAMPS DEMOCRATS AS PARTY SEARCHES FOR PATH FORWARD “We encourage all people inspired by the Zohran campaign to join their local DSA or YDSA chapter and get involved so we can continue to fight alongside Zohran and DSA elected officials across the country to create the future we all deserve,” they added in a statement. Fast-forward to today, and DSA leaders are apparently mulling running primary challengers against Jeffries as well as other House Democrats whose districts are in New York City, including Reps. Ritchie Torres, Jerry Nadler, Dan Goldman and Yvette Clarke. THE PLOT TO STOP MAMDANI: DEMOCRATS SCRAMBLE TO PREVENT FAR-LEFT TAKEOVER IN NYC Jeffries, who two years ago succeeded longtime House Democratic leader and former Speaker Nancy Pelosi, has been criticized by some of New York City’s far-left leaders as a moderate and establishment Democrat. “His leadership has left a vacuum that organizations like DSA are filling. I think that is more important right now,” New York City’s Democratic Socialists of America chapter co-chair Gustavo Gordillo told CNN. Democratic socialist state Sen. Jabari Brisport, whose district includes some of the same areas of Brooklyn as Jeffries House district, argued in a statement to Fox News that the longtime congressman is “rapidly growing out of touch with an insurgent and growing progressive base within his own district that he should pay more attention to.” Democratic strategist Andre Richardson, a top Jeffries political advisor, pointed to the sweeping and controversial moves by President Donald Trump during the opening months of his second tour of duty in the White House, and said, “Leader Hakeem Jeffries is focused on taking back the House from the MAGA extremists who just ripped health care away from millions of Americans.” Richardson also warned in a statement to CNN that if those on the left mount a primary challenge against Jeffries, “our response will be forceful and unrelenting. We will teach them and all of their incumbents a painful lesson on June 23, 2026.” RESURFACED MAMDANI PHOTO SPARKS SOCIAL MEDIA FIRESTORM Jeffries, when asked about a potential primary challenge in an interview Wednesday with CNN, responded that he had “no idea what these people are talking about.” And Jeffries said he’s focusing “on pushing back against the extremism that has been unleashed on the American people.” Jeffries, Gov. Kathy Hochul, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and some other top Democratic elected officials in New York have praised Mamdani’s campaign. And while they’ve defended him from Trump’s attacks, they have refrained, as of now, from endorsing the Democratic mayoral nominee. Mamdani surged to a primary victory thanks to an energetic campaign that put a major focus on affordability and New York City’s high cost of living. He made smart use of social media platforms, including TikTok, as he engaged low-propensity voters. He proposed eliminating fares to ride New York City’s vast bus system, making CUNY (City University of New York) “tuition-free,” freezing rents on municipal housing, offering “free childcare” for children up to age 5, and setting up government-run grocery stores. Thanks in part to the efforts of a massive grassroots army of volunteers, Mamdani rode a wave of support from younger and progressive voters to catapult into first place over Cuomo, who had been the primary frontrunner. “I think it’s clear that voters are prioritizing action over inaction, and not just incremental change but broad sweeping change,” veteran Democratic strategist Joe Caiazzo told Fox News Digital, when asked about what Mamdani’s victory means for the party. And Caiazzo, a veteran of Sen. Bernie Sanders’ 2016 and 2020 presidential campaigns, said one reason for Mamdani’s victory was that he tirelessly met “voters where they are.”
Left-wing critics blame Texas flood devastation on ‘climate denialism,’ warn more to come unless inaction ends
While debate over why the Texas floods were so deadly has centered around President Donald Trump’s cuts to key weather agencies, left-wing critics have also complained that policy inaction and “climate denialism” were major factors. As search and rescue efforts continued after the devastating storm swept through Texas on the July Fourth holiday, former Democratic presidential candidate and New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg penned an op-ed arguing that the Texas floods “were made worse by climate denialism.” “The latest episode of horrific flooding isn’t just about a natural disaster in one state. It’s also about a political failure that’s been happening in states across the country, and most of all in Washington,” Bloomberg wrote. “The refusal to recognize that climate change carries a death penalty is sending innocent people, including far too many children, to early graves.” OBAMA BROS BALK AT FAR-LEFT SAYING TEXANS BROUGHT FLOOD DISASTER ON THEMSELVES BY SUPPORTING TRUMP “We are at a crossroads,” Ben Jealous, former candidate for Maryland governor andexecutive director at the Sierra Club, wrote in his own op-ed following the tragedy in Texas. “We can double down on denial and let superstorms, heatwaves, droughts, floods and fires determine our fate. Or we can lead — with science, resilience, courage, and a recommitment to our values,” Jealous said. Meanwhile, Will Bunch, a national opinion columnist at the Philadelphia Inquirer, said that “so many more lives would have been saved if leaders dropped climate denial and believed in government for the public good.” EX-BIDEN OFFICIAL SCOLDS TRUMP ON CLIMATE CHANGE AFTER TEXAS FLOODS In response to these arguments, Steve Milloy, a senior policy fellow at the conservative-leaning Energy and Environment Legal Institute, said it was “sad” to see folks politicizing the tragedy in Texas to advance their agenda. “Just for the record, this area of Texas is known for flash floods,” Milloy added. “Extreme rainfall is not correlated with emissions and there hasn’t even been any ‘global warming’ over the past five days.” The climate advocacy group Climate Central also added that “it is difficult to directly attribute specific rain events to climate change” in an assessment about understanding the link between the Texas floods and climate change. Milloy said that while the National Weather Service was “sufficiently staffed” in his view, he thinks a preliminary investigation will show the warning system in place needs improvements. WHITE HOUSE BLASTS SCHUMER, DEMOCRATS FOR ‘DEPRAVED LIE’ BLAMING TRUMP FOR TEXAS FLASH FLOOD In a statement to Fox News Digital, White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson called it “shameful and disgusting” to see that in the wake of the environmental tragedy in Texas, people were politicizing it. “The Texas officials who say, ‘We couldn’tqaa [sic] see this coming,’ are totally oblivious that they should have seen climate change coming, and done something about it. Climate change denial means more torrential rain for Texas, and more flash flooding,” former Washington State Democratic Governor Jay Inslee wrote on social media. “North Carolina. Texas. When will floods finally wash away the climate change denial in DC that is now washing away America’s economically productive clean energy industries?” Inslee asked in a separate post. One climate group, World Weather Attribution, told Axios it was so confident climate change is what caused the deadly flooding that it does not even plan to study the natural disaster to better understand what caused it. Fox News Digital reached out to the group to understand better why it is so certain of the cause, but did not receive a response. The group investigated the climate change impacts of a July heat wave in Europe as recently as this month, according to the New York Times.
ICE swoops in on MS-13 kingpin hiding in America’s heartland after investigation
EXCLUSIVE: United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations unit arrested an alleged MS-13 kingpin and MS-13 associate in Nebraska on Wednesday. The kingpin is on El Salvador’s “Top 100 Most Wanted” list, but his name is not yet being released by authorities. He is wanted for “aggravated homicide of five victims, attempted aggravated homicide, deprivation of liberty and terrorist organization affiliation,” according to an ICE press release. “These illegal aliens didn’t just sneak into our country, they brought with them a legacy of violence, terror, and death,” Mark Zito ICE Homeland Security Investigations Special Agent in Charge of Kansas City, stated. “They thought they could hide in America’s heartland, but they were sadly mistaken, not on our watch.” ICE AGENTS CAPTURE SUSPECTED VIOLENT MS-13 GANG MEMBER, ANOTHER ILLEGAL ALIEN AFTER POLICE LET THEM SLIP AWAY In addition, an alleged “MS-13 gang member and foreign terrorist” associate who is also wanted in the Central American nation for allegedly “giving orders” to members of the gang to commit a range of serious crimes such as murder and drug trafficking was also taken into federal custody, according to ICE. The arrest was considered “targeted enforcement action” in Omaha, with authorities saying the two were a “serious threat” to the area. The two were both living illegally in the U.S., and the investigation is being done by ICE and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. ‘OFF OUR STREETS’: ICE MAKES MAJOR ARREST OF INTERNATIONALLY WANTED ‘SUSPECTED TERRORIST’ “When ICE agents move in to make an arrest, it is extremely important that the public not interfere,” ICE acting Director Todd M. Lyons said in a statement. “The misinformation, and sometimes blatant lies, being spread around the country could result in someone stepping into a federal operation and suddenly finding themselves face-to-face with a killer who has nothing to lose.” CLICK HERE FOR MORE IMMIGRATION COVERAGE “Our ICE officers and agents are protecting your neighborhoods, even when you don’t know the threat is there, so either support them, or get out of the way,” Lyons added. In a video of the arrest on the road, one of the men is seen putting their hands up quickly after being stopped by agents wearing “ATF Police” and “Homeland Security Investigations” on their backs. VIOLENT MS-13 GANGBANGERS GETTING ‘DESPERATE’; DHS OFFICIAL CREDITS EARLY TRUMP ACTION The news release from ICE said that arrests went “without incident.” CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP The arrest comes as ICE has been doing enforcement operations all over the country, as the agency continues to highlight arrests of those with criminal charges and convictions.
Former Navy SEAL and ‘political outsider’ announces GOP campaign for Wisconsin governor
FIRST ON FOX: Bill Berrien, a Wisconsin manufacturing executive, former Navy SEAL and self-described political outsider, announced his Republican campaign for governor of Wisconsin on Wednesday. In the Republican’s first national exclusive interview since announcing his gubernatorial bid, Berrien told Fox News Digital, “We [have] to get away from the six years of Tony Evers, where we’re going in the entirely opposite direction. This race is extremely winnable. I can win it. I can be the conservative governor that is going to make this the Wisconsin century.” Berrien said Democrat Gov. Tony Evers’ tenure has felt like the “gears in reverse” of any gains made by former GOP Gov. Scott Walker. The Republican hopeful called Evers a “tax and spend” Democrat who isn’t moving the state forward. “I’m an outsider. I’m a businessman, just like President Trump,” Berrien said. “He’s taking back Washington. We need to take back Madison for Wisconsinites.” FORMER NAVY SEAL MOUNTS SENATE BID TO ‘CRUSH THE WOKE AGENDA’ AS TUBERVILLE SEEKS GOVERNORSHIP Berrien is the CEO of manufacturing companies Pindel Global Precision and Liberty Precision and served as a Navy SEAL for nine years. According to his campaign website, his top priorities in the race are revitalizing Wisconsin manufacturing, restoring law and order and strengthening Wisconsin families. FORMER TALK RADIO HOST DIALS INTO ALASKA’S RACE FOR GOVERNOR, SAYS ENERGY IS KEY “Wisconsin is the best of the country,” Berrien said. “We make things, we build things, we work with our hands. My vision is we can be the manufacturing powerhouse of the world again. We can be ground zero for the success of the Trump-driven re-industrialization.” President Donald Trump campaigned on unleashing American manufacturing as president and, through his often controversial trade and tariff policies, seeks to return business to the United States. Trump’s win in battleground Wisconsin landed him the White House in 2024. Berrien called his win “historic” and said it reflected a “shift across the board” among the Wisconsin electorate. “It is the Republican workers’ party – that’s due to his leadership. I think we’re gonna be building on that through this campaign,” Berrien said. While Trump secured Wisconsin in 2024, a liberal Democrat-backed Wisconsin Supreme Court candidate, Susan Crawford, won a contentious multimillion-dollar election over conservative Brad Schimel earlier this year. When Elon Musk was still in Trump’s good graces, he invested millions to support Schimel, but Democrats from across the country threw their political weight behind Crawford, and she was ultimately elected to the open seat. “It means all the more that we need to have a Republican in the governor’s mansion,” Berrien said before asking, “How do we apply a military leadership-type mindset across all 72 counties, winning up and down the ticket?” And when asked about Democrats’ early 2026 midterm messaging about the One Big Beautiful Bill Act’s Medicaid cuts, Berrien said he supports Medicaid work requirements and called Trump’s megabill “wind in our sails for creating the Wisconsin century, making Wisconsin the manufacturing powerhouse to the world again.” “When you look at the business incentives for factory construction, investing in technology, investing in people, it’s like a Black Friday sale or factory expansion, no coupons required.” Berrien announced his candidacy in a campaign video released Wednesday morning. Washington County Executive Josh Schoemann announced his own Republican gubernatorial campaign in May. Evers has yet to announce whether he will seek re-election in 2026. He did not respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment. “When we think about the last 10 years, there has only been two candidates that have been successful on a statewide basis, [Sen.] Ron Johnson and Donald Trump. We have on my team, leaders who’ve been part of both of those races, and we have the team to win this. We have resources, and we have a clear lane and opportunity. Let’s make this the Wisconsin century,” Berrien said.