GOP unveils new weapon to help slash billions in government waste as Republicans rally behind Trump’s plan
Congressional Republicans are racing to harness the momentum left behind by Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), and the leaders of a new House GOP initiative are hoping they have the solution. “You tell people the word ‘rescission,’ in my district, I’m sure that polls pretty low, but they know waste, they know fraud, and they know abuse,” Rep. Riley Moore, R-W.Va., told Fox News Digital. “This is why this process needs to be not only explained to our own members, but also to the population out here that might not know what the heck a rescission is, but know that they want the wasteful spending to end.” Moore is leading the Republican Study Committee’s (RSC) new task force, aimed at getting both fellow House Republicans and the American public on board with the GOP on a mechanism for spending cuts known as rescissions. HOUSE GOP TARGETS ANOTHER DEM OFFICIAL ACCUSED OF BLOCKING ICE Rescissions proposals are requests from the White House for cuts to funding already approved by Congress in the current fiscal year. Once submitted to Capitol Hill, lawmakers have 45 days to pass the proposal, or it is considered rejected. The House is voting on the first of what Republican leaders hope are several such proposals this week – President Donald Trump sent Congress a request to cut $9.4 billion in funding to PBS, NPR and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). The $9.4 billion figure is part of a larger $180 billion sum of waste that Musk said his DOGE efforts had uncovered. RSC Chair August Pfluger, R-Texas, said Moore “is able to educate our members, work with the White House, liaise directly with [the Office of Management and Budget], talk to leadership, voice the conservative concerns… and to dispel myth and speak truth.” Pfluger’s 189-member RSC serves as a de facto conservative think tank of sorts for the House GOP. It’s a natural extension of the group’s work to focus on how to message government spending cuts, particularly while Democrats are accusing the GOP of trying to rip away critical programs. Pfluger and Moore signaled the task force’s most immediate goal will be easing concerns of moderate Republicans who may be wary of the $9.4 billion spending cut plan. With just a razor-thin majority, House GOP leaders can afford no more than three defections to pass legislation along party lines. “If members do have problems, the conservative conscience of our conference, RSC, can help them understand why it’s important to vote on it. And that’s what Riley is going to do,” Pfluger said. Both suggested they would like to see future rescissions packages, but would not go into detail about what could be cut. Moore noted he was on the Appropriations Committee, the keepers of the House’s purse strings, and that there were ongoing conversations between members of that panel and the White House about identifying future rollbacks. And both Pfluger and Moore said they were undaunted by Musk’s somewhat dramatic departure from the federal government – insisting the public was still behind the idea of DOGE, even without the Tesla billionaire at the forefront. MCCAUL TOUTS MONEY IN TRUMP TAX BILL TO PAY TEXAS BACK FOR FIGHTING BIDEN BORDER POLICIES “I don’t think the mainstream media is covering that aspect of it, because they want to talk about this breakup between the president and Elon Musk, but the president said as recently as today that he still believes in what he did,” Pfluger said. Moore added, “Media cycles moved extraordinarily fast. I think obviously there was a lot of excitement when it was first announced. But I can tell you when I’m doing Lincoln Day dinners and going around the counties in West Virginia, they’re still acutely focused on this. I hear from folks all the time… it is very much the average American still wants to see this happen.” “I think they’re, you know, they’re just waiting for us to do the right thing,” Moore said.
Trump admin may not deport migrant to Congo during immigration proceedings, federal judge rules
A federal judge in Maine has ruled that a 43-year-old migrant man who came to the U.S. at age 7 cannot yet be deported to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) while his immigration appeals continue. Eyidi Ambila, who was taken into custody in September under the Biden administration, argues that his full immigration case has not been heard and that his continued detention is unlawful. Judge Nancy Torresen on Monday granted a motion to postpone a scheduled habeas hearing, a legal request asking a court to determine whether a person’s detention or imprisonment is lawful. The habeas petition challenges the legality of his ongoing detention, not the deportation itself. FEDERAL JUDGE ORDERS ICE NOT TO REMOVE TRANS MIGRANT SEEKING ASYLUM FROM WASHINGTON DETENTION FACILITY Torresen, a President Barack Obama appointee and the first female judge to serve in the District of Maine, wrote that there are “many unanswered questions” about the case, including about his ability to be deported and the outcome of his immigration case. He will remain in custody while his case proceeds. The American Civil Liberties Union of Maine argues that Ambila has no current connection to the Congo and that deporting him would make him vulnerable to detainment, torture and even death. “This ruling ensures that Mr. Ambila receives what due process requires: his day in immigration court and the opportunity to fully pursue his argument for Convention Against Torture protection,” said Anahita Sotoohi, a staff attorney at the ACLU of Maine. FEDERAL JUDGE REFUSES TO RECONSIDER ORDER TO FACILITATE DEPORTEE’S RETURN TO US The ACLU of Maine filed a habeas corpus petition on Ambila’s behalf last month challenging his indefinite ICE detainment and asking for his release. The government argued that Ambila’s deportation was imminent, but Torreson said that the government had failed to convince the court that deportation was actually likely in the near future. Ambila has filed emergency motions with the Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA) seeking to reopen his case and halt removal. Torresen’s ruling pauses the federal court proceedings until the BIA rules on those motions.
Federal judge rules Trump admin cannot block grants to LGBT groups
A federal judge in California ruled on Monday that the Trump administration cannot enforce executive orders that require groups to halt programs that promote diversity, equity and inclusion or acknowledge the existence of transgender people to receive grant funding. U.S. District Judge Jon Tigar wrote in his order that a group of pro-LGBTQ nonprofits “demonstrated that they likely have standing to challenge” several provisions in President Donald Trump’s executive orders, which the groups argue violate the Constitution. “These three funding provisions reflect an effort to censor constitutionally protected speech and services promoting DEI and recognizing the existence of transgender individuals,” the judge wrote in his order. Tigar said that while the executive branch “requires some degree of freedom to implement its political agenda, it is still bound by the Constitution,” and “cannot weaponize Congressionally appropriated funds to single out protected communities for disfavored treatment or suppress ideas that it does not like or has deemed dangerous.” NPR SUES TRUMP WHITE HOUSE OVER EXECUTIVE ORDER TARGETING PUBLIC MEDIA Lawyers for the government say that the president is permitted to “align government funding and enforcement strategies” with his policies. Plaintiffs say that Congress — and not the president — has the power to condition how federal funds are used, and that the executive orders restrict free speech rights. FEDERAL JUDGE RULES AGAINST TRUMP ORDER HALTING SEX CHANGE PROCEDURES IN PRISONS The plaintiffs include health centers, LGBTQ+ services groups, the Gay Lesbian Bisexual Transgender Historical Society and the San Francisco AIDS Foundation. The groups are all recipients of federal funding and say that following the executive orders will prevent them from completing their missions. The judge’s order will remain in effect while the legal case continues, although government lawyers will likely appeal. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
WATCH: Dem, media outlets insist LA anti-ICE riots are ‘peaceful’ despite violence, injured cops
Media outlets and elected Democrats have made the rounds in recent days, often using the word “peaceful” to describe the anti-ICE unrest in Los Angeles over the weekend despite rioting and violence that has resulted in destruction and injured police officers, a video review by Fox News Digital finds. “The vast majority of protesters and demonstrators are peaceful,” Sen. Alex Padilla, D-Calif., said recently on MSNBC. “They’re passionate.” “A lot of these peaceful protests are being generated because the president of the United States is sowing chaos,” Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., said on Sunday’s “Meet the Press” on NBC. On CNN, a California Democrat House member said she doesn’t know what the “so-called” violence is “all about.” ‘LUNATIC’ DEMOCRAT RIPPED FOR ‘DEMONIC’ VIDEO MESSAGE DEMANDING ICE AGENTS ‘GET THE F— OUT’ AMID CA CHAOS “Well, first of all, it’s not even all of downtown,” Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass said while downplaying the extent of the violence. “This is isolated to a few streets, five or 10 streets. This is not city-wide civil unrest like has happened in our city before. But if you watch the pictures, especially on national TV, you would think that the entire city has blown up into unrest, and this is just not true.” ABC7 Los Angeles anchor Jory Rand cautioned law enforcement from escalating tensions by interfering and said on Sunday that they risked turning “what is just a bunch of people having fun watching cars burn into a massive confrontation and altercation between officers and demonstrators.” Rep. Nanette Barragán, a Democrat who represents California’s 44th Congressional District, said on CNN’s “State of the Union” program Sunday, “We are having an administration that’s targeting peaceful protests.” ANTI-ICE PROTESTERS IN LOS ANGELES SPIT ON AND BURN AMERICAN FLAG Former Vice President Kamala Harris, who is widely believed to be eyeing a run for California governor, sparked controversy online when she referred to the unrest as “overwhelmingly peaceful.” Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton posted on X, “California Governor Newsom didn’t request the National Guard be deployed to his state following peaceful demonstrations. Trump sent them anyway. It’s the first time in 60 years a president has made that choice. “Trump’s goal isn’t to keep Californians safe. His goal is to cause chaos, because chaos is good for Trump.” While there were examples of some peaceful protests at the outset, by the end of the day Friday property destruction and violence broke out in a situation that became increasingly violent over the next few days and led to injured officers. “Last night, over 1,000 rioters surrounded a federal law enforcement building and assaulted ICE law enforcement officers, slashed tires, defaced buildings, and taxpayer funded property,” the Department of Homeland Security said in a press release Saturday referring to the previous night. Several officers have been injured in the rioting, which included rocks and other projectiles being thrown at them, and dozens of people have been arrested related to the protests and rioting. Conservatives on social media have blasted the various media outlets and Democrats who have used peaceful phrasing to describe the protests despite the various examples of violence, property destruction and burning cars. President Donald Trump sent in the National Guard over the weekend, sparking outrage from local Democrats, and announced on Monday the mobilization of Marines to help quell the rioting.
Fetterman calls out ‘anarchy’ in LA, noting that Dems forfeit ‘moral high ground’ by failing to decry violence
Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., spoke out against the “anarchy and true chaos” in Los Angeles, declaring that Democrats forfeit “moral high ground” if they do not decry the violence. “I unapologetically stand for free speech, peaceful demonstrations, and immigration—but this is not that. This is anarchy and true chaos. My party loses the moral high ground when we refuse to condemn setting cars on fire, destroying buildings, and assaulting law enforcement,” Fetterman declared in a post on X. Elon Musk replied to Fetterman’s post with an American flag emoji. MARINES BEING DEPLOYED TO LOS ANGELES AMID RIOTS AS CALIFORNIA MOVES TO SUE TRUMP OVER RESPONSE Ohio gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy noted, “It’s hard to preach hard truths to your own side. I respect this.” Deputy White House chief of staff and Cabinet secretary Taylor Budowich responded to Fetterman in a post, writing: “This is a wake up call for many Democrats: there is no room for you in the party of @GavinNewsom and @KamalaHarris. Their self-obsessed pursuits of power are blind to you and your concerns. They defend chaos, reject biology, and are unbothered by the invasion of our nation.” FETTERMAN DISSES DEMS FOR SUDDENLY EMBRACING MUSK AMID TRUMP FALLOUT President Donald Trump has deployed National Guard troops in response to the unrest in LA. “We made a great decision in sending the National Guard to deal with the violent, instigated riots in California. If we had not done so, Los Angeles would have been completely obliterated,” the president asserted on Monday in a Truth Social post. FETTERMAN DEFIES ‘PUNITIVE’ PUNISHMENT FOR BREAKING WITH DEMOCRATIC PARTY DURING BIPARTISAN DISCUSSION Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth noted in a tweet on Monday evening that U.S. Marines were being deployed to the city “to restore order.”
Trump not on ballot, but president front and center in New Jersey’s primary for governor
Today is primary day in New Jersey, one of only two states in the nation, along with Virginia, that hold elections for governor this year. And in the spotlight in the races for both the Republican and Democrat gubernatorial nominations is the nation’s most powerful and polarizing figure: President Donald Trump. In the GOP primary showdown, which for months has been a battle for Trump’s support, frontrunner Jack Ciattarelli landed the president’s endorsement a couple of weeks ago. “I’m asking you to get out and vote for a true champion for the people of your state: Jack Ciattarelli. He’s been a friend of mine, and he’s been a real success story,” Trump told supporters a week ago as he dialed into a tele-rally on the eve of the kickoff of early voting in New Jersey. NEW JERSEY PRIMARY EARLY TEST OF TRUMP’S SECOND TERM AS PRESIDENT Ciattarelli told Fox News Digital after meeting with local GOP leaders at Trump National Golf Club-Philadelphia that the president’s endorsement was “a really big deal” and “The president’s doing very, very well in New Jersey.” Ciattarelli, a former state lawmaker, is making his third bid for governor. He ran unsuccessfully for the GOP nomination in 2017. Four years later, in 2021, Ciattarelli overperformed as the Republican nominee and came close to ousting the Democrat incumbent, Gov. Phil Murphy, losing by just three points. WATCH: WHAT BILL SPADEA TOLD FOX NEWS DIGITAL In the contest to succeed Murphy, who is term-limited, surveys suggest Ciattarelli is the frontrunner in a five-person Republican field that includes two other prominent candidates: former businessman and popular conservative talk radio host Bill Spadea and state Sen. Jon Bramnick, a lawyer who served for a decade as state Assembly GOP leader. Ciattarelli and Spadea spent months trading fire over which of them was a bigger Trump supporter. “It was certainly disappointing,” Spadea said of Trump’s endorsement of Ciattarelli. “I mean, we made no bones about this. We absolutely wanted the president’s endorsement. Unfortunately, the president endorsed a poll and not a plan.” Spadea highlighted in a Fox News Digital interview last week that “I have been a supporter of President Trump since he came down the escalator,” in reference to Trump’s announcement of his first presidential campaign in 2015. “There is no question that I am the commonsense conservative. I am the actual Republican in this primary,” Spadea said. And Spadea questioned Ciattarelli’s support for Trump, arguing that his rival “has disrespected him (Trump) for the better part of the last eight years. … We thought that that endorsement would have been better served with me.” After he won the GOP gubernatorial nomination four years ago, Ciattarelli said when asked if he was seeking the then-former president’s endorsement, “There’s only one endorsement I seek, and that’s the endorsement of the voters of New Jersey. That’s the only one that matters.” WHAT JACK CIATTARELLI TOLD FOX NEWS DIGITAL Fast-forward to 2025, and Ciattarelli said “people really appreciate what he (Trump) is doing for New Jerseyans. He’s put a temporary hold on the wind farms off the Jersey Shore. He’s beating up on the New York Democrats over congestion pricing. He supports a quadrupling of the SALT [state and local tax] deduction on our federal tax returns. Those are big deals to New Jersey, and that’s why he’s got so much great support here. And I’m honored to have his endorsement.” While he lost out on Trump’s endorsement, Spadea said there’s been a silver lining. “Our supporters are galvanized. Matter of fact, the Tuesday and Wednesday after Trump endorsed Jack, we had a surge, our two best days ever in low-dollar fundraising,” Spadea said. “So it actually has had the opposite effect – our low-dollar surge, our volunteer surge. We’re now knocking on more than 3,000 doors a week, and we’re getting an unbelievable response from the grassroots.” Spadea said “almost every Trump supporter that we’ve talked to face-to-face on the ground thinks that Donald Trump made a huge mistake” in endorsing Ciattarelli. Asked why Trump endorsed him rather than Spadea, Ciattarelli said “the president wants to win. He knows that I provide the best opportunity to win in November.” “He knows we’re going to raise the necessary money. We’ve raised more money than the other five Republican gubernatorial candidates combined.” Ciattarelli is a certified public accountant who started a medical publishing company before getting into politics. His fundraising has allowed him to dominate the GOP primary ad wars. But Spadea, pointing to his media career, said he would be the more electable Republican candidate in November in blue-leaning New Jersey. REPUBLICAN GOVERNORS CHAIR, POINTING TO CAMPAIGN BATTLES AHEAD, TOUTS ‘OUR POLICIES ARE BETTER’ “I built the largest audience in the state: a third Democrat, a third independent, a third Republican. So my appeal is not just that conservative base in the Republican Party. I’m the only candidate running for the Republican nomination that can pull in Democrats and independents,” he said. The Democratic Governors Association, pointing to the rush by the top two candidates to embrace Trump, has long described the 2025 Republican showdown as a “MAGA battle” and that there’s “extremism in the GOP primary.” The Democrats have their own primary battle, with six major contenders facing off for the nomination. They are Reps. Mikie Sherrill and Josh Gottheimer, Newark Mayor Ras Baraka, Jersey City Mayor Steve Fulop, New Jersey Education Association President Sean Spiller and former state Senate President Steve Sweeney. The primary is one of the first ballot-box opportunities for Democrats to weigh in as the party aims to rebound after last November’s election setbacks, when Republicans won the White House, the Senate majority and successfully defended their fragile control of the House. Pundits see Tuesday’s primary as a “bellwether” for how the party should push back against Trump’s sweeping and controversial moves since returning to the White House in January. Like Murphy, who they’re aiming to succeed, the Democrat candidates have heavily criticized some of Trump’s crackdowns on
Why Trump’s constant attacks and his sniping with Elon Musk helps him and keeps the media scrambling
Donald Trump is relishing all this, flaming every target in sight – or trying to put out fires in Los Angeles – as a president who loves being at war. Elon Musk, clearly missing the spotlight, is using X as a weapon, calling for his former pal’s impeachment – but deleting his tweet tying Trump to Jeffrey Epstein in what might be viewed as an apology. Gavin Newsom is all fired up, daring Trump’s border czar to arrest him and accusing the president of inflaming the situation by dispatching the National Guard over his objections. TRUMP BORDER CZAR RESPONDS TO NEWSOM’S ‘ARREST ME’ CHALLENGE AS CALIFORNIA RIOTS OVER ICE RAIDS The media are eagerly drinking from the Trump fire hose in the greatest, most entertaining breakup since Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni were denouncing each other. But several journalists were injured covering the violent L.A. protests, even as they reported that the vast majority of demonstrators are peaceful. And for me, it meant a crazy hour of television. We made lots of last-minute changes on “Media Buzz,” but the biggest one involved ABC correspondent and anchor Terry Moran. I was tapping out the script on my phone during commercial breaks. For reasons I’ll never be able to fathom, Moran posted a scathing attack on White House domestic policy chief Stephen Miller, calling him a “world-class hater.” He also put Trump in the same category. LIBERALS, ANTI-TRUMP FIGURES BASH ABC FOR SUSPENDING TERRY MORAN OVER SOCIAL MEDIA RANT On Maria Bartiromo’s show, which airs before mine, Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said Moran should be suspended or fired. Shortly after we went off the air, ABC suspended Moran, saying he had violated company standards. I’ll never fathom why he blew up his career. You can’t overcover a public meltdown like this – Trump now saying Musk had “worn thin” and he’d asked him to leave – but journalists have a high-minded justification for the low-rent sniping. The president’s entire agenda is wrapped up in the not-so-beautiful bill, including border funding, tax cuts, food stamps and trimming the Medicaid rolls. The measure passed the House by a single vote because a number of hard-line Republicans agree with Musk that it’s a “disgusting abomination” which, at a minimum, would boost the deficit by $2.4 billion over 10 years. But Trump is like a movie studio mogul who simultaneously moves from one sound stage to the next. And that is a challenge to journalists who race to keep up–but also boosts ratings as he constantly taking questions from the reporters and producers he also denigrates. It’s a love-hate relationship, but lately, mostly hate. BOLD MOVE TO KEEP AMERICANS SAFE FROM ‘TERRORISTS’ IS BASIS FOR US TRAVEL BAN FOR SOME AFRICAN NATIONS Trump issued a travel ban on 12 countries, mostly in the Middle East and Africa. Big story. Trump brought Kilmar Abrego Garcia back to the U.S., after saying it couldn’t be done, and the mistakenly deported Salvadoran will face charges of human trafficking of illegal migrants – months after the Supreme Court ordered his return. Trump is battling elite law firms, many of which are caving and agreeing to provide up to $125 million in free services rather than lose access to classified material that would cause an exodus of clients. Big story. Trump backed off on criticizing Vladimir Putin after that incredible Ukrainian drone strike decimated a third of the Russian fleet, thousands of miles away. Now he says he may walk away from a war in which Putin has no conceivable interest in peace. Big story. ZELENSKYY DISMISSES TRUMP’S CLAIM THAT RUSSIA WANTS PEACE, SAYS HE KNOWS PUTIN ‘MUCH BETTER’ Trump issued a wave of controversial pardons, especially one for a man who committed fraud by stealing from his employees, which came after his mother, a big-time GOP donor, paid $1 million to get face time with the president at a Mar-a-Lago fundraising dinner. Now he avoids a jail term and having to make over $4 million in restitution to his victims. Big story. Trump is freezing funds for Harvard and investigating the Harvard Law Review. Big stories. SUBSCRIBE TO HOWIE’S MEDIA BUZZMETER PODCAST, A RIFF ON THE DAY’S HOTTEST STORIES Trump has ordered an investigation of Joe Biden and the undisputed coverup of his mental decline, arguing that his actions could be overturned if top aides were making the decisions. Huge story. But the coverage has been muted, in part because the press doesn’t take it seriously and Democrats don’t want to fuel any story that involves more visibility for Biden. This nonstop gusher may deflect criticism that Trump is profiting from the presidency by selling meme coins and other items that once would have prompted an uproar. By the time you read this, the president may have made news on several other controversial subjects. It’s a strategy that helps him and, in many ways, the media that are always scrambling to keep up.
Musk signals potential softening of feud with simple one emoji response to clip of Trump wishing him well
President Trump’s relationship with Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, which appeared to publicly blow up last week as the two feuded in public, took a softer tone on Monday when Musk responded to a clip of the president on X. “We had a great relationship and I wish him well — very well, actually,” Trump said on Monday in a clip that was posted by conservative influencer ALX. Musk responded to that post with a heart emoji on Monday evening. Earlier in the day, Fox News Digital reported that the public spat between the two billionaires appeared to be losing steam after Musk seemingly issued support from Trump’s handling of the anti-ICE riots in Los Angeles. TIMELINE: INSIDE THE EVOLVING RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN TRUMP AND MUSK FROM FIRST TERM TO THIS WEEK’S FALLOUT “Governor Gavin Newscum and ‘Mayor’ Bass should apologize to the people of Los Angeles for the absolutely horrible job that they’ve done, and this now includes the ongoing L.A. riots,” Trump said late Sunday in the post Musk shared. “These are not protesters, they are troublemakers and insurrectionists.” Additionally, Musk also re-posted one of Vice President JD Vance’s posts on X about the riots. “This moment calls for decisive leadership,” Vance said, sharing a screenshot of a post from Trump about how his administration would address the riots. “The president will not tolerate rioting and violence.” Musk also appeared to post a self-deprecating joke about himself on X on Sunday which many interpreted to be a veiled reference to the fallout with Trump. “It’s outrageous how much character assassination has been directed at me, especially by me!” Musk posted. While speaking with reporters in the Oval Office on Thursday, Trump said that he was “very disappointed” by Musk’s vocal criticisms of the bill. The president claimed that Musk knew what was in the bill and “had no problem” with it until the EV incentives had to be cut. On X, Musk called that assessment “false.” Trump turned to social media to criticize Musk, who he appointed to find ways to cut $2 trillion after forming the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). TRUMP WARNS OF ‘SERIOUS CONSEQUENCES’ IF ELON MUSK FUNDS DEMOCRATS “Elon was ‘wearing thin,’ I asked him to leave, I took away his EV Mandate that forced everyone to buy Electric Cars that nobody else wanted (that he knew for months I was going to do!), and he just went CRAZY!” Trump said in one post. In another post, Trump said, “I don’t mind Elon turning against me, but he should have done so months ago. This is one of the Greatest Bills ever presented to Congress. It’s a Record Cut in Expenses, $1.6 Trillion Dollars, and the Biggest Tax Cut ever given.” “If this Bill doesn’t pass, there will be a 68% tax increase, and things far worse than that. I didn’t create this mess, I’m just here to FIX IT. This puts our Country on a Path of Greatness. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!” At one point, Musk referenced late pedophile Jeffrey Epstein in relation to Trump as part of the larger tirade in a comment that several Republicans told Fox News Digital went “too far.” Musk deleted that post days later. Other posts from Musk included a claim that Trump would not have won the election without his help while accusing Trump of “ingratitude.” In another post, Musk suggested that Trump should be impeached and replaced by Vice President Vance. Trump told Fox News on Friday that he isn’t interested in talking to Musk, adding that “Elon’s totally lost it.” Trump also said to Fox News’ Bret Baier that he isn’t worried about Musk’s suggestion to form a new political party, citing favorable polls and strong support from Republicans on Capitol Hill. Fox News Digital’s Diana Stancy contributed to this report
Power players or baseball players? The history behind the Congressional Baseball Game
Washington is stocked with power players. The president. White House officials. Cabinet secretaries. U.S. Representatives. Senators. Powerful aides. Lobbyists. Journalists. But how about baseball players? Democrats and Republicans convene Wednesday night at Nats Park just blocks from the Capitol for the annual Congressional game. REPORTER’S NOTEBOOK: LAWMAKERS TAKE TO THE FIELD IN STRANGE SPECTACLE OF ANNUAL CONGRESSIONAL BASEBALL GAME Since 1909, Democrats and Republicans have traded in conference committees for mound visits. The Congressional Record for scorecards. And parliamentarians for umpires. Rep. Roger Williams, R-Texas, is a former Atlanta Braves farmhand. He gets his squad out on the practice diamond nearly every morning when lawmakers are in session at 5:45. “We’ve been working out since March 1,” said Williams. “I think we’re as good as we were last year.” However, he noted that springtime rain limited practice time. And, an injury might beset the GOP squad. House Republican Conference Vice Chairman Blake Moore, R-Utah, started in center field for Republicans last year. Moore is one of the best overall athletes for either team. Moore won the high school Heisman Trophy in 1997. However, Moore injured his collar bone diving to make a save as a goalie in the Congressional soccer game a few weeks ago. Yes, there’s a Congressional soccer game, too. And flag football game. And basketball game. And hockey game. And voters sometimes wonder why nothing ever gets done in Washington? UNDER THE DOME AND ON THE DIAMOND Anyway, Moore says his clavicle has healed. Ironically, he can golf. But can’t play baseball. And can’t reach up to put away the dishes in the cupboard after dinner. “That goes over really well with my wife,” said Moore. A penalty for playing soccer? “I fined him $500,” said Williams – we believe jokingly. Rep. Jake Ellzey, R-Texas, played right field last year. He moves to center field in place of Moore Wednesday night. Rep. Marlin Stutzman, R-Ind., patrols right field for Republicans. Stutzman returned to Congress this year after an eight-year hiatus. Stutzman played in six games before, hitting .083. Stutzman used to pitch for the GOP. But his services out of the bullpen probably aren’t necessary. After all, Stutzman might not match up to other Hoosier State hurlers like Tommy John and Don Larsen. On the mound, Stutzman sports an 0-2 record with a 14.44 ERA in the Congressional contest. That said, Williams does have a potential newcomer who can throw: Freshman Rep. Pat Harrigan, R-N.C., is a rookie and a fireballer. “He’s my Ryne Duren,” said Williams of Harrigan. To the uninitiated, Duren was a flamethrowing all-star in the 1950s and ‘60s – mostly with the New York Yankees and Cincinnati Reds. Duren wore Coke-bottle glasses. The line “Oh say can you see” during “The Star-Spangled Banner” took on a little more meaning for opposing hitters when Duren was on the mound with his fastball. Williams says Harrigan can bring it. But his control needs work. THE TRAGEDY OF PETER EDWARD ROSE Rep. Linda Sanchez, D-Calif., enters her third year as the Democrats’ skipper. She’s the first woman to manage the team. Women first played in the game in 1993. Former Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, R-Fla., along with former Sen. Blanche Lincoln, D-Ark., and current Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., broke the gender barrier. Both Lincoln and Cantwell played as House Members. Sanchez appeared in 11 games and is one of the best women to suit up. She hit .455, going 5-11 with two walks. Sanchez bleeds Dodger blue. She historically wears a Fernando Valenzuela jersey while managing. Valenzuela was one of the most iconic Dodgers of all time, capturing the 1981 Cy Young Award with his screwball as “Fernandomania” seized southern California. Valenzuela died last fall. But Sanchez used to pull for the “California” Angels – now the Los Angeles Angels. Sanchez switched her allegiance from the Halos to the Dodgers after the Angels let Nolan Ryan escape to the Houston Astros in late 1979. One wonders how Sanchez would have felt if she were a New York Mets fan back when they traded Ryan to the Angels? TRUMP’S SPENDING BILL HEADS TO SENATE WHERE REPUBLICANS PLAN STRATEGIC ADJUSTMENTS TO KEY PROVISIONS Sanchez’s success at the plate hasn’t followed her into the Democrats’ dugout. Republicans have captured the last four contests – including the two which Sanchez managed. Republicans pounded the Democrats last year, 31-11. The GOP topped the Democrats 16-6 in 2023. There was no game in 2020 due to the pandemic. So the Democrats haven’t won since 2019. Republicans hold a 38-23 advantage in the “modern” era of the game. They began playing the Congressional game in 1909. But late House Speaker Sam Rayburn, D-Texas, halted the game because it became too violent. There was a legendary collision at home plate in the 1956 game. Late Rep. Charles Curtis, R-Mo., was catching for the GOP. Rep. Olin “Tiger” Teague, D-Texas, steamrolled Curtis at the plate. Teague is buried at Arlington National Cemetery. But Teague buried Curtis at home in that game. Orderlies hauled Curtis off the old Griffith Stadium field on a stretcher. Lawmakers resumed the game in 1962. Sanchez is buoyed by at least four new freshmen – or rookies – on her club. Reps. Dave Min, D-Calif., Derek Tran, D-Calif., John Mannion, D-N.Y., and Johnny Olszewski, D-Md. “Our principal weakness has been not a lot of depth to our bullpen. And this year we’ve got a couple of freshmen that can throw. So we’re hoping that with those additions, we can do a lot better this year,” said Sanchez. Expect Mannion to work in relief. REPUBLICAN LAWMAKERS STAND FIRM AGAINST MUSK’S ‘KILL THE BILL’ ASSAULT ON TRUMP’S AGENDA Like most Major League clubs, the Democrats need pitching. “We had a great run for a little while when Cedric Richmond was on the mound,” said House Democratic Caucus Chairman Pete Aguilar, D-Calif., who pitches, catches and plays infield for the Democrats. Former Rep. Cedric Richmond, D-La., is one of the greatest players in Congressional
RFK Jr scraps vaccine committee members in effort to restore ‘public trust’
The Department of Health and Human Services dismissed all the members of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) on Monday. The committee’s job was to decide and “make recommendations” related to the necessity and use of vaccines, according to an HHS news release. All the current members of the committee were brought in under the Biden administration, and 13 of them were put on the committee last year. HHS said it would take until 2028 for most of the members to be replaced if they served their full term. RFK JR’S HHS TO END ROUTINE COVID VACCINE GUIDANCE FOR CHILDREN, PREGNANT WOMEN: REPORT Public debate about vaccines, especially whether government or workplaces should mandate them, escalated during the COVID-19 pandemic. Much of the criticism and skepticism fell on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which ACIP advises. “Today we are prioritizing the restoration of public trust above any specific pro- or anti-vaccine agenda,” Secretary Robert F. Kennedy said in a statement on Monday. “The public must know that unbiased science—evaluated through a transparent process and insulated from conflicts of interest—guides the recommendations of our health agencies.” The HHS release noted that the next meeting for the committee will be June 25-27 in Atlanta, and the committee will have new people that are “currently under consideration.” CDC EYES NARROWER COVID-19 VACCINE GUIDANCE AHEAD OF 2025-2026 SEASON “A clean sweep is necessary to reestablish public confidence in vaccine science,” Kennedy continued. “ACIP’s new members will prioritize public health and evidence-based medicine. The Committee will no longer function as a rubber stamp for industry profit-taking agendas. The entire world once looked to American health regulators for guidance, inspiration, scientific impartiality, and unimpeachable integrity. Public trust has eroded. Only through radical transparency and gold standard science, will we earn it back.” HHS cited an executive order from President Donald Trump saying that changes were needed in how the federal government plays a role in science and health. “Unfortunately, the Federal Government has contributed to this loss of trust. In several notable cases, executive departments and agencies (agencies) have used or promoted scientific information in a highly misleading manner,” the order stated. MILLIONS SPENT BY BIDEN ON COVID ‘VACCINE HESITANCY’ CAMPAIGN SLASHED BY TRUMP NIH: REPORT “For example, under the prior Administration, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued COVID-19 guidance on reopening schools that incorporated edits by the American Federation of Teachers and was understood to discourage in-person learning,” the order, signed on May 23, continued. “This guidance’s restrictive and burdensome reopening conditions led many schools to remain at least partially closed, resulting in substantial negative effects on educational outcomes — even though the best available scientific evidence showed that children were unlikely to transmit or suffer serious illness or death from the virus, and that opening schools with reasonable mitigation measures would have only minor effects on transmission,” it added. Kennedy was confirmed by the Senate to lead the department in February after Trump nominated him.