Melania Trump’s forceful Epstein denial draws bipartisan support from lawmakers
Reactions poured in Thursday after first lady Melania Trump issued a rare on-camera statement forcefully rebuking allegations linking her to disgraced financier and convicted sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein. Speaking earlier in the day, Melania Trump said she was never friends with Epstein or his associate, Ghislaine Maxwell, and stressed that neither played any role in her introduction to her husband, President Donald Trump. “The lies linking me with the disgraceful Jeffrey Epstein need to end today,” she said. “The individuals lying about me are devoid of ethical standards, humility and respect. I do not object to their ignorance, but rather, I reject their mean-spirited attempts to defame my reputation.” As she emphasized that her name never appeared in court documents related to Epstein, several political figures quickly took to social media to publicly rally in support of the first lady. MELANIA TRUMP DENOUNCES ‘LIES’ CONNECTING HER WITH DISGRACED FINANCIER JEFFREY EPSTEIN IN WHITE HOUSE EVENT Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., a leading congressional voice calling for the release of the Epstein files, praised Melania on X with a photo saying, “Melania Trump stands with Epstein victims.” She also applauded Melania for championing legislation that criminalizes the sharing of fake intimate images of women. “Thank you to our First Lady for being a voice for victims across the country. From her work on the Take It Down Act to publicly standing for the survivors of Jeffrey Epstein and calling for action and the truth,” she said. “The truth will prevail. America is strong when strong women stand up for what is right.” VOGUE’S ANNA WINTOUR TAKES SWIPE AT MELANIA TRUMP’S STYLE WHILE PRAISING LIBERAL FAVORITES Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., who has pushed for the release of documents through the Epstein Files Transparency Act, which he co-authored with Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., addressed Melania’s effort to bring survivors in for congressional testimony and said leadership should face consequences over their handling of the files, including recently ousted Attorney General Pam Bondi. “First Lady asks Congress to bring Epstein survivors in for testimony. With all due respect, that’s @DAGToddBlanche’s job!,” he said. “@RepRoKhanna & I already gave brave survivors a chance to tell their horrific stories on Capitol Hill. @PamBondi wouldn’t even acknowledge them. PROSECUTE!” DAILY BEAST APOLOGIZES TO MELANIA TRUMP OVER RETRACTED EPSTEIN ALLEGATIONS ARTICLE Former Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., once a fierce Trump supporter before a public falling out with the president, also posted on X aligning with Melania’s remarks. “I am grateful to the First Lady for her brave statement today about Epstein and his victims,” she said. “I agree with her that the victims should be heard. I also agree with Thomas Massie. The DOJ needs to PROSECUTE!!! And the role of Congress is to legislate, not prosecute.” DAILY BEAST PULLS STORY ALLEGING MELANIA-EPSTEIN CONNECTION AFTER LAWYERS DISPUTE FRAMING Democrats also took to social media after her fiery remarks. Rep. Robert Garcia, D-Calif., called on House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., to schedule a public hearing “immediately.” “We agree with First Lady Melania Trump’s call for a public hearing with the survivors of Jeffrey Epstein. We encourage Chairman Comer to respond to the First Lady’s request and schedule a public hearing immediately,” he said in a post on X. He also characterized the first lady’s speech as a significant moment, saying her remarks drew renewed attention to an investigation some critics argue has not progressed far enough. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP “The First Lady said two things,” Garcia said. “1) She pushed back on Acting AG Todd Blanche & her husband’s efforts to kill this investigation. 2) She joined our efforts to call for a public hearing where survivors who choose to do so have an opportunity to testify.”
Senate Dem accuses Trump of being ‘unfit for office,’ joins growing call to impeach, oust president
Another Senate Democrat has called for President Donald Trump to be removed from office over the Iran war. “I certainly think the president should be removed,” Sen. Andy Kim, D-N.J., said. “I mean, he’s unfit for office. I think the 25th Amendment, and if not, then impeachment.” Congressional Democrats, particularly in the House, have recently escalated their position against Trump’s war in Iran, shifting from pushing for Congress to reassert its authority in declaring war to demanding that the president be ousted from office. ROGUE DEM BUCKS PARTY ON TRUMP WAR POWERS, CALLS IRAN ‘47-YEAR-OLD WAR CRIME’ Trump’s comments in the past few days, particularly his threat against Iran that a “whole civilization will die” unless the Strait of Hormuz was reopened, sparked the latest growing push to have him removed from office. While there is growing sentiment among House Democrats to jettison Trump from office, it’s not as widespread in the Senate. Still, Kim on Thursday joined a small group of Senate Democrats echoing the desires of their counterparts in the House. So far, Sens. Chris Murphy, D-Conn.; Ed Markey, D-Mass.; and Ron Wyden, D-Ore., have all either demanded that Trump be impeached or removed through the 25th Amendment. SCHUMER BLASTS TRUMP’S IRAN WAR AS FAILURE, MOVES TO REIN IN HIS WAR POWERS AMID CEASEFIRE Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., has stopped short of calling for impeachment, but instead is teeing up another war powers resolution — the fourth since the war began in February — to rein in Trump’s war authority in the region as a fragile two-week ceasefire continues. But their calls for removal likely aren’t going to go anywhere now given the political reality in Washington, D.C. Republicans control both chambers of Congress, meaning impeachment is all but a moot point. And invoking the 25th Amendment, which has never been used to remove a sitting president, is even more unlikely, given that it would require Vice President JD Vance, a majority of Trump’s Cabinet and then a two-thirds majority vote in Congress to remove him. TOP GOP HAWK GRAHAM WARNS IRAN DEAL HAS ‘TROUBLING ASPECTS’ AS CEASEFIRE BEGINS It’s also a desire that Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I., contended was “not realistic right now, given his oddball Cabinet of sycophants and eccentrics.” “We’re going to have to buckle down and win this the old-fashioned way,” Whitehouse said. Democrats’ position does provide foreshadowing of what could happen if they win big in the midterm elections this fall, however. Congressional Republicans are still backing Trump’s actions in Iran despite some straying from the party line over his recent apocalyptic comments. Senate Majority Whip John Barrasso, R-Wyo., said, “Iran has been at war with the United States for 47 years, and it’s time for Iran to choose peace.” “They haven’t done it yet,” Barrasso added. “What we have seen is American peace through strength, and with this operation that is going on now, incredible success by the United States. “We have done what we have talked about doing. Eliminate their missiles and eliminate their missile production and eliminate their missile firing capacity, undermine their ability to ever get a nuclear weapon, and sink the navy.” Fox News Digital reached out to the White House for comment and has not yet received a reply.
Unearthed clip exposes shocking claim by Newsom’s wife about inmates at violent California prison
California Governor Gavin Newsom’s wife, Jennifer Siebel Newsom, is getting raked over the coals for comments she made several years ago, suggesting criminals housed in a notorious California prison, which was known for housing violent criminals and death row prisoners, got there by “accident.” Siebel Newsom’s comments came as she was discussing a tragedy in her younger life at an event in 2016. A few days before her seventh birthday, Siebel Newsom was involved in a fatal golf cart accident that ultimately killed her sister. “I had to be very raw when we interviewed the young men who were juvenile offenders at San Quentin. I told them about my own loss, where I lost my older sister a few days before my seventh birthday and I blame myself for her death and I share that because they ultimately were accused of committing these violent crimes and sentenced for life, and I think it shocked them that this blonde lady, who was interviewing them, had a similar story – was perhaps in the wrong place at the wrong time – but wasn’t punished the way they were because clearly it was an accident, but theirs was probably an accident too,” Siebel Newsom said when discussing ways to connect with others. NEWSOM’S WIFE SLAMS TRUMP FIRINGS OF BONDI, NOEM, SPARKING PANEL DEBATE “Anyways, I share that – I guess – I quite enjoy spending time with people and being real and unmasking and showing them that it’s safe to unmask themselves.” A spokesperson for Governor Newsom’s wife clarified that the remarks in the 2016 interview with the first partner, were referring to incarcerated individuals for her 2015 documentary “The Mask You Live In.” The spokesperson did not provide an on-the-record statement but did point Fox News Digital to a social media post from Gov. Newsom’s press office calling out the media for being “focused on running nonstop hit pieces on California’s First Partner,” while the president is “threatening to obliterate a civilization tonight.” On Tuesday, the same day the clip began going viral on social media, President Donald Trump issued an ominous message on his social media platform Truth Social, indicating “a whole civilization will die tonight,” amid his threat of a looming U.S. attack against Iranian bridges and power plants. “This is the MAGA distraction machine — in full force,” concluded the social media post, which included news segments criticizing Siebel Newsom on Tuesday. GAVIN NEWSOM’S WIFE SAYS SHE GAVE HER BOYS DOLLS TO PLAY WITH IN RESURFACED CLIP However, Siebel Newsom’s resurfaced comments still garnered attention on Tuesday from conservative critics who called the California governor’s spouse out for virtue signaling. In direct response to Siebel Newsom’s claims that San Quentin inmates got in their position by “accident,” Rep. Tim Burchett, R-Tenn., shot back sarcastically: “Yeah, like the time that guy accidentally stabbed that dude 27 times.” “What the…” commented Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights at the U.S. Department of Justice, Harmeet Dhillon, in a social media post responding to the 2016 remarks. “She represents everything that is wrong with California,” comedian Adam Carolla added. “Newsom’s wife’s latest virtue signal is telling San Quentin lifers that she faced zero consequences when her sister was killed because it was an accident, then telling them their life sentences are probably for ‘accidents’ too,” wrote conservative women’s sports activist Riley Gaines. “Peak elite tone-deafness.”
Biden-appointed judge at center of repeated clashes with Trump administration issues new immigration block
A Biden-appointed federal judge twice rebuked by the Supreme Court temporarily blocked another Trump administration immigration priority, postponing the termination of temporary protected status for Ethiopians living in the U.S. Judge Brian Murphy of Massachusetts, who has become a frequent legal hurdle for the Trump administration, found that the Department of Homeland Security did not follow proper protocols when it decided to cancel the temporary protected status (TPS) of more than 5,000 Ethiopians in the United States. DHS’ decision would have made the migrants eligible for deportation in 60 days and aligned with the Trump administration’s goal of dramatically narrowing the government’s use of TPS as part of its immigration crackdown. Conservatives lashed out at Murphy on social media for dealing another loss to the president they perceived as unjust. Sen. Eric Schmitt, R-Mo., said the ruling was not subject to judicial review under federal immigration law. Murphy had found that DHS did not meet the necessary conditions under the law to legally cancel TPS. DC COURT RULINGS STALL TRUMP AGENDA ACROSS IMMIGRATION, POLICING, FED — RAISING STAKES ON EXECUTIVE POWER “This Rogue Judge lacks the subject matter jurisdiction to issue this order,” Schmitt said. “The assault on the rule of law continues.” George Washington University law professor Jonathan Turley pointed to his writings on Murphy, saying “this system cannot function with such rogue operators at the trial level.” Murphy emerged as a thorn to the government when he issued a series of rulings last year blocking DHS from deporting migrants to countries other than their nations of origin, leading the Supreme Court to twice reverse his rulings, including by issuing a rare 7-2 clarification saying that Murphy had flouted the high court’s order. His recent order doubling down on his prior rulings in the case was blocked by an appeals court last month. Murphy noted that he was not bucking the Supreme Court with his TPS opinion after the justices issued a string of emergency rulings green-lighting the cancellation of TPS for some countries, while holding off on addressing it for others. “Note that the Supreme Court gave no explanation for its recent stays of related, but not identical, district court orders. … Nor did the Supreme Court explain its subsequent decision not to stay the district court orders in two consolidated,” Murphy wrote, saying, therefore, that there was “no reason to assume” the Supreme Court’s opinion on TPS. Iowa Solicitor General Eric Wessan said the law did not permit judges to weigh in on TPS and noted the Supreme Court’s position. “One big problem for Murphy is the statute: It explains TPS determinations aren’t reviewable. Another is the Supreme Court, which has stopped similar orders twice!” Wessan said. “He finds neither statute nor SCOTUS stops him. I’m unconvinced.” Last month, Murphy also temporarily blocked Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s vaccine overhaul, finding Kennedy’s revised immunization plan reducing the number of vaccines required for children likely violated the law. The move prompted fierce criticism from conservatives, who accused Murphy of activism and selectively weighing “science” in the case. BIDEN-APPOINTED JUDGE TWICE SHUT DOWN BY SCOTUS FACES ‘ACTIVIST’ FIRE AFTER LATEST TRUMP POLICY BLOCK The TPS lawsuit, brought this year by an immigration advocacy group and three Ethiopians with protected status, alleged that DHS violated immigration laws and acted with animus by unconstitutionally discriminating against Ethiopian migrants. DHS canceled TPS for a string of countries, “the apparent goal of which is to significantly reduce the number of non-white and non-European immigrants in the United States,” the plaintiffs’ lawyers wrote in the complaint. “That animus and related rhetoric have been particularly stark for the nationals of majority Black countries,” the lawyers wrote. The Department of Justice could appeal Murphy’s ruling, leading to another legal escalation of a prominent case before him. Fox News Digital reached out to the DOJ and Murphy’s chambers for comment.
Spanberger breaks silence on ‘sanctuary’ claims as ICE clashes heat up
Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger broke her relative silence on multiple controversial issues during her first three-plus months in office, claiming the Old Dominion is not a sanctuary state and poking holes in the context surrounding a damning favorability poll. Spanberger has been under fire for undoing predecessor Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s 287(g) cooperation agreement with the Department of Homeland Security. Multiple heinous crimes have been committed in Virginia, allegedly by illegal immigrants and often under the auspices of sanctuary prosecutors. Spanberger also faces criticism over an April 21 redistricting effort she backed that would draw out all but one Republican congressman. HOMAN WARNS SPANBERGER BLOCKING ACCESS TO VIRGINIA JAILS COULD FORCE MORE ICE STREET OPERATIONS: ‘DO THE JOB’ “Virginia is not a sanctuary state — full stop,” Spanberger said shortly after exiting the executive mansion in Richmond. “There’s a lot of misinformation out there. Certainly, everything that you might read on Twitter is not real, but it’s actually pretty outrageous some of the things that have been reported along the way,” she said, pointing to her executive order on immigration enforcement cooperation. She said her directive was simply for state agencies, including VSP, not to place their troopers under DHS supervision. “And I feel very strongly about that because [VSP] is a top-notch law enforcement agency. And I don’t think it is responsible for us or me as governor or the Commonwealth of Virginia to put Virginia State Police under the supervision or direction of ICE.” According to a policy in neighboring West Virginia, only participating law enforcement personnel who are nominated, trained, certified and authorized have the authority to conduct delegated immigration officer functions under a 287(g) agreement. Only then will immigration enforcement functions be carried out under the supervision or direction of ICE. Spanberger also pushed back on reports that she has banned Virginia law enforcement from any ICE cooperation or localities from entering into their own 287(g) agreements with ICE. “That is not correct. My predecessor said they had to. I simply said I was not forcing them to,” the governor said. While Spanberger’s statement is accurate, a bill that would enact such a ban arrived on her desk March 31 from Sen. Saddam Salim, D-Dunn Loring. GOP OVERPERFORMS IN VIRGINIA SPECIAL ELECTION, FUELING EARLY MOMENTUM TALK IN BLUE-TRENDING STATE Salim’s bill bans any law enforcement agency in Virginia from engaging in 287(g) agreements unless an officer is presented with a judicial warrant, subpoena or detainer for a suspected illegal immigrant that has been signed by a judge. Spanberger said her Department of Corrections still provides a monthly list to DHS of noncitizens in its custody and that the press has incorrectly reported that Virginia can no longer coordinate with federal agencies at this juncture. “It was only the 287(g) agreements that I said state agencies cannot enter into. … Task forces work together. All of that continues to be the case, [including] JTTF.” Spanberger said that if ICE asks Richmond for help and has a warrant related to a suspect’s actions, Virginia will be glad to assist. She also pushed back on concerns over a Washington Post poll showing her with the lowest net favorability rating of any governor dating back to the 1990s. “I would say if everybody hated me, why is everybody putting my face on their mailers for the referendum would be question No. 1,” she quipped. Spanberger has been criticized for opposing gerrymandering in support of a 2019 referendum currently in effect, but she again on Wednesday endorsed Virginia Senate President L. Louise Lucas’ controversial redraw. She added that her election, a “seventeen-point swing,” is “the only poll that matters. And now I’m doing the work for Virginia.” SPANBERGER REFUSES TO HONOR ICE DETAINER IN MURDER CASE, ESCALATING SHOWDOWN WITH TRUMP DHS “What matters to me in the end is what I am delivering for people. I knew when I first was elected that I would have a big target on me,” she said. The governor added that the critiques of her work are at odds with the fact that “everybody thinks I’m a convincing character” in festooning her likeness on innumerable redistricting mailers. “I voted yes, and encourage others to do so,” she said, dismissing claims she should be “barnstorming” Virginia in favor of the redraw as Gov. Gavin Newsom did in California and saying she is a first-term governor closing out her inaugural legislative session versus a last-term governor with national aspirations. On Thursday, ICE Director Todd Lyons was asked about Spanberger and told Fox News Spanberger should “read the headlines” about what’s going on in Fairfax and elsewhere before breaking with ICE. “I never I thought, in my whole career, someone would campaign on going against law enforcement, right. … Elected officials like the governor want to give me a call and work with us, that’s what we want.” Fox News’ Bill Melugin contributed to this report.
Misconduct allegations dog Swalwell as Dem rivals seize opening in California governor’s race
Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., is facing increased scrutiny over allegations that he engaged in sexual misconduct with female staffers and other women, as several rivals take swipes at him ahead of the state’s June gubernatorial primary election. “I’m very disappointed in Eric Swalwell,” former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa said on social media Wednesday. “As more and more women come forward with sexual harassment allegations, Swalwell skipped town to avoid facing tough questions about these allegations.” “If Swalwell wants voters to trust him, he needs to show up, stop hiding behind his campaign staff and social media accounts, and answer every question from reporters and the public. Voters deserve nothing less,” he added. The Swalwell campaign fired back in a statement to Fox News Digital, calling Villaraigosa’s claims that the Democratic lawmaker is inaccessible “false” and “absurd.” ADAM SCHIFF MAKES ENDORSEMENT IN CALIFORNIA GUBERNATORIAL RACE “Congressman Swalwell spoke to more than 1,000 town hall attendees for nearly 90 minutes Tuesday in Sacramento,” Micah Beasley, a spokesperson for the Swalwell campaign, said. “Afterward, he met with members of the media to answer their questions.” Beasley added that Swalwell was unable to attend Wednesday’s candidate forum due to prior commitments, but had met with the group previously. Villaraigosa’s social media post referenced a series of accusations circulated by former Democratic congressional staffer and attorney Cheyenne Hunt and other left-leaning politicos who have alleged, without evidence, that Swalwell made sexual advances toward women employed in his office. The allegations threaten to shake up California’s gubernatorial primary, where Swalwell is vying to be among the top two vote-getters who will advance to the November general election. The crowded field also includes Trump-backed former Fox News host Steve Hilton, Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco and progressive billionaire Tom Steyer. Former Rep. Katie Porter, D-Calif., another candidate in the race, has described the allegations as “troubling” and said she is committed to supporting the accusers, who have yet to go public. “It is those women’s stories to tell when they are ready, and I hope that they feel safe and supported if they choose to do so,” Porter told CNN on Tuesday. “I believe women. I think that has to be the starting place here. So when those women speak up, I will be there, helping to amplify their truths.” SWALWELL’S ‘I SHOULD BE WORKING’ GYM, POOL VIDEOS RESURFACE AS DEM RIVAL HAMMERS HIS MISSED HOUSE VOTES Swalwell has denied any wrongdoing, and his campaign has characterized the sexual misconduct allegations as “outrageous” and implied that the accusers are tied to MAGA. Hunt, executive director of Gen-Z for Change, said she is working with multiple women to go public with their allegations against Swalwell. Hunt has not provided verifiable evidence to support the allegations, and no woman has yet come forward. “The Democratic candidate currently leading in the California governor’s race has a known history of being predatory towards women,” Hunt claimed in a post to social media in March. She posted an image of a direct message sent to her privately containing an allegation against Swalwell. “You know, Eric Swalwell has slept with many of his interns and makes them all sign [non-disclosure agreements] so they don’t speak up, right? And when I was 19, he tried hitting on me and sliding into my DMs,” the quote read. Bhavik Lathia, a Democratic operative, has also called on his party to take the allegations against Swalwell “seriously.” “Hey, I just got off the phone with a trusted friend. This is real. Take it seriously. Eric Swallwell cannot be our nominee. There is going to be a lot more coming out soon. I can’t say more right now, but stay tuned,” Lathia wrote on social media Monday. Swalwell, 45, has served in the House of Representatives since 2013, where he has emerged as a frequent Trump critic. He launched a campaign in late 2025 to succeed Gov. Gavin Newsom, D-Calif., as the Golden State’s next governor.
Foreign fugitive wanted for woman’s killing lived undetected in US for possibly years before ICE arrest
A foreign fugitive who illegally entered the U.S. and is wanted for killing a woman in Mexico was caught near the southern border after evading notice for possibly years. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrested Mexican illegal immigrant Jose Gustavo Angulo Bernal outside a residence in Lake Havasu City, Arizona, last week. Though Angulo Bernal had no criminal record in the U.S., he is wanted in the Mexican state of Sinaloa on homicide charges connected to the 2018 murder of a woman. He was arrested during a targeted traffic stop while driving a vehicle registered in his name. In a public statement, the Department of Homeland Security mockingly referred to Angulo Bernal as “one of the Media’s ‘Non-Criminals.’” The agency emphasized that while nearly 70% of ICE arrests are of illegal aliens charged or convicted of crimes in the country, those with foreign charges are not part of that statistic. DHS Acting Assistant Secretary Lauren Bis commented that while “nearly 70% of ICE arrests have been convicted or charged with a crime in the United States,” the “actual arrests of public safety threats and criminals is much higher.” HOMELAND SECURITY VOWS DEPORTATION OPERATIONS ‘WILL CONTINUE’ AS ICE AGENTS HELP TSA, AGENCY DEFUNDED “Jose Gustavo Angulo Bernal is a cold-blooded killer and an example of who the media often refer to as a ‘non-criminals,’ [sic] because they only have heinous convictions in their home country,” said Bis. According to DHS, Angulo Bernal is charged with participating in the murder of a woman alongside two other accomplices in Nov. 2018. The agency said that after killing her, the trio allegedly dumped the woman’s body in the town of El Tamarindo, Sinaloa. Then, Angulo Bernal entered the U.S. at an unknown date and time. He evaded detection until recently. On March 31, ICE officers staking out a residence in Lake Havasu City observed Angulo Bernal entering his vehicle around 5:50 a.m. The federal officers conducted a targeted vehicle stop, during which Angulo Bernal was positively identified through his Mexican identification card. He was arrested and taken to ICE’s field office in Phoenix for processing. VICTIM’S FAMILY THANKS TRUMP FOR DEPORTING MIGRANT CRIMINAL DHS said he will remain in ICE custody pending the outcome of his immigration proceedings. “Thanks to ICE law enforcement, this monster wanted for murdering a woman in Mexico is off our streets. From foreign fugitives, gang members, and terrorists, ICE is getting the worst of the worst off our streets and out of our country.” MEET THE FAIRFAX KILLERS: TOP VIOLENT ILLEGAL ALIEN CRIMINALS WREAKING HAVOC ON MAJOR AMERICAN SUBURB This comes as DHS continues to undergo a lapse in funding due to a partial government shutdown. The shutdown has been brought on by disagreements in Congress over ICE and Border Patrol enforcement tactics, with Democrats making renewed funding contingent on significant changes to the agency’s current posture.
Republicans block Jeffries’ gambit to curb Trump’s Iran war powers
House Republicans shot down an attempt by Democratic lawmakers Thursday to curb President Donald Trump’s war powers amid a two-week ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran. A group of House Democrats, led by Rep. Glenn Ivey, D-Md., sought to pass a war powers resolution by unanimous consent during a pro forma session Thursday morning. Rep. Chris Smith, R-N.J., who presided during the pro forma, gaveled out of session before recognizing the Maryland Democrat on the floor. The war powers measure, supported by House Democratic leadership, would have ended the Iran conflict and blocked Trump from taking further military action absent congressional approval. “Congress needs to consider this. The time has come. The time has come,” Ivey said after Smith adjourned the session. WATCH: CAPITOL HILL DEBATE ERUPTS OVER WHETHER TRUMP’S IRAN STRIKES AMOUNT TO ‘WAR’ The floor battle comes as House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., has demanded that House GOP leadership immediately reconvene the chamber and vote to check Trump’s war powers in Iran. The House is currently in a two-week recess and is not expected to formally reconvene until the week of April 13. “A two-week ceasefire is woefully insufficient. Accordingly, we have demanded that the House come back into session immediately in order to vote on our resolution to permanently end the war in the Middle East,” Jeffries wrote in a “Dear Colleague” letter Wednesday. Jeffries’ demand followed Trump’s announcement of a temporary ceasefire with Iran on Tuesday evening, with administration officials hailing Operation Epic Fury as an unequivocal success. Vice President JD Vance, Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff and the president’s son-in-law Jared Kushner are expected to head to Islamabad for in-person talks hosted by Pakistani mediators. It is unclear whether Iranian officials, who are insistent upon a ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon, will attend. AOC DOUBLES DOWN ON CALL FOR TRUMP’S OUSTER EVEN AFTER CEASEFIRE ANNOUNCEMENT Democrats in both chambers have repeatedly attempted to curb Trump’s military authority in Iran since the conflict began in late February, but have been thwarted by GOP opposition. Trump could still veto a war powers resolution if a bipartisan measure passes Congress. House Democrats are likely to force another vote on reining in Trump’s war powers as early as next week. Several House Republicans who previously voted against a war powers resolution, including Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., have signaled openness to supporting the measure if it comes to the floor again. Reps. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., and Warren Davidson, R-Ohio, have previously crossed party lines to support blocking Trump from using military force in Iran absent congressional authorization. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., announced that Democrats in the upper chamber would force a vote on a fourth war powers resolution as soon as next week. The top Democrat also argued that Operation Epic Fury was “one of the very worst military and foreign policy actions that the United States has ever taken,” at a news conference in New York City on Wednesday.
Rogue Dem bucks party on Trump war powers, calls Iran ‘47-year-old war crime’
A Democratic rogue isn’t buying his party’s argument that President Donald Trump was on the cusp of committing war crimes in Iran and plans to again stop their attempts to handcuff his policing power in the region. “If you want to talk about a war crime, you know, Iran is a 47-year-old war crime,” Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., said on “Hannity” Wednesday night. Fetterman, a staunch backer of Israel, has time and again broken with his party on the war, joining Republicans to block several attempts by Senate Democrats to reassert Congress’ authority in the ongoing conflict. He is again fracturing from the party line, as several of his peers, including Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., have declared that Trump’s Iran mission, Operation Epic Fury, was a failure. SCHUMER BLASTS TRUMP’S IRAN WAR AS FAILURE, MOVES TO REIN IN HIS WAR POWERS AMID CEASEFIRE Congressional Democrats have demanded that Trump be removed from office for his posts on Easter Sunday and in recent days, in which he laid out an apocalyptic ultimatum for Iran to either reopen the Strait of Hormuz or see their “civilization die tonight.” “If you target civilian infrastructure for the purposes the president was talking about — in other words, what he’s saying is, if you don’t open the Strait of Hormuz, I’m going to blow up civilian infrastructure — that’s a war crime,” Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., said ahead of the ceasefire deal struck Tuesday night. TOP GOP HAWK GRAHAM WARNS IRAN DEAL HAS ‘TROUBLING ASPECTS’ AS CEASEFIRE BEGINS Schumer, speaking at a press conference in New York City Wednesday, argued that Trump’s action in Iran was “one of the very worst military and foreign policy actions that the United States has ever taken.” “This war has made us worse off today than before it started,” Schumer said. Fetterman strayed from top Senate Democrats’ messaging against Trump’s campaign in the Middle East and countered that the president’s actions have been for the better, particularly as negotiations for a full end to the conflict are gearing up. TRUMP’S IRAN THREAT RATTLES GOP AS SOME REPUBLICANS BREAK RANKS AMID 2-WEEK CEASEFIRE “Everything that’s happened so far has made the world safer, and now we are in a position to finally finish it this way, with these kinds of important negotiation points,” Fetterman said on “Hannity.” Senate Democrats plan to launch another attempt to handcuff Trump’s war powers when the upper chamber returns in the coming days. It would mark the fourth such attempt and will likely again be blocked by Republicans, despite some growing wary of the conflict. Like previous attempts, Fetterman plans to cross the aisle to block Democrats’ plan. “We are the force of good in the world and … now, we’re not even 40 days into this,” Fetterman said on “Hannity.” “And now I’m reading that they’re going to force another war powers vote, and I will vote against that, because we have to stand by our military and allow them to accomplish the goals of Epic Fury.”
Vulnerable Dem incumbent caught calling home state ‘stolen land’ in resurfaced video
A House Democrat running for re-election in a battleground district previously said his home state was “stolen land” and claimed racism was “embedded” into nearly everything, according to a resurfaced video reviewed by Fox News Digital. “We are on stolen land,” Rep. Gabe Vasquez, N.M., said in 2020 before entering Congress during an interview with a New Mexico-based outlet. He added the land used to be Mexican territory and before that was inhabited by Native Americans. “Just about every part of life that we experience has some racism embedded into it,” Vasquez continued. “I have become less optimistic about where this country stands in terms of being able to eradicate racism, because it is intergenerational. It is passed on. It is embedded into our system.” Vasquez, who is seeking a third term in November, made the remarks while serving as a city councilmember of Las Cruces — the largest city in his southwestern New Mexico district. He entered Congress in January 2023 after defeating a Republican incumbent while positioning himself as a moderate. TEXAS DEM SENATE PRIMARY FRACTURES OVER RACE RHETORIC AS ‘MEDIOCRE’ JAB, ‘OPPRESSOR’ REMARKS IGNITE BACKLASH Vasquez also suggested that he was open to replacing some of the city’s police officers with licensed psychologists and clinicians to respond to certain events during the interview. “Those are the types of things that I’m committed to supporting, where if we do have to take budget away from a specific department, whether you know, it be police or otherwise,” Vasquez said, adding that he believed it was unnecessary with the current budget. “If we don’t need those positions anymore, if we don’t need those budget line items anymore, then we need to get rid of them,” he continued. “And that’s a decision I’m happy to try to champion at the city council.” Vasquez in 2020 appeared to justify rioting following the death of George Floyd, CNN’s KFile first reported. He also voiced support for the defund the police movement while using a pseudonym during an interview with a local outlet at a Black Lives Matter protest that year. The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) said Vasquez has been an unequivocal supporter of law enforcement during his House tenure in a statement to Fox News Digital. “Rep. Vasquez has supported increased funding for law enforcement for his entire political career, including over $4 billion for state and local police as Congressman just this year,” DCCC spokesperson Anna Elsasser said. The New Mexico Democrat has joined the majority of House Democrats in refusing to fund federal immigration enforcement absent reforms, including the tightening of warrant requirements and prohibiting officers from wearing masks. NEW DEM STAR’S QUICK HARD-LEFT TURN AFTER ‘MODERATE’ CAMPAIGN WON HER COVETED RESPONSE TO TRUMP: LAWMAKER The Republican National Committee sharply criticized Vasquez’s prior comments in a statement to Fox News Digital. “Gabe Vasquez is a truly sick individual who may have a terminal case of the woke mind virus,” RNC spokesman Zach Kraft said in a statement. “He should get the help he needs to realize how insane it is to call every single American racist, and he should be nowhere near Congress.” Vasquez is a top target of national Republicans, who are mounting a second attempt to unseat him after he improved his performance in 2024 despite Trump carrying the district. The nonpartisan Cook Political Report shifted the race from “toss-up” to “lean Democrat” in January, citing President Donald Trump’s declining job approval and Democrats’ strong electoral performance in 2025. Fox News Digital reached out to Vasquez’s campaign for comment.