Inclusive tone of new pope isn’t sitting well with some in the ‘America First’ movement
The morning after his election, Robert Prevost — now Pope Leo XIV and the first American pontiff in the Catholic Church’s 2,000-year history — presided over his first Mass. In a nod to his predecessor, the late Pope Francis, Leo pledged to align himself with “ordinary people” and pointed to a loss of religious faith for contributing to “appalling violations of human dignity.” “A lack of faith is often tragically accompanied by the loss of meaning in life, the neglect of mercy, appalling violations of human dignity, the crisis of the family and so many other wounds that afflict our society,” the new pope said in his homily delivered at the Vatican’s Sistine Chapel on Thursday. However, the message from the pope – who, like his predecessor, appears to hail from the more inclusive and progressive wing of the Catholic Church – does not appear to be receptive to some in the “America First” movement. FIRST AMERICAN-BORN POPE INSPIRES FAITH LEADERS ACROSS THE NATION The founder and leader of the movement, President Donald Trump, on Thursday quickly praised the selection of Leo, who was Chicago-born but has lived much of his adult life in Peru. “It is such an honor to realize that he is the first American Pope. What excitement, and what a Great Honor for our Country. I look forward to meeting Pope Leo XIV. It will be a very meaningful moment!” Trump wrote in a social media post. Additionally, Vice President JD Vance, only the second Catholic vice president in U.S. history, congratulated the new pope, adding, “I’m sure millions of American Catholics and other Christians will pray for his successful work leading the Church. May God bless him!” PRESIDENT TRUMP CALLS FIRST AMERICAN POPE LEO XIV AN ‘HONOR’ FOR US, ‘VERY HAPPY’ However, thanks to a paper trail of weighing in on major American lighting rod issues such as illegal immigration, gun control, and even the 2020 death of George Floyd – which sparked nationwide protests targeting police brutality towards minorities – the new pope was bound to be controversial among some of Trump’s millions of MAGA supporters. Steve Bannon, the former White House chief strategist in Trump’s first administration and a conservative Catholic, wrote, “Worst pick ever,” in responding on social media to the new pope’s election. That sentiment from Bannon, and much harsher words from some far-right podcasters and social media influencers, was likely fueled in part by apparent past posts from the new pope – which could not be independently verified by Fox News – that were critical of the Trump administration’s sweeping and controversial immigration policies. Pro-Trump conservative commentator Joey Mannarino took to X to charge that “the new Pope has recently attacked JD Vance, shown solidarity with Kilmar Abrego-Garcia and begged Trump to open the borders like Biden had them. This guy is worse than Francis.” LIVE UPDATES: CARDINAL ROBERT PREVOST ANNOUNCED AS FIRST AMERICAN POPE, TAKING NAME LEO XIV However, influential conservative activist and commentator Charlie Kirk, a MAGA world rock star and Trump ally who leads the powerful Turning Point USA youth organization, was more measured. “Let’s just say, not so great tweets about having some willingness for open borders. We’ll see kind of how he is on that. Also some George Floyd stuff that I’m not too crazy about,” Kirk said in a video posted on X. Kirk added that “overall, it seems like he’s a pro-life warrior. There’s a lot yet to learn about this pope, but I hope that he will be a strong advocate for strong borders. And for sovereignty.” Popular conservative commentator and radio host Hugh Hewitt seemed receptive to the new pope. Trump has warmly embraced American Catholics in recent years and captured nearly 60% of the Catholic vote in last year’s presidential election, according to a Fox News voter analysis. Four years earlier, former President Joe Biden, the nation’s second Catholic president, narrowly captured the Catholic vote. Among those Catholics who supported Trump is former New Hampshire state House Speaker Bill O’Brien, who is one of the state’s two members on the Republican National Committee. O’Brien told Fox News that he’s “very respectful of the votes of the conclave, and I’m also proud that we do have a pope from America.” “I certainly would have liked to have seen someone more in the tradition of Pope Benedict, who held more closely to the traditional doctrines of the church,” O’Brien said. “But I’m not sure that Pope Leo is really established now in terms of where he will be. And the fact that he criticized Trump, I suppose that probably shows a less than developed political sense than it does a doctoral sense, which is more important.” O’Brien noted that “any pope, any religious figure for that matter, is going to be concerned about those who are powerless in our society, and rightfully so, but that doesn’t mean he’s given intense thought to the importance of national borders.” He additionally emphasized that “I’m thrilled about where he comes from, and I’m hopeful about where he’s going.”
Trump pushes tax hikes for wealthy as ‘big, beautiful bill’ deadline looms
House Republicans are trying to find the right cocktail of tax reductions and new revenue to pass President Donald Trump‘s “big, beautiful bill” by Memorial Day. No taxes on tips is politically popular and is a key campaign promise of the president, but a coalition of deficit hawks could block that if the GOP fails to find revenue to cover the gap. That is why the president pushed House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., this week to raise taxes on the super rich. HORSE SENSE: HOUSE REPUBLICANS WORK TO PASS ‘BIG, BEAUTIFUL BILL’ Trump is considering allowing the rate on individuals making $2.5 million or more to increase by 2.6%, from 37% to 39.6%, Fox News Digital reported Thursday. Such a move would resonate with working-class Americans who elected the president. However, many conservatives have signed pledges for years against raising any taxes. Trump wrote in a Truth Social post Friday morning, “The problem with even a ‘TINY’ tax increase for the RICH, which I and all others would graciously accept in order to help the lower and middle income workers, is that the Radical Left Democrat Lunatics would go around screaming, ‘Read my lips,’ the fabled Quote by George Bush the Elder that is said to have cost him the Election. NO, Ross Perot cost him the Election! In any event, Republicans should probably not do it, but I’m OK if they do!!!” CAPITOL HILL LAWMAKERS REACT TO ELECTION OF FIRST AMERICAN POPE: ‘UNBELIEVABLE’ A deduction for state and local taxes (SALT) also remains unresolved as a group of Republican representatives from New York threaten to vote against the latest proposal. Meantime, a debate rages about health assistance. House Budget Committee Chairman Jodey Arrington, R-Texas, accused Democrats of trying to “paralyze our conference” and “frighten” Republicans about Medicare and Medicaid cuts. Specifics are key. “Until we see what comes out of the committee, I don’t know what’s on and what’s off,” said Freedom Caucus Chairman Andy Harris, R-Md.
Vance says India-Pakistan conflict ‘none of our business’ as Trump offers US help
Vice President JD Vance suggested the U.S. will not intervene in the ongoing conflict between India and Pakistan, arguing the dust-up is “fundamentally none of our business.” “We can’t control these countries,” Vance told Fox News’ Martha McCallum on “The Story” Thursday. “We’re not going to get involved in the middle of a war that’s fundamentally none of our business and has nothing to do with America’s ability to control it.” Vance’s comments came after President Donald Trump offered his help to repair relations between the two neighbors in Asia. “Oh, it’s so terrible. My position is, I get along with both,” Trump told reporters Wednesday. “I know both very well, and I want to see them work it out. I want to see them stop. And hopefully they can stop now. They’ve got a tit-for-tat, so hopefully they can stop now. But I know both. We get along with both countries very well. Good relationships with both. And I want to see it stop. And if I can do anything to help I will. I will be there as well.” PAKISTAN SHOOTS DOWN MORE THAN TWO DOZEN DRONES LAUNCHED BY INDIA Vance, however, said the U.S. does not believe the issue will devolve into a nuclear conflict as he called on both sides to de-escalate. “America can’t tell the Indians to lay down their arms. We can’t tell the Pakistanis to lay down their arms. And so we’re going to continue to pursue this thing through diplomatic channels. Our hope and our expectation is that this is not going to spiral into a broader regional war or, God forbid, a nuclear conflict.” The vice president’s comments come after India attacked nine sites in longtime foe Pakistan’s territory in response to a terrorist attack that killed 26 mostly Indian tourists in the disputed Kashmir region. India said it had intelligence that a terrorist group based in Pakistan was responsible for the attack. Meanwhile, Pakistan’s military reported that the strikes killed at least 26 people – including women and children – and claimed India’s action amounted to an “act of war.” Pakistan said it shot down five Indian fighter jets in response, claiming that the move was justified given India’s strike. India has since launched drones into Pakistan, which its military forces say they shot down. India has also called up its reservists to ready for the potential of a protracted conflict. TRUMP OFFERS TO HELP INDIA, PAKISTAN AMID GROWING CONFLICT: ‘I WANT TO SEE THEM STOP’ Vance has emerged as the standard-bearer for the Trump administration’s non-interventionist wing, giving voice to an American-first foreign policy that breaks sharply from GOP orthodoxy and has been labeled isolationist by hawkish critics. He claimed the U.S. was “making a mistake” when it began the offensive campaign against the Houthis in March. “I think we are making a mistake,” Vance wrote in a private Signal chat, inadvertently leaked to a journalist and later published by The Atlantic. “I am not sure the president is aware how inconsistent this is with his message on Europe right now.” The commercial ships attacked in the Red Sea are largely European. Vance has favored diplomatic negotiations with Iran to thwart its nuclear program and was on the attack at a White House meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in February. “Right now you guys are going around forcing conscripts to the front lines because you have manpower problems,” Vance told Zelenskyy. “You should be thanking the president for trying to bring an end to this conflict,” he added during a meeting that devolved into a near-shouting match. Trump, for his part, is seemingly behind Vance and his restraint-minded approach, naming the vice president as a potential successor to the presidency in an NBC interview last week. “You look at Marco, you look at JD Vance, who’s fantastic,” Trump said on the future of the top of the Republican ticket, referring to Vance and Secretary of State and interim national security advisor Marco Rubio. “Certainly you would say that somebody’s the V.P., if that person is outstanding, I guess that person would have an advantage.”
Dem in Trump district race scrubs social media of posts praising progressives: ‘Scam artist’
FIRST ON FOX: A Democrat running for Congress in New Jersey who has been positioning herself as a moderate to unseat the sitting Republican in a pro-Trump district, has deleted several social media posts promoting progressive candidates and causes. Democrat Rebecca Bennett, who is running in the Democratic primary to unseat GOP Rep. Thomas Kean Jr. in New Jersey’s 7th Congressional District, is a Navy veteran and current member of the Air Force National Guard who has been labeled by local media as a “moderate” in a race the Cook Political Report ranks as “Lean Republican.” A Fox News Digital review of Bennett’s X account, which was created in July 2011 and recently converted from @BigRedBecks to @RebeccaForNJ07, shows several deleted posts that seemingly drift away from the “moderate” label, including praise of progressive Democratic Sen. Elizabeth Warren. “Love her,” Bennett said in a now-deleted post about Warren in 2019. BIDEN DENIES HE LEFT 2024 RACE TOO LATE TO STOP TRUMP, SAYS IT WOULDN’T HAVE MADE A DIFFERENCE “I love everything about this,” Bennett said in a now-deleted post praising a video mashup of Warren to the tune of a Taylor Swift song. “(Except the misogyny that makes it real…) #TeamWarren.” Bennett has also removed posts praising former Vice President Kamala Harris, who was defeated by President Donald Trump, not only nationally, but also narrowly with voters in Kean’s district by just over one percentage point. “Let’s Goooooo,” Bennett wrote in a now-deleted post after Harris was announced as then-former Vice President Joe Biden’s running mate in 2020. If elected, Bennett would serve alongside Democratic New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker, who she praised in 2020, calling him the “best senator.” That post has since been deleted. VANCE, CONSERVATIVES BLAST OMAR OVER RESURFACED ‘FEARFUL OF WHITE MEN’ CLIP: ‘GENOCIDAL LANGUAGE’ During the civil unrest and rioting that erupted after the death of George Floyd in 2020, Bennett posted on X that she agreed in a now-deleted post with a comment from former Obama campaign strategist David Plouffe, where he said House Democrats should “hold hearings” and investigate law enforcement officials responding to the riots. Bennett also deleted a post that appears to support the first impeachment of President Trump. “Officially a @JasonCrowCO6 fan,” Bennett posted on January 21, 2020 as the impeachment trial was unfolding where Crow ultimately voted to impeach. “I’m a vet who also didn’t have the equipment I needed to do my job, so this is personal for me too. #ImpeachmentTrial.” Fox News Digital reached out to Bennett’s team to inquire about the motivation behind deleting the X posts. Bennett’s announcement video, which is almost two minutes long, does not mention that she is a Democrat. In a statement to Fox News Digital, National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) spokeswoman Maureen O’Toole said, “It’s clear Rebecca Bennett is desperately trying to run away from her past and cover up her radical, out of touch agenda.” “But New Jersey voters see right through her act and know exactly who she is: a radical scam artist who can’t be trusted.” Bennett’s team, in a statement to Fox News Digital, did not address why the posts were removed but dismissed the criticism from the NRCC. “It’s no surprise to see the NRCC and conservative news outlets start attacking Rebecca, because they know she is a serious threat to beat Congressman Tom Kean next November and flip NJ7,” Dan Bryan, senior advisor to the Bennett campaign, said. “Rebecca and her campaign will continue to ignore recycled bad faith attacks from right-wing outlets and focus on her record serving this country and Congressman Kean’s failure to deliver for working families in our district.” Bennett is not the first New Jersey Democrat running for Congress to face scrutiny over deleted social media posts. Sue Altman, who was defeated by Kean in 2024, faced heated criticism for deleting social media posts that were critical of law enforcement. The race in NJ-07 will be closely watched in next year’s midterm elections given the thin majority Republicans currently hold in the House of Representatives, where the GOP currently holds 220 seats compared to 215 for the Democrats.
OpenAI’s Sam Altman thanks Sen John Fetterman for ‘normalizing hoodies’
Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., was one of the final senators to question OpenAI chief Sam Altman during Thursday’s Senate Commerce Committee hearing, and the subject of both Three Mile Island and the Democrat’s penchant for Carhartt outerwear came up. Fetterman said that as a senator he has been able to meet people with “much more impressive jobs and careers” and that due to Altman’s technology, “humans will have a wonderful ability to adapt.” He told Altman that some Americans are worried about AI on various levels, and he asked the executive to address it. In response, Altman said he appreciated Fetterman’s praise. FROM FLOPPY DISKS TO FLIGHT DELAYS, TOP LAWMAKER WARNS US AIR SYSTEM IS DUE FOR A REBOOT “Thank you, Senator, for the kind words and for normalizing hoodies in more spaces,” he said. “I love to see that. I am incredibly excited about the rate of progress, but I also am cautious,” Altman said about the Democrat’s particular question. “I think this is beyond something that we all fully yet understand where it’s going to go. This is, I believe, among the biggest … technological revolutions humanity will have ever produced. And I feel privileged to be here.” Fetterman also questioned Microsoft Vice Chair Brad Smith on concerns over the proliferation of data centers making utility costs for Pennsylvanians and Americans go up. “For me, energy security is national security,” he said, citing the use of renewable energy and fossil fuels. FETTERMAN SLAMS DUMB ‘HIT PIECE’ ABOUT HEALTH, SAYS IT FELT LIKE BEING IN ‘GOODFELLAS’ “My focus is also that I want to make sure that ratepayers in Pennsylvania really hit too hard for throughout all of this,” he said, as many mid-Atlantic states are seeing an increase in land purchases for data centers that new tech like AI requires. While the construction of such centers does create jobs, he said, those roles are often temporary. He went on to note how Microsoft is seeking to revive a reactor on Three Mile Island in Dauphin County, which infamously melted down decades ago, and carbon-neutral means to power data centers and more. “I’ve been tracking the plan to reopen TMI (Three Mile Island). My own personal story is I had to grab my hamster and evacuate during the meltdown in 1979,” he said. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP “You might assume that I was anti-nuclear, and I actually am very supportive of nuclear because that’s an important part of the stack if you really want to address climate change.” “But I know that’s to power Microsoft’s data center. And I really appreciate that, but if I’m saying now, if we’re able to commit that, the power purchase agreement, it’s not going to raise electricity for Pennsylvania families.” Smith replied that in data center construction, Microsoft plans to invest in the power grid an equivalent amount to the electricity it will use so that it is not tapping into constricted supply. “No. 2, we’ll manage all of this in a way that ensures that our activity does not raise the price of electricity to the community,” he said.
Newsom debuts rapid-response website as critics accuse him of prioritizing presidential ambitions
Gov. Gavin Newsom, D-Calif., a potential 2028 presidential candidate, launched a new fact-check website on Wednesday targeting “right-wing misinformation,” as a new poll found more than half of California registered voters believe he is more focused on becoming president than delivering for Californians. Newsom’s campaign apparatus described the new fact-check website as a “rapid-response website to set the record straight about the Golden State” and President Donald Trump. A new survey conducted by UC Berkeley’s Institute of Governmental Studies and co-sponsored by the Los Angeles Times found that 54% of California registered voters believe Newsom is more focused on his personal presidential ambitions than solving the ongoing problems at home in the Golden State. “By a more than a two-to-one margin (54% to 26%), most voters believe that as Newsom serves out his final two years as governor, he is devoting more of his attention to things that might benefit himself as a possible candidate for president than to governing the state and helping to solve its problems,” according to the results of the poll completed April 21-28 among 6,201 registered voters in California. TRUMP DARES NEWSOM TO RUN IN 2028, SLAMS RECORD ON LA WILDFIRES Newsom’s campaign, in a press release announcing the new fact-checking endeavor, touted California as the fourth-largest economy in the world, and said the blue state’s population is growing, crime rates are at historic lows and California is leading the nation in clean energy and tech innovation. WHITMER DITCHES DEM PLAYBOOK ON TRUMP’S TARIFFS AMID 2028 SPECULATION “This site is for everyone sick of the BS about California. We’re done letting the MAGA trolls define the Golden State. We’re going on the offense and fighting back — with facts,” Newsom said. Newsom’s latest endeavor targets misinformation from the devastating Los Angeles fires this year and other state issues, including crime, climate, the economy, immigration, energy and housing. California is often ridiculed by Republicans as a representation of the demise of Democratic states. Such was the case last month when a California lawmaker proposed a bill to allow state college and university students to sleep in their cars amid the blue state’s housing crisis. The California politician has long been rumored to harbor presidential ambitions. He was one of several names floated as a potential Democratic nominee replacement for President Joe Biden before Biden suspended his re-election campaign last summer and ultimately chose former Vice President Kamala Harris as his successor. Newsom also campaigned for Biden and Harris in key battleground states, acting as a surrogate for both candidates when their names were on the top of the ticket. Newsom launched a podcast this year embracing political dialogue across party lines, following Democrats losing the White House and the Senate and failing to regain the House of Representatives in 2024. Newsom has invited Trump allies and conservative guests, including Charlie Kirk and Steve Bannon, onto his podcast in an attempt to show he is open to “criticism and debate without demeaning or dehumanizing one another.” The strategy follows criticism after the 2024 election that Democrats didn’t prioritize new media appearances and unscripted conversations enough. But Newsom’s willingness to soak up the national spotlight as Democrats look for someone to lead the party into the next generation may have backfired among his California constituents. Newsom is one of several Democratic governors trying to balance diplomacy with rejecting Trump’s agenda during the president’s second term. Newsom has spoken out against Trump’s tariff policies and executive orders while reaching across the aisle to secure disaster relief following the Los Angeles fires earlier this year. The poll found a majority of California voters believe the state would be negatively impacted by Trump’s overhaul of the federal government, as 64% believe Trump’s tariffs would negatively impact California business and agriculture and over 50% believe Trump’s policies would have a negative impact on education. Meanwhile, Californians are split on Newsom’s job performance, with 46% both approving and disapproving of his job as governor and 45% reporting they are not confident in “his ability to be effective in looking out for California’s interests when dealing with the Trump administration.” “The Governor is focused on one thing: his job — driving L.A.’s recovery, confronting the housing crisis, and taking Donald Trump to court over his disastrous tariffs that are raising costs for families and blowing a hole in California’s budget,” Newsom’s office told Fox News in response to the new polling.
Former Supreme Court Justice David Souter dead at 85
Former Supreme Court Justice David Souter died Thursday at his home in New Hampshire at the age of 85, the Court announced Friday. “Justice Souter was appointed to the Court by President George H.W. Bush in 1990, and retired in 2009, after serving more than 19 years on the Court,” it said in a statement. “Justice David Souter served our Court with great distinction for nearly twenty years. He brought uncommon wisdom and kindness to a lifetime of public service. After retiring to his beloved New Hampshire in 2009, he continued to render significant service to our branch by sitting regularly on the Court of Appeals for the First Circuit for more than a decade. He will be greatly missed,” Chief Justice John Roberts said. Souter was described by the Associated Press as a “reliably liberal vote on abortion, church-state relations, freedom of expression and the accessibility of federal courts.” Upon his retirement in 2009, President Barack Obama chose Sonia Sotomayor to take his seat. Fox News’ Bill Mears and Shannon Bream contributed to this report. This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
Blue state governor touts meeting with CCP official cozying up to Dems: ‘Grateful for the opportunity’
FIRST ON FOX: A Democratic governor enthusiastically posted photos with a Chinese Communist Party diplomat on Wednesday evening, saying she was “grateful for the opportunity” to meet with him. Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey, who went viral late last year for vowing to use “every tool” to fight back against President Donald Trump‘s deportations, took to X to highlight a meeting she and one of her top appointees had with Chen Li, the consul general of the People’s Republic of China, in New York. “Massachusetts is home to a vibrant Chinese-American community, and China is one of our largest trading partners,” Healey wrote in a X post, which included three photos. “Glad to welcome Ambassador H.E. Chen Li of the People’s Republic to China to the State House, and grateful for the opportunity to discuss future collaboration!” All three photos included Healey and Li, whose jurisdiction covers almost a dozen states. However, one photo also included now-former Massachusetts Secretary of Economic Development Yvonne Hao, an American-born citizen whose parents are originally from China. Hao’s last official day in her role was earlier this month, according to local outlets. However, she is still serving in the Healey administration as an unpaid advisor. BROTHER-IN-LAW OF TOP DEM SENATOR PLAYED KEY ROLE IN RECRUITING CHINESE FIRMS TO DEEP BLUE CITY A press release from Healey’s office on Wednesday highlighted how Massachusetts and China “shared economic and cultural ties” in addition to their “commitment to continuing to work together for the benefit of our people and our economy.” “China is Massachusetts third largest trading partner, with over $7.2 billion worth of goods exchanged in 2024. In 2024, Massachusetts imported $3.4 billion in goods from China, including toys, games and sports equipment, apparel and accessories,” the press release continued. “Massachusetts exported $3.8 billion in goods to China in 2024, including industrial machinery, medical devices and plastics.” She appeared to then try to justify the meeting by highlighting how she makes “it a priority to meet with foreign officials when they visit Massachusetts,” listing off several foreign officials who she has met with, including the “Consul General of the Kingdom of the Netherlands Ahmed Dadou, and Singapore’s Ambassador to the United States Lui Tuck Yew.” Li, who has repeatedly praised the CCP and echoed the party’s talking points about Uyghur genocide allegations being “fabricated,” responded to Healey’s post by quoting it and saying he was “honored to have a very pleasant conversation” with Healey. He added that he was “focusing on the cooperation between China and Massachusetts.” SCHUMER SPOTTED POSING FOR PHOTO WITH CCP OFFICIAL AS WARNINGS SWIRL ABOUT CHINA INFLUENCE Fox News Digital has extensively reported on the influence that Li and his predecessors have had in the United States, which has included cozying up to Democratic politicians like Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and Gov. Kathy Hochul, in addition to administrators at top American universities across several states on the East Coast, including Kean University President Lamont Repollet. Chen, like his predecessor Huang Ping, has repeatedly praised the CCP and denied China’s alleged genocide against the Uyghur population, which has been condemned by many on the world stage, including the United Nations. “It’s hard to imagine how could ‘genocide’ and ‘forced labor’ associated with such a place where population grows steadily, society is safe and open, and people enjoy happy life. Where do the accusations come from?” Chen wrote in 2021. “‘Genocide’ was claimed by former US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on the very last day of his term. It was based on reports fabricated by some extremist anti-China individuals who haven’t been to Xinjiang for years and accounts of a few so-called witnesses who were proved to be trained ‘actors’ and ‘actresses.’” Michael Sobolik, an expert on U.S.-China relations and a Hudson Institute senior fellow, previously told Fox News Digital that the “Chinese Communist Party is always looking for ways to penetrate U.S. businesses and civil society. We shouldn’t make their job easier for them.” Earlier this year, Chen posted multiple times about participating in New York City parades, which included Schumer and anti-Trump Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg. He also met with Sen. Richard Blumenthal’s brother-in-law to light up the Empire State Building to mark the Lunar New Year, a tradition between the Chinese Consulate and the Empire State Building that goes back over a decade. Prior to Chen, Ping was in his position between 2018 and 2024. Ping was implicated in an unsealed indictment against Gov. Kathy Hochul’s former deputy chief of staff, Linda Sun, who was charged “with violating and conspiring to violate the Foreign Agents Registration Act, visa fraud, alien smuggling, and money laundering conspiracy,” according to a Justice Department press release. The indictment revealed then-Lt. Gov. Hochul wanted to mention the “Uyghur situation” in China for her 2021 Lunar New Year message, but the plight of the minority group being persecuted by the Chinese government was ultimately omitted after Sun overruled the speechwriter. The indictment alleges Sun revealed to Ping what the speechwriter wanted to include, but insisted that she would not let her boss mention Uyghurs after admitting that she was “starting to lose her temper” with the speechwriter. The indictment later detailed other exchanges she had with Ping and said he gifted her parents with Nanjing-style salted ducks prepared by his chef in exchange for her help in influencing the governor’s policies. Fox News Digital reached out to Gov. Healey’s office.
Trump claims ‘I don’t know her’ and ‘listened to’ RFK Jr about surgeon general pick getting MAGA pushback
President Donald Trump said he does not know his new nominee for U.S. surgeon general, telling reporters Thursday that he relied upon the recommendation of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Trump withdrew the nomination of his first pick for surgeon general, Dr. Janette Nesheiwat, this week and instead nominated Dr. Casey Means. The president, upon announcing her nomination, said she has “impeccable ‘MAHA’ credentials.” TRUMP ANNOUNCES MAHA ADVOCATE CASEY MEANS WILL BE NEW SURGEON GENERAL NOMINEE When asked Thursday about Means and why he tapped her for the role, the president said Kennedy recommended her. “Because Bobby thought she was fantastic, brilliant woman who went through Stanford — wanted to be academic instead of physician,” the president said. “I don’t know her, I listened to Bobby,” Trump added. “I think she’ll be great.” FLASHBACK: TRUMP’S SURGEON GENERAL PICK TOUTED AS ‘FIERCE’ MAHA ADVOCATE BEFORE CONFIRMATION HEARING Means, a vocal “Make America Healthy Again” proponent, played a significant role in helping shape the administration’s agenda surrounding health alongside her brother, Calley Means. She has made a name for herself as a wellness influencer alongside her brother. In 2024, both Casey and Calley co-wrote a book about the chronic disease epidemic titled “Good Energy,” and Casey is also the co-founder of a health-tech company called Levels. Calley Means was previously tapped by the administration to serve as a top special advisor to Kennedy. It is unclear why Nesheiwat’s nomination was pulled. Fox News Digital reached out to the White House for more information and did not immediately receive a response. Meanwhile, in a follow-up post on X, Nesheiwat also said she was “looking forward” to continuing to support Trump while working closely with Kennedy “in a senior policy role.” “My focus continues to be on improving the health and well-being of all Americans, and that mission hasn’t changed,” Nesheiwat concluded in her public social media remarks. Nesheiwat is the sister-in-law of recently fired National Security Advisor Michael Waltz, whom the president indicated he will now be nominating to be the next ambassador to the United Nations after dropping his initial nominee, New York GOP Congresswoman Elise Stefanik.
Rubio just got an additional job in Trump’s administration — and he’s not the only one wearing multiple hats
Amid firings and government shake-ups, the Trump administration has repeatedly been assigning additional job roles to Cabinet members and other officials, Fox News Digital found. Secretary of State Marco Rubio was charged on May 1 with serving as Trump’s national security advisor after the president announced he had nominated former National Security Council chief Mike Waltz to serve as the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations. Rubio’s roles in the administration now include leading the State Department; serving as acting archivist of the United States after Trump ousted a Biden-era appointee; serving as acting administrator of the U.S. Agency for International Development as the admin works to dissolve the independent agency by September; and taking the helm as the interim national security advisor. But Rubio is not alone in taking on multiple roles within Trump’s second administration. Fox News Digital looks back on the various Trump Cabinet members and officials who are wearing multiple hats as the president works to realign the federal government to track with his “America First” policies. TRUMP TOUTS ‘MOST SUCCESSFUL’ FIRST 100 DAYS IN PRESIDENTIAL HISTORY DURING MICHIGAN RALLY Rubio and the Trump administration have come under fire from Democrats for the secretary of state holding multiple high-profile roles in the second administration, including Democrats sounding off on the national security council shake-up on Sunday news shows. “There’s no way he can do that and do it well, especially since there’s such incompetence over at DOD with Pete Hegseth being secretary of defense and just the hollowing out of the top leadership,” Illinois Democrat Sen. Tammy Duckworth said on CBS’s “Face the Nation.” “There’s no way he can carry all that entire load on his own.” TRUMP TO TAP NEW NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISOR IN 6 MONTHS; CALLS WALTZ MOVE ‘UPGRADE’ “I don’t know how anybody could do these two big jobs,” Democrat Virginia Sen. Mark Warner said Sunday on CNN’s “State of the Union.” When asked about the trend of Trump officials wearing multiple work hats, the White House reflected in comment to Fox News Digital on former President Joe Biden’s “disaster of a Cabinet.” “Democrats cheered on Joe Biden’s disaster of a Cabinet as it launched the botched Afghanistan withdrawal, opened the southern border to migrant criminals, weaponized the justice system against political opponents, and more,” White House spokesperson Anna Kelly told Fox News Digital. “President Trump has filled his administration with many qualified, talented individuals he trusts to manage many responsibilities.” The Trump administration has previously brushed off concern over Rubio holding multiple roles, most notably juggling both his State Department leadership and serving as acting national security advisor. Similarly, former President Richard Nixon in 1973 named then-National Security Advisor Henry Kissinger to simultaneously serve as secretary of state. “You need a team player who is very honest with the president and the senior team, not someone trying to build an empire or wield a knife or drive their own agenda. He is singularly focused on delivering the president’s agenda,” an administration official told Politico. Rubio’s multiple national security roles come as war continues between Russia and Ukraine, Israel and Gaza, and recently launched attacks from India on Pakistan. “I am monitoring the situation between India and Pakistan closely,” Rubio said in a Tuesday X post. “I echo @POTUS’s comments earlier today that this hopefully ends quickly and will continue to engage both Indian and Pakistani leadership towards a peaceful resolution.” As Rubio juggles multiple roles, the Trump administration’s foreign policies have closely involved special envoys, most notably Steve Witkoff, Trump’s special envoy to the Middle East. TRUMP NOMINATES WALTZ FOR HIGH-LEVEL POST AFTER OUSING HIM AS NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISOR Witkoff is a former real estate tycoon and longtime ally of Trump’s whose focus in the Trump administration has been on negotiating with Russia amid its war against Ukraine and leading talks with Iran regarding its nuclear program. Witkoff was notably credited with helping secure the release of U.S. schoolteacher Marc Fogel from a Russian prison in February. Fox News Digital reached out to the State Department for comment on Rubio’s multiple roles but did not receive a response. FBI Director Kash Patel, who railed against the “deep state” and vowed to strip corruption from the federal law enforcement agency ahead of his confirmation, was briefly charged with overseeing the of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) in February after the Biden-era director resigned in January. Patel was later replaced by Secretary of the Army Daniel Driscoll as acting ATF director in a job change that was publicly reported in April. ARMY SECRETARY DAN DRISCOLL TO LEAD ATF, REPLACING FBI DIRECTOR KASH PATEL “Director Kash Patel was briefly designated ATF director while awaiting Senate confirmations, a standard, short-term move. Dozens of similar re-designations have occurred across the federal government,” the White House told Reuters in April. “Director Patel is now excelling in his role at the FBI and delivering outstanding results.” Driscoll was sworn in as the 26th secretary of the Army in February. The secretary of the army is a senior-level civilian official charged with overseeing the management of the Army and also acts as an advisor to the secretary of defense in matters related to the Army. It was reported in April that Driscoll was named acting ATF director, replacing Patel in that role. NEW ARMY SECRETARY PRAISES TRUMP, HEGSETH FOR CREATING ‘A LANE FOR CHANGE’ AS HE ZEROES IN ON CUTTING WASTE “Mr. Driscoll is responsible for the oversight of the agency’s mission to protect communities from violent criminals, criminal organizations, and the illegal trafficking of firearms, explosives, and contraband. Under his leadership, the ATF works to enforce federal laws, ensure public safety, and provide critical support in the investigation of firearms-related crimes and domestic and international criminal enterprises,” his ATF biography reads. Ahead of Trump taking office, Republican Reps. Eric Burlison of Missouri and Lauren Boebert of Colorado introduced legislation to abolish the ATF, saying the agency has worked to strip Second Amendment rights from