Trump to speak at NATO Summit amid warming relations with alliance’s leaders
President Donald Trump is set to take the main stage on the second day of the NATO Summit in The Hague, Netherlands — offering a surprisingly cordial tone toward the alliance he has long criticized. The president is scheduled to meet with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte and other world leaders before holding a press conference. Trump also said he will “probably” greet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who is attending the summit amid his ongoing push for Ukraine to join NATO. In text messages shared by Trump, Rutte congratulated him for “making Europe pay in a big way” through a new 5% defense spending target — and for brokering an end to the recent conflict between Israel and Iran. TRUMP HEADS TO NATO SUMMIT AS EUROPE AGREES TO HEED HIS DEFENSE SPENDING DEMANDS “Congratulations and thank you for your decisive action on Iran. That was truly extraordinary, and something no one else dared to do,” Rutte wrote as Trump flew toward the summit. “It makes us all safer.” Israel and Iran entered into a U.S.-brokered ceasefire on Tuesday that almost fell apart — though Israel called off its counterattack at Trump’s urging. “You are flying into another big success in The Hague this evening,” Rutte added, referencing the new agreement for NATO members to increase defense spending to 5% of GDP. NATO allies first agreed in 2006 to spend 2% of GDP on defense — a goal many failed to meet for years. Now, after Trump’s repeated calls for Europe to “pull its weight,” the alliance has approved a more ambitious 5% target, with an exception for Spain, which has long struggled to meet even the original benchmark. The new figure breaks down into 3.5% for core defense spending, and 1.5% for related infrastructure, including cyberwarfare and intelligence. NATO ambassadors agreed on the compromise text Sunday. WHAT TO EXPECT IN THE UPCOMING NATO SUMMIT: TRUMP, SPENDING, UKRAINE, IRAN For most allies, the target marks a significant leap. Poland currently leads all member states with 4.1% of GDP going toward defense. The U.S. stands at 3.4%. Trump said he doesn’t believe the U.S. needs to reach the full 5% threshold — a position backed by Rutte. “The United States is already spending almost 3.5% on core defense, and no doubt they are close to spending the 1.5% on defense-related items,” Rutte said. “Countries like Estonia and Poland are very close. For many others, it will still be a long road ahead, but it’s really important that we do this.” He also called on defense industries “on both sides of the Atlantic” to ramp up production. “It is simply unthinkable that Russia, with an economy 25 times smaller than NATO’s, should be able to outproduce and outgun us,” Rutte said Tuesday. He urged Europe: “Make your defenses so strong that no one dares to attack you.” Despite the progress, Trump cast fresh doubt on whether the U.S. would abide by NATO’s cornerstone mutual defense clause — Article 5 — which obligates members to defend one another in the event of an attack. “It depends on your definition,” Trump said when asked if he would honor the commitment. “There’s numerous definitions of Article 5, you know that, right? But I’m committed to being their friends. I’ve become friends with many of those leaders, and I’m committed to helping them.” Still, U.S. Ambassador to NATO Matthew Whitaker sought to reassure allies, telling reporters, “The United States isn’t going anywhere.” Rutte echoed that message, telling partners to “stop worrying so much” and focus on strengthening their own defenses.
Cuomo concedes in NYC Democratic primary for mayor, congratulates AOC-endorsed Mamdani
Enjoying a surge of support from progressive and younger voters, democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani is a big step closer to becoming mayor of the nation’s most populous city. While the Associated Press had yet to project a winner in New York City’s Democratic Party mayoral primary Tuesday night, former Gov. Andrew Cuomo saw the writing on the wall, telling supporters at an election night party that Mamdani “won.” Mamdani, a 33-year-old state assembly member from Queens who is originally from Uganda, topped former three-term governor and nine other candidates in a crowded primary field in an election that was determined by ranked-choice voting. He will be considered the frontrunner in November’s general election in the nation’s most populous city, which is heavily blue. “Tonight was Assemblyman Mamdani’s night, and he put together a great campaign,” Cuomo said Tuesday. “He touched young people and inspired them and moved them and got them to come out and vote. He really ran a highly impactful campaign. I called him. I congratulated him. I applaud him sincerely for his effort.” TRUMP FRONT-AND-CENTER AS NATION’S BIGGEST CITY HOLDS MAYORAL PRIMARY “Now I want to look at all the numbers, as they come in and this ranked choice voting and, what the numbers actually say and do,” Cuomo said. ‘GLOBALIZE THE INTIFADA’ PHRASE STIRS TENSIONS ON NYC CAMPAIGN TRAIL AS MIDDLE EAST CONFLICT RAGES As the unofficial results of the first round of voting trickled in, in which Mamdani was leading as of Tuesday night, Cuomo told his supporters that his campaign would be “having conversations” about how to proceed to help both the Democratic Party and New York City moving forward. And a Cuomo campaign aide, following the former governor’s speech, said Cuomo is leaving the door open for a possible run as third party or independent candidate in November. “Again, I want to applaud the assemblyman for a really smart and good and impactful campaign. Tonight is his night. He deserved it. He won. And, we’re going to take a look. We’ll make some decisions,” Cuomo said. Mamdani, who, among other things, proposed to eliminate fares to ride New York City’s vast bus system, make CUNY (City University of New York) “tuition-free,” freeze rents on municipal housing, and “free childcare” for children up to age five, was boosted recently after winning an endorsement from Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. The backing of the progressive rock star and New York City’s most prominent leader on the left was followed a week later by an endorsement from Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont, the progressive champion and two-time Democratic presidential nominee runner-up. With multiple candidates on the left running in the primary, the endorsements by Ocasio-Cortez and Sanders helped to consolidate the support of progressive voters behind Mamdani. Once far down in public opinion polls, Mamdami surged the past couple of months to second place as he narrowed the gap with Cuomo. Cuomo’s campaign in the closing weeks of the primary criticized Mamdani as a “dangerously inexperienced legislator” while touting that the former governor “managed a state and managed crises, from COVID to Trump.” “The mayor of the city of New York is the CEO of one of the largest corporations on the globe. This is not a job for a novice,” Cuomo said on the eve of the primary. “This is not a job… for on-the-job training. We need someone who knows what they’re doing on day one because your lives depend on it.” Cuomo and his campaign also targeted Mamdani for his controversial and defiant stance against Israel, which critics suggested touched on antisemitism. “We are against calls to globalize the intifada, declaring open season on Jewish people. We are against those who would glorify Hamas terrorists, who are destined to kill Jewish people,” Cuomo said on the eve of the primary as he took aim at Mamdani. But the attacks apparently weren’t enough to dissuade New York City voters. Mamdani now advances to November’s general election, where he’ll face Curtis Sliwa, the founder of the volunteer crime-fighting patrols known as the Guardian Angels. Sliwa, for a second straight election cycle, is the Republican nominee for mayor. Also on the ballot in November is incumbent Mayor Eric Adams, a moderate Democrat elected in 2021, who is running for re-election as an independent. Adams earlier this year dropped his Democratic primary bid as his approval ratings sank to historic lows. Adams’ poll numbers were sinking even before he was indicted last year on five counts, which accused the mayor of bribery and fraud as part of an alleged “long-running” scheme to personally profit from contacts with foreign officials. The mayor made repeated overtures to Trump, and the Justice Department earlier this year dismissed the corruption charges, so Adams could potentially work with the Trump administration on its illegal immigration crackdown. And because New York City allows candidates to run on multiple party lines, Cuomo could run as an independent or third-party candidate in the general election, adding to the electoral drama.
Teen nicknamed ‘Big Balls’ leaves Trump’s cost-cutting team after exposing wasteful spending
A White House official confirmed to Fox News that a teenaged employee with the nickname “Big Balls” has resigned from his post at the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), adding to the recent shakeup within the department. The now-former DOGE employee – whose real name is Edward Coristine – told Fox News Anchor Jesse Watters last month that his nickname originally came from his LinkedIn social media account. “I use it as my LinkedIn username,” Coristine told Watters, prompting laughter from the host as well as DOGE leader Elon Musk and the rest of his team at the interview. “Well, people on LinkedIn take themselves super seriously, and they’re pretty averse to risk, and I was like, ‘Well, I want to be neither of those things.’ So, I just, I set it and honestly, I didn’t think anybody would notice,” the DOGE employee continued, mocking the career-focused social media platform. DOGE STAFFING SHAKEUP AS ELON MUSK HANGS UP HIS HAT, WHITE HOUSE CONFIRMS A 19-year-old college student and software developer, Coristine was criticized by Democrats and liberal media pundits during DOGE’s first few weeks of investigating wasteful and fraudulent spending in the federal government. Many were upset about the young, irreverently named government employee being given access to government records to pursue DOGE’s work. During his interview with Watters, Coristine said he had been looking through U.S. Treasury Department payment computers and finding a multitude of outgoing payments from the federal government that lacked details about who they were going to and why. “So, one of our initiatives is to root out fraud and waste, and to do that we started looking at the payment computers. And, as mentioned earlier, there’s no accounting of what payments actually go to in the payment computer,” Coristine said. “You look at a specific line item — $20 million. You’re like, ‘OK, what is this money going to?’ And for the majority of payment systems, it’s like, ‘Well, we don’t really know.’” FLASHBACK: TOP FIVE WILDEST MOMENTS FROM ELON MUSK’S DOGE TENURE AS IT COMES TO AN END He continued, saying the system that distributes taxpayer money “literally has no checks and no accountability” to the American taxpayer, adding that it is a “huge vector for fraud, waste, and abuse.” Coristine’s resignation comes less than a month after Musk departed from the agency. Musk’s departure was followed by the departure of several other staffers and special government employees at DOGE, which now includes Coristine. WHAT’S NEXT FOR DOGE AFTER ELON MUSK’S DEPARTURE? ‘ONLY JUST BEGUN’ Musk has been heading DOGE since President Donald Trump took office in January. The department was tasked with cutting $2 trillion from the federal government’s budget through efforts to slash spending, government programs and federal workforce. While DOGE was tasked with cutting $2 trillion from the budget, its efforts have led to roughly $180 billion in savings due to asset sales, contract cancellations, fraud payment cuts and other ways to eliminate costs, according to an update on DOGE’s website. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP The savings translate to about $1,118 in savings per taxpayer, the website notes. Fox News Digital’s Gabriel Hays contributed to this report.
NYC polls are closed but race far from over due to ranked-choice voting
The polls are closed in New York City, but it could take some time before a winner is declared in the Democratic mayoral primary due to ranked-choice voting. The Board of Elections’ initial unofficial tally, which includes mail-in ballots and first-choice votes from early voting and election day, has Democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani with a slight edge – more than 43% – over the 11-candidate field vying for deep blue New York City’s Democratic Party mayoral nomination. But that could change once ranked-choice votes are tallied. Mamdani, a 33-year-old state assembly member who would be the city’s first Muslim mayor, managed a last-minute surge by securing endorsements from Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, New York City’s most prominent leader on the left, and Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont, the progressive champion and two-time Democratic presidential nominee runner-up. Former Gov. Andrew Cuomo, the former three-term New York State governor who resigned from office in 2021 amid sexual harassment allegations, has been considered the clear frontrunner in the race for months. Cuomo picked up over 36% of the vote during the first round of voting, according to the unofficial tally as of Tuesday night. SCANDAL-PLAGUED FORMER GOV ANDREW CUOMO AIMS TO PULL OFF POLITICAL COMEBACK IN THE NATION’S BIGGEST CITY Mamdani cross-endorsed with New York City Comptroller Brad Lander in an attempt to consolidate support against Cuomo within the ranked-choice voting style. Mamdani and Lander campaigned together in the weeks leading up to primary day. ‘GLOBALIZE THE INTIFADA’ PHRASE STIRS TENSIONS ON NYC CAMPAIGN TRAIL AS MIDDLE EAST CONFLICT RAGES Lander dominated national headlines last week after he was arrested in Manhattan by Department of Homeland Security agents. He was detained for allegedly assaulting a federal officer as he tried to escort a defendant out of an immigration court. New York City uses ranked-choice voting, which means voters can rank up to five candidates on their ballot in order of preference. It was first used in the mayoral primary in 2021. If a candidate receives more than 50% of first-choice votes, that candidate wins, according to the New York City Board of Elections. But if none of the candidates pick up more than 50% of first-choice voices, then voting moves to rounds. At the end of each round, the candidate with the least votes is eliminated. Votes for the candidate who was eliminated are then redistributed to the voters’ next-highest ranked choices. The process continues until there are two candidates left, and the candidate with the most votes wins. Since none of the candidates received more than 50% of the vote on Tuesday night, ranked choice voting comes into play, which could take some time. According to The Associated Press, ranked-choice tabulations won’t start until July 1, so the city has time to receive mail-in ballots. A heatwave raged through New York City on Tuesday during the primary, and the dangerously high temperatures may have kept some older voters from heading to the polls. Because of that possibility, the heatwave could affect turnout in a race that may come down to Cuomo’s union support and campaign structure versus Mamdani’s volunteer forces. Cuomo has spent the past four years fighting to clear his name after 11 sexual harassment accusations, which he has repeatedly denied, forced his resignation. He was also under investigation at the time for his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic amid allegations his administration vastly understated COVID-related deaths at state nursing homes. Yet, the 67-year-old has, for weeks, questioned Mamdani’s experience leading New York City. Cuomo’s campaign has criticized Mamdani as a “dangerously inexperienced legislator” while touting that the former governor “managed a state and managed crises, from COVID to Trump.” Mamdani, who among other things wants to eliminate fares to ride New York City’s vast bus system and make City University of New York “tuition-free,” earned a third-quarter boost from Ocasio-Cortez and Sanders. On Election Day, New York City celebrities, including “Sex and the City” star Cynthia Nixon and model Emily Ratajkowski, urged their followers to vote for Mamdani. Former Mayor Bill de Blasio even chimed in to say “#DontRankCuomo.” New York City election officials said that more than 384,000 Democrats cast ballots in early voting, which ended on Sunday. Among the crowded field of Democratic candidates that appeared on Tuesday’s ballot are former Comptroller Scott Stringer, educator Selma Bartholomew, state Sen. Zellnor Myrie, City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams, state Sen. Jessica Ramos, investor and editor at Stansberry Research Whitney Tilson, former State Assembly Member Michael Blake and content creator and music artist Paperboy Prince. Incumbent Mayor Eric Adams, a moderate Democrat elected in 2021, is running for re-election as an independent. Adams earlier this year dropped his Democratic primary bid as his approval ratings sank to historic lows. Adams’ poll numbers were sinking even before he was indicted last year on five counts, which accused the mayor of bribery and fraud as part of an alleged “long-running” scheme to personally profit from contacts with foreign officials. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP The mayor made repeated overtures to President Donald Trump, and the Justice Department earlier this year dismissed the corruption charges, as Adams has coordinated with the Trump administration on its illegal immigration crackdown. Former federal prosecutor Jim Walden is also running as an Independent, and Guardian Angels founder Curtis Sliwa will once again be the Republican nominee. Fox News’ Jess Loker contributed to this report.
Top Biden aide admits to Congress she directed autopen signatures without knowing who gave final approval
A former top aide to President Joe Biden said she was authorized to direct autopen signatures but was unaware of who in the president’s inner circle was giving her final clearance, according to a source familiar with the aide’s closed-door testimony in front of Congress Tuesday. Neera Tanden, the former director of Biden’s Domestic Policy Council, testified for hours Tuesday during an interview in front of the House Oversight Committee, which is investigating the former president’s mental acuity and his use of an automatic signature tool that allowed aides to sign pardons, memos and other important documents on Biden’s behalf. During Tanden’s interview before Congress, which lasted more than five hours, she told lawmakers that, in her role as staff secretary and senior advisor to the former president between 2021 and 2023, she was authorized to direct autopen signatures on behalf of Biden, an Oversight Committee official told Fox News. The system of approval used, according to Tanden’s testimony relayed to Fox News, was inherited from previous administrations. WHO IS NEERA TANDEN? THE CONTROVERSIAL DEM OPERATIVE WHO TESTIFIED ON BIDEN’S MENTAL ACUITY But Tanden, who said she had limited interactions with Biden, described an approval process that left her in the dark about who specifically was giving final approval on the decisions to use the automatic signature tool, sources told Fox News. Tanden testified that to get approval for the use of autopen signatures she would send decision memos to members of Biden’s inner circle. However, she added that she was not aware of what actions or approvals took place between the time she sent the decision memo and the time she received it back with the necessary approval. When Tanden was asked whether she ever discussed Biden’s health or his fitness to serve as president during her time as a top aide, including during the period of the former president’s widely criticized debate performance last summer, Tanden said she did not. Lawmakers laid out a list of names of officials she could have potentially discussed it with, and Tanden said “no” to each name, according to a source familiar with her closed-door testimony. BIDEN INSISTS ‘I MADE THE DECISIONS’ AS REPUBLICANS INVESTIGATE WHITE HOUSE AUTOPEN USE Tanden did not speak to reporters on the way to the Capitol Tuesday morning. Upon exiting, she expressed her willingness to cooperate with the ongoing investigation. “I just spoke with the House Oversight Committee, Majority and Minority Council. I answered every question, was pleased to discuss my public service and it was a thorough process. And I’m glad I answered everyone’s question,” Tanden told reporters. When subsequently asked whether there was any effort to hide Biden’s condition, Tanden replied, “Absolutely not.” In addition to Tanden, Biden’s former White House physician, Dr. Kevin O’Connor, will appear for a deposition in front of House Oversight lawmakers after being subpoenaed by Republicans. In addition to O’Connor and Tanden, the Oversight Committee plans to hear from Anthony Bernal, who served as a senior advisor to former first lady Jill Biden; Annie Tomasini, who was Biden’s former deputy chief of staff; and Ashley Williams, who was the former deputy director of Oval Office operations under Biden. Oversight Republicans are also seeking interviews with officials who were some of Biden’s closest confidants, including former chief of staff Ron Klain and Anita Dunn, a former senior advisor to the president for communications.
Bernie Sanders, AOC-backed mayoral candidate planning massive spending increases in NYC
Pledging a slate of free programs and services during his campaign for New York City mayor, democratic socialist candidate Zohran Mamdani has propelled himself to be among the top candidates, even threatening the highly favored former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo. Mamdani’s campaign has gained significant traction in the New York City mayoral race. The Democratic primary election is on Tuesday, but results are not expected tonight due to the city’s ranked choice voting system complicating the balloting and vote counting. Currently a New York state assemblyman, Mamdani has gained some recognition through endorsements from big-name figures such as Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y. However, he has also gained notoriety in his own right due to a platform chock-full of free services that he has promised New York residents. Mamdani has said he will fund his promised services by raising an extra $10 billion in city revenue by raising taxes on corporations and the top 1% wealthiest New Yorkers. DEM MAYORAL CANDIDATE IN MAJOR AMERICAN CITY LINKED TO RABID ANTI-ISRAEL ACTIVISM: REPORT A look through Mamdani’s platform, available on his campaign website, lives up to his socialist affiliation and Sanders and Ocasio-Cortez‘s endorsements. He has promised to immediately freeze rent prices for more than 2 million New Yorkers living in rent-stabilized apartments, implement free public transit, create a network of city-owned grocery stores that are “focused on keeping prices low, not making a profit” and institute free universal childcare for children from ages 6 weeks to 5 years. He has also promised to create a New York City Department of Community Safety that he says will deploy outreach workers in 100 subway stations, expand gun violence prevention programs, and increase funding to “hate violence prevention programs” by 800%. Mamdani has also pledged to champion a law to raise the minimum wage in New York City to $30 an hour by 2030. COLBERT GRILLS DEM SOCIALIST NYC MAYORAL CANDIDATE ZOHRAN MAMDANI ON ISRAEL, ANTISEMITISM Another major tenet of Mamdani’s platform is “Trump-proofing” New York City. His website states that President Donald Trump’s immigration enforcement, tariffs and other policies are “tearing at the fabric of New York City.” Mamdani’s website states that he will strengthen the city’s sanctuary city apparatus by kicking ICE out of all city facilities and ending any cooperation with the agency as well as increasing legal support for immigrants and shielding their personal data. His website further states that, as mayor, Mamdani will make New York City an LGBTQ+ sanctuary city and protect “reproductive rights.” So, what does the bill look like for all this? According to reporting by Politico this week, Mamdani’s campaign estimates that providing universal childcare would cost between $5 and $7 billion, his Department of Community Safety would cost up to $450 million in new spending, and the city-run food stores cost another $60 million. SANDERS ENDORSES SOCIALIST MAMDANI IN MOVE TO BLOCK CUOMO IN NYC MAYORAL RACE Mamdani is further proposing tripling the city’s $30 billion budget to carry out his housing agenda. Meanwhile, the free buses are projected to cost the MTA roughly $900 million a year in annual revenue. Where will the extra money come from? Mamdani’s website says that he plans to raise the corporate tax rate to 11.5%, which he says will bring in an extra $5 billion. He plans to further set a flat 2% tax on those earning above $1 million annually, which he believes will bring in an extra $4 billion a year in taxes. He has also said he will hire more tax auditors, end no-bid contracts and crack down on fine collection from “corrupt landlords” to raise an additional $1 billion. Mamdani’s campaign did not respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
Who is Neera Tanden? The controversial Dem operative who testified on Biden’s mental acuity
Former Biden official Neera Tanden, who testified before Congress Tuesday as part of an investigation into his mental acuity, has a long history as a Democratic operative and fell short of being appointed to Biden’s Cabinet due to her past controversial social media posts. “I had no experience in the White House that would provide any reason to question his command as president,” Tanden told the House Oversight Committee in her opening statement Tuesday behind closed doors. “He was in charge.” She added that her “cooperation” with the House committee’s investigation “should not be taken to mean” that she believes it is a “worthy subject of oversight” before pivoting to the Trump administration and making multiple allegations. Tanden was initially nominated by Biden to head the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) before the nomination was withdrawn over a lack of congressional support for her and after criticism over some of her past posts on Twitter, now known as X. ISSA FLOATS CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT TO LET CONGRESS, SCOTUS REMOVE PRESIDENT AFTER BIDEN HEALTH ‘COVER-UP’ Leaders from both sides of the political spectrum called out Tanden for personal attacks and statements she has made on social media. Those statements included calling Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, “the worst” and Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., a “fraud,” saying that “vampires have more heart than Ted Cruz” and referring to then-Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., as “Moscow Mitch” and “Voldemort,” referring to the Harry Potter villain. Tanden deleted more than 1,000 of her past tweets ahead of her confirmation hearing. EX-WHITE HOUSE OFFICIALS TO TESTIFY ON WHO ‘REALLY RAN THE COUNTRY’ DURING BIDEN ERA Additionally, committee Chairman Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., said at the time he was worried about the millions of dollars the Center for American Progress (CAP) has received from large corporations and special interest groups. Tanden returned to CAP in February to take over her previous role as the left-wing think tank’s president and CEO. “Tanden, Biden’s nominee to lead the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), disclosed earning $731,528 from the Center for American Progress (CAP) for the last two years, along with thousands in investments and speaking fees, according to the documents,” Fox News Digital previously reported. “That amounts to about $365,000 a year.” Tanden previously described CAP’s mission as becoming the “central hub of the Trump resistance.” A longtime Democratic operative, Tanden worked on former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s two presidential campaigns. Under former President Obama, she also helped draft the Affordable Care Act legislation as an advisor to Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius. Tanden also repeatedly pushed the Russia collusion narrative about Donald Trump and repeatedly hyped the discredited Steele dossier as credible evidence. At one point, Tanden referred to Steele on social media as “the next James Bond.” After her nomination was withdrawn, the president vowed to find a place for Tanden in his administration, one without the requirement of Senate approval, which ended up being senior advisor to the president and later White House staff secretary. Tanden met with the House Oversight Committee behind closed doors Tuesday as it probes whether those closest to Biden in his White House knowingly colluded to hide the former president’s declining mental acuity and used methods to circumvent the former president when it came to the issuance of important orders. A House Oversight Committee aide told Fox News “Neera Tanden told investigators during her transcribed interview today that from 2021 to 2023 she was authorized to direct autopen signatures. It was a system inherited from previous administrations. She also said Biden was in charge,” according to an X post from Fox News’ Chad Pergram. President Donald Trump also ordered the Department of Justice to open an investigation into the matter. The president directed Attorney General Pam Bondi and White House counsel David Warrington to handle the investigation. In response to the Trump administration’s call for an investigation, Biden declared he was the only one who “made the decisions” during his presidency and called Trump’s efforts a “distraction.” Fox News Digital’s David Montanaro, Elizabeth Elkind, and Chris Pandolfo contributed to this report.
Dem senator plows ahead with war powers resolution despite ceasefire
Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., plans to move full steam ahead with his war powers resolution, despite a fragile ceasefire reached Tuesday between Israel and Iran. The fresh ceasefire deal between the warring countries faced early hiccups, with President Donald Trump accusing both sides of breaking the truce, but it has so far held, despite widespread skepticism over its longevity on Capitol Hill. ‘NOT OUR ROLE’: LAWMAKERS CAUTIOUS OVER MIDDLE EAST PEACE, NOT READY FOR REGIME CHANGE And Kaine argued that the halt in fighting actually gave his resolution more credence. “I think the ceasefire actually gives us the ability to have the conversation without the pressure of like, ‘Oh, you know, [Trump’s] got to do a bombing run tomorrow night,’” he said. “The combination of the ceasefire and the Israelis saying that the nuclear program has been sent back at least two or three years opens up — you can really have the deliberate discussion that this merits,” Kaine continued. ‘NOT CONSTITUTIONAL’: CONGRESS EVOKES NEW WAR POWERS RESOLUTION TO REJECT TRUMP’S STRIKES ON IRAN Kaine’s war powers resolution is designed to both put a check on Trump’s power and reaffirm Congress’ constitutional authority to declare war. However, whether a strike like the one over the weekend constituted an act of war that required congressional approval was a hot topic of debate among lawmakers last week. The Constitution divides war powers between Congress and the White House, giving lawmakers the sole power to declare war, while the president acts as the commander-in-chief directing the military. A similar bipartisan resolution cropped up in the House, too, but one of its co-sponsors, Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., told Fox News Digital that he is ready to stand down if the ceasefire lasts. “If the ceasefire becomes a truce and holds, we won’t press for the vote,” he said. “We need to hear from Iran and Israel, and also whether our own president is satisfied that the predicate for his first attack, nuclear weapons, no longer exists.” ‘INSTINCTS FOR RESTRAINT’: SENATE DIVIDED OVER WHO GETS TO DECLARE WAR Kaine’s bill could hit the floor by Friday in the Senate, but whether it survives is another question. “Bring it up. Let’s vote it down,” Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., told Fox News Digital. The resolution does have the backing of Senate Minority Whip Dick Durbin, D-Ill., who told Fox News Digital that before the strikes there were up to eight Republicans that supported it. “I support Tim,” Durbin said. “His approach to this is entirely consistent with the Constitution, and I wish the Senate would stand up as a body for its own rights and authority under the Constitution.”
Fox News Politics Newsletter: Al Green’s Push to Impeach Trump Flops
Welcome to the Fox News Politics newsletter, with the latest updates on the Trump administration, Capitol Hill and more Fox News politics content. Here’s what’s happening… – Trump’s Israel-Iran ceasefire nearly collapses hours after announcement – Jasmine Crockett drops out of race for top House Oversight Committee Democrat – Marathon weekend awaits Senate as Johnson prepares House for ‘Big, Beautiful Bill’ showdown The House of Representatives voted along bipartisan lines to quash a lone progressive lawmaker’s bid to impeach President Donald Trump Tuesday afternoon. Lawmakers agreed to table the measure in a 344–79 vote. A vote to table is a procedural mechanism allowing House members to vote against consideration of a bill without having to vote on the bill itself. The resolution was offered by Rep. Al Green, D-Texas, who was infamously ejected from Trump’s address to a joint session of Congress earlier this year for repeatedly interrupting the president… READ MORE. POWER GRAB: Trump’s Iran strikes follow long pattern of presidents sidestepping Congress BASE BACKS FORCE: Most Republicans support Trump ordered military strike on Iran’s nuclear program: poll CLOSED FOR BUSINESS: New data reveals border crossings reach record lows amid Trump admin’s crackdown ‘SECURE THE HOMELAND’: More Iranians with criminal histories arrested by ICE in Trump’s security sweep ‘MAKE MY DAY’: Trump dares AOC to try to impeach him: ‘Make my day’ DEEP STATE GUTTED: Trump admin ‘obliterated’ Iranian nuclear facilities with slimmed down NSC team, Rubio juggling multiple jobs PEACE ON A TIGHTROPE: Trump’s Israel-Iran ceasefire nearly collapses hours after announcement TOP PRIORITY: Navy using munitions at ‘alarming’ speed to defend Israel PEACE ON THE BRINK: UN chief praises Trump for Iran-Israel ceasefire days after condemning US strikes HISTORY IN MOTION: Exiled prince warns Iranian military of ‘final chance’ to stand up to the regime BROKEN PROMISES: Iran-Israel ceasefire teeters as IDF accuses Tehran of violations FOREIGN THREAT ALERT: DOJ on ‘high alert’ for Iranian nationals living illegally in US, Bondi says DEFENSE GOES ORBITAL: ‘Golden Dome’ comprehensive weapons defenses in the works as lawmakers make Trump dream a reality GOOD FAITH: Bondi vows to ‘protect every religion in this country’ after Wray-era controversy BABY BATTLE RAGES ON: Pro-life movement confronts high abortion rates three years after Dobbs FEELING BLUE: Jasmine Crockett drops out of race for top House Oversight Committee Democrat DECLINE TO COMMENT: Top Biden officials summoned to testify about alleged cover-up of former president’s mental fitness CLOCK TICKING: Marathon weekend awaits Senate as Johnson prepares House for ‘Big, Beautiful Bill’ showdown ‘GET THE DEAL DONE’: Trump pressures Congress to pass ‘BIG, BEAUTIFUL BILL,’ insisting ‘NO ONE GOES ON VACATION UNTIL IT’S DONE’ RETURN TO POWER: Scandal-plagued former Gov. Andrew Cuomo aims to pull off political comeback in the nation’s biggest city JUST DOGE IT: South Carolina AG mounts gubernatorial bid, advocates for abolishing state income tax, DOGE-ing governments Get the latest updates on the Trump administration and Congress, exclusive interviews and more on FoxNews.com.
House conservatives go to war with Senate over Trump’s ‘big, beautiful bill’
The House’s conservative fiscal hawks are warning that President Donald Trump’s “one big, beautiful bill” could run into serious problems after the Senate made key changes to the legislation. “There’s real problems with it,” Rep. Ralph Norman, R-S.C., told Fox News Digital on Tuesday. “We’re on board with the president… but we’re concerned about the changes.” He and other members of the right-wing House Freedom Caucus are particularly incensed by the Senate’s decision to defer the expiration of certain green energy tax credits from the former Biden administration’s Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) — which those conservatives have dubbed “the Green New Scam.” They’re also wary of additional dollars being spent on raising the debt limit, which Trump has directed GOP lawmakers to do before the U.S. runs out of cash to pay its obligations sometime this summer. TRUMP’S ‘BIG, BEAUTIFUL BILL’ CRACKS DOWN ON BIDEN’S STUDENT LOAN ‘SCHEME,’ TOP REPUBLICAN SAYS The Senate’s version of the bill increases the U.S. debt limit by $5 trillion, whereas the earlier House version hiked it by $4 trillion. Congressional Republicans are working to pass Trump’s agenda on tax, immigration, defense, and energy in one massive bill via the budget reconciliation process. By lowering the Senate’s threshold for passage from 60 votes to 51, reconciliation allows the party in power to pass sweeping legislation while sidelining the minority – in this case, Democrats – provided the measures included fall within a strict set of budgetary rules. The House passed its own version of the bill late last month by just one vote. House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., has pleaded with his Senate counterparts to change as little as possible, citing his razor-thin majority. But Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., is also grappling with a small majority of Republicans – and his chamber’s product has made several key updates to please the GOP conference there. “The changes that we’re hearing about are not good. And Mike Johnson told the Senate, ‘Don’t send us back a revised bill, a significantly revised bill, because we passed it with a one-vote margin in the House,’” Rep. Keith Self, R-Texas, told Fox News Digital. House Freedom Caucus Chairman Andy Harris, R-Md., told Fox News Digital he would vote against the bill if the Senate’s product was returned in its current form – though he did not discuss the parliamentarian’s further changes. Harris voted “present” on the bill when it passed the House in May, telling reporters he had some lingering concerns but would not vote “no,” in order to keep Trump’s agenda moving. “The currently proposed Senate version of the One Big Beautiful Bill weakens key House priorities – it doesn’t do enough to eliminate waste, fraud, and abuse in Medicaid, it backtracks on the Green New Scam elimination included in the House bill, and it greatly increases the deficit – taking us even further from a balanced budget,” Harris said in a statement. “If the Senate tries to jam the House with this version, I won’t vote ‘present.’ I’ll vote NO.” Rep. Eric Burlison, R-Mo., similarly said in a statement that he would oppose the bill if it came back to the House in its current form. The Missouri Republican voted to advance the bill in May. Freshman House Freedom Caucus member Rep. Mark Harris, R-N.C., who also voted for the House version of the bill, said in a public statement, “In the many moving pieces and rumors of how the Senate’s One Big Beautiful Bill is shaping up, I get more concerned each day!” 148 DEMOCRATS BACK NONCITIZEN VOTING IN DC AS GOP RAISES ALARM ABOUT FOREIGN AGENTS And Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, the Freedom Caucus policy chair, wrote on X, “Rumor is Senate plans to jam the House with its weaker, unacceptable OBBB before 7/4. This is not a surprise, but it would be a mistake…I would not vote for it as is.” Republican leaders have set a goal of getting a bill to Trump’s desk by Fourth of July. The president ordered congressional Republicans to remain in Washington until the legislation is passed in a lengthy Truth Social post on Tuesday. “To my friends in the Senate, lock yourself in a room if you must, don’t go home, and GET THE DEAL DONE THIS WEEK,” Trump wrote. “Work with the House so they can pick it up, and pass it, IMMEDIATELY. NO ONE GOES ON VACATION UNTIL IT’S DONE.” While right-wing conservatives rail against the bill, other moderate Republican factions within the House GOP have demanded changes to the Senate’s revisions to the state and local tax (SALT) deduction and Medicaid, specifically tweaks to the provider tax rate, among others. Compounding issues for House Republicans are a slew of cost-saving provisions that have been ruled out by the Senate Parliamentarian during a process called the “Byrd bath,” which tests whether an item in the bill comports with reconciliation rules that stipulate policy has to deal directly with budgetary and spending effects. Senate Budget Committee Chair Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., scoffed at the House GOP’s threats. REPUBLICANS CHALLENGE ‘IRRELEVANT’ BUDGET OFFICE AS IT CRITIQUES TRUMP’S ‘BEAUTIFUL BILL’ “‘We’ll do better than what you did,’ is what I would tell them,” he said. Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., told Fox News Digital that a bill of the magnitude that Republicans were trying to pass would be hard to build a complete consensus around. He noted in particular complications around tax negotiations, as Republicans work to extend Trump’s 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA). “Follow your heart. Take your brain with you,” Kennedy said. “Don’t impose the largest tax increase in history on the American people. Look, it’s undeniable that everybody’s not going to be completely happy. I’m not completely happy with where we are, and we’re not there yet. We’re making progress.” When asked his thoughts on conservatives bashing the bill, Sen. Kevin Cramer, R-N.D., said, “Everybody’s got to thump their chest a little bit, gotta stake their ground.” “But at the end of the day,