Mexican sewage gushing into Navy SEAL training waters is US’ ‘next Camp Lejeune,’ vets warn
“Disgusting,” said Navy SEAL veteran Rob Sweetman in describing the smell and mist of Mexican sewage spewing into U.S. waters as he stood on a hill overlooking the Tijuana River estuary in California. Sweetman, a Navy veteran who served on the SEALs for eight years, spoke to Fox News Digital to sound the alarm on a water crisis rocking the San Diego area, including where SEALs train, taking a camera with him to show viewers firsthand how the contaminated water flows into the U.S. Just one mile away from where Sweetman spoke, SEALs and candidates train in the same water, which has sickened more than 1,000 candidates in a five-year period, per a Department of Defense watchdog report released in February. San Diego and the surrounding area are in a clean-water crisis that has raged for decades, but it is finding revived concern from the Trump administration as SEALs and local veterans sound the alarm about a “national security crisis” that they say is on par with the Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, water crisis. Thousands of Marines and others were sickened at Camp Lejeune in North Carolina between 1953 and 1987 as a result of water contaminated by industrial solvents used to drink, bathe and cook at the training facility. EPA CHIEF TAKES ON MEXICAN ‘SEWAGE CRISIS’ FLOWING INTO US WATERS WHERE NAVY SEALS TRAIN Kate Monroe, a Marine Corps veteran and CEO of VetComm, which advocates for disabled veterans and those navigating the VA’s complicated health system, told Fox Digital in an April Zoom interview, “San Diego County is as big as some states. It’s giant. Millions of people live here and are breathing the air of this water. It goes well beyond the military. It’s a crisis. It’s a FEMA-level travesty, and we have just been hiding it.” The Navy has deep roots in the San Diego area, with the United States Naval Special Warfare Command headquartered in America’s Finest City and where Navy SEAL candidates complete their arduous six-month Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL (BUD/S) at the Naval Amphibious Base Coronado. The sewage problem flowing from neighboring Mexico into the U.S. has percolated in San Diego for years. But the water crisis hit crisis level when it was reported in 2024 that 44 billion gallons of contaminated water imbued with raw sewage was released along the California coast in 2023, the most on record since at least 2000, the Los Angeles Times reported at the time. The issue of sewage water flowing into U.S. waters is largely attributed to outdated wastewater infrastructure across the southern border, local media outlets reported this month, with Mexico reportedly in the midst of addressing its infrastructure to curb the leaks of sewage water. The Tijuana River has for decades been plagued by sewage and waste that has affected its beaches and neighboring San Diego. In February, the Department of Defense’s inspector general released a report finding that the Naval Special Warfare Center reported 1,168 cases of acute gastrointestinal illnesses among SEAL candidates between January 2019 and May 2023 alone. “Navy SEAL candidate exposure to contaminated water occurred because (Naval Special Warfare Command) did not follow San Diego County’s Beach and Bay Water Quality Program’s beach closure postings,” the inspector general report found. “As a result of Navy SEAL candidate exposure to contaminated water during training, candidates are presented with increased health risks and NAVSPECWARCOM’s training mission could be impacted.” It was when Monroe, who is well-versed with veteran health through VetComm, was working with SEALs who were retiring that she realized the severity of the San Diego water pollution of the past few years. She observed an increase in health claims related to intestinal issues and “weird cancers,” which was a departure from typical claims related to PTSD or orthopedic ailments. US SENATOR BLASTS PRESIDENT OF MEXICO, SAYS TOXIC SEWAGE DUMP THREATENS ‘NATIONAL SECURITY’ “I started creating relationships with the SEAL teams, the people that were exiting the SEALs, you know, at 14 years, 20 years, nearing their retirement,” Monroe told Fox News Digital. “And the claims that we were making for these guys were surprising to me because a lot of them, they have combat PTSD, a lot of orthopedic issues. But we were having guys coming to us with, like, IBS, GERD, skin issues, weird cancers, and they were all attributing it to their time spent in San Diego training to be a SEAL in that water here that we have in San Diego.” Swimming and spending time in water contaminated with feces can lead to a host of illnesses, including bacterial, viral and parasitic infections that leave people nauseous, vomiting and rushing to the bathroom. Navy SEAL vet Jeff Gum was only days from entering the SEAL’s aptly named Hell Week – the fourth week of basic conditioning for SEAL candidates – when nausea hit him, and he was trapped in a cycle of drinking water and vomiting when he realized a serious illness had its grips on him. Gum is a retired SEAL who served from 2007 to 2017 and was exposed to the contaminated water in 2008 during BUD/S training off the San Diego coast. “I couldn’t stop,” Gum recounted of how he couldn’t keep water down without vomiting. “You never really want to go to medical because they can pull you out or make you get rolled to the next class, but I couldn’t even drink water without throwing up. It’s the only time in my whole life that this has happened.” Gum’s nausea overcame him on a Friday in 2008, with Hell Week kicking off that Sunday night. Hell Week is a more than five-day training that puts candidates through rigorous training, including cold-water immersion, “surf torture,” buoy swims, mud runs, all while operating on minimal sleep. SAN DIEGO SUBURB FACES ‘SEWAGE CRISIS’ FROM LOCAL BEACH “The sun goes down, and the instructors come out with big machine guns, that kicks it off,” Gum said of how Hell Week began. “We run out to the
Fox News Politics Newsletter: Hilton Running to Fix ‘Califailure’
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… -Pandemic, price tags and privacy concerns: Why it took 20 years to implement REAL ID -DHS chief’s purse stolen with thousands of dollars -Ex-Pentagon aide urges Trump to fire Hegseth citing ‘full-blown meltdown’ and ‘total chaos’ EXCLUSIVE: The California 2026 gubernatorial race just got a major shakeup with Republican Steve Hilton entering the race to be Gov. Gavin Newsom’s successor. The former Fox News contributor and author of “Califailure” said he’s hoping to “Make California Golden Again,” especially for the “working people” of the state. “A big decision that I’ve made, which I can now share with you, that I am, in fact, going to be running for governor of California for 2026. I love this state. It’s the best place in the world as far as I’m concerned,” Hilton told Fox News Digital in an exclusive interview…Read more BREAKING: Pope Francis has died at 88, Vatican camerlengo says ‘MAY GOD BLESS HIM’: Pope Francis and U.S. presidents: A look back at his legacy with the nation’s leaders POPULAR PONTIFF: What American Catholics thought about Pope Francis FINAL FAREWELL: JD Vance, one of Pope Francis’ last visitors, reacts to his death CHOOSING THE NEXT POPE: What is the papal conclave: Inside the ancient process of choosing the next pope ‘I WAS SURPRISED’: Theologian on ‘Conclave’ accuracy, expectations for next secretive event after Pope Francis’ death ‘GOD REST HIS SOUL!’: Trump, world leaders react to the death of Pope Francis BURIAL GROUNDS: Pope Francis revealed burial wishes just days after becoming pope in 2013 SCALED-DOWN MEMORIAL: Pope Francis’ funeral will be a simplified version of past papal funerals, per his change of papal funeral rites MONEY CAN’T BUY EVERYTHING: Trump wants to revive the lagging US shipbuilding industry. Here are the hurdles he faces ‘SHATTERED EGOS’: White House rips alleged Pentagon leasers, brushes off Hegseth second Signal chat report STRIKE TWO?: Hegseth shared details of Yemen strikes in second Signal chat: report 14TH WEEK BACK IN OVAL: Trump’s 14th week in office to kick off with famed Easter Egg Roll, ongoing trade negotiations OVERBLOWN: Biden green energy project halted by Trump admin relied on rushed, bad science, study finds KEEPING TABS: Anti-Chinese government group launches plan to track anti-CCP legislation in statehouses IRAN REMAINS NUCLEAR: US confirms third round of nuclear talks with Iran after ‘very good progress’ ‘WRONGFULLY DETAINED’: Four more Dems travel to El Salvador to push for Abrego Garcia’s return to US COMMANDER NO MORE: Army suspends commander after Trump, Vance, Hegseth vanish from command board ‘MISLEADING AND MISGUIDED’: State Dept defends human rights abuse reporting changes, says streamlined process eliminates ‘political bias’ CHURCH AND STATE: Religious liberty or government overreach? Oklahoma AG fights own party in SCOTUS battle over Catholic school ‘BROKEN SYSTEM’: More than 500k immigrants missed their court hearings on Biden’s watch: analysis ‘PURGE THESE PEOPLE’: California mayor wants to give homeless people ‘all the fentanyl they want’ SKY WARS: Florida property owners pestered by spying drones could soon be allowed to fight back with ‘force’ Get the latest updates on the Trump administration and Congress, exclusive interviews and more on FoxNews.com.
Schumer’s ‘Apprentice’ praise of Trump goes viral: ‘Going to go places’
With President Donald Trump’s former reality TV show “The Apprentice,” streaming on Amazon Prime as of last month, politically astute viewers across the political spectrum have zeroed in on an episode from when Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., now one of the president’s biggest political detractors, praised his fellow New Yorker as a business prodigy. During Season 5, Episode 8, of “The Apprentice” in 2006, contestants were given a challenge — as was typical during each episode — and the winners of said challenge got the chance to fly to the nation’s capital and have breakfast with Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y. During the breakfast, Schumer sought to draw parallels between his family and Trump’s, while also showering praise on the president, telling the contestants he always knew Trump, even as a young person, “was going to go places.” “I was born in Brooklyn, the same place where Donald Trump’s family comes from,” Schumer reminisced with the contestants during breakfast at the famous Hay-Adams hotel in Washington, D.C. “His father, and my grandfather, were builders together in Brooklyn.” “Wow!?” one contestant could be heard replying. “Really?” asked another. “Yeah!,” Schumer responded to the room. FLASHBACK: ‘OPRAH WINFREY ONCE CALLED TRUMP A ’FOLK HERO,’ A CONTRAST TO COMMENTS MADE DURING THE DNC The show then cut to Schumer lauding Trump as a business prodigy. “Even when [Trump] was much younger, you knew that he was going to go places,” Schumer said, before a voice-over from one of the contestants present at the breakfast reiterated that “Sen. Schumer and Mr. Trump are good friends.” Despite Schumer’s apparent friendly sentiment towards the president in 2006, as evidenced by his appearance on “The Apprentice,” the Democratic New York senator told Politico in 2016, ahead of Trump’s first term, that, “[Trump] was not my friend.” Rather, Schumer described his relationship with Trump as a “casual acquaintance.” CHUCK SCHUMER FACING ‘UPHILL FIGHT’ AMID LEADERSHIP DOUBTS: ‘MATTER OF WHEN, NOT IF’ “Donald Trump is a lawless, angry man,” Schumer said of the president during an interview last month. “The fact that The Apprentice President Donald ‘You’re Fired’ Trump is refusing to hold people accountable just shows how weak he is,” Schumer added in a post on social media earlier this month. Considering Schumer’s vehement animosity towards Trump today, Michigan State GOP Sen. Aric Nesbitt, the Michigan Senate’s minority leader, remarked “How things change…” in a post that highlighted the resurfaced clip of Schumer’s scene on “The Apprentice.” But it’s not just Republicans having fun at Schumer’s expense. “As Schumer sells out our Constitution and democracy, you just gotta watch this clip of him sucking up to Trump on an episode of the Apprentice,” remarked former Democratic Rhode Island legislator Aaron Regunberg. “What a world class slug of a man.” Shortly before taking office during his first term, Trump was asked by MSNBC’s Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski about whether he will be able to get along with Democratic leaders in Congress, such as Schumer. Trump struck a positive chord, saying at the time that he thought he would “be able to get along well with Chuck Schumer.” ELON MUSK SCRAPS WITH CHUCK SCHUMER, SUGGESTING THE SENATOR PROFITS FROM GOVERNMENT FRAUD “I was always very good with Schumer. I was close to Schumer in many ways,” Trump said at the time. As time has progressed, however, Trump’s rhetoric towards Schumer has become increasingly critical of the senator, as the pair of political heavyweights continue to fight over whatever political issue is dominating Washington each week. Recently, Trump took a jab at Schumer’s alleged lack of support for the Jewish community amid the rise in antisemitism, particularly on college campuses, in the wake of Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023 attacks against innocent Israelis. Schumer is Jewish. CHUCK SCHUMER WARNS ABOUT THE DANGERS OF ANTISEMITISM ON ‘THE VIEW’ “Schumer is a Palestinian, as far as I’m concerned,” Trump told reporters from the Oval Office last month. “He’s become a Palestinian. He used to be Jewish. He’s not Jewish anymore.” Trump’s comments from earlier this month also mirror a similar sentiment he relayed about Schumer during his most recent campaign for the presidency, referring to him as a “proud member of Hamas.” In addition to Schumer, other high-profile public figures have praised the now-president, only to become his political enemy years later. In a 1988 interview with Oprah Winfrey, the celebrity talk show host appeared to be amazed at Americans’ “fascination” with Donald Trump and even described him as a “folk hero” for being so popular. Meanwhile, celebrity music producer who co-founded Def Jam Records, Russell Simmons, similarly had nice things to say about Trump before he entered politics, calling him “very nice” and remarking how supportive Trump has been to his family, according to media reports. Nonetheless, following the tragic politically motivated violence in Charlottesville during Trump’s first term, Simmons reportedly criticized his “friend” for leading the legacy of a “great divider,” and a “destroyer of the environment and … everything we as Americans have fought so hard to call ours.” Fox News Digital reached out to Schumer’s office for comment but did not receive a reply in time for publication.
US military stationed at the border in New Mexico National Defense Area can detain illegal migrants
Military members stationed in and around portions of the southern border have been given the authority to temporarily detain and search illegal migrants. Service members with the Joint Task Force-Southern Border (JTF-SB) are now authorized to conduct several security measures in the New Mexico National Defense Area (NMNDA), U.S. Northern Command said Monday. The NMNDA is part of the U.S. Army’s Fort Huachuca military installation. The move allows the U.S. military to serve in a more active law enforcement role than in years past. Military personnel have typically been prevented from participating in civilian law enforcement activities such as search, seizure, or arrest. NAVY DEPLOYS ANOTHER HOUTHI-FIGHTING WARSHIP TO NEW US SOUTHERN BORDER MISSION As part of their new duties, the service members can search and temporarily detain trespassers on the NMNDA, as well as provide medical care and implement crowd control measures, until appropriate law enforcement can take them into custody. Task force members can also assist with the installation of temporary barriers, signage, and fencing upon request. “Through these enhanced authorities, U.S. Northern Command will ensure those who illegally trespass in the New Mexico National Defense Area are handed over to Customs and Border Protection or our other law enforcement partners,” said USNORTHCOM Gen. Gregory Guillot. “Joint Task Force-Southern Border will conduct enhanced detection and monitoring, which will include vehicle and foot patrols, rotary wing, and fixed surveillance site operations.” USNORTHCOM was named as the Defense Department‘s operational lead for the employment of U.S. military forces to carry out President Donald Trump’s southern border executive orders. TRUMP ORDERS MILITARY TO TAKE CONTROL OF FEDERAL LAND AT SOUTHERN BORDER Last week, Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum visited New Mexico to announce that the Army will take control of nearly 110,000 acres of federal land along the U.S.-Mexico border as part of the Trump administration’s efforts to curb illegal immigration and trafficking. The 109,651 acres of federal land will be transferred to the Army for three years, subject to valid existing rights. The switch in jurisdiction will allow the government to protect sensitive natural and cultural resources in the region, while helping the Army support U.S. Border Patrol operations in securing the border and preventing illegal immigration, according to the Department of the Interior. In March, the Defense Department authorized the military to patrol the southern border to provide “enhanced detection and monitoring” to support U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP). CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP “Any law enforcement actions to apprehend individuals suspected of illegal entry must be conducted only by non-DoD law enforcement personnel and National Guard personnel in a non-federalized status accompanying these patrols,” the DOD said at the time. Fox News Digital’s Alexandra Koch contributed to this report.
‘Wouldn’t tolerate it’: House Republican calls second Hegseth Signal report ‘unacceptable’
Rep. Don Bacon, R-Neb., on Monday signaled he wouldn’t tolerate Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth allegedly once again sharing sensitive information about military operations in a Signal group chat. “If the reporting is true, this is unacceptable. I would never tell the White House what to do, but I wouldn’t tolerate it,” Bacon told Fox News Digital, reiterating his comments first reported by Politico. Bacon, a retired military officer and Republican on the House Armed Services Committee, said it would be “unacceptable” if Hegseth sent classified information in a Signal chat about a mission in Yemen targeting the Houthis. The New York Times reported on Sunday that Hegseth shared information about the March 15 strikes in Yemen in a private Signal group chat that included his wife, brother and personal lawyer, claiming they were essentially the same plans shared in the separate Signal chat that included an editor of The Atlantic. WHITE HOUSE RIPS ALLEGED PENTAGON LEAKERS’ ‘SHATTERED EGOS,’ BRUSHES OFF HEGSETH SECOND SIGNAL CHAT REPORT Bacon told Politico he had reservations about Hegseth’s experience since his nomination, and while a spokesperson for Bacon’s office emphasized to Fox News Digital that he would not tell President Donald Trump to fire Hegseth, Bacon said he “wouldn’t tolerate” the latest Hegseth reporting if he was the commander in chief. EX-PENTAGON AIDE URGES TRUMP TO FIRE HEGSETH, CITING ‘FULL-BLOWN MELTDOWN’ AND ‘TOTAL CHAOS’ White House officials have joined Hegseth in denying the reporting. “No matter how many times the legacy media tries to resurrect the same nonstory, they can’t change the fact that no classified information was shared. Recently fired ‘leakers’ are continuing to misrepresent the truth to soothe their shattered egos and undermine the president’s agenda, but the administration will continue to hold them accountable,” White House spokesperson Anna Kelly told Fox News Digital. Trump himself shut down the reporting, calling it “fake news” and touting recruitment rates and Hegseth’s leadership of the armed forces. “The president stands strongly behind Secretary Hegseth, who is doing a phenomenal job leading the Pentagon,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said on Fox News on Monday. Hegseth lamented “disgruntled employees” and “anonymous smears” when pressed by reporters during the White House Easter Egg roll about the latest Signal controversy. “This is why we’re fighting the fake news media. This group right here is full of hoaxsters,” Hegseth said. The Trump administration has maintained that no classified material was transmitted in the Signal chat reported by The Atlantic. Signal is an encrypted messaging app with additional security measures that keep messages private to those included in the correspondence.
Flashback: Biden’s Easter celebrations frequently marred by gaffes, controversy
Former President Joe Biden and his administration found themselves embroiled in a series of gaffes and controversies around the Easter holiday, including that time the Easter bunny abruptly whisked the 46th president away from a gaggle of reporters in 2022. President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump joined families and children on the White House’s South Lawn on Monday morning for the 147th annual event, which dates back to Rutherford B. Hayes’ presidency in 1878. As the Easter Egg Roll tradition continues this year, Fox News Digital looked back on the handful of Easter controversies involving Biden and his administration throughout his term in office. During the 2022 Easter Egg Roll, a person dressed in a bunny suit was seen approaching Biden as he spoke candidly to members of the media about Afghanistan and Pakistan. The bunny stepped in front of Biden while he was speaking to the media and waved their hands with great animation before directing Biden away from the reporters. “Pakistan should not, and Afghanistan should be…” Biden was heard saying before the bunny approaches. “Oh, the Easter bunny!” someone can be heard saying off-camera, as Biden appeared visibly caught off guard by the interruption. ‘EASTER BUNNY’ WHISKS BIDEN AWAY AS HE STARTS DISCUSSING AFGHANISTAN: VIDEO Biden was then seen walking away from the reporters. The bunny incident unfolded ahead of the fierce scrutiny Biden faced from Democrats and conservatives over his mental acuity and age in the lead-up to the 2024 election. Footage of the Easter bunny directing Biden at a public event was rehashed as concern mounted last summer over whether the president had the mental and physical ability to continue running for re-election and potentially remain in the Oval Office. Biden ultimately dropped out and endorsed then-Vice President Kamala Harris as the Democrat Party’s nominee. Harris ultimately failed to rally enough support to defeat Trump at the polls. The Biden administration landed in hot water with the religious faithful and conservatives during the 2024 Easter season when honoring “Transgender Day of Visibility” on Easter Sunday. “On Transgender Day of Visibility, we honor the extraordinary courage and contributions of transgender Americans and reaffirm our Nation’s commitment to forming a more perfect Union — where all people are created equal and treated equally throughout their lives,” said a White House statement recognizing Transgender Day of Visibility on Easter Sunday, Fox Digital previously reported. “Today, we send a message to all transgender Americans: You are loved. You are heard. You are understood. You belong. You are America, and my entire Administration and I have your back,” it added. 3 MONTHS AND 28 DAYS: LGBTQ EVENTS CLOG CALENDAR AS WHITE HOUSE FACES BACKLASH OVER EASTER ANNOUNCEMENT International Transgender Day of Visibility was created by activists more than 10 years ago and is celebrated each year on March 31, while Easter — the most holy holiday for Christians — moves its day of celebration each year, but is always observed on a Sunday. Conservatives, including House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., ripped the White House’s decision to recognize Transgender Day of Visibility on Easter, calling it an attack on Christianity. “The Biden White House has betrayed the central tenet of Easter — which is the resurrection of Jesus Christ,” Johnson posted to X last March. “Banning sacred truth and tradition—while at the same time proclaiming Easter Sunday as “Transgender Day”—is outrageous and abhorrent. The American people are taking note.” Former White House spokesman Andrew Bates defended at the time that Biden, as a Christian, was working to bring “people together” with the event. “As a Christian who celebrates Easter with family, President Biden stands for bringing people together and upholding the dignity and freedoms of every American,” Bates told Fox Digital last year. Biden suffered another Easter gaffe last year at the White House’s Egg Roll when he apparently flubbed the pronunciation of “Easter” and appeared to say “oyster” instead while introducing a pair of Easter bunnies. CRITICISMS MOUNT THAT BIDEN IS A ‘SHADOW’ OF HIMSELF AFTER DISASTROUS DEBATE: ‘NOT THE SAME MAN’ FROM VP ERA “God bless you all, enjoy the day, and I’m coming down to do that Easter Egg roll in just a minute,” Biden said while standing on the White House’s Truman Balcony overlooking the South Lawn. “Thanks everybody. And by the way, say ‘hello’ to oyster bunnies. Come on up, bunnies. Get up here so they can see you,” Biden appeared to say. The apparent gaffe drew mockery online as some users wished each a “Happy Oyster.” It stirred concern over the president’s mental acuity over the mispronunciation. Former White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre delivered a flat April Fools’ joke in 2024 when the White House hosted the Easter Egg Roll. A person dressed as the Easter bunny was spotted in the press briefing room on April 1, 2024, before Jean-Pierre joined the media and delivered a joke that Biden was set to revoke the Hatch Act. The Hatch Act bans executive branch staffers, except the president and vice president, from engaging in certain forms of political activity. “Happy Easter Monday. So, I have something at the top for all of you and I think you’ll be really interested in this. So, President Biden is scheduled to announce he is revoking the Hatch Act,” Jean-Pierre said, grinning, while delivering the April Fools’ joke. “So as a gift to all of you, so now I can actually take all your questions about 2024.” “No? I thought you would love that,” she responded as journalists demured. “All right. OK. April Fools’, April Fools’, April Fools’ — it is April 1st.” DEMS LEFT WITH EGG ON THEIR FACE AS DNC APPEARS TO SNUB BIDEN ON EASTER The administration’s Hatch Act joke followed repeated instances of administration officials citing the law while dodging questions about Biden’s 2024 campaign. This year, the Democratic National Committee shared an Easter message celebrating Democratic presidents across the year, but notably did not include a photo of Biden. Instead, the post featured former Presidents Jimmy Carter, John F. Kennedy, Barack
Education Department to resume collections on defaulted federal student loans for first time since 2020
The Department of Education is poised to resume collections on defaulted federal student loans in May for the first time since 2020. While the first Trump administration paused referring federal student loans to collections in March 2020 at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the extended lapse has prompted Trump administration officials to worry that the federal student loan portfolio is “headed toward a fiscal cliff if we don’t start repayment in collections,” according to a senior department official. “The result has been that the federal government student loan portfolio has continued to grow, and we’ve got a record number of borrowers that are at risk of or in delinquency and default,” the senior department official told reporters Monday. The official said that only 40% percent of borrowers are up to speed on their loan repayments, while the remaining 60% are behind. STAFFING REDUCTIONS AT EDUCATION DEPARTMENT HAVEN’T HIT FAFSA OFFICE AMID TRUMP CUTS, AGENCY SAYS Altogether, the official said that there are 4 million borrowers who are in the late-stage delinquency stage on payments, meaning that they are between 91 days and 180 days late on payments. “The Trump administration, [the] current administration, believes that American taxpayers can no longer serve as collateral for student loans,” the senior department official said. “Student loan debt must be paid back.” Likewise, the official said the agency would roll out a communications plan to let borrowers know their status and encourage them to enroll in auto-debit to drive down the number of delinquent borrowers. The policy takes effect May 5, when the Education Department will partner with the Treasury Offset Program to start collecting overdue payments. The official also said the Department of Education is preparing to join with lawmakers on efforts to reform higher education and the student loan repayment system in place. “Going forward, we totally believe that Congress has a role to play in fixing the higher education system that puts students in a position where they can afford their loan payments,” the senior department official said. “So we’re looking forward to working with Congress on their efforts to streamline loan repayment as well as lowering college costs.” Bipartisan legislation in the works includes the Employer Participation Repayment Act, which Sens. John Thune, R-S.D., and Mark Warner, D-Va., introduced in February that would make permanent a provision set to expire in 2026 authorizing employers to contribute up to $5,250 tax-free to their employees’ student loans. Reps. Nicole Malliotakis, R-N.Y., and Scott Peters, D-Calif., introduced the legislation in the House. TRUMP STILL NEEDS CONGRESS’ HELP WITH PLAN TO ABOLISH EDUCATION DEPARTMENT Nearly 43 million student borrowers have federal student loan debt, which amounts to an outstanding federal student loan balance of $1.6 trillion, according to data from the Department of Education. The Department of Education’s announcement comes after the Trump administration unveiled plans in March to overhaul the agency, aligning with campaign promises by the president to eliminate the federal government’s influence over education to “stop the abuse of your taxpayer dollars to indoctrinate America’s youth.” Even so, President Donald Trump announced that functions of the department overseeing Pell Grants, student loans and others that provide services for those with special needs would continue at other agencies.
Army suspends commander after Trump, Vance, Hegseth vanish from command board
The commander of Fort McCoy was relieved of duty after the U.S. Army base failed to install photos of President Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on a wall displaying their chain of command. Col. Sheyla Baez Ramirez was suspended as garrison commander of Ft. McCoy in Fort Bragg, North Carolina. “This suspension is not related to any misconduct,” the U.S. Army Reserve Command said in a statement, “We have no further details to provide at this time while this matter is under review.” Hegseth on Sunday reposted an X post claiming: “Commander of Fort McCoy, whose base chain-of-command board was missing photos of Trump, Vance and Hegseth, has been SUSPENDED.” It came after the Defense Department (DOD) announced a probe into why a wall displaying the chain of command had empty frames on the wall where Trump, Vance and Hegseth’s images would typically be displayed. AXED PENTAGON AIDES CLAIM THEIR CHARACTER WAS ‘SLANDERED,’ LITTLE DETAILS WERE SHARED ABOUT LEAK INVESTIGATION A new image they posted of the wall showed the frames had been filled. “Regarding the Ft. McCoy Chain of Command wall controversy…. WE FIXED IT! Also, an investigation has begun to figure out exactly what happened,” the department’s rapid response account posted on X. Ramirez assumed the garrison commander role in July of last year. Previously, she had served as chief of the Reserve Program, United States Army Intelligence and Security Command at Fort Belvoir, Virginia, and in other roles throughout the Army and Army Reserves. The move came after a series of leadership shake-ups across the U.S. military. Earlier this month, the Pentagon fired the base commander for Pituffik Space Force Base in Greenland after she “undermined” Vance. EX-PENTAGON AIDE URGES TRUMP TO FIRE HEGSETH, CITING ‘FULL-BLOWN MELTDOWN’ AND ‘TOTAL CHAOS’ After the vice president’s visit, Col. Susannah Meyers emailed base personnel on March 31, writing, “I do not presume to understand current politics, but what I do know is the concerns of the U.S. administration discussed by Vice President Vance on Friday are not reflective of Pituffik Space Base.” She added that she had “spent the weekend thinking about Friday’s visit — the actions taken, the words spoken, and how it must have affected each of you.” The Space Force said in a public statement Meyers had been relieved of command “due to loss of confidence in her ability to lead.” “Commanders are expected to adhere to the highest standards of conduct, especially as it relates to remaining nonpartisan in the performance of their duties,” the statement read. And Hegseth fired four former aides after in-fighting and a leak investigation came to a head late last week. The secretary blamed “disgruntled employees” for leaking reports about a second Signal chat that discussed Houthi strikes, this one including his wife, brother and personal lawyer on the chain.
Pope Francis and US presidents: A look back at his legacy with the nation’s leaders
U.S. presidents mourned the death of Pope Francis, who served as the leader of the Catholic Church for 12 years, on Monday following the Vatican’s announcement of the pope’s passing. “Rest in Peace Pope Francis!” President Donald Trump said in a post on Truth Social on Monday. “May God Bless him and all who loved him!” The College of Cardinals elected Pope Francis, 88, to serve as the pope following Pope Benedict XVI in March 2013. His election marked the first time a non-European served as pope in more than 1,000 years. Pope Francis, born with the name Jorge Mario Bergoglio, originally hailed from Argentina. Pope Francis, who was hospitalized in February due to complications stemming from bronchitis and pneumonia, died Monday at the Vatican’s Casa Santa Marta. Vice President JD Vance, who converted to Catholicism in 2019, met with Pope Francis on Sunday in one of the reception rooms of the Vatican hotel just hours before the pope’s death. Vance acknowledged the visit in a post on X Monday while expressing his condolences to Christians who loved the pope, and shared a link to the transcript of one of the pope’s 2020 homilies. POPE FRANCIS DEAD AT 88, VATICAN SAYS “My heart goes out to the millions of Christians all over the world who loved him. I was happy to see him yesterday, though he was obviously very ill,” Vance said in a post on X on Monday. “But I’ll always remember him for the below homily he gave in the very early days of COVID. It was really quite beautiful. May God rest his soul.” Trump also signed an executive order Monday ordering all U.S. flags be flown at half-staff on all public buildings and grounds, at all military posts and naval stations, and on all naval vessels to remember Francis. The order also applies to all U.S. embassies, legations, consular offices, and other facilities abroad, including military facilities and naval vessels and stations. Here’s a look at Pope Francis’ legacy with other U.S. leaders: Pope Francis met with former President Barack Obama at the Vatican in March 2014. The two met again in September of the following year during Pope Francis’ visit to the White House, where the pope delivered a statement urging action on climate change. Following his visit to the White House, Francis also visited New York City and Philadelphia. Obama issued a statement Monday morning lauding the pope for his leadership. POPE FRANCIS EXPOSES CONFIDENTIAL DETAILS ABOUT HIS ELECTION AND RELATIONSHIPS IN LENGTHY INTERVIEW “In his humility and his gestures at once simple and profound – embracing the sick, ministering to the homeless, washing the feet of young prisoners – he shook us out of our complacency and reminded us that we are all bound by moral obligations to God and one another,” Obama said in a post on X Monday morning. “Today, Michelle and I mourn with everyone around the world – Catholic and non-Catholic alike – who drew strength and inspiration from the Pope’s example,” Obama said. “May we continue to heed his call to ‘never remain on the sidelines of this march of living hope.’” Trump met with Pope Francis in 2017 during a trip to the Vatican, and told reporters later that they had a “fantastic meeting.” However, the two remained at odds with one another over Trump’s border policies for the last decade. “A person who thinks only about building walls, wherever they may be, and not building bridges, is not Christian,” Pope Francis said in February 2016 amid Trump’s push on the campaign trail to build a border wall and crack down on illegal immigration. In response, Trump said: “For a religious leader to question a person’s faith is disgraceful.” Pope Francis routinely issued similar statements, and in February penned a letter to U.S. Catholic bishops and voiced concern about the Trump administration’s mass deportation plans. “The act of deporting people who in many cases have left their own land for reasons of extreme poverty, insecurity, exploitation, persecution or serious deterioration of the environment, damages the dignity of many men and women, and of entire families, and places them in a state of particular vulnerability and defenselessness,” Pope Francis said in the letter. Former President Joe Biden, the second Catholic U.S. president, visited the Vatican in October 2021, where he and Pope Francis met to discuss topics including climate change and advocacy for the poor, according to a readout of the meeting. Biden had previously met Pope Francis on several other occasions, including during the pope’s visit to the U.S. in 2015. Biden also met with Pope Francis in June at the G7 Leaders’ Summit in Apulia, Italy, where the two discussed the ongoing Israel-Hamas war, the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, and the conflict between Ukraine and Russia, according to a readout of the meeting. Biden, who awarded Pope Francis the Presidential Medal of Freedom in January, described him as a “consequential” leader on Monday who was a “Pope for everyone.” “He was unlike any who came before him,” Biden said in a post on X Monday morning. “Pope Francis will be remembered as one of the most consequential leaders of our time and I am better for having known him. For decades, he served the most vulnerable across Argentina and his mission of serving the poor never ceased. As Pope, he was a loving pastor and challenging teacher who reached out to different faiths.” Fox News’ Emma Colton contributed to this report.
Pandemic, price tags and privacy concerns: Why it took 20 years to implement REAL ID
Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem’s announcement that REAL IDs will be required to fly starting May 7 has forced Americans to finally get compliant – 20 years after Congress passed the law. On May 11, 2005, President George W. Bush signed the REAL ID Act into law to enhance national security in the aftermath of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. Passed by the U.S. Congress, the act set federal standards for issuing identification cards, like driver’s licenses. Starting next month, REAL ID will be required to access federal facilities, enter nuclear power plants and board commercial aircraft. REAL ID’s rollout has faced nearly two decades of political pushback, setbacks and delays. In the two years after it was passed, the National Governors Association (NGA), the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) and the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators (AAMVA) called for delaying its implementation, citing logistical concerns. ‘MASS SURVEILLANCE’: CONSERVATIVES SOUND ALARM OVER TRUMP ADMIN’S REAL ID ROLLOUT Since its passing, states and advocacy groups have rejected its implementation. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) – a longtime opponent of REAL ID implementation – called it “discriminatory, expensive, burdensome, invasive, and ultimately counterproductive” in 2007 as disapproval grew nationwide. By 2009, at least 25 states had enacted legislation opposing the REAL ID Act. TOP TRUMP AGENCY REVEALS KEY REASON WHY REAL ID WILL BE ENFORCED States rejected REAL ID for a range of reasons, including costs, states’ rights and privacy concerns. Three years after the law was passed, REAL ID’s first deadline was set for May 11, 2008. But in the face of opposition, DHS extended the deadline to May 11, 2011, under President Barack Obama’s administration. DHS later implemented a four-phase plan that extended beyond the 2011 deadline. By 2016, 23 states were fully compliant with the REAL ID Act, 27 states and territories were granted extensions, and six were noncompliant without extensions, according to a DHS letter. By Jan. 22, 2018, travelers would no longer be allowed to use a state-issued ID for domestic travel, and by Oct. 1, 2020, REAL ID “or another acceptable form of identification” would be required for domestic air travel. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, President Donald Trump extended the REAL ID deadline to Oct. 1, 2021. That deadline was later extended to May 3, 2023, by President Joe Biden’s administration “due to circumstances resulting from the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.” The Biden administration finally extended the deadline to May 7, 2025, to give states “additional time to ensure their residents have driver’s licenses and identification cards that meet the security standards established by the REAL ID Act.” CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Noem announced the May 7, 2025, deadline would hold as the Trump administration seeks to prevent illegal immigrants from traveling within the United States. “Starting May 7, you will need a REAL ID to fly. REAL IDs make identification harder to forge, thwarting criminals and terrorists. If you plan to fly, make sure you get a REAL ID so you won’t be denied from your flight or face travel delays!” Noem said.