Dem senator’s El Salvador trip might violate law liberals used as pretext for Michael Flynn probe: critics
Sen. Chris Van Hollen’s, D-Md., sudden trip to El Salvador to try to free deportee Kilmar Abrego Garcia is getting the attention of critics who believe the Maryland Democrat may have violated a 1799 law prohibiting unauthorized diplomacy. The Logan Act – named for former Pennsylvania Sen. George Logan – stipulates a fine and/or imprisonment for Americans corresponding with foreign officials “with intent to influence the[ir] measures … in relation to any disputes or controversies with the United States, or to defeat the measures of the United States.” Logan met with French diplomat Charles de Talleyrand after Paris rebuffed President John Adams, and he attempted to entreat him – in part via a letter from Vice President Thomas Jefferson – to end the Franco-American hostilities of the so-called “Quasi War.” In that way, several prominent conservatives questioned whether Van Hollen’s actions similarly violated the law. MORE DEMS WORK TO JOIN VAN HOLLEN IN EL SALVADOR TO PUSH FOR ALLEGED GANG MEMBER’S RETURN TO US “Why hasn’t this U.S. senator been arrested for violation of the Logan Act? It’s illegal to conduct your own foreign policy,” longtime Republican consultant Roger Stone tweeted. WMAL host Vince Coglianese read the Logan Act statute aloud and asked his audience whether Van Hollen had done what the code outlined. “Is Chris Van Hollen violating the Logan Act?” Coglianese said. “Because this is what they accused General [Michael] Flynn of doing … the incoming national security advisor … who was merely having conversations with foreign diplomats [after] people had chosen President Donald Trump.” Democrats previously seized on the Logan Act when Flynn contacted Russian ambassador Sergei Kislyak prior to Trump being sworn in the first time, which ultimately led to an FBI probe and tanked his public-service career. Notes from former FBI agent Peter Strzok read, “VP: Logan Act” and suggested then-Vice President Joe Biden floated using it against Flynn, while then-FBI director Jim Comey said the Kislyak correspondence appeared “legit.” NOT A MARYLAND MAN: GOP BLASTS DEMOCRAT SENATOR FIGHTING FOR RETURN OF SALVADORAN NATIONAL Fox News contributor Byron York responded to an X question on the matter by saying that he repeatedly argued during the Flynn matter that the act is a “dead letter.” “But politically, it’s useful to know that Sen. Van Hollen traveled to a foreign country to bash the President of the United States.” The American Accountability Foundation (AAF) sent a letter to Senate Ethics Committee Chairman James Lankford, R-Okla, asking to probe for violations, according to the New York Post. AAF’s Thomas Jones said Garcia “is essentially an enemy combatant in the ongoing invasion … by transnational gangs.” Fox News Digital reached out to Lankford for comment. The act was last invoked by Trump critics after a book by Watergate journalist Bob Woodward claimed the mogul held several calls with Russian President Vladimir Putin between his terms in the White House. Trump was lambasted by the “Never-Trump” Lincoln Project and Kamala Harris over Woodward’s book’s claims. Agents also considered getting Flynn to admit to breaking the Logan Act: “What is our goal?” one of the notes from ex-FBI counterintelligence chief Bill Priestap read: “Truth/Admission or to get him to lie, so we can prosecute him or get him fired?” After that situation, Rep. Guy Reschenthaler, R-Pa., unsuccessfully sought a Logan Act repeal. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP In the 1980s, President Ronald Reagan suggested it be used against Rev. Jesse Jackson for his travels and communications to Cuba and Nicaragua. Trump previously accused both ex-Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., and Sen. Christopher Murphy, D-Conn., of violating the Logan Act via their contact with Iran in 2019 and 2020. “It’s literally my job to meet with foreign leaders,” Murphy shot back, citing his position on a Senate Mideast subcommittee. Ultimately, no one has been successfully prosecuted under the Logan Act, as the namesake Philadelphian himself was essentially grandfathered out. Fox News Digital reached out to Van Hollen for comment.
Drag queen group mocks Jesus, Christianity in Easter show marketed to kids
A San Francisco drag queen group called the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, a self-professed “order of queer and trans nuns,” is sparking controversy in the days leading up to their annual transgender Easter event. This year’s event, which is being called “No Easter without the T,” is meant to honor transgenderism and features a children’s Easter egg hunt and a costume contest encouraging attendees to come dressed in drag as “Hunky Jesus and Foxy Mary.” The event’s invitation poster includes a depiction of a tattooed “Jesus” surrounded by men in drag. Pictures posted from the event in previous years include men dressed as Jesus in high heels, dresses and minimal clothing, and holding signs that say “can I get a gaymen?” and “Haus of Jesus.” According to the group’s website, past winners of the contest include “Barbie’s Ken Jesus”, “Historically Accurate Jesus,” “Transgender Maria de Guadalupe,” “Pro-Choice Mary” and “Black Woman as God.” FLASHBACK: BIDEN PROCLAIMED TRANS DAY OF VISIBILITY IN 2024 THAT COINCIDED WITH EASTER SUNDAY Libs of Tiktok, a popular conservative social media account, slammed the event, especially calling attention to the drag group for encouraging children to attend while simultaneously admitting that “parents are advised that some may find the latter portion of the show inappropriate for young children.” “They literally say that their show is inappropriate for children while still encouraging children to attend,” said Libs of TikTok. “Disgusting,” commented Catholic Vote senior advisor Steve Cortes, adding, “The ruling class abides bigotry, as long as it’s targeted against faithful Christians generally, & Catholics specifically.” POPE FRANCIS: ‘GENDER IDEOLOGY’ IS ONE OF ‘MOST DANGEROUS IDEOLOGICAL COLONIZATIONS’ Logan Church, political director of CatholicVote, told Fox News Digital the group is “disgusted, though sadly not surprised.” “The so-called ‘Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence’ have made it their mission to mock Christianity with open hostility, and this blasphemous Easter event is just the latest example,” he said. “This is not bold, it’s not brave, and it’s certainly not art. Its bigotry dressed in costume, and Americans are right to be outraged,” he went on. “Let’s be clear: Sacrilege is not a religion, and it is not protected under the banner of religious freedom. While we live in a country that defends free speech, that does not mean Christians are required to sit silently while our faith is ridiculed. We have every right, and every reason, to push back.”
Here’s what happened during Trump’s 13th week in office
President Donald Trump met with foreign leaders from El Salvador and Italy this week, advancing negotiations on both trade and immigration issues at the White House. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni visited Washington during a pause in steep tariffs against the European Union and other countries that could go into effect in June. But both Trump and Meloni voiced optimism that the two countries would secure a deal before then. “There will be a trade deal, 100%,” Trump told reporters at the White House Thursday. “Of course there will be a trade deal, they want to make one very much, and we’re going to make a trade deal. I fully expect it, but it’ll be a fair deal.” ITALY’S MELONI GOES TO WASHINGTON FOR TARIFF HUDDLE WITH TRUMP When asked whether she still considered the U.S. a reliable trading partner due to changes related to tariff policy, Meloni said that she wouldn’t have made the trek to the White House unless it were so. Meloni said her objective for the trip was to invite Trump to meetings on behalf of Italy and Europe to foster a trade negotiation between the two states. “I think the best way is that we simply speak frankly about the needs that every one of us has and find ourselves in the middle for that’s useful for all,” Meloni told reporters Thursday. Meanwhile, Vice President JD Vance met with Meloni Friday in Rome to continue discussing economic policies between the two countries. Here’s what also happened this week: Trump kicked off the week meeting with El Salvador President Nayib Bukele Monday, launching a debate about whether El Salvador should return Maryland resident Kilmar Abrego-Garcia after he was deported there. On Monday, Trump administration officials and Bukele agreed that they didn’t have the authority to return Abrego-Garcia to the U.S., even though the Trump administration admitted in court filings that he was deported in an “administrative error.” Even so, the Trump administration has accused Abrego-Garcia of being a member of the MS-13 gang, a designated terrorist group. Meanwhile, the Supreme Court upheld in April a lower court’s order that “requires the government to ‘facilitate’ Abrego Garcia’s release from custody in El Salvador and to ensure that his case is handled as it would have been had he not been improperly sent to El Salvador.” While Attorney General Pam Bondi told reporters Monday that El Salvador would call the final shots on whether it would return Abrego-Garcia, Bukele said it was “preposterous” for El Salvador to do so. “How can I smuggle a terrorist into the U.S.? I don’t have the power to return him to the United States,” Bukele said. Additionally, the Justice Department unveiled documents Wednesday detailing domestic violence allegations that Abrego-Garcia’s wife, Jennifer Vasquez, included in a court filing in 2021. Vasquez alleged in the filing that Garcia beat her and that she had documentation of the bruises he left on her. The Trump administration also continued to go after federal funding at higher education institutions. After Harvard refused to comply with a series of requests from the Trump administration to reform various practices on campus, the administration revealed Monday that it would freeze more than $2 billion in federal funding for the institution. Harvard University President Alan M. Garber said in a Monday statement that the Trump administration included additional requests unrelated to tackling antisemitism on campus. As a result, Garber said the institution would not bend to those requests, claiming they were unconstitutional. WHITE HOUSE SLAMS IVY LEAGUE INSTITUTIONS FOR ‘EGREGIOUS ILLEGAL BEHAVIOR’ AMID TRUMP FEUD WITH HARVARD Garber said the new requests “direct governmental regulation of the ‘intellectual conditions’ at Harvard,” including auditing viewpoints of student, faculty and staff members on campus, and eliminating all diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs, offices and initiatives at Harvard. “It makes clear that the intention is not to work with us to address antisemitism in a cooperative and constructive manner,” Garber said. “We have informed the administration through our legal counsel that we will not accept their proposed agreement.” Trump also signed an executive order Tuesday seeking to combat soaring prescription drug prices. The directive instructs Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to standardize Medicare payments for prescription drugs, including those used for cancer patients, no matter where a patient receives treatment. This could lower prices for patients by as much as 60%, according to a White House fact sheet. The order also includes a provision to match the Medicare payment for certain prescription drugs to the price that hospitals pay for those drugs. That amounts to up to 35% lower than what the government pays to acquire those medications, the White House said. Drug prices have significantly risen in recent years. Between January 2022 and January 2023, prescription drug prices rose more than 15% and reached an average of $590 per drug product, according to the Department of Health and Human Services. Of the 4,200 prescription drugs included on that list, 46% of the price increases exceeded the rate of inflation.
Colorado lawmaker latest Democrat to visit El Salvador for deported illegal migrant Abrego Garcia
A Democratic congresswoman from Colorado is the latest lawmaker to announce she will travel to El Salvador to advocate for the release of deported illegal migrant Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia. Rep. Maxine Dexter, D-Ore., said late Friday she would jet to the South American country following Sen. Chris Van Hollen’s, D-Md., highly publicized visit there this week when he met with Abrego Garcia, who was deported to the country’s “Terrorism Confinement Center” (CECOT) megaprison with other suspected illegal migrant gang members last month. “A legal U.S. resident has had his due process rights ripped away and is now being held indefinitely in a foreign prison,” Dexter said in a statement. “This is not just one family’s nightmare; it is a constitutional crisis that should outrage every single one of us. I will travel to El Salvador to confront this crisis head on. Our constitutional rights are on the line.” FEDERAL JUDGE HAMMERS DOJ ON WHEREABOUTS OF ALLEGED MS-13 GANG MEMBER FOLLOWING SCOTUS ORDER The case has drawn a wedge between Democrats and Republicans. The Trump administration argues Abrego Garcia is an MS-13 gang member who is suspected of human trafficking and has a violent history of abusing his wife. A 2022 Homeland Security Investigations report identified Garcia as a member of MS-13 and a suspected human trafficker. A 2021 domestic violence filing, written by his wife, Jennifer Vasquez, claimed, “I have multiple photos/videos of how violent he can be and all the bruises he [has] left me.” Democrats say he is a hard-working Maryland resident who has had his due process rights stripped away after being sent to the notorious prison. The Supreme Court acknowledges that Abrego Garcia was subject to a 2019 withholding order forbidding his removal to El Salvador, and that the removal to El Salvador was “therefore illegal.” The Court stressed that the government must facilitate his release from custody in El Salvador and treat his case as if he were never deported. WHITE HOUSE PHOTO BLUNTLY SHOWS WHERE PARTIES STAND ON IMMIGRATION AMID ABREGO GARCIA DEPORTATION Trump administration officials acknowledged in court that his deportation had been an administrative error, although now some top Trump officials say he was correctly removed and contend he’s a member of the notorious MS-13 gang. One immigration judge in 2019 found that Garcia had not sufficiently refuted evidence of MS-13 affiliation and was thus removable to anywhere other than El Salvador because of a threat from a rival gang. This is called a withholding order. On Friday, Trump released an image of Abrego Garcia’s hand showing purported MS-13 gang tattoos. White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller on Monday said that two courts found Abrego Garcia to be an MS-13 gang member, and he was deported after Trump declared the violent gang a terrorist organization. Miller said that when Trump declared MS-13 a terrorist organization, Abrego Garcia was no longer eligible for any form of immigration relief in the United States. Critics, including Republicans and Trump allies, have questioned why Van Hollen would travel abroad to advocate for someone with alleged gang ties and a record of domestic abuse while remaining silent on victims like Rachel Morin, a Maryland woman murdered by an illegal immigrant in 2023. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP The White House released a split-screen image to underscore what it says is the stark contrast between where Republicans and Democrats stand on illegal immigration. One image featured distraught Angel Mom Patty Morin, mother of Rael Morin, being comforted by President Trump in the Oval Office. The other image showed Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., sitting and talking with Abrego Garcia, 29, in El Salvador. “We are not the same,” the White House captioned the image while tagging Van Hollen. Fox News’ Greg Wehner, Kerri Urbahn and Jasmine Baehr contributed to this report.
Oregon lawmaker latest Democrat to visit El Salvador for deported illegal migrant Abrego Garcia
A Democratic congresswoman from Oregon is the latest lawmaker to announce she will travel to El Salvador to advocate for the release of deported illegal migrant Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia. Rep. Maxine Dexter, said late Friday she would jet to the South American country following Sen. Chris Van Hollen’s, D-Md., highly publicized visit there this week when he met with Abrego Garcia, who was deported to the country’s “Terrorism Confinement Center” (CECOT) megaprison with other suspected illegal migrant gang members last month. “A legal U.S. resident has had his due process rights ripped away and is now being held indefinitely in a foreign prison,” Dexter said in a statement. “This is not just one family’s nightmare; it is a constitutional crisis that should outrage every single one of us. I will travel to El Salvador to confront this crisis head on. Our constitutional rights are on the line.” FEDERAL JUDGE HAMMERS DOJ ON WHEREABOUTS OF ALLEGED MS-13 GANG MEMBER FOLLOWING SCOTUS ORDER The case has drawn a wedge between Democrats and Republicans. The Trump administration argues Abrego Garcia is an MS-13 gang member who is suspected of human trafficking and has a violent history of abusing his wife. A 2022 Homeland Security Investigations report identified Garcia as a member of MS-13 and a suspected human trafficker. A 2021 domestic violence filing, written by his wife, Jennifer Vasquez, claimed, “I have multiple photos/videos of how violent he can be and all the bruises he [has] left me.” Democrats say he is a hard-working Maryland resident who has had his due process rights stripped away after being sent to the notorious prison. The Supreme Court acknowledges that Abrego Garcia was subject to a 2019 withholding order forbidding his removal to El Salvador, and that the removal to El Salvador was “therefore illegal.” The Court stressed that the government must facilitate his release from custody in El Salvador and treat his case as if he were never deported. WHITE HOUSE PHOTO BLUNTLY SHOWS WHERE PARTIES STAND ON IMMIGRATION AMID ABREGO GARCIA DEPORTATION Trump administration officials acknowledged in court that his deportation had been an administrative error, although now some top Trump officials say he was correctly removed and contend he’s a member of the notorious MS-13 gang. One immigration judge in 2019 found that Garcia had not sufficiently refuted evidence of MS-13 affiliation and was thus removable to anywhere other than El Salvador because of a threat from a rival gang. This is called a withholding order. On Friday, Trump released an image of Abrego Garcia’s hand showing purported MS-13 gang tattoos. White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller on Monday said that two courts found Abrego Garcia to be an MS-13 gang member, and he was deported after Trump declared the violent gang a terrorist organization. Miller said that when Trump declared MS-13 a terrorist organization, Abrego Garcia was no longer eligible for any form of immigration relief in the United States. Critics, including Republicans and Trump allies, have questioned why Van Hollen would travel abroad to advocate for someone with alleged gang ties and a record of domestic abuse while remaining silent on victims like Rachel Morin, a Maryland woman murdered by an illegal immigrant in 2023. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP The White House released a split-screen image to underscore what it says is the stark contrast between where Republicans and Democrats stand on illegal immigration. One image featured distraught Angel Mom Patty Morin, mother of Rael Morin, being comforted by President Trump in the Oval Office. The other image showed Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., sitting and talking with Abrego Garcia, 29, in El Salvador. “We are not the same,” the White House captioned the image while tagging Van Hollen. Fox News’ Greg Wehner, Kerri Urbahn and Jasmine Baehr contributed to this report.
What is REAL ID? Deadline approaches for new identification cards required to fly domestically
Due to a security law passed 20 years ago, many Americans are now required to update their driver’s license or identification cards to become REAL ID-compliant — or they won’t be able to board U.S. flights. With the deadline fast approaching on May 7, some conservatives have called on President Donald Trump to do away with the inconvenient requirement that they say violates civil liberties. On May 7, federal agencies, including the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), will no longer accept driver’s licenses or ID cards that do not have a star in one of the upper corners to represent their REAL ID verification. To become REAL ID-verified, applicants have to provide additional verifying information like Social Security numbers. Flyers who don’t have REAL ID verification on their license should plan to use a passport, a passport card, a permanent resident card, military ID or an enhanced driver’s license offered by some states. ‘MASS SURVEILLANCE’: CONSERVATIVES SOUND ALARM OVER TRUMP ADMIN’S REAL ID ROLLOUT The TSA says it will begin “phased enforcement” on May 7, but it’s unclear whether that means turning away travelers without proper documentation or subjecting them to additional security screening. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said in an FAQ on its website that travelers without “a REAL ID-compliant license or acceptable alternative beginning May 7, 2025, will not be permitted through the security checkpoint.” In a federal rule established this year, the TSA says its “phased approach” could last two years, with the potential to issue warnings to people without REAL ID verification. Access to other federal facilities and nuclear power plants will also require a REAL ID, according to DHS. Drivers who have recently renewed their driver’s license may already have a REAL ID. Check for the star in the upper right or left corner. Otherwise, check with your local Department of Motor Vehicles office on how to get a REAL ID or make an appointment to get a new license. You’ll need documentation to show your full legal name, date of birth, Social Security number and lawful status, as well as two proofs of address. If you don’t have your Social Security card, you can provide a W-2 or pay stub with your name and Social Security number on it. NO ‘REAL ID’ APPOINTMENTS OPEN IN NEW JERSEY AS RESIDENTS SOUND OFF: ‘GET WITH THE TIMES, NJ’ Congress passed and President George W. Bush signed the REAL ID Act in 2005 after the 9/11 Commission warned that it was too easy for bad actors to obtain a driver’s license. Implementation of the law has been marred by delays in getting all 50 states and U.S. territories to implement the new requirements and start issuing advanced identification, which the federal government estimated would cost $11 billion in 2007. The 2020 deadline was pushed back multiple times due to the COVID-19 pandemic. TSA senior official Adam Stahl said recently in an announcement that REAL ID “bolsters safety by making fraudulent IDs harder to forge, thwarting criminals and terrorists.” Some on the right have cried foul, and questioned why, if previous administrations have delayed the implementation, it is necessary now. When Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem posted a video reminding Americans of the May 7 deadline, former Alaska governor and vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin responded: “Or what?? Evidently, existing ID requirements for American citizens just aren’t adequate now, so Big Brother is forcing us through more hoops for the ‘right’ to travel within our own country.” Palin continued: “Other administrations delayed this newfangled, burdensome REAL ID requirement. Are you curious why its implementation is imperative now?? And who came up with this?” Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., argued in an X post, “As long as the pilot’s door is locked and no one has weapons, why do you care that someone who flies has government permission? REAL ID provides no benefit, yet presents a serious risk to freedom. If a person can’t be trusted to fly without weapons, why are they roaming free?” Massie took shots at Trump in a follow-up post: “REAL ID is a 2005 George Bush-era Patriot Act overreach that went completely unenforced until Trump got into office. Let me guess: he’s playing 4D chess and I should just go along with it?” Trump ally Rep. Mark Alford, R-Mo., rebuked REAL ID critics in his own public statement. “The REAL ID Act was passed way back in 2005, 20 years ago!!!! It’s about time everyone stop dragging their feet. Quit scrolling through social media, quit complaining, get your info together, and get down to the DMV to get your REAL ID,” Alford said Wednesday. The White House could not immediately be reached for comment on the criticisms of REAL ID. Fox News’ Liz Elkind contributed to this report.
Trump White House releases video series leading up to America’s 250th birthday: ‘Road to Independence’
FIRST ON FOX: The White House is launching a new “Road to Independence” video lecture series leading up to America’s 250th birthday, and the Trump administration has planned a year of festivities to commemorate it. The series, launched the same day as the first engagement of the Revolutionary War in 1775, will commemorate important moments in American history ahead of the Trump administration’s commencement of a full year of festivities that will launch on Memorial Day in honor of America’s 250th anniversary. The videos are being produced in a partnership between the Department of Education and Hillsdale College, whose president appeared in an introductory video launching the series. “President Trump wishes to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence next year with an open heart,” Hillsdale President Larry P. Arnn said in his introductory video. “One of the things we must do to commemorate anything — commemorate just means to remember together — first we have to know the thing. We can’t remember it very well if we don’t know it very well. So, part of the purpose of this series of lectures is to remember.” AHEAD OF TRUMP SPEECH TO CONGRESS, FLASHBACK TO 2017 ADDRESS ASKING ‘WHAT WILL AMERICA LOOK LIKE’ AT 250 The “Road to Independence” video series will culminate with the start of the Trump administration’s year-long festivities honoring America’s 250th birthday. In January, President Donald Trump signed an executive order establishing a White House task force to lead the planning and execution of this “extraordinary celebration.” The White House plans to engage with the entire federal government, state and local governments, the private sector, nonprofits and educational institutions. Arnn’s introductory message, launching the video series on Saturday, was also paired with the video series’ first episode commemorating the Battle of Lexington and Concord. Additional episodes, which will be shared on the White House website, will be released regularly to commemorate significant events related to America’s founding. TRUMP TO CREATE TASK FORCE TO PLAN ‘EXTRAORDINARY CELEBRATION’ FOR 250TH ANNIVERSARY OF AMERICA’S INDEPENDENCE The Battle of Lexington and Concord, fought on April 19, 1775, was the first military engagement leading to America’s independence from Great Britain and the eventual signing of the Declaration of Independence. The 10-minute video shares the story of this pivotal moment in history from the perspective of Hillsdale College history professor Wilfred M. McClay In addition to the two videos in the series, the White House is also commemorating the start of America’s fight for independence this weekend with a reading of the poem “Paul Revere’s Ride” by White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt, which will be posted across social media. The poem commemorates the midnight ride of Paul Revere on April 18, 1775, when he rode his horse through the night to warn Massachusetts colonists of advancing British troops. “President Trump signed an executive order to create the America 250 task force because he feels strongly about honoring our nation’s heritage ahead of this monumental anniversary,” Leavitt told Fox News Digital. “The ‘Road to Independence’ video series will bring the incredible story of our country to the public as we prepare to celebrate America together in July 2026.” PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP HOSTS EASTER DINNER WITH ‘WORSHIP AND PRAYERS’ During President Trump’s first term, he held a unique “Salute To America” event on the Fourth of July in 2019, which was different from typical Independence Day celebrations put on by past presidents. The event included a prominent display of military hardware with tanks parked near the National Mall and military flyovers by an array of aircraft. It also included an address on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial from the president and the typical fireworks display.
Dem with POTUS potential takes aim at own party, ‘whole rebrand’ needed amid Trump resistance
Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., has been crisscrossing the country the past couple of months, taking a lead in amplifying the Democratic Party’s message in resisting President Donald Trump’s aggressive and controversial actions in overturning long-standing government policy and slashing the federal workforce. But Khanna, the California Democrat who’s in his fifth term in the House and who likely harbors national ambitions in 2028, is not only turning up the volume in his broadsides against Trump and Vice President JD Vance, Trump’s heir apparent, but also against his own party. “We have to have a whole rebrand of the Democratic Party with a coherent platform and a future-oriented platform, and many leaders need to do that. New leaders, not the old guard. And I hope to be part of that,” Khanna said in an interview with Fox News Digital. DEMOCRATS’ VICE CHAIR IGNITES CIVIL WAR, TARGETING ‘ASLEEP AT THE WHEEL’ INCUMBENTS IN PRIMARIES When asked if party leaders need to be more vocal in pushing back against the Trump administration, Khanna quickly said yes. “We need more from our leadership. And you know, if you’re not willing to speak up about someone being snatched away from their home and deported without due process, you probably shouldn’t be in elective office as a Democrat right now,” he said. “We need Democrats speaking out, not just on the economy. We need them speaking out on civil liberties, on the rights of immigrants and on the rights of universities.” DEM RISING STAR EYES VANCE AS KEY LONG-TERM THREAT: ‘NEEDS TO BE DEFEATED’ But Khanna also praised the recent record-breaking marathon Senate floor speech by Sen. Cory Booker D-N.J., and the large rallies across the country being co-headlined by Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y. The Democratic Party is currently in the political wilderness, following last November’s election setbacks, when Republicans won back control of the White House and the Senate and defended their fragile House majority. Republicans also made gains among Black and Hispanic voters, as well as younger voters, all traditional members of the Democratic Party’s base. Democrats have become increasingly angry and very energized in response to Trump’s moves. That anger is directed not only at Trump and Republicans, but also at fellow Democrats. Many in the party’s base feel their leaders in Congress haven’t been effective or vocal enough in pushing back against the president. BERNIE SANDERS, AOC AND OTHER ANTI-TRUMP PROGRESSIVES HAUL IN BIG BUCKS FOR 2026 MIDTERMS And the energy has been evident at town halls this winter and early spring held by both Democratic and Republican members of Congress. National polls conducted in February by Quinnipiac University, and last month by CNN and by NBC News, indicated the favorable ratings for the Democratic Party sinking to all-time lows. And a Gallup poll released on Thursday spotlighted that confidence in the Democratic Party’s congressional leadership has sunk to an all-time low. Looking ahead to next year’s midterm elections, when House Democrats aim to topple the GOP’s razor-thin majority in the House, Khanna said he will continue his brisk pace on the campaign trail. “I’m already going out to more red districts. We did three red districts in California. I’m headed out to Pennsylvania. Was invited to go out to Nebraska, to Nevada, down south to South Carolina,” he said. “So we will be campaigning in red districts. Thousands of people are showing up. I’m very, very confident that we’re going to succeed.” This past week, Khanna trained his verbal fire on Vance as he delivered two high-profile speeches in the vice president’s home state of Ohio on Monday and on Tuesday at Yale Law School, where both politicians earned their legal degrees. In his interview with Fox News Digital in New Haven, Connecticut, ahead of the Yale speech, Khanna was asked if his attacks on Vance were an early 2028 positioning move. Khanna responded that “what I’m doing is providing an intellectual foundation for the Democratic Party.”
Pro-life father whose home FBI raided appeals ruling by ‘activist’ judge: ‘Faulty investigation’
FIRST ON FOX— Pro-life activist Mark Houck, who sued the Justice Department over his arrest and prosecution under the Biden administration, said his family has been blocked from settling their lawsuit by an “activist” federal judge. Houck filed a lawsuit against the Justice Department last year, seeking restitution for what he called “a faulty investigation” and “excessive force” after a SWAT team of around 25 people arrested him in front of his children. Now, Houck is appealing the judge’s decision to the Third District Court and calling on the Trump administration to follow through on ending the weaponization of the DOJ against pro-lifers such as him once and for all. He discusses the case with his wife and 40 Days for Life founder Shawn Carney in a new video shared with Fox News Digital. “You live in fear of it happening again, not only to yourselves but to others, and you want to know that this administration, which rode this message to the White House, is willing to step in,” Houck said in the video, adding, “and they’re doing it for other organizations, they’re doing it in the DOGE, they’re doing it with all the things, they’re cleaning house.” PRO-LIFE JOURNALIST ASSAULTED ON STREET ASSIGNS BLAME TO DEMOCRATIC RHETORIC In an interview with Fox News Digital, 40 Days for Life President Shawn Carney said: “I just think, Democratic or Republican, we’re tired of activist judges on both sides of the political aisle.” “Nobody likes it – and just, this guy’s a victim,” Carney said, adding that the Justice Department “needs to fix this.” News of the appeal, which is slated to be filed by 40 Days for Life on behalf of Houck, was shared exclusively with Fox News Digital. The group has already filed a Notice to Appeal to the courts. At issue are the settlement negotiations that 40 Days for Life entered into with the Justice Department in early 2025, following Trump’s inauguration. U.S. District Judge Paul Diamond, a Bush appointee, abruptly issued a motion to dismiss the case last month, effectively ending the negotiations that had been playing out between Houck and the Trump-led Justice Department. FEDERAL JUDGES IN NEW YORK AND TEXAS BLOCK TRUMP DEPORTATIONS AFTER SCOTUS RULING It appears that the motion to dismiss the case had originally been filed by the Biden-led Justice Department, which charged Houck in 2021 for allegedly violating the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances, or FACE Act. In the video, Carney and Houck discussed the judge’s decision as well as changes in the law enforcement community more broadly, and what they hope to be new priorities of the second Trump administration. Houck said his family is disappointed by the judge’s actions and added that “it reflects poorly against the Trump administration.” Speaking with Fox News Digital, Carney lamented the dismissal of their lawsuit by Diamond, whom he called an “activist” judge and accused of political bias. Nevertheless, he expressed confidence that the Trump administration would make it right. PENNSYLVANIA JURY ACQUITS PRO-LIFE ACTIVIST MARK HOUCK ON CHARGES OF OBSTRUCTING ABORTION CLINIC ACCESS “We are appealing the decision of the judge to continue the lawsuit against the DOJ,” Carney said. “And of course, if we could get back on track with that, the idea is that then we would be able to settle with DOJ, since they want to settle.” “We have a very strong appeal,” he said of their yet-to-be-filed brief. “We’re very confident about the appeal.” The FBI and Department of Justice did not respond to requests for comment. Houck, a longtime volunteer with 40 Days for Life, was arrested in 2021 for his actions outside a Planned Parenthood clinic, which prosecutors said violated the so-called Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act, or FACE Act. He was acquitted by a Philadelphia jury, but could have faced up to eleven years in prison if convicted. Both his high-profile arrest at home, and the lengthy prison sentence he could have faced if convicted, prompted outrage from pro-life groups, including 40 Days for Life, where Houck has volunteered since 2007. SUPREME COURT FREEZES ORDER TO RETURN MAN FROM EL SALVADOR PRISON In 2023, after Houck’s acquittal, 40 Days for Life joined Houck in suing the Justice Department over the ordeal, accusing law enforcement personnel of conducting a “faulty investigation” against him, and accusing law enforcement of using “excessive force” in the FBI raid of his family home. Carney has weighed in on the topic before, saying in a post on X this year that 40 Days for Life was “targeted constantly by the Biden DOJ.” “With 1,000,000 peaceful volunteers we will always fight for free speech for pro-life and pro-abortion Americans alike. God bless Trump and Vance for backing us up,” said Carney.
GOP push to make Trump’s 2017 tax cuts permanent, say going back would be a ‘dramatic’ change for many
Tax season is done. And this year, Congressional Republicans converted tax season to “sales” season. Republicans and President Donald Trump are pushing to approve a bill to reauthorize his 2017 tax cut package. Otherwise, those taxes expire later this year. “We absolutely have to make the tax cuts permanent,” said Rep. Tom Tiffany, R-Wis., on FOX Business. “We’ve got to get the renewal of the President’s Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. That’s absolutely essential,” said Sen. Mike Rounds, R-S.D., on FOX Business. Rates for nearly every American spike if Congress doesn’t act within the next few months. CONFIDENCE IN DEMOCRATS HITS ALL TIME LOW IN NEW POLL “We are trying to avoid tax increases on the most vulnerable populations in our country,” said Rep. Beth Van Duyne, R-Texas, a member of the House Ways and Means Committee which determines tax policy. “I am trying to avoid a recession.” If Congress stumbles, the non-partisan Tax Foundation estimates that a married couple with two children – earning $165,000 a year – is slapped with an extra $2,400 in taxes. A single parent with no kids making $75,000 annually could see a $1,700 upcharge on their tax bill. A single parent with two children bringing home $52,000 a year gets slapped with an additional $1,400 in taxes a year. “Pretty significant. That’s an extra mortgage payment or extra rent payment,” said Daniel Bunn of the non-partisan Tax Foundation. “People have been kind of used to living with the policies that are currently in law for almost eight years now. And the shift back to the policy that was prior to the 2017 tax cuts would be a dramatic tax increase for many.” But technically, Republicans aren’t cutting taxes. “As simple as I can make this bill. It is about keeping tax rates the same,” said Sen. James Lankford, R-Oklahoma, on Fox. Congress had to write the 2017 tax reduction bill in a way so that the reductions would expire this year. That was for accounting purposes. Congress didn’t have to count the tax cuts against the deficit thanks to some tricky number-crunching mechanisms – so long as they expired within a multi-year window. But the consequence was that taxes could climb if lawmakers failed to renew the old reductions. “It sunsets and so you just automatically go back to the tax levels prior to 2017,” said Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa. A recent Fox News poll found that 45% of those surveyed – and 44% of independents believe the rich don’t pay enough taxes. Democrats hope to turn outrage about the perceived tax disparity against Trump. “He wants his billionaire buddies to get an even bigger tax break. Is that disgraceful?” asked Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., at a rally in New York. “Disgrace!” shouted someone in the crowd. “Disgraceful! Disgraceful!” followed up Schumer. Some Republicans are now exploring raising rates on the wealthy or corporations. There’s been chatter on Capitol Hill and in the administration about exploring an additional set of tax brackets. “I don’t believe the president has made a determination on whether he supports it or not,” said White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt. “We’re going to see where the President is” on this, said Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent while traveling in Argentina. “Everything is on the table.” A Treasury spokesperson then clarified Bessent’s remarks. “What’s off the table is a $4.4 trillion tax increase on the American people,” said the spokesperson. “Additionally, corporate tax cuts will set off a manufacturing boom and rapidly grow the U.S. economy again.” Top Congressional GOP leaders dismissed the idea. “I’m not a big fan of doing that,” said House Speaker Mike Johnson on Fox. “I mean we’re the Republican party and we’re for tax reduction for everyone.” FEDERAL JUDGE TEMPORARILY RESTRICTS DOGE ACCESS TO PERSONALIZED SOCIAL SECURITY DATA “I don’t support that initiative,” said House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La., on FOX Business, before adding “everything’s on the table.” But if you’re President Donald Trump and the GOP, consider the politics of creating a new corporate tax rate or hiking taxes on the well-to-do. The president has expanded the GOP base. Republicans are no longer the party of the “wealthy.” Manual laborers, shop and storekeepers and small business persons now comprise Trump’s GOP. So maintaining these tax cuts helps with that working-class core. Raising taxes on the wealthy would help Republicans pay for the tax cuts and reduce the hit on the deficit. And it would shield Republicans from the Democrats’ argument that the tax cuts are for the rich. Congress is now in the middle of a two-week recess for Passover and Easter. GOP lawmakers and staff are working behind the scenes to actually write the bill. No one knows exactly what will be in the bill. Trump promised no taxes on tips for food service workers. There is also talk of no taxes on overtime. WHITE HOUSE PHOTO BLUNTLY SHOWS WHERE PARTIES STAND ON IMMIGRATION AMID ABREGO GARCIA DEPORTATION Republicans from high-tax states like New York and Pennsylvania want to see a reduction of “SALT.” That’s where taxpayers can write off “state and local taxes.” This provision is crucial to secure the support of Republicans like Reps. Nicole Malliotakis, R-N.Y., and Mike Lawler, R-N.Y. But including the SALT reduction also increases the deficit. So what will the bill look like? “Minor adjustments within that are naturally on the table,” said Rounds. “The key though, [is] 218 in the House and 51 in the Senate.” In other words, it’s about the math. Republicans need to develop the right legislative brew which commands just the right amount of votes in both chambers to pass. That could mean including certain provisions – or dumping others. It’s challenging. Especially with the slim House majority. “There were trade-offs and offsets within that bill that many people are dissatisfied with,” said Bunn of the 2017 bill. “And it’s not clear how the package is going to come together with those various trade-offs.” Johnson wants the bill complete