Whitmer explains her Oval Office folder fiasco
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, D-Mich., said she regrets hiding her face during a meeting with President Donald Trump in the Oval Office last week. Whitmer poked fun at the now-viral moment by once again holding folders up in front of her face when asked about her trip to Washington, D.C., during an event at the Detroit Economic Club on Monday. “… I don’t want my picture taken, that’s all it was. I kind of wished I hadn’t put my folder up in front of my face, but whatever. You know I was there … I just wrote a book about learning to laugh at yourself, so I’m pretty good at it. We all have our moments,” Whitmer said. Whitmer was criticized for shielding her face as the photo became a meme on social media. Alex Meyer, deputy assistant to the president and White House director of the Office of Intergovernmental Affairs who was standing to Whitmer’s left in the photo, joked that it’s his new profile photo. WHITMER DITCHES DEM PLAYBOOK ON TRUMP’S TARIFFS AMID 2028 SPECULATION The Michigan governor’s trip to Washington last week brought her 2028 presidential ambitions into the national conversation as she struck a diplomatic tone with Trump. She carefully criticized Trump’s tariffs while saying she understood the “motivation behind the tariffs” and even agreeing with Trump that we “need to make more stuff in America.” DEM GOVERNORS REVOLT AGAINST TRUMP’S ‘LIBERATION DAY’ TARIFFS Whitmer’s viral Oval Office moment marked her second meeting with Trump in less than a month. As Trump signed executive orders and answered questions from the press, he said Whitmer had “done an excellent job” as governor and called her a “very good person,” a break from his typical lines of attack on her character. “One of her opponents will dig that clip up and put it in a television ad,” Brad Bannon, a Democrat strategist and the president of Bannon Communications Research, told Fox News Digital. Bannon warned that Whitmer, a potential 2028 presidential candidate, getting too close to Trump could jeopardize her status as a “first-tier presidential candidate” alongside fellow governors Josh Shapiro of Pennsylvania, Andy Beshear of Kentucky and Gavin Newsom of California. GRETCHEN WHITMER RIBBED ONLINE FOR SEEMING TO HIDE FACE IN OVAL OFFICE As Trump signed executive orders calling for the investigation of two first-term administration aides who were critical of his actions, Whitmer’s office said she was brought into the room “without any notice” and that her appearance was “not an endorsement of the actions taken or statements made.” But Trump called the issues “bipartisan” and jokingly added, “We’ll all stand there together and cut a ribbon. OK, Gretchen?” Whitmer’s diplomatic moves last week seemed to put her out of step with her party as Democrat governors, many rumored to harbor 2028 presidential ambitions, spoke out against Trump’s tariffs as governors JB Pritzker of Illinois and Newsom worked independently with trade partners to try to soften the damage to their state economies. “If you’re not at the table, you’re on the menu,” Whitmer said after her speech in Washington last week, seeming to explain her diplomatic tone. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Whitmer’s office explained that she was meeting with Trump to discuss recovery aid for the northern Michigan ice storm, investing in Michigan’s defense assets and building the American economy for everyday Michiganders.
Newsom signs $2.8B bailout for healthcare program overrun by illegal immigrants
Liberal Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a $2.8 billion bailout Monday to close the state’s bloated deficit in California’s Medicaid program, which surpassed projections due to the program’s expansion last year to include illegal immigrants. The move, confirmed by Newsom’s office to Fox News Digital Monday afternoon, comes after the Democratic governor asked lawmakers last month for a $3.4 billion loan from the state’s general fund to cover some $6.2 billion in outstanding costs for Medi-Cal, one of the state’s primary healthcare programs that takes both federal and state taxpayer dollars. The additional funds will help keep the program running through June for some 15 million Californians, including noncitizens. But Republicans have been critical of the loan, arguing the current Medicaid program isn’t sustainable with illegal immigrants included in the coverage. NEWSOM ASKS FOR NEARLY ANOTHER $3B FOR STATE HEALTH PROGRAM OVERWHELMED BY ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS “Meanwhile, healthcare access is plummeting. Wait times are growing. Democrats have made their choice: legal residents come second,” California Republican state Senate Minority Leader Brian Jones wrote on X. “We must stop new enrollments of illegal immigrants and rein in this unsustainable program before it collapses entirely.” According to state data, roughly 1.6 million illegal immigrants are currently enrolled in Medi-Cal, part of the program’s total 15 million enrollees. The state had initially projected the expansion would cost just under $6 billion for fiscal year 2024–2025. But just one year in, the costs have surged far past that estimate. Newsom’s latest budget proposal now puts the cost of covering illegal immigrants at $8.4 billion for 2024–2025, and $7.4 billion the following year. NEWSOM’S ‘UNFAIR’ REMARK ON GIRLS’ SPORTS BELIES RECORD AS GOVERNOR: ‘ABSOLUTE BULLS—‘ Meanwhile, state House Republicans are pushing back. A new GOP proposal aims to cut $880 billion, primarily from Medicaid, over the next decade to rein in what they say is reckless government spending. Fox News Digital has reached out to Newsom’s office for comment. This is a breaking story. Check back for updates.
Harvard won’t comply with Trump admin’s demands amid threats of cutting federal funding
Harvard University’s top official told members of the community that the Massachusetts-based school will not comply with the Trump administration’s demands, despite risking the loss of grants and contracts to conduct research on “groundbreaking innovations.” Harvard President Alan M. Garber sent a defiant letter to members of the university community on Monday, saying “no government… should dictate what private universities can teach, whom they can admit and hire, and areas of study and inquiry they can pursue.” “For three-quarters of a century, the federal government has awarded grants and contracts to Harvard and other universities to help pay for work that, along with investments by the universities themselves, has led to groundbreaking innovations across a wide range of medical, engineering, and scientific fields,” Garber wrote. “These innovations have made countless people in our country and throughout the world healthier and safer. “Over the last several weeks, the federal government has threatened its partnerships with several universities, including Harvard, over accusations of antisemitism on our campuses. These partnerships are among the most productive and beneficial in American history,” he continued. TRUMP ADMIN PAUSES $1B FROM CORNELL, $790M FROM NORTHWESTERN AMID CIVIL RIGHTS INVESTIGATION: REPORT Garber pointed to research the university has conducted, including life-changing advancements like treatments for Alzheimer’s, Parkinsons and diabetes, as well as breakthroughs in artificial intelligence, quantum science, engineering and other areas. The university president said the federal government was risking not just the health and well-being of millions of individuals by retreating from partnerships with Harvard and other universities, but also the economic security and vitality of the country. “Late Friday night, the administration issued an updated and expanded list of demands, warning that Harvard must comply if we intend to ‘maintain [our] financial relationship with the federal government,’” Garber wrote. “It makes clear that the intention is not to work with us to address antisemitism in a cooperative and constructive manner. Although some of the demands outlined by the government are aimed at combating antisemitism, the majority represent direct governmental regulation of the ‘intellectual conditions’ at Harvard.” DHS: DEPORTED BROWN UNIVERSITY DOCTOR ATTENDED HEZBOLLAH CHIEF’S FUNERAL, SUPPORTED TERROR LEADER He encouraged the community to read the letter, pointing out that it requires Harvard to “audit” the viewpoints of the student body, staff, and faculty, while also reducing the power of certain students, faculty and administrators due to their ideological views. “We have informed the administration through our legal counsel that we will not accept their proposed agreement,” Garber said. “The University will not negotiate over its independence or its constitutional rights. The administration’s prescription goes beyond the power of the federal government. It violates Harvard’s First Amendment rights and exceeds the statutory limits of the government’s authority under Title VI. And it threatens our values as a private institution devoted to the pursuit, production, and dissemination of knowledge. “No government—regardless of which party is in power—should dictate what private universities can teach, whom they can admit and hire, and which areas of study and inquiry they can pursue,” he added. FOX NEWS ‘ANTISEMITISM EXPOSED’ NEWSLETTER: FULL LIST OF STUDENTS DETAINED OVER CAMPUS HATE Garber said the university has made it clear that it does not take its moral duty to fight antisemitism lightly. Over the past 15 months, he said, the university has taken many steps to address antisemitism at Harvard, and it plans to do more. For instance, he said the university will continue to nurture a thriving culture of open inquiry on campus and broaden the intellectual and viewpoint diversity within the community. He also said the university will respect free speech and dissent while also ensuring protest occurs in a time, place and manner that does not interfere with teaching, learning and research. And finally, he said Harvard will work together to find ways, consistent with the law, to foster and support a vibrant community that exemplifies, respects and embraces differences. IVY LEAGUE SCHOOLS RECEIVED $6.4 BILLION IN FEDERAL FUNDING IN 2024 “These ends will not be achieved by assertions of power, unmoored from the law, to control teaching and learning at Harvard and to dictate how we operate. The work of addressing our shortcomings, fulfilling our commitments, and embodying our values is ours to define and undertake as a community,” Garber wrote. “Freedom of thought and inquiry, along with the government’s longstanding commitment to respect and protect it, has enabled universities to contribute in vital ways to a free society and to healthier, more prosperous lives for people everywhere. All of us share a stake in safeguarding that freedom. We proceed now, as always, with the conviction that the fearless and unfettered pursuit of truth liberates humanity—and with faith in the enduring promise that America’s colleges and universities hold for our country and our world.” President Donald Trump has suspended federal funding to every Ivy League, besides Penn and Dartmouth, over investigations into anti-Israel protests that have taken place on their campuses since October 2023. Funding for dozens of other universities has also been impacted by investigations for the same reason. Columbia University, which had more than $400 million in federal funding taken away, was the first Ivy League to lose money over its failure to make Jewish students feel safe on campus. The university caved to demands from the Trump administration late last month in hopes of restoring the funding. Earlier this month, a federal antisemitism task force announced a review of Harvard’s federal grants and contracts, worth nearly $9 billion, as the university faces an investigation into campus antisemitism. The Trump administration has promised to be more aggressive in ending campus antisemitism after saying President Joe Biden did not hold universities accountable for their violent protests. The administration has also made moves to detain and deport foreign students who participated in or orchestrated anti-Israel protests at American universities. Fox News Digital’s Elizabeth Pritchett and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
EXCLUSIVE: Nancy Mace targeted by Pennsylvania man arrested for threatening Trump
EXCLUSIVE: A man charged with making threats to murder President Donald Trump was also found to have threatened Rep. Nance Mace, R-S.C., a source with knowledge of the matter told Fox News Digital. Mace’s office was informed by U.S. Capitol Police that Shawn Monper of Butler, Pennsylvania, made threats against her on social media in January, the source said. The man allegedly wrote of Mace on YouTube, “If I ever see her unprotected in public I would live to be the one to put a bullet in her skull. What a disgusting peice [sic] of trash.” FLORIDA CHARGES TRUMP ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT SUSPECT WITH ATTEMPTED MURDER, TERRORISM Mace appears to be the only member of Congress targeted by the suspect for now, the source told Fox News Digital. It’s not immediately clear why Mace, an outspoken Trump ally, was threatened. But it comes amid concerns about escalating threats against elected officials on both sides of the aisle. Trump, who was subject to two failed assassination attempts during the 2024 election, was targeted by Monper in a series of threats on YouTube, according to a release by the Department of Justice (DOJ). STATE-CONTROLLED IRANIAN NEWSPAPER CALLS FOR FIRING BULLETS INTO TRUMP’S ‘EMPTY’ SKULL The FBI “received an emergency disclosure regarding threats posted to YouTube by user ‘Mr Satan’” between Jan. 15 and April 5, according to the release. Monper also got a firearms permit “shortly following” Trump’s inauguration, and posted in Februrary under the aforementioned username, “I have bought several guns and been stocking up on ammo since Trump got in office,” the DOJ said. Posts in March showed Monper threatening a mass shooting. Further posts uncovered by federal authorities show him targeting Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials and Elon Musk, the release showed. The U.S. Secret Service was alerted to the suspect’s threats against Mace as well, the source told Fox News Digital. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP U.S. Capitol Police said it would not comment on potential investigations when reached for confirmation. Mace’s office did not immediately return a request for comment.
Watchdog group exposes red state college administrator explaining ‘loophole’ around anti-DEI law
FIRST ON FOX: Newly released video appears to show an administrator in the Florida university system bragging about the ways her school is skirting a state law prohibiting the practice of DEI. The video, obtained by conservative watchdog Accuracy in Media (AIM) and posted online, shows University of South Florida St. Petersburg administrator Heather Klišanin explaining to an undercover investigator how the school had attempted to skirt Florida law banning public funds from promoting DEI by using a “loophole.” “It is a student-funded area, so it changes some things in regards to what we are able to do because student-funded things are not affected by the changes in regulation and law,” Klišanin, director of student conduct and ethical development and dean of student ambassadors at USF St. Petersburg, can be seen saying on video, suggesting that the school is using student fees to fund DEI programs. “I was hoping it would be similar here that they weren’t totally getting rid of DEI,” the unidentified woman says to Klišanin at another point in the video. WISCONSIN STATE AGENCIES, UNIVERSITY SYSTEM FAILED TO TRACK DEI SPENDING, AUDIT REVEALS Klišanin responds, “Yeah, and even our students, we just have to make sure, like any of our programming and things like that, is mostly done through student government because if it’s student-funded, they can’t stop it. But like, our departments can’t spend any money on that.” Klišanin went on to explain that she has students who do “outreach and education” on DEI issues, but the department can no longer directly fund those efforts, “but if they partnered with student government and student government paid for it, then we can.” Klišanin described the loophole as “red tape” but said “Yeah” when asked whether the school administrators could still have a “supportive role” in the DEI efforts. “Loopholes?” the undercover individual asked. RED STATE LAWMAKERS WARNED ABOUT ALLEGEDLY ACCEPTING ‘DEI DOLLARS’ FROM HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION: WATCHDOG “Yeah,” Klišanin responded. In a statement to Fox News Digital, a university spokesperson said they are complying with the law. “The University of South Florida follows all state and federal guidance, policies, and laws related to DEI. USF does not operate a DEI office,” the spokesperson said. “As soon as USF was provided the hidden camera video of Heather Klišanin, we began a review of the matter, which is ongoing. Upon initial review of the edited video, it appears that she is referencing Florida law and Florida Board of Governors regulation on DEI that includes an exemption for student-led programs funded by student fees. However, after seeing the video and to ensure USF continues to comply with state and federal laws, USF will require her to complete additional training.” The Florida law does provide a carveout for student-funded activities, but in a press release, AIM suggests that the “loophole” talked about in the video might not be legal either. “However, this ‘loophole’ employed by USF is still likely in violation of state law, because not all student fees are paid through private sources,” the press release states. “As of fall 2022, over 74% of Florida residents enrolled at USF received a taxpayer-funded scholarship through the Bright Futures program.” “‘Federal funds’ are those funds provided to the university or direct support organization for a university directly or indirectly by an appropriation by Congress,” the Florida regulation states on the university system’s website. “This includes financial aid provided to the university by or on behalf of a student attending the university if that financial aid is provided to the student via a governmental aid or grant program. State and federal funds do not include student fees to support student-led organizations notwithstanding any speech or expressive activity by such organizations which would otherwise violate this section, provided that the student fees must be allocated to student-led organizations pursuant to written policies or regulations of each state university, as applicable.” Later in the video, Klišanin says, “We’re not going to stop supporting the students that we’ve been supporting in that space and right now it’s student-funded, so even if a name changes, they won’t have to take away the support.” The video also shows AIM President Adam Guillette confronting Klišanin, who denies she has been pushing to skirt the DEI laws. “You’re going to need to talk to Carrie O’Brion,” Klišanin says, pointing Guillette to the school’s communications director. Later in the video, Guillette speaks to O’Brion, who seemingly acknowledges that something improper had taken place. “That’s not the policy,” O’Brion said when confronted about the idea of switching DEI programs to student-funded efforts or changing the names of certain programs. “DEI is a poisonous ideology that leads to division, hate and antisemitism,” Guillette told Fox News Digital in a statement. “It has no place in our education system, and both Gov. DeSantis and the Trump administration must ensure these programs are rooted out of public universities and K-12 schools.” In a statement to Fox News Digital, DeSantis communications director Bryan Griffin told Fox News Digital, “Circumventing state laws & rules prohibiting DEI in public universities is unacceptable. We are looking into the matter and, to the extent public dollars are being used toward DEI, there will be consequences. ‘Additonal training’ will not be a sufficient response.” CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP The newly uncovered video comes weeks after Fox News Digital exclusively reported on a Florida professor bragging about how he too had found ways around the state’s DEI ban. The professor, Dr. Haywood Brown, former associate vice president of academic affairs at the University of South Florida, resigned shortly after Fox News Digital’s reporting. “With the details of Mr. Brown’s actions and public commitments to violating state law and academic standards surfacing to our attention, our office has immediately ensured his relationship with our university system has ended,” Griffin told Fox News Digital at the time. “This individual’s employment at the University of South Florida is over today, and he is no longer welcome to work in Florida education.”
Voters widely oppose taxpayer-funded gender surgeries, revealing Democrat Party’s vulnerability: poll
Taxpayer-funded gender transition surgeries remain a vulnerable issue for the Democratic Party that most voters oppose, according to a recent survey by the American Principles Project (APP) targeting likely midterm voters. “We wanted to help educate Americans, but mostly legislators, about where Americans or how Americans feel about funding for gender identity programs, specifically in healthcare services, especially in light of Congress deliberating on spending and doing the reconciliation bills and all of that,” Terry Schilling, APP executive director, told Fox News Digital in an interview. “We want to make sure that they knew just how unpopular these programs are to fund by tax dollars.” The survey, conducted in early April with 1,500 respondents, found that 43% of people who voted for former Vice President Kamala Harris in the last election are against using taxpayer money to fund gender transition procedures, including surgeries and hormone treatments. WATCH: DEMS SPAR WITH WHISTLEBLOWER WHO EXPOSED CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL FOR PERFORMING TRANS SURGERIES ON MINORS “That was a little bit higher than we typically see for Democrat voters,” Schilling said. APP is a socially conservative nonprofit advocacy group. During the last few months of President Donald Trump’s presidential campaign, his administration released high-budget ads targeting transgender women in women’s sports that may have helped move the needle with swing voters, with one ad famously proclaiming “Kamala is for they/them, President Trump is for you.” The ad focused on Harris’ track record of ushering in sex change procedures for incarcerated people in California. The survey found that nearly 66% of Americans don’t think the federal government should be funding gender transition procedures, including puberty blockers, hormones and surgeries. The survey did not differentiate between minors and adults. TRUMP ADMIN WARNS STATES TO COMPLY WITH HOUSING PRISONERS BY THEIR BIOLOGICAL SEX OR FACE FUNDING CUTOFF “The higher ups, like the elected officials in the Democratic Party, are going the other way, and it’s not going to work out well for them,” Schilling said. “Democrats are in a really tough spot. They have to choose between 20 to 30% of the base, which supports paying for gender transitions and surgeries with tax dollars, or the swing voters, which swing voters do not want at all.” In 2021, former President Joe Biden signed an executive order directing federal agencies to expand anti-discrimination protections to include sexual orientation and gender identity, including in healthcare. He also reinterpreted Title IX to ensure those same protections applied within educational settings. The administration supported state-level initiatives, such as Colorado’s inclusion of transgender treatments in its essential health benefits, under the Affordable Care Act. “I think that the more Donald Trump’s been talking about it and bringing attention to it, the more people are going to the Republican side on the issue,” Schilling said. COLORADO DEMS RAM ABORTION, TRANSGENDER BILLS THROUGH ON LIMITED SUNDAY SESSION DEBATE: ‘UNPRECEDENTED’ Another question of the survey asked respondents, “If the November 2026 general election for U.S. Congress was held today, and you knew that the Democratic candidate supports allowing federal tax dollars to pay for gender transition procedures, including puberty blockers, hormones, and surgeries, would you vote for the Republican or Democratic candidate for U.S. Congress?” Fifty-two percent of respondents said they would vote for the Republican candidate, while 39% said they would back the Democrat. Trump has clamped down on “radical gender ideology” since taking office, cutting all federal funding for gender transition surgeries for minors and through public healthcare. He has also banned biological males from competing in women’s sports and mandated that transgender individuals serve according to their biological sex in the military.
Rep Ro Khanna tees up 2028 rivalry during pointed speech in JD Vance’s home state
During remarks in Vice President JD Vance’s home state, Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., contrasted his vision for America’s “new economic patriotism” with the future of the Republican Party with Vance at the helm. Considered a 2028 presidential contender in an already crowded field, Khanna’s remarks at the City Club of Cleveland seemed to frame an early rivalry between the rising political leaders from opposite ends of the ideological spectrum. While Democratic leaders, who are likely mulling their own presidential runs, have seized opportunities to contrast President Donald Trump’s agenda, Khanna took aim at Trump’s likely successor during remarks on Monday. “Vance and Musk want to completely get government out of the way to usher in a new Gilded Age, so that corporate elites, particularly tech titans, can take the wheel,” Khanna said. “I say it’s time to turn the tables. It’s time to put Silicon Valley in the service of America, not America in the service of Silicon Valley. That’s why today I’m calling for a new economic patriotism. What we need in this country is a new economic patriotism, not a second Gilded Age.” VANCE DOUBLES DOWN AFTER TRUMP ADMIN ADMITS ‘ERROR’ SENDING MAN TO SALVADORAN PRISON Khanna, who was born in Philadelphia, touted his ties to Ohio during remarks in Cleveland, where his wife was born and raised. Khanna said Trump and Vance campaigned on restoring economic prosperity to industrial American cities but have presented “no hopeful vision, no real solutions” for manufacturing cities in the Rust Belt like Johnstown, Pennsylvania, and Warren, Ohio. Now representing California’s Silicon Valley, Khanna called for “fusing Silicon Valley’s ingenuity with Ohio’s industrial might.” CONGRESSMAN CALLS FOR ZUCKERBERG TO ANSWER ON CHINA DEALINGS Ohio GOP Chairman Alex Triantafilou responded to Khanna’s remarks in a statement to Fox News Digital: “Ro Khanna is a far-left socialist from one of the wealthiest and wokest congressional districts in America. He served as an official surrogate for both Joe Biden and Kamala Harris. This speech is nothing but another desperate plea for attention from another elitist politician wholly out-of-touch with Middle Class voters like those in Ohio.” “His remarks remind Americans that California extremist liberals like Ro Khanna are responsible for enabling open borders, mass illegal immigration, and the out-of-control government spending of the Biden regime. He should’ve stayed in California.” While Khanna did attack Trump’s tariffs and “propaganda,” Khanna was careful to target the joint “Trump and Vance” agenda, critique Vance individually and increasingly connect Vance to Elon Musk and the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). Khanna tied Vance to anti-democracy ideology, his “old” ideas for the United States and his tax breaks for Silicon Valley, which Khanna said they don’t need. With the U.S. House of Representatives on recess this week, Khanna is crisscrossing the country and visiting communities tied to his potential political opponent. Khanna visited the manufacturing town of Warren, Ohio, on Sunday, which is across the state from where Vance was born and raised in Middletown. Khanna will continue his Democratic rebuttal of the future of the Republican Party at Yale Law School on Tuesday, where both Khanna and Vance are graduates. “I’m going actually to Yale tomorrow, where JD and I both went to law school, to talk about freedom of speech because he’s been lecturing Europe about freedom of speech while sitting silently while students are snatched off campus and deported without due process.” During the Munich Security Conference in February, Vance said free speech “is in retreat” across Europe. On Monday, Khanna called for Americans to stand up and speak out against “deportations without due process” – referring to anti-Israel protesters and illegal immigrants who have been targeted by the Trump administration. Khanna and Vance have already had their fair share of sparring on social media. Earlier this year, Vance accused the California congressman of acting like a “whiny” child after Khanna said a former DOGE employee should apologize for racially charged social media posts. Khanna told Vance the now-resigned staffer should apologize “for the sake of both of our kids,” who are both of Indian dissent. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Vance’s office did not provide a comment when requested by Fox News Digital.
Trump says he’s looking at certain tariff exemptions for automakers: ‘They need a little bit of time’
President Donald Trump told reporters Monday afternoon that he was “looking” into potential part-specific tariff exemptions for carmakers, underscoring Trump’s stance that it is important to be “flexible” amid the current trade negotiations. Trump’s signal about a potential reprieve for auto manufacturers comes after the administration moved to exempt electronic devices — such as smartphones, iPhones and laptops — from the president’s reciprocal tariffs on Friday. Trump’s decision to provide certain exemptions falls in line with his stance that it is crucial to be “flexible” amid the ongoing trade negotiations, but Democrats have criticized the recent exemptions for adding more uncertainty to the situation. “I’m looking at something to help some of the car companies, where they are switching to parts that were made in Canada, Mexico and other places,” the president told reporters from the Oval Office Monday afternoon, during a meeting with El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele. “They’re going to make them here, but they need a little bit of time — so I’m talking about things like that.” TRUMP, BUKELE FIND COMMON CAUSE ON TRANS SPORTS BAN AND BORDER CRACKDOWN While talking to reporters, Trump also reiterated comments he made last week about the need to be flexible amid the ongoing tariff negotiations with various countries. “Look, I’m a very flexible person. I don’t change my mind, but I’m flexible, and you have to be. You just can’t have a wall, and you’ll only — sometimes you have to go around it, under it or above it,” Trump told reporters. “There will be maybe things coming… I don’t want to hurt anybody, but the end result is we’re going to get to the position of greatness for our country.” A notice published by U.S. Customs and Border Patrol on Friday indicated that smartphones, computers and other electronics would be spared from Trump’s 145% import tariffs on Chinese goods. However, the electronics will still be subject to semiconductor tariffs and tariffs related to fentanyl, per the administration and the president. TRUMP’S TARIFF BLITZ NOW EXEMPTING ELECTRICAL GOODS LIKE PHONES, LAPTOPS Trump signaled last week after he paused reciprocal tariff increases on 75 countries that showed a good-faith effort to negotiate new trade deals that he was open to providing exemptions for certain U.S. companies inordinately impacted by the tariffs. The president’s signal that more relief could be on the way for carmakers comes after he already provided the industry with a one-month reprieve from the 25% tariffs imposed on all goods imported from Canada and Mexico, implemented March 4, after speaking with executives with three of the country’s largest auto dealers. While Trump has characterized his willingness to provide tariff relief as a sign he is willing to be flexible, Democrats have described the moves to provide relief for certain industries as chaotic and corrupt. “I told Fareed Zakaria this morning: When you start giving an exemption here and an exemption there on tariffs, it’s introducing all kinds of corruption into the system,” Lawrence Summers, former Clinton and Obama administration economic advisor, said Sunday. “It’s introducing what economists call rent seeking, where it’s hugely advantageous for people to be friends of the first family and hugely advantageous for people to hire lobbyists. So, the big boom that’s being created with tariffs is in a crony capitalism.” TRUMP VOWS NOBODY GETTING ‘OFF THE HOOK’ FOR ‘UNFAIR’ TRADE BALANCES, SAYS THERE WAS NO TARIFF ‘EXCEPTION’ “Look, there is no tariff policy. It’s just all chaos and corruption,” Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., added in an interview with ABC News over the weekend. “These guys are into chaos and into corruption, and this is the reason that it is time for Congress to step up and to say, under the authority that the president is currently using by declaring these national emergencies — no — the law says specifically Congress can just say, ‘There’s no national emergency across the board here,’ and revoke that authority from the president. That will mean we can go back to having actually a real tariff policy. Congress will have its position in place, and then we can negotiate where we need to negotiate, but we got to stop this craziness.” Meanwhile, in a weekend Truth Social post following criticism from the likes of people like Warren and Summers, the president sought to defend the move to provide some relief to the electronics industry. “NOBODY is getting ‘off the hook’ for the unfair trade balances, and Non Monetary Tariff Barriers, that other countries have used against us, especially not China which, by far, treats us the worst!” said Trump. “There was no tariff ‘exception’ announced on Friday,” Trump declared in the post, noting that electronics will still be subject to a 20% tariff related to fentanyl. “They are just moving to a different Tariff ‘bucket.’ The Fake News knows this, but refuses to report it. We are taking a look at Semiconductors and the WHOLE ELECTRONICS SUPPLY CHAIN in the upcoming National Security Tariff Investigations.” Fox News Digital reached out to the White House for comment, and to inquire about further details regarding the potential temporary tariff relief for automakers, but did not receive a response in time for publication.
Cuomo lands key endorsement as comeback bid for NYC mayor heats up
Former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo is showcasing the backing of two powerful labor unions as he runs for mayor of the nation’s most populous city. The former three-term Democratic governor, who resigned amid multiple scandals in 2021, was endorsed on Monday by the labor groups 32BJ SEIU and Hotel and Gaming Trades Council, which represent building service workers and hotel and casino employees. The endorsements, which are highly coveted in heavily unionized New York City, will likely further cement Cuomo’s frontrunner status in June’s Democratic Party mayoral primary, as he runs to oust embattled Mayor Eric Adams from City Hall. “The members of @32BJSEIU and @NYHTC are the backbone of NY. They clean our buildings, run our hotels, care for our communities, and keep this city moving. Without a strong middle class, no city can survive – let alone thrive – and right now, we are dangerously close to losing them,” Cuomo warned in a statement on social media. CUOMO SHOWCASES EYE-POPPING HAUL IN NYC MAYORAL RACE And he highlighted that “I have fought for and alongside the men and women of 32BJ and HTC for years – their faith in me is a tremendous boost for our campaign and I am proud to have their endorsement.” The two unions, which combined have over 120,000 workers in their ranks, are the latest organized labor groups to back Cuomo. WHO’S THE FRONT-RUNNER IN NEW YORK CITY’S MAYORAL RACE Cuomo’s March 1 campaign launch, into an already crowded field of contenders, rocked the race. With over two months to go until the June 24 primary, Cuomo is the clear polling and fundraising frontrunner in the race for the Democratic mayoral nomination. And the winner of the Democratic primary will be considered the overwhelming frontrunner in November’s mayoral election in solidly blue New York City. But now that the 2025 mayoral race is Cuomo’s to lose, his rivals are zeroing in on the former governor’s immense political baggage. 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 as governor in August 2021. He was also under investigation for his handling of the COVID pandemic amid allegations his administration vastly understated COVID-related deaths at state nursing homes. The former governor has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing. CLICK HERE FOR THE LATEST FOX NEWS REPORTING, ANALYSIS, ON ANDREW CUOMO 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 now-President Donald Trump, and in February the Justice Department moved to dismiss the corruption charges, so he could seemingly work with the Trump administration on its illegal immigration crackdown. The top federal prosecutor in New York City resigned rather than comply, and argued that the mayor had agreed to a quid pro quo with the Justice Department. In a final move, a federal judge earlier this month dismissed the Justice Department case against the mayor, but argued that the Trump administration’s grounds for having the case dropped “smacks of a bargain”. A few days later, Adams announced that he would forgo the Democratic primary and run for re-election as an independent.
Man arrested in Georgia for threats against Tulsi Gabbard, her husband
Police arrested a 25-year-old man for allegedly sending threatening messages to director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard and her husband. The DOJ announced the arrest of Aliakbar Mohammed Amin on Monday, saying he had sent threatening text messages to Gabbard between March 29 and April 1. The threats included Amin allegedly writing, “You and your family are going to die soon” and “I will personally do the job if necessary.” “Death to America means death to America literally, Tulsi is living on borrowed time,” another text read. TRUMP CAUTIONS ‘BAD THINGS’ IN STORE IF IRAN WON’T NEGOTIATE AS ISLAMIC REPUBLIC TOUTS ‘MISSILE CITY’ “The home you two own in Texas is a legitimate target and will be hit at a time and place of our choosing,” another said. “Prepare to die, you, Tulsi, and everyone you hold dear. America will burn,” Amin allegedly wrote in another text. TRUMP THREATENS TO BOMB IRAN UNLESS THEY END NUCLEAR WEAPONS PROGRAM AND BEGIN TALKS ON NEW DEAL “Threatening to harm public officials is a criminal act that cannot be excused as political discourse,” Acting U.S. Attorney Richard S. Moultrie, Jr. said in a statement regarding the arrest. “Our Office, in coordination with our law enforcement partners, will vigorously prosecute individuals who commit these acts of violence.” Police apprehended Amin in Lilburn, Georgia, on April 11. He faces charges of transmitting interstate threats to injure Gabbard. “The FBI sees all threatening communications as a serious federal offense. We will employ every investigative tool and resource available to identify those responsible and ensure they are prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law,” said Paul Brown, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “Let this arrest serve as a clear warning: if you engage in this kind of criminal behavior, you will be caught and you will go to prison.” Federal agents say they also discovered similar threats allegedly made by Amin in social media posts, including an image depicting a firearm pointed at a photograph of Gabbard, and a second image of a firearm pointed at a photograph of Gabbard and her husband. Federal agents recovered a firearm while executing a warrant to search Amin’s home.