Trump unveils ‘Golden Dome’ missile shield, blindsides key senators
Before President Donald Trump’s dramatic reveal of the “Golden Dome” missile defense project on Tuesday, the proposal wasn’t even on the radar of many lawmakers on Capitol Hill. Several senators told Fox News Digital they had received no briefing on the initiative’s costs – and some hadn’t heard of it at all. “I don’t support blank checks. I haven’t seen the cost figures,” Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., told Fox News Digital. Two senior members of the Senate Appropriations Defense Subcommittee, one Republican and one Democrat, asked, “what’s Golden Dome?” in response to questions about the project Trump commissioned in January. CHINA ACCUSES US OF ‘TURNING SPACE INTO A WARZONE’ WITH TRUMP’S GOLDEN DOME MISSILE DEFENSE PROJECT Trump’s sweeping plan – pitched as an American version of Israel’s Iron Dome – carries an ambitious price tag and timeline. He’s floated a $125 billion estimated cost and says it could be built in three years, by the end of his term. A government funding package moving through Congress, dubbed the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, includes $25 billion to jumpstart the project. But defense experts and even some Republican allies anticipate the cost to be much higher. “This is not going to be a $25 billion or $35 billion project. It will likely cost in the trillions if and when Golden Dome is completed,” said Sen. Tim Sheehy, R-Mont., who announced plans to form a Golden Dome Caucus during a recent Washington Times defense industry event earlier this month. Sheehy warned that simply scaling up Israel’s Iron Dome to protect the U.S. is “a fundamentally different technological proposition.” “The challenges don’t scale linearly with the size of Israel, which is the size of New Jersey,” he added. The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO) has estimated the project could cost around $500 billion – though some believe even that figure is likely too low. CBO estimated that the space-based interceptors portion of the dome could cost at least $161 billion but up to $542 billion. But it didn’t account for any ground-based interceptors in that cost. “I’ve been 34 years in this business, and I’ve never seen an early estimate that was too high,” said Space Force chief of space operations Gen. Chance Saltzman. “We don’t always understand the full level of complexity until you’re actually in execution, doing the detailed planning.” LASERS, SPACE RADARS, MISSILE INTERCEPTORS: DEFENSE LEADERS LAY OUT VISION FOR TRUMP’S ‘GOLDEN DOME’ PROJECT Some Republican lawmakers suggest the potential benefits outweigh the massive spending required. “It might very well prevent a war,” Sen. Mike Rounds, R-N.D., said. “When we talk about spending billions on defense, that is small compared to one single major war – not only in trillions of dollars, but in bloodshed.” Once a missile is launched toward the U.S. homeland, the Golden Dome system aims to detect it, and orbital systems would aim to hit the missile during its “boost” phase, either with a laser or a kinetic interceptor. Otherwise, ground-based systems could deploy to knock it off its path. Others noted competing defense priorities. “That’s gonna be a long, drawn-out process, and it’s gonna cost a lot of money,” said Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala. “Right now, we’re redoing our missile silos… we’re transitioning to different types of warfare. If we’re gonna do [Golden Dome], we do it the right way.” Supporters of the plan argue that technological advances have dramatically lowered the cost of missile defense, enough to potentially flip decades-old strategic assumptions. Chuck DeVore, a defense expert at the Texas Public Policy Foundation and former Reagan administration official, said the old logic – that it’s always cheaper to build offensive missiles than defenses – may no longer apply. “That calculation is changing now,” DeVore said. “With low-cost orbit launches and inexpensive electronics, it may actually be less expensive to defend against nuclear missiles than to build them. If that’s the case, we’re at a truly revolutionary inflection point.” DeVore also warned that traditionalists in the defense establishment may push back. “You’re going to see people defending the status quo,” he said. “They’ll say we need that money for more conventional defense – more divisions, more jet fighters, maybe another aircraft carrier.” Still, DeVore argued that a homeland missile defense system is overdue. “The ability to truly defend the homeland and save American lives is better than mutual assured destruction – especially in an age of nuclear proliferation where we can’t always be sure where the threat is coming from.” Sen. Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla., agreed on the project’s importance, even as he said he hadn’t been briefed on the cost and needs of the project. “I think it’s the most important thing we could do to keep our homeland safe.”
Biden’s senility scandal leads top Republican to demand DOJ probe into ‘representations’ to public
EXCLUSIVE: Bombshell developments continue to emerge about former President Joe Biden’s declining health along with allegations of a White House cover-up. In response, a top Republican is urging the Justice Department to investigate whether any laws were broken in how Biden’s condition was presented to the public. Sen. John Cornyn of Texas is expected to write Wednesday afternoon to Attorney General Pam Bondi demanding that the DOJ open a probe into “any potential violations of federal law surrounding the representations made to the American people about the health and wellbeing (sic) of then-President Biden.” In the letter obtained by Fox News Digital, Cornyn cited the May 18 report from Biden’s camp that he is battling late-stage aggressive prostate cancer that had metastasized to his bones. “This announcement follows the publication of news reports calling into question the former president’s capacity and awareness during his time in office,” Cornyn said as other Biden critics questioned what then-White House physician Dr. Kevin O’Connor knew while treating the president. TEXAS LAWMAKERS SEEK TO GET FEDERAL REIMBURSEMENT FOR BIDEN ERA BORDER CONTROL EXPENSES In the letter, Cornyn expressed concern that Biden’s “associates,” including O’Connor, misrepresented or made “material omissions” to the public about his mental and physical fitness. Conservatives beat the drum of Biden’s alleged senility for years but were often lambasted by the mainstream media for questioning the White House’s line on the matter. “I fear the American people were deliberately misled about President Biden’s health. Instead of providing full transparency, which is the obligation of the commander-in-chief, important information was kept secret,” Cornyn wrote. “I do not have confidence in the former president’s aides and staff, including medical staff, or their ability to be honest and straightforward about President Biden’s cancer diagnosis.” ARIZONA KAMALA HARRIS RALLY SPEAKERS COURT ‘JOHN MCCAIN REPUBLICANS’ He noted how President Donald Trump assented to calls that he take a cognitive test to demonstrate fitness for office while contrasting that with Biden’s refusal, which famously resulted in a tense exchange with a CBS News correspondent when the then-president asked, “Why the hell should I take a test?” and asked if the Black news anchor was “a junkie” who might want to undergo a test for cocaine in his system. Cornyn contrasted White House claims that Biden was “fit for duty” with revelations, including those in a CNN anchor’s new book, that he was only capable of working “four to six good hours” per day. “These positions are in direct conflict,” Cornyn will tell Bondi, adding that despite having the world’s best medical care at his fingertips, Americans have been asked to “accept coincidence after coincidence” involving his health. He also cited the 25th Amendment, which he noted provides Americans an insurance policy that their government can continue to function if the infirmity or death of a president should occur. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP “These actions potentially impacted the trust the American people have in their government and weakened us on the world stage.” He cited a report from earlier this week that White House staff had secretly discussed the possibility that Biden would be confined to a wheelchair while still putting on a brave face to the public. Former President Franklin Roosevelt, stricken by polio, conducted the nation’s business from a wheelchair. “I encourage the Department to conduct a full investigation and ensure that no federal laws were violated during the previous administration,” Cornyn concluded. Fox News Digital reached out to a Biden representative for comment.
Violent Mexican drug gang’s high ranking members sanctioned by Trump
The Trump administration sanctioned two high-ranking members of the Cartel del Noreste Wednesday — one of the most violent drug-trafficking organizations in Mexico and a U.S.-designated foreign terrorist organization, Fox News Digital has learned. The Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control sanctioned the two leaders of the organizations, formerly known as Los Zetas. Officials said the gang exerts “significant influence over the border region,” especially near the Laredo, Texas point of entry. DOJ INDICTS ALLEGED HIGH-RANKING TREN DE ARAGUA MEMBER ON TERRORISM CHARGES FOR THE FIRST TIME The first individual sanctioned was Miguel Angel de Anda Ledzema, a high-ranking member of Cartel del Noreste who oversees the procurement of guns and ammunition for the group. According to the Treasury Department, he has overseen payments to facilitators and straw purchasers in the United States and organized the delivery of firearms to Nuevo Laredo, Mexico — straw purchasers who made false representations to secure firearms from American businesses, who officials say “fell victim to the cartel’s lies.” The Treasury Department said that one of the weapons purchased in this arms trafficking conspiracy was recovered after Cartel del Noreste attacked Mexico’s army during a patrol in March 2024. The second individual sanctioned was Ricardo Gonzalez Sauceda, who was known as the second-in-command of Cartel del Noreste before his February arrest by Mexican authorities. The Treasury Department said he led an armed enforcement wing of the organization. He had been arrested in connection with attacks on the Mexican military and Mexican police. At the time of his arrest, he was in possession of a rifle, a handgun, 300 grams of methamphetamine and a package of 1,500 fentanyl pills. Officials said the new sanctions underscore the Trump administration’s commitment to targeting Cartel del Noreste and other violent cartels involved in drug trafficking, human trafficking, arms trafficking and other heinous crimes endangering the American people. VENEZUELAN GOVERNMENT USES TREN DE ARAGUA AS PROXIES TO UNDERMINE US PUBLIC SAFETY, FBI ASSESSMENT FINDS “In working toward the total elimination of cartels to Make America Safe Again, the Trump Administration will hold these terrorists accountable for their criminal activities and abhorrent acts of violence,” Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Wednesday. Cartel del Noreste “and its leaders have carried out a violent campaign of intimidation, kidnapping, and terrorism, threatening communities on both sides of our southern border.” Bessent added, “We will continue to cut off the cartels’ ability to obtain the drugs, money, and guns that enable their violent activities.” The new sanctions were imposed in coordination with Homeland Security Investigations, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Drug Enforcement Administration. Officials said the action was also closely coordinated with Mexico’s Financial Intelligence Unit. President of the National Border Patrol Council Paul Perez told Fox News Digital that President Donald Trump’s actions against cartels “fulfills the promise that he made when he stated time and time again that he would not allow the cartels to operate with impunity on our borders or within the interior of the United States.” “These actions deal a significant blow and serves to send the message to all cartels, as well as to those who wish to do harm to Americans, that President Trump will not just talk about it, he will follow through,” Perez said. “The amount of drugs, weapons and other contraband, to include the smuggling and trafficking of persons into and throughout the United States, created chaos and terror that the actions of the Trump administration is bringing to an end.” “We fully and without hesitation support the actions taken by President Trump and his administration to take on the cartels,” Perez added. The actions come after Trump directed cartels to be designated as foreign terrorist organizations. In April, the Justice Department hit a high-ranking member of Tren de Aragua on terrorism and international drug distribution charges — the first time the U.S. government has used terrorism charges to prosecute a member of the violent gang.
Rubio tells House Dem ‘this is not a game show’ during heated hearing
Secretary of State Marco Rubio clashed with Rep. Brad Sherman during a House hearing on Wednesday, telling the California Democrat that “this is not a game show” when Sherman demanded that he only answer questions with a “yes” or a “no.” Rubio testified before the House Foreign Affairs Committee in Washington, D.C., fielding questions on foreign aid, nuclear proliferation in Saudi Arabia and Iran, the war in Ukraine and more. Sparks began to fly early on when Sherman questioned Rubio on a potential nuclear cooperation agreement with Saudi Arabia. “First, I will tell you that there has been no conversation about entering into one. For example, during the recent trip,” Rubio began before Sherman cut him off. “I’ve got limited time,” the congressman interjected. “Either give me a yes or a no.” RUBIO FIRES BACK AFTER DEM SENATOR SAYS HE REGRETS VOTING FOR HIM, SPARKING TENSE EXCHANGE “Well, I’m going to give you my answer if you want my answer,” Rubio replied. But Sherman cut Rubio off, stating that he was reclaiming his time. “Well, reclaim your time. But it’s not a game show,” Rubio said. “I get to answer. These are complex questions.” “Mr. Secretary, I’m reclaiming my time,” Sherman said. “The filibustering takes place in the Senate. Not here.” “I’m not filibustering. I’m trying to answer your question,” Rubio replied. Sherman then moved on to his next question, asking whether Rubio could assure Congress that the Trump administration would continue sanctions on Iran until they verifiably agree to abandon all nuclear enrichment. “That’s a yes or no question,” Sherman told Rubio. Rubio replied: “No, it’s not.” RUBIO, KAINE CLASH ON SOUTH AFRICAN REFUGEES: ‘YOU DON’T LIKE THAT THEY’RE WHITE’ “Well, can you give me a yes or no? Should I go on to go on to the next?” Sherman asked. “We believe that Iran should not be allowed to enrich uranium, correct,” Rubio answered. “You believe that?” Sherman asked. “We believe that an acceptable deal with Iran is one in which they cannot enrich, because if they can enrich, they can weaponize,” Rubio said. “I know why we don’t want – I asked you will we agree, will we continue the sanctions until they verifiably agree to get rid of enrichments.” “Oh, you have nothing to worry about,” Rubio said. “The worry was the previous administration. This administration–” “Your refusal to give me an answer is loud and clear,” Sherman interjected before shouting over Rubio that he was reclaiming his time. The House hearing brought Rubio to testify on the State Department’s posture on protecting American interests. Throughout the hearing, Rubio asserted that any actions taken by the government must have measurable outcomes for the American people, specifically making the country safer, stronger or more prosperous.
Trump rips NBC reporter for asking about Qatari jet gift amid tense meeting on genocide: ‘You’re a disgrace’
President Donald Trump ripped an NBC reporter for questioning over the Department of Defense accepting a jumbo jet from Qatar to serve as Air Force One. “The Pentagon announced that it would be accepting a Qatari jet to be used as Air Force One,” an NBC reporter asked Trump during a press event during the South African president’s Wednesday visit to the White House. “What are you talking about? You know, you ought to get out of here,” Trump responded. The question regarding the Qatari jet was asked immediately following Trump directing his staff to lower the lights and show video footage of the treatment of white farmers in South Africa during his meeting with the African nation’s president. ESPIONAGE, CONSTITUTIONAL CONCERNS ABOUND FROM TRUMP DETRACTORS, ALLIES OVER QATARI JET OFFER The Trump administration began welcoming white Afrikaners from South Africa to the U.S. in the past week as they face “unjust racial discrimination” in their home country, according to the administration. “What does this have to do with the Qatari jet?” Trump shot back at the reporter, believed to be NBC News’ Peter Alexander, before slamming NBC News for trying to divert the meeting’s topic from genocide in South Africa. “They’re giving the United States Air Force a jet. Okay? And it’s a great thing. We’re talking about a lot of other things. It’s NBC trying to get off the subject of what you just saw,” Trump said. “You are a real … you know, you’re a terrible reporter. Number one, you don’t have what it takes to be a reporter. You’re not smart enough. But for you to go into a subject about a jet that was given to the United States Air Force, which is a very nice thing.” “They also gave $5.1 trillion worth of investment in addition to the jet. Go back, you ought to go back to your studio at NBC because, Brian Roberts and the people that run that place, they ought to be investigated. They are so terrible the way you run that network. And you are a disgrace. No more questions from you,” Trump continued. “His name is Peter something. He’s a terrible reporter,” Trump added as he began calling on other reporters for questions. FLASHBACK: DEM CRITICAL OF TRUMP’S QATARI JET GIFT RODE CAMEL IN EXPENSES-PAID 2021 TRIP TO GULF EMIRATE Fox News Digital reached out to NBC News for comment on the matter but did not immediately receive a reply. Fox News confirmed earlier Wednesday that the Department of Defense had formally accepted a 747 jetliner from Qatar. Both Democrats and Republicans have criticized Trump after he announced the Department of Defense planned to accept a jumbo jet from the government of Qatar earlier in May, arguing the gift is riddled with both espionage concerns and constitutional questions. HOUSE DEMOCRAT CALLS FOR ‘IMMEDIATE’ ETHICS PROBE OF QATARI PLANE GIFT TO TRUMP At the heart of Democrats’ concern over the matter is the emoluments clause in the Constitution, which states: “No Title of Nobility shall be granted by the United States: And no Person holding any Office of Profit or Trust under them, shall, without the Consent of the Congress, accept of any present, Emolument, Office, or Title, of any kind whatever, from any King, Prince, or foreign State.” It’s questionable if the emoluments clause even applies to the president, however, as the Constitution typically stipulates when a clause specifically affects a president and cites the title, such as in the impeachment clause, Hans von Spakovsky, senior legal fellow at the Heritage Foundation’s Edwin Meese III Center for Legal and Judicial Studies, previously told Fox News Digital. TRUMP CLARIFIES OWNERSHIP OF AIRCRAFT IN DEFENSE OF QATAR’S GIFT “The clause was specifically inserted because of concerns by the Founders at the Constitutional Convention over corruption of our foreign diplomats, especially by the French government,” von Spakovsky explained. “It is questionable whether the emoluments clause even applies to the president since he is not named and the Constitution usually names the president when a provision applies to him. That is why the impeachment clause specifically provides that it applies to the ‘president, vice president and all civil officers of the United States.’ If ‘officers’ of the U.S. included the president, there would be no need for him to be separately listed.” Von Spakovsky said that if the plane is a government-to-government gift — meaning if Qatar gifted the plane to the Department of Defense and not as a personal gift to the president — the Trump administration is likely in the legal clear to accept the gift. “If this gift is being considered as a gift to the government of the U.S., there is no legal issue to consider, since there is no constitutional or legal problem with such a gift. If this is a personal gift to the president, the Justice Department would be weighing the constitutional issue I have raised — whether the emoluments clause even applies to the president,” he said. TRUMP DEFENDS QATAR JUMBO JET OFFER AS TROUBLED BOEING FAILS TO DELIVER NEW AIR FORCE ONE FLEET Trump and his administration had previously and repeatedly defended that the jet would be gifted to the Department of Defense, and used as a temporary Air Force One as Boeing has not yet delivered a new fleet of Air Force ones. “We’re very disappointed that it’s taking Boeing so long to build a new Air Force One,” Trump said during a press conference on drug prices Monday morning. “You know, we have an Air Force One that’s 40 years old. And if you take a look at that, compared to the new plane of the equivalent, you know, stature at the time, it’s not even the same ballgame.” “When I first came in, I signed an order to get (the new Air Force One fleet) built,” he continued. “I took it over from the Obama administration, they had originally agreed. I got the price down much lower. And then, when the election didn’t
Trump accepts jet from Qatar, will refit to serve as Air Force One, DOD says
President Donald Trump has officially accepted Qatar’s Boeing 747 jet gift to be refitted as Air Force One, the Pentagon revealed. “The Secretary of Defense has accepted a Boeing 747 from Qatar in accordance with all federal rules and regulations,” chief spokesperson Sean Parnell confirmed to Fox News. “The Department of Defense will work to ensure proper security measures and functional-mission requirements are considered for an aircraft used to transport the President of the United States. For additional information, we refer you to the United States Air Force.” News of the deal had prompted concerns from lawmakers, both over how to retrofit a foreign nation’s plane to serve as a mobile Oval Office with the highest levels of security and over what Qatar might want from Trump in return for the gift. Trump ally Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, had said the plane poses “significant espionage and surveillance problems” while liberals like Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., declared, “Trump cannot accept a $400 million flying palace from the royal family of Qatar. Not only is this farcically corrupt, it is blatantly unconstitutional.” “Qatar is not, in my opinion, a great ally. I mean, they support Hamas. So what I’m worried about is the safety of the president,” Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., told reporters last week. Trump had responded to the criticisms: “So the fact that the Defense Department is getting a GIFT, FREE OF CHARGE, of a 747 aircraft to replace the 40 year old Air Force One, temporarily, in a very public and transparent transaction, so bothers the Crooked Democrats that they insist we pay, TOP DOLLAR, for the plane,” Trump wrote. “Anybody can do that! The Dems are World Class Losers!!! MAGA.” Trump in 2018 awarded Boeing a $3.9 billion fixed-price agreement to manufacture two new jets, after months of haggling over the price. The jets were supposed to be delivered in 2024, but the project is around five years behind schedule and already $2.5 billion over budget.
Trump distances himself from Russia–Ukraine conflict: ‘Not our people, not our soldiers’
President Donald Trump appeared to distance the U.S. from the conflict between Russia and Ukraine — just two days after speaking over the phone with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Trump, who called Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy Monday after speaking to Putin, told reporters Wednesday that the conflict didn’t involve the U.S., despite the fact that the U.S. has adopted the role of mediator between the two countries since Trump came into the White House in January. “It’s not our people, it’s not our soldiers … it’s Ukraine and it’s Russia,” Trump said in the Oval Office Wednesday while hosting South African President Cyril Ramaphosa. Trump also mentioned speaking with Zelenskyy while the Ukrainian president was traveling to South Africa. Zelenskyy visited Ramaphosa in April, but cut his trip short amid attacks from Russia against Kyiv. “I called Zelensky and they said, he’s in South Africa. I said, what the hell is he doing in South Africa?” Trump said. Ramaphosa responded that Zelenskyy was talking with South Africa speaking with him about securing peace. “He’s trying to make peace, are we,” he said. Trump also said Wednesday he believed he “made a lot of progress” with Putin in his Monday call, during which both countries ultimately agreed to a ceasefire and to advance peace talks. However, Trump also indicated that both Moscow and Kyiv would need to take the lead on future talks. “The conditions for that will be negotiated between the two parties, as it can only be, because they know the details of a negotiation that nobody else would be aware of,” Trump said in a Monday post on Truth Social. Trump and other members of his administration have signaled in recent weeks that the U.S. is willing to step aside from peace talks between Moscow and Kyiv. For example, Vice President JD Vance said Monday that the discussions between the two had reached a bit of an “impasse” and that the U.S. was “more than willing” to step aside from the talks. “There is fundamental mistrust between Russia and the West. It’s one of the things the president thinks is, frankly, stupid,” Vance told reporters Monday. “That we should be able to move beyond. The mistakes that have been made in the past, but … That takes two to tango.” “I know the president’s willing to do that, but if Russia’s not willing to that then we’re eventually just going to have to say… This is not our war,” Vance said. “It’s Joe Biden’s war, it’s Vladimir Putin’s war. It’s not our war. We’re going to try to end it, but if we can’t end it we’re eventually going to say, you know what? That was worth a try, but we’re not doing it anymore.” This is a breaking news story and will be updated.
Trump confronts South African president with video on treatment of White farmers
President Donald Trump confronted South African President Cyril Ramaphosa at the White House on Wednesday with a video allegedly showing grave treatment of white farmers. Trump has claimed that White Afrikaner South African farmers are being slaughtered and forced off their land. The Afrikaners are descendants of mostly Dutch settlers who first arrived in South Africa in 1652. A portion of the footage aired at the White House showed white crosses lined up alongside both sides of a road. “Now this is very bad. These are burial sites right here. Burial sites — over a thousand — of White farmers. And those cars are lined up to pay love on a Sunday morning. Each one of those white things you see is a cross. And there is approximately a thousand of them,” Trump said. “They’re all White farmers. The family of White farmers. And those cars aren’t, driving, they are stopped there to pay respects to their family member who was killed. And it’s a terrible sight. I’ve never seen anything like it. On both sides of the road, you have crosses. Those people are all killed.” “Have they told you where that is, Mr. President? I’d like to know where that is. Because this I’ve never seen,” Ramaphosa then asked Trump. “I mean, it’s in South Africa, that’s where,” Trump responded. “We need to find out,” Ramaphosa said. Earlier, Trump said “we had a lot of people, I must tell you, Mr. President, we have had a tremendous number of people, especially since they’ve seen this, generally they’re White farmers and they’re fleeing South Africa. And it’s, you know, it’s a very sad thing to see, but, I hope we can have an explanation of that, because I know you don’t want that.” Some 50 Afrikaners were flown to the U.S. as refugees last week. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said there’s “more to come”. South Africa, and its president, denies claims of genocide and harassment. Fox News’ Paul Tilsley contributed to this report.
House Freedom Caucus heading to White House after delay play on Trump’s ‘big, beautiful bill’
The conservative House Freedom Caucus is demanding House GOP leaders delay plans to vote on President Donald Trump‘s “one big, beautiful bill” this week. The group of GOP rebels is joining House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., for a meeting at the White House later on Wednesday in an apparent bid to hash out differences on the massive piece of legislation, Fox News was told. “I don’t think it can be done today. I mean, the runway is short today,” House Freedom Caucus Chairman Andy Harris, R-Md., told reporters in a press conference on Wednesday. Rep. Scott Perry, R-Pa., said the group accepted an “offer” from the White House on Tuesday night. He suggested the offer was not yet included in the broad-based bill that Republicans are hoping to pass via the budget reconciliation process this year. TRUMP’S ‘BIG, BEAUTIFUL BILL’ PASSES KEY HOUSE HURDLE AFTER GOP REBEL MUTINY “We need to continue to work at that. We as members are at the table. We don’t want the deal to be ended,” Perry said. A House Freedom Caucus source told Fox News Digital that the speaker was still “digesting” the agreement, though lawmakers at the press conference declined to say what the deal was, but a White House official pushed back in a statement to Fox News Radio. “There was no deal. The White House presented HFC with policy options that the Administration can live with, provided they can get the votes, but they cannot get the votes,” the official said. “There was no deal. The HFC will meet with the president at 3pm to hopefully strike one.” A House GOP leadership aide also told Fox News Digital that the White House only provided the Freedom Caucus with policy options rather than a deal. Johnson had told reporters this week that the bill could see a chamber-wide vote as early as Wednesday. However, Harris said, “I’m not sure this can be done this week. I’m pretty confident it could be done in 10 days. But that’s up to leadership to decide.” House conservatives have been pushing for the bill to include more aggressive cuts to Medicaid – specifically the expanded population who became eligible under the Affordable Care Act – and a full repeal of former President Joe Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and its green energy subsidies. Allies of Johnson and other House GOP leaders have accused the GOP rebels of “moving the goal posts” from their initial demands of needing at least $1.5 trillion in spending cuts to offset the cost of new spending in the bill. However, Harris challenged that notion during the press conference. “We’re saying work within the goalposts, rearrange it within the goalposts in accordance with what the president wants – end waste, fraud and abuse in Medicaid, which is wasting dollars that should be spent on the truly vulnerable, and then end as much of the green new scam as possible,” Harris said. Earlier this morning, two key critics of the bill told Fox News Digital that negotiations between the House Freedom Caucus and House GOP leaders had regressed. Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, said talks went “massively south” but declined to go into detail. Rep. Ralph Norman, R-S.C., similarly said in a text message to Fox News Digital, “THINGS ARE NOT GOING WELL!!” HOUSE GOP TARGETS ANOTHER DEM OFFICIAL ACCUSED OF BLOCKING ICE AMID DELANEY HALL FALLOUT There are several outstanding issues with the bill that have not yet been resolved – blue state Republicans pushing for a raise in state and local tax (SALT) deduction caps, and conservatives demanding stricter work requirement rules for Medicaid as well as a full repeal of green energy subsidies in the IRA. Conservatives have been wary of the New York and California GOP lawmakers’ push, however. The House Rules Committee, the final gatekeeper before most legislation sees a House-wide vote, has been debating the bill since 1 a.m. Wednesday. The debate is expected to go through the better part of the day. Critically, Norman and Roy are members of the rules panel – but even if they both voted against it in committee, the numbers are still on Republicans’ side to advance it. The House of Representatives, where Republicans can lose just three votes to pass anything along party lines, is another story. Republicans are working to pass Trump’s policies on tax, immigration, energy, defense and the national debt all in one massive bill via the budget reconciliation process. Budget reconciliation lowers the Senate’s threshold for passage from 60 votes to 51, thereby allowing the party in power to skirt the minority — in this case, Democrats — to pass sweeping pieces of legislation, provided they deal with the federal budget, taxation or the national debt. House Republicans are hoping to advance Trump’s bill through the House and Senate by the Fourth of July.
Rising GOP star takes victory lap after Trump DOJ rolls back massive Biden anti-police push: ‘Promise kept’
FIRST ON FOX: Arizona GOP Congressman Abe Hamadeh took a victory lap on Wednesday as the Trump Justice Department announced it would dismiss the Biden administration’s “last minute” lawsuits against several police departments, including Phoenix. “Promise made. Promise kept,” Hamadeh told Fox News Digital in a statement after his efforts to end DOJ weaponization against police departments, largely stemming from the George Floyd riots in 2020, came to fruition on Wednesday via an announcement from DOJ. The DOJ announced on Wednesday it is scaling back “pattern and practice” probes that became prevalent under former AG Merrick Garland and were slammed by critics who argued the effort was politically motivated and impeded police officers from doing their jobs. “Today, we are ending the Biden Civil Rights Division’s failed experiment of handcuffing local leaders and police departments with factually unjustified consent decrees,” Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon said as the Department of Justice made the announcement. ‘DEFUND THE POLICE’ MECCA OF MINNEAPOLIS OVERRUN WITH VIOLENCE, ‘FAILED LEADERSHIP’: FORMER AG CANDIDATE “I promised our law enforcement officers before taking office that I would end the weaponization of our judicial system and work with President Trump’s Department of Justice to undo the damage wrought by the Biden Administration.” The Phoenix Police Department was the target of one of those oversight investigations in 2024 when Biden’s DOJ released a report alleging Civil Rights violations and claimed the department was discriminating against minorities and using excessive force. That probe has now been rejected by the Justice Department along with probes in several other jurisdictions, including Trenton, New Jersey, Memphis, Tennessee, Mount Vernon, New York, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, Minneapolis and the Louisiana State Police. The Phoenix Police Sergeants and Lieutenants Association (PPSLA) and the Arizona Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) both issued statements praising Hamadeh’s work on the issue. “The Phoenix Police Sergeants and Lieutenants Association (PPSLA) is grateful to Congressman Abe Hamadeh for keeping his promise to us,” PPSLA President Ben Leuschner said. “While we very much appreciate the support of everyone who advocated on our behalf, we know that Congressman Hamadeh took the fight to an important level. Today, justice was won for the residents we are sworn to protect and serve as well as our members.” TRUMP’S ‘BIG, BEAUTIFUL BILL’ WINS SUPPORT FROM POLICE FOR OVERTIME TAX ELIMINATION “We are grateful that both President Trump and Congressman Hamadeh stood with us against the Biden Administration’s DOJ’s flawed investigation of the Phoenix Police Department, which has already cost Phoenix taxpayers millions of dollars and left a demoralized, shrinking police force.” Hamadeh has been leading efforts to push back against the Biden DOJ’s established practices on oversight for police departments and recently met with FBI Director Kash Patel to “discuss the Biden Administration’s targeted attacks on our men and women in blue”, his office said in a press release. “I am grateful to President Trump and his team of patriotic professionals dedicated to the men and women of our local law enforcement agencies who run to the sound of danger to keep our communities safe and secure,” Hamadeh said. Hamadeh added, “As I noted in my communications with Trump Administration officials, our officers did everything right, voluntarily cooperating in good faith, opening their records, and participating in lengthy interviews. They were met with stonewalling, mischaracterized testimony, and a final report riddled with glaring inaccuracies.” An adviser to FBI director Patel told Fox News Digital that “Director Kash Patel has made it clear that under his leadership, the FBI stands firmly with the brave men and women who protect our communities.” “Overbroad police consent decrees divest local control of policing from communities where it belongs, turning that power over to unelected and unaccountable bureaucrats, often with an anti-police agenda,” Dhillon said in a statement Wednesday. Fox News Digital reached out to Biden’s office for comment. “As president of the Arizona Fraternal Order of Police, and on behalf of the entire membership, I want to thank Congressman Hamadeh for his unwavering support,” Arizona Fraternal Order of Police President Paul Sheldon said in response to the news. “We look forward to partnering with the Congressman in the future on our shared goal of keeping our communities safe.”