Kennedy tells FDA employees that ‘the Deep State is real’: report
Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. visited employees at the FDA on Friday and reportedly told them that “the Deep State is real.” The visit was his first appearance with FDA Commissioner Marty Makary and was reportedly meant to welcome the new chief. “President Trump always talks about the Deep State, and the media, you know, disparages him and says that he’s paranoid,” Kennedy said according to Politico, which reported it obtained an audio recording and transcript of the secretary’s remarks. “But the Deep State is real. And it’s not, you know, just George Soros and Bill Gates and a bunch of nefarious individuals sitting together in a room and plotting the, you know, the destruction of humanity.” According to multiple reports, Kennedy pointed the finger at “institutional pressures.” RFK JR. PLANS TO DIRECT CDC TO STOP RECOMMENDING FLUORIDE IN WATER Kennedy also reportedly said the FDA had become a “sock puppet” of the industries it was meant to regulate. NBC News reported that Kennedy said that this was the case with “every agency,” not just the FDA. One area where Kennedy said he has seen this within the FDA is its Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) system, which he says acts as a “loophole” for food companies. In March, Kennedy directed the FDA to reevaluate its policies on food companies obtaining approval before adding new ingredients to their products. He believes that “eliminating this loophole” will not only provide consumers with more transparency, but will be key in improving Americans’ health. ‘HEALTHY SNACK TIME’ WITH ELEMENTARY SCHOOL STUDENTS LAUNCHED BY SECRETARIES ROLLINS, RFK JR. The HHS secretary has not hidden his disdain for the FDA, especially as he spoke throughout the 2024 election cycle about what changes he believes are crucial to improving Americans’ health. About a week and a half before the election, Kennedy — who had already endorsed now-President Donald Trump — issued clear warnings on social media to those who “work for the FDA and are part of this corrupt system.” He told them to preserve their records and to “pack your bags.” CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR LIFESTYLE NEWSLETTER Kennedy recently embarked on a MAHA (Make America Healthy Again) tour in which he visited Utah, Arizona and New Mexico. According to HHS, Kennedy was set to speak on state laws banning ultra-processed foods and food dyes from school lunches, among other regulations. Fox News Digital reached out to HHS for comment on the reports outside working hours but did not receive a response for publication.
Whitmer ditches Dem playbook on Trump’s tariffs amid 2028 speculation
While most Democrats have rejected President Donald Trump throughout his second term, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer bucked the party line during a trip to Washington Wednesday amid speculation about her 2028 campaign aspirations. Democratic governors, many rumored to harbor 2028 presidential ambitions, spoke out against Trump’s tariffs this week as governors JB Pritzker and Gavin Newsom worked independently with trade partners to try to soften the damage to their state economies. Whitmer’s diplomatic moves put her out of step with her party, and the verdict is still out on how it will affect her politically down the line. Brad Bannon, a Democratic strategist and the president of Bannon Communications Research, told Fox News Digital dialogue with Trump is critical to Whitmer delivering for Michigan, particularly through the uncertainty of Trump’s tariff deals. But he said Whitmer, a potential 2028 presidential candidate, getting too close to Trump could jeopardize her status as a “first-tier presidential candidate,” alongside governors Josh Shapiro, Andy Beshear and Newsom. “This is a double-edged sword,” Bannon said. “She has to have an open dialogue with the president, but at the same time, if she’s going to win the Democratic presidential nomination or have a chance to win it, she is going to have to be very critical of Trump.” DEM GOVERNORS REVOLT AGAINST TRUMP’S ‘LIBERATION DAY’ TARIFFS TRUMP PRAISES DEM GOV. GRETCHEN WHITMER AFTER SLAMMING HER LAST YEAR: ‘VERY GOOD PERSON’ “In this political environment, there’s no room for nuanced discussion about Donald Trump among Democratic primary voters,” Bannon said. “Whoever’s going to be the Democratic nominee is someone who’s going to be very critical of the president. And that applies to Andy Beshear of Kentucky or Josh Shapiro of Pennsylvania, even Gavin Newsom in California,” Bannon added. Newsom, long considered a potential 2028 presidential candidate, has also embraced political dialogue across party lines since the Democrats’ big November losses. Newsom has invited Trump allies and conservative guests, including Charlie Kirk and Steve Bannon, onto his show in an attempt to show he is open to “criticism and debate without demeaning or dehumanizing one another.” The strategy follows criticism after the 2024 presidential election that Democrats didn’t prioritize new media appearances and unscripted conversations enough. Whitmer seemed to embrace the bipartisan strategy this week by carefully criticizing Trump’s tariffs while also acknowledging an understanding the president’s “motivation behind the tariffs” and even agreeing with Trump that we “need to make more stuff in America.” GRETCHEN WHITMER ANGERS DEMOCRATS, SUFFERS ‘HUGE EMBARRASSMENT’ WITH TRUMP MEETING AT WHITE HOUSE Later that day, Whitmer had her second meeting with Trump in a month. As Trump signed executive orders and answered questions from the press in the Oval Office, 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,” Bannon said. The Democratic Governors Association (DGA), which applauded Democratic governors for standing up and speaking out against Trump’s tariffs this week, characterized Whitmer’s trip to Washington as a willingness to work with “anyone” to deliver for Michigan. “Gov. Whitmer and Democratic governors across the country are doing what they’ve always done as strong and successful state executives — working with anyone to get real results for their states while also standing up against policies that harm their residents. As Donald Trump and Republicans in D.C. continue to sow economic chaos and raise prices, it’s more important than ever that we continue to elect Democratic governors who know how to get things done on the biggest issues impacting families every day,” DGA communication director Sam Newton told Fox News Digital. Whitmer vowed to keep showing up for Michigan regardless of who is in the White House. “If you’re not at the table, you’re on the menu,” Whitmer said after her speech in Washington. “My oath to the people of Michigan is to continue to show up, even when it means I’m going to get my lunch handed to me. I’m going to keep showing up and keep fighting for the people of Michigan, no matter who is at the other side of the table. That’s my job, and I’m going to do it until my last day as governor.” Just a month ago, Trump and Whitmer sparred after the Michigan governor warned her constituents during her 2025 State of the State address that Trump’s tariffs could put Michigan’s auto industry in peril. The White House trolled her for “running more for Governor of Canada” by supporting the “deadly status quo.” Fox News Digital reached out to Whitmer’s office for comment on her political aspirations but did not receive a response.
Sen. Tim Scott outlines first 100 days of Congress, crypto, tariffs
FIRST ON FOX — In an exclusive interview with Fox News Digital, Republican South Carolina Senator and former presidential candidate Tim Scott shared his views on his first hundred days as Senate Banking Committee chairman, breaking down a trade war with China, the future of cryptocurrency and controversial debanking policies. With Republicans holding power in both chambers of Congress and President Donald Trump in the White House, party leaders and supporters across the country had high expectations of the GOP’s policy agenda and ability to pass critical legislation swiftly and effectively. However, it has not been a perfect start to the 119th Congress. Republicans in the House of Representatives hold a slim 7-seat majority, and GOP infighting has forced internal debates that have delayed key pieces of legislation, like Trump’s “big, beautiful” tax bill, which passed last Thursday just 216 to 214. GOP SENATORS BULLISH ON POST-EASTER ‘BIG, BEAUTIFUL’ BUDGET AGREEMENT On the Senate side, Republicans hold an 8-seat majority over Democrats. With just 100 members in the upper chamber, the same principle of internal harmony must exist for legislation to move forward. Despite the narrow margins, Scott says some of the policy goals the committee has set they have “been able to accomplish.” “I wanted within the first hundred days to have some crypto or digital asset legislation marked up and run through our committee,” Scott told Fox News Digital. “Good news is the GENIUS Act is stamped. Done. Heading to the Senate floor. Number two, the FIRM Act. Focusing on debanking. Done. Heading onto the Senate Floor. Number three, our ability to listen to President Trump, the leader of not only our party, but of our country.” Trump’s role in working with congressional leaders was first demonstrated as every cabinet member that reached the Senate so far for confirmation was approved at the fastest pace in more than 20 years. “We’ve been running these folks through our committee,” said Scott. “It is a lightning-fast approach, but the good news is President Trump and the American people deserve his team in place. Promises made, promises kept. We are well on our way.” VP VANCE BLASTS MCCONNELL’S VOTE AGAINST TRUMP PENTAGON NOMINEE: ‘POLITICAL PETTINESS’ Outside the nominees, several prominent issues have made their way through the banking committee in the first hundred days. And one of the hottest items in banking today is the implementation of cryptocurrency into U.S. markets and day-to-day life. Notably, the GENIUS Act, a bill “to provide for the regulation of payment stablecoins,” would be a major advancement for crypto markets, showing the federal government is taking the digital asset market more seriously. But Scott blamed the Biden administration for the lack of enthusiasm to get pro-crypto legislation signed into law. “There’s no doubt that under the Biden administration and Gensler at the SEC, they just… didn’t like crypto. What I’ve said very often is simply this: we must innovate before we regulate. That means allowing innovation to happen here at home in the digital asset space is critical to American economic dominance across the globe,” he explained. The GENIUS Act passed through committee in March and now heads to the Senate Floor. Scott predicted the timeline as to when the bill would be signed into law, telling Fox he believed the legislation would be “passed into law by August.” TRUMP CRYPTO CHIEF SAYS WE ARE IN THE ‘GOLDEN AGE’ FOR DIGITAL ASSETS, ‘CLEARING THE DECK’ OF BIDEN BARRIERS The bill made its way through committee with an 18-6 as Senators Mark Warner, D-Indiana, Andy Kim, D-New Jersey, Ruben Gallego, D-Arizona, Lisa Blunt Rochester, D-Pennsylvania and Angela Alsobrooks, D-Maryland all voted with Republican against the wishes of Ranking Leader Elizabeth Warren, D-Massachusetts. But crypto markets, along with U.S. stocks, have been highly volatile in the past weeks, largely due to Trump’s controversial tariffs policies and trade standoffs. When asked about the mounting pressure between the U.S. and China, Scott backed Trump’s strategy, telling Fox News Digital, “This is about a country, China, that lies, cheats, and steals. Not on the watch of President Trump. He is going to use every tool in his toolkit to make sure that the Chinese government does not continue to take advantage of the American economy. I am thankful that we finally have a president with a backbone made of steel to stand up to President Xi and protect not just America’s present but America’s future.” HERE’S WHEN AMERICAN CONSUMERS, BUSINESSES WILL FEEL THE STING OF 145% CHINA TARIFFS Scott argued that establishing economic dominance “requires hard conversations and a tariff regime to push China into the smallest corner of the global economy if they’re going to lie, cheat, and steal against us.” He added, “We are not going to give them full and unfettered access to our market. That’s called common sense.” On Friday, China raised tariffs on U.S. imports to 125%, which Trump has maintained that a 145% tariff will be placed on China’s imports. As for the remainder of the 119th Congress and heading into what will be a critical midterm election year, Scott remains optimistic about the policies in progress and the legislation yet to come. “Thank God Almighty President Trump is in the White House,” the former presidential candidate added.
At least 26 American hostages released since Trump took office
At least 26 Americans held hostage abroad have been freed since President Donald Trump entered the Oval Office in January. Those who gained their freedom include a ballerina, a teacher and a mechanic, among others. On Jan. 21, 2025, just one day after Trump’s second term began, Ryan Corbett and William McKenty were released from Taliban captivity in Afghanistan. While Corbett and McKenty were freed under Trump, the deal that secured their release was completed by the Biden administration. Corbett and his family moved to Afghanistan in 2010, where they lived in Kabul and Jalalabad. According to a website set up by his family, Corbett did work for NGOs, which focused on education, birth and life-saving skills. He also started a project in 2017, Bloom Afghanistan, with the goal of strengthening the country’s private sector. In 2021, the Corbett family evacuated as the Taliban took control of the country. Corbett returned to Afghanistan a year later and was captured by the Taliban, which his family suspects was because of his “value as political leverage.” There aren’t many details on McKenty or exactly why he was in Afghanistan. According to the BBC, his family asked for privacy. 2 AMERICANS RELEASED IN EXCHANGE FOR TALIBAN PRISONER Anastasia Nuhfer, who was detained in Belarus during the Biden administration, gained her freedom Jan. 26, 2025. While Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced Nuhfer’s release, he did not give details on when she was detained or why. However, according to The Associated Press, a former high-ranking Belarusian official said the arrest was linked to 2020 protests against Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko. Special envoy Ric Grenell secured the release of six Americans after meeting with Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. Grenell posted a photo of himself and the men on a plane and said that they “couldn’t stop thanking” Trump when speaking to him on the phone. The men were not identified. TRUMP ENVOY RICHARD GRENELL SECURES FREEDOM FOR 6 AMERICANS FOLLOWING MEETING WITH MADURO IN VENEZUELA After spending 484 days as a hostage in Gaza, Keith Siegel was released as part of a ceasefire deal Feb. 1, 2025. Siegel was taken from Kibbutz Kfar Aza during Hamas’ Oct. 7 attacks. His wife, Aviva, was also taken hostage but was released in November 2023. On April 8, Siegel, who has credited Trump with saving his life, thanked the president during an NRCC event in Washington, D.C. “President Trump, I am here, and I am alive. President Trump, you saved my life,” Siegel said. He also asked Trump to continue working to secure the freedom of the 59 remaining hostages in Gaza. American schoolteacher Marc Fogel was released from Russian captivity Feb. 11, 2025, more than three years after he was detained. Fogel was carrying less than one ounce of medical marijuana, according to his family’s website, which he used for severe pain. The Fogel family criticized former President Joe Biden’s handling of Marc’s case, especially in light of his work to release WNBA player Brittney Griner, who was also arrested for having marijuana. On July 13, 2024, Fogel’s mother, Malphine, attended a Trump rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, Marc’s hometown. She spoke with Trump, who promised to bring her son home. Trump invited Marc and Malphine to attend his address to a joint session of Congress in March 2025. On Feb. 12, 2025, Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced that an American “unjustly detained in Belarus” had been released. The statement did not include details or identifying information about the hostage. In a press release, Rubio affirmed the administration’s commitment to releasing Americans held hostage across the globe. On Oct. 7, 2023, Israeli American Sagui Dekel-Chen was taken hostage by Hamas terrorists from his home at Kibbutz Nir Oz. He was shot in the shoulder during the massacre and endured torture while in captivity. Dekel-Chen spent almost 500 days as a hostage in Gaza and gained his freedom in February 2025. While he was in captivity, his wife gave birth to their third child. He only learned about his daughter’s birth after being released. On March 13, 2025, 10 unidentified Americans, including veterans and military contractors, were released from captivity in Kuwait. According to The Associated Press, the American citizens were detained on drug charges. Delta Airlines mechanic George Glezmann spent more than two years as a hostage in Gaza after being detained by the Taliban in December 2022. According to senators John Ossoff and Raphael Warnock, both Democrats from Georgia, Glezmann went to “Afghanistan for a five-day trip to explore the cultural landscape and rich history of the country.” The two senators advocated for Glezmann’s release, which eventually occurred March 20, 2025. TALIBAN FREES AMERICAN HOSTAGE GEORGE GLEZMANN FOLLOWING NEGOTIATIONS WITH US, QATAR The Taliban released Faye Hall in March 2025, though it is unclear when she was detained. CBS News reported that Hall was arrested on charges of using a drone without authorization. The Trump administration posted a video of Hall thanking the president for her release. In the video, Hall said she had “never been so proud to be an American citizen.” CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Russian American ballet dancer Ksenia Karelina was released from detention April 10, 2025, after being wrongfully detained for over a year. Karelina was arrested and sentenced to 12 years in a penal colony after donating approximately $50 to a Ukrainian charity. “Mr. Trump, I’m so, so grateful for you bringing me home,” a teary-eyed Karelina said upon her arrival in the U.S. “I never felt more blessed to be American.” Christopher Guly contributed to this report.
Longtime House Republican weighs run to flip Dem-held Senate seat in key battleground
Longtime Republican Rep. Bill Huizenga of Michigan says that as soon as Democratic Sen. Gary Peters announced earlier this year that he wouldn’t seek re-election in the key Great Lakes battleground state in next year’s midterms, “my phone started to ring and it hasn’t stopped ringing.” Huizenga, who was first elected to the House in 2010 and represents Michigan’s 4th Congressional District, which covers parts of the southwestern part of the state, highlighted that he’s getting “encouragement” to seek the Senate from “grassroots folks,” as well as donors. “I have been very flattered and honored to have this kind of support emerging,” he said. The Senate seat in Michigan is a top target for the GOP in the 2026 midterm elections to flip from blue to red, as the party aims to expand its current 53-47 majority in the chamber. And the emerging showdown is expected to be one of the most expensive and bruising battles of the cycle. 2026 ELECTIONS: THIS SENATOR IS RUNNING FOR GOVERNOR NEXT YEAR Huizenga, who is now the vice chair of the House Financial Services Committee, pointed to “the connections that I’ve got and have built up over the last now going into my eighth term here” when asked about fundraising. “It’s donors in Michigan. It’s donors nationally,” he touted. “I’ve got a network of folks that have been very, very helpful in the past, and they’re very interested in helping me out again.” WILL THIS BLUE STATE REPUBLICAN END THE GOP’S 20-YEAR LOSING STREAK IN HIS STATE? But Huizenga isn’t the only Republican making noise about a Senate run. Former Rep. Mike Rogers announced at the end of January that he was “strongly considering” a second straight Republican run. And Rogers, a former FBI special agent who later served as chair of the House Intelligence Committee during his tenure in Congress, is likely to announce his campaign on Monday. Rogers won the 2024 GOP Senate nomination in Michigan but narrowly lost to Rep. Elissa Slotkin, the Democrats’ nominee, in last November’s election in the race to succeed longtime Democratic Sen. Debbie Stabenow, who retired. Slotkin, who vastly outspent Rogers, edged him by roughly 19,000 votes, or a third of a percentage point. Asked if a campaign launch by Rogers would affect his decision-making process, Huizenga said “quite honestly, no.” “I think the question that everyone needs to answer is, who can win? Who can win the state of Michigan, and Michigan politics has shifted, and that’s the reality,” he said. A LIKELY BRUISING SENATE BATTLE IN BATTLEGROUND MICHIGAN HEATS UP AS THIS CANDIDATE ENTERS THE RACE Michigan was once part of the Democratic Party’s blue wall states that helped boost the party’s candidates in presidential elections. But President Donald Trump narrowly carried Michigan in his 2016 and 2024 White House victories. “What we don’t know is whether that Trump coalition of union households, Hispanics, the Arab American population and African Americans, especially males, that came out and supported Donald Trump, along with those independents and Republicans, whether that coalition is going to be held,” Huizenga said. And Huizenga pointed to his double-digit re-election margin last year in a competitive House District (his seat is one of 35 House seats Democrats are targeting in next year’s midterms). Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer narrowly won the district in her 2022 re-election victory, and Trump carried the district by six points last November. WHY PETE BUTTIGIEG SAID NO TO RUNNING FOR THE SENATE NEXT YEAR An endorsement by Trump, whose sway over the GOP is stronger than ever, is expected to play a significant role in the Republican Senate primary in Michigan. And while Trump has yet to weigh in on the race, Rogers earlier this year hired veteran Republican strategist and 2024 Trump co-campaign manager Chris LaCivita as a senior advisor. Asked about his relationship with Trump, Huizenga called it “very good” and claimed that “there is one elected official that has spoken at all three of his last rallies [in Michigan], in 2016, 2020 and 2024, and that’s me.” As for his timetable, Huizenga said: “I’m still going to do my evaluation here, and need to kind of push through on the fundraising and need to make sure that I’m able to get the support that I really need to have to be able to do this kind of run.” “We’re still more than a year out from the filing deadline, and so there’s a lot of runway here, and so I’m not in a huge hurry,” he added. “It needs to be done soon. But it would seem to me, sometime this summer or right after Labor Day, is more than enough time to make sure that we got the right candidate.” THIS CONSERVATIVE COMMENTATOR IS MULLING 2026 STATEWIDE RUN IN KEY BATTLEGROUND And in what appeared to be a comment directed at Rogers, Huizenga added that “it’s better to have the right person at the right time, rather than somebody early on.” Besides Rogers and Huizenga, business executive, conservative commentator and 2022 Republican gubernatorial nominee Tudor Dixon has said she’s seriously mulling another run for governor, or for the Senate, in 2026. And Republican businessman and auto dealership executive Kevin Rinke, who ran for governor in 2022, is also thought to be considering another statewide run next year. Earlier this month, Michigan state Sen. Mallory McMorrow launched a campaign for the Democratic Senate nomination. Reps. Kristen McDonald Rivet and Haley Stevens are considering a run, as is Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel. Last month, Pete Buttigieg, a 2020 Democratic presidential candidate who later served as Transportation Secretary in former President Joe Biden’s administration, ruled out a campaign after seriously considering a bid.
Lawmakers reveal whether Americans should pick up the Medicaid tab for illegal immigrants
California has a $6.2 billion budget deficit for Medicaid services, and Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom’s latest budget proposal projects the state will spend a staggering $8.4 billion to cover Medi-Cal, the state’s version of Medicaid, for illegal immigrants in 2024-2025. Two new reports by the Bureau of Economic Analysis found the U.S. economy has become increasingly reliant on government handouts. Entitlements are growing faster than tax receipts and wages. Private wages grew by $67 billion in early 2025, while government payments to recipients surged by $162 billion. In North Carolina and California, growth in Medicaid benefits was the leading contributor to increased personal income. Coverage for undocumented immigrants under California’s $6.2 billion budget gap for Medi-Cal is contributing to the surge in personal income. Fox News Digital asked lawmakers on Capitol Hill if taxpayers should have to pick up the Medicaid tab for illegal immigrants. Popular progressive senators Adam Schiff, D-Calif.; Michael Bennett, D-Colo.; and Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., refused to say whether illegal immigrants are entitled to Medicaid benefits funded by U.S. taxpayers. NEWSOM ASKS FOR NEARLY ANOTHER $3B FOR STATE HEALTH PROGRAM OVERWHELMED BY ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS Sen. Jon Husted, R-Ohio, who was tapped by moderate Republican Gov. Mike DeWine to replace Vice President JD Vance in the Senate this year, told Fox News Digital it should be illegal for Americans to fund healthcare for illegal immigrants. NEWSOM CONCEDES SKYROCKETING HEALTHCARE COSTS FOR ILLEGALS ARE ‘PARTIAL’ CONTRIBUTOR TO MEDICAID PROBLEM “That cost should be transferred back to the state of California if that’s the decision that they made. If people are here illegally, the taxpayers of this country should not be footing the bill for their healthcare when we can barely pay our own bills here in this country and people are going without. So, this is an astonishing thing that California would decide to do. Clearly, the leaders of that state are tone deaf because that’s not what the American public wants,” Husted said. Rep. Maria Salazar, R-Fla., who serves on the House Committee on Foreign Affairs and on Small Business, said she doesn’t support any federal funding for federal programs for illegal immigrants. “We need to see those numbers,” Salazar said. “I’m not in favor of any undocumented migrants in the United States using any type of federal funding or federal programs, because if you are not documented, you cannot be using any of the government or the federal government services. “But I need to know what are the numbers. I do believe that in construction, hospitality and agriculture, the illegals, the undocumented are giving a lot to the economy.” Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, a fiscal conservative who serves on economic and commerce committees, said programs like Medicaid are solely for U.S. citizens. “They’re certainly not there for illegal aliens. And this is costing the American people a lot of money. So, yeah, that is a problem, and it’s one we need to fix,” Lee said. Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., said he has questions about the policy and wants to know more about the substance of Medicaid benefits for undocumented immigrants and “whether it applies in emergency situations where somebody’s life may be at stake.” Another Northeast Democrat, Sen. Andy Kim, D-N.J., said he is more concerned “we’re not taking away Medicaid from people with disabilities, seniors that need long-term care” before discussions begin on expanding resources. Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., said it could “threaten the benefits for disabled children.” Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., a Trump loyalist, said California made a “conscious decision” to allow taxpayers to pick up the tab on healthcare for illegal immigrants. “They fully realize and appreciate that the federal government does not have one single penny to spend until the taxpayer sends that penny into the treasury,” Blackburn said. Sen. Cynthia Lummis, R-Wyo., said California needs to realize the impact its policies have on other states. “A lot of people in Wyoming are living paycheck to paycheck. They’re struggling to pay for things they used to be able to take for granted, like food and gasoline. And it’s absolutely wrong that one state can expand its benefits to illegals, and my state has to pay for it,” Lummis said. “Cost increases to the Medicaid program are driven by multiple factors, including expansion, increased enrollment for all populations and pharmacy costs,” a spokesperson for Newsom said when reached by Fox News Digital for comment. Newsom’s office emphasized that Medi-Cal covers approximately 15 million Californians, which accounts for more than one-third of the state’s population. Program costs have more than doubled in the past decade, according to the governor’s office. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Given Medi-Cal’s size, Newsom’s office said even a 1-2% increase in drug prices or hospital visits could mean billions of dollars in additional costs for the program, and states across the country and political spectrum are facing their own rising Medicaid expenses, specifically Pennsylvania and Indiana.
Trump feels in ‘good shape,’ after physical, says he got ‘every question right’ on cognitive test
President Trump said on Friday that the first physical examination of his second term went well, and overall he feels he’s in “very good shape.” The president told reporters on board Air Force One while en route to his home in West Palm Beach Friday evening that the yearly presidential physical at Walter Reed Medical Center showed he has a “good heart, a good soul,” and “overall, I think I’m in very – I felt I was in very good shape.” He also took a cognitive test. “I don’t know what to tell you other than I got every answer right,” the president told reporters. PENNSYLVANIA MAN CHARGED WITH THREATENING TRUMP, ICE AGENTS, OTHER OFFICIALS He added, “I think it’s a pretty well-known test. Got it all right. I’ve taken the cognitive test, I think, four times and gotten nothing wrong. That’s what the American people want. Biden refused, Kamala refused.” He also said that doctors gave him “a little bit” of advice on lifestyle changes that could improve his health without going into detail. Biden’s yearly presidential exam at Walter Reed last year didn’t include a cognitive test. The former president’s mental abilities became a concern during the presidential election last year after he struggled in a June debate against Trump, which led to former Vice President Kamala Harris taking over as the Democratic nominee. Trump said he expected the report from the exam to be released by Sunday. The president was at Walter Reed for five hours undergoing “every test you can imagine.” TRUMP THREATENS TARIFFS AND SANCTIONS ON MEXICO FOR ‘STEALING’ WATER FROM TEXAS FARMERS “I was there for a long time,” Trump said. “I think I did very well.” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Friday that a readout of the exam would be released “as soon as we possibly can.” The White House earlier this week promised to release the full results of Trump’s examination. “I have never felt better, but nevertheless, these things must be done!” Trump wrote on Truth Social before the exam earlier this week. The exam was also his first presidential physical since his ear was grazed by a bullet during an assassination attempt at a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, in July. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Both Biden and Trump’s health have come under increased scrutiny as they are the two oldest U.S. presidents to ever serve, and Trump became the oldest president to be sworn into office in January.
Trump administration scores win as judge clears way for ICE enforcement in churches, places of worship
A federal judge has upheld a Trump administration policy that allows U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to carry out enforcement operations at churches and other places of worship despite lawsuits against it from faith-based groups. U.S. District Judge Dabney Friedrich, appointed by Trump during his first term, denied a request from more than two dozen Christian and Jewish organizations to block the policy. The groups said it infringes on religious freedoms and is causing drops in attendance, especially among immigrants worried about being detained by ICE. The court found little evidence that ICE is targeting churches or that the change in policy is solely to blame for fewer people attending services. Friedrich noted that only a few enforcement actions have actually taken place at or near religious sites. MARYLAND IMMIGRANT WRONGLY DEPORTED TO EL SALVADOR MUST RETURN TO US, SUPREME COURT RULES “That evidence suggests that congregants are staying home to avoid encountering ICE in their own neighborhoods, not because churches or synagogues are locations of elevated risk,” Friedrich wrote in her opinion. The policy at the center of the lawsuit took effect Jan. 20, Trump’s first day back in office. On that day, the Department of Homeland Security rescinded an Obama-era guideline that had discouraged ICE agents from making arrests in “sensitive locations,” including schools, hospitals and places of worship. Under the new rule, ICE officers no longer need special approval to act at these locations as long as they apply “common sense” and “discretion.” Religious leaders said that change went against more than three decades of precedent, which aimed to protect immigrants and other vulnerable populations from being targeted at sacred or essential community spaces. TRUMP THREATENS TO CUT ALL FEDERAL FUNDING TO SANCTUARY CITIES: ‘DISGRACING OUR COUNTRY’ The judge, however, said bringing back the old policy might not change attendance numbers, since broader immigration enforcement actions could still keep people away. Other legal challenges to immigration enforcement in sensitive locations are also making their way through the courts. A federal judge in Maryland temporarily blocked operations at religious sites for some groups, including Quakers. But a judge in Colorado ruled in the administration’s favor in a similar case involving enforcement at schools. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Friedrich’s decision means the current policy will remain in place as the lawsuit proceeds. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Is the alleged MS-13 gang member going to be returning to the US?
A Maryland federal judge on Friday told the Trump administration to comply with a Supreme Court order “in good faith” regarding the ordered return of an alleged MS-13 gang member erroneously deported to El Salvador. Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a Salvadoran national and Maryland resident, was deported to El Salvador last month for being an alleged MS-13 gang member. His attorneys have maintained that he does not have any ties to the violent gang. In a Friday hearing, U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis ordered the government to provide daily updates as they comply with Thursday’s Supreme Court order upholding her previous order to return Abrego Garcia to U.S. soil. FEDERAL JUDGE HAMMERS DOJ ON WHEREABOUTS OF ALLEGED MS-13 GANG MEMBER FOLLOWING SCOTUS ORDER “I hope you will, in good faith, comply and we’ll take it from there,” Xinis said Friday. “I want daily updates until this matter is resolved.” Deputy Assistant Attorney General Drew Ensign and Xinis made clear during the hearing that they did not agree on their understanding of the high court’s order. On Thursday, the Supreme Court wrote that Xinis’ order “properly 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.” The high court also said the “intended scope of the term ‘effectuate’” in Xinis’ order is “unclear, and may exceed the District Court’s authority.” “For its part, the Government should be prepared to share what it can concerning the steps it has taken and the prospect of further steps,” the Court wrote. “It’s going to be very difficult for the parties and for the trial court to understand what the scope is of the Supreme Court’s order once the trial court takes the issue back up,” defense attorney Phil Holloway told Fox News Digital. MARYLAND IMMIGRANT WRONGLY DEPORTED TO EL SALVADOR MUST RETURN TO US, SUPREME COURT RULES Holloway said that the ambiguity in the high court’s order could lead to the case ending up in the justices’ hands again for further clarification. “The government is going to say that they are operating in good faith to comply with an order from the Supreme Court that is murky, and they’re trying their best to comply with it,” he said. “At the same time, the president’s trying to exercise his executive authority under Article II, which also the Supreme Court said the lower court must recognize.” Holloway said the government can take various routes as it moves forward, including seeking a reprieve from Xinis’ order and arguing that it is “unduly burdensome, and it hinders the president’s executive authority.” “I think they may wind up trying to get him out of that prison and sending him to a different location,” Holloway said. “But I think they’re going to fight pretty hard on whether they actually have to bring him back to U.S. soil.“ DOJ ASKS TO DISMISS VIRGINIA CASE AGAINST SALVADORAN ACCUSED MS-13 LEADER SET TO BE DEPORTED Jonathan Turley, a law professor at George Washington University and a Fox News contributor, said that the extent of the district court’s power to order the government to comply with the Supreme Court’s order is also in question. “It’s entirely unclear what, if anything, the court can do beyond other than nudge the administration in this direction,” he said. Heritage Foundation Legal Fellow Hans von Spakovsky specifically pointed to the Supreme Court noting that the district court must give “[d]ue regard for the deference owed to the Executive Branch in the conduct of foreign affairs.” “So while the government has to act in good faith to use diplomatic efforts to negotiate Garcia’s return and keep the district court informed of its efforts, the district court cannot give the government direct orders on how to accomplish this foreign policy task or penalize the government if it is not successful,” von Spakovsky said. “The assumption is that if the court determines that the administration is acting in bad faith, it could take some other action,” Turley noted. “The question is, how do you make that determination?” Turley said the district court could hold the government in contempt if it determines the administration acted in bad faith. However, enforcement may be challenging, given Abrego Garcia is overseas and the president’s Article II authority over foreign affairs.
Agriculture secretary signals breakthrough in Mexico water dispute after high-level call: ‘We’re moving fast’
Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins is turning up the pressure on Mexico over a growing water crisis that’s threatening South Texas farmers, announcing Friday that high-level talks with Mexican officials may finally lead to a breakthrough. “Just finished a productive call with our great deputy Secretary of State, Chris Landau, and my counterpart in Mexico to tackle the urgent crisis arising from Mexico’s failure to deliver water to American farmers, as obligated by treaty,” Rollins posted on X. “We’re moving fast — stay tuned for updates.” Rollins didn’t hold back, adding, “American agriculture has been asking for this relief for years and didn’t get it. What’s changed now is an American President willing to do what’s necessary to make it happen.” TRUMP THREATENS TARIFFS AND SANCTIONS ON MEXICO FOR ‘STEALING’ WATER FROM TEXAS FARMERS During an interview Friday on AgriTalk radio, Rollins revealed just how quickly things are moving. She said that shortly after President Donald Trump’s post on Truth Social Thursday night about Mexico “stealing our farmers’ water,” she was contacted by officials in Mexico to schedule talks. “Let me give you an example. Last night, that Truth Social came out, as I mentioned, on the Mexican water and on how Mexico has been stealing our farmers’ water, and it’s not going to go on anymore,” Rollins said. “Whether it’s tariffs or sanctions, we are going to stand up for our citrus growers and others that rely on that Mexican water. And I’m telling you, last night, within two hours after that Truth Social going up, the people from Mexico were calling to set up a call with me this morning.” Her message comes as frustration builds over Mexico falling short on its water deliveries under the 1944 Water Treaty. MEXICO TO DUMP MILLIONS OF GALLONS OF SEWAGE INTO TIJUANA RIVER, US CONTINUES TO BE A DUMPING GROUND: OFFICIAL The treaty requires Mexico to send 1.75 million acre-feet of water to the U.S. every five years from tributaries that feed the Rio Grande. Trump says Mexico is more than 1.3 million acre-feet behind, hitting South Texas farmers hard, especially during the ongoing drought conditions. Speaking to reporters outside the White House Thursday, Rollins said the administration is in regular contact with governors and agriculture leaders. After speaking with “ten governors” earlier that morning, Rollins said the team is focused on supporting farmers, especially those growing wheat and sorghum. “We believe that these changes will, in short order, create unlimited and unprecedented prosperity for these farmers,” she said. President Trump also addressed the water issue Thursday on Truth Social, blasting Mexico for failing to meet its obligations and warning of consequences if it doesn’t step up. “This is very unfair, and it is hurting South Texas Farmers very badly,” he wrote. “Last year, the only Sugar Mill in Texas CLOSED, because Mexico has been stealing the water from Texas Farmers. “We will keep escalating consequences, including tariffs and, maybe even sanctions, until Mexico honors the Treaty. That ends now!” Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, backed the administration’s stance, calling the water shortfall a “man-made crisis” and vowing to keep up the pressure. “Texas farmers are in crisis because of Mexico’s noncompliance,” Cruz wrote on X. “I will work with the Trump administration to pressure Mexico into complying and to get water to Texas farmers.” The Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs denied Mexico’s request for a special water delivery to Tijuana last month. “Mexico’s continued shortfalls in its water deliveries under the 1944 water-sharing treaty are decimating American agriculture,” the agency posted. “Today, for the first time, the U.S. will deny Mexico’s non-treaty request.” It’s not the first time the U.S. and Mexico have clashed over the 1944 treaty, but officials say the current drought, one of the worst in nearly 30 years, is making matters worse. Rollins thanked her Mexican counterpart, Agriculture Secretary Víctor Manuel Villalobos Arámbula, for his “swift and focused attention,” but made it clear that time is running out. Secretary Rollins joined RFD-TV Friday morning to weigh in on the negotiations. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS “Well, there will be, without giving, you know, too much information that’s still confidential, we immediately began moving out and setting up discussions,” Rollins said. “Of course, this is not necessarily USDA, although I’ll be partnering with Secretary Rubio over at State and also talking to some other counterparts today, but hopefully we’ll have a resolution very, very quickly. And we’ll get some water moving, perhaps.” The USDA did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment. Fox News’ Greg Wehner contributed to this report.