Trump, Hegseth announce ‘Golden Dome,’ a ‘game changer’ to protect American homeland
President Donald Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced the U.S. will soon begin construction of a “Golden Dome” missile defense system they say will be a next-generation “game changer” protecting the American homeland from outside adversaries. A similar system, the Iron Dome, has already been developed in Israel with U.S. assistance and has proven effective in repelling missile attacks. Now. Trump says a bigger, more technologically advanced, multi-layered dome system will soon be installed in America. The president announced the “one big beautiful” budget bill being discussed in Congress will include $25 billion in initial funding for the project, which he expects will cost $175 billion overall. He said he expects a major phase of the dome will be complete in under three years and that it will be “fully operational before the end of my term.” He noted there is significant support for the project in Congress, quipping, “It’s amazing how easy this one is to fund.” HEGSETH REVEALS PLANS TO COUNTER CHINA, STAY AHEAD IN ARMS RACE AS PENTAGON PIVOTS TO INDO-PACIFIC “In the campaign, I promised the American people that I would build a cutting-edge missile defense shield to protect our homeland from the threat of foreign missile attack. And that’s what we’re doing today,” he said, adding that the Golden Dome “will be capable of intercepting missiles even if they are launched from the other side of the world and even if they are launched from space.” Trump also announced he is placing Space Force Gen. Michael Guetlein in charge of the project, saying, “No one is more qualified for this job.” Hegseth called the Golden Dome a “bold initiative” and another addition to Trump’s “long and growing list of promises made and promises kept.” He said investing in the new system is essential to respond to growing threats from countries like Russia and China. “Ultimately, this right here, the Golden Dome for America, is a game changer,” said Hegseth. “It’s a generational investment in the security of America and Americans.” TRUMP’S TOUGH POLICIES PUSH UK, EU TO SIGNIFICANTLY EXPAND TRADE AND DEFENSE Addressing Trump, Hegseth said, “Mr. President, you said we’re going to secure our southern border and get 100% operational control after the previous administration allowed an invasion of people into our country. President Reagan 40 years ago cast the vision for it. The technology wasn’t there. Now it is, and you’re following through to say we will protect the homeland from cruise missiles, ballistic missiles, hypersonic missiles, drones, whether they’re conventional or nuclear.” Guetlein indicated the Golden Dome is necessary to preserve the safety, security and the quality of life Americans are used to. “We owe it to our children and our children’s children to protect them and afford them a quality of life that we have all grown up enjoying. Golden dome will afford that,” said Guetlein. MARCO RUBIO: WE SHOULD BE HAPPY WE HAVE A PRESIDENT WHO SEEKS PEACE The general said “our adversaries have become very capable and very intent on holding the homeland at risk.” “While we have been focused on keeping the peace overseas, our adversaries have been quickly modernizing their nuclear forces, building up ballistic missiles capable of hosting multiple warheads, building out hypersonic missiles capable of attacking the United States within an hour and traveling at 6,000 miles an hour, building cruise missiles that can navigate around our radar and our defenses, building submarines that can sneak up on our shores and, worse yet, building space weapons,” Guetlein said. “It is time that we change that equation and start doubling down on the protection of the homeland.”
Senate GOP vows vote to end Biden EPA waiver granted to push drivers to EV cars
Senate Republicans indicated that they intend to vote this week on whether to nix California’s emissions waiver from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), which has allowed the blue state to adopt stricter vehicle emissions standards than those imposed at the federal level, including a mandate that all vehicles sold in the state must be electric by 2035. The planned vote sets up a battle between Republicans and Democrats over whether the waiver is a government “rule” subject to the Congressional Review Act, which allows Congress to get rid of regulations with just a simple majority, as opposed to the typical 60-votes required to pass a bill. Democrats have described the GOP maneuvering as a “nuclear option” aimed at upending formal Senate rules. “The administration says it’s a rule. The GAO has said it’s not. The United States Senate is going to be heard from on this issue tomorrow and do something that will avoid, again, what I think and what a lot of people across this country think, would be a catastrophic outcome – and that is an EV mandate that would be imposed, across the United States,” Senate Majority Leader Thune said during a press conference from the Capitol on Tuesday afternoon. 35 DEMOCRATS VOTE WITH GOP TO BLOCK BIDEN RULE ALLOWING NEWSOM’S GAS CAR BAN The waiver, which gives California officials latitude to make their vehicle emissions standards stricter than those at the federal level, also allows other states to choose whether they want to follow federal standards or California’s stricter ones. “Obviously, the Democrats are going to make a lot of noise,” Thune added during the Tuesday afternoon press conference, referring to the party’s criticism of Republicans’ procedural maneuvering. “But the truth of the matter is, this has nothing to do with the legislative filibuster,” Thune continued. “This is the Congress and the United States Senate submitting to the body the question of whether or not the Government Accountability Office, the GAO, ought to be able to determine for us what it is and isn’t a rule.” ‘FLOOD THE SYSTEM’: US ATTORNEY UNLEASHES NEW TASK FORCE TO CRACK DOWN ON BLUE STATE’S SANCTUARY POLICIES Elizabeth MacDonough, the Senate parliamentarian who interprets and advises on the congressional rules officials must follow, agreed with the Government Accountability Office’s determination that California’s EPA waiver is not considered a “rule.” The discrepancy has led Democrats to claim Republicans are attempting to upend the Senate filibuster, an important tool for the minority party to gain leverage in the legislative process. However, during Tuesday’s short press conference, Thune slammed Democrats for complaining about the GOP’s maneuvering around the filibuster, pointing out they have tried to knock it down themselves in the past when convenient for their party’s priorities. “The only people that have attempted to get rid of a legislative filibuster, the Democrats, every single one of them up there that’s popping off and spouting off, has voted, voted literally to get rid of the legislative filibuster,” Thune said in response to a reporter’s question about Democrats’ criticism. “This is a novel and narrow issue that deals with the Government Accountability Office and whether, or not, they ought to be able to determine what is a rule and what isn’t, or whether the administration and the Congress ought to be able to make that decision.”
US awaits Putin ceasefire proposal after Trump phone call, Rubio says
The U.S. is awaiting a proposal from Russian President Vladimir Putin that may lead to a ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine, Secretary Marco Rubio announced Tuesday. “He says he’s going, they’re going to submit a proposal that would lead to a ceasefire, that would then lead to a broader negotiation,” Rubio told lawmakers during a Senate appropriations subcommittee hearing. “I think we will know from the context of that proposal where their mindset is and where they stand.” Asked if he believed Russia was ready to cut a deal, the secretary and interim national security advisor said, “I think Putin will always cut a deal he thinks is in the best interest for the country, for Russia and for his view of the world.” PRESIDENT TRUMP CONFIDENT PUTIN WANTS PEACE WITH UKRAINE, THINKS HE’S ‘HAD ENOUGH’ OF WAR President Donald Trump and Putin spoke by phone for two hours Monday, though the discussion did not yield an immediate breakthrough. Trump told reporters he believes Putin wants peace and said he trusts him. “I think he’s had enough. I think he’s had enough. It’s been a long time. This has been going on for more than three years. When you think, it’s been going on for a long time,” Trump said. Asked whether Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was doing enough to move the peace process along, Trump said, “I’d rather tell you in about two weeks from now, because I can’t say yes or no.” “Look, he’s a strong person, Zelenskyy, a strong guy, and he’s not the easiest person to deal with,” said Trump. “But I think that he wants to stop, and it’s a very bad thing that’s happening over there. I think he wants to stop. But I could answer that question better in two weeks or four weeks from now. I hope the answer is that he wants to get it solved.” TRUMP SAYS PUTIN IS ‘TIRED’ OF RUSSIA-UKRAINE WAR The European Union on Tuesday passed a set of new sanctions against Russia, and Republicans on Capitol Hill have said they are waiting for the go-ahead from the White House to pass a new sanctions package. Trump said Monday he was not yet ready to impose new sanctions but could in the future. “I think there’s a chance of getting something done,” Trump said. “And if you do that, you can also make it much worse. But there could be a time when that’s going to happen.” He also said Moscow and Kyiv would continue direct peace negotiations, adding the Vatican was ready to host peace talks.
Biden’s ‘last known’ prostate cancer screening was over a decade ago, as questions mount over diagnosis
President Joe Biden’s last known prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test was in 2014, as questions rise about how much his cancer has spread and why it wasn’t caught earlier. “President Biden’s last known PSA was in 2014. Prior to Friday, President Biden had never been diagnosed with prostate cancer,” a Biden spokesperson told Fox News. The PSA test is a blood test used primarily to screen for prostate cancer. The test measures the amount of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) in the blood, according to the Mayo Clinic. PSA is a protein produced by both cancerous and noncancerous tissue in the prostate, a small gland that sits below the bladder in males. The former president’s prostate cancer has been characterized by a Gleason score of 9 (grade group 5) with “metastasis to the bone.” This story is breaking. Please check back for updates.
Trump administration revives English language requirement for truck drivers
The Trump administration on Tuesday took steps to begin enforcing a law that requires truck drivers to speak English. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy was in Austin, Texas, where he signed an order to direct the Department of Transportation to enforce the law. Duffy framed the move as a safety issue for America’s roadways. TRUMP TO MAKE ENGLISH OFFICIAL LANGUAGE OF US IN NEW EXECUTIVE ORDER “For too long, misguided policies have prioritized political correctness over safety of the American people,” Duffy said. Under federal law, a driver must “read and speak the English language sufficiently to converse with the general public, to understand highway traffic signs and signals in the English language, to respond to official inquiries, and to make entries on reports and records.” The move came after President Donald Trump signed an executive order on April 28 directing the Department of Transportation to include English literacy tests for our truckers. GOOGLE MAPS, FAA OFFICIALLY ACKNOWLEDGES GULF OF AMERICA AFTER TRUMP DECLARATION: ‘ISN’T IT BEAUTIFUL?’ “You might not know, but there’s a lot of communication problems between truckers on the road with federal officials and local officials, as well, which obviously is a public safety risk,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said at the time. “So we’re going to ensure that our truckers, who are the backbone of our economy, are all able to speak English. That’s a very commonsense policy.” Before 2015, more than 99,000 drivers had English proficiency violations and a thousand were taken out of service, Duffy said. Many of those drivers were given a “slap on the wrist,” he said. “English is the language of opportunity in America,” the secretary said. “Allowing drivers who can not read stop signs, or understand police officers’ instructions to operate an 80,000-pound big rig threatens the safety of every American on our roadways.” Moving forward, truckers would be taken out of service if they are pulled over and found unable to speak English.
ICE captures illegal immigrant wanted for allegedly killing mother in DUI crash
EXCLUSIVE: Immigration and Customs Enforcement captured an Ecuadorian illegal immigrant who is facing vehicular homicide charges in Minnesota on Friday. The August crash, in which German Adriano Llangari Inga allegedly had a blood alcohol content “twice the legal limit,” killed mother Victoria Eileen Harwell, and hurt her teenage daughter and sister, according to DHS and local media outlets. “Despite a lack of cooperation from local Minnesota authorities, ICE arrested criminal illegal alien German Llangari Inga. This criminal illegal alien has been evading prosecution for vehicular homicide that resulted in the death of Minnesota mom, Victoria Eileen Harwell,” Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement on Tuesday. WHITE HOUSE RIPS MINNESOTA DEMS AFTER ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT CHARGED IN DUI DEATH OF MOTHER: ‘ON THE RUN’ He was arrested by Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office on May 10 “on an outstanding warrant,” but then released on May 13 without notifying ICE despite the detainer request placed by the agency on that day, according to the Department of Homeland Security. There was another detainer placed by ICE in August when the crash occurred, but Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office told Fox News Digital that because of the state Attorney General’s guidance, they “cannot lawfully hold individuals in custody based solely on an administrative detainer issued by the Department of Homeland Security or Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).” “If a judicially-signed warrant is presented to HCSO, ICE will be notified when it becomes the holding agency. In the absence of such a warrant, individuals must be released once all criminal charges or holds have been resolved. HCSO is committed to working with federal and local partners and honoring the constitutional rights of all individuals,” HCSO’s statement at the time added. ICE FILES DETAINERS AGAINST 2 ILLEGAL ALIENS, INCLUDING 1 FACING ATTEMPTED MURDER CHARGES FOR SHOOTING SPREE In August, he was in county jail for two days. CLICK HERE FOR MORE IMMIGRATION COVERAGE “Despite Hennepin County refusing to honor this criminal illegal alien’s detainer TWICE, ICE officers tracked him down and removed this criminal from Minnesota’s streets. Tim Walz should be thanking ICE not using despicable rhetoric. Remember sanctuary politicians are fighting for criminal illegal aliens. President Trump and Secretary Noem are fighting for the victims of illegal alien crime, like Eileen Harwell,” McLaughlin continued. Earlier this month, the Trump White House took aim at Minnesota leaders because the man was still at large. According to ICE, he first came to the United States in June 2016 and “was detained by U.S. Customs and Border Protection, issued an order of expedited removal and placed into removal proceedings.” NEWSOM’S OFFICE REVEALS BLUE STATE WILL COMPLY WITH ICE AFTER ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT’S EARLY RELEASE PLANS EXPOSED “An illegal immigrant drove drunk, killed an innocent mother, and is now on the run because Democrats didn’t do their most important job: protect their constituents,” Alex Pfeiffer, White House Principal Deputy Communications Director, told Fox News Digital in an exclusive statement at the time. Fox News Digital reached out to Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office on Tuesday.
Republican governors say they ‘stand united’ in support of Trump’s ‘One Big, Beautiful Bill’
FIRST ON FOX: Most of the nation’s Republican governors on Tuesday signed on to a letter of support for the massive GOP-crafted budget bill advancing President Donald Trump’s second-term agenda on tax cuts, immigration, defense, energy and the debt limit. The letter was sent to the White House as the massive measure, known as Trump’s “one big, beautiful bill,” is slowly making its way through numerous votes and hurdles in the House of Representatives. And the letter, shared first with Fox News by the Republican Governors Association (RGA), came as Trump made a rare visit Tuesday morning to Capitol Hill to rally Republicans in support of the legislation. INSIDE TRUMP’S URGENT MEETING WITH HOUSE REPUBLICANS “As Republican Governors, we stand UNITED in strong support of your One, Big, Beautiful Bill. This landmark piece of legislation embodies your powerful vision to bring about the next great American revival. It truly delivers on the bold promises all Republicans made to the American people to restore the security, prosperity, and fiscal sanity for our nation,” stated the letter, which was signed by 20 of the nation’s 27 GOP governors. And the governors argued that “after four long years of tremendous hardship under President Joe Biden and Kamala Harris, the American people cannot wait any longer for Congress to enact the One, Big, Beautiful Bill.” “The American people have witnessed the tireless work undertaken by you and your administration to reverse the disastrous consequences of President Biden’s failed and often illegal policies,” the governors claimed. “You have demonstrated a commitment to using every ounce of Executive authority available to reinstitute fiscal sanity, fight the deep state, secure our borders, and achieve energy dominance.” With a fragile, razor-thin majority in the House, GOP leaders in the chamber cannot afford more than a couple of Republicans to hold out against the bill in order to pass it and send it to the Senate. No Democrats in the House are expected to vote for the measure. Upon arriving on Capitol Hill, Trump suggested that any GOP lawmaker who votes against the bill would be “knocked out so fast,” as he mentioned a couple of “grandstanders.” He urged House Republicans must get his “one big, beautiful bill” done, and added that the GOP is a “very unified party.” While Trump’s meeting with the House Republicans was kept behind closed doors, two people in the room told Fox News Digital that the president warned House Republicans to not “f— around” with Medicaid and state and local tax (SALT) deduction caps, two significant points of contention for warring conservative and moderate GOP factions. The Republican governors, in their letter to Trump, said that “we agree with you; Republicans must UNIFY around this unprecedented piece of conservative legislation.” “We stand by your side and will support you in any way to ensure this necessary piece of legislation is enacted,” they added. The letter was signed by Govs. Kay Ivey of Alabama, Mike Dunleavy of Alaska, Sarah Sanders of Arkansas, Brian Kemp of Georgia (the chair of the RGA), Brad Little of Idaho, Mike Braun of Indiana, Kim Reynolds of Iowa, Jeff Laundry of Louisiana, Tate Reeves of Mississippi, Mike Kehoe of Missouri, Greg Gianforte of Montana, Jim Pillen of Nebraska, Kelly Armstrong of North Dakota, Henry McMaster of South Carolina, Bill Lee of Tennessee, Greg Abbott of Texas, Spencer Cox of Utah, Glenn Youngkin of Virginia, Patrick Morrisey of West Virginia, and Mark Gordon of Wyoming. Fox News’ Elizabeth Elkind and Deirdre Heavey contributed to this report.
Fox News Politics Newsletter: RFK Jr Savages Senate Dem in Second Testy Hearing
Welcome to the Fox News Politics newsletter, with the latest updates on the Trump administration, Capitol Hill and more Fox News politics content. Here’s what’s happening… -Inside Trump’s urgent meeting with House GOP to pass the ‘big, beautiful bill’ -GOP senators renew call for DOD watchdog to probe former Joint Chiefs boss Milley for alleged misconduct -Expert reveals how companies are rebranding ‘toxic’ DEI policies to skirt Trump-era bans Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. slammed Washington Sen. Patty Murray during a Tuesday Senate hearing for allegedly “presiding over the destruction” of Americans’ health across her more than 30 years in the upper chamber. “You’ve presided here, I think, for 32 years. You presided over the destruction of the health of the American people. Our people are now the sickest people in the world,” Kennedy said to Murray during a tense back and forth Tuesday morning. The Washington Democrat previously exchanged barbs with Kennedy on Wednesday, May 14, when Murray accused him and the Trump administration of delaying critical cancer care for one of her constituents… READ MORE MINE, BABY, MINE: Trump admin hits bullseye with first US mine for key mineral used in military ammo, night-vision, Big Tech NO ‘ISOLATED CASE’: Federal air marshals surveilled Trump Cabinet member Gabbard in 2024, Rand Paul says ‘NULL AND VOID’: Federal judge blocks Trump dismantling of US Institute of Peace ‘UTTER NONSENSE’: Iran’s Khamenei says Americans should avoid talking ‘nonsense’ in nuke talks ‘FAKE NEWS’: Trump hostage envoy dismisses report of Trump Israel abandonment threat as ‘fake news’ POLITICALLY MOTIVATED: Sparks expected to fly at high-stakes House hearing on threats against ICE CHEERS AND JEERS: Trump supporters find unlikely common ground with blue state congressman at town hall: ‘I love it’ LAWMAKER CHARGED: DOJ cites bodycam footage in charging document for House Dem McIver ‘VERY UNITED PARTY’: Trump heads to Capitol Hill to push ‘big, beautiful bill’ ON THE HILL: Trump faces uphill battle to secure votes for ‘big, beautiful bill’ before recess ‘STEP UP’: GOP senator says federal government is ‘going to need to play a big role’ after tornadoes ravage Midwest FLASHBACK: Remember when Nikki Haley called for mental competency tests for all politicians 75 or older? STEEL CURTAIN: Pittsburgh’s progressive mayor faces stiff challenge from ‘old guard’ in primary FULLY REIMBURSED: Texas lawmakers seek to get federal reimbursement for Biden-era border control expenses REPARATIONS NIXED: Maryland’s first Black governor blocks reparations bill, disappointing fellow Democrats ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM: More polling problems for this blue state Democratic governor facing re-election next year CASE DISMISSED: Alina Habba drops federal trespassing charge against Dem mayor, offers ICE facility tour BANNED: Nebraska becomes first state approved to ban soda purchases with food stamps BOTTOMS UP: Former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms tears into Trump while launching gubernatorial bid TENSIONS FLARE: Tensions flare at school board meeting after trans athlete wins multiple track events Get the latest updates on the Trump administration and Congress, exclusive interviews and more on FoxNews.com.
Trump FDA overhauls COVID-19 vaccine approval to focus on older populations, high-risk individuals
The Food and Drug Administration is shifting its annual COVID-19 vaccine approval policies to focus on Americans older than age 65 and other “high-risk” individuals, while increasing the standard of evidence to approve COVID vaccines for low-risk individuals. “The FDA will approve vaccines for high-risk persons and, at the same time, demand robust, gold-standard data on persons at low risk,” FDA’s Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research chief, Vinay Prasad, and FDA Commissioner Martin Makary, wrote in the New England Journal of Medicine Tuesday. “These clinical trials will inform future directions for the FDA, but more important, they will provide information that is desperately craved by health care providers and the American people.” Americans over the age of 65 and those considered at high-risk of contracting the virus will be able to receive an annual COVID-19 vaccine this fall, the essay outlined, while vaccines for low-risk Americans will likely face stricter scientific analysis before they are made available to the public. The FDA estimated that about “100 million to 200 million Americans” older than age 65 or considered at high-risk will still have access to vaccines. Prasad and Makary said in their essay that the U.S. will move away from a “one-size-fits-all” paradigm that promoted COVID-19 vaccines for the vast majority of Americans, stretching from children to the elderly. The shift, they said, will bring America’s policies more in line with guidelines in European nations. RFK JR’S HHS TO END ROUTINE COVID VACCINE GUIDANCE FOR CHILDREN, PREGNANT WOMEN: REPORT “While all other high-income nations confine vaccine recommendations to older adults (typically those older than 65 years of age), or those at high risk for severe Covid-19, the United States has adopted a one-size-fits-all regulatory framework and has granted broad marketing authorization to all Americans over the age of 6 months,” the health leaders wrote in the New England Journal. “The U.S. policy has sometimes been justified by arguing that the American people are not sophisticated enough to understand age- and risk-based recommendations,” they wrote. “We reject this view.” FIERY RFK JR. FLOGS WHO FOR CAVING TO CHINA ON COVID, CELEBRATING PANDEMIC ‘FAILURES’ IN STUNNING VIDEO TO ORG The FDA’s policy shift will include requiring vaccine manufacturers to gather clinical trial data to justify rolling out new COVID-19 vaccines for Americans at low risk of contracting the virus. BEN & JERRY’S CO-FOUNDER ARRESTED PROTESTING SENATE HEARING: ‘RFK KILLS PEOPLE WITH HATE’ Prasad and Makary held a roundtable discussion on the framework outlined in their medical essay Tuesday afternoon to walk Americans through the policy shift. Prasad explained that health officials under the Trump administration are taking into account that Americans have balked at the FDA’s guidance under the Biden administration to receive multiple booster shots, while other Americans demand access to the vaccines. “We have to admit to ourselves that America is deeply divided on the policy issue of repeat COVID 19 vaccine doses or boosters,” he said. “There are some Americans out there who are worried that the FDA has not fully documented and interrogated the safety harms of these products, and they are categorically opposed to these products. There are also some Americans we also have to recognize, who are desperate for additional protection, and they demand these products. But the truth is that most doctors and most of the public are entirely uncertain, and that is reflected in low vaccine uptake of these products.” The pair added during the roundtable that Americans’ trust in the scientific community has cratered since the pandemic. “Survey after survey shows trust in institutions like the FDA and scientists in general, it’s rock bottom,” Prasad said during the roundtable. “I mean, we have lower trust than Congress, and that’s saying something, you know. And we need to rebuild that trust. And part of rebuilding that trust is having conversations like this, writing articles like we’ve done in the New England Journal, and having a common-sense evidence-based framework for rebuilding that trust.” CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP The pair cited in their article in the New England Journal that “public trust in vaccination in general has declined,” including for “vital immunization programs such as that for measles–mumps–rubella (MMR) vaccination, which has been clearly established as safe and highly effective.”
GOP holdouts unmoved by Trump’s ‘big, beautiful’ trip to Capitol Hill
President Donald Trump’s rallying speech to House Republicans Tuesday morning wasn’t enough to convince some holdouts to unite behind his “big, beautiful bill” ahead of a planned vote this week. Trump urged Republicans to cease infighting on Medicaid reform and state and local tax (SALT) deduction caps at the House GOP’s weekly conference meeting. Several Republicans who emerged said they were still concerned enough to oppose the bill, however. House Freedom Caucus Chair Andy Harris, Rep. Eric Burlison of Missouri, Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky and representatives Nick LaLota, Mike Lawler and Andrew Garbino of New York told Fox News Digital Tuesday they would vote against the bill if changes were not made. On the other hand, Trump did persuade some people. Rep. Ralph Norman of South Carolina, one of several Republicans to sink a committee vote on the bill Friday, told reporters he would review it and make a “judgment call” ahead of a 1 a.m. meeting to advance the bill through the House Rules Committee. INSIDE TRUMP’S URGENT MEETING WITH HOUSE GOP TO PASS THE ‘BIG, BEAUTIFUL BILL’ Norman said Trump did a “fantastic job” and delivered “one of the best speeches I’ve heard” at the House GOP meeting, and he urged his blue state colleagues to “take the words the president said to heart about SALT.” CONSERVATIVE RIPS BLUE STATE REPUBLICAN’S PROPOSAL TO RAISE TAXES ON WEALTHY IN SALT DEBATE Norman and Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, are both members of the powerful rules panel who have not been shy about their concerns with the current bill. The committee acts as the final gatekeeper before most legislation sees a full House vote. Roy did not appear to attend Trump’s speech but told reporters Monday evening the 1 a.m. Wednesday vote should be postponed. But the New York Republicans weren’t budging after Trump’s “big, beautiful” speech, maintaining the bill doesn’t go far enough to deliver for middle-class New Yorkers on the SALT deduction cap. “This is the single biggest issue that I’ve talked about, and, with all due respect to the president, I’m not budging,” Lawler said. “Between property taxes and income taxes, it blows well past the $30,000 cap with the $400,000 income cap. So, as I’ve said repeatedly, that is insufficient. We will continue the dialogue with leadership, but as it stands right now, I do not support the bill,” Lawler said. Lawler said SALT is one of the biggest issues affecting his district in New York and campaigned on never supporting a tax bill that doesn’t “adequately lift the cap.” “The president can say whatever he wants, and I respect him, but the fact is, I certainly understand my district. I’m one of only three Republican members that won in a district Kamala Harris won, and I did so for reasons,” Lawler said. “We need a little more SALT on the table to get to this,” fellow New York Republican LaLota added. “I hope the president’s presence motivates my leadership to give us a number that we can go sell back home.” LaLota said while he is still a “no,” he hopes “the president’s presence here today motivates some folks in the Ways and Means Committee and my leadership to give us a number to which we can actually say ‘yes.’” When asked if Trump did enough to ease concerns in Tuesday’s meeting, Garbarino, another New York Republican, said, “No. There were no specifics. … It was more of a rally. We need to get this done.” “We share President Trump’s call for unity within the House Republican Conference,” Rep. Young Kim, R-Calif., said in a joint statement after Trump’s visit to Capitol Hill. “We hope his remarks today motivate the Speaker to advance a SALT proposal that delivers meaningful relief for our middle-class constituents, as we have worked in good faith with House Leadership for more than a year,” the statement from Kim, Garbarino, Lawler, LaLota and Rep. Tom Kean, R-N.J., said. Meanwhile, Trump urged Republicans not to “f— with” Medicaid in his speech, though different factions came to different conclusions about what he meant. Rep. Andy Ogles of Tennessee, who was not in the room for Trump’s speech, called for more cuts to the entitlement program in an X post Tuesday afternoon but told Fox News Digital he was opposed to the legislation as written. “I agree with President Trump — we must crush the waste, fraud, and abuse. Liberal states like California and New York are abusing Medicaid — and making you pay for it. Illegal aliens and freeloaders have no right to taxpayer-funded benefits,” Ogles said on X. Other fiscal conservatives, like Ogles, who were in the room, said the bill does not go far enough to reform Medicaid and would also vote “no” in the bill’s current form. “I think it’s inappropriate for us to say we’re not going to touch it and then leave all of this fraud that’s happening in the system,” Burlison said. Harris, the House Freedom Caucus chair, said, “I can’t support the bill. It does not eliminate waste, fraud and abuse in Medicaid. The president called for waste, fraud and abuse to be eliminated. I don’t think that’s where the bill sits.” Massie, known for being a libertarian, was unconvinced by Trump’s appearance, telling reporters that his constituents didn’t “vote for increased deficits and Biden-level spending.” He acknowledged that younger members or those who harbor ambitions for higher office would likely fall in line, however. “I think he probably closed the deal in there,” Massie said. SALT deduction caps and Medicaid remain two of the biggest sticking points in Republican negotiations. SALT deduction caps primarily benefit people living in high-cost-of-living areas like New York City, Los Angeles and their surrounding suburbs. Republicans representing those areas have argued that raising the SALT deduction cap is a critical issue and that a failure to address it could cost the GOP the House majority in the 2026 midterms. Republicans in redder, lower-tax areas have said in response that