Judge Boasberg poised to hold Trump admin in contempt, takes down names of DHS officials: ‘Pretty sketchy’
U.S. District Judge James Boasberg on Thursday grilled Trump administration lawyers over whether they defied a court order blocking deportations under a wartime immigration law — a potential step toward holding the administration in contempt. At issue is the administration’s use of the 1798 Alien Enemies Act to deport Venezuelan nationals, including alleged members of the violent Tren de Aragua gang. Boasberg pressed Deputy Assistant Attorney General Drew Ensign on why the government appeared to ignore an emergency injunction last month halting those deportations. The administration has appealed the underlying case to the Supreme Court. But for now, Boasberg is weighing whether there is probable cause to move forward with contempt proceedings — a question that remained open after a tense exchange in court. Boasberg said he would issue a decision as early as next week on how to proceed if he finds grounds to hold the administration in contempt. WHO IS JAMES BOASBERG, THE US JUDGE AT THE CENTER OF TRUMP’S DEPORTATION EFFORTS? During the hearing, Ensign was repeatedly questioned about who in the Trump administration had information about the flights and when the three deportation flights left U.S. soil for El Salvador. At least 261 migrants were deported that day, including more than 100 Venezuelan nationals who were subject to removal “solely on the basis” of the law temporarily blocked by the court. “You maintain that the government was in full compliance with the court’s order on March 15, correct?” Boasberg asked Ensign. Ensign said yes, to which the judge responded: “It seems to me the government acted in bad faith that day.” “If you really believed everything you did that day was legal and would survive a court challenge, you would not have operated the way that you did,” Boasberg said. ‘WOEFULLY INSUFFICIENT’: US JUDGE REAMS TRUMP ADMIN FOR DAYS-LATE DEPORTATION INFO He repeatedly questioned Ensign about his knowledge of the flights and whether any related materials were classified, which could have triggered state secrets protections. Government lawyers have refused to share information in court about the deportation flights, and whether the plane (or planes) of migrants knowingly departed U.S. soil after the judge ordered them not to do so, citing national security protections. But according to Ensign, that may not have been an issue. He told Boasberg the flight information likely wasn’t classified, prompting the judge to wonder aloud why it hadn’t been shared with him in an ex parte setting. “Can you think of one instance” where the state secrets privilege was invoked using unclassified info? he asked Ensign, who struggled to respond. “Pretty sketchy,” Boasberg said aloud in response. Another focus of Thursday’s hearing was timing — both when President Donald Trump signed the proclamation authorizing use of the Alien Enemies Act, and when federal agents began loading planes with migrants bound for El Salvador. Boasberg noted that the Trump administration began loading the planes the morning of March 15, hours before the flights left the U.S. “So then it’s not crazy to infer there was prior knowledge and actions ahead of the Saturday night deportations?” he asked Ensign. The judge pressed the lawyer over the names, locations and agencies of individuals who were privy to the removals, as well as internal conversations with other administration officials who may have been listening in to the court proceedings. “Who did you tell about my order?” Boasberg asked. “Once the hearing was done, who did you tell?” Ensign says he relayed the information to Department of Homeland Security contacts and State Department officials, among others. He listed the names of the individuals, at Boasberg’s request, which the judge then carefully transcribed onto a pad of paper, interjecting at times to clarify the spelling or ask for their job titles. The hearing is the latest in a flurry of legal battles over the Trump administration’s use of the Alien Enemies Act. It follows Boasberg’s order requiring officials to explain why they failed to comply with his directive to return the deportation flights — and whether they knowingly defied the court. Boasberg told both sides he would see them again next week for arguments on the plaintiffs’ preliminary injunction motion, set for Tuesday. The hearing also marks the latest clash between Trump and Boasberg, whom the president has publicly denounced as an “activist” judge and called for his impeachment.
Here’s a closer look at Trump’s tariff plan: What to know about the new duties
President Donald Trump laid out his plans for imposing a host of new tariffs on imports to the U.S. Wednesday — a day his administration touted as “Liberation Day” and vowed would restore the American dream. Trump unveiled the new tariffs in a ceremony at the White House’s Rose Garden for a “Make America Wealthy Again” event, where he declared that these new duties would usher in a wave of jobs for U.S. workers. “For nations that treat us badly, we will calculate the combined rate of all their tariffs, nonmonetary barriers and other forms of cheating,” Trump said Wednesday. “And because we are being very kind, we will charge them approximately half of what they are and have been charging us,” he said. “So, the tariffs will be not a full reciprocal. I could have done that. Yes. But it would have been tough for a lot of countries.” THESE ARE THE ‘DIRTY 15’ COUNTRIES TRUMP MIGHT TARGET WITH LIBERATION DAY TARIFFS The Trump administration’s tariff plan sets out a baseline duty of 10% on all imports to the U.S., while customized tariffs will be set for countries who have higher tariffs in place on American goods. The baseline tariffs of 10% will take effect on Saturday, while the others will take effect on April 9. The Trump administration previously imposed a 25% tariff on imported auto vehicles, up to 25% tariffs on certain goods from Mexico and Canada, as well as a 20% tariff on shipments from China. The White House said that tariffs already imposed on Canada and Mexico remain unaltered. However, new tariffs on China will be coupled with existing duties on Beijing. Here is a look at the tariff rates that the Trump administration imposed as part of Liberation Day: The Trump administration provided a chart of the tariff rates other countries charge on U.S. imports, suggesting that the tariffs the U.S. was imposing were not nearly as stringent as they could have been in order to reach reciprocity. For example, the chart says that Japan has imposed a 46% tariff on U.S. goods, while the U.S. is only implementing a 24% tariff on Japanese goods imported to the U.S. Trump and his administration have long railed against other countries’ trade practices and accused them of engaging in unfair trade practices against the U.S. — and argued that tariffs will help return manufacturing jobs to the U.S. As a result, he and his administration have called for employing tariffs to address the nation’s 2024 record $1.2 trillion trade deficit. “For decades, our country has been looted, pillaged, raped and plundered by nations near and far, both friend and foe alike,” Trump said Wednesday. Tariffs function as a tax that governments collect on foreign goods and services that manufacturers import. They are collected while undergoing customs clearance in foreign ports, according to the International Trade Administration. The tariffs are expected to affect a host of goods, ranging from electronics, like iPhones that are predominantly manufactured in China, according to the Council on Foreign Relations, to wine and other alcoholic beverages originating from European Union countries, like Italy. Trump’s new tariffs prompted backlash from members of both parties in Congress, who have warned that the tariffs will raise prices for American consumers. Specifically, the Senate moved to approve a resolution by a 51–48 margin Wednesday evening following Trump’s announcement that would rescind the emergency declaration on fentanyl trafficking that Trump used to justify duties on Canada. Four Republicans joined the voting with Democrats in support of the resolution, although it has low odds of passing in the Republican-controlled House. Meanwhile, other countries have spoken out against the tariffs, including allies like Canada and Australia. TRUMP TOUTS RETURN OF ‘AMERICAN DREAM’ IN HISTORIC TARIFF ANNOUNCEMENT “In our judgment, it will be negative on the U.S. economy that will have an impact on us,” Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney told reporters Wednesday. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese characterized the Trump administration’s new duties as “not the act of a friend” during a press conference Thursday. Meanwhile, Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent cautioned other countries against retaliating in response to the new tariffs, warning that the U.S. would not hesitate to take action again. “My advice to every country right now: Do not retaliate,” Bessent said in an interview with Fox News on Wednesday. “If you retaliate, there will be escalation.” The Associated Press and Fox News’ Emma Colton and Caitlin McFall contributed to this report.
Dr. Oz becomes next head of Medicare and Medicaid Services following approval from full Senate
Dr. Mehmet Oz will serve as the next administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services after the full Senate voted along party lines to confirm his nomination on Thursday. The former daytime TV doctor turned politician will be in charge of nearly $1.5 trillion in federal healthcare spending. His duties will entail overseeing Medicare, Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), including directing decisions related to how the government covers procedures, hospital stays and medication, as well as the reimbursement rates at which healthcare providers get paid for their services. Medicare is a federal healthcare program for seniors aged 65 and up, and currently provides coverage to about 65 million Americans, according to the Center for Medicare Advocacy. Medicaid, a public health assistance program for people with low incomes, covers roughly 72 million Americans, according to Medicaid.gov. Meanwhile, CHIP, which provides free or low-cost health coverage for eligible low-income children and family members, assists around 7.2 million individuals. HHS DOWNSIZING BEGINS AMID RFK JR. ‘MAKE AMERICA HEALTHY AGAIN’ PUSH: ‘WIN-WIN FOR TAXPAYERS’ A graduate of Harvard University, Oz received medical and business degrees from the University of Pennsylvania. He is a former heart surgeon who saw his fame rise through his appearances on daytime television, including “The Oprah Winfrey Show,” and 13 seasons of “The Dr. Oz Show.” Oz later transitioned into politics, launching an unsuccessful bid for Pennsylvania’s open Senate seat in 2022. He lost to John Fetterman, then the state’s lieutenant governor. NEW BIPARTISAN PROPOSAL TARGETS ‘ONE OF THE MOST EGREGIOUS’ KINDS OF FRAUD RAVAGING HEALTHCARE INDUSTRY “Dr. Oz has a strong desire to modernize CMS and encourage healthy lifestyles for all Americans, including by focusing on the underlying causes of chronic disease and implementing innovative technologies,” Senate Finance Committee Chairman Sen. Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, said Thursday. Crapo, who led Oz’s nomination process at the committee level, commended Oz for his “diligence and accessibility” throughout the process, including his willingness to answer “hundreds” of questions for the record. Those questions came from both Republicans and Democrats. They included asking about Oz’s stance on abortion, transgender medical treatments, Medicare privatization, prescription drug pricing and more. Potential financial conflicts of interest were also a concern among Democratic lawmakers throughout Oz’s confirmation process. Oz has committed to divesting any holdings that may pose an issue. Thursday’s confirmation comes as the Trump administration continues to work to finalize the rest of its political appointments, including notably the president’s pick to be the next United Nations ambassador and his pick for director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Per The Washington Post’s “political appointee tracker,” there are currently still 233 nominees being considered by the Senate.
The Senate’s next moves to pass Trump’s ‘big, beautiful bill’
The House and Senate are a long way from approving President Trump’s “big, beautiful bill” to cut spending, slash taxes and likely raise the debt ceiling. But the next step in the process begins unfolding this afternoon and over the next 48 hours. The Senate likely votes between 4 and 6 p.m. ET Thursday to actually “proceed” to a retooled budget framework. The framework is necessary under special budget rules the Senate is using to avoid a filibuster, which would kill the bill. REPORTER’S NOTEBOOK: APRIL FOOLS’ ON CAPITOL HILL If the Senate fails to proceed, Republicans have major problems. But if the Senate can forge ahead, then it can actually launch up to 50 hours of debate on the updated budget package and go to what’s called a “vote-a-rama” Friday evening. The Senate would presumably finish this step in the process and adopt the new framework in the wee hours of Saturday morning or perhaps during the day on Saturday. A “vote-a-rama” is really just a very Senate way of saying “long vote series which probably runs all night.” The Senate rifles through roll call vote after roll call vote for hours on end. Most vote-a-ramas run 10-15 hours. They are always related to the budget process. And, because of special budget rules, senators can offer an unlimited number of amendments – and that’s why there are so many votes. Republicans will try to get through this process as quickly as possible – although some conservatives may offer amendments for additional debt reduction or something related to the debt ceiling. DEMOCRAT REP VOWS TO WORK WITH TRUMP ON KEY PART OF TARIFF PLAN: ‘HOPING THAT I CAN HELP’ Democrats will likely offer a host of amendments to get vulnerable Republicans on the record about controversial issues like possible cuts to Medicare and Medicaid and even tariffs. The bottom line is this: There is high interest in Congress advancing the “big, beautiful bill.” It’s the touchstone of President Trump’s legislative agenda and probably the most significant piece of legislation to come before Congress over the next two years. But getting to a point where the House and Senate can actually try to approve the bill itself is an exhaustive process and months away. However, this incremental step is essential to getting there. And that’s why interested parties will focus on the vote-a-rama starting Friday night and when it ends. Also, why start this process so late on a Thursday and compel the Senate to meet on a Friday night and into the weekend? Especially when the Senate has had multiple weekend sessions already this year and several overnight sessions? That includes the all-night, record-breaking speech by Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., earlier this week. There is some method to the madness. First, the Senate needs to get through this step. Time is of the essence. But secondly, Fox is told that holding off until later in the week could limit the length of the vote-a-rama if the Senate doesn’t start until Friday night. That isn’t to say the vote-a-rama won’t be long and tiring. But it could abbreviate the process. Let’s take a step backward so we can look forward on what the House and Senate must still do to pass the tax cut and spending cut plan. There are potentially eight steps here. The Senate motion over the next few days is step three. In February, the Senate adopted an initial budget outline so it could use the special “budget reconciliation process” and avoid a filibuster. The House approved its own version of a budget outline in late February – even though the consequences of the filibuster mean nothing to the House. But the issue was that the House and Senate approved different budget frameworks. They still need to sync up. So those were steps one and two of this protracted process. The Senate’s vote-a-rama – culminating with the adoption of a new, updated budget blueprint – is step three. Step four likely comes next week when the Senate’s updated package goes to the House. Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., indicated Wednesday night he’d like the House to align with the Senate framework next week. So that entails another vote. However, some archconservatives might look askance at the Senate’s spending cut numbers. Those close to the Senate process have told Fox that those figures represent a “floor” for spending cuts. Not a “ceiling.” But the ultimate Senate number might not please as many House conservatives. Why does the Senate do it this way? To comply with specific, strict Senate budgetary rules. Johnson seemed buoyed last night after he swore in new Reps. Jimmy Patronis, R-Fla., and Randy Fine, R-Fla., Wednesday night. “The margin is a little more comfortable. It’s an embarrassment of riches. Now we can lose, what, three votes now or something.” Yours truly asked Patronis if he and Fine would vote for the still incomplete package when it comes over from the Senate. “I vote for my speaker,” replied Patronis. “Right!” piped up Johnson. It’s possible the speaker was glad to have some backup after one of the worst weeks of his tenure. Johnson lost an internecine fight over proxy voting for members who are pregnant or new moms. That blocked the House from considering other major bills and forced him to shut the House down for the rest of the week on Tuesday. Regardless, if the House adopts the plan now before the Senate, they go to steps five and six. That’s where the House and Senate actually assemble, debate and presumably pass the bill itself. Those steps will be the most challenging set yet. And it likely involves yet another vote-a-rama in the Senate. Then, we may have steps seven and eight. That’s where the House and Senate may need to take yet another set of votes to align again – if both bodies have approved different bills. That’s why passing the “big, beautiful bill” may take until summer. And there will undoubtedly be additional hiccups
Waltz’s Signal chat woes snowball as Trump admin defends national security advisor
President Donald Trump’s national security advisor, Mike Waltz, has repeatedly landed in hot water in recent days, beginning with an uproar from Democrats over a Signal chat leak with high-ranking national security officials that has since snowballed. Trump and his administration, however, repeatedly have defended the national security leader publicly. Waltz, who previously served as a Florida congressman and as a decorated combat Green Beret, has come under fire from Democrats and critics since March, when the Atlantic magazine’s editor-in-chief Jeffrey Goldberg published a firsthand account of getting added to a Signal group chat with top national security leaders, including Waltz, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and CIA Director John Ratcliffe, while they discussed strikes against Yemen terrorists. Signal is an encrypted messaging app that operates similarly to texting or making phone calls, but with additional security measures that help ensure communications are kept private to those included in the correspondence. NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISOR MIKE WALTZ TAKES RESPONSIBILITY FOR ‘EMBARRASSING’ SIGNAL CHAT LEAK The Atlantic’s report characterized the Trump administration as texting “war plans” regarding a planned strike on Houthi rebels in Yemen. The Trump administration has maintained, however, that no classified material was transmitted in the chat, with Trump repeatedly defending Waltz amid the fallout. NSC CONFIRMS MIKE WALTZ AND STAFF USED GMAIL FOR GOVERNMENT COMMUNICATION “As the president has made it very clear, Mike Waltz continues to be an important part of his national security team,” Trump administration press secretary Karoline Leavitt told the media in brief remarks outside of the White House’s press room Monday afternoon. “And this case has been closed here at the White House, as far as we are concerned.” “There have been steps made to ensure that something like that can obviously never happen again,” she continued. “And we’re moving forward. And the president and Mike Waltz and his entire national security team have been working together very well, if you look at how much safer the United States of America is because of the leadership of this team.” TRUMP REVEALS WHO WAS BEHIND SIGNAL TEXT CHAIN LEAK Fox News Digital has compiled a timeline of accusations and outrage directed at and involving Waltz since the Atlantic’s first report on the chat leak. Fox News Digital reached out to the White House for comment on the matter, but did not immediately receive a reply.
Trump confirms National Security Council firings as Waltz’s Signal chat woes snowball
President Donald Trump confirmed that multiple employees within the National Security Council were fired Thursday, adding to National Security Advisor Mike Waltz’s recent political woes that have snowballed since Democrats first slammed him over March’s Signal chat leak. Trump and his administration, however, have repeatedly defended the national security leader publicly. On Thursday, Trump confirmed that members of the National Security Council had been fired, but remarked it was not many individuals. The president added that he continues to have trust in his national security team amid the turmoil. Waltz, who previously served as a Florida congressman and as a decorated combat Green Beret, has come under fire from Democrats and critics since March, when the Atlantic magazine’s editor-in-chief Jeffrey Goldberg published a firsthand account of getting added to a Signal group chat with top national security leaders, including Waltz, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and CIA Director John Ratcliffe, while they discussed strikes against Yemen terrorists. Signal is an encrypted messaging app that operates similarly to texting or making phone calls, but with additional security measures that help ensure communications are kept private to those included in the correspondence. NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISOR MIKE WALTZ TAKES RESPONSIBILITY FOR ‘EMBARRASSING’ SIGNAL CHAT LEAK The Atlantic’s report characterized the Trump administration as texting “war plans” regarding a planned strike on Houthi rebels in Yemen. The Trump administration has maintained, however, that no classified material was transmitted in the chat, with Trump repeatedly defending Waltz amid the fallout. NSC CONFIRMS MIKE WALTZ AND STAFF USED GMAIL FOR GOVERNMENT COMMUNICATION “As the president has made it very clear, Mike Waltz continues to be an important part of his national security team,” Trump administration press secretary Karoline Leavitt told the media in brief remarks outside of the White House’s press room Monday afternoon. “And this case has been closed here at the White House, as far as we are concerned.” “There have been steps made to ensure that something like that can obviously never happen again,” she continued. “And we’re moving forward. And the president and Mike Waltz and his entire national security team have been working together very well, if you look at how much safer the United States of America is because of the leadership of this team.” TRUMP REVEALS WHO WAS BEHIND SIGNAL TEXT CHAIN LEAK Fox News Digital has compiled a timeline of accusations and outrage directed at and involving Waltz since the Atlantic’s first report on the chat leak. Fox News Digital reached out to the White House for comment on the matter, but did not immediately receive a reply.
Musk’s political baggage: Polls show Americans sour on Trump’s most visible advisor
There’s no denying that billionaire Elon Musk has been the most visible member of President Donald Trump’s administration during Trump’s first ten weeks back in the White House. But with familiarity can come contempt, as recent polling shows the DOGE point man underwater with approval ratings. Musk, the world’s richest person and the chief executive of Tesla and SpaceX, has grabbed outsized attention as he’s steered DOGE, the acronym for Trump’s recently created Department of Government Efficiency, which has swept through federal agencies, rooting out what the White House argues was billions in wasteful federal spending. The unit has also taken a meat cleaver to the federal workforce, resulting in a massive exodus of employees. The controversial moves by Musk and DOGE have triggered a slew of lawsuits in response. But it’s becoming increasingly clear that a majority of Americans are far from happy with Musk’s moves. And two new national public opinion polls released this week offer further proof. MUSK NOT LEAVING YET, WRAPPING UP WORK ON SCHEDULE ONCE ‘INCREDIBLE WORK AT DOGE IS COMPLETE’: WHITE HOUSE According to a Reuters/Ipsos poll conducted March 31-April 2, Musk’s favorable rating stands at 39% among Americans, with 57% viewing him in an unfavorable light. And only 36% of respondents said the Trump administration was doing a competent job in reducing the number of federal employees. Even fewer — 31% — offered that the Trump administration was competently downsizing the federal government without affecting vital services. According to a Marquette Law School national survey, 41% approve of the job Musk is doing at DOGE, with 58% giving him a thumbs down. And Musk’s favorable rating was in negative territory — at the 38% to 60% — in the poll, which was conducted March 17 through 24. AMERICANS WANT SMALLER GOVERNMENT BUT NEW POLLS SHOWS WHETHER THEY LIKE HOW MUSK IS GOING ABOUT IT The two surveys are the latest to indicate Musk’s poll numbers deeply underwater. A majority — 54% — questioned in a Quinnipiac University survey conducted early last month said that Musk and DOGE are hurting the country, with just four in ten saying their efforts are helping the country. And according to a Fox News national poll conducted in mid-March, approval of Musk’s work at DOGE was in negative territory, at 40% approval and 58% disapproval. While nearly six in 10 questioned in the Fox News poll felt that a great deal or almost all of government spending is wasteful and inefficient, 51% opposed substantially shrinking the number of government employees, 56% disapproved of the job the Trump administration is doing identifying and reducing wasteful spending, and another 65% worried that not enough thought and planning has gone into the cuts. While Trump continues to praise Musk’s efforts with DOGE, some Republicans are starting to voice concerns about Musk’s political liabilities. Democrats have increasingly spotlighted and targeted Musk in their political attacks. And that was before he inserted himself front-and-center in this week’s high-profile and historically expensive state supreme court election in Wisconsin. DEMOCRAT CONGRESSMAN LASHES MUSK IN OPENING SALVO OF SENATE BID With a massive infusion of money from Democrat- and Republican-aligned groups from outside Wisconsin, which turned the race into the most expensive judicial election in the nation’s history, the contest partially transformed into a referendum on Trump’s sweeping and controversial moves during the opening months of his second tour of duty in the White House, and on Musk’s efforts. Dane County Circuit Court Judge Susan Crawford, the liberal-leaning candidate, ended up defeating Brad Schimel, the conservative-leaning Trump-backed candidate, a former state attorney general who currently serves as a state circuit court judge in Waukesha County, by roughly ten points. The large margin was not expected, in a race that was expected to be close, in a state that last November had an extremely tight margin in the presidential race. Musk, who last year was Trump’s top donor, dished out roughly $20 million in the Wisconsin race through aligned groups in support of Schimel. ELON MUSK HANDS OUT MILLION-DOLLAR CHECKS AMID ‘SUPER IMPORTANT’ WISCONSIN JUDICIAL RACE In a controversial move, Musk handed out $1 million checks at a rally in Green Bay on Sunday evening to two Wisconsin voters who had already cast ballots in the contest and had signed a petition to stop “activist judges.” Musk’s lighting rod efforts in Wisconsin are being blamed for partially contributing to the 10-point shellacking Schimel suffered. CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP The White House confirmed to Fox News on Wednesday that Musk will exit his role with DOGE on schedule later this spring, once his efforts are complete. The White House, pushing back against reporting by Politico that Trump had told his inner circle and cabinet members that Musk would be “stepping back in the coming weeks from his current role,” said that Musk had long been anticipated to step back from DOGE when his 130 days as a “special government employee” run out in May.
Bipartisan senators’ bill would require Congress to approve new tariffs
Two senior lawmakers have introduced a bipartisan bill that would reassert Congress’ powers over U.S. tariffs, a day after President Donald Trump announced a new wide-ranging tariff strategy during his “Liberation Day” speech on Wednesday. Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, and Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., on Thursday introduced the Trade Review Act of 2025, which would require the president to notify Congress about any new tariffs within 48 hours of imposition. The bill also requires that Trump provide an explanation of the rationale along with an analysis of the tariffs’ potential impact on the U.S. economy. Congress would have to approve the new tariffs within 60 days or allow them to expire. If enacted, the bill would shift certain trade policymaking powers from the executive branch to the Congress. WHAT IS TRUMP’S NEW LIBERATION DAY AND WHAT TO EXPECT APRIL 2? “For too long, Congress has delegated its clear authority to regulate interstate and foreign commerce to the executive branch,” Grassley, a Trump ally who’s skeptical of tariffs, said in a statement. “Building on my previous efforts as Finance Committee Chairman, I’m joining Senator Cantwell to introduce the bipartisan Trade Review Act of 2025 to reassert Congress’ constitutional role and ensure Congress has a voice in trade policy,” he continued. TREASURY SECRETARY BESSENT TELLS COUNTRIES NOT TO RETALIATE AFTER SWEEPING ‘LIBERATION DAY’ TARIFFS Cantwell said in a statement that Trump’s tariffs would hurt sectors such as agriculture, manufacturing and technology and have reverberating effects on consumers. “Ultimately, consumers will pay the price,” Cantwell said in a statement. “It’s time for Congress to take action to counter the president’s trade war.” READ THE BILL – APP USERS, CLICK HERE: Grassley’s home state of Iowa heavily relies on farm crop exports, while Cantwell’s Washington state is home to many export-heavy companies such as Boeing. Trump on Thursday compared the tariffs to a medical operation, and said the “patient lived, and is healing.” “The prognosis is that the patient will be far stronger, bigger, better, and more resilient than ever before,” he wrote on Truth Social. Thursday’s bill was introduced after four Republican senators joined Democrats in approving a separate resolution Wednesday that would repeal Trump’s emergency declaration levying tariffs on Canadian imports. Grassley was not one of the Republican defectors. The resolution is likely dead on arrival in the House.
House Democrats to head to U.S.-Mexico border in California to scrutinize Trump security policies
A delegation of House Democratic lawmakers will visit a portion of the southern border on Friday to conduct oversight of the Trump administration’s border policies “firsthand” as authorities continue the president’s mass deportation program. Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-MS., the ranking member of the House Homeland Security Committee, will lead the delegation. Also going will be Reps. Lou Correa and Sara Jacobs, both of California; Delia Ramirez of Illinois; LaMonica McIver and Nellie Pou, both of New Jersey; and Tim Kennedy of New York. TRUMP ADMIN ENDS DEPORTATION PROTECTIONS FOR MASSIVE NUMBER OF VENEZUELANS AMID ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION CRACKDOWN Fox News Digital has reached out to Thompson’s office. The lawmakers will visit the U.S. Border Patrol’s San Diego Sector. San Diego County Supervisor Jim Desmond, who has called for greater border security in the past, criticized the timing of the visit. “For years, I invited leaders from both parties to witness the crisis at our Southern Border,” he wrote on X. “Few listened. Now—just one month into the new administration—border crossings are down 95%. Now the Democrats want to come see it? The invasion is over. The border is secure.” TRUMP REPORTS ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT ENCOUNTERS AT HISTORIC LOWS DURING FIRST FULL MONTH IN OFFICE The Trump administration has deported more than 100,000 illegal migrants in the weeks since Trump returned to the White House on Jan. 20, according to a New York Post report citing a Department of Homeland Security official. “He’s doing what he was voted in to do. Point blank!” a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) source told the outlet. Trump’s second term, much like his first, has consisted of executive orders, enforcing current laws and hard-line messaging to clamp down on illegal crossings. On his first day back in office, he declared a national emergency at the southern border. Fox News Digital’s Michael Dorgan contributed to this report.
Ban on taxpayer-funded sex changes for prisoners sparks Dem walkout in Georgia House vote
Georgia state House Democrats staged a walkout to protest a vote on a bill headed to the governor’s desk for his signature prohibiting taxpayer-funded sex change surgeries for inmates. The bill passed on a 100-2 vote, and both recorded no votes were from Democrats. The legislation, SB 185, sponsored by Republican state Sen. Randy Robertson, bars the Georgia Department of Corrections from providing taxpayer-funded transgender medical treatments, including surgeries and hormonal treatments, to prison inmates. Robertson contends there are about five inmates incarcerated in the DOC that receive treatments. The bill now heads to Republican Gov. Brian Kemp’s desk for his signature. PRISONERS HAVE NO ‘CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT’ TO SEX CHANGES, RED STATE AG TELLS COURT IN BRIEF BACKING TRUMP “This disappointing stunt underscores a troubling disconnect between Democrats and the values of the people they serve,” Republican House Majority Whip James Burchett told Fox News Digital. “They knew they had no response to the substance of the bill. So, rather than debate its merits, they chose to abandon their duties by leaving the chamber.” However, Democratic House Whip Sam Park contended it was Republicans playing politics, not Democrats. “Republicans continue to waste time on their manufactured culture wars while Georgians struggle with increasing costs of housing, food, healthcare and an increasingly uncertain economy due to Republican leadership in D.C.,” Park said. “We walked out to make it clear: Georgia Democrats are here to fight for working families, not political distractions.” TRANS INMATE IN PRISON FOR KILLING BABY MUST GET GENDER SURGERY AT ‘EARLIEST OPPORTUNITY’: JUDGE Georgia Republicans have taken an aggressive approach toward transgender issues this legislative session with the introduction of several bills that seek to align with President Donald Trump’s executive orders. Some of those bills, in addition to SB 185, include blocking taxpayer-funded medical treatments for state employees, prohibitions on prescribing puberty blockers to minors and a ban on biological males competing in girls high school sports. It’s unclear how much cosmetic or surgical transgender treatments cost each taxpayer in Georgia, but the Gender Confirmation Center estimates alterations can be anywhere from $8,000 to $50,000, depending on the type of procedure. Other states this year have moved to introduce similar bills banning taxpayer-funded transgender treatments for inmates, including Utah and Kentucky. California was among the first states to provide transgender procedures for prison inmates in 2017 after a legal battle launched by an inmate two years earlier. ACLU SUES INDIANA OVER DENIAL OF SEX REASSIGNMENT SURGERY FOR INMATE WHO STRANGLED 11-MONTH-OLD TO DEATH In January and February 2025, Trump signed executive orders rolling back federally-funded “gender ideology” initiatives. These orders define “sex” strictly as male or female, mandate federal agencies to conform to this definition and prohibit transgender individuals from using single-sex federally-funded facilities. They also prevent federally funded transgender treatments for both inmates and minors and ban biological males from competing in women’s sports. “Yesterday’s walkout by Georgia Democrats during a vote to ban taxpayer-funded sex reassignment surgeries for prisoners is a disgraceful display of misplaced priorities,” Rep. Houston Gaines, vice chairman of the Georgia House Majority Caucus, said. “By storming out of the legislative session, these lawmakers abandoned their duty to represent their constituents and engage in the democratic process, all to grandstand over an issue that most Georgians find absurd.”