Elon Musk tapped to help lead investigation into Signal chat leak: White House
Elon Musk is helping lead the investigation into the Signal chat leak involving top national security leaders and the editor-in-chief of the Atlantic, the White House press secretary said Wednesday. “The National Security Council, the White House Counsel’s Office, and also, yes, Elon Musk’s team” will be leading the investigation into the Signal leak, press secretary Karonline Leavitt said during Wednesday’s White House press conference. “Elon Musk has offered to put his technical experts on this, to figure out how this number was inadvertently added to the chat – again, to take responsibility and ensure this can never happen again,” she continued. The Trump administration is facing backlash from Democrats and other critics after the Atlantic’s editor-in-chief, Jeffrey Goldberg, revealed in an article published Monday that he was added to a Signal group chat with top national security leaders, including national security advisor Mike Waltz, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and CIA Director John Ratcliffe. JUDGE FIGHTING TRUMP OVER EL SALVADOR DEPORTATIONS ASSIGNED TO LAWSUIT OVER SIGNAL CHAT LEAK 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. The Atlantic’s initial report characterized the Trump administration as texting “war plans” to one another. The Trump administration has maintained that no classified material was transmitted in the chat, with President Donald Trump defending Waltz amid the fallout. Trump revealed Tuesday that a member of Waltz’s office invited Goldberg to the chat, but did not provide additional information. TRUMP ADMIN DECLARES THE ATLANTIC’S SIGNAL ARTICLE A ‘HOAX’ AFTER IT DROPS ‘WAR PLANS’ RHETORIC Waltz joined Fox News’ “Ingraham Angle” Tuesday, where he took responsibility for the inadvertent addition of Goldberg to the chat, arguing he believed the account belonged to someone else. “I built the group. My job is to make sure everything’s coordinated,” Waltz said. “Of course I didn’t see this loser in the group. It looked like someone else,” Waltz added. “The person I thought was on there was never on there.” Waltz also said during the interview that he had just spoken to Musk about the matter and that the “best technical minds” would look into it. Musk is helping lead the Department of Government Efficiency, which has been poring through federal agencies in search of government overspending, fraud and mismanagement. “If this story proves anything, it proves that Democrats and their propagandists in the mainstream media know how to fabricate, orchestrate and disseminate a misinformation campaign quite well,” Leavitt continued. “And there’s arguably no one in the media who loves manufacturing and pushing hoaxes more than Jeffrey Goldberg.” TRUMP OFFICIALS ACCIDENTALLY TEXT ATLANTIC JOURNALIST ABOUT MILITARY STRIKES IN APPARENT SECURITY BREACH Following Monday’s report in the Atlantic concerning the Signal chat, Goldberg published a Wednesday follow-up story that included messages directly from the chat. The article notably did not characterize the correspondence as “war plans,” instead opting to refer to them as “attack plans” in the headline. The Trump administration responded that the follow-up story proved that there were “no war plans” in the correspondence, taking a victory lap that the story was exposed to be a “hoax.” “The Atlantic has conceded: these were NOT ‘war plans,’” Leavitt posted to X Wednesday morning. “This entire story was another hoax written by a Trump-hater who is well-known for his sensationalist spin.” HEGSETH FENDS OFF REPORTER’S QUESTIONS ABOUT SIGNAL CHAT LEAK Waltz posted to X Wednesday, “No locations. No sources & methods. NO WAR PLANS. Foreign partners had already been notified that strikes were imminent. BOTTOM LINE: President Trump is protecting America and our interests.” A spokesperson for the Atlantic defended that the outlet did expose a “war plan” in its Wednesday report, pointing Fox News Digital to a screenshot included in the piece of Hegseth’s messages related to F-18s and drone strikes that were accompanied by timestamps for the operation. “If this information – particularly the exact times American aircraft were taking off for Yemen – had fallen into the wrong hands in that crucial two-hour period, American pilots and other American personnel could have been exposed to even greater danger than they ordinarily would face,” the report stated. Leavitt said during the press conference that Signal is an “approved app” for government employees, citing that the “CIA has it loaded onto government phones because it is the most secure and efficient way to communicate.”
Trump administration asks SCOTUS to approve DEI-related education cuts
The Trump administration has filed an emergency appeal with the Supreme Court seeking approval to slash hundreds of millions of dollars in grants from the Education Department as part of its efforts to crack down on diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives within the department. The Justice Department is asking the court to lift a nationwide injunction which is preventing it from terminating the grants under two federal programs. Earlier this month, Boston-based U.S. District Judge Myong Joun ordered the Trump administration to restore the grants – via a temporary restraining order — which are disseminated via the Teacher Quality Partnership (TQP) and Supporting Effective Educator Development (SEED) programs. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION SIGNIFICANTLY DISMANTLED IN NEW TRUMP EXECUTIVE ORDER Days later the 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals declined to pause Joun’s order, leading to today’s filing. Joun was appointed by former President Joe Biden. Eight states, including California, accused the Linda McMahon-led department of illegally terminating the grants that Congress had established as a solution to critical teacher shortages, especially in rural and underserved communities. The grants provide more than $600 million in grants for teacher preparation programs, often in subject areas such as math, science and special education, the states have argued. The Trump administration blasted the injunction in its filing and argued that federal courts were exceeding their jurisdiction. “This case exemplifies a flood of recent suits that raise the question: Does a single district-court judge who likely lacks jurisdiction have the unchecked power to compel the Government of the United States to pay out (and probably lose forever) millions in taxpayer dollars?” acting Solicitor General Sarah Harris wrote. “Unless and until this court addresses that question, federal district courts will continue exceeding their jurisdiction by ordering the executive branch to restore lawfully terminated grants across the government, keep paying for programs that the executive branch views as inconsistent with the interests of the United States, and send out the door taxpayer money that may never be clawed back.” TRUMP STILL NEEDS CONGRESS’ HELP WITH PLAN TO ABOLISH EDUCATION DEPARTMENT The filing argues that the case presents an “ideal candidate” for the Supreme Court to impose restraint on federal courts and the Justice Department argues that its case will likely succeed on the merits. “This court should put a swift end to federal district courts’ unconstitutional reign as self-appointed managers of executive branch funding and grant-disbursement decisions,” Harris wrote. The appeal will go to Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson based on jurisdiction and she will likely ask her colleagues to weigh in. A briefing schedule will be set and an order on temporary enforcement will follow. The Supreme Court is requesting a response by the opposing parties by Friday at 4 p.m. As well as the state of California, the opposing parties are Massachusetts, New Jersey, Colorado, Illinois, Maryland, New York and Wisconsin. The Education Department previously said the programs teach “divisive ideologies” such as diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) and the “instruction on white privilege and white supremacy.” The Republican president signed an executive order calling for the dismantling of the Education Department, and his administration has started overhauling much of its work, including cutting dozens of contracts it dismissed as “woke” and wasteful. A wave of lawsuits has slowed down the Trump administration’s agenda with the Justice Department filing four other emergency appeals of court rulings, including in relation to birthright citizenship and an appeal to halt an order requiring the rehiring of thousands of federal workers. The justices previously rejected a bid to freeze nearly $2 billion in foreign aid and did not immediately allow Trump’s firing to proceed of the head of a federal watchdog agency. Reuters and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Rep Jasmine Crockett refuses to apologize for ‘Gov Hot Wheels’ comment
Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Texas, refused to apologize for referring to Gov. Greg Abbott, who uses a wheelchair, as “Governor Hot Wheels” on Wednesday. Crockett refused to apologize multiple times in an interview with Fox News before growing frustrated and ending the conversation. The lawmaker put out a statement regarding her comment earlier this week, but it did not include an apology. “I do have a statement. Why would I apologize when I put out a statement? My statement was clear,” Crockett said when confronted on the matter. “But you didn’t apologize for calling him ‘Governor Hot Wheels’ when he gets around in a wheelchair, you don’t understand how that’s offensive to people?” Fox Business reporter Hillary Vaughn pressed. PAM BONDI ON JASMINE CROCKETT’S COMMENTS: WORDS HAVE CONSEQUENCES | FOX NEWS VIDEO “I don’t understand how many times you need me to repeat this to you,” Crockett responded. “Right. But why won’t you apologize?” Vaughn said. “I put out a statement,” Crockett repeated. JASMINE CROCKETT DESCRIBES DEMOCRATIC DONOR TALK ON SCHUMER ‘REMINISCENT’ OF BIDEN BEING TAKEN DOWN “That didn’t have an apology in it,” Vaughn countered. “You don’t feel bad about making fun of someone who is in a wheelchair?” “Okay, well. I’m done here,” Crockett said as she began to walk away. “I’m done. I’m done with this.” Speaking at a benefit for the Human Rights Campaign in Los Angeles, Crockett mocked Abbott, whose legs were paralyzed in a running accident in 1984. “We in these hot a– Texas streets, honey. Y’all know we got Governor Hot Wheels down there, come on now! And the only thing hot about him is that he is a hot a– mess, honey!” she said, laughing. Crockett issued a statement on social media regarding her comments, arguing that she had not been referring to Abbott’s paralysis. “I wasn’t thinking about the governor’s condition—I was thinking about the planes, trains, and automobiles he used to transfer migrants into communities led by Black mayors, deliberately stoking tension and fear among the most vulnerable. Literally, the next line I said was that he was a ‘Hot A** Mess,’ referencing his terrible policies. At no point did I mention or allude to his condition,” she wrote.
‘Veto Corleone’: Youngkin kills left-wing dreams with record-setting bill nixing spree
Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin is drawing comparisons to “The Godfather” after vetoing nearly 160 bills from the Democrat-controlled legislature Wednesday. “You could call him ‘Veto Corleone’,” a Republican strategist told Fox News Digital in comments later Wednesday, after 159 bills were killed upon reaching his desk. Virginia’s General Assembly passed bills this session that would have prevented prayer in front of abortion clinics, required the commonwealth to implement a comprehensive “environmental justice” strategy and adjusted criminal bond policies. All of those bills were vetoed by Youngkin, and the legislature’s Democratic majority is far from veto-proof – with two-seat margins in each chamber. YOUNGKIN WALKS POLITICAL TIGHTROPE WITH SUPPORT FOR DOGE, MEGA-JOB FAIR Other vetoed bills included two pertaining to gun control legislation, restricting the purchase or transfer of firearms and the like. Ten of the bills were considered “soft on crime” legislation by critics, and about a dozen would have raised costs on Virginians, according to Republicans. The governor also nixed a proposal to raise the state minimum wage to $13.50 per hour, and later to $15. In a statement, Youngkin highlighted legislation supported by some in the Trump administration – such as a bill to keep school lunches free of artificial dyes, which he signed and which mirrors an initiative from Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. YOUNGKIN INVITES NEW TRUMP ADMIN TO SETTLE IN VA OVER MD, DC; TOUTING OLD DOMINION’S BIGGEST DRAWS “I have completed my actions on the more than 900 bills sent to me during the 2025 legislative session,” Youngkin said. “The legislation that I’ve signed into law and the budget amendments I’ve put forward this year will go a long way to helping ensure Virginia remains a great place to live, work, and raise a family. “I have returned many bills with recommended amendments, hoping that we can come together next week with a common purpose to advance these bills,” he added. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Of his veto choices, Youngkin said those bills collectively would “take the commonwealth backward by raising the cost of living, hurting our strong job growth, stifling innovation, undermining our All-American All-of-the-Above Power and Energy Plan or making our communities less safe.” On X, formerly Twitter, observers contrasted Youngkin’s veto prowess with his predecessors. The incumbent is one veto away from hitting 400, while Sen. Mark Warner, a Democrat, only vetoed 18 bills in his four years as governor. Fellow Republican Bob McDonnell vetoed a similar amount to Warner, while the nearest governor of the 21st century in veto usage was Democrat Terry McAuliffe, with more than 110 vetoes.
Top agency staffer trying to block crucial Trump directive once managed DEI team
EXCLUSIVE: Republicans on Capitol Hill are fuming that the Government Accountability Office (GAO) general counsel who shut down President Donald Trump‘s request to supersede California’s aggressive gas emissions laws once managed diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives for the agency. Republicans have dismissed the decision penned by GAO General Counsel Edda Emmanuelli Perez, because she once served as the agency’s “Managing Director of Opportunity and Inclusiveness (O&I).” According to the GAO’s official website, the O&I office includes advising senior staff on equal employment opportunities and promoting a “work environment that is fair, unbiased and inclusive.” “A far-left radical whose main job is pushing DEI nonsense is trying to undermine American prosperity. What a surprise. These bad actors should be removed from government swiftly,” Sen. Jim Banks, R-Indiana., told Fox News Digital in a statement. While some Republicans discredit Emmanuelli Perez’s decision as “DEI nonsense,” other Republicans denied the “democratic legitimacy” of banning California’s gas vehicles without a vote. Rep. Kevin Kiley, R-Calif., told Fox News Digital the House will move forward with a Congressional Review Act resolution regardless of the GAO decision. EPA GRANTS CALIFORNIA PERMISSION TO BAN NEW GAS CAR SALES BY 2035 “The GAO’s conclusion that California can ban 95 percent of the state’s cars, without a vote of the Legislature and with no recourse from Congress, defies basic notions of democratic legitimacy and common sense. We will be moving forward with our Congressional Review Act resolution to reverse this insane ban and restore choice for California consumers,” Kiley said in a statement. TRUCKING EXEC ‘HOPEFUL’ AS TRUMP EPA TARGETS BLUE-STATE EMISSIONS REGS: ‘LIGHT AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL’ Emmanuelli Perez shut down any insinuation from Republicans that she ruled independently on the case, telling Fox News Digital in a statement that the GAO’s decisions are “institutional, not individually authored, products.” “In response to a Congressional request, we summarized relevant, established case law related to the Congressional Review Act and waivers under the Clean Air Act. We stand behind our work, as all GAO products go through our extensive quality assurance process,” Emmanuelli Perez said. The GAO released its decision earlier this month in response to a request from Congress on whether EPA waivers that grant California permission to enforce its 2035 gas car ban are subject to the Congressional Review Act (CRA). The GAO determined that California’s EPA waiver is not subject to the CRA, so Congress cannot use the CRA to overturn California’s aggressive zero-emission goals. Kiley, however, has committed to moving forward with the CRA despite the GAO’s ruling. Trump and EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin announced last month the creation of a National Energy Dominance Council, in which the EPA will send President Joe Biden-era EPA rules to Congress for review. Those Biden-era EPA waivers included “allowing California to preempt federal car and truck standards promulgated by EPA and the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.” The Trump administration announced the EPA waiver transmitted to Congress included “California’s Advanced Clean Cars II, Advanced Clean Trucks, and Omnibus NOx rules,” arguing the waivers on trucks increased the cost of vehicles, goods, and therefore, the cost of living for Americans. “The Biden Administration failed to send rules on California’s waivers to Congress, preventing Members of Congress from deciding on extremely consequential actions that have massive impacts and costs across the entire United States. The Trump EPA is transparently correcting this wrong and rightly following the rule of law,” Zeldin said alongside the president in the Oval Office. Following Zeldin and Trump’s announcement, Sens. Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I., Alex Padilla, D-Calif., and Adam Schiff, D-Calif., requested a legal decision from the GAO on whether the EPA’s decision to grant California waivers under the Clean Air Act could be overturned using the CRA. The Democratic senators championed the GAO’s ruling and slammed the Trump administration for trying to eliminate the “California emission standards [that] have protected generations of Americans against fossil fuel emissions.” “By ignoring decades of precedent and the plain text of the Congressional Review Act, the Trump EPA is attempting to sell out our nation’s public health and environmental protections to the same polluting industries that bankrolled much of Trump’s campaign,” the senators said following the GAO’s decision. However, Trump campaigned on eliminating such regulations, and on his first day back in the White House, the president signed an executive order “unleashing American energy.” The executive order eliminated the “electric vehicle (EV) mandate” to promote consumer choice. While the litigation is tied up in the congressional branch, with the stroke of a pen on day one, Trump moved to terminate “state emissions waivers that function to limit sales of gasoline-powered automobiles.” Trump also campaigned on a day-one commitment to eliminating DEI in the federal government. On his Inauguration Day, Trump signed an executive order “ending radical and wasteful government DEI programs and referencing,” which rolled back Biden-era DEI policies and initiatives in the federal government.
CIA director blasts Democrat’s ‘offensive line of questioning’ about Hegseth’s ‘drinking habits’
CIA Director John Ratcliffe blasted a California Democrat Wednesday for asking him “whether Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth had been drinking before he leaked classified information” in a Signal chat group, calling his words an “offensive line of questioning.” Rep. Jimmy Gomez sparked the testy exchange during a House Intelligence Committee hearing on worldwide threats, where Ratcliffe appeared alongside Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard and other top Trump administration officials. “The main person who was involved in this thread that a lot of people want to talk to is, Secretary of Defense Hegseth. And a lot of questions were brought up regarding his drinking habits in his confirmation hearing. To your knowledge, do you know whether Pete Hegseth had been drinking before he leaked classified information?” Gomez asked Gabbard, to which she responded, “I don’t have any knowledge of Secretary Hegseth’s personal habits.” When Gomez then asked Ratcliffe the same question, telling him it was either a “yes or no” answer, Ratcliffe fired back, saying “You know, no. I’m going to answer that. I think that’s an offensive line of questioning.” ATLANTIC REPORTER PUBLISHES MORE TEXTS ABOUT ATTACK ON HOUTHI TARGETS “The answer is no. I find it interesting…” Ratcliffe continued before Gomez began shouting “Hey, I yield back, this is my time, director! Director!” “You asked me a question, do you want an answer?” Ratcliffe said. “You don’t want to focus on the good work that the CIA is doing, that the intelligence community…” “Director, I reclaim my time. Director, I reclaim my time,” Gomez then said. “I have huge respect for the CIA, huge respect for men and women in uniform. But this was a question that’s on the top of the minds of every American, right?” “He stood in front of a podium in Europe holding a drink,” Gomez then claimed. “Was his performance compromised because of a successful strike?… you think he should accept responsibility for a successful strike to make Americans safer?” Ratcliffe started saying as Gomez again interrupted him in an attempt to get the situation under control. RATCLIFFE SAYS NEW SIGNAL TEXTS SHOW HE ‘DID NOT TRANSMIT CLASSIFIED INFORMATION’ Rep. Ben Cline, R-Va., followed Gomez’s questioning and allowed Ratcliffe to speak without interruption. “I appreciate that, Congressman. I guess, you know, just a general reflection here again, that, for the last two days, members of the intelligence community have been asking questions about a Signal messaging group and not asking questions — from Democrats either in the Senate or the House — on China, Russia, Iran and the real threats, that are going on the United States,” the CIA director said. “No one’s asked me about my second day on the job here, where I lit the fuse that led to a foreign government participating with us to capture one of the senior planners of the Abbey gate bombing that killed 13 Americans,” he added, “But instead, we’re getting questions about whether or not someone has drinking habits.”
House Dems rally around Hamas sympathizer facing potential deportation: ‘Free Mahmoud Khalil’
House Democratic lawmakers reacted to the detention of anti-Israel activist and Columbia University graduate Mahmoud Khalil amid outrage that he could potentially be deported. “Free Mahmoud Khalil!” Rep. Deila Ramirez, D-Ill., said at a news conference on Capitol Hill on Tuesday alongside Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., who has also been a vocal critic of the Trump administration’s decision to detain him. “The idea that this government believes that they can target people because they dare to dissent, and they don’t agree with what the president is doing for this specific. While we may not all we may not agree with everything he may or may have not said as a student at Columbia, I think you should be asking yourself, perhaps you don’t agree with me. I don’t agree with you. Or should you be criminalized for daring to speak up for what you believe is injustice?” Ramierz said following the news conference. FEDERAL JUDGE BLOCKS DETENTION OF COLUMBIA ANTI-ISRAEL PROTESTER YUNSEU CHUNG Other lawmakers told Fox News Digital that there is a need for due process regardless of Khalil’s stances. “We’ve done some letters and stuff,” Rep. Ami Bera said. “I think we’ve gotta give everyone due process rights, you know, especially folks that are legally here as the Columbia students. Obviously let’s uphold the law,” he added. Others, such as Rep. Lois Frankel, D-Fla., has expressed disagreements with Kahlil’s views but still believes that his detainment is cause for concern. “I don’t like his position. I don’t like what he has said. I don’t like the disruptive students trying to go to school, but I will say this: This is a country. We’re supposed to be a democracy. Freedom of speech is in our constitution,” she said. COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY STUDENT PROTESTER SUES TRUMP ADMIN TO PREVENT DEPORTATION “And before anybody is arrested, you should have good probable cause. Absolutely before anybody is held and deported, there absolutely has to be full legal rights and due process,” she continued. Khalil, a 30-year-old green card holder married to a U.S. citizen, was arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials on March 8. In a court brief dated Sunday, the U.S. government outlined its arguments for keeping Khalil in custody while his removal proceedings continue. The department says Khalil fraudulently applied to change his immigration status without fully disclosing his “membership in certain organization,” which could be grounds for deportation. The Justice Department said Sunday that the fact he allegedly lied on his application provided an “independent basis” to deport him, overriding free speech rights. “Regardless of his allegations concerning political speech, Khalil withheld membership in certain organizations and failed to disclose continuing employment by the Syria Office in the British Embassy in Beirut when he submitted his adjustment of status application,” they said. “It is black-letter law that misrepresentations in this context are not protected speech.” President Donald Trump himself has backed the decision as a result of his administration’s crackdown, thanking Immigration and Customs Enforcement for taking Khalil into custody in a Truth Social post on March 10. COLUMBIA FACULTY HOLD ‘EMERGENCY VIGIL’ TO PROTEST UNIVERSITY RESPONSE TO TRUMP “Following my previously signed Executive Orders, ICE proudly apprehended and detained Mahmoud Khalil, a Radical Foreign Pro-Hamas Student on the campus of Columbia University. This is the first arrest of many to come. We know there are more students at Columbia and other Universities across the Country who have engaged in pro-terrorist, anti-Semitic, anti-American activity, and the Trump Administration will not tolerate it,” Trump posted. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP “Many are not students, they are paid agitators. We will find, apprehend, and deport these terrorist sympathizers from our country — never to return again. If you support terrorism, including the slaughtering of innocent men, women, and children, your presence is contrary to our national and foreign policy interests, and you are not welcome here. We expect every one of America’s Colleges and Universities to comply. Thank you!” the president added. The Trump White House took away $400 million in federal funding for Columbia University as a result of its encampment-style protests that made waves last year, as the university is taking strides to earn the money back. Another alleged Columbia protester, Ranjani Srinivasan, self-deported back to India after having her student visa nixed, and Leqaa Kordia was arrested for allegedly overstaying their student visa. Fox News’ Sarah Rumpf-Whitten contributed to this report.
Democrats invoke children’s shows in bizarre defense of PBS, NPR: ‘Fire Elon, Save Elmo’
Democrats had some bizarre defenses for NPR and PBS in Wednesday’s House DOGE Subcommittee, with some representatives invoking characters from Sesame Street and The Muppets to attack Republican efforts to cut funding to public broadcasting. Both PBS and NPR have been heavily criticized for political bias and for advancing leftist ideologies like gender ideology, such as a PBS movie called “Real Boy,” which, according to PBS, follows a transgender-identifying teen as he “navigates adolescence, sobriety, and physical and emotional ramifications of his changing gender identity.” The hearing – titled “Anti-American Airwaves: Holding the heads of NPR and PBS Accountable” – was called by the DOGE Subcommittee Chair Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., to question public media leaders on why the “demonstrably biased news coverage they produce for an increasingly narrow and elitist audience should continue to be funded by the broad taxpaying public.” This comes after President Donald Trump said on Tuesday he would be “honored” to defund NPR, saying, “It’s been very biased. The whole group, I mean, a whole group of them.” EXCLUSIVE: HOUSE GOP FIREBRAND DRIVES DOGE COMMITTEE INVESTIGATION OF GOVERNMENT MEDIA AGENCY CORRUPTION Rep. Greg Casar, D-Texas, an adjunct member of the “Squad,” attempted to take shots at Trump and DOGE chief Elon Musk, asking, “Has Miss Piggy ever been caught trying to funnel billions of dollars in government contracts to herself and to her companies?” Sitting in front of a giant poster reading, “Fire Elon, Save Elmo,” Casar went on, “How about Arthur the Aardvark? Has he ever fired independent government watchdogs who are investigating his companies? The answer is no.” “I’m told we’re here to talk about government efficiency, but Daniel Tiger has not blown $10 million of taxpayer money to play golf with his friends. But Donald Trump has, just at the beginning of his administration. Miss Piggy hasn’t been caught funneling billions of dollars in government contracts to herself. But Elon Musk has, and Arthur has not fired independent government watchdogs investigating him and his companies. But Elon Musk has fired at least five,” Casar suggested that Republicans are using PBS and NPR as a “scapegoat” to “try to distract from the fact that Trump and Musk are robbing working people.” Rep. Robert Garcia, D-Calif., also had a peculiar defense for NPR and PBS, asking PBS President Paula Kerger, “Is Elmo now or has he ever been a member of the Communist Party of the United States?” DEMOCRAT JASMINE CROCKETT LAUGHINGLY MOCKS DISABLED REPUBLICAN: ‘GOVERNOR HOT WHEELS’ Garcia went on to say that Elmo “has a very dangerous message about sharing and helping each other. He’s indoctrinating our kids, that sharing is caring. Now, maybe he’s part of a major socialist plot and maybe that’s why the chairwoman is having this hearing today.” He also indicated that Republicans are considering defunding PBS for using characters such as Big Bird to push for COVID-19 vaccines. “This is actually a tweet that Big Bird actually sent out about the COVID-19 vaccine, encouraging folks to actually get their vaccination, which of course we believe in vaccines,” he said. “Perhaps the reason why we’re having this hearing is because our chairwoman, Miss Green, has actually said some really negative things about getting vaccinations and that’s perhaps why we are here. And so, we support Big Bird being pro-vaccine and promoting vaccines across this country.” PAM BONDI THREATENS PROSECUTION AMID DOGE’S FINDINGS ABOUT FRAUD: ‘WE’RE COMING AFTER YOU’ He also brought up the characters Bert and Ernie, asking if they are “part of an extreme homosexual agenda,” as well as Cookie Monster, saying, “Now we know that Health Secretary RFK Jr. is coming out against fast food and baked goods. Are we silencing pro-cookie voters?” Garcia called the taxpayer funding for NPR and PBS a “tiny federal investment,” and said, “We need public media like PBS and NPR more than ever.” “The message I think today is very, very simple. If we’re going to get rid of any puppeteers, we should get rid of the one that’s actually controlling Donald Trump,” he said. “Fire Elon Musk and save Elmo.”
How Mike Johnson and Jim Jordan could hit back at judges blocking Trump’s agenda
Congressional Republicans are looking at a variety of options to stand up against what they see as “activist judges” blocking President Donald Trump’s agenda. Many of those options will likely be discussed at the House Judiciary’s hearing on the matter next week, which sources expect to be scheduled for April 1. Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., huddled privately with Republicans on the House Judiciary Committee Tuesday afternoon to coalesce lawmakers around a bill up for a vote next week that would limit federal district court judges’ ability to issue nationwide injunctions. One source familiar with discussions told Fox News Digital that Johnson suggested Republicans could look at other options as well, something conservatives are looking for. House Freedom Caucus member Rep. Ralph Norman, R-S.C., told Fox News Digital that the legislation was a “good start.” WHO IS JAMES BOASBERG, THE US JUDGE AT THE CENTER OF TRUMP’S DEPORTATION EFFORTS? The No Rogue Rulings Act has support from both the White House and House GOP leadership. It’s expected to get a House-wide vote Tuesday or Wednesday of next week. Led by Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Calif., the legislation would force most district court judges to narrow most orders to the most relevant scope, therefore blocking them from pausing Trump’s policies across the U.S. No Republican lawmaker has publicly expressed doubts about the bill, but conservatives have warned they want to see more from Congress on activist judges. Both Johnson and top members of the House Judiciary Committee have floated using Congress’ power of the purse to rein in activist courts. “We do have authority over the federal courts,” Johnson said at his weekly press conference. “We do have power over funding, over the courts, and all these other things. But desperate times call for desperate measures, and Congress is going to act.” But Congress controls government spending through several different mechanisms. Lawmakers have the power to set annual appropriations levels, to rescind that funding via a rescission package, and even leverage funding outside of Congress’ yearly appropriations via the budget reconciliation process. “I think we need to look at… funding scenarios. Now, that takes a little time; you’ve got to work through either the appropriations, rescissions or reconciliation process, depending on where it’s appropriate,” Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, chair of the House Judiciary Committee’s subcommittee on the Constitution, told Fox News Digital last week – while stressing he was not “for or against” any specific scenario. Several Republicans have introduced resolutions to impeach various federal judges for blocking Trump’s agenda, but there appears to be little appetite within the House GOP to pursue that lane. Johnson signaled he was against the move during a closed-door meeting with Republicans on Tuesday morning, noting just 15 federal judges have been impeached in U.S. history. ‘WOEFULLY INSUFFICIENT’: US JUDGE REAMS TRUMP ADMIN FOR DAYS-LATE DEPORTATION INFO “There was some innuendo there that, you know, impeachment has been reserved for judges with high crimes and misdemeanors, not because you disagree with his decisions,” one House Republican said of Johnson’s message. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Conservatives could attempt to force House GOP leaders to act by classifying their impeachment legislation as a “privileged resolution,” meaning the House must hold at least a chamber-wide procedural vote on the measure within two legislative days. But it’s not clear that will be pursued, either. Two Republicans who filed such resolutions – Reps. Brandon Gill, R-Texas, and Derrick Van Orden, R-Wis. – said they did not have current plans to make their resolutions privileged. It’s not a totally dismissed option, however, as leaders, including House Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, continue to insist nothing is off the table.
Trump admin declares the Atlantic’s Signal article a ‘hoax’ after it drops ‘war plans’ rhetoric
Trump administration officials say the Atlantic “conceded” that its article providing a firsthand account of a Signal group chat involving the nation’s top national security leaders discussing an attack on terrorists in Yemen did not contain “war plans.” “The Atlantic has conceded: these were NOT ‘war plans,’” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt posted to X Wednesday morning. “This entire story was another hoax written by a Trump-hater who is well-known for his sensationalist spin.” National security advisor Mike Waltz posted to X Wednesday, “No locations. No sources & methods. NO WAR PLANS. Foreign partners had already been notified that strikes were imminent. BOTTOM LINE: President Trump is protecting America and our interests.” TRUMP OFFICIALS ACCIDENTALLY TEXT ATLANTIC JOURNALIST ABOUT MILITARY STRIKES IN APPARENT SECURITY BREACH The Trump administration came under fire from Democrats and other critics Monday after the Atlantic magazine published an article revealing that top national security officials discussed a planned strike in Yemen against terrorist forces in a Signal group chat that also included the editor-in-chief of the Atlantic. The Atlantic’s Jeffrey Goldberg published a firsthand account Monday of what he read in the Signal group chat, called “Houthi PC Small Group,” after he was added to the chain March 13 alongside high-ranking federal officials stretching from Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth to Waltz and Trump chief of staff Susie Wiles. Monday’s article was headlined: “The Trump Administration Accidentally Texted Me Its War Plans.” Trump administration officials have repeatedly argued since the release of the article that no classified information was included in the Signal correspondence. On Wednesday morning, the Atlantic published a follow-up story that included direct texts from the Signal chat, but notably did not include the phrase “war plans” in its headline, instead characterizing the texts as “attack plans.” The phrase “war plans” was included in the Wednesday piece as quotes attributable to the administration pouring cold water that they shared classified information in the chat. HEGSETH FENDS OFF REPORTER’S QUESTIONS ABOUT SIGNAL CHAT LEAK: ‘I KNOW EXACTLY WHAT I’M DOING’ A spokesperson for the Atlantic defended that the outlet did expose a “war plan” in its Wednesday report, pointing Fox News Digital to a screenshot included in the piece of Hegseth’s messages related to F-18s and drone strikes that were accompanied by timestamps for the operation. “If this information – particularly the exact times American aircraft were taking off for Yemen – had fallen into the wrong hands in that crucial two-hour period, American pilots and other American personnel could have been exposed to even greater danger than they ordinarily would face,” the report stated. The Department of Defense does not specifically define what constitutes a “war plan,” according to the U.S. Army War College, though war plans are understood as in-depth plans for an “overarching strategy.” “If we consider war to be a political act between two or more states, nations, or other polities, a war plan must consider the totality of those polities’ potential political objectives, industrial capabilities, and military options for the expected duration of the conflict,” the Army War College posted in 2020 in an explainer article headlined, “What’s in a War Plan?” “A war plan develops a concept to win a war militarily and politically; it is the detailed ways and means of an overarching strategy. A review of two historical examples of such planning offer approaches to overcome organizational and institutional obstacles to effective comprehensive war planning.” Officials with the Trump administration continued on X that the Atlantic’s report was a “hoax” for initially describing the chat as containing “war plans.” “So, let’s me get this straight. The Atlantic released the so-called ‘war plans’ and those ‘plans’ include: No names. No targets. No locations. No units. No routes. No sources. No methods. And no classified information. Those are some really s—– war plans. This only proves one thing: Jeff Goldberg has never seen a war plan or an ‘attack plan’ (as he now calls it). Not even close. As I type this, my team and I are traveling the INDOPACOM region, meeting w/ Commanders (the guys who make REAL ‘war plans’) and talking to troops. We will continue to do our job, while the media does what it does best: peddle hoaxes,” Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth posted to his personal X account Wednesday. A Department of Defense memo from 2023 under the Biden administration detailed that while Signal was approved for some use by government officials, the platform could not be used to “access, transmit, process non-public DoD information.” The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), the federal office in charge of ensuring cybersecurity at all levels of the government, published a “best practice” for “highly targeted” government officials in December 2024 advising “highly targeted” government officials to use Signal as an extra precaution against potential hackers. CISA’s “Mobile Communications Best Practice Guidance” defined as highly targeted individuals as high-ranking government officials or politicians who are “likely to possess information of interest to these threat actors.” The document specifically addressed high-targeted politicos and officials, though it noted the guide was “applicable to all audiences.” “Adopt a free messaging application for secure communications that guarantees end-to-end encryption, such as Signal or similar apps,” the guidance states. “CISA recommends an end-to-end encrypted messaging app that is compatible with both iPhone and Android operating systems, allowing for text message interoperability across platforms. Such apps may also offer clients for MacOS, Windows, and Linux, and sometimes the web. These apps typically support one-on-one text chats, group chats with up to 1,000 participants, and encrypted voice and video calls. Additionally, they may include features like disappearing messages and images, which can enhance privacy.” Signal’s popularity grew in the past few months, after it was discovered that Chinese-linked hackers were targeting cellphone data in the U.S., including data belonging to President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance during the campaign, Politico reported Tuesday. TRUMP NOT PLANNING TO FIRE WALTZ AFTER NATIONAL SECURITY TEXT CHAIN LEAK The texts released in