Hunter Biden drops lawsuit against IRS, which whistleblowers say ‘tells you everything you need to know’
Hunter Biden on Wednesday dropped the lawsuit he filed against two Internal Revenue Service whistle-blowers in September 2023. Biden’s attorneys brought a motion in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to dismiss the lawsuit with prejudice, meaning the case cannot be brought again in any court. The lawsuit, initially filed by the former first son two years ago, alleged that IRS Special Agent Gary Shapley and IRS Criminal Investigator Joseph Ziegler had “targeted and sought to embarrass” Biden through statements to the media disclosing the details of the tax matters of a “private citizen.” HUNTER BIDEN SUES IRS, ALLEGES AGENTS TRIED TO ‘TARGET’ AND ‘EMBARRASS’ HIM Shapley and Zielger had testified before the House Oversight Committee earlier that year, saying they faced various limitations when tasked with investigating former President Joe Biden’s son. “It’s always been clear that the lawsuit was an attempt to intimidate us,” Shapley and Zielger said in a statement after Hunter Biden dropped the case, according to the New York Post. “Intimidation and retaliation were never going to work. We truly wanted our day in court to provide the complete story, but it appears Mr. Biden was afraid to actually fight this case in a court of law after all.” “His voluntary dismissal of the case tells you everything you need to know about who was right and who was wrong,” they added. Lawyers for the two whistle-blowers first emphasized how Hunter Biden “dismissed his case with prejudice – meaning he can never bring it again,” and did so “in exchange for nothing at all.” “Hunter Biden brought this lawsuit against two honorable federal agents in retaliation for blowing the whistle on the preferential treatment he was given,” the attorneys said, according to the Post. HUNTER BIDEN PLEA DEAL APPEARS TO FALL APART AT COURT HEARING Four of Hunter Biden’s attorneys – Abbe David Lowell, Christopher Man, David Kolansky and Isabella Oishi – moved to withdraw as the former first son’s counsel about a month ago. The Justice Department had been investigating Hunter Biden for several years for possible tax crimes when Shapley’s lawyers sent a letter to Congress alleging “irregularities” in the DOJ handling of the investigation, and he sat down with CBS News in May 2023 about his decision to blow the whistle. Hunter Biden’s plea deal, which would have granted him broad immunity from prosection in exchange for admitting guilt to two misdemeanor tax counts, fell apart during a July 2023 federal court hearing in Delaware. Hunter Biden later pleaded guilty in September 2024 to all nine federal tax charges brought against him by special counsel David Weiss. It was determined that Biden failed to pay $1.4 million in taxes from 2016 to 2019. He later paid it back. In December, former President Biden granted his son a sweeping pardon, granting Hunter clemency from all crimes he “has committed or may have committed” over the past decade.
Harris draws social media scorn for digression about elephants during an earthquake
Former Vice President Kamala Harris urged Democrats across the country to act like elephants in an awkward digression during her speech Wednesday night. Harris delivered her first public address since losing the 2024 election on Wednesday in California, offering an angry and negative view of President Donald Trump’s first 100 days in office. “Please allow me, friends, to digress for a moment,” she told the audience at Emerge’s 20th anniversary gala in San Francisco. “Okay, it’s kind of dark in here, but I am going to ask for a show of hands. Who saw that video from a couple of weeks ago? The one of the elephants at the San Diego Zoo during the earthquake. Google it if you have not seen it. “So that scene has been on my mind. Everybody has been asking what are you thinking about these days. For those who haven’t seen it, here those elephants were, and as soon as they felt the earth shaking beneath their feet, they got in a circle and stood next to each other to protect the most vulnerable. Think about it. What a powerful metaphor,” she continued. ‘I AM AFRAID’: ANOTHER PROTECTIVE ORDER FILING AGAINST DEPORTED ‘MARYLAND MAN’ CHAMPIONED BY DEMS SURFACES “Because we know those who try to incite fear are most effective when they divide and conquer. When they separate the herd, when they try to make everyone think they are alone. But in the face of crisis, the lesson is don’t, don’t scatter,” she added. ‘PROMISES MADE, PROMISES KEPT’: TRUMP CELEBRATES FIRST 100 DAYS IN OFFICE WITH HIGH ENERGY MICHIGAN RALLY “The instinct has to be to immediately find and connect with each other, and to know that the circle will be stronger,” she said. Many users on social media were quick to mock Harris’ story as bizarre and jarring in the context of her speech. “It is better to keep your mouth closed and let people think you are a fool than to open it and remove all doubt,” wrote one user, @JohnETiffany1, referencing a common maxim. The former vice president did not address rumors that she may be considering a run for governor of California during her speech. The organizer, Emerge, is a training organization that seeks to prepare Democratic women to run for office. It charged $25 for viewers to gain access to the virtual livestream. Other package options included a $100 fee for young professionals and a $250 general admission ticket.
Democrat gun control push persists with reintroduction of assault weapons ban
U.S. lawmakers are continuing to advocate for gun control by pushing an assault weapons ban proposal. “It shall be unlawful for a person to import, sell, manufacture, transfer, or possess, in or affecting interstate or foreign commerce, a semiautomatic assault weapon,” the Assault Weapons Ban of 2025 stipulates — it also includes the same prohibition pertaining to “a large capacity ammunition feeding device.” But the measure would grandfather in those who currently own such items. The text indicates that the prohibitions “shall not apply to the possession, sale, or transfer of any semiautomatic assault weapon otherwise lawfully possessed under Federal law on the date of enactment of the Assault Weapons Ban of 2025” or “to the possession of any large capacity ammunition feeding device otherwise lawfully possessed on or before the date of enactment of the Assault Weapons Ban of 2025.” TRUMP ROASTED DEM CRITICS, MEDIA WITH NEW NICKNAMES IN FIRST 100 DAYS ONLINE: ‘WATERMELON-HEAD’ Democratic Sen. Adam Schiff of California leads Democratic Sens. Alex Padilla of California, and Democratic Sens. Chris Murphy and Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut, in pushing the measure in the Senate, according to a Schiff news release. It also names 37 other Senate Democrats as cosponsors. There are more than 100 original co-sponsors of the measure in the House, according to Rep. Lucy McBath’s, D-Ga. news release. The measure will almost certainly fail to advance through either GOP-controlled congressional chamber. Many Americans oppose such legislation, contending that it would represent an unconstitutional infringement on gun rights protected by the Second Amendment. SUPREME COURT UPHOLDS BIDEN ADMIN ‘GHOST GUN’ REGULATION But during a news conference about the legislation, Padilla asserted, “This is not about the Second Amendment. This is about saving lives.” The NRA pushed back, declaring in a post on X, “Anti-gun lawmakers insist their push to ban ‘assault weapons’ isn’t about the Second Amendment. Let’s be honest — that’s exactly what it’s about. And it’s about disarming law-abiding Americans.” The U.S. previously had an assault weapons ban in place for a decade — it expired on Sept. 13, 2004, according to a Congressional Research Service report. ADAM SCHIFF REVEALS WHAT A SAN FRANCISCO CASHIER BLUNTLY TOLD HIM ABOUT DEMS, WARNS PARTY HAS ‘MAJOR PROBLEM’ Former Presidents Ronald Reagan, Gerald Ford, and Jimmy Carter joined together in a May 1994 message in which they urged the House to “support for a ban on the domestic manufacture of military-style assault weapons,” calling it “a matter of vital importance to the public safety,” according to a Los Angeles Times report.
Ice cream from Trump and a ‘comically tiny office’: Inside Elon Musk’s wild 3 months getting DOGE rolling
Elon Musk says he saved the U.S. taxpayer more than $160 million during his first three months getting the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) off the ground — but he also enjoyed midnight snacks of ice cream from the White House kitchen, a “comically tiny office” and a friendship with President Donald Trump. Fox News Digital was invited, along with a small group of reporters, to have an on-the-record discussion with Musk in the White House’s Roosevelt Room on Wednesday evening about his first 100 days as a special government employee. That status allowed him to work for the federal government for “no more than 130 days in a 365-day period,” according to data from the Office of Government Ethics. Musk said the first 100 days was “an intense period” and said at times, he was in Washington, D.C., working on his DOGE efforts “7 days a week, or close to 7 days a week.” Musk said he will cut that down to one or two days a week, or every other week, and will continue working for the Trump administration “at the discretion of the president.” ELON MUSK RECEIVES APPLAUSE FROM CABINET AS HE BEGINS PLANNED DEPARTURE FROM DOGE ROLE “I’m willing to contribute one to two days a week, coming to D.C. every other week for one to three days—indefinitely, as long as the president wants me to do that,” Musk said. “It’s largely a volunteer organization.” Musk, in response to a question from Fox News Digital, said he has slept in the White House’s Lincoln bedroom multiple times. “I didn’t think I would ever sleep in there,” Musk said. “The president, we’re good friends, and we’ll be on Air Force One, or Marine One, and he’ll be like, ‘do you want to stay over?’ and I’ll be like, ‘sure,’ and he’ll send me to the Lincoln bedroom.” Musk said he did not ever “request it,” but that Trump would always ask “‘do you want to stay here?’” “And he gave me a tour of the Lincoln bedroom, and told me all the history,” Musk said. SCOOP: DOGE CAUCUS PLANS WHITE HOUSE MEETING AS ELON MUSK PREPS TO STEP BACK “And then, he’ll actually call me late night and say, ‘by the way, make sure you get ice cream from the kitchen,” Musk recalled. “I ate a whole tub of ice cream—caramel. Häagen-Dazs.” Musk laughed, “Yeah, it’s epic.” “Don’t tell RFK I ate a whole tub,” Musk laughed. “The president is a very good host, and he said, make sure you have some of the ice cream, and I said OK. I went to the kitchen and got some ice cream.” When asked for the exact number of nights Musk slept in the Lincoln bedroom, he replied, “I don’t know if I should say the number—more than once.” Musk was also given a small office in the White House, which he said he intends to keep. “I’m keeping my micro-office,” Musk said, adding that it is “on the top floor it has a view of nothing.” “It has a window but all you see is an HVAC unit,” Musk explained. “I guess it’s harder to shoot me—there’s not a good line of sight in there.” “I like my comically tiny office upstairs,” Musk said, adding that, while it is tiny, he has “the biggest monitor,” where he views “important information—secret stuff.” Musk admitted, though, that he has “occasionally played a video game.” When asked by Fox News Digital which video game, Musk laughed and said, “Diablo in the Path of Exile.” As for DOGE, Musk said he is proud of its work so far, and “in the grand scheme of things, I think we’ve been effective,” just “not as effective as I’d like.” “I think we could be more effective, but we’ve made progress —and more progress than I think has happened since Clinton and Gore,” Musk said. “It is ironic to see the Clinton and Gore speeches — they sound like DOGE. If you took a transcript and say who said it? DOGE or Clinton-Gore? You would have a hard time. They sound identical to what we say.” He added, “We are just Democrats from the ’90s who got teleported into 2025.” DOGE SLASHES ‘WASTEFUL’ ‘PROBLEM-SOLVING’ CONTRACT WORTH $50K IN LATEST ROUND OF ELIMINATIONS “Things have just evolved. There is that classic saying, we didn’t leave the Democratic Party — the Democratic Party left us,” Musk continued. “Just, objectively, from a policy standpoint, that is just objectively true. Our goals are safe cities, secure borders, sensible spending—these used to be Democrat positions and perhaps they will be in the future — but they just seem like common sense.” Meanwhile, Musk reflected on his day-to-day for the first 100 days, saying that things “have to be very intense for the first three months, so trying to understand what’s going on and map out the government in general.” “The federal government is a gigantic beast — very complicated — and so if you’re trying to figure out how to stop waste and fraud, you’ve got to map the territory,” Musk said. “That required three months of intense effort, and you have to build the team as well.” “A new administration is like a start-up,” Musk continued. “Now, we’re getting more of a rhythm and so the amount of time necessary for me to spend here is much less and I can return to primarily running my companies, which do need me.” Fox News Digital asked Musk if he has had fun during his first three months leading DOGE. “It’s like, 60% fun. 70% fun — depends on the week,” Musk said. “But being attacked relentlessly is not super fun. Seeing cars burning is not fun. But when I feel like we’re doing good for the American taxpayer and stopping wasteful spending and fixing computer systems, I feel like that’s a good thing.” A DOGE official at the meeting on Wednesday said that 1% of the federal workforce, or
Trucking vet lawmaker sounds off on illegal immigrant drivers as REAL ID deadline looms
A House Republican whose family found success in the trucking industry is voicing concerns about illegal immigrants working in the industry in the U.S. Rep. Mike Collins, R-Ga., praised President Donald Trump’s executive order mandating English proficiency as a requirement for professional drivers in an interview with Fox News Digital. It also comes as the REAL ID deadline fast approaches in the U.S. as the Trump administration finally seeks to impose the 20-year-old measure in a bid to crack down on illegal immigrants, including those who have been made eligible for driver’s licenses in blue states. HOW A DOGE REVIEW CAN ACTUALLY IMPROVE THE PROGRAMS THAT FIGHT HIV/AIDS “Accident rates have gone up 75% because we have people that are driving trucks across this country, they can’t read or speak English,” Collins told Fox News Digital, noting he’d been in the trucking industry for 30 years. “I don’t know how that makes sense … but thank goodness the president saw that when he signed an executive order.” In recent years, illegal immigrants have been able to obtain driver’s licenses in 19 states and Washington, D.C., where they are issued regardless of immigration status. Collins said it’s had an effect on the trucking industry more widely, however. “It impacts the trucking industry because you got people that have no skin in the game, so to say. It doesn’t matter if they get involved in an accident, what do they care? Because they’re not here legally anyway. So, at worst-case scenario, they just lose the vehicle because they weren’t even kicking them out,” Collins said. “Let’s at least get these people off the road, make them stop driving and, oh, by the way, pack your bags and go home.” It’s not clear how much REAL ID will help in the immediate future, considering states will be allowed to continue issuing non-REAL ID-compliant licenses alongside the new federal standard. DOGE SLASHES ‘WASTEFUL’ ‘PROBLEM-SOLVING’ CONTRACT WORTH $50K IN LATEST ROUND OF ELIMINATIONS But the Trump administration is attempting to at least stop people who cross the border illegally from being able to get to Collins’ home state of Georgia and others via airline travel. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Noncompliant state IDs will be banned from use on commercial flights and from entering federal buildings starting May 7. “Under Biden, illegal aliens used non-compliant IDs from sanctuary cities to board flights, but REAL ID’s higher security standards make it nearly impossible to forge legitimate documents, ensuring only verified travelers can fly,” the Department of Homeland Security said in a memo this month.
Kamala Harris comes knives out against Trump in first speech since leaving office: ‘Absolute chaos’
Former Vice President Kamala Harris returned to the political scene with a fiery speech on Wednesday night in which she slammed the Trump administration’s first 100 days. Harris had a very negative, often angry-sounding message in her first speech since she left office, even saying, “we are seeing the wholesale abandonment” of American ideals in reference to President Donald Trump’s priorities. “Now, I know tonight’s event happens to coincide with the 100 days after the inauguration, and I’ll leave to others to give a full accounting of what has happened so far,” she said. “But I will say this. Instead of the administration working to advance America’s highest ideals, we are witnessing the wholesale abandonment of those ideals.” Harris accused Trump of advancing “an agenda [of] a narrow, self-serving vision of America,” threatening to bring a “constitutional crisis” to the nation. ‘PROMISES MADE, PROMISES KEPT’: TRUMP CELEBRATES FIRST 100 DAYS IN OFFICE WITH HIGH ENERGY MICHIGAN RALLY She accused Trump of bringing “chaos” to the U.S. through his tariff policy, accusing him of being responsible for the “greatest manmade economic crisis in modern presidential history.” But beyond this, Harris claimed that the Trump administration is advancing an intentional vision to undermine American democracy. “Some people are describing what has been happening in recent months as absolute chaos, and of course, I understand why, and it’s certainly true of those tariffs,” she said. “But friends, please let us not be duped into thinking everything is chaos.” She continued: “What we are in fact witnessing is a high-velocity event. Where a vessel is being used for the swift implementation of an agenda that has been decades in the making. An agenda to slash public education, an agenda to shrink government and then to privatize its services, all while giving tax breaks to the wealthiest among us.” VANCE PREVIEWS TRUMP’S PLANS TO ‘JUICE THE ECONOMY,’ END RUSSIA–UKRAINE WAR IN NEXT 100 DAYS “Right now, we are living in their vision for America,” Harris went on. “It’s an agenda, a narrow, self-serving vision of America where they punish truth tellers, favor loyalists cashing in on their power, and leave everyone to fend for themselves, all while abandoning allies and retreating from the world.” Harris further alluded to the Trump administration’s deportation of illegal alien and suspected MS-13 gang member Kilmar Abrego Garcia, saying, “It is not okay to detain and to disappear American citizens or anyone without due process.” She praised the actions of congressional Democrats resisting the Trump administration, naming several lawmakers, including Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md.; Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J.; Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt.; and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., who she said “all in different ways, have been speaking with moral clarity about this moment.” The former vice president said she was inspired by the Democrat’s electoral victory in the Wisconsin Supreme Court election as well as “the courage of judges to uphold the rule of law” and “universities that are defying unconstitutional demands that threaten the pursuit of truth and academic independence.” ‘I AM AFRAID’: ANOTHER PROTECTIVE ORDER FILING AGAINST DEPORTED ‘MARYLAND MAN’ CHAMPIONED BY DEMS SURFACES Harris went on to say that “if Congress fails to do its part, or if the courts fail to do their part, or if both do their part, but the president defies them anyway. Well, friends, that is called a constitutional crisis.” Harris gave her speech at Emerge’s 20th anniversary gala in San Francisco. Emerge, a training organization that seeks to prepare Democratic women to run for office, charged $25 for viewers to gain access to the virtual livestream. Other package options included a $100 fee for young professionals and a $250 general admission ticket. The former vice president did not address rumors that she may be considering a run for governor of California. Fox News Digital’s Diana Stancy contributed to this report.
Hegseth sends strong message to Iran and Houthis: ‘You will pay’
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth sent a message to Iran on Wednesday night, warning the country that, because of its “LETHAL” support of the Houthis terrorist organization, they will pay the consequences. “We see your LETHAL support to The Houthis. We know exactly what you are doing,” Hegseth said in a post on X. “You know very well what the U.S. Military is capable of — and you were warned. You will pay the CONSEQUENCE at the time and place of our choosing.” Earlier this week, a Houthi drone forced the USS Harry S. Truman aircraft carrier to make an evasive maneuver, which some believe caused an F-18 fighter jet worth $67 million to fall off the carrier and into the Red Sea. $70M NAVY F-18 FIGHTER JET FALLS INTO RED SEA OFF THE USS HARRY S TRUMAN The move came after 47 straight days of U.S. airstrikes against Houthi targets. Hegseth then retweeted a Truth Social post by President Donald Trump from March 17. “Let nobody be fooled! The hundreds of attacks being made by Houthi, the sinister mobsters and thugs based in Yemen, who are hated by the Yemeni people, all emanate from, and are created by, IRAN,” Trump posted. “Any further attack or retaliation by the ‘Houthis’ will be met with great force, and there is no guarantee that the force will stop there. “Iran has played the ‘innocent victim’ of rogue terrorists from which they’ve lost control, but they haven’t lost control,” the president continued. “They’re dictating every move, giving them the weapons, supplying them with money and highly sophisticated Military equipment, and even, so-called, ‘Intelligence.’ Every shot fired by the Houthis will be looked upon, from this point forward, as being a shot fired from the weapons and leadership of IRAN, and IRAN will be held responsible, and suffer the consequences, and those consequences will be dire!”
President Trump reveals what he told Zelenskyy during viral meeting at the Vatican
President Donald Trump revealed Tuesday evening what he and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy discussed during their viral meeting at the Vatican when both were in attendance for the late Pope Francis’ funeral. “I was telling him that it’s a very good thing if we can produce a deal, that you sign it, because Russia is much bigger and much stronger,” Trump said Tuesday evening during a town hall hosted by NewsNation, which he participated in by phone. The pair met face-to-face for the first time since their contentious Oval Office meeting in February, while both attended the papal funeral. Neither White House or Ukrainian officials gave many details on the nature or content of the talk, other than that it was “productive” and “symbolic.” UKRAINE SIGNS DEAL TO GIVE US ACCESS TO RARE MINERALS WITH TRUMP ADMIN ‘COMMITTED TO A PEACE PROCESS’: BESSENT “We discussed a lot one on one,” Zelenskyy posted on X following the viral meeting. “Hoping for results on everything we covered. Protecting lives of our people. Full and unconditional ceasefire. Reliable and lasting peace that will prevent another war from breaking out. Very symbolic meeting that has potential to become historic, if we achieve joint results.” Despite few details being released about the meeting, Trump did tell reporters over the weekend that part of the pair’s discussion revolved around the U.S. sending more weapons to Ukraine. “He told me that he needs more weapons, but he’s been saying that for three years,” Trump said. “We’re going to see what happens – I want to see what happens with respect to Russia. Because Russia, I’ve been surprised and disappointed – very disappointed – that they did the bombing of those places after discussions.” TRUMP HAS BEEN FRUSTRATED WITH PUTIN AND ZELENSKYY, DEPUTY CHIEF OF STAFF SAYS While Trump did not divulge any further details about the meeting to reporters, the president did add that he thinks Zelenskyy will be willing to give up Crimea in order to secure a peace deal. Russia’s annexation of the current Ukrainian territory has been a major sticking point amid negotiations between the two warring nations, with Zelenskyy indicating he would not be willing to sign a deal that includes giving up the territory. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
Former Democrat Hill staffers challenge the aging establishment in Congress: report
With Republicans firmly in control of Washington following the 2024 elections and President Trump implementing his second-term agenda, Democrats find themselves not just out of power but at odds over what the party stands for. A new wave of candidates has emerged: not from outside the political system, but from within the Democratic establishment itself. According to Roll Call, at least four former Democratic congressional staffers are now running against long-serving members of their own party. These challengers say they were motivated by frustration with the Democratic leadership’s lack of direction, ineffective communication, and failure to respond to Trump’s political momentum. JEFFRIES DISTANCES HIMSELF FROM DEMOCRAT TRIPS TO EL SALVADOR AS BORDER SECURITY DEBATE SPLITS PARTY: REPORT Each of these candidates brings a unique perspective, but all share a common theme: the belief that the Democratic Party is no longer equipped to meet the moment. Saikat Chakrabarti, the 32-year-old former chief of staff to Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, is taking on one of the most iconic figures in the Democratic Party: former Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Pelosi, who has not yet confirmed if she will seek a 20th term, faces increasing calls for generational change within her solidly blue district. Chakrabarti told Roll Call that he was disillusioned by what he saw in Democrat leadership. “The main thing my time in Washington taught me is that the current Democratic Party and its leaders are not at all prepared for what is going on right now,” he said. Instead of taking on Trump strategically, he said, Democratic leadership was more concerned with bureaucratic details than national messaging. DAVID HOGG CLASHES WITH AN IRATE JAMES CARVILLE OVER DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY PLAN, CALLS ON HIM TO ‘WIN ELECTIONS’ “The party thinks their main job is fundraising all day, and not fixing real problems for voters,” he added. Jake Rakov, a 33-year-old former deputy communications director for Rep. Brad Sherman, is now running against his former boss in California’s San Fernando Valley. Sherman, who has served in Congress since 1997, is among the more senior Democrats now facing internal challenges. Rakov said he decided to run after witnessing what he described as an outdated and ineffective approach to politics. “Looking after Trump won again and seeing [Sherman] use the exact same talking points that I helped draft for him back in 2017… he was still doing the same outdated things,” Rakov said. “He hasn’t been able to adapt.” Sherman, for his part, dismissed the challenge, telling Roll Call that “nobody who’s actually involved in the civic affairs of my district runs against me,” suggesting Rakov lacks a connection to the community. In Illinois, 51-year-old Jason Friedman, once an intern for Sen. Dick Durbin, is now running to replace longtime Rep. Danny K. Davis, who at 83 is one of the oldest members of the House. Davis has not yet announced whether he will run for a 16th term. Though Friedman declined to be interviewed, he issued a statement warning about threats to democracy and economic stability from Trump and Elon Musk. His decision to run highlights growing restlessness even in safely blue districts like Davis’s, where younger candidates are eager to offer a new direction. While most of the former staffers are challenging Democrats, Jordan Wood is taking on a well-established Republican: Sen. Susan Collins of Maine. Wood, previously chief of staff to former Rep. Katie Porter, is entering a tough race in a purple state where Collins has consistently won reelection. Wood’s message echoes that of his fellow challengers: frustration with political stagnation and a desire to bring in new leadership. “I’m tired of waiting for the same establishment politicians to fix these problems,” Wood told Roll Call, citing concerns about affordability and economic pressure on working families. These challengers reflect a broader generational divide within the Democratic Party. Roll Call reports that they are all under 40, except for Friedman, who at 51 is still younger than the House’s median age of 57. While their targets vary, their critiques are consistent: long-serving Democrats are not communicating effectively, not organizing nationally, and not offering solutions that resonate with frustrated voters. Chakrabarti and Rakov both criticized the Democratic strategy of focusing solely on local races while the GOP builds a cohesive national message. “We need a national message; that’s the way to defeat the far right,” Chakrabarti said. “I don’t think Democratic leaders like Pelosi believe it is possible to improve Americans’ lives that dramatically, so we don’t even try.” While Republicans continue to refine their national messaging and build momentum under President Trump’s leadership, Democrats are facing a credibility crisis within their own ranks. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP These former insiders challenging sitting members aren’t merely a flash in the pan for 2026’s early campaign cycle. They’re a sign of a party deeply unsure of how to respond to conservative policy gains, economic concerns, and a rejuvenated Republican base.
Trump says public entitlements like Social Security, Medicaid won’t be touched in GOP budget bill
President Donald Trump said public entitlements, such as Social Security and Medicaid, will not be touched in the GOP’s contentious new budget bill currently working its way through Congress, during a town hall Tuesday night hosted by NewsNation. Earlier this month, the Republican-led House of Representatives approved $2 trillion in spending cuts. Those cuts did not include any slashes to Social Security, but it did pave the way for cuts to Medicaid. However, in the Senate, Republicans have proposed implementing just $4 billion in cuts, a fraction of what House Republicans have called for. Meanwhile, a number of GOP senators have also expressed hesitancy over making cuts to Medicaid, setting up a potential intra-party battle over the matter. SCOOP: REPUBLICANS ROLL OUT $69B FUNDING PLAN FOR NEW CBP AGENTS, BUILDING BORDER WALL IN TRUMP BUDGET BILL “We’re not doing anything with entitlements,” Trump told NewsNation’s Chris Cuomo, who was moderating the event alongside Bill O’Reilly and sports commentator Stephen A. Smith. “If you look at Social Security – and by the way – I think I’m better to say this than anybody, because I did nothing with entitlements that would hurt people for four years. I could have done that. If I was going to do that, I would have done it, five years ago, six years ago or seven years ago. I’m not doing anything.” However, Trump did say that he is undeterred from reforming public entitlements, like Medicaid, to ensure they are free of waste, fraud and abuse. “There are a lot of illegal aliens that are getting Medicaid that shouldn’t be getting it. And nobody objects to taking people off Medicaid that aren’t allowed to be there,” Trump added. “But we are doing absolutely nothing to hurt Medicare, Medicaid or Social Security. Nothing at all.” TRUMP SLAMS REPUBLICAN ‘GRANDSTANDERS’ OPPOSING BUDGET BILL, PREDICTS MASSIVE US TAX INCREASES IF IT FAILS Republicans, who are using a process known as reconciliation to bypass a senate filibuster, are hoping to finalize their plans for a new budget by Memorial Day, according to media reports. However, the GOP must come to a deal on where to cut funding to pay for many of the tax cuts they want to provide. “Guess what, boys? It’s game time. We’re here, and you’ve got mandatory spending sitting in front of you, and it’s Medicaid,” Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, told NBC News this week. “If they’re not going to vote for Medicaid reform, which is very much possible, and frankly, it’s our duty, then I want them to explain to me why they are for allowing the tax cuts to snap back in place. Because it’s the only math that will actually work. So anyone who is against Medicaid reform is for a tax increase.” CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Meanwhile, centrist Republicans like Reps. Jeff Van Drew, R-N.J., and Don Bacon, R-Neb., have indicated to Speaker Mike Johnson that they will not vote for any GOP budget bill that proposes deep cuts to Medicaid.