Schumer book events called off over ‘security concerns’ week of release
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer’s book, “Antisemitism in America: A Warning,” is slated for release on Tuesday, but promotional events for the long-serving lawmaker’s book that were scheduled for this week are being called off. “Due to security concerns, Senator Schumer’s book events are being rescheduled,” a statement to Fox from a book tour spokesperson noted. The senator had been scheduled for multiple events this week. DEMS CRY FOUL AFTER SCHUMER’S ANNOUNCEMENT ON IMPENDING VOTE TO AVERT GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN Schumer irked some Democrats last week by voting to overcome a procedural hurdle and advance a Trump-backed government funding measure to a vote as the nation faced the prospect of a partial government shutdown. He and a number of other Senate Democratic caucus members voted to invoke cloture, but then voted against passing the measure. Two members of the Senate Democratic caucus – Sens. Angus King, I-Maine, and Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H. – voted to both invoke cloture and to pass the measure. SPENDING BILL TO AVERT SHUTDOWN SUCCESSFULLY BEATS FILIBUSTER WITH HOURS UNTIL DEADLINE Shaheen announced last week that she will not seek re-election in 2026. Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., was the only Senate Republican who voted against passing the funding measure last week. PRESIDENT TRUMP SIGNS CONTINUING RESOLUTION, OFFICIALLY AVERTING A SHUTDOWN CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Ahead of the vote, Schumer said that while the “bill is very bad, the potential for a shutdown has consequences for America that are much, much worse.” Fox News’ Kelly Phares contributed to this report
DHS: Deported Brown University doctor attended Hezbollah chief’s funeral, supported terror leader
Federal authorities said the Brown University assistant professor and doctor deported to Lebanon despite having an H-1B visa expressed support and attended the funeral of a slain Hezbollah leader responsible for the deaths of hundreds of Americans. “Last month, Rasha Alawieh traveled to Beirut, Lebanon, to attend the funeral of Hassan Nasrallah – a brutal terrorist who led Hezbollah, responsible for killing hundreds of Americans over a four-decade terror spree,” Department of Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement to Fox News Digital. “Alawieh openly admitted to this to CBP officers, as well as her support of Nasrallah.” “A visa is a privilege, not a right – glorifying and supporting terrorists who kill Americans is grounds for visa issuance to be denied. This is commonsense security,” McLaughlin said. Rasha Alawieh, a 34-year-old physician specializing in kidney transplants who was most recently living in Rhode Island, was detained at Boston Logan International Airport on Thursday while coming back from a trip to Lebanon. EL SALVADOR TAKES IN HUNDREDS OF VENEZUELAN GANG MEMBERS FROM US, EVEN AS JUDGE MOVES TO BLOCK DEPORTATIONS Alawieh was questioned by U.S. Customs and Border Protection and allegedly told federal agents she had attended the funeral of Nasrallah, Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Sady reportedly wrote in a new filing Monday. The filing has since been placed under seal, but Politico and The Providence Journal were able to report its contents beforehand. Alawieh allegedly stated she supported Nasrallah “from a religious perspective,” but not politically, according to Politico. Federal authorities said they also conducted a search of Alawieh’s phone and found “sympathetic photos and videos” of Hezbollah leaders, as well as materials showing “various other Hezbollah militants” in a deleted folder. “With the discovery of these photographs and videos, CBP questioned Dr. Alawieh and determined that her true intentions in the United States could not be determined,” DOJ lawyers wrote, according to the Journal. “As such, CBP canceled her visa and deemed Dr. Alawieh inadmissible to the United States.” U.S. District Judge Leo Sorokin, an appointee of former President Barack Obama, on Friday ordered an in-person hearing regarding Alawieh’s case to take place on Monday. Sorokin ordered that Alawieh not be deported for at least 48 hours without giving the court 48 hours notice. Alawieh was reportedly placed on a flight to Paris anyway and then arrived back in Lebanon over the weekend. FEDERAL JUDGE HALTS DEPORTATIONS AFTER TRUMP INVOKES ALIEN ENEMIES ACT Sorokin reportedly postponed Monday’s hearing just before it was scheduled to start and rescheduled it for March 25 to give the DOJ more time to respond to allegations federal agents ignored a court order in sending Alawieh out of the U.S. CBP official John Wallace said in an affidavit that federal agents were not notified of the court order through the proper channels before Alawieh was placed on an Air France flight Friday, Politico reported. Alawieh first came to the United States in 2018 to pursue a nephrology fellowship at Ohio State University. She went on to complete a fellowship at the University of Washington and an internal medicine program at Yale. Her cousin, Yara Chehab, attempted to intervene in court last week while Alawieh had been detained at the airport for over 36 hours. Her federal lawsuit says Brown Medicine sponsored Alawieh for an H-1B visa to do the work of an assistant professor. Alawieh was issued an H-1B visa on March 11 to pursue an assistant professor of medicine and clinician educator role at Brown University. The lawsuit says she worked for Brown prior to the issuance of her current H-1B visa. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Fox News Digital reached out to Brown University, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts, the Justice Department and Chehab’s attorney but did not immediately hear back.
VA rescinds 2018 directive on transgender treatments, aligning with Trump ‘two sexes’ EO
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) quietly rescinded a 2018 policy providing transgender-related medical services to transgender and intersex veterans on Friday, aligning the VA with the Trump administration’s orders to part ways with “radical gender ideology” within the U.S. military. The memo states the VA “will conduct a comprehensive review of care with respect to trans-identifying Veterans and will undergo the rulemaking process to revise the medical benefits package as deemed necessary; however, this rescission does not affect existing clinical guidance.” The VA maintains that it will not provide “gender-affirming” surgeries in its facilities or through non-VA care, as these procedures are excluded from the medical benefits package already. Additionally, the VA will not cover plastic reconstructive surgery for cosmetic or gender alteration purposes. The department also requires medical necessity for any surgical care provided, and gender alteration surgery remains unauthorized as a medical treatment. TRANSGENDER SAILORS, MARINES OFFERED BENEFITS TO VOLUNTARILY LEAVE SERVICE OR FACE BEING KICKED OUT The memo says the directive providing transgender treatments – such as hormone therapy, prosthetic devices, and other tools to aid in their presentation of the desired gender – was rescinded because “it is not compliant with the definitions and terms described” in Trump’s executive order, “Defending Women from Gender Ideology Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth to the Federal Government.” Transgender and intersex veterans will still receive healthcare from the VA “that is compatible with generally accepted standards of medical practice as determined by appropriate health care professionals to promote, preserve, or restore the health of the individual,” according to the new guidance. Regarding VA facilities, the memo states the department has “already addressed that all intimate spaces such as bathrooms and locker rooms are designated by Sex (M, F) or unisex for single person spaces (e.g., one door, one stall bathroom),” adding that all “signage related to gender identity has been changed.” LGBT ACTIVISTS MOBILIZE TO CHALLENGE TRUMP’S ‘EXTREME GENDER IDEOLOGY’ EXECUTIVE ORDERS Also in line with Trump’s order, the VA will maintain sex-segregated spaces based on biological sex. Under this directive, decisions regarding inpatient and residential room assignments will be made according to clinical guidance. If necessary, veterans may be assigned to private rooms or bathrooms. Trump’s executive order, signed in January, mandates that federal agencies adopt the definition of sex as recognizing only male and female. It requires replacing the term “gender” with “sex” in official federal materials, prohibiting funding for sex-change treatments and programs promoting “gender ideology,” and prohibiting transgender individuals from using facilities or participating in programs that align with their gender identity. TRUMP SIGNS EXECUTIVE ORDERS BANNING ‘RADICAL GENDER IDEOLOGY,’ DEI INITIATIVES IN THE MILITARY Multiple lawsuits have been filed against Trump’s executive orders on gender identity, as the administration challenges district court rulings through appeals. The Pentagon has also set deadlines for the end of the month to voluntarily part ways with transgender Marines, sailors, airmen and Guardians as part of Trump’s order to discharge all transgender service members. The VA typically provides healthcare, benefits and support to veterans, including medical care, disability benefits and financial assistance. It also helps veterans transition from military to civilian life. An internal memo obtained by The Associated Press last week says the department will be another target of Trump’s plan to downsize the federal workforce, with an expected 80,000 job cuts. Fox News Digital has reached out to the VA for comment.
VA Sec claps back at ‘fake news’ critics, defends DOGE: Unveils 4th new healthcare facility
Veterans Affairs (VA) Secretary Doug Collins clapped back at critics he accused of circulating “fake news” about the Trump administration’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) cuts inordinately affecting veterans’ care. Collins, who remains an active colonel in the U.S. Air Force Reserves, announced his agency is opening what will be a fourth new VA clinic in the few months he has been in office. “As government union bosses, the legacy media and some in Congress have been spreading false rumors of health care and benefits cuts at VA, we’ve opened multiple brand-new clinics that will serve tens of thousands of veterans,” Collins said in a statement. “Don’t believe the fake news.” VA SEC ACCUSES REPORTER OF SPREADING RUMORS ABOUT DOGE HURTING VETERANS On Friday, the VA opened a new clinic in Hamilton, Montana, marking the fourth such ribbon-cutting since President Donald Trump took office just under two months ago. Previously, Collins oversaw the establishment of a new clinic in fast-growing Spotsylvania, Virginia, – between Washington, D.C., and Richmond, Virginia, – as well as in Aurora, Colorado, and Ridgewood, Queens, in New York City. A Montana VA official told Montana Public Radio last week that Collins had been clear that there would be “no cuts” to services despite DOGE attempting to take an ax to the bureaucracy – and with it many VA employees. The 8,000-square-foot facility is 600% larger than a prior, now-defunct clinic in the area. Meanwhile, the new Spotsylvania facility is primed to be the largest of its kind in the country, according to Fredericksburg-area media. FORT BRAGG IS BACK An estimated 35,000 patients can be seen each year at the new site, located where Interstate 95 and US-1 diverge just south of the city. While the VA is primed to cut 15% of its workforce via DOGE’s efforts – from 471,000 to 398,000 – Collins reiterated to Fox News that there will be no interruption or decline in services or care quality. Collins responded to a warning from Sen. Elissa Slotkin, D-Mich., who said that such cuts would hurt service to veterans and that the thought it is a “bad idea” should be a “bipartisan” admonition. Citing the Government Accountability Office (GAO), the secretary said all parties should at least agree that the VA has seen its services at “high risk” for waste, fraud, abuse and insufficient care. “I’ve been here four weeks, but it’s interesting that there’s no solutions being proposed,” Collins told “Fox & Friends” last week. “President Trump brought generational change to DC. And he’s saying let’s look at everything. So what we’re looking at is, if our system is on a high risk list, if we’ve had issues and all that the government has decided to do lately has put money or people at something, then maybe we need to ask the better question — are we using our resources wisely and making sure that our department is taking care of the veteran, which is our only responsibility?” Other liberals have lambasted the administration over proposed cuts to VA staff, including Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., ranking member of the Senate Health Committee. “They’re going to gut the Department of Veterans Affairs, jeopardizing the health and well-being of millions of veterans,” Sanders recently claimed. One Democratic veteran in Congress, Rep. Seth Moulton of Massachusetts, said he regularly visits the VA on a personal level and sees waiting lists and knows how troublesome the process can be. “All of that is going to get worse,” Moulton told MSNBC. Collins said Trump set a goal for reduction-in-force, and that Democrats do not understand that the projected staff figures are part of a “deliberative process that’s going to take some time.” “That’s going to include career VA employees. It’s going to include senior executives,” he said. Collins said the GAO has had the VA on its high-risk list for a decade, but only now are Democrats in Congress “yelling ‘don’t do anything.’” CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Of the layoffs thus far, Collins said the proportion has been less than 1% of the agency’s workforce and has not really affected front-facing personnel. He also said that $980 million in contract-related spending is being scrutinized in an attempt to instead reinvest it in patient care, as part of DOGE’s work. Additionally, on Monday, the VA announced it is phasing-out treatment for “gender dysphoria” – which had been supported by the Biden administration. “Effective immediately, VA will not offer cross-sex hormone therapy to veterans who have a current diagnosis or history of, or exhibit symptoms consistent with gender dysphoria, unless” they are in the midst of receiving such care, the agency said in a statement obtained by Fox News Digital.
Trump policy on border jumpers empowers use of ‘maximum consequences,’ border agent tells Fox
SAN DIEGO — The change in administration from President Joe Biden to President Donald Trump has opened up stronger enforcement possibilities for U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents, the agent in charge of a key sector along the southern border tells Fox News Digital. “We have changed from a posture of catch-and-release to providing maximum consequences to the greatest extent possible for anyone and everyone who crosses,” San Diego Sector acting Chief Patrol Agent Jeffrey Stalnaker told Fox News Digital. The comments come as there has been a seemingly overnight change in the situation at the U.S. southern border, with CBP data showing that order apprehensions in February hit a nearly 25-year low, while encounters with illegal migrants dipped to just 30,000 in February, a number that was over 130,000 during the same time period in 2023 and 2024. That reality has been in the typically busy San Diego border sector, Stalnaker said, a shift he credited to the new administration in the White House. TRUMP PUTTING TROOPS ON BORDER WAS GAME CHANGER, SAN DIEGO SECTOR CHIEF SAYS: ‘FORCE MULTIPLIER’ “Once the new administration came in, we are able to exercise and provide consequences to the greatest extent, which then gets [illegal migrants] either jail time and/or provide them a repatriation to the country where they began their journey to the United States,” Stalnaker said. “We were in a posture of catch and release… we would apprehend [illegal immigrants], take them to our soft site facility, we would run checks on them, and then try to get them out of our facility as quickly as possible… release them with the notice to appear to go see an immigration judge,” he added. “The change now is we catch them, still take them to our soft side facility, however they are not being released, we are trying to find every consequence possible and deliver that consequence to them.” The shift to a quieter border can also be credited to the deployment of U.S. military forces to the border, Stalnaker noted, pointing to the hundreds of members of the Marines, Army and Navy who have been assigned to the San Diego sector alone shortly after Trump took office. “We also have our DOD partners with us here,” Stalnaker said. “They’re a great partner, we enjoy having them out here, and the help they’re providing to us assists us with our mission.” Nearly 500 Marines have been deployed to the San Diego sector as part of Task Force Sapper, helping reinforce existing order barriers with the added protection of razor wire. The Marines will continue to help improve the border area east of San Diego, most notably where a gap in this existing structure exists. BORDER AREA BUSTLING UNDER BIDEN NOW QUIET UNDER TRUMP, SAYS VETERANS GROUP: ‘AMAZING DIFFERENCE’ “We are the engineers that are conducting the construction down on the southern border in order to reinforce the existing primary and secondary barrier that exists in the San Diego sector,” Lt. Col. Tyrone Barrion, the commanding officer of Task Force Sapper, told Fox News Digital, noting that the Marines’ efforts have created an “obstacle that disrupts any type of activity that tries to cross over the top or through the barrier.” “That allows more reaction time for border patrol,” he added. Meanwhile, multiple companies of Army engineers and military police officers based out of Ft. Campbell, Kentucky, have been deployed to the San Diego sector to assist with surveillance and detection operations, giving CBP agents more eyes on the border and allowing them to move more quickly to apprehend illegal border crossers. The all-hands-on-deck approach since the start of the Trump administration has contributed to the successful missions, Stalnaker said. “It’s a force multiplier, it assists us to accomplish our mission,” Stalnaker said. “And it’s not just DOD, there are additional federal partners, state and local partners, we have extremely good partnerships here in the San Diego sector that act as force multipliers. And it’s that whole og government approach that it takes for us to accomplish our mission.”
Ukraine unveils 600-mile cruise missile that can reach Moscow amid peace talks
Ukraine now has a cruise missile that can travel over 600 miles, far enough to reach Moscow, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy boasted over the weekend. “We have significant results,” Zelenskyy said Saturday. “Long Neptune has been tested and successfully used in combat. A new Ukrainian missile, an accurate strike. The range is a thousand kilometers,” or 620 miles. That puts Moscow within striking range. The missile has been in development for years. Battle watchers believe the combat success Zelenskyy referred to was a Friday strike on an oil refinery in Tuapse, Russia, some 300 miles from the front line. RUSSIA WANTS ‘IRONCLAD’ GUARANTEE THAT UKRAINE WILL BE BARRED FROM NATO: OFFICIAL The refinery is under 60 miles from Russian President Vladimir Putin’s sprawling cliffside palace on the Black Sea in Gelendzhik. The Neptune cruise missile was used in April 2022 to take out a flagship of Russia’s Black Sea fleet. Zelenskyy recently pledged that Ukraine would produce 100,000 long-range munitions in 2025. TRUMP, PUTIN CALL EXPECTED THIS WEEK, AS ADMIN EDGES CLOSER TO RUSSIA-UKRAINE CEASEFIRE DEAL: WITKOFF Russia intercepted and destroyed several Ukrainian drones flying over Moscow on Friday, with some coming as close as just two miles away from the Kremlin, according to Russian officials. White House envoy Steve Witkoff was in Moscow last week. The fresh attacks and new offensive weapons contradict the delicate ceasefire negotiations that will culminate in a phone call between President Donald Trump and Putin on Tuesday. Zelenskyy has already agreed to the terms of a 30-day ceasefire after meetings with U.S. officials in Saudi Arabia. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP “We’ll be talking about land, we’ll be talking about power plants, that’s a big question. But I think we have a lot of it already discussed, very much, by both sides, Ukraine and Russia,” Trump said of his call. Russia has not accepted the terms of the ceasefire and accelerated attacks on Ukraine after Zelenskyy said he would agree to it.
Trump’s approval rating matches his all-time high, new poll finds
President Donald Trump’s current approval rating matches his highest approval rating ever as president — even though a majority of voters disapprove of how Trump is handling the job, according to a new poll. Fifty-four percent of registered voters approve of Trump’s performance presently — which equals his previous all-time high during the entirety of his political career, a national NBC News poll released Sunday found. Likewise, the poll found that 44% of voters believe the country is on the right track — another all-time high for the president. However, 51% disapprove of his performance and 54% consider the country on the wrong track, according to the poll. As a result, the survey determined that the bulk of Trump’s support bolstering his approval rating comes from Republicans. The poll also found that Trump has the largest partisan divide between his approval rating from Republicans versus Democrats in the past 80 years, based on previous NBC News polling and data from Gallup. While 90% of Republicans approve of Trump’s performance, only 4% of Democrats approve. TRUMP PROMISES ‘THIS WILL BE OUR GREATEST ERA’ IN JOINT ADDRESS TO CONGRESS Meanwhile, a majority of voters disapprove of how he’s handling the economy — marking a first in the history of NBC News polls. Just 18% of voters consider the economy “excellent” or “good,” the poll found. Those numbers are even more stark along party lines. Twenty-six percent of Republicans responded that the state of the economy was “excellent” or “good,” while only 11% of Democrats responded the same way. The response indicates a stark shift from several months ago. It is a dramatic change from October 2024, when 5% of Republicans replied the state of the economy was “excellent” or “good,” in comparison to 52% of Democrats. A majority of voters do approve of Trump’s handling of immigration and border security, with 55% endorsing his performance. In comparison, 44% of voters said they disapprove. The Trump administration has promised to drive down illegal border crossings and Trump touted on March 6 that his administration has “launched the most sweeping border and immigration crackdown in American history.” TRUMP ADMIN REVEALS LIST OF CARTELS AND GANGS TO BE DESIGNATED TERRORIST ORGANIZATIONS One thousand registered voters participated in the NBC News survey, which was conducted from March 7 to March 11 and has a margin of error of 3.1 percentage points. The poll kicked off a day after Trump delivered a joint address to members of Congress, when he vowed that he would tackle the economy and work to reduce prices, after blaming former President Joe Biden for leaving him an economic disaster. Consumer prices increased roughly 20% under Biden’s administration, according to the consumer price index. “Among my very highest priorities is to rescue our economy and get dramatic and immediate relief to working families,” Trump told lawmakers March 6. “As president, I am fighting every day to reverse this damage and make America affordable again.”
America celebrates Irish culture and politics on St. Patrick’s Day
Americans once again donned their green beads and shamrocks for St. Patrick’s Day, celebrating the largest Irish diaspora in the world. St. Patrick’s Day has become an opportunity for Ireland and the United States to celebrate their rich cultural and political connections. New York City is hosting its 264th St. Patrick’s Day Parade today – marking the oldest and longest standing St. Patrick’s Day parade in the world. The first parade was held in 1762, predating America’s Declaration of Independence. Major cities across the United States hosted their own St. Patrick’s Day parades this weekend – including Boston, Philadelphia, San Francisco and Chicago. Chicago even dyes the Chicago River green each year to mark the celebration. President Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance and Speaker of the House Mike Johnson kicked off the Irish celebrations last week by welcoming Taoiseach Micheál Martin to the White House. IRISH LEADERS BOYCOTT WASHINGTON ST PATRICK’S DAY EVENTS OVER TRUMP’S GAZA COMMENTS “America’s truly been blessed by the courage and unstoppable spirit of the Irish,” Trump said at the annual Friends of Ireland luncheon on Wednesday. “Over the generations, Americans of Irish ancestry have helped build our railroads and raise our cities and man our factories, enrich our culture with art and music and literature – we see that all over – and protect our communities by joining the proud tradition of Irish-American police officers and firefighters. And few have done more for the Stars and Stripes than the sons and daughters of the Emerald Isle.” PRESIDENT TRUMP SLAMS ROSIE O’DONNELL AFTER SHE FLEES US: ‘YOU’RE BETTER OFF NOT KNOWING’ HER While the first wave of Irish immigrants arrived in the United States in the 1700s, immigration reports reveal the Great Famine in the 1800s nearly doubled the population of Irish in the United States – as over a million Irish died from starvation while another million immigrated to the United States. Trump, a native New Yorker, spoke with pride of New York City’s St. Patrick’s Day parade, watching “hundreds of citizens decked in Irish green” marching up Fifth Avenue and past “the most beautiful cathedral in the world,” St. Patrick’s Cathedral. The Taoiseach’s trip to Washington, D.C., began with a breakfast at the vice president’s residence, followed by the annual Friends of Ireland luncheon and a bilateral meeting in the Oval Office answering questions from reporters. “Irish America has been at the heart of shaping this great nation. The ideals of liberty, democracy and equality of opportunity forged in this country did much to inspire Irish independence. Our histories are interconnected because our people are interconnected. Today, as the president has said, more than 30 million people claim Irish ancestry in the United States,” Martin said. The celebratory events were not without some political tension when Trump said the United States has a “massive deficit” with Ireland because they “took our pharmaceutical companies away from presidents who didn’t know what they were doing.” Trump said the European Union, which includes Ireland, “treats us very badly.” Martin countered Trump’s comments, saying, “It’s a two-way street to where we are investing a lot more in America now.” However, Trump maintained that reciprocal tariffs were only fair. Martin presented Trump with a crystal bowl filled with shamrocks, a tradition that dates back to 1952 to symbolize the long-standing friendship between Ireland and the United States. Martin said the Shamrock Bowl ceremony is “an important moment to reflect upon the relationship between our two countries.” Speaker of the House Tip O’Neill, Sen. Ted Kennedy, and fellow Irish-American lawmakers began the Friends of Ireland Caucus and Luncheon in 1981, during “The Troubles.” “The Troubles” were a period of political and sectarian conflict in Northern Ireland from the late 1960s and 1998. Irish Republicans, who were predominately Catholic, sought a united Ireland, while Unionists, who were mostly Protestant, wanted Northern Ireland to remain part of the United Kingdom. When Britain tried to enforce military conscription in Ireland during World War I, Irish nationalists, labor unions and the Catholic Church united in opposition. As support for Irish independence grew, Sinn Féin, an Irish nationalist party, gained popularity following the 1916 Easter Rising. After winning a majority in the general election in 1918, Sinn Féin declared Irish independence and established the First Dáil, or the Irish Parliament. But Britain refused to recognize Irish independence, leading the Irish Republican Army (IRA) to launch the Irish War of Independence in 1919. The Anglo-Irish Treaty of 1921 ended the war and created the Irish Free State, which became the Republic of Ireland in 1949 and allowed the six counties of Northern Ireland to remain in the United Kingdom. Catholics in Northern Ireland faced discrimination from the unionist government, who favored Protestants. Inspired by the Civil Rights movement, Catholics began peaceful protests demanding equal rights in Northern Ireland in the 1960s. Conflicts between the unionist government and nationalist protesters escalated into “The Troubles” – 30 years of violence between British soldiers and the IRA. The United States was instrumental in ending “The Troubles” in 1998. Former President Bill Clinton helped negotiate the Good Friday Agreement of 1998, which largely ended the violence in Ireland by establishing a power-sharing agreement between unionists and nationalists – strengthening the relationship between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. Martin on Wednesday said former President Ronald Reagan initiated the United States’ role in the peace process, as the first U.S. president to visit Ireland. The Reagan administration helped develop the Anglo-Irish Agreement of 1985, which laid the groundwork for the Good Friday Agreement. “Nowhere is the strength of the U.S.-Irish relationship more in evident than in our own peace process. 44 years ago, President Reagan called for a just and peaceful solution to the conflict that has for so long devastated lives on our island. Politicians from both sides of the aisle rose to the occasion, and the lasting peace we enjoyed today on our island is a signature achievement of U.S. foreign policy, and this story of
‘We are bullish’: House GOP takes aim at these 26 Dem seats in midterms
The House GOP campaign committee is taking aim at more than two dozen Democrats in the chamber as it aims to expand its very fragile majority in next year’s midterm elections. The National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) on Monday released its initial target list for the 2026 midterms, which included 26 Democrats from coast to coast. Republicans currently control the House, when the chamber is at full strength, with a 220-215 majority. While the party in power, which clearly is the Republicans, traditionally faces serious political headwinds in the midterm elections, the NRCC chair is optimistic. FIRST ON FOX: HOUSE REPUBLICANS TAKE AIM AT DEMOCRATS OVER THIS KEY VOTE Rep. Richard Hudson, R-N.C., emphasized in an interview on Fox News’ “Fox and Friends” that 13 of the 26 House Democrats they are targeting are in districts that “were carried by President Donald Trump in the last election.” Hudson characterized the upcoming midterms as an “opportunity election for House Republicans.” And Hudson, who is steering the House GOP’s campaign arm for a second straight cycle, added, “We are bullish. Republicans are on offense thanks to Donald Trump.” HOUSE GOP CAMPAIGN COMMITTEE CHAIR MAKES PREDICTION ABOUT 2026 MIDTERM ELECTIONS The Democrats on the NRCC’s target list include Reps. Josh Harder (9th District), Adam Gray (13th), George Whitesides (27th), Derek Tran (45th), and Dave Min (47th) of California; Darren Soto (9th) and Jared Moskowitz (23rd) of Florida; Frank Mrvan (1st) of Indiana, Jared Golden (2nd) of Maine; Kristen McDonald Rivet (8th) of Michigan; Don Davis (1st) of North Carolina; Chris Pappas (1st) of New Hampshire; Nellie Pou (9th) of New Jersey; and Gabe Vasquez (2nd) of New Mexico. Also on the list are Dina Titus (1st), Susie Lee (3rd) and Steven Horsford (4th) of Nevada; Tom Suozzi (3rd), Laura Gillen (4th) and Josh Riley (9th) of New York; Marcy Kaptur (9th) and Emilia Sykes (13th) of Ohio; Henry Cuellar (28th) and Vicente Gonzalez (34th) of Texas; Eugene Vindman (7th) of Virginia; and Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (3rd) of New Mexico. The rival Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) recently released a list of what it considers its most vulnerable incumbents – known as Frontliners. Reps. Jahana Hayes of Connecticut, John Mannion of New York and Janelle Bynum of Oregon all made the DCCC list, but were not included on the NRCC list. Meanwhile, Moskowitz, Pappas and Soto weren’t listed as Frontliners, but were included on the NRCC list. The DCCC, responding, pointed to their performance in last November’s elections when the Democrats took a small bite out of the GOP’s House majority. “House Democrats overperformed across the country in 2024, powered by our battle-tested candidates who won despite the NRCC’s false bravado and these Frontliners will win again in the midterms,” DCCC spokesperson Viet Shelton told Fox News Digital. “The truth is House Republicans are running scared and refusing to hold town halls because they don’t want to get yelled at for their failure to lower prices, bungling the economy, and cutting Medicaid in order to pay for tax breaks for billionaires like Elon Musk.”
‘Face of evil’: Catholic Church named after St. Patrick vandalized with Satanic message
Federal and local authorities are investigating a possible hate crime after a Catholic Church named after St. Patrick was discovered with “extensive vandalism,” including a Satanic message in Wichita, Kansas. Police arrested a 23-year-old man in relation to the case, but authorities are continuing their investigation. The damage included the beheading of a statue of St. Patrick, the breaking of candles and windows, and the burning of an American flag. The vandalism also included a Satanic website being scrawled onto the Church’s wall, according to a statement by the Catholic Conference of Kansas. The Catholic conference responded to the incident by saying, “This is the face of evil.” The conference said the website is the same type of group that will be holding a Satanic worship ritual at the Kansas State Capitol on March 28. TRUMP PLEDGES TO MAKE US CAPITAL ‘CRIME-FREE’ AND THE ‘TALK OF THE WORLD’ Church members could not hold services on Saturday due to the attack, the conference said in a post that included pictures of the damage. “This is the hate crime scene at St. Patrick Catholic Church in Wichita. After forcing their way inside, statues were destroyed, glass smashed and other extensive damage exacted upon this sacred space,” said the conference. The Wichita Police Department also released a statement in which it said it is working with federal law enforcement to launch a “full-scale investigation.” According to the statement, police arrested a suspect in connection with the attack, a 23-year-old man from Saline County, at 2:20 a.m. on Sunday. Local outlet Salina Post identified the man as Michael Angel Gonzalez, citing Sedgwick County booking records. DANCING TRANSGENDER HECKLERS SHUT DOWN PARENTS’ EVENT AT BLUE STATE’S CAPITOL: ‘SAD AND UNFORTUNATE’ The man was arrested without incident and was booked into the Sedgwick County Jail on charges of Burglary, Criminal Desecration, and Criminal Damage to Property. The police said the case will be presented to the Sedgwick County district attorney and federal prosecutors for formal charging considerations. Speaking at the scene, Wichita Police Chief Joe Sullivan called the attack “disgusting,” according to local outlet KSNW. “It doesn’t matter what denomination. People should feel safe there, and they should feel that it’s a place that would be respected,” he said. Sullivan said, “this reprehensible act of vandalism will not be tolerated.” ICONIC ST. PATRICK’S DAY PARADE STARTING EARLIER TO PREVENT ‘TOMFOOLERY’ AFTER PAST ‘REGRETTABLE MOMENTS’ Despite the attack, Sullivan posted on Sunday that the church congregation – which is predominantly Hispanic – held a St. Patrick’s Day parade. “This afternoon, I attended the St. Patrick Catholic Church St. Paddy’s Day parade, where the congregation and the community came together in celebration,” he said. “Their resilience was evident, especially after the heartbreaking burglary and vandalism that occurred yesterday.” He added, “It was even more meaningful to know that the suspect responsible for this terrible act was taken into custody before sunrise, thanks to the swift and dedicated work of WPD officers. Great job to our team for getting him off the streets and behind bars!”