Rep. Jasmine Crockett suggests the United States needs illegal immigrants because ‘we done picking cotton’
Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Texas, a member of the far-left group of progressive lawmakers known as “the Squad,” told congregants at a historically Black church that America needs robust immigration because “we done picking cotton.” Crockett, who represents Texas’s 30th Congressional District, made the remarks during Connecticut-based Grace Baptist Church’s 125th anniversary celebration held over the weekend. The comments were part of Crockett’s broader attempt to slam the Trump administration for cracking down on illegal immigration. “So I had to go around the country and educate people about what immigrants do for this country, or the fact that we are a country of immigrants. The fact is ain’t none of y’all trying to go and farm right now,” Crockett said, garnering a sheepish laugh from a few members of the audience. ROLLING CONTROVERSY: FAR-LEFT DEM JASMINE CROCKETT FACES WEEK OF BACKLASH AMID ‘UNHINGED’ COMMENTS “OK, so I’m lying?” Crockett shot back, noticing the awkward silence. “You’re not! You’re not! We done picking cotton! We are. You can’t pay us enough to find a plantation.” Crockett’s weekend remarks are just the latest in a line of other questionable comments and controversies that have resulted in her facing possible censure in the House of Representatives. One of those controversies occurred after she referred to Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, who is paralyzed and has been confined to a wheelchair for decades, as “Governor Hot Wheels.” While Crockett attempted to walk back her comments after they drew nationwide backlash, she has exhibited a pattern of promoting remarks about Abbott “rolling places.” JASMINE CROCKETT CONCEALS THE MEANING OF ‘HOT WHEELS’: GUTFELD “Rolling up to the White House to cheer on the president destroying the agency that makes sure kids in wheelchairs have equal access to education is wild,” read a social media post Crockett shared days before her “hot wheels comment.” Prior to that, during Abbott’s re-election campaign against former Democratic Rep. Robert Francis “Beto” O’Rourke, Crockett once again blasted the Texas governor, saying, “The new nickname I have for Beto O’Rourke is the king of the clap backs! Beto is rolling around the state… Where is Abbott rolling to?” Other questionable remarks leading up to the censure resolution included suggesting Texas GOP Sen. Ted Cruz should be “knocked over the head.” Meanwhile, amid a spate of violent attacks targeting Elon Musk and Tesla, Crockett mused that “all I want to see happen on my birthday is for Elon to be taken down,” while she was speaking at a rally pushing Tesla owners to sell their cars and get rid of any stock in the company. Another remark that has put Crockett in hot water lately included comments that Democrats need to be “OK with punching.” “I think you punch,” Crockett said in an interview when asked how Democrats regain the momentum they lost in the 2024 election. “I think you’re OK with punching.” JASMINE CROCKETT SETS OFF SOCIAL MEDIA AFTER TOUTING BEING BLACK AS QUALIFICATION FOR PUBLIC DEFENDER JOB Comments criticizing the interracial marriage of Florida GOP Congressman Byron Donalds, a Trump ally, from June 2024 have also resurfaced amid Crockett’s spate of questionable statements. “The fact that you’re sitting around talking about ‘life was better under Jim Crow,’ like, is this because you don’t understand history? Or literally it’s because you married a White woman and so you think that whitewashed you?” Crockett said on “The Breakfast Club” in June, which was first reported by the Washington Free Beacon. “I feel like they give [Donalds] his talking points and he’s like, ‘Yes, massa. I got it.’” The censure resolution against Crockett, introduced March 26 by Rep. Randy Weber, R-Texas, remains under consideration by the House Committee on Ethics. In comments to Fox News’ Sean Hannity last month, Attorney General Pam Bondi added that Crockett needs “to tread very carefully,” noting that “words have consequences.” CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP “She needs to immediately apologize and denounce [her rhetoric] because, even in her home state, violence is happening after she made these statements,” Bondi said, referring specifically to Crockett’s comments about wanting to see Musk “taken down” for her birthday amid a spate of violent attacks targeting Tesla. “It’s dangerous,” Bondi continued. “She has to know it’s dangerous, and she’s calling for further insurrection on her birthday this weekend.” Fox News Digital reached out to Crockett’s office for comment but did not receive a response in time for publication.
Mike Huckabee nomination advances in Senate, one step closer to becoming ambassador to Israel
Mike Huckabee, President Donald Trump’s nominee for U.S. ambassador to Israel, cleared a key hurdle Tuesday after the Senate voted to end debate on his nomination. The Senate voted 53 to 46 to advance Hucakbee’s nomination. He now awaits a final confirmation vote as Israel continues its war against Hamas in the Gaza Strip. While Republicans have championed Huckabee as an ardent supporter of Israel, Democrats have questioned his previous “extreme” position on Palestinians. ANTI-ISRAEL PROTESTERS INTERRUPT HUCKABEE HEARING, ATTACK TRUMP NOMINEE’S FAITH The former Arkansas governor has previously argued it is Israel’s right to annex the West Bank and has flatly rejected the push to establish a two-state solution when it comes to the Gaza Strip. Huckabee has not commented on whether he still views the West Bank as Israel’s right to claim, or where he stands when it comes to Trump’s position on the Gaza Strip, which the president said he would like to turn into the “riviera of the Middle East” and called for the “relocation” of more than 2 million Palestinians. TRUMP, NETANYAHU TO MEET AT WHITE HOUSE AS ISRAEL SEEKS TARIFF RELIEF, DISCUSSIONS ON IRAN, GAZA HOSTAGES During his confirmation hearing, the former governor pushed back on claims that Trump wants to take over the Gaza Strip, insisting the president has not called for the “forced displacement” of Palestinians from Gaza – “unless it is for their safety.” “If confirmed, it will be my responsibility to carry out the president’s priorities, not mine,” Huckabee said in response to questions levied at him from Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Ore. But Huckabee’s testimony during Senate questioning is unlikely to have garnered much new support from Democrats in Congress. “Huckabee’s positions are not the words of a thoughtful diplomat – they are the words of a provocateur whose views are far outside international consensus and contrary to the core bipartisan principles of American diplomacy,” New York Rep. Jerry Nadler, a senior Jewish Democrat, said in a statement last month. “In one of the most volatile and violent areas in the world today, there is no need for more extremism, and certainly not from the historic ambassador’s post and behind the powerful seal of the United States.” The Associated Press contributed to this report.
US federal agencies to ‘unleash’ coal energy after Biden ‘stifled’ it: ‘Mine, Baby, Mine’
FIRST ON FOX: The Department of Energy, the Department of the Interior and the Environmental Protection Agency are set to announce a bevy of new actions Tuesday afternoon that will “unleash” coal energy following President Donald Trump’s expected signature on an executive order reinvigorating “America’s beautiful clean coal industry,” Fox News Digital learned. “The American people need more energy, and the Department of Energy is helping to meet this demand by unleashing supply of affordable, reliable, secure energy sources — including coal,” Department of Energy Secretary Chris Wright said in a Tuesday statement provided to Fox News Digital. “Coal is essential for generating 24/7 electricity generation that powers American homes and businesses, but misguided policies from previous administrations have stifled this critical American industry,” he said. “With President Trump’s leadership, we are cutting the red tape and bringing back common sense.” Trump is expected to sign an executive order Tuesday afternoon that will cut through red tape surrounding the coal industry, including directing the National Energy Dominance Council to designate coal as a “mineral,” end a current pause to coal leasing on federal lands, promote coal and coal technology exports, and encourage the use of coal to power artificial intelligence initiatives, Fox News Digital learned of the upcoming executive order. BIDEN BLOCKS NEW MINING IN REGION THAT PRODUCES ABOUT 40% OF NATION’S COAL: ‘IT’S A DISASTER’ The Departments of Energy and the Interior and the EPA will take actions supporting the Trump executive order Tuesday, including the Interior ending the current moratorium on federal coal leasing and removing regulatory burdens for coal mines, a press release first obtained by Fox Digital shows. COAL STILL KEY TO US ENERGY DOMINANCE, SAYS WEST VIRGINIA GOVERNOR “The Golden Age is here, and we are starting to ‘Mine, Baby, Mine’ for clean American coal,” Department of the Interior Secretary Doug Burgum said in a statement provided to Fox News Digital. “Interior is unlocking America’s full potential in energy dominance and economic development to make life more affordable for every American family while showing the world the power of America’s natural resources and innovation.” The Interior Department explained that by expanding acces to coal reserves and cutting through red tape surrounding the permitting process, “the administration is removing long-standing regulatory barriers that have undermined American coal production.” “These efforts support high-paying mining jobs and rural economies, while strengthening U.S. energy independence by reducing reliance on foreign energy sources,” the press release stated. “Coal is a critical component of a secure, stable and diversified American energy portfolio.” MOUNTAIN STATE CRACKDOWN: WV GOV’S ORDER LEADS TO 60 SUSPECTED ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT CRIMINAL DETENTIONS At the Department of Energy, Wright is expected to announce five initiatives to strengthen coal innovation and mineral independence, Fox Digital learned. The five actions include: Reinstating of the National Coal Council; facilitating new investment in coal-powered electricity generation; the designation of steelmaking coal as a critical material and mineral; deploying mineral extraction technology from coal ash; and commercializing coal ash conversion technologies. The National Coal Council is a 50-member federal advisory committee that was established in 1984, but saw its charter expire under the Biden administration in 2021. The council acted as a guide for the government while navigating coal technologies and markets. Once reinstated, the council will include coal producers, users, equipment suppliers, state and local officials, and other stakeholders, according to a Department of Energy press release first obtained by Fox News Digital Tuesday. The Energy Department’s Loan Program Office’s Energy Infrastructure Reinvestment (EIR) Program will also make $200 billion in financing available for coal energy investments, such as upgrading energy infrastructure and building new facilities that utilize legacy energy infrastructure. The Department of Energy also will work with the Interior Department to recommend that coal, in the context of steelmaking, be designated as critical material and a critical mineral in the 2025 Critical Materials Assessment. “This strategic designation will help ensure the U.S. maintains a stable supply of steelmaking coal in the decades to come and underscores the vital role of steelmaking coal in bolstering national security and economic stability,” the Energy Department explained of the initiative. NEW ENGLAND’S LAST COAL PLANTS SET TO SHUTTER, USHERING IN ERA OF GREEN ENERGY The department is also expected to heighten its focus on coal ash, specifically employing its newly patented technology to extract critical minerals from coal ash, and commercializing the recovery of critical minerals from coal ash, which the Department of Energy said will reduce the U.S.’ reliance on China for such materials. “The Energy Department is committed to restoring American energy dominance and strengthening America’s industrial base,” the Department of Energy said of the initiative. “Secretary Wright will continue to work with all members of the National Energy Dominance Council to eliminate unnecessary regulatory burdens on coal and unleash American energy.” While the EPA is set to announce that $5.8 million in State and Tribal Assistance Grants funds will be made available to provide grants assisting states in the implementation of EPA-approved state Coal Combustion Residual program, which comes after Zeldin’s EPA already has taken a handful of coal-related actions, such as reconsidering the Biden-era “Clean Power Plan 2.0.” plan and revising coal regulations. “President Trump is delivering on the mandate Americans gave him last November by empowering different forms of domestic energy to drive down costs, increase domestic energy supply, and improve our grid security as we pioneer the path to become the Artificial Intelligence capital of the world,” EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin said in comment provided to Fox News Digital. “The Obama and Biden administrations deliberately tried to regulate coal out of existence. Under my leadership, economic growth and environmental stewardship are not mutually exclusive choices. We are committed to supporting all forms of energy, including clean beautiful coal, and have already taken steps to bolster America’s energy dominance and make energy affordable again while ensuring we have the cleanest air, land and water on the planet,” Zeldin added. BIDEN ADMIN ISSUES ENERGY EFFICIENCY RESTRICTIONS ON KEY POWER GRID
Trump crypto chief says we are in the ‘golden age’ for digital assets, ‘clearing the deck’ of Biden barriers
EXCLUSIVE: President Donald Trump wants to make the U.S. the “crypto capital of the world,” and a top White House cryptocurrency policy official said that the administration is well on its way to ushering in “the golden age for digital assets.” Bo Hines, executive director of the President’s Council of Advisers on Digital Assets, sat for an exclusive interview with Fox News Digital this week to outline the Trump administration’s work thus far in the cryptocurrency space. Cryptocurrency, or “crypto” for short, is a digital currency in which transactions are verified and records maintained by a decentralized system using cryptography that enables secure online payments for individuals or businesses. MR. WONDERFUL TALKS ‘EXCITEMENT’ AROUND CRYPTOCURRENCY UNDER TRUMP: AMERICA IS IN A ‘NEW PHASE’ “The president has made this a priority, and it is a testament to his leadership and his knowledge in the space,” Hines explained. “Unlike any president before him, he has truly embraced this technological development in a way that no one else has, which has allowed us to do what we need to do to make the United States the crypto capital of the world.” Hines told Fox News Digital that officials have focused on “clearing the deck” and ensuring that “what was happening under the Biden regulatory regime has been rescinded and repealed.” Under the Biden administration, Hines said Americans using cryptocurrency went “offshore due to the nature of attacks they specifically received under the Biden regime.” “We will start seeing a lot of those players come back to the United States in short order because, look, we are the greatest country in the world. People want to innovate here. People want to build here. And this space is no different,” he said. “At the end of the day, the largest players to the smallest players want to be operating in the United States—they just need a clear set of rules to abide by to do so.” Hines said that under the Biden administration, “rather than welcoming in innovation and encouraging technological developments, they went after these people.” “We’ve been in the demolition phase—removing a lot of those barriers that the Biden regime put up so that people can actually start building back here in the United States.” “My main message to players in the crypto space has been—welcome home,” Hines said. “We are going to create the most pro-crypto-friendly regulatory environment that anyone could possibly imagine because we understand how important the innovation is here in this space.” TRUMP’S CRYPTO CZAR DECRIES GOVERNMENT’S LACK OF BITCOIN ‘LONG-TERM STRATEGY’ Hines explained that during the first week of the second Trump administration, the president set up the interagency working group—the President’s Council of Advisers on Digital Assets—which includes officials from the Treasury Department, the SEC, CFTC, Attorney General Pam Bondi, and more. Trump’s executive order directed the working group to explore several digital asset-related issues, including looking into the “potential creation and maintenance of a national digital asset stockpile” and proposing “criteria for establishing such a stockpile, potentially derived from cryptocurrencies lawfully seized by the Federal Government through its law enforcement efforts.” “With this group and other White House offices, we are working on delivering on the president’s promise to clear the deck and have all of these burdens and regulations lifted,” Hines said. The group is currently in the process of compiling recommendations and building a comprehensive report they will deliver to the president later this year. The report is designed to explain the “clearest regulatory environment possible” in the space, and recommendations for how the U.S. maintains its role as “the dominant leader in the space across the globe.” As for legislation, Hines pointed to the Stablecoin Transparency and Accountability for a Better Ledger Economy, or the STABLE Act. That legislation, which passed out of the House Financial Services Committee on a bipartisan vote, establishes framework for the issuance and operation of dollar-denominated payment stablecoins in the U.S. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP “I think the Stable Coin legislation could be the first really, truly large and meaningful piece of legislation that the president signs in the first year of a second term,” Hines said, noting it would “truly revolutionize the financial system for years to come.” “I think that Americans will see that once this legislation is through—once this regulatory framework is established—the way in which they move their money will be changed forever,” Hines said. “You will see that Americans will have better access to quicker payments and better access to transparency.”
White House warns against tariff retaliation, says Trump ‘has a spine of steel and he will not break’
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt insisted Tuesday that “all options are on the table for each country” when it comes to making deals over the latest U.S. tariffs, but warned to those who retaliate that President Donald Trump “has a spine of steel and he will not break.” Leavitt said since Trump’s “Liberation Day” tariff announcements, 70 countries have already reached out to the president to begin negotiations. “On the other hand, countries like China who have chosen to retaliate and try to double down on their mistreatment of American workers are making a mistake. President Trump has a spine of steel and he will not break,” Leavitt added, referencing 34% retaliatory tariffs that China unveiled against the U.S. last week. Leavitt told Fox News Senior White House Correspondent Jacqui Heinrich that Trump is “very much focused on ensuring that these deals are good for the American worker, they are good for American manufacturing” and “that they tackle these crippling deficits with these countries. DEMOCRAT GOVERNORS REVOLT AGAINST TRUMP’S ‘LIBERATION DAY’ TARIFFS “All options are on the table for each country,” she said. “But again, these are going to be tailor-made deals. They are not going to be off the rack deals as the president has called it. And he has directed his entire trade team to be part of this effort.” Leavitt also said “Countries are falling over themselves to reform their unfair trade practices and free open their markets to our country. TRUMP SAYS HE HAD ‘GREAT CALL’ WITH SOUTH KOREAN LEADER, SUGGESTS DEAL POSSIBLE “Why? Because these countries greatly respect President Trump and the sheer power of the American market. These countries realize they’ve gotten filthy rich over the past few decades by imposing substantial tariffs on American made products and ridiculous non-monetary barriers to block out American industry,” she continued. “The jig is up. Past American presidents sat by and let this happen. But President Trump stood up for our country. And he is saying no more.” “The president’s message has been simple and consistent from the beginning to countries around the world. Bring us your best offers and he will listen. Deals will only be made if they benefit American workers and address our nation’s crippling trade deficits,” Leavitt declared. “America does not need other countries as much as other countries need us. And President Trump knows this. He’s going to use the leverage of our markets and our country to the advantage of the people he was sworn in to represent.”
Dem accuses Trump admin of ‘fire sale approach’ as GOP aims to lower federal gov’s real estate portfolio
A Democrat on the House Oversight Committee accused the Trump administration of offloading federal real estate in a haphazard “fire sale” as Republicans aim to cut wasteful government spending by selling unused or underutilized government buildings. Rep. Melanie Stansbury, D-N.M., the ranking Democrat on the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) subcommittee, took issue with the Trump administration’s approach during a hearing on Tuesday on reducing the federal real estate portfolio. “The Trump administration is currently taking a fire sale approach of looting the federal government and stripping it for parts to pay for tax cuts that we know will come up in their reconciliation deal,” the lawmaker said. DOGE is working with the federal government’s General Services Administration (GSA) to “rightsize” its portfolio and cut wasteful spending. GSA has produced the most savings across federal agencies, according to the official DOGE website. AMERICANS GRADE DOGE AND ELON MUSK’S EFFORTS WITHIN THE FIRST 100 DAYS OF THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION The GSA’s cost-cutting efforts have already resulted in nearly 700 lease terminations, eliminating 7.9 million square feet of federal office space and saving taxpayers approximately $400 million, according to subcommittee chair Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga. John Hart, CEO of Open the Books, testified that $1 billion could be saved on furniture alone by not renewing leases on government buildings that are set to expire in 2027. David Marroni, director of physical infrastructure at the U.S. Government Accountability Office, testified that no government agency “had a great track record in terms of the utilization” of their physical headquarters’ footprints. Marroni said there could be substantial savings in reducing government workspaces. “It’s about $8 billion a year on owned and leased office space, so any reduction is going to generate a lot of money,” he said. DOGE HELPS COAST GUARD SAVE NEARLY $33M BY ELIMINATING ‘INEFFECTIVE IT PROGRAM’ Democrats at the hearing lobbed criticism at President Donald Trump and billionaire Elon Musk, who is leading the DOGE effort, with Stansbury accusing DOGE of being “a front” to support billionaires “who are trying to privatize public services.” “And just this week, we have seen, as Elon Musk is on his exit out of the federal government, he has secured billions of dollars in new contracts across the federal government. Conflict of interest? Yes, absolutely,” Stansbury said. The congresswoman claimed that Musk has secured contracts and promises for contracts at the Department of Defense and NASA, and is asking to install SpaceX’s Starlink Wi-Fi at federal agencies. Starlink, which is a subsidiary of Musk-owned SpaceX, was reportedly installed at the White House last month. “And we understand that there is the potential to potentially deploy his AI technology across the federal agencies to replace the tens of thousands of federal employees that have recently been illegally fired,” Stansbury claimed. As of Tuesday, DOGE claims on its site that it has saved Americans $140 billion, or about $870 per taxpayer. Fox News Digital’s Andrew Mark Miller and Deirdre Heavey contributed to this report.
Elbridge Colby confirmed to top Pentagon policy post after hesitation from GOP hawks
Elbridge Colby will now assume the Pentagon’s number three post after a contentious Senate battle ended in a vote to confirm him to the role. The Senate voted 51 to 45 to confirm the national security strategist as Defense Department undersecretary for policy, with three Democrats joining most Republicans in voting in his favor. Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., was the lone Republican no vote. Colby successfully overcame skepticism from GOP hawks like Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., who worried over his previous statements on Iran, even as he lost the former Senate majority leader. “Elbridge Colby’s long public record suggests a willingness to discount the complexity of the challenges facing America, the critical value of our allies and partners, and the urgent need to invest in hard power to preserve American primacy,” McConnell said in a statement after the vote. “The prioritization that Mr. Colby argues is fresh, new, and urgently needed is, in fact, a return to an Obama-era conception of à la carte geostrategy. Abandoning Ukraine and Europe and downplaying the Middle East to prioritize the Indo-Pacific is not a clever geopolitical chess move. It is geostrategic self-harm that emboldens our adversaries and drives wedges between America and our allies for them to exploit.” Colby, a co-founder of the Marathon Initiative and a former deputy assistant secretary of defense for strategy and force development under the Trump administration, is best known for his role in authoring the 2018 National Defense Strategy, which reoriented long-term military strategy toward a great power competition with China. VANCE VISITS CAPITOL HILL TO URGE SENATORS TO CONFIRM ELBRIDGE COLBY FOR PENTAGON NO. 3 POST He has long argued the U.S. military needs to limit its resources in the Middle East to pivot to the Indo-Pacific region. Colby had staunch backing from Trump’s inner circle, which turned up the heat on Senate Republicans to get behind his confirmation. Colby had tempered some of his earlier statements, including one that suggested living with a nuclear Iran was safer than bombing Iran’s nuclear sites, and one that suggested the U.S. could “live without” Taiwan. Pressed by Cotton during his confirmation hearing, Colby said he believes Iran to be an “existential” threat to the U.S. “Yes, a nuclear-armed Iran – especially, Senator, given that… we know they’ve worked on ICBM-range capabilities and other capabilities that would pose an existential danger to the United States,” Colby said. MAGA LOYALISTS TAKE AIM AT GOP SENATOR AS KEY TRUMP DEFENSE POST SPARKS CONTROVERSY: ‘WHY THE OPPOSITION?’ He promised to provide “credible good military options” to the president if diplomacy with Iran fails. “The only thing worse than the prospect of an Iran armed with nuclear weapons would be [the] consequences of using force to try to stop them,” Colby had said in 2012. “I would say a lot of what I was arguing against at the time, these conversations 15 years ago, a lot of the opponents I felt had a casual or in some cases even flippant attitude toward the employment of military force,” Colby explained at the hearing. “That’s a lot of what I was arguing against. Was my wording always appropriate? Was my precise framing always appropriate? No.” “Your views on Taiwan’s importance to the United States seems to have softened considerably,” Senate Armed Services Chairman Roger Wicker, R-Miss., told Colby at one point during the hearing. “What I have been trying to shoot a signal flare over is that it is vital for us to focus and enable our own forces for an effective and reasonable defense of Taiwan and for the Taiwanese, as well as the Japanese, to do more,” said Colby.
‘Many failures’: Whistleblower exposes how fired Biden-era official was soft on China, prioritized DEI
FIRST ON FOX: A former Food and Drug Administration (FDA) senior staffer is speaking out about problems at the agency under the Biden administration, including diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI), and failures to combat China flooding the U.S. market with illicit vapes after the FDA’s top tobacco official was removed from his position. “I think many of us had been anticipating it for quite some time, we knew that change was drastically needed at FDA when it came to tobacco control, because tobacco control had really gotten out of control,” David Oliveira, who recently left the FDA after six years, said in response to FDA chief tobacco regulator Brian King being removed from his post earlier this month. “There were many, many failures in the key core missions for the center that needed dramatic change in new leadership. Many of us, whether it be from public health, consumers, small business owners, industry, including even Senator Dick Durbin, who last year at a hearing said to Brian King, ‘It looks to me like you have fallen down on the job.’ So really it runs the spectrum with the people that are unhappy with what’s gone on recently with the FDA in terms of tobacco regulation.” One of the most prominent missteps at the FDA over the past few years, according to Oliveira, was the influx of illicit Chinese vapes into the U.S. market, which he says made him feel like a “canary in a coal mine” as he warned about the potential dangers and little was done. ‘DEEP TIES TO THE CCP’: MEET THE VAPING LOBBYIST RAMPING UP PRESSURE ON TRUMP TO SAVE ‘ILLICIT’ VAPE INDUSTRY Although the rate of youths smoking cigarettes is now at an all-time low, according to the CDC, youth use of Chinese vapes has increased dramatically since 2020, as China has become the world’s leading producer of e-cigarettes, often promoting illicit vapes with flavors appealing to children. Sales of unauthorized, flavored disposable vapes in the United States amounted to around $2.4 billion in 2024, or 35% of the e-cigarettes from outlets such as convenience stores and supermarkets, Reuters reported. That compares to sales worth $3.2 billion in 2023 and $2.8 billion in 2022, the data, which comes from market research firm Circana, shows. “We have set up a regulated system, which most of the American players have said, okay, these are the rules of the road, we will obey them, we will comply, and we expect, we hope that our products will be authorized,” Oliveira explained. “The Chinese have said, well, forget that. There’s huge consumer demand for these products for billions of dollars, and we will shamelessly, recklessly, irresponsibly market these products, dump them on our shores because they know there’s billions of dollars to be had. And then, unfortunately, the FDA was ill-equipped, ill-prepared. Didn’t have the skill to go after and shut that down. And now we have an industry that’s absolutely out of control with these products.” Oliveira told Fox News Digital that the agency has been delegating too much power to other departments like Border Patrol and Department of Justice rather than using the authority it has to crack down with boots on the ground against China’s market flooding, adding that a “lack of focus” and “cavalier attitude” has left the U.S. behind the 8-ball. 21,000% SPIKE IN MA VAPE SEIZURES THROWS CIGARETTE BAN INTO QUESTION, EX-ATF OFFICIAL SAYS Oliveira says that the FDA approves or authorizes only about two products a year, which has allowed China to dominate the market. Under King, the FDA rejected applications for millions of flavored e-cigarettes, citing insufficient data that the products would help adult smokers. Those rejections have resulted in multiple lawsuits against the FDA from vape makers, including one that was argued before the Supreme Court in December. Another issue under King, Oliveira explained, was that DEI became a prominent focus that ultimately led to less focus on getting the job in front of them done correctly. “I think we saw a lot more of that once Brian King came in and the fact of the matter is his version of DEI was some of the things that many people don’t find appealing,” Oliveira said. “The idea of virtue signaling or doing it just to be able to wear it on your sleeve and talk about it. So you just do things around the edges like, oh, let’s change and stop using the word grandfathered because of the historical overtones and origins of that term. And then let’s have everyone put their pronouns in their email.” The FDA recently removed DEI materials from its website amid President Donald Trump signing executive orders to rid the practice from the federal government and instead focus on meritocracy. Oliveira told Fox News Digital that DEI was a distraction from the mission at the FDA. “I think it made some people uncomfortable just because of the focus on it when we knew that our work was so critical to helping people live healthier lives, that there was so much work to be done, that we were behind the 8-ball because of all the mistakes and because of this very fast-moving industry that government will always struggle to keep up with the technology. There was much work to be done. There was so more that we could have been doing that we weren’t doing. So anytime you have anything that you feel like takes your eye off the ball a little bit, that can be frustrating in the workplace for sure.” Oliveira also told Fox News Digital that the FDA under King in the Biden years was beholden to the “crusade” against menthol cigarettes, led by prominent voices like billionaire Michael Bloomberg, which he says was based more on a “paternalistic” attitude toward the Black community than it was about making a positive difference. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP In recent years, the FDA’s tobacco center has been besieged by criticism from all sides. Politicians,
Trump admin unveils plan costing migrants massive fine for every day they don’t self-deport
The Trump administration plans to begin fining illegal immigrants subject to a deportation order $998 a day if they do not leave the United States. “Illegal aliens should use the CBP Home app to self-deport and leave the country now. If they don’t, they will face the consequences,” Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin told Fox News Tuesday. “This includes a fine of $998 per day for every day that the illegal alien overstayed their final deportation order.” Using a 1996 law that was not enforced until President Donald Trump’s first term in 2018, the administration plans to apply the penalties retroactively to illegal immigrants for up to five years, resulting in fines of more than $1 million, an administration official told Reuters, who was first to report on the fines. BLUE STATE SHERIFFS COMBINE FORCES TO FIGHT BACK AGAINST SANCTUARY LAWS The administration could also seize property from illegal immigrants who fail to pay the stiff penalty, the report noted. A flyer provided to Fox News Digital shows the “benefits” and “consequences” for illegal immigrants who fail to self-deport via the CBP Home app. “Self-deportation is safe,” the flyer reads. “Leave on your own terms by picking your departure flight.” JD VANCE TORCHES MEDIA, DEMS’ ‘DISGRACEFUL SET OF PRIORITIES’ ON DEPORTATION OF ACCUSED MS-13 GANG MEMBER Other benefits of self-deporting include allowing non-criminal illegal immigrants to keep money they earned in the U.S. and allowing illegal immigrants to maintain eligibility for potential future legal immigration, while some illegal immigrants may even be eligible for subsidized flights if they have trouble affording a ticket. Meanwhile, the “consequences” section of the flyer warns that those who fail to self-deport will be “apprehended by DHS with no opportunity to get your affairs in order beforehand.” The flyer also spells out the potential fines, including the $998 per day fine for failing to comply with final removal orders and a fine of $1,000 – $5,000 for failing to self-deport after “claiming that you will.” “If you fail to self-deport, you may be subject to jail time,” the flyer concludes, adding that illegal immigrants would also later be “prohibited from reentering the U.S. through the legal immigration system.”
House Republicans worry even Trump can’t save them as tax cuts, budget bill hang in balance
House Republicans are in disarray ahead of an expected Wednesday afternoon vote to advance the Senate’s version of a massive bill advancing President Donald Trump’s agenda. Several people who spoke with Fox News Digital said they were concerned that even the president may not be able to sway holdouts ahead of a planned Wednesday vote – despite Trump’s ability to do so on key pieces of legislation on multiple occasions this year. “This one is tough to tell,” one senior House Republican said when asked if Trump could persuade enough critics to pass the legislation. “There’s a level of distrust, historically – that from [$1.5 trillion] to $4 billion, it’s like, why did we go so low?” Fiscal hawks’ chief concerns with the bill lie in the differences between minimum mandatory spending cuts. HOUSE FREEDOM CAUCUS CHAIR URGES JOHNSON TO CHANGE COURSE ON SENATE VERSION OF TRUMP BUDGET BILL The House’s version, which the chamber passed in late February, calls for at least $1.5 trillion to $2 trillion in federal spending cuts to offset the new spending for Trump’s priorities on defense, the border and taxes. The Senate passed an amendment to the House version over the weekend that, while closely mirroring the lower chamber, called for at least $4 billion in spending cuts. Sources told Fox News Digital that there are as many as 30 to 40 people who have at least shared serious concerns about the bill. Some skeptics are expected to be part of a group of House Republicans heading to the White House on Tuesday afternoon to meet with Trump. But at least three lawmakers who have shared concerns about the bill – Reps. Tim Burchett, R-Tenn., Ralph Norman, R-S.C., and Keith Self, R-Texas – said they were not invited. SENATE GOP PUSHES TRUMP BUDGET FRAMEWORK THROUGH AFTER MARATHON VOTE SERIES Meanwhile, House Freedom Caucus Chairman Andy Harris, R-Md., signaled to reporters that he turned the invitation down. “There’s nothing I don’t understand about this issue. So, you know, let the president spend time with people who maybe will change their mind,” Harris said. He said of Trump’s influence, “It’s not going to help getting enough votes to pass this week. It’s just, there too many members who are just not going to vote for it, no matter what.” “I don’t see it happening,” a second House Republican told Fox News Digital when asked if Trump could get the legislation over the line. Rep. Eric Burlison, R-Mo., said, “I love the president,” but similarly doubted whether the legislation could pass a Wednesday afternoon vote. “I think that because what the Senate sent over is so financially immoral, that it doesn’t matter how much pressure, there’s so many of us that can’t swallow it,” he told reporters. Congressional Republicans are working on a massive piece of legislation that Trump has dubbed “one big, beautiful bill” to advance his agenda on border security, defense, energy and taxes. Such a measure is largely only possible via the budget reconciliation process. Traditionally used when one party controls all three branches of government, reconciliation lowers the Senate’s threshold for passage of certain fiscal measures from 60 votes to 51. As a result, it has been used to pass broad policy changes in one or two massive pieces of legislation. MEET THE TRUMP-PICKED LAWMAKERS GIVING SPEAKER JOHNSON A FULL HOUSE GOP CONFERENCE Trump publicly called for House Republicans to fall in line to pass the Senate version on Monday night. “There is no better time than now to get this Deal DONE! The House, the Senate, and our Great Administration, are going to work tirelessly on creating ‘THE ONE, BIG, BEAUTIFUL, BILL,’ an appropriate name if Congress so likes. Everyone is going to be happy with the result,” he wrote on Truth Social. “THE HOUSE MUST PASS THIS BUDGET RESOLUTION, AND QUICKLY – MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!” House GOP leaders have argued that passing the Senate’s version is a critical step to unlocking the main portion of the reconciliation process, where the relevant committees find ways to enact conservative policy goals in line with the funding set out by Republicans’ reconciliation framework. They’ve also insisted that passing the Senate’s version does not impede the House from working toward its more conservative goal. “The budget resolution is not the law, OK? All this does is it allows us to continue the process, begin drafting the actual legislation that really counts. And that’s the one big, beautiful bill. Number two, the Senate amendment makes no changes to the reconciliation instructions that we put into the budget resolution. So our objectives remain intact,” Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., said during his weekly press conference. “Number three, any final reconciliation bill has to include historic spending reductions that we included in our resolution, while also safeguarding essential programs.” But fiscal hawks critical of the bill, like Harris, are pushing Republican leaders to allow the House to begin working on its reconciliation bill now and forcing the Senate to reckon with that proposal. And some Republican holdouts are optimistic that Trump could get them to a point where they can support the legislation Wednesday. “I sure hope he can,” Norman told Fox News Digital. “We’re in favor of what he’s doing.” Fox News Digital reached out to White House for comment but did not immediately hear back.