President-elect Trump's top aide on immigration and the border spoke with House Republicans during a roughly hour-long meeting Wednesday.

Lawmakers who left the room hailed Stephen Miller, who was tapped to be U.S. Homeland Security adviser in the new Trump administration, as a brilliant policy mind.

Two sources present for the discussions told Fox News Digital Miller talked about the need to scale up the Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) workforce, which is noteworthy given Trump's promise to execute mass deportations when he returns to office.

Miller also discussed ways to cut federal funds going toward sanctuary cities and states, a cash flow that Republicans had previously promised to target if they were to control the levers of power in Washington.

COLORADO MAYOR SPEAKS OUT AFTER VIDEO OF ARMED VENEZUELAN GANG IN APARTMENT GOES VIRAL: 'FAILED POLICY'

The strategy meeting comes as congressional Republicans are preparing for a massive conservative policy overhaul through the budget reconciliation process. By lowering the threshold for passage in the Senate from 60 votes to 51, reconciliation allows the party controlling Congress and the White House to pass broad policy changes — provided they deal with budgetary and other fiscal matters.

The sources told Fox News Digital Miller's portion of the meeting partly focused on what border and immigration policies could go into a reconciliation package and what kind of funding Congress would need to appropriate. 

1.4 MILLION ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS IN US HAVE BEEN ORDERED DEPORTED, BUT HAVE YET TO BE REMOVED: OFFICIAL

The sources said Miller told Republicans the incoming Trump administration understood the president-elect's border and immigration goals were "probably not going to get a lot" of Democratic votes and that "those more controversial things would need to be in reconciliation." More bipartisan initiatives could be passed during the regular process, the sources added. 

A House GOP lawmaker told Fox News Digital of an understanding that Congress would follow Trump's lead.

"I think we're going to see a slew of executive orders early, and that is going to be helpful to separate from what we have to do legislatively," the lawmaker said.

One source in the room said Miller emphasized the importance of messaging, adding that "nothing matters if we don't get our message out to the American people."

Rep. Ralph Norman, R-S.C., told Fox News Digital Miller discussed "low-hanging fruit" that Trump could tackle by executive order, mentioning "deportation" as a possibility.

"Tax stuff, that's going to take some time," Norman said.

Rep. Mark Alford, R-Mo., declined to go into specifics about the meeting but told Fox News Digital the discussion focused on "illegal immigration and how that's going to be curbed … to bring commonsense solutions to the program."

HOUSE DOGE CAUCUS EYES FEDERAL EMPLOYEES, GOVERNMENT REGULATIONS IN NEW GOAL-SETTING MEMO

"I had a couple of questions about the cost to American taxpayers if we don't repatriate some 12 million illegal aliens who the Biden administration has let into our country," Alford said.

Miller declined to answer reporters' questions when he left the room.

He was invited to address the Republican Study Committee led by Rep. August Pfluger, R-Texas, the House GOP's largest caucus, which acts as a conservative think tank of sorts for the rest of the House Republican Conference. 

House GOP leaders like Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., were not in attendance, nor were they expected.

Rep. Kevin Hern, R-Okla., the group's previous chairman, said there was "nothing new" said during the meeting, adding it was an opportunity for Trump's aides to address the House GOP.

Trump and his aides have already paid heavy attention to congressional Republicans. 

Several of his incoming White House aides are in regular contact with top GOP lawmakers. Trump personally invited several groups of House Republicans to Mar-a-Lago last weekend.

After New York Mayor Eric Adams announced the planned opening of a massive, 2,000-bed migrant shelter in the South Bronx, Democratic Congressman Ritchie Torres slammed the decision, accusing Adams of treating the borough as an immigrant "dumping ground."

The mayor's office announced the new shelter last week while simultaneously claiming that the ongoing migrant crisis in New York City is waning. 

This comes as New York is set to close its sprawling tent shelter on Randalls Island and dozens of other shelters in the next few months. New York is a migrant sanctuary city and has a "right to shelter" law that requires the city to accommodate anyone seeking shelter who has no other option. However, in recent months, Adams has taken a different tone toward immigrants in the city and announced the closure of a string of migrant shelters. In last week's statement, Adams said the closures are part of the city’s efforts to find "more opportunities to save taxpayer money and turn the page on this unprecedented humanitarian crisis."

"Thanks to the administration’s successful asylum seeker management strategies and federal border policy changes the city advocated for that have continued to drive down the number of people in the city’s care for 27 straight weeks and reduce costs by nearly $2.8 billion over three fiscal years," the mayor's office said. 

TRUMP BORDER CZAR MEETING WITH NYC MAYOR ADAMS DESPITE SANCTUARY CITY STATUS

Meanwhile, the New York Post reported that it will cost the city between $250,000 and $340,000 to retrofit and prepare a 275,000-square-foot former office building in the Bronx to accommodate the expected thousands of men who will live in the new migrant shelter.  

The shelter’s location – 825 E. 141st St. – was renovated in 2017 and is near an infamous section of the Bronx called "the Hub," which is known for having a high volume of open drug use and activity, including the use of heroin and fentanyl. The building is owned by SoBro Local Development Corp., a nonprofit that’s stated mission is to "enhance the quality of life in the South Bronx by strengthening businesses and creating and implementing innovative economic, housing, educational, and career development programs for youth and adults."

CLICK HERE FOR MORE IMMIGRATION COVERAGE

Adams’ announcement was not taken well by many Bronx residents. Many of the migrant shelters in the city have earned reputations as centers for violence, crime and gang activity from the likes of the international criminal group Tren de Aragua. The New York Post reported one 21-year-old Bronx resident named Serene Bilal saying: "Wrong move!… You need to work with the people already here. We have issues going on. Why the Bronx? Why pick on the Bronx?

"It’s going to be dangerous," Bilal told the outlet. "We don’t know who these people are. We are not talking about 10 people. We’re talking about thousands. That’s a lot."

ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS MAKE UP 75% OF ARRESTS IN MIDTOWN MANHATTAN, SAY POLICE: REPORT

Torres, who is rumored to be considering a run for New York governor, also slammed the decision to place the new shelter in the Bronx.

"Instead of decisively dismantling open-air drug markets in the Hub, the City is treating the South Bronx as a dumping ground for an endless stream of shelters," Torres told Fox News Digital.

"The Bronx is treated differently from the rest of the city," he went on. "We are treated as the second-class borough of New York City."

Fox News Digital reached out to Adams’ office for comment but did not receive a response.

Michael Dorgan contributed to this report. 

A Muslim cleric who has praised Iran and refused to call Hezbollah a terrorist organization was reportedly tapped to deliver a benediction at President-elect Trump’s inauguration. 

Husham Al-Husainy is a well-known Iraqi-American imam in Michigan, overseeing the Karbalaa Islamic Education Center in Dearborn. Al-Husainy was among a swath of Muslim voters in Michigan who indicated ahead of Election Day that they would support Trump instead of the Democratic Party's ticket in November.  

"I lean towards Mr. Trump because I found him closer to the Bible, the Torah, and the Quran. Because I support peace, no war," he said back in October, Fox News Digital reported at the time. He added that the country "deserves to have a strong leader where he can bring peace in this world."

Before he indicated support for the former and upcoming president, Al-Husainy reportedly made a series of questionable comments. A Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit, the Middle East Media and Research Institute, for example, reported this week that the Muslim cleric praised Iran in a 2022 interview.

TRADITIONALLY DEM LEADERS IN KEY MICHIGAN VOTING BLOC DITCH HARRIS, ENDORSE TRUMP

"Thank God We Have the Islamic Republic of Iran; Its Light Goes to Syria, Lebanon, Iraq, Yemen, and All Over," he said in the interview, the nonprofit posted on X. 

The conservative nonprofit The Middle East Forum described the cleric as a "radical antisemitic, pro-Hezbollah Shia imam," who reportedly hosted a 2015 rally in Dearborn where he "wished death upon Saudi Arabia" amid the Saudi-led intervention in the Yemeni civil war. 

ABANDON BIDEN CAMPAIGN RELAUNCHES, TARGETS HARRIS IN KEY SWING STATES

In 2007, Al-Husainy joined Fox News’ Sean Hannity on the "Hannity & Colmes" program, where he was pressed on whether he considers Hezbollah a terrorist organization. The cleric joined the program following his invitation to the DNC’s winter meeting that year to deliver the invocation. 

"I'll ask you again. Is Hezbollah – this is a yes or no question. Is Hezbollah a terrorist organization? Yes or no?" Hannity asked the imam. 

"Now if – I give you a time to ask me a question. Now give me time to answer it, please," Al-Husainy said. 

"Yes or no?" Hannity continued. 

"First of all – first of all, Hezbollah is a Lebanese organization. And I've got nothing to do with that. But there is a biblical meaning of Hezbollah. It is in Judaism and Christianity and Islam meaning people of God and that means yes," the imam responded. 

WALZ PICK DOES LITTLE TO PERSUADE DEARBORN’S ANTI-BIDEN/HARRIS VOTERS

Later in the segment, Hannity again asked if Hezbollah is a terrorist organization. 

"​​This is – your idea of a political or… you know what Hezbollah means? I support the people of God," Al-Husainy said. 

The State Department has recognized Hezbollah as a terrorist organization since 1997. 

Fox News Digital reached out to the Trump transition team regarding the invitation and Al-Husainy’s previous comments, but did not receive a reply. 

Matt Foldi, the former congressional candidate and current editor-in-chief of the Washington Reporter, shared a photo on X this week reportedly showing the official program of Inauguration Day, including that Al-Husainy, a Catholic priest, the Rev. Frank Mann, Rabbi Ari Berman and a Detroit pastor, Lorenzo Sewell, are slated to deliver benedictions. 

IMAM AL-HUSAINY REACTS TO DNC FLAP

Fox News Digital also attempted to reach Al-Husainy via the Karbalaa Islamic Education Center, but did not immediately receive a reply. 

Dearborn, Michigan, is home to the proportionally largest Muslim population in the U.S. and became the birthplace of the "Abandon Biden" movement last year as Arab voters spoke out about the administration’s handling of the conflict in Gaza. The movement morphed into "abandoning" Vice President Kamala Harris after Biden dropped out of the race in July, and ultimately endorsed Trump on Election Day. 

Muslim voters overall favored Harris by 32 percentage points in the 2024 election. Trump won 32% of their vote, while Harris won 63%. In 2020, Biden had won 64% of the Muslim vote, and Trump had won 35%. Trump faced mixed support from Muslim and Arab American voters, but in swing states like Michigan, their support became especially crucial. 

Arab American voters in Dearborn said following the election that they voted for Trump over Harris in protest of her stance on the Israel-Hamas war. 

"They didn’t vote for Trump because they believe Trump is the best candidate," Arab American News publisher Osama Siblani told Politico in November. "No, they voted for Trump because they want to punish the Democrats and Harris."

Fox News Digital's Michael Lee contributed to this report. 

Pam Bondi, President-elect Trump’s nominee for attorney general, engaged in a tense exchange with Democrat Sen. Mazie Hirono during her confirmation hearing on Wednesday that resulted in praise from conservatives on social media.

"You have an incoming president who said, ‘I have the absolute right to do what I want to do with the Justice Department,’ and in fact, President-elect Trump considers the DOJ to be his law firm," the Hawaii senator said to Bondi on Wednesday. "I ask you this: If President-elect Trump asks, suggests or hints that you as attorney general should investigate one of his perceived political enemies, would you do so?"

"Sen. Hirono, I wish you had met with me. Had you met with me, we could have discussed many things and gotten to –" Bondi began to respond.

Hirono then interrupted by saying, "I am listening to you now, could you please respond to the question?"

DEM SENATOR WHO BASHED HEGSETH'S QUALIFICATIONS STANDS BY DOD SEC WHO OVERSAW BOTCHED AFGHAN WITHDRAWAL

"You were the only one who refused to meet with me but what we would have discussed is that it is the job of the attorney general," Bondie said before being interrupted by Hirono again.

"I'm very happy to listen to your responses under oath, Miss Bondi," Hirono said.

"So I think it's really important to us that the attorney general be independent of the White House, and you have a president-elect who considers the AG’s office his law firm. I would like to know whether if the president suggests, hints, asks, that you, as attorney general, should investigate one of his perceived enemies."

FRESHMAN GOP SENATOR SETS SOCIAL MEDIA ABLAZE WITH 'BEST' RESPONSE TO HEGSETH’S ANSWER ON GENDER QUESTION

Bondi responded, "I certainly have not heard the president say that. But what I will tell you is two-thirds of Americans have lost faith in the Department of Justice, and its statements like that, I believe, that make people continue to lose faith."

Conservatives on social media praised Bondi for her handling of Hirono’s questions.

"Pam Bondi CLAPS BACK," Abigail Jackson, communications director for GOP Sen. Josh Hawley, posted on X.

"Pam Bondi isn't playing with these far-left Senators," the Media Research Center posted on X.

"Pam Bondi obliterates Sen. Mazie Hirono for refusing to meet with her," conservative commentator Paul Szypula posted on X. "This was spectacular."

"Common @PamBondi W," the Trump War Room posted on X.

"Imagine thinking Maxie Hirono is qualified to be a U.S. Senator but Pam Bondi isn't qualified to be U.S. Attorney General lol," conservative commentator and former NCAA swimmer Riley Gaines posted on X. 

Bondi is expected to be confirmed by the Senate, and some have speculated that she will earn some votes from Democrats. 

President Biden balked at a question posed by Fox News senior White House correspondent Jacqui Heinrich on Wednesday, about whether President-elect Trump deserves credit for the recent Israel-Hamas cease-fire deal.

The deal comes during Biden's final days in office, less than a week before Trump's second term starts on Jan. 20. A recent meeting between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Trump's incoming Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, was reportedly an integral part of the deal, sources told Fox News Digital.

"Who in the history books gets credit for this, Mr. President, you or Trump?" Heinrich asked Biden at Wednesday afternoon's White House news conference.

"Is that a joke?" the president responded.

ISRAEL SENDS REPORT TO UN ON 'BRUTAL' TREATMENT USED BY TERRORISTS AGAINST HOSTAGES IN GAZA

When Heinrich denied that her question was in jest, Biden responded, "Oh. Thank you," and walked away.

Minutes earlier, Biden explained that the cease-fire would consist of two phases. The first phase, which will last around six weeks, "includes a full and complete cease-fire, withdrawal of Israeli forces from all the populated areas of Gaza, and the release of a number of hostages held by Hamas, including women and elderly and the wounded." 

"And I'm proud to say Americans will be part of that hostage release and phase one as well," Biden said. "And the vice president and I cannot wait to welcome them home."

Israel has also released hundreds of Palestinian prisoners, Biden said, and Palestinians "can also return to their neighborhoods in all areas of Gaza, and a surge of humanitarian assistance into Gaza will begin." The second phase of the cease-fire will begin after Israel negotiates "the necessary arrangements," which Biden said would mark "a permanent end of the war."

"There are a number of details to negotiate the move from phase one to phase two," the president continued. "But the plan says if negotiations take longer than six weeks, the cease-fire will continue as long as the negotiations continue."

FOX NEWS GETS AN INSIDE LOOK AT IDF'S WAR AGAINST HAMAS

Weeks ago, Trump warned that there would be "hell to pay" if there were no significant developments with a hostage deal by the time he took office.

"Everybody is talking about the hostages who are being held so violently, inhumanely, and against the will of the entire World, in the Middle East – But it’s all talk, and no action!" Trump wrote in a Truth Social post. 

"Please let this TRUTH serve to represent that if the hostages are not released prior to January 20, 2025, the date that I proudly assume Office as President of the United States, there will be ALL HELL TO PAY in the Middle East, and for those in charge who perpetrated these atrocities against Humanity," Trump added. 

Shortly after Biden announced the deal, State Department spokesman Matthew Miller acknowledged the role that Trump's team played in the negotiations and thanked them.

"I don't know if it's unprecedented to have envoys from an outgoing and an incoming administration sitting at the same table negotiating a cease-fire agreement of this kind," Miller said on Wednesday. "But if it's not unprecedented, it's certainly unusual."

"And, we of course, thank the Trump team for working with this on this cease-fire agreement. We think it's important that they were at the table."

Fox News Digital's Danielle Wallace, Greg Norman, Trey Yingst, Brooke Curto, Efrat Lachter and Sophia Compton contributed to this report.

Lawmakers questioned President-elect Trump's energy secretary on climate change, the Los Angeles wildfires, and the Biden administration's green energy agenda during his nomination hearing, which saw disruptions from several climate protesters.

The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee held a confirmation hearing for Chris Wright, Liberty Energy Inc. CEO and Trump's pick to head the Energy Department, on Wednesday, which was also his birthday.

The Trump nominee was introduced by a Democratic senator, Sen. John Hickenlooper of Colorado, who described him as having "an unrestrained enthusiast for fossil fuels." Wright focused his responses on energy dominance, saying that climate change is a "real issue," global energy demand, and his focus on growing energy resources.

"America has an historic opportunity to secure our energy systems, deliver leadership in scientific and technological innovation, steward our weapons stockpiles and meet Cold War legacy waste commitments," Wright said in his opening statement.

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Wright said that he has identified three "immediate tasks" where he will focus his attention, if nominated: unleashing American energy, leading the world in innovation and technology breakthroughs and increasing production in America.

"President Trump shares my passion for energy, and if confirmed, I will work tirelessly to implement his bold agenda as an unabashed steward for all sources of affordable, reliable and secure American energy," Wright told the committee.

Republicans, such as Sen. Steve Daines of Montana, positioned their questioning on Biden administration policies, such as a ban on liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports, regulations on household appliances, and most recently blocking drilling along the coast.

Multiple Democratic senators claimed committee chairman Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, scheduled the confirmation hearing before all required paperwork on Wright was provided to the members of the committee. Other Democrats used their time at the mic to claim the Los Angeles fires were caused by "climate change."

"Despite the misinformation that's circulating here in the Capitol, into California, and everywhere in between, it's clear that these fires only reach the size and the scale that they have because of unseasonably dry vegetation and extremely high winds, both of which are a direct result of climate change," Sen. Alex Padilla, D-Calif., said during the hearing. 

Asked about the issue of climate change, Wright said he believes it's a "real issue"

"I've studied and followed the data and the evolution of climate change for at least 20 years now. It is a global issue. It is a real issue. It's a challenging issue," Wright said, adding that he believes the solution to climate change "is to evolve our energy system."

Fox News Digital captured footage of several climate change protesters who disrupted Wright's hearing on Wednesday. 

One protester stood up while Wright was being questioned and asked if his policies would "put out the fires in LA." 

"Are you gonna ask any questions or just softball on the climate this entire time," said another protester who was removed from the hearing room.

Several other climate protesters were also stationed outside the hearing room, with shirts that read, "I won't let my future burn."

A new national poll indicates that President Biden's approval ratings remain well underwater as the nation's 46th president is only days from leaving office.

Just 36% of Americans approve of the job Biden's doing in the White House, according to the latest CNN poll conducted by SSRS, with 64% saying they disapprove. The approval rating matches the president's previous low mark in the cable news network's polling during Biden's single term in office.

The poll was released on Wednesday, just hours before the president delivers his prime-time farewell address to the nation, with just days left before Biden's term ends and he is succeeded by President-elect Trump in the White House.

Biden's approval rating stands at 43% – slightly higher but still in negative territory – in national polls by USA Today/Suffolk University and Marist College which, along with the CNN survey, were conducted earlier this month. 

WILL HISTORY BE KIND OR UNKIND TO PRESIDENT BIDEN?

The trio of polls also indicates that many Americans view Biden's presidency as a failure.

Sixty-one percent of those questioned in the CNN survey said they see Biden’s presidency overall as a failure, with 38% viewing it as a success. 

According to the USA Today/Suffolk University survey, which was released on Tuesday, 44% of registered voters said history will assess Biden as a failed president, with 27% saying he will be judged as a fair president. Twenty-one percent of those questioned said history will view Biden as a good president, with only 5% saying he will be seen as a great president.

HEAD HERE FOR THE LATEST FOX NEWS POLLING RESULTS

Just over a third of adults nationwide questioned in the Marist poll, which was released on Wednesday, said Biden will be remembered as one of the worst presidents in American history, with 19% saying he will be considered a below-average president.

Twenty-eight percent of participants offered that Biden's legacy will be considered average, with 19% saying he would be regarded as above average or one of the best presidents in the nation's history.

In his Oval Office speech, Biden will likely aim to cement his legacy as a president who pushed to stabilize politics at home while bolstering America's leadership abroad, and as a leader who steered the nation out of the COVID-19 pandemic and made historic investments in infrastructure and clean energy while lowering prescription drug prices.

Biden, in a letter to Americans released early Wednesday morning, emphasized that when he took office four years ago "we were in the grip of the worst pandemic in a century, the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression, and the worst attack on our democracy since the Civil War."

And he touted that "today, we have the strongest economy in the world and have created a record 16.6 million new jobs. Wages are up. Inflation continues to come down. The racial wealth gap is the lowest it’s been in 20 years."

A MAJORITY OF AMERICANS SAY THIS IS HOW THEY'LL VIEW BIDEN'S PRESIDENCY

Biden’s approval rating hovered in the low to mid 50s during his first six months in the White House. However, the president’s numbers started sagging in August 2021 in the wake of Biden's much-criticized handling of the turbulent U.S. exit from Afghanistan, and following a surge in COVID-19 cases that summer that was mainly among unvaccinated people.

The plunge in the president’s approval rating was also fueled by soaring inflation – which started spiking in the summer of 2021 and remains to date a major pocketbook concern with Americans – and the surge of migrants trying to cross into the U.S. along the southern border.

Biden's approval ratings slipped underwater in the autumn of 2021 and never reemerged into positive territory.

The president's single term in the White House ends Monday, Jan. 20, as Trump is inaugurated as Biden's successor.

However, according to the USA Today/Suffolk University poll, 44% also said that Trump will be seen by history as a failed president. 

One in five said Trump would be viewed as a great president, with 19% saying good and 27% saying he would be judged a fair president.

Trump ended his first term in office with approval ratings in negative territory, including 47% approval in Fox News polling from four years ago.

In Marist polling four years ago, as Trump finished his first term, 47% thought he would be remembered as one of the nation's worst presidents.

As Trump gets ready to once again assume the presidency, the Marist poll indicates opinions of him remain low, with 44% of Americans viewing him favorably and 49% holding an unfavorable opinion of the incoming president.

However, opinions about Trump's first term have risen in numerous polls conducted since his convincing victory in November's presidential election over Vice President Kamala Harris. The vice president succeeded Biden in July as the Democrats' 2024 standard-bearer after the president dropped out of the race following a disastrous debate performance against Trump.

The poll also indicates that Americans have high expectations for Trump when it comes to the economy.

"While many Americans feel the current economy is not working well for them, residents nationally have grown more optimistic about the future of their own finances," the poll's release highlighted.

The survey also indicated Americans are divided about Trump’s proposed mass deportations of undocumented immigrants.

According to the poll, more than six in 10 disapprove of Trump's pledge to pardon his supporters who were convicted in the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol. 

The Marist poll was conducted Jan. 7-9, with 1,387 adults nationwide questioned. The survey's overall sampling error is plus or minus 3.2 percentage points.

The CNN poll was conducted Jan. 9-12, with 1,205 adults nationwide questioned. The survey's overall sampling error is plus or minus 3.2 percentage points.

Government agencies are cautioning that President-elect Trump’s inauguration may attract violent extremists – especially those harboring "election-related grievances," according to a new report. 

While no specific credible threats have been identified, agencies like the FBI, Secret Service and Capitol Police authored a threat assessment asserting that extremists may view the inauguration as "their last opportunity to influence the election results through violence," Politico reports. 

The threat assessment identified foreign terrorists, domestic extremists or lone wolves who could pull off violent acts, including vehicle-ramming attacks, bomb hoaxes or swatting calls.

Likewise, law enforcement cited concerns about protests breaking into chaos, especially since certain groups who’ve faced arrests in previous protests have applied for demonstration permits. 

TRAVEL TIPS FOR ATTENDING PRESIDENT-ELECT TRUMP'S INAUGURATION AS EXPERTS WEIGH IN

"Past protests by some of these individuals have involved traffic blockades, trespassing, property destruction, and resisting arrest," the threat assessment said. 

Meanwhile, U.S. Capitol Police Chief J. Thomas Manger cautioned Monday that "lone actors" are the most serious threat to inauguration festivities, during a press conference with federal and local law enforcement officials about the inauguration.

CHECK OUT TRUMP'S PICKS FOR TOP CABINET AND ADMINISTRATION POSITIONS

"The biggest threat, I think, for all of us remains the lone actor," Manger said. "Just in the past week, while President Carter was lying in state, we had two lone actors show up at the Capitol: one trying to bring in knives and a machete; another one who was trying – what I believe – to disrupt the proceedings by setting their car on fire down in the peace circle area." 

"Capitol Police were able to interdict these folks before they had a chance to do any harm," Manger said. "But that threat of the lone actor remains the biggest justification for us being at this heightened state of alert throughout the next week."

As a result, the inauguration will feature a beefed up law enforcement presence. Approximately 4,000 local law enforcement officers have volunteered to assist, and 7,800 National Guard soldiers will also be deployed. 

ABBOTT ORDERS FLAGS AT FULL-STAFF FOR TRUMP'S INAUGURATION DESPITE ONE MONTH ORDER TO HONOR CARTER

Matt McCool, the Secret Service’s special agent in charge of the agency’s Washington field office, said that altogether roughly 25,000 law enforcement officers will be working. McCool said this year’s inauguration plan features a "slightly more robust security plan," in comparison to President Biden’s inauguration in 2021. 

"What I can tell you is that we are 100% confident in the plan that we have put in place for this inauguration that the public and our protectees will be safe," McCool said.

Additionally, Metropolitan Police Department Chief Pamela Smith said it is bracing for 12 separate First Amendment demonstrations at the inauguration, noting that they will have a right to peacefully protest. Still, she said violence won’t be permitted.  

"I want to reiterate – as I always have – that violence, destruction and unlawful behavior will not be tolerated," Smith said Monday. "Offenders will face swift and decisive consequences."

Fox News Digital’s Alec Schemmel contributed to this report. 

A number of President-elect Donald Trump's choices for his second-term Cabinet have seen their scheduled confirmation hearings postponed, with Senate committees citing outstanding documents. 

Hearings for Doug Collins, tapped to serve as Secretary of Veterans Affairs, and former North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum, who was chosen for Secretary of the Interior, were set for Tuesday as part of the Trump transition team and Senate Republicans' ambitious effort to confirm Trump's Cabinet. 

However, they were delayed at the last minute. This meant two of the three slated Tuesday hearings were pushed, leaving only one hearing for Secretary of Defense pick Pete Hegseth that day. 

DEM SENATOR WHO BASHED HEGSETH'S QUALIFICATIONS STANDS BY DOD SEC WHO OVERSAW BOTCHED AFGHAN WITHDRAWAL

While more confirmation hearings took shape on Wednesday — including those for Secretary of Energy pick Chris Wright, Attorney General nominee Pam Bondi, CIA director selection John Ratcliffe, Transportation Secretary nominee Sean Duffy and Secretary of State nominee Marco Rubio — another key hearing for Trump's Secretary of Homeland Security nominee Gov. Kristi Noem, R-S.D., was postponed. 

According to a source familiar, Noem had completed all necessary paperwork in a timely manner, but the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee (HSGAC) is still waiting for the FBI's portion. 

Despite the hearings being moved, Trump's transition says there will not be delays in confirming his team. "There are no delays, and paperwork is being submitted quickly to ensure the confirmation process is smooth and President Trump is able to implement his agenda mandated by the American people on day one," Taylor Rogers, Trump-Vance transition spokesperson, said in a statement.

TRUMP ATTORNEY GENERAL NOMINEE PAM BONDI TO TESTIFY BEFORE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE

Each of the postponed hearings has gotten a new date, with Burgum's on Thursday and Noem's on Friday. But Collins' hearing will not take place until the day after Trump's inauguration, next Tuesday. 

The Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs hadn't received the FBI report on Collins as of Monday afternoon, Fox News was told. All other necessary paperwork had been transmitted to the committee, though. 

A committee aide told Fox News that the delay was not Collins' fault, emphasizing that he had submitted it all on time. 

"Congressman Doug Collins has submitted all his paperwork in a timely manner and has been transparent and forthcoming with the committee," committee Chairman Jerry Moran, R-Kan., said in a Monday statement. "At this time, the FBI has not completed its customary background check of Congressman Collins. In accordance with long-standing practice, the committee should have an opportunity to review Congressman Collins’ FBI file before the confirmation hearing. I expect the FBI to complete its review quickly so that the committee can move forward with its role of evaluating the President’s nominee."

GOP SEN. JONI ERNST OFFICIALLY BACKS PETE HEGSETH FOR DOD AFTER INITIAL UNCERTAINTY

The week's postponed hearings join others that have yet to be noticed or scheduled by committee chairs, such as those for Director of National Intelligence (DNI) pick Tulsi Gabbard, United Nations Ambassador nominee Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., and Secretary of Agriculture pick Brooke Rollins, among others. 

Republicans have blamed delays in paperwork processing on bureaucracy as documents were determined as the reason why confirmation hearings are postponed or unscheduled. 

One source familiar told Fox News that Senate Republicans and Trump's transition are doing everything they can, but given the two recent federal government snow days, the document processing has fallen victim to bureaucratic hold up. 

'WASTE LESS, SAVE MORE': DOGE CAUCUS MEMBER ROLLS OUT EXPANSIVE BILL PACKAGE AHEAD OF TRUMP INAUGURATION

According to a Senate Democrat source, Trump will have difficulty trying to get nominees confirmed on the day of his inauguration. "We know he wants to do so, but it will be challenging given the delays," they told Fox News Digital. 

Waiting for paperwork was "frustrating," a GOP source on one committee told Fox News Digital. Committees have also had difficulty trying to connect with the U.S. Office of Government Ethics regarding nominees' documents. The source added that at times it seemed that the media had more information than the committee itself. 

Conservatives on social media celebrated President-elect Trump's attorney general nominee Pam Bondi's response to a question from Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I., during her confirmation hearing on Wednesday. 

"It would not be appropriate for a prosecutor to start with a name and look for a crime?" Whitehouse said during his line of questioning. "It's a prosecutor's job to start with a crime and look for a name. Correct?"

Bondi responded by highlighting the federal government’s investigations into Trump.

"Senator, I think that is the whole problem with the weaponization that we have seen the last four years and what's been happening to Donald Trump," Bondi said. 

TOP 5 MOMENTS FROM PETE HEGSETH'S SENATE CONFIRMATION HEARING

"They targeted Donald Trump. They went after him, actually starting back in 2016. They targeted his campaign. They have launched countless investigations against him. That will not be the case. If I am attorney general, I will not politicize that office," Bondi said. "I will not target people simply because of their political affiliation. Justice will be administered evenhandedly throughout this country. Senator, we've got to bring this country back together. We've got to move forward, or we're going to lose our country."

Conservatives on social media quickly took notice of the exchange. 

"Pam Bondi totally flips the script on Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D) who tried to make it seem like she will weaponize the DOJ," Florida’s Voice News assistant news director Eric Daughtery posted on X. "Masterclass."

"Pam Bondi is making Sheldon Whitehouse look stupid," Trump '24 deputy rapid response director Greg Price posted on X. 

MACHETE SUSPECT NABBED BEFORE TRUMP CAPITOL VISIT ALLEGEDLY RANTED ABOUT PRESIDENT-ELECT ONLINE

"Senator Whitehouse unironically explaining that prosecutors should have a crime and then look for a suspect, not the other way around," Fox News contributor Katie Pavlich posted on X. 

"Bondi responds by explaining DOJ did the opposite to Trump for years."

Fox News Digital reached out to Whitehouse's office but did not immediately receive a response.

Bondi is expected to be confirmed by the U.S. Senate and some have speculated that she will earn some votes from Democrats. 

The Biden administration is facing pushback from both sides of the political aisle for moving to cross Cuba off of the state sponsors of terrorism list.

The U.S. slapped Cuba with the designation in 2021 shortly before then-President Donald Trump left office. 

In a statement issued on Tuesday, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre noted that the administration is "taking several steps to support the Cuban people as part of an understanding with the Catholic Church under the leadership of Pope Francis and improve the livelihood of Cubans." 

"First, today we notified Congress that President Biden determined Cuba should no longer be designated as a State Sponsor of Terrorism," she continued. 

WHITE HOUSE REMOVES CUBA'S STATE SPONSOR OF TERRORISM DESIGNATION, REVERSING TRUMP ADMINISTRATION MOVE

"Secondly, we notified Congress that the President issued a waiver for Title III of the Helms-Burton Act, otherwise known as the Libertad Act, for a period of six months.  Finally, President Biden rescinded the 2017 National Security Presidential Memorandum 5 on Cuba policy to eliminate the so-called 'restricted list' and by extension the additional regulations on engagement by U.S. persons and entities with Cuban persons and entities, beyond that which is currently prescribed in U.S. legislation," she noted. "We have also been informed by the Catholic Church that the Cuban government will soon begin releasing a substantial number of political prisoners."

Democrats are divided on the matter.

The chair of the Florida Democratic Party urged the administration to "reverse course immediately."

"I am disappointed at the Biden Administration's plan to remove Cuba from the list of state sponsors of terrorism," Nikki Fried said in a statement shared on the Florida Democratic Party's X feed. "We condemn in the strongest terms Cuba's removal from this list, as well as any possible lifting of economic sanctions, and call on the Biden Administration to reverse course immediately."

Rep. Ritchie Torres, D-N.Y., also disagreed with the administration's decision.

"Do the majority of Cuban Americans support the removal of Cuba, an adversary of the US, from the list of state sponsors of terrorism? If the answer is ‘no,’ then why is the Biden Administration unnecessarily alienating Cuban Americans? I agree with the Florida Democratic Party here," the congressman posted.

Rep. Cathy Castor, D-Fla., declared in a statement, "Autocratic Cuba has failed its people, and I disagree with the President that sanctions should be lifted without an end to the Cuban regime's repression."

CHINA DENIES NEW REPORT LINKING CCP TO FOUR SITES IN CUBA ALLEGEDLY USED TO SPY ON THE US

Some Florida Republicans have leveled fierce criticism.

Rep. Carlos Gimenez, R-Fla., decried Biden's decision as "pathetic and cowardly." 

Rep. María Elvira Salazar, R-Fla., declared in a post, "Once again, the Democrats have BETRAYED the Cubans! Shame on the entire Biden Administration for taking Cuba off the State Sponsor of Terrorism list. Cuba is a LEADING sponsor of Terrorism, harboring, training & enabling Hamas, Hezbollah & other terrorist enemies of the USA."

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis also blasted the administration.

"The Biden Administration continues on its quest to leave as much wreckage behind on its way out the door as possible. Cuba should not be removed from the list of state sponsors of terrorism," he declared in a post on X.

CUBAN REGIME'S REPORTED RETURN TO MEDDLING IN US ELECTIONS A ‘BADGE OF HONOR' FOR TARGETED CRITICS

However, some Democrats have applauded the administration.

"I welcome the Biden administration's steps to remove Cuba from the state sponsor of terrorism list – a long overdue action that will help normalize relations with our neighbor," Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., said in a statement. 

Former Rep. Sean Duffy, R-Wis., was flanked by both sitting Wisconsin senators in a bipartisan show of support to kick off his Wednesday confirmation hearing before the Senate Commerce, Science & Transportation Committee.

Duffy, who served five terms after flipping a seat held by Democrat David Obey for decades, later moved on to work at Fox News; most recently co-hosting "The Bottom Line" with Dagen McDowell on FOX Business.

"I’m humbled by the fact that President Trump has nominated me to this very important position," Duffy said in his opening statement.

He also introduced the eight of his nine children present – as well as his wife, "Fox & Friends Weekend" co-host Rachel Campos-Duffy.

TRUMP NOMINEES BONDI, RUBIO, DUFFY AND MORE FACE SENATE GRILLING

He noted that his eldest son could not be in Washington on Wednesday, as he and his wife recently had a child and also live in Southern California, which is being ravaged by wildfires.

"No federal agency impacts Americans’ daily lives and loved ones like the Department of Transportation," he said, adding that President-elect Donald Trump "is a builder" and knows the importance of maintaining and building critical infrastructure. He also noted that Campos-Duffy survived a deadly head-on automobile collision, which brought highway safety to the forefront in his family.

Sen. Ben Ray Lujan, D-N.M., disclosed he too was involved in an accident with a drunk driver 30 years ago and does not like to talk about it.

Lujan appeared to get briefly emotional as he addressed Campos-Duffy in connecting over their shared experience – and praised Duffy for his stated goal to be remembered as a secretary who improved transportation safety.

Later in the hearing, Sen. Edward Markey, D-Mass., also stressed the importance of highway safety and disclosed he had been hit by a car at age 5.

Duffy also pledged to restore Americans’ trust in the airline industry amid some recent incidents, including problems at Boeing. "We want the best and the brightest air traffic controllers. We must modernize our systems with cutting edge technologies. I'll work with Congress and the FAA to restore global confidence in Boeing, and to ensure that our skies are safe," he said.

TRUMP NOMINATES SEAN DUFFY FOR USDOT

Similarly, Alaska Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan noted the Last Frontier was not yet a state when President Dwight Eisenhower launched the federal interstate program – and that 251 communities in his state still are not connected by roads.

Duffy pledged support for the federal program that ensures essential air service to far-flung communities in Alaska and other sparsely-populated states.

Sens. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., and Ted Budd, R-N.C., brought up the importance of making sure Hurricane Helene victims are "not forgotten."

Blackburn noted Interstate 40 – a crucial transcontinental artery from Wilmington, North Carolina, to Barstow, California, remains washed out across the Great Smoky Mountains.

During the September hurricane, a stretch of the eastbound lanes in Haywood County, North Carolina, collapsed into the then-raging Pigeon River, stymieing regional commerce and access to mountain communities. Parts of Virginia, North Carolina and Tennessee continue to see long-term closures of major arteries and communities trying to rebuild.

"We’re continuing to try to work through this process to get that rebuild, but we need to know this will be front and center with you so we can get that interstate rebuilt and reopened," Duffy told Blackburn.

He pledged to make his first official trip as secretary be one to the Helene-affected region of those states.

Speaking about support for alternative transportation means, ranking member Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., noted at one point that the monthly cost to own a car can be as high as $1,000, while riding public transit averages $100 per month.

Sen. Deb Fischer, R-Neb., said one issue that the Department of Transportation must address is the lack of means for electric vehicle drivers to pay into the highway trust fund. At present, taxes on gasoline are the main component of that revenue source.

Duffy responded that there should be a method through which green vehicles help fund the roads they drive on.

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In a light moment partway through the hearing, Sen. Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii, made mention of Duffy potentially visiting the Aloha State, to which Chairman Ted Cruz, R-Texas, joked that it may be a good junket for the entire panel.

Sen. Jerry Moran, R-Kan., asked Duffy to bring attention to passenger rail service in the Heartland, remarking that many times the primary focus has been on Amtrak’s Northeast Regional – which runs between Newport News, Virginia, and Boston.

He mentioned the Southwest Chief, a key two-day run between Chicago and Los Angeles, and how it is key to his state.

Additionally, New Jersey Democratic Sen. Andy Kim discussed recent mysterious drone sightings across the Garden State, as well as regional transit issues plaguing New York City suburbs.

A parliamentary researcher reported her drink had been tampered with at 6.30pm on Tuesday 7 January.

Tulip Siddiq resigned after an investigation found she had "inadvertently misled" the public.

Party's Senedd leader accuses presiding officer of "inappropriately" interrupting him on the issue.

U.S. Attorney General nominee Pam Bondi clashed with a senior Democratic senator during her confirmation hearing to lead the Department of Justice (DOJ) on Wednesday.

Bondi was forced to defend President-elect Donald Trump’s pick to lead the FBI, Kash Patel, when Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., pressed her on his past comments. 

He referenced Patel’s suggestion of closing down FBI headquarters and threatening an "enemies list," among other remarks.

TRUMP'S AG PICK HAS ‘HISTORY OF CONSENSUS BUILDING’

"Is that a person who, appropriately, should be the FBI director? Aren't those comments inappropriate? Shouldn't you disavow them and and ask him to recant them?" Blumenthal hammered.

Bondi replied, "Senator, I am not familiar with all those comments. I have not discussed those comments with Mr. Patel."

"What I do know, is Mr. Patel …" she began before Blumenthal attempted to cut her off.

Bondi pressed forward, "Excuse me. What I do know is Mr. Patel was a career prosecutor. He was a career public defender, defending people. And he also has great experience within the intelligence community."

'UNLIKELY COALITION': A CRIMINAL JUSTICE REFORM ADVOCATE SEES OPPORTUNITIES IN A SECOND TRUMP TERM

"What I can sit here and tell you is, Mr. Patel, if he works with running the FBI, if he is confirmed, and if I am confirmed, he will follow the law. If I am the attorney general of the United States of America, and I don't believe he would do anything otherwise," Bondi said.

Blumenthal replied, "Well, let me just submit that the response that I would have hoped to hear from you is that those comments are inappropriate, and that you will ask him to disavow or recant them when he comes before this committee, because they are indeed chilling to fair enforcement and the rule of law."

It comes after Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I., similarly pressed Bondi on what Democrats have called Patel’s "enemies list."

They are referring to a list of 60 people in Patel’s book "Government Gangsters: The Deep State, the Truth, and the Battle for Our Democracy," who he branded as part of the "deep state."

Bondi defended Patel during Whitehouse’s questioning as well, while vowing there would never be an "enemies list" at the DOJ.

Florida Republican Sen. Marco Rubio, who was tapped to lead the Department of State under the second Trump administration, was repeatedly interrupted by protesters during his Senate hearing on Wednesday. 

One female protester was heard shouting at Rubio in Spanish, while at least two men, including one wearing pink, were seen being pulled out of the hearing by Capitol Police after shouting. 

"I get bilingual protesters," Rubio quipped after a protester yelled at him in Spanish, earning laughter from the crowd.

Ahead of the hearing kicking off on Wednesday morning, Fox News Digital spotted Code Pink protesters wearing bright pink with shirts reading, "hands of Iran," and "stop killing the children of Gaza." They also sported anti-Rubio stickers on their headbands and hats.

HEGSETH INTERRUPTED BY MULTIPLE PROTESTERS DURING SENATE CONFIRMATION HEARING

Protesters were warned by the chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee ahead of the hearing kicking off to not disrupt proceedings, saying they will be removed from the hearing and won't be permitted back to a public hearing for at least a year. 

TOP 5 MOMENTS FROM PETE HEGSETH'S SENATE CONFIRMATION HEARING

PROTESTS ERUPT IN CHRIS WRIGHT'S CONFIRMATION HEARING

"Distractions will include not only noise, not only standing up, not only holding up painted hands, painted signs. None of that will be allowed. If you do that, I'm going to pause the committee. I'm going to ask our friends, first of all, my, my faithful, Sergeant at Arms here -- who's, perhaps, tougher than the Capitol Police. But also the Capitol Police to assist. And, we will pause briefly … If you are removed, you'll not be permitted back into one of these public hearings for at least 12 months. And, that's the purpose of this is, as I've stated, and it's important work," Republican Idaho Sen. James Risch, chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said in opening remarks. 

A handful of President-elect Donald Trump's picks for his cabinet are facing Senate hearings this week ahead of his inauguration on Monday. 

Department of Energy nominee Chris Wright's confirmation hearing was also interrupted by protesters on Wednesday, who shouted if his policies will "put out the fires in LA."

Protesters also interrupted Pete Hegseth's senate confirmation hearing on Tuesday, when he joined the Senate Armed Services Committee, when he was grilled by lawmakers ahead of a committee vote and final confirmation vote on his nomination as secretary of Defense. 

JD VANCE SPELLS OUT WHAT TRUMP'S PROCESS TO 'RECTIFY' 'UNFAIR' JAN 6 PROSECUTIONS COULD LOOK LIKE

"Veterans are committing suicide and are homeless, but we send money to bomb children in Gaza," one female protester wearing fatigues shouted as she was escorted from the hearing, Fox News Digital video shows. 

An elderly man who was handcuffed with zipties was also seen being escorted out of the hearing. Another man, also appearing to wear fatigues, was seen being carried out by Capitol Police. 

Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., asked Hegseth about the protesters during his hearing, including regarding the war in Israel that has been ongoing since 2023. 

"Another protester, and I think this one was a member of Code Pink, which, by the way, is a Chinese communist front group these days, said that you support Israel's war in Gaza. I support Israel's existential war in Gaza. I assume, like me and President Trump, you support that war as well," Cotton said. 

"I support Israel destroying and killing every last member of Hamas," Hegseth responded. 

Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee is calling a special legislative session to address his school choice bill, as well as other prioritizes of President-elect Trump's incoming administration, such as immigration law and disaster relief in the Volunteer State. 

Lee announced that he would call for the Tennessee General Assembly to convene a special session on Monday, Jan. 27, to pass the Education Freedom Act. The governor said he will introduce a disaster relief legislative package addressing recovery needs for Hurricane Helene, as well as future natural disasters, and that the session will also tackle public safety measures regarding immigration, "as the incoming Trump Administration has called on states to prepare for policy implementation."

The announcement from Tennessee came after Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said on Monday that he was calling a special session of his own to help coordinate Trump's planned illegal immigration crackdown in the Sunshine State.

Lee issued a joint statement with Tennessee Lt. Gov. Randy McNally, state House Speaker Cameron Sexton, state Senate Majority Leader Jack Johnson, and state House Majority Leader William Lamberth. 

TENNESSEE GOVERNOR BACKS TRUMP PLAN TO NIX DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, SEES BELLWETHER ON NEW SCHOOL CHOICE BILL

"We believe the state has a responsibility to act quickly on issues that matter most to Tennesseans, and there is widespread support in the General Assembly and across Tennessee for a special session on the most pressing legislative priorities: the unified Education Freedom Act and a comprehensive relief package for Hurricane Helene and other disaster recovery efforts," they said. "The majority of Tennesseans, regardless of political affiliation, have made it clear that they support empowering parents with school choice, and the best thing we can do for Tennessee students is deliver choices and public school resources without delay."

The statement added: "Hurricane Helene was an unprecedented disaster across rural, at-risk, and distressed communities that cannot shoulder the local cost share of federal relief funds on their own. The state has an opportunity and obligation to partner with these impacted counties and develop innovative solutions for natural disasters going forward." 

"Finally, the American people elected President Trump with a mandate to enforce immigration laws and protect our communities, and Tennessee must have the resources ready to support the Administration on Day One," they said. 

"Last year, Gov. Lee directed key state agencies to begin preparing for federal immigration policy implementation," Lee's press secretary, Elizabeth Lane Johnson, said in a statement to Fox News Digital. "In this special session, we will ensure the state is best positioned to coordinate with federal, state, and local law enforcement to implement the Trump Administration's plan to enforce the federal immigration laws on the books."

"President Trump has made it clear that states will play a major role in partnering with his Administration to make our communities safer. Tennessee is heeding the call," she added. 

Lee, whose initial school choice proposal failed in the state legislature earlier last year, spoke to Fox News Digital in November upon introducing a second package aimed at increasing parental rights. 

After Trump's decisive election win, the governor argued that the political environment on the ground in Tennessee is not what it was months before when the first school choice proposal failed. 

The election saw a wave of pro-school choice candidates win at the state level, and Trump succeeded in his bid for the White House. Lee told Fox News Digital that he agreed with Trump's promise to dismantle the U.S. Department of Education, echoing the president-elect's concern over the federal bureaucracy becoming entrenched with gender and race ideology rather than learning.

FORMER TRUMP EDUCATION SECRETARY LAYS OUT 'UNFINISHED BUSINESS' FOR NEW ADMIN ON SCHOOL REFORMS

"In this case, states certainly know best. We know best in Tennessee what our children need and how best to educate our kids. The parents of this state should be given a greater influence on how their kids are educated, and that will happen if the federal Department of Education is dismantled and those funds are delivered to states to be used in a more efficient and more effective way," Lee said at the time. "President Trump has long believed that school choice is important for the people of this country and that education freedom is something that all Americans could have. He's talked about it. He campaigned on it." 

Lee's new school choice bill, titled the Education Freedom Act of 2025, would draw from funding already approved by the state legislature to allow the state Department of Education to award up to 20,000 scholarships – valued at about $7,000 each – for the next school year to be spent on tuition, tutoring, technology and examination expenses. The first 10,000 scholarships would be set aside for low-income students whose parents might not otherwise afford to send their children to institutions other than the public schools in their districts. 

In addition to establishing Education Freedom Scholarships, Lee's office said the bill "further invests in public schools and teachers by delivering teacher bonuses to recognize their unwavering commitment to student success, increasing K-12 facilities funding, and ensuring state funding to school districts will never decrease due to disenrollment." The governor and the General Assembly "will maintain their commitment to public schools by further investing hundreds of millions of state dollars in the Tennessee Investment in Student Achievement (TISA) formula, and raising starting teacher pay," Lee's office said. 

The governor is also planning to invest more than $450 million in direct disaster relief.

Hurricane Helene "was an unprecedented disaster that primarily impacted at-risk and distressed counties, with eligible damage-related costs estimated at $1.2 billion," Lee's office said. 

The Disaster Relief Grants (DRG) Fund allocates $240 million "to bolster Tennessee’s existing disaster relief fund, as well as reduce the local cost-share burden from 12.5% to 5% and fund the state match requirement in order to access federal funds and cover administrative costs." Lee's package also establishes the Hurricane Helene Interest Payment Fund, which allocates $110 million to "help local governments manage loan interest for recovery costs by covering interest costs at 5% per year for three years on loans for recovery expenses."

Finally, the Governor’s Response and Recovery Fund allocates $100 million "to create a new program inspired by the HEAL Program that will provide flexible financial resources for future emergencies, including agricultural recovery, unemployment assistance, and business recovery efforts." The package also sets aside $20 million for the rebuilding of Hampton High School in Carter County, which was destroyed in Hurricane Helene.

Conservatives erupted on social media Tuesday following an exchange between Secretary of Defense nominee Pete Hegseth and freshman Sen. Tim Sheehy regarding gender identity. 

"How many genders are there?" the Montana senator asked Hegseth on Tuesday. "Tough one."

Hegseth responded, "Senator, there are two genders."

"I know that well, I’m a Sheehy, so I’m on board," Sheehy responded, referencing the "she" and "he" that make up his last name.

TOP 5 MOMENTS FROM PETE HEGSETH'S SENATE CONFIRMATION HEARING

After Hegseth laughed at the freshman senator's joke, Sheehy then went on to ask Hegseth, a fellow combat veteran, the diameter of a round fired out of a M4A1 rifle and how many pushups he could do.

The line of questioning, particularly the exchange on gender which Sheehy previously joked about on the campaign trail, immediately drew a response from conservatives. 

"Right on," GOP Congressman Darrell Issa posted on X.

'CLEAR VISION': CONSERVATIVES RALLY AROUND HEGSETH AFTER 'CRUSHING' FIERY CONFIRMATION HEARING

"QUESTION OF THE DAY," conservative influencer Benny Johnson posted on X.

"Legitimately the best joke every [ever] told in Congress," conservative commentator Ian Haworth posted on X.

"BEST EVER!" radio host Steve Gruber posted on X.

"Well, it looks like the new senator from Montana is a huge upgrade," RealClearInvestigations senior writer Mark Hemingway posted on X in reference to former Democratic Sen. Jon Tester, who Sheehy defeated in November.

"Montana knew what they were doing when they put @TimSheehyMT in the Senate," conservative commentator and former NCAA swimmer Riley Gaines posted on X.

"A-freakin’-MEN!" Wendy Rogers, Republican state senator from Arizona, posted on X.

Sheehy told Fox News host Sean Hannity on Tuesday night that Hegseth is going to do a "great job" and "we support him."

"That's why my questions were directed the way they were," Sheehy said. " I wanted to remind people what this job is really about and it's supporting the war fighter and protecting America."

The biggest island, Diego Garcia, hosts a joint UK-US airbase which is of strategic importance.