Rep. Marcy Kaptur, D-Ohio, sparked a firestorm on social media Wednesday over comments questioning DOGE chief Elon Musk’s allegiance to the United States given that he has been a citizen for "only" 22 years.

"Mr. Musk has just been here 22 years," Kaptur said outside the Capitol on Wednesday. "And he’s a citizen of three countries. I always ask myself the question, with the damage he’s doing here, when push comes to shove, which country is his loyalty to? South Africa? Canada? Or the United States? And he’s only been a citizen, I’ll say again, 22 years."

Kaptur, who has served in Congress since 1983, drew immediate criticism on social media from conservatives accusing Kaptur of hypocrisy and using language that Republicans would be pilloried for using. 

"Just like @elonmusk, I immigrated LEGALLY and pledged my full loyalty to America," Ohio GOP Sen. Bernie Moreno posted on X. "But Democrats just see us as cheap labor who pick their crops and mow their lawns. If you step out of line & question their liberal narrative, they say you don’t belong here. It’s disgusting."

ELON MUSK TAKES AIM AT NATIONAL DEBT, WARNS OF 'DE FACTO BANKRUPTCY' WITHOUT DOGE: '$2 TRILLION IN DEFICITS'

"Rep Marcy Kaptur (D-OH) is now a nativist when it comes to Elon Musk," Greg Price of the White House Rapid Response team posted on X. 

The White House’s official rapid response account also posted on X, saying, "@RepMarcyKaptur is now questioning the loyalty of American citizens. This is a new low."

"A really bad thing for Marcy Kaptur to say," Taxpayers Protection Alliance President David Williams posted on X. "Is she really saying this about immigrants?

Punchbowl News founder Jake Sherman posted on X that Kaptur’s comment was a "new tone for House Democrats…"

"Marcy Kaptur’s disgusting remark questioning Elon Musk’s loyalty based on his immigrant background exposes the Democrat Party’s descent into nativist rhetoric – the very thing they claim to oppose," NRCC spokesman Mike Marinella told Fox News Digital in a statement. 

"Their hypocrisy is clear: they champion open borders when it benefits them but resort to xenophobic attacks when an immigrant doesn’t align with their political agenda."

"Only immigrant the Democrats aren’t for," National Review editor Ramesh Ponnuru posted on X. 

WHO IS DOGE'S NEWLY IDENTIFIED ADMINISTRATOR AMY GLEASON? 'WORLD-CLASS TALENT'

"This is the attack they want to make?!" Republican communicator Matt Whitlock posted on X. "That Elon has only been a citizen for 22 years? The Trump administration continues to be blessed with the absolute dumbest opposition I’ve ever seen."

"I'm sorry, what?" Macarena Martinez, communications director for GOP Sen. Ted Cruz, posted on X. "If a Republican said this they would be cancelled"

Kaptur, 78, previously signed onto a House resolution in 2019 condemning President Trump for alleged xenophobic comments.

"This resolution states that immigrants and their descendants have made America stronger and naturalized citizens are just as American as those whose families have been in the United States for generations," the resolution stated. 

"It also expresses a commitment to keep America open to those who lawfully seek refuge from violence and oppression and those willing to work hard to achieve the American Dream, regardless of race, ethnicity, faith, or country of origin."

Musk has continued to draw the ire of Democrats in recent weeks for his cuts to federal spending and government programs. At the same time, polling suggests most Americans agree with DOGE's mission. 

Kaptur’s office did not respond to a request for comment from Fox News Digital.

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) eliminated federal regulations created during the Obama administration, which Secretary Scott Turner accused of putting "extreme and restrictive demands" on local housing developers. 

President Donald Trump rescinded the Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing (AFFH) rule, created under former President Barack Obama, during his first administration. Trump said at the time in a speech about cutting red tape in the federal government that the rule serves to "eliminate single-family zoning to destroy the value of houses" at the benefit of "far-left Washington bureaucrats." 

Then-President Joe Biden later worked to reinstate the rule but ultimately pulled back due to fear it could make him politically vulnerable as he sought reelection, according to Politico. On Wednesday, HUD initiated its own rulemaking to squash the Obama-era AFFH rule, which mandated that localities commission extensive analyses to certify that new housing developments do not exacerbate disparities among federally protected groups. This includes access to public transportation, schools, hospitals and parks.

HUD SECRETARY PROMISES TO SAVE THE SUBURBS

During a Wednesday conference call about the AFFH rule's termination, a HUD official said that discrimination that is prohibited under the Fair Housing Act of 1968 will still remain illegal. But under the new change, localities will now be able to self-certify that their new developments comply with anti-discrimination laws implemented under the 1968 Fair Housing Act.  

"Over the past four years, and really dating back to the Obama administration, far-left Democrats have tried to socially re-engineer communities from the top down," Turner said in a statement obtained by Fox News Digital. 

HUD SECRETARY DIRECTS AGENCY TO BAN TRANSGENDER WOMEN FROM FEDERALLY FUNDED WOMEN-ONLY SHELTERS

"By terminating the AFFH rule, localities will no longer be required to complete onerous paperwork and drain their budgets to comply with the extreme and restrictive demands made up by the federal government."

Turner added that as a result of cutting this regulation, the federal government will be able to "better serve rural, urban and tribal communities that need access to fair and affordable housing."

Research from the libertarian think tank the Cato Institute found that the AFFH rule, as initiated under Obama, cost taxpayers as much as $55 million annually to collect the certification information the regulation required.

Prominent attorney John Morgan, who supported President Joe Biden but did not get on board to back Vice President Kamala Harris' presidential candidacy, has announced plans to launch a new political party.

"I am forming a new political party for those of us stuck in the middle. Our two party system is broken due to Gerrymandering and divisive issues… both sides. No labels is not an option. Everyone wants a team or tribe. Ron Myers is my lawyer drafting the paperwork. Stay tuned," he wrote in a post on X, adding his lawfirm's catchphrase, "#ForThePeople."

In another post he noted that he did not vote for Trump or Harris last year.

BARRON TRUMP IS ‘SMARTER’ THAN HARRIS CAMPAIGN FOR TELLING FATHER TO GO ON JOE ROGAN: EX-DEM DONOR JOHN MORGAN

"People… we are all on the same f---ing team. I didn’t vote for Trump but I’m pulling like hell for Trump. I didn’t vote for Kamala either btw. It’s time for a third choice. If the choice is only vanilla or chocolate… you never get to eat strawberry," he declared.

Morgan has floated the idea of potentially mounting a gubernatorial bid. The Sunshine State's next gubernatorial race will take place in 2026.

Fox News Digital emailed Morgan and reached out to his law firm on Thursday to request a comment from the attorney regarding the new political party and whether he is still considering running for governor.

Back in 2017, ahead of the state's 2018 election, Morgan ruled out a gubernatorial bid, saying in a tweet that he couldn't "muster the enthusiasm to run for the nomination."

"And I can’t muster enthusiasm for any of today’s politicians. They are all the same. Both parties. I plan to register as an Independent and when I vote, vote for the lesser of two evils. And if I ever ran, run as an Independent," he added in another post at the time.

He said last year on the Fox News Channel that Harris "has no talent" and "can never run for president again."

TOP BIDEN DONOR ‘PAUSES’ FUNDRAISER: ‘THIS IS A DECISION FOR PRESIDENT BIDEN’

"She should go away, and never, ever come back," he told Kayleigh McEnany.

He described himself as a "Bill Clinton Democrat," but said that he is now an independent. 

"I love Joe Biden," he declared.

Fox News Digital searched for Morgan on Florida's "Voter Information Lookup" portal on Thursday and found a result indicating that Morgan has "No Party Affiliation."

Fox35orlando.com reported in a December article that the attorney has been registered as having no party affiliation for years.

During an interview with Chris Cuomo of NewsNation last year, Morgan praised former President Barack Obama and Rep. Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif.

"I wish he could be president for life," he said of Obama. 

He described Pelosi as the individual he admires "the most in America."

"Any time Nancy Pelosi asks me for money I give it," he said, adding that Pelosi took his children to meet the Dalai Lama. "Whatever she wants, I will do," he said. "I wish she was president."

BIDEN MEGADONOR REFUSES TO BACK KAMALA HARRIS ‘CORONATION,’ SAYS SHE CAN'T BEAT TRUMP

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"For me, it’s going to be giving to people, not party," the wealthy political donor said, according to a New York Times report published earlier this month. "The D.N.C. learned nothing from the last election."

President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy are set to sign a landmark mineral deal Friday that represents a breakthrough in their relationship, but leaves the work of hashing out the financial details for a later date.

"This is in some ways an agreement to make an agreement," said Doug Klain, policy analyst at Razom for Ukraine.

Even so, it was an abrupt turnaround from last week, when Zelenskyy rejected the initial terms for a deal. Trump, finding Zelenskyy ungrateful for U.S. help, declared him to be a "dictator" and said Ukraine "never should have started" the war. 

TRUMP SAYS MINERALS DEAL HAS BEEN 'PRETTY MUCH' NEGOTIATED WITH ZELENSKYY, MEETING SLATED FOR FRIDAY

So how did both parties turn things around? Here's what we know about the deal so far: 

Unlike an earlier iteration of the deal, the newest version, approved by the Ukrainian Cabinet on Wednesday, establishes a fund with joint U.S.-Ukraine ownership instead of 100% U.S. ownership. 

Ukraine’s Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said Wednesday Ukraine would be funneling half of its revenues from future oil, gas and mineral projects into the fund, with some of that money being reinvested for more development. The deal would exclude existing natural resources projects. 

The deal says that once both sides sign on to the initial framework, negotiations will begin on a "subsequent agreement" on who will control how much of the fund and its operation.

The U.S. initially demanded Ukraine offer $500 billion worth of its rare earths and other minerals as back payment for about $185 billion in aid. The latest versions of the deal do not include a concrete figure for how much of the mineral revenues the U.S. would receive or the size of the stake the U.S. would hold in the fund. 

At a Wednesday news conference, Zelenskyy still said his country would not be repaying the U.S. for any of the aid that has already been allocated. 

"I will not accept (even) 10 cents of debt repayment in this deal. Otherwise, it will be a precedent." 

But Trump seemed satisfied with the latest negotiations

RUBIO DENIES TRUMP IS EXCLUDING UKRAINE FROM RUSSIA TALKS, PUSHES BACK ON NATO CRITICISM

"We’re doing very well with Russia-Ukraine. President Zelensky is going to be coming on Friday. It’s now confirmed, and we’re going to be signing an agreement," he said Wednesday. 

The agreement has little in the way of details on how the U.S. would benefit financially.

"Perhaps U.S. companies will be contracted to do all the work of extraction, and could make big profits that way; perhaps the U.S. government would award itself an annual sum from the fund; or perhaps there would be a stipulation that U.S. companies could purchase the minerals at discounted rates," explained Peter Harris, a political science professor at Colorado State and fellow at restraint-minded group Defense Priorities. 

But rare earth mining is a long and arduous process. "It could be decades before anyone makes a dime from Ukraine's untapped natural resources," said Harris. 

Ukraine is looking for help from across the world to keep Russia out in the future if they can agree on terms to end the war. 

But Zelenskyy is desperate for U.S. participation since he does not believe European security guarantees alone are enough to deter Russian President Vladimir Putin from invading again.

U.S. officials have insisted America will not put boots on the ground. "I'm not going to make security guarantees beyond very much – we're going to have Europe do that because we're talking about Europe is their next-door neighbor," Trump said Wednesday.

But U.S. officials told Ukraine to read between the lines: if the U.S. has significant financial interests, potentially even workers on the ground in the region, it will defend those interests. 

"The Ukrainians are not quite convinced by that argument," said Klain. "It’s reminiscent of 1994, the agreement Ukraine made with the U.S., Russia and others to give up its nuclear arsenal, and the U.S. would say, ‘If anybody threatens your sovereignty, we’ll have your back.'"

"Ukraine does not want to get burned again."

ZELENSKYY LOOKING FOR ‘NATO OR SOMETHING SIMILAR’ AS HE PREPARES FOR MEETING WITH TRUMP

The agreement includes a vague reference that "supports Ukraine’s efforts to obtain security guarantees needed to establish lasting peace," according to the Kyiv Independent. 

 Harris said a "backdoor security guarantee" through a minerals deal amounted to "bad policy" for the U.S. 

"It [does not] serve the U.S. for large numbers of American workers to be stationed in an unstable post-conflict zone," he said. "Uncertain access to Ukraine's natural resources is not worth risking a NATO-Russia war." 

Ukraine controls over 100 major deposits of critical minerals, according to the Kyiv School of Economics, along with some oil and gas reserves. Its reserves hold titanium, lithium, graphite, rare earths and other minerals key to the energy and tech sectors. 

Trump wants revenues from the minerals as repayment, but he could also be looking to break China's monopoly on the rare earth metals used in phones, solar panels and other electronics. 

Putin, meanwhile, said he is open to offering the U.S. access to rare minerals, including those from Russia's "new territories" – those captured in its war on Ukraine. 

He said a U.S.-Ukraine mineral deal is not a concern and Russia "undoubtedly has, I want to emphasize, significantly more resources of this kind than Ukraine," in televised remarks. 

"As for the new territories, it's the same. We are ready to attract foreign partners to the so-called new, to our historical territories, which have returned to the Russian Federation," he added.

FIRST ON FOX: Rep. Marcus Luttrell, R-Texas, is introducing legislation that will require the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to report any crimes committed by individuals who were admitted into the U.S. under a controversial Biden-era immigration policy.

"If we’re serious about securing our country, we need to know exactly what we’re up against," Luttrell told Fox News Digital. 

The bill, dubbed the Criminal Illegal Alien Report act, will require DHS to provide Congress with a report on crimes committed by anyone who was admitted into the U.S. under the Process for Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans, and Venezuelans (CHNV) program.

TRUMP ADMIN TURNS TABLES ON POLICY 'EXPLOITED' BY BIDEN DHS TO SHIELD MORE HAITIANS FROM DEPORTATIONS

The controversial CHNV program, which was implemented under the Biden administration in 2022, initially allowed for asylum seekers in Venezuela to be paroled into the United States for up to two years if they had a person in the country who agreed to financially support them. Cuba, Haiti and Nicaragua were added to the list of countries the program supported in 2023, with the program allowing for 30,000 people per month from the four countries to enter the United States.

While the Biden administration touted the program's success for reducing the numbers of individuals attempting to illegally cross the U.S. southern border by land, it did not slow the number of total migrants entering the country, with CHNV program beneficiaries instead being mandated to travel by air to a U.S. airport before being paroled into the country.

TRUMP ADMIN ENDS DEPORTATION PROTECTIONS FOR MASSIVE NUMBER OF VENEZUELANS AMID ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION CRACKDOWN

The program drew even more scrutiny when Jose Ibarra, a Venezuelan national paroled into the U.S. under CHNV in 2022, attacked and ultimately killed University of Georgia Student Laken Riley.

While President Donald Trump shut down the program by executive order on his first day in office, Luttrell pointed out that more than 50,000 people were paroled into the U.S. at airport ports of entry nationwide.

Luttrell also pointed out that in addition to the Riley murder, another CHNV beneficiary was arrested in 2024 after being accused of sexually abusing a 14-year-old girl in Virginia.

"The bill I introduced will give Congress the hard facts we need to work with the Trump administration to strengthen security and make sure those who threaten our communities are stopped in their tracks," Luttrell said. "Protecting Americans should be the top priority."

FIRST ON FOX: House Republicans are seeking to prevent the use of taxpayer dollars to incentivize what they describe as "green energy boondoggles" on agricultural lands, citing subsidies that could cost taxpayers hundreds of billions of dollars over the next decade.

Rep. Tom Tiffany, R-Wis., is introducing legislation on Thursday, shared first with Fox News Digital, to end federal funding of renewable subsidies for wind and solar development on agricultural lands.

The bill, titled the Future Agriculture Retention and Management (FARM) Act, would not prevent developers from building wind turbines or solar panels, but rather end the use of federal funds to encourage such projects.

"Taxpayer dollars shouldn’t be used to sacrifice farmland for green energy boondoggles," Tiffany told Fox News Digital in a statement. "The FARM Act ends corporate welfare for unreliable energy sources and ensures agricultural land is protected for future generations."

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Renewable subsidies for clean energy projects, such as wind and solar, could cost taxpayers $424.6 billion over the next decade, according to an analysis by the Treasury Department for 2024-2033, cited by the Republican congressman in a press release.

The congressman said he introduced the FARM Act after hearing concerns from his constituents who "fear too much farmland is being taken away" amid the push for more green energy projects. 

If the bill is passed, Tiffany hopes that it will "protect family farms for generations to come, save American farmland, and safeguard long-term food security," citing a report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) revealing that in 2022, U.S. farmland was down 6.9% from 2017, suffering a total decline of 20.1 million acres.

Lawmakers cosponsoring the legislation include Reps. Ben Cline, R-Va., Warren Davidson, R-Ohio, and Roger Williams, R-Texas.

The bill comes after the Biden administration pushed the use of federal funds to incentivize green energy projects, such as the USDA's Rural Energy for America Program, which provided grant funding to agricultural producers for small and large wind and solar generation.

FIRST ON FOX: Sen. Tom Cotton, chair of the Republican Conference and Select Committee on Intelligence, revealed his plans to run for re-election in Arkansas in 2026, telling Fox News Digital in an exclusive interview how he plans to help build on the GOP majority for the next Congress and sharpen his focus on national security, namely the threat posed by communist China. 

"It's been a great honor and privilege to serve the people of Arkansas in the United States Senate," he said, pointing to several GOP accomplishments. 

The Arkansas Republican is going into his re-election bid with a whopping $8 million in cash on hand between his campaign and leadership accounts, his campaign said. This is more than triple the amount he had for his 2020 campaign, in which he handily defeated his opponent. 

TULSI GABBARD GIVES EXCLUSIVE GLIMPSE OF TRUMP'S FIRST CABINET MEETING

Cotton has amassed 135,000 donations, coming from tens of thousands of people from each of the state's 75 counties, per his campaign. 

Cotton also boasts endorsements from all statewide officials in Arkansas, including Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders, Lieutenant Governor Leslie Rutledge, Attorney General Tim Griffin, Secretary of State Cole Jester, Treasurer John Thurston, Auditor of State Dennis Milligan and Land Commissioner Tommy Land, all Republicans.

This support is in addition to the backing of congressional Republicans Sen. John Boozman, and Reps. Rick Crawford, Steve Womack, French Hill and Bruce Westerman—all of Arkansas' D.C. delegation.

"Senator Cotton is fortunate to have overwhelming support from Arkansans who recognize that he has fought and delivered for conservative values," said Brian Colas, Cotton's campaign adviser, in a statement.

DEM SENATOR'S 'DARK MONEY CORRUPTION' HYPOCRISY REVEALED IN ETHICS COMPLAINT, EXPERT SAYS

The senator also has the endorsements of several GOP senators he serves alongside, including Senate Majority Leader John Thune of South Dakota, Senate Majority Whip John Barrasso of Wyoming, and Sens. Tim Sheehy of Montana, Jim Banks of Indiana, Bernie Moreno of Ohio, and Tommy Tuberville and Katie Britt of Alabama.

"A fellow combat veteran, Tom Cotton’s entire career has been about serving the American people – whether it was on the battlefields of Iraq and Afghanistan or at home in Congress. As chairman of the Senate Republican Conference, he is a tireless warrior for the America First agenda, fighting to secure the border, rebuild our military, bring down costs, and restore common sense in D.C. The people of Arkansas are blessed to have Tom as their voice in the Senate, and I’m proud to give him my endorsement," Sheehy said in a statement. 

In his own statement, Tuberville noted that Cotton was born in Camden, Arkansas, a state "that holds a special place in my heart."

"Tom's a conservative fighter who puts America first. He's tough on crime, strong on national security, and understands the Constitution. I'm honored to serve with Senator Cotton and look forward to his leadership in the Republican Party for years to come," he added. 

EXCLUSIVE: INSIDE REPUBLICANS' LONG GAME TO CONFIRM TRUMP FBI DIRECTOR KASH PATEL

While a significant portion of Cotton's time in the Senate has been spent pushing back on Democratic policies, the senator added, "I'm very excited now. We have a chance for at least the next four years with President Trump and a Republican Congress to get our state and get our nation back on track."

Cotton was first elected to the Senate in 2014 and was re-elected in 2020. He is now seeking his third term in the upper chamber. 

Now, with Republicans holding a trifecta of power in Washington, D.C., he'll have several years to advance key policies that he likely would not be able to if Democrats led Congress. 

"I've been in the majority. I've been in the minority. It's much better to be in the majority," he said. 

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He doesn't expect Democrats to come to power anytime soon, either. "I'm very confident that we're not just going to keep our majority in the Senate, but we're going to grow our majority next year," he said in reference to the 2026 Senate election map. 

Cotton's latest venture is his newly-released book, "Seven Things You Can't Say About China," which just became a #1 New York Times bestseller. "Most Americans have a rightly low opinion of Communist China, but however bad you think the Chinese Communist Party is, or dangerous it is to America, it's actually much worse," he said.

"I think the success we've had in the first week since the book was published just reflects how many Americans, how many Arkansans are concerned about communist China," the senator said, adding that it will be a "centerpiece of my campaign."

Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker signed a letter on Tuesday that calls for the White House to release $1.88 billion in approved federal funding that he says the Trump administration is withholding.

Pritzker, an outspoken critic of President Donald Trump, said in the letter addressed to Russel Vought, director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), that the nearly $2 billion in federal funds "were passed by Congress, signed into law, and promised to Illinois."

"We have an obligation to Illinois taxpayers and residents to demand answers about the future of this funding," the letter said, "including when the Trump Administration will follow the law and make good on the federal government’s promise to deliver hard-earned taxpayer dollars back into Illinois’ economy, workforce, and communities." 

The letter stated that nine Illinois agencies, boards and commissions are unable to access $692 million obligated but not yet received from the federal government. Ten state entities were expecting another $1.19 billion in federal funds yet to be obligated, and grants or programs have been "essentially paused."

‘DULY OWED TO US’: BLUE STATE GOVERNOR SAYS $2.1B IN FEDERAL FUNDING RESTORED AFTER SUING TRUMP ADMIN

While the letter did not specify which state agencies and other entities were supposed to have received the funds, it shared some details on what kind of programs were affected.

"These frozen funds impact programs that provide technical assistance for small businesses, provide affordable solar energy for low-income residents, improve roads and bridges, and more," according to the letter.

SHAPIRO LATEST DEMOCRAT SUING 'UNCONSTITUTIONAL' TRUMP ADMIN

The White House Office of Management and Budget directed agencies to halt federal funding on Jan. 27 in compliance with Trump's executive orders. Federal judges had issued a temporary restraining order to block the funding freeze, but only states with litigation against the Trump administration were able to access the unfrozen funds.

The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Fox News Digital’s Deirdre Heavy contributed to this report.

President Donald Trump's nominee for labor secretary cleared a key vote before the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) on Thursday morning after picking up Democratic support from Sen. Maggie Hassan, D-N.H. 

Lori Chavez-DeRemer's past support for the Protecting the Right to Organize (PRO) Act seemed to jeopardize her confirmation odds last week, when Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., said he would not vote for her if she continued to support the PRO Act. Paul's reluctance meant Chavez-DeRemer would likely need some Democrats' support to pass the key confirmation hurdle. 

Hassan's support, as a Democrat on the HELP Committee, was a breakthrough for Chavez-DeRemer's chances. 

"The Department of Labor plays an integral role in supporting workers and small businesses alike, and after hearing significant support from constituents, including members of labor unions in New Hampshire, I will support Representative Chavez-DeRemer's nomination as Secretary of Labor," Hassan shared in a statement to Fox News Digital. 

TRUMP'S NOMINEE FOR LABOR SECRETARY WALKS BACK SUPPORT FOR PRO ACT, EMBRACES REPUBLICAN RIGHT-TO-WORK LAWS

Hassan admitted that she "may not agree on everything" with Chavez-DeRemer, but she is "qualified" to serve and earned "significant support" from New Hampshire voters.

SENATE CONFIRMS TRUMP NOMINEE JAMIESON GREER AS US TRADE REPRESENTATIVE

"Though we may not agree on everything, after meeting with Representative Chavez-DeRemer and listening to her testimony during her confirmation hearing, I believe that she is qualified to serve as the next secretary of labor, and I look forward to working with her to support New Hampshire's workers and small businesses," Hassan added. 

Chavez-DeRemer supported the PRO Act as a representative for Oregon’s 5th Congressional District but told senators during her confirmation hearing that she no longer supports overturning Republican-supported right-to-work laws under the PRO Act.

The PRO Act would effectively kill state-level laws that prevent employers and unions from requiring workers to pay union dues as a condition of their employment. Republicans oppose the PRO Act for overturning right-to-work laws. 

Chavez-DeRemer went into the committee vote without Paul's voting plan publicly known. But, going in with Hassan's support, Chavez-DeRemer was much less likely to be reliant on Paul to be reported favorably out of the committee. 

"If she wanted to make a public statement saying that her support for the PRO Act was incorrect and she no longer does, then I'd think about her nomination," Paul told Fox News Digital in a statement ahead of Chavez-DeRemer’s hearing. 

"So you no longer support the aspect of the PRO Act that would have overturned state right-to-work laws?" Paul asked during the hearing. 

"Yes, sir," she replied. 

Paul's office did not respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment on how he would vote in committee, however.

Chavez-DeRemer testified before the HELP Committee on Feb. 19. 

Once reported out of committee, Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., can file a motion to end Senate floor debate on the nominee, triggering a later cloture vote. Once the debate is closed, senators will cast their final confirmation vote. 

During her hearing, Chavez-DeRemer advocated for trade school investments to expand "educational pathways beyond the traditional four-year degree" to strengthen the American workforce. She said she is committed to leveling the playing field for American businesses, workers and unions. 

Chavez-DeRemer also thanked Trump and credited him with the "single greatest political achievement of our time" in building a "new coalition of working-class Americans."

"President Trump has united a new coalition of working-class Americans like never before. With 59.6% of Teamsters backing him, historic support from African-American and Latino voters, and record-breaking turnout in once-solid blue cities and states, Americans are speaking loud and clear. They are calling for action, progress and leadership that puts the American worker first," Chavez-DeRemer said.

Trump nominated Chavez-DeRemer for secretary of labor less than three weeks after he was elected president.

"Lori has worked tirelessly with both Business and Labor to build America’s workforce, and support the hardworking men and women of America," Trump wrote.

"I look forward to working with her to create tremendous opportunity for American Workers, to expand training and apprenticeships, to grow wages and improve working conditions, to bring back our manufacturing jobs. Together, we will achieve historic cooperation between Business and Labor that will restore the American Dream for Working Families," he added.

U.S. service members who are transgender or otherwise exhibit gender dysphoria are prohibited from military service unless they obtain an exemption, according to an internal Pentagon memo.

The memo, revealed in a court filing on Wednesday night, details the Trump administration's new policy regarding transgender individuals. The policy notes that such service members "may be considered for a waiver on a case-by-case basis, provided there is a compelling Government interest."

"Service members who have a current diagnosis or history of, or exhibit symptoms consistent with, gender dysphoria are disqualified from military service," the memo reads.

"Service members who have a history of cross-sex hormone therapy or a history of sex reassignment or genital reconstruction surgery as treatment for gender dysphoria or in pursuit of a sex transition, are disqualified from military service," the memo continues.

JUDGE GRANTS 19 AGS PRELIMINARY INJUNCTION AGAINST DOGE ACCESS TO TREASURY PAYMENT SYSTEM

The memo goes on to stipulate a number of requirements a solider must meet in order to obtain an exemption.

The soldier must demonstrate 36 consecutive months of "stability in the service member's sex." The soldier must demonstrate that they have never attempted to transition to any sex other than their sex. Finally, the soldier must be willing to adhere to any standards associated with their sex.

The Pentagon's transgender ban is currently facing legal challenges. Trump's Justice Department filed a complaint against the presiding judge, Ana Reyes, accusing her of potential bias and misconduct.

OFFICIALS PUSH BACK ON CLAIMS ON ‘LIST’ OF GENERALS HEGSETH PLANS TO FIRE AT PENTAGON

The letter, addressed to Chief Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit Sri Srinivasan and signed by Attorney General Pam Bondi’s chief of staff, Chad Mizelle, concerns what the DOJ characterized as Reyes’ "misconduct" during the proceedings in Nicolas Talbott v. Donald J. Trump. The case was brought by two LGBTQ groups challenging the Trump administration’s executive orders barring transgender individuals from serving in the U.S. military.

According to the complaint, the transcript "reveals multiple instances where Judge Reyes’ misconduct compromised the dignity of the proceedings and demonstrated potential bias, raising serious concerns about her ability to preside impartially in this matter." In addition to appearing to take the plaintiffs' side on the issue of transgender service members, Reyes also went on a bizarre rant against graduates of University of Virginia School of Law.

The letter closes by requesting that "appropriate action be taken to address these violations," saying that, at a "minimum, this matter warrants further investigation to determine whether these incidents represent a pattern of misconduct that requires more significant remedial measures."

Fox News' Jennifer Griffin and Jake Gibson contributed to this report.

Democrats in Congress are facing backlash for their opposition to bipartisan legislation aimed at closing loopholes in U.S. drug laws taken advantage of by fentanyl traffickers.

The HALT Fentanyl Act, which would make the temporary Schedule I classification for fentanyl analogs permanent, has been opposed by a George Soros-backed drug policy nonprofit that claims the bill will exacerbate mass incarceration and limit research on these types of opioids. Democrats, such as Sen. Cory Booker of New Jersey, have pushed the same arguments, while also seeking to impede the bill's passage with various amendments and procedural maneuvers. 

During comments Tuesday from the Senate floor, as he called to extend the temporary scheduling of fentanyl analogs, Booker claimed that the HALT act will implement "harsher penalties for drugs" and that he would "not stop working until this body does more than just scheduling." Other Democratic senators, such as Rhode Island's Sheldon Whitehouse and Massachusetts' Ed Markey, have said the HALT Act will impede research on fentanyl analogs and exacerbate mass incarceration among minority communities.

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Booker cited testimony Tuesday from parents who lost their children to fentanyl overdoses during his remarks, but the same grieving parents he pointed to are calling on Congress to quit stalling the move to permanently schedule fentanyl analogs as Schedule I substances. 

"Continuing resolutions to accommodate the scheduling aspect of fentanyl analogs is simply a method of kicking the can further down the road," Jaime Puerta, who lost his son, Daniel, in 2020 to a fentanyl overdose, wrote in a letter to Booker Wednesday and obtained by Fox News Digital. "Fentanyl and its analogs have been the leading cause of overdose deaths in the United States, with synthetic opioids accounting for over 74,000 fatalities in 2023 alone. Your reluctance to support the HALT Fentanyl Act disregards the escalating death toll and the devastating impact on families and communities nationwide."

Another parent who lost their child to fentanyl in 2014, Lauri Badura, wrote in a separate letter to the top members of the Senate Judiciary Committee that if they can't pass the HALT Act "how can the public hold out hope Congress will fix the larger problem of illicit fentanyl crossing our borders every single day?"

"I am not alone in urging passage of the HALT Fentanyl Act," Badura wrote. "Families across America – in your states! – who have lost a child or loved one to fentanyl poisoning want this bill passed. Our kids did not want to die."

The arguments put forth by Democrats against this bipartisan bill mirror those of the Soros-backed Drug Policy Alliance, a New-York-based 501(c)3, which declined to provide comment for this story. 

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Earlier this month, after the House passed the HALT Act with a vote of 312-108, the nonprofit responded with a statement warning the bill would "create new mandatory minimum sentences for fentanyl-related substances" and block "potential research that could uncover new overdose medications."

Stanford University's Keith Humphreys, a former senior policy adviser in the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy, argued that claims the HALT Act's scheduling permanency will increase incarceration rates among minority communities – similar to the impact of crack cocaine laws during the War on Drugs – are likely unfounded. 

"I don't think [the HALT Act] is going to make a big difference," Humphreys said. "It's illegal now, you can't go around doing fentanyl analogs … also the market size is just not comparable to the number of players that we had with crack." 

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Humphreys added that while it can be "hard" to get the approval to study Schedule I substances, it is "not impossible." But there are ways to schedule fentanyl analogs as Class I substances to remove these barriers, he noted. "You want to start scheduling drugs for use and for science and let them have two indicators." 

According to its sponsors, the HALT Act would serve to reduce bureaucratic hurdles by streamlining the registration process for Schedule I researchers, opening up the door for more scientists to study fentanyl analogs.  

"Law Enforcement needs permanence. It needs a definitive change to combat the opioid crisis and to go after the criminals flooding communities with deadly drugs," said Sen. Bill Cassidy, R–La., a former physician who introduced the HALT Act alongside Sens. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, and Martin Heinrich, D-N.M. "Congress' inaction only emboldens China, drug cartels and other criminals who exploit our communities."

But some Democrats, like Booker, want more done. 

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"This can't be all Congress does. The whole bill cannot be our only response, because the whole bill permanently schedules what we have already scheduled temporarily," Booker said Tuesday. "I've watched now, for at least three congresses that I've worked on trying to get a larger approach to meet the fentanyl crisis," he continued. "And three congresses, this body has failed to rise to the challenge. I'm dying to be here when my colleague tells me, 'I told you so" – and I give him permission to do that – that this body will do something beyond just scheduling."

Fox News Digital reached out to Booker and other Democrats for purposes of this story, including Whitehouse and Markey, but did not receive any responses by publication time. 

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., chair of the House Oversight DOGE subcommittee, threatened potential "criminal referrals" during a hearing Wednesday on the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).  

"This committee, based on this hearing and witness testimonies, will consider recommending investigations and criminal referrals," Greene said, beginning a line of questioning after several witnesses made opening remarks to the committee. The congresswoman reiterated that Hunter Biden was on the board of the Ukrainian energy company Burisma when his father, Joe Biden, was vice president. 

"The prosecutor general of Ukraine at the time, Viktor Shokin, was investigating Burisma for corruption. Biden threatened, and it's on video, to withhold 1 billion of USAID grant to Ukraine if Shokin wasn't fired," Greene said, before questioning one of the witnesses, former USAID official and Heritage Foundation senior research fellow, Max Primorac.

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"Is USAID supposed to be used as leverage by a president to protect his son?" she asked. 

Primorac responded, "No, we call that corruption." 

"In your estimation, roughly what percentage of USAID funding is doled out to bad actors or to efforts that don't have the best interests of Americans in mind?" Greene added. 

Primorac said it was discovered through the work of the House Foreign Affairs Committee that USAID has been paying out over 50% to overhead charges and the inspector general of USAID "criticized the agency for not knowing the overhead charges being handed out to all of these actors for $142 billion of disbursements." 

"That is extremely troubling," he added. 

Another witness, Middle East Forum Executive Director Gregg Roman, said in his opening statement that he was there to testify "because there’s a fox loose in the henhouse of our foreign aid system – a system intended to uplift lives abroad that instead has funneled millions of taxpayer dollars to radical and terrorist-linked organizations." 

"If we don’t fix these fences now, we risk fueling violence against our allies, our troops, and potentially ourselves," he said, later adding: "I urge this committee to make a formal criminal referral to the Department of Justice regarding USAID's systemic failure to prevent taxpayer dollars from reaching terrorist organizations. USAID’s reckless bureaucrats should be dragged not just in front of this committee, but before a criminal court judge who can get to the bottom of this travesty and lock up any government official who risked the lives of innocent people around the world to advance these radical anti-American pet projects." 

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Greene did not specify who would potentially be the recipients of the criminal referrals. 

The chairwoman said that the "Democrat-run USAID should not get to use our federal government – our U.S. taxpayer dollars – as their party piggy bank to push their radical agenda in countries that we have no business giving money to."

Greene said 95% of all political contributions from USAID employees go to Democratic Party candidates or PACs. 

"The revolving door between USAID employees and NGOs that receive USAID funding is undeniable. Maybe we should consider investigating whether USAID funding has made it back to Democrat campaigns?" she later asked. 

In her closing remarks, Greene again posed bringing criminal referrals in connection to USAID funding. 

"What we have heard today is that USAID has been used as a tool by Democrats to brainwash the world with globalist propaganda to force regime changes around the world," she said. "But if USAID funded terrorism that resulted in the death of Americans," Greene added, "then this committee will be making criminal referrals."

Committee Democrats spent the hearing arguing that the Trump administration's dismantling of USAID was illegal, and is "reordering the global stage" to favor foreign adversaries and "undermining global democracy." 

EXCLUSIVE - A leading conservative organization that is already a big spender in Republican primary politics is looking to up its game in the 2026 election cycle as it aligns with President Donald Trump and his political team.

"Our goal is going to be even bigger and do more," Club for Growth President David McIntosh emphasized in an exclusive interview with Fox News Digital.

The Club for Growth is a political advocacy organization which pushes a fiscally conservative agenda, including a focus on tax cuts and other economic issues. 

Its political arm, the Club for Growth Action super PAC, has been a major player in GOP primary showdowns.

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Club for Growth Action says it and its affiliated super PACs raised $163 million in the 2024 election cycle, and touts that it won 73% of the races where it made political investments. The group says it aims to up the ante in the 2026 cycle, and it works to strengthen the Republican majorities in the House and Senate.

McIntosh said that when it comes to increasing its investments this year and next year, "a lot of that depends on the members. We’re dependent on our donors to help us fund these races."

However, he added, "we’ve got some very good, generous people who support us in that."

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"One of the key factors," McIntosh emphasized, "is going to be President Trump and his endorsement. That literally trumps everything else. So what we would do is recommend to him and his political team what candidates that we think would support his agenda, the free market, limited government conservatives that we could support together."

McIntosh and the Club have had an up-and-down relationship with Trump. They opposed Trump as he ran for the White House in 2016 before embracing him as an ally. In the 2022 cycle, Trump and the Club teamed up in some high-profile GOP primaries but clashed over combustible Senate nomination battles in Alabama, Ohio and Pennsylvania.

Additionally, the Club was on the outs with Trump as the 2024 Republican presidential nomination race got underway. Trump repeatedly criticized McIntosh and the Club, referring to them as "The Club for NO Growth," and claimed they were "an assemblage of political misfits, globalists, and losers."

However, Trump and McIntosh made peace about a year ago, with Trump saying in March 2024, as he was wrapping up the GOP presidential nomination, that they were "back in love" after the protracted falling out.

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"I think you’ll see Club for Growth PACs work closely with President Trump, his political team," McIntosh told Fox News. "We’re definitely going to be working closely with his policy team to get the tax bill through, a lot of the legislation that we both agree is really important for turning things around in the country."

Club officials say that they are planning an eight-figure federal advocacy campaign to support what they call the pro-growth, free-market initiatives proposed by the Trump administration. A top item their campaign will spotlight is the push to expand and permanently codify the Trump tax cuts passed during his first term in the White House.

The group is also advocating for federal school freedom legislation, which would allow parents "to use federal tax dollars to send their students to the public, private, charter, or homeschool that best fits their learning needs."

Club for Growth Action last year teamed up with allied groups to target and defeat 10 GOP incumbent state lawmakers in Texas who had opposed the so-called school choice legislation. The group also spent big bucks in Tennessee on a similar mission, and this year is continuing its crusade in five other states where school choice bills are being considered.

The Club on Thursday kicks off its annual donor retreat for top-dollar contributors, which is held each year at an exclusive beachfront resort in the upper crust seaside community of Palm Beach, Florida.

Some of the best-known names on the right will be speaking at the confab, as they mingle with big-pocketed donors.

Among the politicians attending are Sens. Ted Cruz of Texas, Mike Lee of Utah, Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee, Rand Paul of Kentucky, Tim Scott of South Carolina (who is the chair of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, the Senate GOP's campaign arm), Rick Scott of Florida and freshman lawmaker Bernie Moreno of Ohio.

Among the House members attending are House Speaker Mike Johnson and Reps. Byron Donalds, who is moving towards a 2026 run for governor in Florida, and Nancy Mace of South Carolina, who is also mulling a gubernatorial bid.

Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida is also attending, as is Vivek Ramaswamy, who earlier this week launched a 2026 campaign for Ohio governor.

The sheer scale of cuts the Trump administration is looking to carry out at the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) has been revealed, with nearly 15,000 grants worth $60 billion set to be eliminated, according to internal documents.

The grants amount to about 90% of foreign aid contracts and come after a review on spending by the State Department. 

USAID aid became an early target of the Trump administration, with the president being a longtime critic of overseas spending, arguing that it does not benefit the American taxpayer and going so far as to call those who run the top agency "radical lunatics."

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Republicans argue it is wasteful, promotes liberal agendas and should be enfolded into the State Department, while Democrats say it saves lives abroad and helps U.S. interests by stabilizing other countries and economies.

In all, the Trump administration said it will eliminate 5,800 of 6,200 multi-year USAID contract awards, for a cut of $54 billion. Another 4,100 of 9,100 State Department grants were being eliminated, for a cut of $4.4 billion, according to a State Department memo reviewed by the Associated Press.

The State Department memo described the administration as spurred by a federal court order that gave officials until the end of the day Wednesday to lift the Trump administration’s monthlong block on foreign aid funding.

"In response, State and USAID moved rapidly," targeting USAID and State Department foreign aid programs in vast numbers for contract terminations, the memo said.

The memo said officials were "clearing significant waste stemming from decades of institutional drift." More changes are planned in how USAID and the State Department deliver foreign assistance, it said, "to use taxpayer dollars wisely to advance American interests."

U.S. Supreme Court Justice John Roberts on Wednesday paused a federal judge’s order that required the Trump administration to pay around $2 billion in foreign aid funds to contractors by midnight. 

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The ruling comes after the Trump administration asked the Supreme Court for an emergency order to block the release of U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) funding, which the federal judge had required by midnight. Officials had said they would not be able to comply with the judge’s order.

USAID was set up in the early 1960s to act on behalf of the U.S. to deliver aid across the globe, particularly in impoverished and underdeveloped regions. The agency now operates out of 60 nations and employs some 10,000 people, two-thirds of whom work overseas – though most of the on-the-ground work is contracted out to third-party organizations funded by USAID, according to a BBC report.

But the agency has come in for considerable criticism as Trump and Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) look to root out waste, fraud and abuse in the federal government. 

Musk likened the agency to "not an apple with a worm in it," but "just a ball of worms." 

"You’ve got to basically get rid of the whole thing. It’s beyond repair., Musk wrote on X earlier this month.

Trump has moved to gut the agency after imposing a 90-day pause on foreign aid. The Trump administration plans to gut the agency and intends to leave fewer than 300 staffers on the job out of the current 8,000 direct hires and contractors. He has also appointed Secretary of State Marco Rubio as the acting director of USAID.

The news comes as thousands of staffers were notified weeks ago about pending dismissals. Some were seen leaving Washington, D.C., offices for the last time on Friday carrying boxes scrawled with messages that seemed to be directed at President Donald Trump.

Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, the Senate DOGE Caucus Chairwoman, recently published a list of questionable projects and programs she says USAID has helped fund over the years, including $20 million to produce a Sesame Street show in Iraq. 

Several more examples of questionable spending have been uncovered at USAID, including more than $900,000 to a "Gaza-based terror charity" called Bayader Association for Environment and Development and a $1.5 million program slated to "advance diversity, equity, and inclusion in Serbia's workplaces and business communities."

Fox News’ Bill Mears, Andrew Mark Miller, Aubrie Spady, Deirdre Heavey, Caitlin McFall, Morgan Phillips and Emma Colton as well as Reuters and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Cheshire MP Mike Amesbury, convicted of a street assault, was originally sent straight to jail.

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The prime minister announced the UK will reallocate aid funds to boost military spending to 2.5% of GDP by 2027.

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