After taking to social media to announce he was ditching his Tesla because it was made by an "a--hole" he claimed is damaging the country, Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., refused to say whether Democrats’ inflammatory rhetoric against Elon Musk is to blame for the ongoing spate of attacks against Tesla owners and dealers across the country.

Kelly also refused to say whether the attacks — some of which have involved shooting at and throwing Molotov cocktails into dealerships — qualify as "domestic terrorism."

The Arizona senator admitted that "it’s certainly vandalism and it’s a crime, a significant crime, especially if you firebomb a car or vandalize somebody’s vehicle, or even key somebody’s vehicle, you shouldn’t be doing it."

While Kelly said those responsible should be tried and prosecuted, pressed by Fox News Digital on whether the attacks qualify as terrorism, he responded, "I think we've got to tread lightly on the whole ‘terrorist’ word."

OVER 200 'TESLA TAKEDOWN' PROTESTS ERUPT NATIONWIDE

"Sometimes trying to expand this thing, it kind of loses its focus," he said. "But when folks are vandalizing people’s vehicles or dealerships, it is wrong and it is dangerous. Somebody’s going to get hurt. For that reason, we should let the full force of law enforcement get to this problem and prosecute it."

There have been at least 80 acts of vandalism against Tesla vehicles in the U.S. and Canada, and at least 10 incidents of vandalism and arson against Tesla dealerships, charging stations and properties. 

U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi has said the Justice Department is investigating the incidents as "domestic terrorism."

Leading Democrats, however, have been largely silent on the issue, with few being willing to condemn the attacks as acts of terrorism.

THE LOUDEST SILENCE: TOP DEMOCRATS REMAIN MUM AMID VIOLENT ATTACKS ON TESLA

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., who, in a 2023 CNN interview, accused Republicans who criticized her of engaging in "stochastic terrorism" — that is, incitement of violent political action — also refused to say whether Democrats’ anti-Musk rhetoric should be held responsible for the attacks.

Fox News Digital asked Ocasio-Cortez whether she sees a connection between language against Musk and the violent incidents across the nation.

Cortez began to answer, saying, "Yeah, I mean, again, I’ve seen Republicans call me ‘communist’ and that I ‘hate this country,’" before trailing off.

Meanwhile, Rep. Summer Lee, D-Pa., refused to label the attacks as even violent, saying, "While I have no opinion on what’s been going on, I actually haven’t been following that much, but let’s be precise about our language — ‘violence’ is against human beings."

EXCLUSIVE VIDEO: AOC REFUSES TO SAY WHETHER DEMOCRATS' RHETORIC IS RESPONSIBLE FOR TESLA ATTACKS

Asked about Democrats’ rhetoric, Lee said it is important to "recognize the difference between the frustration of people that is maybe organic, but also the language that is coming from people who are in power."

"Donald Trump is in power and he’s abusing that and it’s going to harm people and has already," she said. "Because of the rhetoric from the administration, because of the rhetoric from the right, we’re seeing American citizens being picked up, we’re seeing a lot of profiling that’s happening, I think that that’s incredibly dangerous and again those are being perpetrated against people."

Rep. Steny Hoyer, D-Md., also attempted to turn the question around, saying President Donald Trump "in effect… told people to resort to violence" at his rally on Jan. 6, 2021.

Hoyer said he discourages anyone from resorting to violence but advocated for peaceful ways of telling Trump and Musk "how angry we are."

TESLA HYPOCRISY: DEMS CONTINUE INVESTING IN ELON MUSK COMPANY DESPITE PAINTING HIM AS VILLAIN

"Effectively, he [Musk] and Trump are both trying to profit from being president. And this is unheard of what Musk is doing," said Hoyer.

"I’m opposed to all violence, beginning with the Jan. 6th insurrection," Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Md., told Fox News Digital.

Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Texas, who has been warned by Bondi to "tread lightly" after seeming to threaten Musk by calling for him to be "taken down," refused to answer the question, while her security got into the face of the Fox News Digital reporter.

Republicans, in the meantime, hammered that the attacks are obvious examples of terrorism.

JASMINE CROCKETT SAYS SHE WAS HIRED AS A PUBLIC DEFENDER BECAUSE SHE WAS BLACK 

"I think it’s awful, they need to bust their a--," said Rep. Tim Burchett, R-Tenn. "Elon doesn’t even own a majority share of it anymore. All you’re doing is hurting Americans."

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Rep. Addison McDowell, R-N.C., pointed out that "when we boycotted Bud Light over their support over these radical issues, we didn’t just say, ‘We’re going to burn down Bud Light manufacturers.’ We just didn’t buy it." 

"What you see these woke, radical liberals doing to a car they used to want championed, is lighting them on fire, destroying property, that’s not how adults behave," McDowell said, adding, "they’re behaving like criminals."

President Donald Trump marked the week by unveiling an unprecedented wave of tariffs on imports to the U.S., aligning with his long-held position that other countries have taken advantage of the U.S. in trade. 

Trump disclosed the historic tariffs in a ceremony at the White House’s Rose Garden for a "Make America Wealthy Again" event, asserting these new duties would generate new jobs for U.S. workers. 

"For nations that treat us badly, we will calculate the combined rate of all their tariffs, nonmonetary barriers and other forms of cheating," Trump said Wednesday.

"And because we are being very kind, we will charge them approximately half of what they are and have been charging us," he said. "So, the tariffs will be not a full reciprocal. I could have done that. Yes. But it would have been tough for a lot of countries."

HERE'S A CLOSER LOOK AT TRUMP'S TARIFF PLAN: WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT THE NEW DUTIES

The tariff plan establishes a baseline tax of 10% on all imports to the U.S., along with customized tariffs for countries that place higher tariffs on American goods. The baseline tariffs of 10% will take effect Saturday, while the others will take effect Wednesday. 

The Trump administration previously imposed a 25% tariff on imported vehicles, up to 25% tariffs on certain goods from Mexico and Canada and a 20% tariff on shipments from China. The tariffs already imposed on Canada and Mexico remain unaffected, but the new tariffs on China will be added on top of the previous duties on Beijing, according to the White House. 

The tariffs have faced backlash from both parties in Congress, and allies, including Canada and Australia. A bipartisan group of senators introduced legislation Friday called the Trade Review Act of 2025 that would require the executive branch to provide Congress a 48-hour notice before imposing tariffs. Likewise, the measure would permit tariffs to expire after 60 days, unless Congress moves to approve a joint resolution codifying the duties. 

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent urged countries against imposing retaliatory tariffs against the U.S. in response. 

"My advice to every country right now: Do not retaliate," Bessent said in an interview Wednesday with Fox News. "If you retaliate, there will be escalation."

TRUMP CONFIRMS NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL FIRINGS AS WALTZ'S SIGNAL CHAT WOES SNOWBALL

Here’s what also happened this week: 

Trump also disclosed that several members of the National Security Council, headed by National Security Advisor Mike Waltz, were fired Thursday. Trump said the firings affected a small number of employees, and he still had a high level of confidence in his national security team. 

"Always, we’re going to let go of people we don’t like or people we don’t think can do the job or people who may have loyalties to somebody else," Trump told reporters on Air Force One when asked about media reports on the firings.

The firings come amid scrutiny over Waltz’s use of a Signal group chat to discuss strikes in Yemen after a journalist was accidentally added to the group. 

Waltz created the group chat that included White House leaders like Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth. The chat also included Atlantic editor-in-chief Jeffrey Goldberg.

The White House said classified information was not shared via the encrypted messaging service. However, The Atlantic published the full exchange of messages March 26. The messages included certain attack details, including specific aircraft and times of the strikes. 

Still, the White House has defended Waltz and said the White House is no longer looking into the incident. 

MUSK NOT LEAVING YET, WRAPPING UP WORK ON SCHEDULE ONCE ‘INCREDIBLE WORK AT DOGE IS COMPLETE': WHITE HOUSE

"As the president has made it very clear, Mike Waltz continues to be an important part of his national security team," White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters Monday. "And this case has been closed here at the White House as far as we are concerned."

The White House confirmed that SpaceX and Tesla CEO Elon Musk would depart his position spearheading the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) later this spring in response to reports from Politico that Trump was disclosing to those close to him that Musk would "step back" from his role with DOGE in the forthcoming weeks. 

"This ‘scoop’ is garbage," Leavitt posted on X Wednesday. "Elon Musk and President Trump have both *publicly* stated that Elon will depart from public service as a special government employee when his incredible work at DOGE is complete."

Musk is a "special government employee." The executive or legislative branches are permitted to take on temporary employees to address short-term projects for up to 130 days in a single 365-day period. For Musk, that period of time will expire at the end of May.

Musk and Trump have previously said they anticipate Musk will complete the work necessary for DOGE within that window of time. 

Fox News’ Emma Colton contributed to this report. 

Disgraced former Rep. George Santos could face more than seven years in prison if New York prosecutors get their way.

Santos, 36, who became just the sixth House member to be expelled from the chamber and the first Republican, pleaded guilty to federal fraud and identity theft charges in August as part of a plea deal after having been indicted on felony charges.

The former lawmaker stole from political donors, used campaign contributions to pay for personal expenses, lied to Congress about his wealth and collected unemployment benefits while actually working.

GEORGE SANTOS ENDS CONGRESSIONAL RUN LESS THAN 2 MONTHS INTO INDEPENDENT CAMPAIGN

"No matter how hard the DOJ comes for me, they are mad because they will NEVER break my spirit," Santos posted on X Friday in the wake of a court filing by the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York.

Santos has already agreed to serve a minimum of two years in prison and was expected to be sentenced in February but asked the court to postpone sentencing until he can make enough money from his podcast to pay the nearly $600,000 he owes in restitution and forfeiture.

Prosecutors alleged he had raked in around $800,000 from appearances on the Cameo app, with previous reports suggesting he was charging $350 a pop for videos featuring his drag alter ego Kitara Ravache. Santos previously denied ever dressing as a drag queen or associating with drag queens.

Prosecutors argued in the filing Friday that Santos warrants a significant sentence because his "unparalleled crimes" had "made a mockery" of the country’s election system.

"From his creation of a wholly fictitious biography to his callous theft of money from elderly and impaired donors, Santos’s unrestrained greed and voracious appetite for fame enabled him to exploit the very system by which we select our representatives," the office wrote.

EX-LAWMAKER GEORGE SANTOS OFFERING CAMEO VIDEOS WITH HIS DRAG QUEEN ALTER EGO

They wrote that he had been unrepentant for years and blasted investigations into his crimes as a "witch hunt."

They also said his claims of remorse after pleading guilty "ring hollow" and suggested he has a "high likelihood of reoffending" given he has not forfeited any of his ill-gotten gains or repaid any of his victims.

The lawyers maintain such a sentence is in line with those handed to former U.S. Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. and other political figures facing similar financial crimes.

Santos' legal team asked for a two-year sentence in a Friday court filing. His lawyer, Andrew Mancilla, said prosecutors were selling a false narrative to the court.

"The government wants headlines, not justice. This vindictive 87-month demand ignores sentencing norms for similar cases," Mancilla said.

The freshman lawmaker was expelled a year into his first term in the House in the wake of a damning House Ethics Committee report that found he misused campaign funds on luxury items and OnlyFans, among other things. He had not been convicted of a crime at the time. 

During his campaign, Santos claimed that he attended New York University, that he had worked at Goldman Sachs and Citigroup, and that his grandparents had fled the Nazis during World War Two. None of those claims were true.

Santos was once touted as a rising political star after he flipped the suburban district that covers the affluent North Shore of Long Island and a slice of the New York City borough of Queens in 2022.

Last year he failed in an attempt to relaunch his political career by running as an Independent in a neighboring district to re-enter the House.

Fox News’ Stepheny Price and Anders Hagstrom as well as The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.

An Ohio substitute teacher is accused of offering a student $2,000 to kill her estranged husband before the teenager's mother caught wind of the murder-for-hire plot and alerted authorities.

Stephanie Demetrius, 44, was arrested Wednesday and charged with first-degree conspiracy for the offer to a boy at The Academy For Urban Scholars High School in Columbus, WSYX reported.

Demetrius approached a student at the school on March 26 and offered $2,000 to carry out the murder of her soon-to-be ex-husband. The student was initially paid $250 in cash as a down payment.

"This particular teacher was attempting to groom this young person into committing murder," Columbus Division of Police Sgt. James Fuqua told WSYX.

OHIO TEACHER PLACED ON LEAVE AFTER ALLEGEDLY VISITING STUDENT'S HOME TO DEMAND MISSING HOMEWORK

The plan was foiled when the student’s mom discovered texts on her son's phone between him and Demetrius. The teenager's mother then reported the incident to the police.

"Without their help, some of this might not have come to light," Fuqua said. "This was a situation where a parent was able to capture things inside this young person's phone and contact authorities."

In a recorded phone call between the student and Demetrius, the substitute teacher told the student that he would receive the remainder of the payment, saying she owed an additional "15."

The substitute teacher also gave the student information about when her children would be out of the home, so he could kill her estranged husband, who worked from home, court records show, according to The Columbus Dispatch.

SCHOOL BUS CAUGHT ON CAMERA ENGULFED IN FLAMES AFTER DRIVER'S 'QUICK RESPONSE' SAVES STUDENTS FROM INFERNO

"When asked if the neighbors would hear the gunfire, she advised that they don't care about the neighbors," court records state, the outlet reported.

Demetrius and her husband have been married since 2004 but were going through divorce proceedings, court records show.

She appeared in Franklin County Municipal Court on Thursday morning, with her public defender denying the allegations and criticizing them as fabrication.

Prosecutor Parker Schwartz said Demetrius's estranged husband had received a protection order against her. Schwartz also noted that Demetrius had exhibited "possessive and controlling behavior," had mental health issues and had previously made homicidal threats.

Court filings show she has previously been accused of assaulting her estranged husband and some of her children, setting a fire in her home's basement, smashing garage doors and damaging other property while the children were present and other threatening behavior, according to The Columbus Dispatch.

Demetrius was released on a $150,000 bond and is barred from having any contact with her estranged husband or the student. She is due back in court on April 11.

The Senate approved changes to the House's budget resolution on Saturday after an hourslong series of amendment votes during which Democrats sought to put Republicans on record on issues like tariffs and the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). 

It passed mostly along party lines in a 51 to 48 vote.

The amended framework would raise the debt ceiling by up to $5 trillion within the reconciliation process, taking future leverage away from Senate Democrats. It would also make President Trump's 2017 tax cuts permanent by using what's called a current policy baseline that Budget Committee Chairman Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., decides.

DEM SENATOR LOOKS TO HIJACK KEY TRUMP BUDGET PROCESS WITH TARIFF CHALLENGE

The scoring tool essentially means the cost of making Trump's tax cuts permanent would be factored at $0 because it extends current policy, rather than counting it as new dollars being added to the federal deficit.

Budget reconciliation lowers the vote threshold in the Senate from 60 to 51, which lets Republicans approve certain priorities with no Democrat support. 

Washington's Republican trifecta thus sees reconciliation as a key tool for delivering on Trump agenda items. 

REPUBLICANS CHARGE AHEAD ON TRUMP BUDGET, SETTING UP MARATHON SENATE VOTES

The Senate's Friday night "vote-a-rama" was triggered by the chamber agreeing to a motion to proceed to the budget resolution amendment on Thursday night. Nearly a day of debate followed before the vote series was initiated.

During this type of voting series, senators of both parties can introduce an unlimited number of amendments, and many get floor votes.

TED CRUZ CLASHES WITH KEY DEMOCRAT OVER 'SECOND PHASE OF LAWFARE' THROUGH FEDERAL JUDGES' ORDERS

The budget would address border funding for the Trump administration as well as extend the hallmark tax cuts Trump passed in 2017. 

Initially, there was stark disagreement between Republicans in the House and Senate on how to organize a budget reconciliation resolution. The House GOP leaders preferred one bill with both the border and taxes included, while those in the Senate wanted to have two separate resolutions for them. 

But the House's approach ultimately won out, with Trump supporting their plan. 

Trump on Friday shared video of a recent airstrike on Houthi rebels, writing, "They will never sink our ships again."

"These Houthis gathered for instructions on an attack," Trump wrote on Truth Social. "Oops, there will be no attack by these Houthis! They will never sink our ships again!"

The black and white aerial footage appeared to show a group assembling before a massive blast leaves nothing but a crater. 

The Trump administration has been conducting daily airstrikes on the Iranian-backed rebels for the last 20 days following renewed Houthi threats against Israeli vessels last month after Jerusalem cut off humanitarian aid headed for the Gaza Strip.

IRANIAN-BACKED HOUTHIS SHOOT DOWN THIRD US REAPER DRONE AS TRUMP ADMINISTRATION CONTINUES DAILY STRIKES

Late last month, the group took responsibility for attacks on the USS Harry S. Truman aircraft carrier and several U.S. warships in the Red Sea.

The Houthis have also shot down three U.S. MQ-9 Reaper drones since March 3, sources previously told Fox News.  

The State Department put forward sanctions after the Houthis shot down the first Reaper in early March, and on Tuesday, the State Department announced sanctions on "financial facilitators, procurement operatives, and companies operating as part of a global illicit finance network supporting the Houthis." 

National Security Advisor Mike Waltz told CBS' "Face the Nation" late last month: "These guys are like al Qaeda or ISIS with advanced cruise missiles, ballistic missiles and some of the most sophisticated air defenses, all provided by Iran. Keeping the sea lanes open, keeping trade and commerce open, is a fundamental aspect of our national security." 

AFTER DEBILITATING STRIKES, TRUMP TELLS HOUTHIS: STOP SHOOTING AT US AND ‘WE WILL STOP SHOOTING AT YOU’

On Monday, Trump wrote on Truth Social that the Houthis have been "decimated by the relentless strikes over the past two weeks."

"Many of their Fighters and Leaders are no longer with us," he continued. "We hit them every day and night — Harder and harder. Their capabilities that threaten Shipping and the Region are rapidly being destroyed. Our attacks will continue until they are no longer a threat to Freedom of Navigation. The choice for the Houthis is clear: Stop shooting at U.S. ships, and we will stop shooting at you. Otherwise, we have only just begun, and the real pain is yet to come, for both the Houthis and their sponsors in Iran."

The terrorist network, backed by Iran, began escalating its attacks on Western ships in the Red Sea following the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attacks on Israel. Notably, security experts have pointed out the Houthi attacks are not indiscriminate as they do not routinely target Chinese or Saudi Arabian vessels. 

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Trump also issued a message to Iran on Monday and warned if the attacks do not stop, Washington will come for Tehran next. 

Fox News' Rachel Wolf, Liz Friden, Caitlin McFall and Landon Mion contributed to this report. 

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is slated to meet with Panama leaders next week amid President Donald Trump's continued efforts to regain control of the key strategic and military resource. 

The Trump administration has been outspoken about national security threats presented by alleged Chinese interference.

During a February visit to the country, Secretary of State Marco Rubio wrote in an X post that "the United States cannot, and will not, allow the Chinese Communist Party to continue with its effective and growing control over the Panama Canal area." 

Chief Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell confirmed on Friday the secretary of defense will attend the 2025 Central American Security Conference, participating in discussions that will "drive ongoing efforts to strengthen the U.S.'s partnerships with Panama and other Central American nations," according to a report from the Associated Press.

PANAMA DENIES STATE DEPT CLAIM THAT IT IS ELIMINATING FEES FOR US GOV VESSELS USING CANAL

The president, who has criticized the six-figure premiums imposed on U.S. ships traveling along the vital waterway, previously suggested repurchasing the canal.

It was built by the U.S. over the span of multiple decades, but was eventually handed over to Panama during the Carter administration.

The "Panama Canal Repurchase Act," a bill that was recently introduced in Congress, would give Trump the authority to negotiate with appropriate Panamanian government officials to reacquire the Panama Canal.

CHINA, HONG KONG THREATEN TO THWART SALE OF PANAMA CANAL PORTS TO AMERICA'S BLACKROCK

Panama President José Raúl Mulino previously said China does not have influence over the canal and accused Trump of "lying" about potentially acquiring it, according to the AP.

BlackRock, Inc. later announced a $23 billion deal with Hong Kong-based CK Hutchinson to take ownership of the Panamanian ports of Cristobal and Balboa, along with 43 ports in 23 other countries, Fox News Digital previously reported.

The canal could be used as leverage for China in U.S. tariff negotiations.

Hegseth will also visit Eglin Air Force Base in Florida to meet with military members and leadership at the 7th Special Forces Group, according to the AP.

Fox News' Morgan Phillips contributed to this report.

While senators Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and Ben Ray Luján, D-N.M., cited economists' projections that President Donald Trump's tariffs will cost American families an extra $5,000 per year, GOP Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., insisted, "We don't know," suggesting those who claim they do are making fools of themselves. 

"I followed what all these economists are saying. Most of them make these late-night psychic hotlines look respectable," Kennedy told Fox News Digital at the Capitol. "They don't know any more than anybody else. We're in uncharted waters here."

According to Schumer and Luján, Americans can likely expect to see costs rise enough to equate to a $5,000 per year tax on American families.

STEPHEN MILLER SAYS AMERICANS HAVE TO UNDERSTAND HOW ‘BADLY’ WE'VE BEEN RIPPED OFF AS A COUNTRY

"When the average American family sits down and tries to figure out how they're going to pay for things, and they hear they may pay $5,000 more than they've had to pay before — and they may not be able to buy a new car, they may not be able to support that new drug that grandma needs, they may not be able to take that vacation they were planning for a year — they're going to be outraged," Schumer told reporters. 

"It's a huge tax on American families. All – all – to help billionaires get a tax cut."

Luján seconded the sentiment from Schumer, pointing to the economists that Kennedy blasted as less respectable than a "late-night psychic hotline." 

TRUMP'S CHINA TARIFFS FACE LEGAL CHALLENGE FROM CONSERVATIVE GROUP CALLING THEM ‘UNLAWFUL’

"There's no question that the American people are the ones that are going to be paying the brunt of this," Luján argued. "The actuaries that have been putting out reports and other economists are suggesting that this is going to be a national sales tax on the American people of about 5,000 bucks year. That's just not right.

"If the president would be open to using targeted tariffs as a tool — something that I'm open to and I think others are — that's one thing," Luján added. "But when he's arbitrarily just going across the board and trying to slap on numbers … I'm very concerned for my constituents that are going to be paying out of pocket."

Kennedy argued such projections had no basis in fact.

"The truth is we don't know. These economists don't know," Kennedy insisted. "These are uncharted waters. We've not had these kind of tariffs in a long time. It may be a net positive. President Trump implemented tariffs in his first term. Didn't seem to hurt the economy. It could be a negative. All I'm saying is that in Washington, D.C., for every economist, there's an equal and opposite economist, and they're usually both wrong."

A Democratic prosecutor in Fairfax County, Virginia, dropped a felony charge against a twice-deported illegal immigrant charged with strangulation and kidnapping, cutting a plea deal that let him off with a misdemeanor.

According to local outlet ABC7 News, Democrat Commonwealth's Attorney Steve Descano advertises on his website that "wherever possible, Steve will make charging and plea decisions that limit or avoid immigration consequences."

Guatemalan national Wilmer Osmany Ramos Giron was facing 360 days in prison for a felony charge involving abduction by force, strangulation and assault on a family member.

Ramos Giron was accused of assaulting his ex-wife during an argument. According to the victim’s testimony and court documents, Ramos Giron allegedly took his ex-wife’s keys, keeping her from leaving; placed two hands on her throat, impeding her breathing; and brandished a knife over her legs.  

UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA STUDENT, 21, KILLED IN HIT-AND-RUN CRASH INVOLVING ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT: DHS

After the incident, the victim filed for an emergency protective order against Ramos Giron, which was granted.

Despite this, Descano’s office dropped the felony charge against Ramos Giron and allowed him to plead guilty to brandishing a blade, a misdemeanor.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE IMMIGRATION COVERAGE

According to a statement from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Ramos Giron is in the country illegally after previously being deported twice. The ICE statement said Ramos Giron has a prior federal conviction for a gun crime and has an ICE detainer filed against him.

Descano’s move has been harshly criticized by other local leaders who say he is contributing to a two-tiered justice system in favor of illegal immigrants.

TOM HOMAN: PEOPLE WHO TERRORIZE MY FAMILY WILL BE 'HELD ACCOUNTABLE'

Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares, a Republican, slammed Descano, saying, "If someone's here illegally and they have committed a violent crime, or they're a drug dealer and you can pick them up on an illegal weapons charge, you shouldn't treat them more leniently than you would an actual U.S. citizen.

"He is willing to treat those that have broken our laws and come here illegally and give them a lenient sentence or plea deal than somebody that's actually a legal citizen of the United States," said Miyares. "That's unconscionable to me that someone would think that is in some way protecting our community."

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Fairfax County Criminal Justice Advisory Board member Sean Kennedy also commented on the case, saying, "It’s appalling that Fairfax’s prosecutor would protect and abet this dangerous, violent offender precisely because he is illegally present.

"How does breaking one set of laws provide you immunity to break more? It shouldn’t, but it does in Fairfax's two-tier justice system." 

The U.S. General Services Administration has saved $1 million by converting decades-old information storage technology, the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) said Friday. 

In a post on X, DOGE said that the agency, which supplies office space, transportation and other basic services to federal agencies, saved money by converting 14,000 magnetic tapes to permanent modern digital records.

The move is part of the Elon Musk-led group's mission to get rid of wasteful government spending. 

MUSK NOT LEAVING YET, WRAPPING UP WORK ON SCHEDULE ONCE ‘INCREDIBLE WORK AT DOGE IS COMPLETE’: WHITE HOUSE  

Earlier this week, the group said The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) paid hundreds of thousands of dollars a month for website changes before canceling the contract and having an internal staffer take over. 

While combing through loads and loads of data, DOGE discovered a previous contract by the VA for its website maintenance.

JD VANCE FIRES BACK AT CRITICS OF TRUMP TARIFFS, ADDRESSES ELON MUSK'S DOGE FUTURE

"Good work by @DeptVetAffairs," DOGE said in an X post on Wednesday. "VA was previously paying ~$380,000/month for minor website modifications. That contract has not been renewed, and the same work is now being executed by 1 internal VA software engineer spending ~10 hours/week."

GAS said on Thursday it will save $4.5 million by "optimizing leases & reducing our footprint" with less unused office space. 

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"Smart moves like this mean more efficiency & better spaces for agencies to deliver for the American people," a GSA post on X states. 

Fox News Digital has reached out to the GSA, but did not hear back by the time of publication.

The Senate kicked off a marathon vote series on Friday night, which Republicans need to get through in order to approve their changes to the House's plan for President Donald Trump's budget. 

The endless amendment votes began after nearly a day of debate concluded. Republicans passed a key motion on Thursday to begin the process, which will end with a vote on their adjustments to the House GOP's budget. 

DEM SENATOR LOOKS TO HIJACK KEY TRUMP BUDGET PROCESS WITH TARIFF CHALLENGE

During the "vote-a-rama," senators of both parties are able to introduce an unlimited number of amendments, and many are expected to get floor votes. Democrats are planning to use the marathon of votes as an opportunity to force Republicans to go on record on Trump's tariffs and the actions of the Elon Musk-led Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). 

REPUBLICANS CHARGE AHEAD ON TRUMP BUDGET, SETTING UP MARATHON SENATE VOTES

On Thursday, the Senate agreed on a motion to proceed by a vote of 52 to 48, along party lines. 

The only exception was Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., who voted against it. He has notably criticized the budget amendment's provision on the debt ceiling, which would raise it by up to $5 trillion. 

During the last such series in February, the Senate voted for about 10 hours, into the early morning. The budget they passed was the Senate GOP's preferred strategy of having two budget reconciliation resolutions for the border and extending Trump's tax cuts. 

TED CRUZ CLASHES WITH KEY DEMOCRAT OVER 'SECOND PHASE OF LAWFARE' THROUGH FEDERAL JUDGES' ORDERS

But the House's plan to address both in one bill ultimately won out after getting Trump's blessing. 

It's unclear how long the voting will last, as it depends on how many amendments get votes and when Democrat and Republican leadership in the Senate come to a time agreement. 

GOP DEFECTORS HELP SENATE ADVANCE RESOLUTION TO CANCEL TRUMP TARIFFS DESPITE WHITE HOUSE VETO WARNING

When the voting series ends, a final vote will take place to approve the Senate amendment to the House's budget. If this passes, it will still need to return to the lower chamber before taking effect. 

In addition to raising the debt ceiling, and in doing so taking leverage away from the Senate Democrats, the Senate budget amendment makes Trump's tax cuts permanent by what's known as a current policy baseline, determined by Budget Committee Chairman Lindsey Graham, R-S.C.

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) will slash its workforce by at least 25% beginning Friday with layoffs as the Trump administration continues to shrink the size of the federal government. 

In addition to the layoffs, the agency said in a letter to employees that it is eliminating its Office of Civil Rights and Compliance, which is responsible for protecting taxpayers from discrimination, audits and investigations.

The remaining employees in the division will be transferred to other departments. 

"In a stark contrast to the previous administration’s wildly unpopular plan to hire thousands of additional IRS agents, President Trump is focused on saving tax dollars, eliminating bloat, axing useless DEI offices, and increasing the agency’s efficiency," White House spokesperson Liz Huston said to Fox News Digital.

TRUMP FLOATS GUTTING THE IRS, MOVING AGENTS TO THE BORDER ARMED WITH GUNS

"This action is being taken to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of the IRS in accordance with agency priorities and the Workforce Optimization Initiative outlined in a recent Executive Order," the letter states, referring to President Donald Trump's executive order directing the Department of Government Efficiency to get rid of wasteful spending. 

The agency said it was approved to offer Voluntary Early Retirement Authority (VERA) and Voluntary Separation Incentive Payment (VSIP). Information about those programs will be shared with employees at a later date, the message said. 

TRUMP VOWS TO DELIVER ON 'NO TAX ON TIPS' CAMPAIGN PROMISE DURING LAS VEGAS SPEECH: '100% YOURS'

"This calendar year to date, approximately 5% of this office left through the Deferred Resignation Program and attrition," the message said. "An additional 75% of the office will be reduced through a RIF (Reduction in Force)."

A Treasury Department spokesperson told Fox News Digital that the reductions are part of, and driven by, "process improvements and technological innovations that will allow the IRS to collect revenue and serve taxpayers more effectively."

"The roll back of wasteful Biden-era hiring surges, and consolidation of critical support functions are vital to improve both efficiency and quality of service," the spokesperson said. "The Secretary is committed to ensuring that efficiency is realized while providing the collections, privacy, and customer service the American people deserve."

The layoffs were expected, as the agency announced in February its intention to slash nearly 7,000 probationary workers in Washington, D.C.

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Those employees have since been reinstated by a court order.

The IRS has roughly 90,000 employees in total across the United States, according to the latest IRS data. 

Former President Barack Obama sought to distance himself from the Democratic Party after leaving it in shambles following his departure from the White House, according to a new book. 

The book, "Fight: Inside the Wildest Battle for the White House," published by William Morrow and Company, claims that Obama was never a Democratic Party loyalist. Instead, the authors allege, Obama curried favor from a group of "Black professionals" for his campaigns, unlike former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State and presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, and former President Joe Biden. 

Additionally, Obama’s creation of Organizing for Action — a nonprofit that launched in 2012 following Obama’s re-election to advance his legislative priorities — fractured the Democratic Party, according to the book, authored by political journalists Jonathan Allen of NBC News and Amie Parnes of The Hill.  

"Though Organizing for Action never realized his vision, it competed with the party for power and money," the book said. "He left the Democratic Party far weaker than he found it. Or, as one Black party operative put it, ‘Obama destroyed that s---.’" 

KAMALA HARRIS WAS ‘VERY ANNOYED’ WITH OBAMA AS SHE SOUGHT HIS ENDORSEMENT, BOOK REVEALS

The book also detailed how the Clintons, along with Biden and former Democratic National Committee Chair Donna Brazile and a few other party operatives, sought to "rebuild the party infrastructure" following Obama’s 2016 departure from the White House. This meant preventing far-left Democrats from seizing control of the party and ensuring party loyalists ran the show, according to the book. 

"By helping install party loyalists at the national and state committees over the course of years, these establishment Democrats kept progressive outsiders at bay. ‘You know who did that?’ said one Black Biden ally familiar with the maneuvering. ‘Bill and Hillary motherf---ing Clinton,’" the book related. 

"Fight," released Tuesday, also revealed how Obama remained hesitant to back former Vice President Kamala Harris in the 2024 election to replace Biden, amid concerns about his mental fitness. The book claimed that Obama didn’t believe Harris had the capacity to beat now-President Donald Trump in the November 2024 race, frustrating Harris. 

Ultimately, Obama endorsed Harris five days after Biden announced he would not run for office again in the 2024 race — a delay that offended Harris and required some "mending" between the two Democrats, a source close to Obama said, Allen and Parnes wrote. 

A spokesperson for Obama's press office did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Fox News Digital. 

Even so, Obama's wife, former first lady Michelle Obama, appeared at the Democratic National Convention in August 2024 after Harris clinched the party's nomination. 

TENSIONS ALLEGEDLY RISE BETWEEN BIDEN WHITE HOUSE AND HARRIS CAMPAIGN: 'TOO MUCH IN THEIR FEELINGS'

"Kamala Harris is more than ready for this moment," Michelle Obama said at the convention. "She is one of the most qualified people ever to seek the office of the presidency and she is one of the most dignified — a tribute to her mother, to my mother, and probably to your mother, too, the embodiment of the stories we tell ourselves about this country." 

Meanwhile, Democrat strategists predict that Barack Obama’s influence over the Democratic Party is waning, and some have suggested he is out of touch with the appeal of Trump. 

For example, political commentator and author Ben Burgess wrote an op-ed after Obama delivered a speech at the Obama Democracy Forum that part of the "problem" is Obama doesn’t understand why Trump won the 2024 election and that the American public should stop listening to the former president. 

"​​Obama’s characteristic rhetorical virtues were on full display," Burgess wrote in December 2024 for MSNBC, following Obama’s speech. "He was a constitutional law professor before he was a politician, and he still sounds like one. At the same time, he was a once-in-a-generation talent as a political communicator. He knows how to convey a complex set of ideas in a digestible and appealing way." 

"But there was a massive gaping hole at the center of his speech," the op-ed stated. "He still doesn’t understand why his eight years in power culminated in the rise of Trump." 

"Fight" details how Trump secured the White House for a second term and the fallout of his victory for the Democratic Party. It is based on interviews Allen and Parnes conducted with more than 150 political insiders, according to the book's description. 

Fox News’ Hanna Panreck and Emma Colton contributed to this report. 

Welcome to the Fox News Politics newsletter, with the latest updates on the Trump administration, Capitol Hill and more Fox News politics content.

Here's what's happening…

-Dem Jasmine Crockett silent as aide attempts to intimidate, block reporter's question about violence

-Reporter's Notebook: The Senate's all-night session on the big, beautiful bill

-Biden green energy project goes down in flames

For decades, President Donald Trump has remained a staunch advocate for tariffs — routinely declaring the word one of the most beautiful in the dictionary and regularly accusing foreign countries of ripping off the U.S. 

Following through on 2024 campaign promises and building upon policies his first administration introduced, Trump unveiled a series of historic tariffs at the White House’s Rose Garden Wednesday for a "Make America Wealthy Again" event as part of a day his administration dubbed "Liberation Day" for the U.S. 

While some lawmakers on both sides of the aisle have voiced concern over the policy, tariffs are an area where Trump’s views have remained incredibly consistent over the years, as he has routinely decried that other countries have treated the U.S. unfairly in trade deals…Read more

MONEY TALKS: Trump admin halting more than $500M in federal funding to Brown University over antisemitism response

'DEEPLY CONCERNED': Obama urges Americans to 'possibly sacrifice' in resisting Trump policies

TARIFF TANTRUM: Trump’s China tariffs face legal challenge from conservative group calling them ‘unlawful'

CALIFORNIA PLEADIN': Newsom to ask world leaders to exempt California exports from retaliatory tariffs

'ABSOLUTELY RIGHT': Rubio, in Europe, says US has to 'reset the global order of trade' and Trump is 'absolutely right to do it'

SECURITY RISK: Houthis shoot down third US reaper drone as Trump administration continues daily airstrikes

WARNING STRIKE: In warning to Turkey, Israel hits strategic targets in Syria amid rising tensions

BUCKING TRUMP: One Republican senator voted against confirming Trump nominee Harmeet Dhillon

VOTE-A-RAMA: Republicans charge ahead on Trump budget, setting up marathon Senate votes

VOTED DOWN: 15 Democrats back Sanders' failed resolutions to cancel military aid to Israel

'GOLDEN' AGE: Democrat Rep. Jared Golden says his party's moving in 'wrong direction' on trade

TACKLING TRUMP TARIFFS: Dem senator looks to hijack key Trump budget process with tariff challenge

HAUGH OUT: National Security Agency Director Gen. Haugh fired, civilian deputy director reassigned

TO THE GOVERNOR'S DESK: Maryland bill creating commission to study, recommend slavery reparations heads to governor's desk

GAME FACE: Illegal accused in jogger Rachel Morin's murder set to face family, jury

'THEY ARE TERRORISTS': 3 alleged MS-13 gang members in Florida hit with federal murder charges

TRAVELERS BEWARE: Iowa student’s passport seizure in Dominican Republic raises red flags for Americans traveling: what to know

Get the latest updates on the Trump administration and Congress, exclusive interviews and more on FoxNews.com.

A Rhode Island federal judge targeted for impeachment dealt the Trump administration a legal blow on Friday, ordering it to lift a freeze on federal funds.

U.S. District Judge John McConnell ordered the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to unfreeze federal funds to states after plaintiffs alleged the agency had failed to comply with an earlier court order.

The lawsuit was originally launched by 22 states and the District of Columbia, challenging the Trump administration’s decision to block funding for programs like the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Climate Pollution Reduction Grant and other environmental initiatives. 

LAWSUIT TRACKER: NEW RESISTANCE BATTLING TRUMP'S SECOND TERM THROUGH ONSLAUGHT OF LAWSUITS TAKING AIM AT EOS

Plaintiffs in the suit, including the states of New York, California, Illinois and Rhode Island, argued that FEMA's implementation of a manual review process for payment requests violated a previous preliminary injunction issued by McConnell. The states argued that the review "constitutes 'a categorical pause or freeze of funding appropriate by Congress.'"

The defendants, which include President Donald Trump and the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), responded that the review did not violate the order because "FEMA is relying on its own independent authorities to implement the process rather than the OMB Directive."

McConnell concluded that the plaintiffs had "presented evidence that strongly suggests that FEMA is implementing this manual review process based, covertly, on the President's January 20, 2025 executive order." 

COURTROOM COMBAT: INSIDE THE FEDERAL JUDICIARY SYSTEM WHERE TRUMP'S AGENDA IS UNDER ASSAULT

"The Court reaffirms its preliminary injunction order," McConnell wrote. 

McConnell had issued a restraining order in late January that enjoined the defendants from freezing federal funds. This came after OMB released a memo on Jan. 27 announcing the administration's plans to temporarily pause federal grants and loans. The White House later rescinded the memo on Jan. 29. 

However, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said that the move didn’t equate a "recission of the federal funding freeze." 

‘CORRUPT, DANGEROUS’: GOP REP MOVES TO IMPEACH JUDGE WHO BLOCKED TRUMP FEDERAL FUNDS FREEZE

After McConnell ordered the administration to comply with the restraining order, the government appealed to the First Circuit — which refused to stay the orders. 

McConnell also recently made headlines after becoming one of several federal judges hit with impeachment articles. 

Georgia Republican Rep. Andrew Clyde formally introduced his articles of impeachment against McConnell on March 24, after his initial announcement in February. 

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The articles, first shared with Fox News Digital, charged McConnell with abuse of power and conflicts of interest, stating he "knowingly politicized and weaponized his judicial position to advance his own political views and beliefs."

"The American people overwhelmingly voted for President Trump in November, providing a clear mandate to make our federal government more efficient," Clyde told Fox News Digital. "Yet Judge McConnell, who stands to benefit from his own injunction, is attempting to unilaterally obstruct the president’s agenda and defy the will of the American people. Judge McConnell’s actions are corrupt, dangerous, and worthy of impeachment."

Fox News Digital's Diana Stancy contributed to this report.

In an interview with Fox News Digital, Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., said, "As a woman and as a mom," she does not support proxy voting exceptions for new mothers in Congress, a hotly debated topic that brought the House to a grinding halt this week.

A bill sponsored by conservative firebrand Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, R-Fla., and Rep. Brittany Pettersen, D-Colo., which would let new parents vote by proxy for 12 weeks while caring for their newborns, appears to have split the GOP.

While President Donald Trump has said he supports proxy voting for new parents in Congress, Speaker of the House Mike Johnson has said he believes proxy voting is "unconstitutional."

With 218 lawmakers backing the move, it has enough support to force a vote.

TRUMP SUPPORTS PROXY VOTING FOR NEW MOTHERS IN CONGRESS: 'DON’T KNOW WHY IT’S CONTROVERSIAL'

After Democrats and nine Republicans blocked an effort to sideline the issue, prompting Johnson to call the House into recess for the rest of the week, Mace said she is an "absolute no" on the question.

"I'm an absolute no on any and all proxy voting. It's wrong," Mace told Fox News Digital.

"We have a job. We have a constitutional duty to show up here and work, and we should."

Asked whether any exceptions should be made for new mothers and fathers in Congress, Mace answered, "Nope, none, zero."

PRESIDENT TRUMP, CONSERVATIVES CELEBRATE ‘ABSOLUTELY MASSIVE’ FLORIDA SPECIAL ELECTIONS SWEEP

"As a woman and as a mom, I want to make it on my own merit," she added. "I don't want to be given an exception for anything. I want to be able to make here like any man would."

Addressing other hot questions about exceptions for women, Mace also shared that she strongly supports Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth’s moves on standards.

"Doing it based on merit and making the standards be the same, I think that's good for our country. It's good for those who are willing to risk their lives, put their lives on the line for their fellow countrymen," she said.

SCOOP: WHITE HOUSE RALLIES HOUSE GOP ON TRUMP TARIFF PLAN IN SECRET CALL

"I love what Pete Hegseth is doing," she added. "I think he's doing a remarkable job, and he's bringing so much transparency to DOD and the Pentagon. And where they failed, then he is trying to pick up the pieces and put it back together, including how men and women are treated in uniform and how we are combat-ready."

Despite changes to standards, Mace predicted a "major uptick with recruitment" in all military branches under Trump and Hegseth’s leadership, saying, "I think we've got great things to come. Our enemies should be scared."

While much of Congress focuses on banning China from buying land near U.S. military bases, freshman Rep. Pat Harrigan, R-N.C., says the Chinese Communist Party already has a direct presence on those installations – through national nutrition chain GNC.

A bill released by Harrigan this week, the Military Installation Retail Security Act of 2025, would ban any companies of Chinese, North Korean, Iranian or Russian ownership from operating on military bases. 

"This is actually a situation where the CCP is operating on our military bases. It’s even crazier [than foreign land purchases]," Harrigan told Fox News Digital. 

In June 2020, vitamin retailer GNC filed for bankruptcy and was wholly acquired by Harbin Pharmaceuticals, a partially state-owned enterprise in China. Harbin had previously acquired a 40% stake in GNC in 2018.

‘MIND-BOGGLING’: SPACE FORCE CHIEF FIRES OFF DIRE WARNING ABOUT CHINESE CAPABILITY TO KNOCK OUT US SATELLITES

In 2019, GNC agreed to integrate its manufacturing with International Vitamin Corporation (IVC), which has a consortium of Chinese investors. 

The company, founded in Pittsburgh, had already been operating on U.S. bases for years at the time of its sale, and its potential to help with Chinese surveillance on military bases was overlooked.

Now, some 85 GNC stores operate on U.S. military bases. They operate under what are known as "long term concessions" contracts, meaning they are operated, staffed and supplied by GNC.

"This is a really ripe target for intelligence gathering," said Harrigan. "This is no joke about defending the integrity of our military, making sure that foreign adversaries who are actively seeking to undermine us don't have the opportunity to do that from within our military bases." 

"You know who these people are, the customers you've got, their purchasing habits. You have access to sensitive health information based on the type of products that they're purchasing," he said. 

The store could identify individuals with vulnerabilities by tracking frequent purchases of testosterone, sleep aids, or anxiety supplements, Harrigan said. It could also monitor deployment cycles based on changes in buying patterns, he added.

Harrigan warned that GNC’s access could even allow adversaries to introduce banned or harmful substances – or counterfeit products – to degrade military readiness.

US BANS ROMANTIC AND SEXUAL RELATIONSHIPS WITH CHINESE CITIZENS FOR GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES IN CHINA

The store also poses potential cyber risks, Harrigan said, noting that in-store WiFi and mobile data tracking could reveal troop geolocations. Loyalty apps and promotional materials, he warned, could be used to embed malicious links or software.

Fox News Digital reached out to GNC for comment but did not receive a response prior to publication.

Lawmakers have introduced dozens of bills aimed at blocking China from buying U.S. land near sensitive military sites – a movement that gained urgency after Chinese food producer Fufeng Group purchased 370 acres near a North Dakota Air Force base in 2022.

China owned around 350,000 acres of farmland across 27 states as of last year, according to data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. 

GNC Holdings appeared on the System for Award Management – the federal registry for government contractors – in 2023 and 2024, despite not being required to register due to its long-term concessions contract.

The company did not disclose its Chinese ownership on the website, and let its registration expire in October 2024. 

As a U.S. senator from Florida, Secretary of State Marco Rubio raised alarms in 2020 over GNC’s sale to Harbin, warning that customers’ personal data could be handed over to the Chinese Communist Party. He urged the Treasury Department to launch a national security review.

Despite those concerns, Bankruptcy Judge Karen Owens approved the $770 million sale. Since then, GNC has capitalized on renewed interest in health and wellness to grow its footprint to more than 4,000 stores in the U.S. and 2,000 internationally, according to the company’s website.

FIRST ON FOX: Former Ohio Republican State Senator Kevin Coughlin exclusively spoke to Fox News Digital about his recent announcement that he is challenging Dem. Rep. Emilia Sykes in one of the most closely watched House districts in next year’s midterms.

"The motivation is the same as it was in the last election," Coughlin, who narrowly lost to Sykes in November by two points in Ohio’s 13th Congressional District, told Fox News Digital. 

"I wanna make a difference for people. I think our country's going in the wrong direction. I think we have some great opportunities here. And it's very clear that with tight majorities in both the House and the Senate, we need reinforcements there to help push an America First agenda through and to try to secure our border, bring down costs, protect our communities and give taxpayers value for their dollar. The spirit is there, and the movement is there in DC. It's harder to do when you've got close majorities. And so I want to go and contribute to that and help deliver for the people of Northeast Ohio."

Coughlin told Fox News Digital that Sykes has not served the district well and that when he speaks to people in the district they tell him they are unsatisfied with her leadership.

LEAKED VIDEO EXPOSES DEM STAFFER ADMITTING 'QUIET PART OUT LOUD' IN FIERY TIRADE: 'OPEN THE F---ING BORDER'

"What they're getting with our current member of Congress is somebody who's just a partisan hack who's doing everything her party tells her to do at the expense of what's right for the families and the small businesses of our region and our district," Coughlin said. "She's repeatedly voted against extending the Trump tax cuts of 2017, which would end up being a huge tax increase on everyone. She has opposed efforts to reduce regulation and to root out waste and fraud in our government. She has voted to shut down our government and provide essential services to people who truly need them."

Coughlin added that Democrats since Trump’s inauguration have become "a bunch of toddlers pounding on the floor" and that they "really just don’t have a message right now."

"They're flailing around not only for leadership, but for a voice and a message and you know the old adage when your adversary is drowning, don’t interrupt them," Coughlin said. "I think the best thing for us to do as Republicans is to continue moving forward in the way they have so far, methodically move toward delivering on President Trump's agenda, delivering on the promises that they were elected on and moving that forward to deliver for the people that they represent. And as long as we keep doing that, and I think that the spirit is there, as long as they keep doing it, I think we'll be rewarded in the midterms."

FORMER NAVY SEAL CLINT BRUCE ON RELATIONSHIP WITH OHIO STATE'S RYAN DAY, HELPING COLLEGE FOOTBALL STARS

The Cook Political Report ranks the race in OH-13 as a "Democrat toss up" as Republicans head into the midterms with a slim majority in the House and facing the conventional wisdom that the party in power struggles in the first midterm after a new president takes office.

Coughlin told Fox News Digital he expects Republicans to do well in the midterms, particularly in Ohio, where Trump won by 11 points in November. 

"I was encouraged by results around the country this week with special elections in Florida and with the ballot issue on voter ID passing in Wisconsin," Coughlin said. "It tells me that our issues are still winning, that the people still view and have the same concerns that we have, and so that's a good thing."

"I think with regard to my opponent, what I've seen this year is that she's become even more partisan than she was before. She's digging in and hugging the liberal left even harder than she did before. So, that means she's casting a lot of votes that are very much out of step with her district, and I expect she'll continue to do that. And frankly, Ohio is different from the rest of the country in some regards," Coughlin said. "I think we're a little bit insulated here from the traditional midterm effect of the president's party not doing well in the elections. Statewide elections are going on next year, and if we stay true to form, we will have a strong, talented, dynamic, well-organized, well-funded slate of people running for statewide office, which lifts all boats with regard to Republican candidates in our state. So, I think it's going to be a good year here in Ohio."

A Sykes campaign spokesperson dismissed Coughlin's attacks.

"Rep. Sykes is focused on how we can best bring costs down, put money in people's pockets and protect earned benefits like social security and medicaid and will let others engage in unproductive name-calling," the spokesperson said.

The spokesperson also referred Fox News Digital to a quote from the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC), who called Coughlin a "corrupt, out of touch loser who’s only running so he can work with Elon Musk to dismantle Social Security and gut Medicaid to pay for billionaire tax breaks."

"Congresswoman Sykes is a results oriented leader with an undeniable record of fighting for Northeast Ohioans - focusing on lowering costs, creating good paying jobs, and keeping our communities safe," the DCCC spokesperson Viet Shelton added.

"Emilia Sykes is nothing but a rubber stamp for the far Left, completely out of touch with the people of Ohio," NRCC spokesman Zach Bannon said in a statement to Fox News Digital. "From voting to shut down the government and raise taxes to supporting open borders, Sykes is too extreme for Ohio. That’s why she’ll be out of a job next November." 

The Trump administration said that "radical judges" will "soon learn that denying" President Donald Trump his "constitutionally granted authorities is a gross infringement of the law and will not stand on appeal" after a Bush-appointed judge blocked the administration from firing intelligence agency employees tied to DEI programs.

U.S. District Judge Anthony Trenga, a President George W. Bush appointee in Virginia, issued the preliminary injunction on Monday ahead of a 5 p.m. deadline issued by CIA Director John Ratcliffe for the agents to resign or be fired, allowing them to appeal and stay on the federal payroll.

The injunction was part of a lawsuit filed by more than a dozen intelligence agents from the CIA and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence who were found to be involved in, or working on, DEI programs in the department. 

TRUMP DOJ, EDUCATION DEPT FORM TASK FORCE TO PROTECT FEMALE ATHLETES FROM 'GENDER IDEOLOGY' IN SCHOOLS, SPORTS

"The plaintiffs face termination without any suggestion of wrongdoing or poor performance," Trenga said after the ruling, according to Politico. "Simply requiring the government to follow its regulations is a minimal burden."

The employees, who were abruptly placed on administrative leave in January, were facing termination as part of the Trump administration's effort, supported by Elon Musk, to eliminate DEI-related programs and initiate a large-scale government overhaul. Musk also visited the CIA headquarters on Tuesday to discuss his government efficiency program. 

"These radical judges will soon learn that denying the Chief Executive his constitutionally granted authorities is a gross infringement of the law and will not stand on appeal," Trump administration spokesperson Harrison Fields told Fox News Digital. 

CONCERNED PARENTS OF TRANS KIDS COMPARED TO 'HATE GROUPS' BY COLORADO DEM: WOULDN'T 'ASK THE KKK' FOR OPINION

"Ending the bigotry of DEI and ensuring the federal government runs efficiently might be a crime to Democrats, but it’s in line with the law," he said.

The 19 employees, who are unnamed, contended in their lawsuit last month that their roles in the DEI programs were "temporary assignments" and that they also had other responsibilities as intelligence officers. The lawsuit also states that "poor performance" wasn't a factor in their dismissal. 

The "imminent termination is therefore arbitrary, capricious, an abuse of discretion," the lawsuit charges.

BAN ON TAXPAYER-FUNDED SEX CHANGES FOR PRISONERS SPARKS DEM WALKOUT IN GEORGIA HOUSE VOTE

Trenga's written order also said the Trump administration must consider employees' "request for reassignment for open or available positions, in accordance with their qualifications and skills." The administration can still fire the employees but first has to present a "report" on the employees' appeals or reassignments to the judge.

This injunction adds to a stack of injunctions and temporary restraining orders placed on several of President Donald Trump's executive orders.  

Trump issued an executive order last month penalizing law firm Perkins Coie for its representation of Hillary Clinton and its DEI policies by targeting the firm’s government contracts and limiting access to federal facilities. Over 300 law professors and legal groups, including the ACLU and Cato Institute, filed briefs supporting Perkins Coie. In February, a federal judge issued a preliminary injunction blocking key provisions of President Trump's executive orders aimed at banning DEI programs on university campuses.

Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser lobbed at least 13 lawsuits against Trump administration policies related to DEI, including the Health and Human Services' (HHS) termination of public health grants, and moves to defund the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

FBI Director Kash Patel is tackling China's influence on American farmlands head-on, as both a food supply and national security concern. 

Patel’s early focus on Chinese influence over American land — particularly farmland near sensitive sites — reflects a broader second-term push by the Trump administration to confront the Chinese Communist Party’s presence on U.S. soil. The effort has gained traction among Republican lawmakers and conservative allies, who say CCP-connected land ownership poses a direct threat to national security and critical infrastructure.

"FBI Director Kash Patel has made eradicating CCP interference and infiltration in the United States a relentless, uncompromising priority," Patel advisor Erica Knight told Fox News Digital. 

"With his unmatched experience in counterterrorism and intelligence, Patel possesses a profound understanding of the grave threats our nation faces," Knight said. "His expertise and unwavering resolve make him uniquely equipped to lead the bureau to crush CCP infiltration and safeguard America’s national security."

US-CANADA BORDER EYED AS VULNERABILITY BY CHINA, RUSSIA, SAYS PATEL: 'THE ENEMY ADAPTS' 

Patel recently told lawmakers that the "effective resolution" of the southern border crisis has prompted adversaries like China, Russia, and Iran to shift their focus to the U.S. northern border.

As the administration ramps up its second-term focus on China, President Donald Trump was asked aboard Air Force One on Thursday what the White House is doing about Chinese-owned farmland.

Trump said he is "looking at it all the time," adding that he has "a very good relationship with China and with the president."

"I have a lot of respect for President Xi," Trump said. 

TOP FIVE TAKEDOWNS: KASH PATEL’S FBI HITS THE GROUND RUNNING WITH MAJOR EARLY VICTORIES

Trump emphasized that Chinese-owned farmland "has been an issue for years."

In a February Fox News op-ed, Presidential Envoy for Special Missions Ric Grenell echoed growing concern on the right over Chinese-owned farmland, calling it part of a "not-so-silent takeover."

"While conservative legislators and governors across the country are taking action to stop adversarial nations from buying U.S. farmland, we must recognize that there’s a much broader issue at play here — China’s end goal is not confined to land ownership," Grenell wrote. 

MORE THAN HALF A MILLION LAW ENFORCEMENT PERSONNEL BACK PATEL AS FBI DIRECTOR

Capitol Hill lawmakers have already begun taking action. In early March, Sen. Mike Rounds, R-S.D., introduced the PASS Act in the Senate, which would bar entities from "covered countries" — including China — from purchasing agricultural land near military bases or other sensitive sites.

The legislation, which also has Democratic support, would allow the Department of Agriculture to submit cases to the Committee on Foreign Investment in the U.S. for review if the department suspects there is a national security concern. 

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Likewise, Republican senators in January also announced the Not One More Inch or Acre Act, led by Sens. Tom Cotton of Arkansas, Kevin Cramer of North Dakota and Katie Britt of Alabama. 

The legislation would require selling land owned or "influenced" by the Chinese Communist Party that is deemed to be a national security risk.

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