The House and Senate are a long way from approving President Trump’s "big, beautiful bill" to cut spending, slash taxes and likely raise the debt ceiling.

But the next step in the process begins unfolding this afternoon and over the next 48 hours.

The Senate likely votes between 4 and 6 p.m. ET Thursday to actually "proceed" to a retooled budget framework. The framework is necessary under special budget rules the Senate is using to avoid a filibuster, which would kill the bill.

REPORTER'S NOTEBOOK: APRIL FOOLS' ON CAPITOL HILL

If the Senate fails to proceed, Republicans have major problems. But if the Senate can forge ahead, then it can actually launch up to 50 hours of debate on the updated budget package and go to what’s called a "vote-a-rama" Friday evening. The Senate would presumably finish this step in the process and adopt the new framework in the wee hours of Saturday morning or perhaps during the day on Saturday.

A "vote-a-rama" is really just a very Senate way of saying "long vote series which probably runs all night." The Senate rifles through roll call vote after roll call vote for hours on end. Most vote-a-ramas run 10-15 hours. They are always related to the budget process. And, because of special budget rules, senators can offer an unlimited number of amendments – and that’s why there are so many votes.

Republicans will try to get through this process as quickly as possible – although some conservatives may offer amendments for additional debt reduction or something related to the debt ceiling.

DEMOCRAT REP VOWS TO WORK WITH TRUMP ON KEY PART OF TARIFF PLAN: ‘HOPING THAT I CAN HELP’

Democrats will likely offer a host of amendments to get vulnerable Republicans on the record about controversial issues like possible cuts to Medicare and Medicaid and even tariffs.

The bottom line is this:

There is high interest in Congress advancing the "big, beautiful bill." It’s the touchstone of President Trump’s legislative agenda and probably the most significant piece of legislation to come before Congress over the next two years. But getting to a point where the House and Senate can actually try to approve the bill itself is an exhaustive process and months away. However, this incremental step is essential to getting there. And that’s why interested parties will focus on the vote-a-rama starting Friday night and when it ends.

Also, why start this process so late on a Thursday and compel the Senate to meet on a Friday night and into the weekend? Especially when the Senate has had multiple weekend sessions already this year and several overnight sessions? That includes the all-night, record-breaking speech by Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., earlier this week.

There is some method to the madness.

First, the Senate needs to get through this step. Time is of the essence. But secondly, Fox is told that holding off until later in the week could limit the length of the vote-a-rama if the Senate doesn’t start until Friday night. That isn’t to say the vote-a-rama won’t be long and tiring. But it could abbreviate the process.

Let’s take a step backward so we can look forward on what the House and Senate must still do to pass the tax cut and spending cut plan. There are potentially eight steps here. The Senate motion over the next few days is step three.

In February, the Senate adopted an initial budget outline so it could use the special "budget reconciliation process" and avoid a filibuster.

The House approved its own version of a budget outline in late February – even though the consequences of the filibuster mean nothing to the House. But the issue was that the House and Senate approved different budget frameworks. They still need to sync up.

So those were steps one and two of this protracted process.

The Senate’s vote-a-rama – culminating with the adoption of a new, updated budget blueprint – is step three.

Step four likely comes next week when the Senate’s updated package goes to the House. Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., indicated Wednesday night he’d like the House to align with the Senate framework next week. So that entails another vote. However, some archconservatives might look askance at the Senate’s spending cut numbers. Those close to the Senate process have told Fox that those figures represent a "floor" for spending cuts. Not a "ceiling." But the ultimate Senate number might not please as many House conservatives.

Why does the Senate do it this way? To comply with specific, strict Senate budgetary rules.

Johnson seemed buoyed last night after he swore in new Reps. Jimmy Patronis, R-Fla., and Randy Fine, R-Fla., Wednesday night.

"The margin is a little more comfortable. It's an embarrassment of riches. Now we can lose, what, three votes now or something."

Yours truly asked Patronis if he and Fine would vote for the still incomplete package when it comes over from the Senate.

"I vote for my speaker," replied Patronis.

"Right!" piped up Johnson.

It’s possible the speaker was glad to have some backup after one of the worst weeks of his tenure. Johnson lost an internecine fight over proxy voting for members who are pregnant or new moms. That blocked the House from considering other major bills and forced him to shut the House down for the rest of the week on Tuesday.

Regardless, if the House adopts the plan now before the Senate, they go to steps five and six. That’s where the House and Senate actually assemble, debate and presumably pass the bill itself. Those steps will be the most challenging set yet. And it likely involves yet another vote-a-rama in the Senate.

Then, we may have steps seven and eight. That’s where the House and Senate may need to take yet another set of votes to align again – if both bodies have approved different bills.

That’s why passing the "big, beautiful bill" may take until summer. And there will undoubtedly be additional hiccups along the way.

President Donald Trump’s national security advisor, Mike Waltz, has repeatedly landed in hot water in recent days, beginning with an uproar from Democrats over a Signal chat leak with high-ranking national security officials that has since snowballed. 

Trump and his administration, however, repeatedly have defended the national security leader publicly. 

Waltz, who previously served as a Florida congressman and as a decorated combat Green Beret, has come under fire from Democrats and critics since March, when the Atlantic magazine's editor-in-chief Jeffrey Goldberg published a firsthand account of getting added to a Signal group chat with top national security leaders, including Waltz, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and CIA Director John Ratcliffe, while they discussed strikes against Yemen terrorists. 

Signal is an encrypted messaging app that operates similarly to texting or making phone calls, but with additional security measures that help ensure communications are kept private to those included in the correspondence. 

NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISOR MIKE WALTZ TAKES RESPONSIBILITY FOR 'EMBARRASSING' SIGNAL CHAT LEAK

The Atlantic's report characterized the Trump administration as texting "war plans" regarding a planned strike on Houthi rebels in Yemen. The Trump administration has maintained, however, that no classified material was transmitted in the chat, with Trump repeatedly defending Waltz amid the fallout. 

NSC CONFIRMS MIKE WALTZ AND STAFF USED GMAIL FOR GOVERNMENT COMMUNICATION

"As the president has made it very clear, Mike Waltz continues to be an important part of his national security team," Trump administration press secretary Karoline Leavitt told the media in brief remarks outside of the White House's press room Monday afternoon. "And this case has been closed here at the White House, as far as we are concerned." 

"There have been steps made to ensure that something like that can obviously never happen again," she continued. "And we're moving forward. And the president and Mike Waltz and his entire national security team have been working together very well, if you look at how much safer the United States of America is because of the leadership of this team." 

TRUMP REVEALS WHO WAS BEHIND SIGNAL TEXT CHAIN LEAK

Fox News Digital has compiled a timeline of accusations and outrage directed at and involving Waltz since the Atlantic's first report on the chat leak. 

Fox News Digital reached out to the White House for comment on the matter, but did not immediately receive a reply. 

There's no denying that billionaire Elon Musk has been the most visible member of President Donald Trump's administration during Trump's first ten weeks back in the White House. But with familiarity can come contempt, as recent polling shows the DOGE point man underwater with approval ratings.

Musk, the world's richest person and the chief executive of Tesla and SpaceX, has grabbed outsized attention as he's steered DOGE, the acronym for Trump's recently created Department of Government Efficiency, which has swept through federal agencies, rooting out what the White House argues was billions in wasteful federal spending.

The unit has also taken a meat cleaver to the federal workforce, resulting in a massive exodus of employees. The controversial moves by Musk and DOGE have triggered a slew of lawsuits in response.

But it's becoming increasingly clear that a majority of Americans are far from happy with Musk's moves. And two new national public opinion polls released this week offer further proof.

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

According to a Reuters/Ipsos poll conducted March 31-April 2, Musk's favorable rating stands at 39% among Americans, with 57% viewing him in an unfavorable light.

And only 36% of respondents said the Trump administration was doing a competent job in reducing the number of federal employees. Even fewer — 31% — offered that the Trump administration was competently downsizing the federal government without affecting vital services.

According to a Marquette Law School national survey, 41% approve of the job Musk is doing at DOGE, with 58% giving him a thumbs down.

And Musk's favorable rating was in negative territory — at the 38% to 60% — in the poll, which was conducted March 17 through 24.

AMERICANS WANT SMALLER GOVERNMENT BUT NEW POLLS SHOWS WHETHER THEY LIKE HOW MUSK IS GOING ABOUT IT

The two surveys are the latest to indicate Musk's poll numbers deeply underwater.

A majority — 54% — questioned in a Quinnipiac University survey conducted early last month said that Musk and DOGE are hurting the country, with just four in ten saying their efforts are helping the country.

And according to a Fox News national poll conducted in mid-March, Musk's approval of his work at DOGE was in negative territory, at 40% approval and 58% disapproval.

While nearly six in 10 questioned in the Fox News poll felt that a great deal or almost all of government spending is wasteful and inefficient, 51% opposed substantially shrinking the number of government employees, 56% disapproved of the job the Trump administration is doing identifying and reducing wasteful spending, and another 65% worried that not enough thought and planning has gone into the cuts.

While Trump continues to praise Musk's efforts with DOGE, some Republicans are starting to voice concerns about Musk's political liabilities.

Democrats have increasingly spotlighted and targeted Musk in their political attacks. And that was before he inserted himself front-and-center in this week's high-profile and historically expensive state supreme court election in Wisconsin.

ELON MUSK HANDS OUT MILLION-DOLLAR CHECKS AMID 'SUPER IMPORTANT' WISCONSIN JUDICIAL RACE

With a massive infusion of money from Democrat- and Republican-aligned groups from outside Wisconsin, which turned the race into the most expensive judicial election in the nation's history, the contest partially transformed into a referendum on Trump's sweeping and controversial moves during the opening months of his second tour of duty in the White House, and on Musk's efforts.

Dane County Circuit Court Judge Susan Crawford, the liberal-leaning candidate, ended up defeating Brad Schimel, the conservative-leaning Trump-backed candidate, a former state attorney general who currently serves as a state circuit court judge in Waukesha County, by roughly ten points.

The large margin was not expected, in a race that was expected to be close, in a state that last November had an extremely tight margin in the presidential race.

Musk, who last year was Trump's top donor, dished out roughly $20 million in the Wisconsin race through aligned groups in support of Schimel.

DONALD TRUMP, FACING TERRIBLE COVERAGE, SOFTENS TONE AND TACTICS FOR ELON MUSK’S DOGE CRUSADE

In a controversial move, Musk handed out $1 million checks at a rally in Green Bay on Sunday evening to two Wisconsin voters who had already cast ballots in the contest and had signed a petition to stop "activist judges."

Musk's lighting rod efforts in Wisconsin are being blamed for partially contributing to the 10-point shellacking Schimel suffered.

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The White House confirmed to Fox News on Wednesday that Musk will exit his role with DOGE on schedule later this spring, once his efforts are complete.

The White House, pushing back against reporting by Politico that Trump had told his inner circle and cabinet members that Musk would be "stepping back in the coming weeks from his current role," said that Musk had long been anticipated to step back from DOGE when his 130 days as a "special government employee" run out in May. 

Two senior lawmakers have introduced a bipartisan bill that would reassert Congress' powers over U.S. tariffs, a day after President Donald Trump announced a new wide-ranging tariff strategy during his "Liberation Day" speech on Wednesday.

Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, and Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., on Thursday introduced the Trade Review Act of 2025, which would require the president to notify Congress about any new tariffs within 48 hours of imposition. 

The bill also requires that Trump provide an explanation of the rationale along with an analysis of the tariffs’ potential impact on the U.S. economy. Congress would have to approve the new tariffs within 60 days or allow them to expire.

If enacted, the bill would shift certain trade policymaking powers from the executive branch to the Congress. 

WHAT IS TRUMP'S NEW LIBERATION DAY AND WHAT TO EXPECT APRIL 2?

"For too long, Congress has delegated its clear authority to regulate interstate and foreign commerce to the executive branch," Grassley, a Trump ally who's skeptical of tariffs, said in a statement. 

"Building on my previous efforts as Finance Committee Chairman, I’m joining Senator Cantwell to introduce the bipartisan Trade Review Act of 2025 to reassert Congress’ constitutional role and ensure Congress has a voice in trade policy," he continued.

TREASURY SECRETARY BESSENT TELLS COUNTRIES NOT TO RETALIATE AFTER SWEEPING 'LIBERATION DAY' TARIFFS

Cantwell said in a statement that Trump’s tariffs would hurt sectors such as agriculture, manufacturing and technology and have reverberating effects on consumers.

"Ultimately, consumers will pay the price," Cantwell said in a statement. "It's time for Congress to take action to counter the president's trade war."

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Grassley's home state of Iowa heavily relies on farm crop exports, while Cantwell's Washington state is home to many export-heavy companies such as Boeing.

Trump on Thursday compared the tariffs to a medical operation, and said the "patient lived, and is healing." "The prognosis is that the patient will be far stronger, bigger, better, and more resilient than ever before," he wrote on Truth Social.

Thursday's bill was introduced after four Republican senators joined Democrats in approving a separate resolution Wednesday that would repeal Trump's emergency declaration levying tariffs on Canadian imports. Grassley was not one of the Republican defectors. The resolution is likely dead on arrival in the House.

A delegation of House Democratic lawmakers will visit a portion of the southern border on Friday to conduct oversight of the Trump administration's border policies "firsthand" as authorities continue the president's mass deportation program. 

Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-MS., the ranking member of the House Homeland Security Committee, will lead the delegation. 

Also going will be Reps. Lou Correa and Sara Jacobs, both of California; Delia Ramirez of Illinois; LaMonica McIver and Nellie Pou, both of New Jersey; and Tim Kennedy of New York.

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

Fox News Digital has reached out to Thompson's office. The lawmakers will visit the U.S. Border Patrol's San Diego Sector. 

San Diego County Supervisor Jim Desmond, who has called for greater border security in the past, criticized the timing of the visit. 

"For years, I invited leaders from both parties to witness the crisis at our Southern Border," he wrote on X. "Few listened. Now—just one month into the new administration—border crossings are down 95%. Now the Democrats want to come see it? The invasion is over. The border is secure."

TRUMP REPORTS ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT ENCOUNTERS AT HISTORIC LOWS DURING FIRST FULL MONTH IN OFFICE

The Trump administration has deported more than 100,000 illegal migrants in the weeks since Trump returned to the White House on Jan. 20, according to a New York Post report citing a Department of Homeland Security official.

"He’s doing what he was voted in to do. Point blank!" a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) source told the outlet.

Trump’s second term, much like his first, has consisted of executive orders, enforcing current laws and hard-line messaging to clamp down on illegal crossings. On his first day back in office, he declared a national emergency at the southern border.

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

Georgia state House Democrats staged a walkout to protest a vote on a bill headed to the governor's desk for his signature prohibiting taxpayer-funded sex change surgeries for inmates. 

The bill passed on a 100-2 vote, and both recorded no votes were from Democrats.

The legislation, SB 185, sponsored by Republican state Sen. Randy Robertson, bars the Georgia Department of Corrections from providing taxpayer-funded transgender medical treatments, including surgeries and hormonal treatments, to prison inmates. Robertson contends there are about five inmates incarcerated in the DOC that receive treatments.

The bill now heads to Republican Gov. Brian Kemp's desk for his signature.

PRISONERS HAVE NO 'CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT' TO SEX CHANGES, RED STATE AG TELLS COURT IN BRIEF BACKING TRUMP

"This disappointing stunt underscores a troubling disconnect between Democrats and the values of the people they serve," Republican House Majority Whip James Burchett told Fox News Digital. "They knew they had no response to the substance of the bill. So, rather than debate its merits, they chose to abandon their duties by leaving the chamber."

However, Democratic House Whip Sam Park contended it was Republicans playing politics, not Democrats.

"Republicans continue to waste time on their manufactured culture wars while Georgians struggle with increasing costs of housing, food, healthcare and an increasingly uncertain economy due to Republican leadership in D.C.," Park said. "We walked out to make it clear: Georgia Democrats are here to fight for working families, not political distractions."

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Georgia Republicans have taken an aggressive approach toward transgender issues this legislative session with the introduction of several bills that seek to align with President Donald Trump's executive orders. 

Some of those bills, in addition to SB 185, include blocking taxpayer-funded medical treatments for state employees, prohibitions on prescribing puberty blockers to minors and a ban on biological males competing in girls high school sports.

It's unclear how much cosmetic or surgical transgender treatments cost each taxpayer in Georgia, but the Gender Confirmation Center estimates alterations can be anywhere from $8,000 to $50,000, depending on the type of procedure.

Other states this year have moved to introduce similar bills banning taxpayer-funded transgender treatments for inmates, including Utah and Kentucky. California was among the first states to provide transgender procedures for prison inmates in 2017 after a legal battle launched by an inmate two years earlier.

ACLU SUES INDIANA OVER DENIAL OF SEX REASSIGNMENT SURGERY FOR INMATE WHO STRANGLED 11-MONTH-OLD TO DEATH

In January and February 2025, Trump signed executive orders rolling back federally-funded "gender ideology" initiatives. These orders define "sex" strictly as male or female, mandate federal agencies to conform to this definition and prohibit transgender individuals from using single-sex federally-funded facilities. They also prevent federally funded transgender treatments for both inmates and minors and ban biological males from competing in women's sports.

"Yesterday’s walkout by Georgia Democrats during a vote to ban taxpayer-funded sex reassignment surgeries for prisoners is a disgraceful display of misplaced priorities," Rep. Houston Gaines, vice chairman of the Georgia House Majority Caucus, said. 

"By storming out of the legislative session, these lawmakers abandoned their duty to represent their constituents and engage in the democratic process, all to grandstand over an issue that most Georgians find absurd."

"Mind-boggling" is the word Space Force Gen. Chance Saltzman used to describe China’s explosive advances in space as he warned the U.S. is on a path to losing its dominance in orbit.

Testifying before the bipartisan U.S.-China Commission on Thursday, Saltzman said China is "heavily investing" in both ground-based and space-based weapons designed to disable enemy satellites, including kinetic strikes, radio-frequency jamming and directed energy weapons.

The U.S., meanwhile, is "resource limited" and still weighing "which ones we could get the most utility out of," he said.

The general’s testimony came as Congress weighs how to counter growing Chinese aggression in space and whether the Space Force has the tools to keep pace. China increased its military spending by 7% this year, stockpiling anti-satellite missiles and claiming to possess directed energy weapons that use concentrated energy beams to jam satellite signals.

THE US IS NOT READY FOR A NUCLEAR SHOWDOWN WITH CHINA, KEY CONSERVATIVES WARN TRUMP

There’s also a risk if China were to destroy a satellite in orbit, an action that could trigger a global catastrophe, Saltzman warned, pointing to lingering debris from Russia’s 2021 anti-satellite missile test and China’s 2007 test, which continue to threaten spacecraft safety.

China’s space-based targeting capabilities have "grown most impressively" in recent years, Saltzman said, with hundreds of satellites now dedicated to tracking U.S. assets in orbit. That expansion has given the Space Force a "new mission set": to deny China the ability to surveil American satellites in real time.

Yet Saltzman warned the U.S. is falling behind. The Space Force budget has shrunk in absolute terms, even as space becomes an increasingly contested military domain. Lawmakers, he said, still operate with an "out of sight, out of mind" mindset.

"It’s just still a low priority in terms of the policy regime," Saltzman said. "The modern battlefield has to account for the space domain. If we can’t continue to protect our use of the domain – and we can’t deny an adversary – that’s going to be tied to the military objectives in any of the other domains.

LASERS, SPACE RADARS, MISSILE INTERCEPTORS: DEFENSE LEADERS LAY OUT VISION FOR TRUMP'S 'GOLDEN DOME' PROJECT

"I believe we have more missions unfunded than funded," Saltzman said, adding that Space Force still lacks the size and capabilities needed to carry out its expanding responsibilities.

The U.S., for example, does not have an operational quantum satellite, but China does. Quantum satellites can enable ultra-secure communications and advanced navigational technologies.

China’s investment in space-based tech for long-range precision strikes and reusable launch vehicles "represent an inflection point in space access that may result in China overtaking U.S. leadership," Saltzman said.

Just weeks ago, Space Force Vice Chief of Operations Gen. Michael Guetlein revealed that China has been practicing satellite "dogfighting," a sign of its growing ability to conduct complex operations in orbit.

Space Force has observed "five different objects in space maneuvering in and out and around each other in synchronicity and in control," he said.

"That’s what we call dogfighting in space," Guetlein said. "They are practicing tactics, techniques and procedures to conduct on-orbit operations from one satellite to another."

California gubernatorial candidate and former Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra said the state may need to rein in its Medicaid program as it faces concerns about costs partly related to those in the country illegally using the system.

Becerra, a Democrat who previously served as the Golden State’s attorney general, explained his stance in an interview with Fox 11 Los Angeles this week.

"I believe we should eventually get there," he said about allowing people to enroll in Medi-Cal even if they’re undocumented.

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"Can we afford to do it? That's where a governor has to decide... if we can’t afford it, we have to be realistic. If we can't afford it, how do we do it?" he added.

"But when you do the scrub… this is where it’s important, if you don’t have the dollars to do it, how do you do it? You need the money. California needs a balanced budget. You scrub it. If you find a way, you do it and don’t delay. But if you scrub it and you can’t figure out how to do it, then that’s the reality and that’s the choices we have," the former Biden official continued.

The overall Medi-Cal program was originally expected to cost $6 billion until a California budget official revealed that it’s projected to cost $9.5 billion this fiscal year. The governor’s office then asked for two separate loans, totaling $6.2 billion.

ALLEGED MS-13 GANG LEADER LINKED TO NEARLY A DOZEN MURDERS, ON THE RUN FOR YEARS NABBED IN LONG ISLAND: DOJ

When asked by KCRA, Gov. Gavin Newsom, who is term-limited and will leave office in January 2027, said that while illegal immigrants in the program are not the whole issue, it’s a contributing factor.

"That’s partial," Newsom said last month.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE IMMIGRATION COVERAGE

"With tough fiscal choices ahead, Governor Newsom, jointly with Pro Tem McGuire and Speaker Rivas, will evaluate proposals to rein in long-term spending – including in Medi-Cal – while working to protect the core health and social services Californians rely on," Newsom spokesperson Izzy Gardon said in a statement to Fox News Digital. The governor and his office have said rising costs have led to higher than expected Medicaid costs in other states that do not allow illegal immigrants to enroll.

"Immigration status doesn't matter," according to the California Department of Health Care services website, but Republicans have staunchly criticized allowing illegal immigrants in the program.

COLLEGES IN ICE'S DEPORTATION CROSSHAIRS SHELLED OUT DISCOUNTS, FINANCIAL AID TO ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS: GOP REP

"Even Jerry Brown refused to expand Medi-Cal to all illegal immigrants because he knew it was fiscally irresponsible and unsustainable," California Senate Minority Leader Brian Jones tweeted last month. "Now under Newsom, legal residents are paying the price both financially and in reduced access to healthcare. The public deserves answers: Why are the costs so much higher than what Newsom promised? What is Newsom’s plan to fix the financial disaster he created?" 

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The 2026 California governor’s race is expected to be contentious, as Becerra, former Rep. Katie Porter, former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, and Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis are already in the race on the Democratic side. Reports swirl that former Vice President Kamala Harris could make her comeback into politics after losing the 2024 election by running for governor. On the Republican side, Riverside Sheriff Chad Bianco is currently in the race, and many others are expected to join him.

New York State Republicans are demanding the ouster of the city's transit chief, citing poor subway service despite an infusion of cash from Gov. Kathy Hochul’s "congestion pricing" Manhattan toll zone.

A press conference came on Wednesday, days after Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy visited Dover, N.J., to assess a massive sinkhole that had closed down I-80. Republicans are also calling for an audit of the entire transit agency. 

There, Duffy criticized Hochul for failing to rescind congestion pricing and said New York officials need to get a better handle on subway crime. 

"If you want people to take the train, to take transit, then make it safe, make it clean, make it beautiful, make it wonderful, don’t make it a s---hole, which is what she’s done," he said. 

"We don’t have to be at war over this," Hochul reportedly said in that regard.

NY LAWMAKERS BLAST MTA AFTER COMMENTS ‘DISMISSIVE’ OF CRIME ISSUE

State Sen. Steve Chan, R-Bath Beach, announced a bill at the Albany conference that would add two more members to the state-owned MTA’s board: one representing NYPD transit police and another representing the transit police union.

Chan, a retired NYPD sergeant and immigrant from Hong Kong, condemned a string of dangerous incidents on the rails in and around his Brooklyn district, including the nationally reported case of a passenger set on fire in nearby Coney Island.

"If it takes two men two days to dig a half a hole, then how long would it take one guy to dig a hole?" Chan asked at the presser.

"The question can be answered by [MTA Chair] Janno Lieber, because that's what he does every year: dig himself a hole," he said.

"The motto of the MTA seems to be, ‘the higher the cost, the less we have to offer you.’ So every year around this time, the MTA comes with their hand with a tin cup, ‘We need more money,’ and year after year, the Democrats in Albany bend the knee to a mismanaged, misguided and bloated, lackluster transit system."

Chan said that during his decades as a cop, he saw the best and worst of the subways, but today they're leaning toward the worst. 

He said there was once a time only a few years ago when solo passengers could feel safe underground at 3 a.m., but not today. 

"I know private companies that could run the MTA better. I bet I can take a company and give them one single bus line. They'll turn a profit right away."

Chan lamented what he called a criminal "free-for-all" in the subway system, arguing that claims of reduced crime are the result of lax enforcement and downgraded charges.

SUBWAY MAYHEM SPURS CUOMO TO URGE HALT TO NEW NYC DRIVING TAX

Sen. Bill Weber, R-Clarkstown, said his constituents north of the city have had to pay a surtax to the MTA for what he called inefficient service and have to choose whether to brave the indirect transit options or the congestion pricing tolls.

He suggested the MTA is blaming NJTransit, which operates MTA trains that pass through the Garden State on their way to either Spring Valley or Port Jervis, and he also called for Lieber’s ouster.

"Two bills that I'm proposing today … will bring more money back into the pockets of Rockland [County] taxpayers and hopefully will get the MTA moving in the right direction," he said.

Sen. Jack Martins, R-Mineola, added that he hopes the MTA succeeds but has long doubted it.

"Their success is our success. Their success is New York State's success," he said, calling the agency’s $19.9 billion budget an appropriation without results.

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"[For] every dollar that comes out [of a New Yorker's] pocket that goes to fund the MTA, and frankly, we get nothing for it. It's time for congestion pricing to be repealed. It's time for an audit and a real audit that goes into the waste, fraud and abuse that exists at the MTA."

Senate Minority Leader Rob Ortt, R-Niagara Falls, closed the conference by saying the GOP caucus wants the MTA to succeed, and that harsh criticism should not be misconstrued as wishing for failure.

"[But] every time we throw them more money, we're part of the problem. If we want accountability, the easiest way is to say, ‘The spigot's turned off until you show us that you're willing to make changes with the billions of dollars that you get, then we can have a conversation about other things we can do financially.’"

In a statement to Fox News Digital, a top MTA official rejected the collective claims and criticized Martins in particular.

"The LIRR is operating with record on-time performance and crime on the subway is down 24% since last year. And the MTA has a balanced operating budget, so it’s mind-boggling how some politicians are apparently not capable of reading a budget," MTA chief of policy John J. McCarthy said.

"Mr. Martins has a track record of being wrong. He fought improvements on the LIRR, opposing the Third Track Expansion Project [in Nassau County] – a project that only moved forward when Martins left office."

"Now Mr. Martins is back in office, the project is done, and he is trying to make believe there is no improvement – meanwhile it only happened because he was out of the picture." 

An MTA official acknowledged that NJ Transit does run service to Rockland and Orange counties and that it could be better, in regard to Weber's critique.

The Pentagon’s inspector general has launched an investigation into whether Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth violated department policy by discussing military attack plans in a private Signal chat, following a report by The Atlantic.

The probe will examine whether Hegseth improperly discussed operational plans for a U.S. offensive against the Houthis in Yemen and will also review "compliance with classification and records retention requirements," according to a memo from Inspector General Steven Stebbins.

The investigation was launched after the top Republican and Democrat on the Senate’s Armed Services Committee requested it last week. 

"This chat was alleged to have included classified information pertaining to sensitive military discussions in Yemen," Chairman Roger Wicker, R-Miss., and ranking member Jack Reed, D-R.I., wrote in a letter to Stebbins. "If true, this reporting raises questions as to the use of unclassified networks to discuss classified and sensitive information."

TRUMP TEAM'S SIGNAL SNAFU SPARKS DEBATE OVER SECURE COMMS: 'RUSSIA AND CHINA ARE LISTENING'

A memorandum addressed to Hegseth asked him to designate two points of contact for the investigation and said it would take place in Washington, D.C., and U.S. Central Command headquarters in Tampa, Florida. 

Hegseth sent details related to an offensive campaign against Yemen's Houthi rebels last month to principal advisers of the president via a Signal app chat national security adviser Michael Waltz had started. The chat unintentionally included Atlantic editor-in-chief Jeffrey Goldberg. 

Stebbins is the acting Pentagon watchdog after President Donald Trump fired 17 inspectors general, including the Defense Department’s IG, shortly after taking office. 

Hegseth's Signal messages revealed F-18, Navy fighter aircraft, MQ-9s, drones and Tomahawks cruise missiles would be used in the strike on the Houthis.

TRUMP OFFICIALS ACCIDENTALLY TEXT ATLANTIC JOURNALIST ABOUT MILITARY STRIKES IN APPARENT SECURITY BREACH

"1215et: F-18s LAUNCH (1st strike package)," Hegseth said in one message notifying the chat of high-level administration officials that the attack was about to kick off.

"1345: ‘Trigger Based’ F-18 1st Strike Window Starts (Target Terrorist is @ his Known Location so SHOULD BE ON TIME – also, Strike Drones Launch (MQ-9s)" he added, according to the report. 

"1410: More F-18s LAUNCH (2nd strike package)"

"1415: Strike Drones on Target (THIS IS WHEN THE FIRST BOMBS WILL DEFINITELY DROP, pending earlier ‘Trigger Based’ targets)"

"1536 F-18 2nd Strike Starts – also, first sea-based Tomahawks launched."

"MORE TO FOLLOW (per timeline)"

"We are currently clean on OPSEC" – that is, operational security.

Waltz later wrote that the mission had been successful. "The first target—their top missile guy—was positively ID’d walking into his girlfriend's building. It’s now collapsed."

Trump administration officials have insisted that nothing classified was shared over the chat. 

"No locations. No sources & methods. NO WAR PLANS," Waltz wrote on X last week. 

Government officials frequently use Signal to communicate, even for sensitive information, as they don't always have access to a sensitive compartmented information facility (SCIF).  

The father of a 31-year-old Marine veteran from Arizona who was murdered at an illegal checkpoint while driving to the beach in Mexico in 2024 said he did not expect Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent to reference his son’s name when announcing new sanctions against the Sinaloa cartel this week.  

Doug Quets, a U.S. military veteran himself, whose son, Nicholas Quets, served for four years in the Marines, said he was "really humbled and pleasantly surprised" that Bessent remembered him, as well as another American, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration Special Agent Enrique "Kiki" Camarena. Camarena was abducted, tortured and killed in 1985. 

Bessent named both men in a video statement released Monday – what would have been Nicholas Quets’ 32nd birthday – that announced Treasury Department sanctions against six individuals and seven entities allegedly involved in a money-laundering network supporting the Sinaloa cartel. 

"I had full faith in President Trump… I knew we weren’t forgotten, but when the secretary mentioned my son’s name, no, I was not. I was not expecting that," Doug Quets told Fox News Digital. "I have the faith in a lot of different levels of our government and in God that things could be done, because in fact, if you apply, if you pursue these problems and you confront these problems, they're basically bullies, right? And so if you let the bullies go, they become bolder and bolder. But if you confront them, you can defeat them. So the momentum against these groups is palpable right now. I mean, you can feel it, you know that that's occurring. And that's only because of the United States deciding to do something about it." 

SINALOA CARTEL SLAPPED WITH TRUMP ADMIN SANCTIONS IN BLOW TO DRUG EMPIRE

Quets noted the contrast between the Trump administration's message and what he heard from officials on both sides of the border five and a half months ago. He said his grieving family was told repeatedly by officials in the wake of Nicholas' slaying in the Mexican state of Sonora that "we’re sorry, but there’s nothing that can be done." 

"That, to me, is just infuriating because [as] somebody that's spent a lot of time providing security for others and promoting welfare, the knowledge that nothing can be done against bullies and criminals, that perspective is wrong. You just have to confront it," Quets told Fox News Digital. "We can win any fight. And we can win this fight. And knowing that President Trump is taking it very seriously, yeah, that gives me hope, gives my family hope that this will come to a good ending for so many people. It'll never come to good ending for me, the things we want back, you know, they're not coming back, but we can protect your family. We can protect other families." 

Quets praised Trump for using "all instruments of U.S. national power" against the cartels and described receiving "overwhelming" support from the National Security Council, Justice Department and the FBI.

"It's moving, it never moves as fast as you want as a parent, but he has taken our case very seriously, and I'm super happy for that. And everything we discussed, he has moved out on and as fast, I'm convinced, as fast as he could," Quets said. 

"The United States government's capable of doing anything it wants to do in this world if it makes it important enough. And it's just how important we want to make it," Quets said. "If you pull the right levers and you do the right things and you do them in the name of justice, in the name of security of American citizens, you're always doing the right thing."

About three weeks ago, Attorney General Pam Bondi said she had a "powerful and emotional phone call" with Judge Enrique Camarena, the son of murdered DEA Special Agent Camarena, following the extradition of his alleged killer, Rafael Caro Quintero. Quintero was among 29 defendants taken into U.S. custody in February to face prosecution in the United States for cartel-related crimes dating back to the 1980s. 

FAMILY OF MARINE VETERAN MURDERED IN MEXICO BACKS TRUMP, VANCE AFTER SILENCE FROM BIDEN-HARRIS ADMIN

Quets declined to reveal updates about his son’s case amid the active investigation but welcomed those extraditions as a sign of the growing momentum from U.S. agencies in confronting this "evil." 

"I am pleased. I'm not surprised because I did know it could be done. And I did feel like it would be done under President Trump, but I'm pleased that these extraditions have started," Quets said.

Nicholas Quets, who was employed by Pima County, Arizona, in water reclamation and ran his own side business as a welder at the time of his death, was making a drive many Americans had made before down to the Mexican beach town of Rocky Point when he was murdered on Oct. 18, 2024, during the height of the election campaign, after evading an illegal checkpoint in Caborca, according to his father. 

The family later learned the route had become more treacherous with rival cartels fighting over the area, and two elderly American women were killed at a similar checkpoint about a month beforehand, though that story received little news coverage at the time. Nicholas Quets was pursued by cartel members on an about seven-mile chase before they ran his pick-up truck into a cement median, and the alleged cartel members "shot him in the back as cowards," according to Doug Quets. 

Just days after his son’s murder, Doug Quets said he met with vice presidential candidate and then-Sen. JD Vance, of Ohio, while he was campaigning in Arizona. Trump also met with the grieving father, who praised both Republicans for their humanity in speaking with him for about 15 minutes each while they were in the "fight of their lives" in the swing state. 

Doug Quets said he was ignored by Democratic vice-presidential candidate and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz’ team when he made a campaign stop in the state. Trump later invited the Quets family to a rally in nearby Nevada, and Doug Quets said Trump unexpectedly introduced him to the crowd and invited him on stage to speak. 

"There was no script, there was nothing else. President Trump just put all his blind faith in me to just tell the truth," Quets said. "Nick was an innocent U.S. citizen driving to the beach and was executed by cowards in the back." 

"You have to accept the fact that, you know, there is good and there is bad and there is evil in the world. And my son, through no fault of his own, confronted evil. And that evil, you know, is now being held accountable and is going to be made to pay."

A moderate Democrat is expressing cautious optimism at President Donald Trump's stance on tariffs in a stark departure from most of his party's infuriated reaction.

Rep. Jared Golden, D-Maine, pointed out in a lengthy statement that he himself proposed a 10% blanket tariff on U.S. imports earlier this year and said he was happy Trump's baseline policy was the same – and even publicly pledged to work with Trump on enshrining it in federal law in a subsequent interview with Fox News Digital.

"What I can say now is I’m pleased the president is building his tariff agenda on the foundation of a universal 10% tariff like the one I proposed in the BUILT USA Act. This ring fence around the American economy is a good start to erasing our unsustainable trade deficits," Golden said in his statement.

"I’m eager to work with the president to fix the broken ‘free trade’ system that made multinational corporations rich but ruined manufacturing communities across the country. But tariffs must be paired with policies that prioritize American families’ prosperity."

TREASURY SECRETARY BESSENT TELLS COUNTRIES NOT TO RETALIATE AFTER SWEEPING 'LIBERATION DAY' TARIFFS

He noted, however, that Trump "introduced a number of new tariff policies" alongside the 10% universal tax, and that he would need time to review the policies in detail before weighing in on them further.

"We need to make sure that the new approach benefits working people — that means supporting unions, the trades and apprenticeship programs, cutting regulations that hold back production, unleashing American energy and using tariff revenue to support domestic manufacturers that create good-paying jobs for Americans," he said.

"Tariffs are a first step in rewriting a rigged trade system, but they cannot be the last one."

He told Fox News Digital in a brief interview Thursday that he was open to working with Trump on codifying the 10% tariffs measure in federal law.

"I'm really glad that he included that in his kind of broader strategy that he rolled out yesterday. And on the reciprocal tariffs, I would assume that he wants flexibility, he probably likes doing that through an executive order," Golden said. "But I'm of the mind that the 10% global tariff is something that should be part of a longer-term strategy for the U.S. And so, you know, I'm hoping that I can help the president get some members of Congress to support doing that in a bill and maybe put it on his desk."

"I think that the president and his team would have to do some heavy lifting to make sure that the House Republicans supported it, but if they didn't have a lot of defections, you know, could I find some like-minded Democrats for a 10% global tariff? I think so."

While it's far from a full embrace of Trump's tariff plan, Golden's comments are still more optimistic than those of his fellow Democratic lawmakers.

FRANCE ASKS US TO BE 'COOPERATIVE' INSTEAD OF 'CONFRONTATIONAL' FOLLOWING TRUMP'S 'LIBERATION DAY' TARIFFS

"I have always said that when used strategically, tariffs are a critical tool," Rep. Debbie Dingell, D-Mich., told Axios. "However, the key word is 'strategically.' I'm concerned about the chaotic and immediate implementation of these wide-reaching tariffs."

Meanwhile, Rep. Gregory Meeks, D-N.Y., the top Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, pledged to force a vote targeting the new national emergency Trump is using to justify the 10% blanket tariff.

"I'll soon introduce a privileged resolution to force a vote on ending the made up national emergency Trump is using to justify these taxes. Republicans can’t keep ducking this — it's time they show whether they support the economic pain Trump is inflicting on their constituents," Meeks said in a statement.

Golden has been known to break from his party on several key occasions. 

Maine's 2nd Congressional District, which he has represented since January 2019, was won by Trump by roughly 10% in 2024.

Trump's plan involves a 10% blanket tariff on all imports into the U.S., as well as tariffs of up to 50% on both adversaries and allies.

It also introduces some level of reciprocal tariffs on countries that tax U.S. exports, though in most cases, the U.S. rate is lower than the foreign country's.

"April 2, 2025, will forever be remembered as the day American industry was reborn. The day America's destiny was reclaimed. And the day that we began to make America wealthy again," Trump said in remarks announcing his plan Wednesday.

FIRST ON FOX: A key House Republican lawmaker is moving to bring more manufacturing back to the U.S. after President Donald Trump unveiled sweeping tax penalties on imports.

Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, policy chair of the House Freedom Caucus, introduced a bill Thursday aimed at providing tax incentives to companies that move their supply chains to the U.S. – so long as their output levels stay consistent in the move.

Roy told Fox News Digital he specifically had China in mind when crafting the legislation.

PENCE GROUP LASHES OUT AT TRUMP TARIFFS AHEAD OF 'LIBERATION DAY' EVENT: 'TAX ON AMERICAN CONSUMERS'

"China is angling to surpass the United States as the world's leading superpower, both politically and economically. If we want to preserve our strength and freedom as a nation, we cannot rely on adversaries like the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) to keep our shelves stocked and our economy prosperous," Roy said.

"There is no time to waste. Congress must act swiftly and collaborate with the Trump administration to revise the tax code to incentivize the reshoring of foreign manufacturing to the United States. The BEAT CHINA Act will do just that, and I look forward to working with House leadership on this important matter."

TRUMP, SENATE GOP BUDGET LEADERS HUDDLE AT WHITE HOUSE ON RECONCILIATION BILL

Trump's plan involves a 10% blanket tariff on all imports into the U.S., as well as reciprocal tariffs ranging between 10% and nearly 50% on both adversaries and allies – though in most cases, the U.S. rate is lower than the foreign country's.

"April 2, 2025, will forever be remembered as the day American industry was reborn. The day America's destiny was reclaimed. And the day that we began to make America wealthy again," Trump said in remarks announcing his plan Wednesday.

The plan levies a 34% reciprocal tariff against China specifically, compared to the 67% in tariffs that Beijing has slapped on Washington, according to White House data.

Roy's legislation would affect leases and purchases of commercial space, making companies eligible for bonus depreciation by making non-residential real property purchases by qualifying manufacturers considered 20-year property instead of 39-year property.

It would also allow companies to exclude gains earned from selling off assets in their country of origin from gross taxable income, among other provisions.

President Donald Trump and other leading conservatives are celebrating a special election sweep in Florida, calling it a "huge win for America" and a rebuke to Democrat hopes for an upset in the deep red state.

The races, in Florida's 1st and 6th Congressional Districts, which Trump carried by 37 and 30 points in last year's presidential election, are being viewed as early referendums on the opening couple of months of Trump's second tour of duty in the White House.

Republican candidates Jimmy Patronis and Randy Fine each won their elections soundly by margins of 15 and 14 percent, respectively. Patronis, a former Florida chief financial officer under Gov. Ron DeSantis, replaces former Rep. Matt Gaetz and Fine, a state senator, will replace Mike Waltz, the current national security adviser for the Trump administration.  

Though both races were in solidly red districts, the Democratic candidates far outraised the GOP, with the party pouring in millions of dollars in hopes of using frustrations with the early Trump administration to ride to victory and cut into the GOP’s miniscule majority in the House.

FORMER DESANTIS OFFICIAL DEFEATS DEM FOR MATT GAETZ'S HOUSE SEAT

Trump took to Truth Social on Tuesday night to celebrate both wins, calling Patronis’ victory a "great WIN against a massive CASH AVALANCHE."

"Both Florida House seats have been won, big, by the Republican candidate," the president wrote, adding, "The Trump endorsement, as always, proved far greater than the Democrats forces of evil."

"CONGRATULATIONS TO AMERICA!!!" he said.

In response to another Trump post Tuesday night which simply said, "RANDY FINE WINS!!!" Fine responded, "Because of you, Mr. President. I won’t let you down."

GOP STATE SENATOR WINS FLORIDA SPECIAL ELECTION, EXTENDS GOP HOUSE MAJORITY

Republican influencer Charlie Kirk pointed out that Patronis won, despite his opponent raising $6.5 million compared to Patronis’ $2.1 million.

Influencer Benny Johnson also brought up the fundraising differential, pointing out that Fine won despite Democrats investing over $10 million for his opponent.  

"Absolutely massive win," said Johnson.

"HUGE win for the Trump agenda, as we now have an extra Republican vote in the House," commented social media personality Nick Sortor. "Democrats poured over $10 million into the race, but still got blown out of the water."

SCOOP: TRUMP ALLY DONALDS SHOWCASES CAMPAIGN CASH SURGE SINCE ANNOUNCING FLORIDA GOVERNOR RUN

Rep. Byron Donalds, R-Florida, who is currently running to be Florida's next governor, also chimed in, calling the victories a huge win.

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"Thank you to the thousands of Floridians who showed-up for our nation during this Special Election," Donalds wrote. "This is a huge win for America, saves our House Majority, & helps us to pass the Trump Agenda."

Before Elon Musk waded into the political arena with the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), becoming a key target of Democrats in Congress and on the campaign trail, he was once considered an ally of former President Barack Obama and other Democrats.

On April 15, 2010, Elon Musk was pictured with President Barack Obama while the president visited Cape Canaveral, Florida, Kennedy Space Center, while touring the "SpaceX launch pad." Now, SpaceX is one of the leaders in space travel, and it was mostly recently credited for bringing NASA astronauts stuck on the International Space Station back home.

"By the mid-2030s, I believe we can send humans to orbit Mars and return them safely to Earth.  And a landing on Mars will follow. And I expect to be around to see it," Obama said at the time, according to a news release. 

WHY ELON MUSK HANDED OUT MILLION DOLLAR CHECKS IN WISCONSIN 

"But I want to repeat – I want to repeat this: Critical to deep space exploration will be the development of breakthrough propulsion systems and other advanced technologies.  So I’m challenging NASA to break through these barriers.  And we’ll give you the resources to break through these barriers.  And I know you will, with ingenuity and intensity, because that’s what you’ve always done," he added. 

The billionaire and advisor to President Donald Trump recently shared a 2011 clip from Obama expressing the need to crack down on excess government spending. 

LIBERAL WINS FIRST MAJOR 2025 STATEWIDE BATTLEGROUND ELECTION IN RACE TURNED INTO TRUMP-MUSK REFERENDUM

"Obama sounds exactly like [DOGE]!!" Musk posted on March 13. 

In 2022, Musk said he pulled away from the Democratic Party, and he quickly rose to prominence beyond the business world and into the political arena after his purchase of X, formerly known as Twitter, and his support for Trump in 2024.

"In the past, I voted Democrat because they were (mostly) the kindness party. But they have become the party of division & hate, so I can no longer support them and will vote Republican," Musk famously tweeted in May 2022. He donated to Obama multiple times during his 2008 and 2012 campaigns, according to Federal Election Commission records, further emphasizing the change over time of where he has placed his resources.

In recent months, Musk has faced an onslaught of vile attacks from left-wing activists and Democratic lawmakers comparing him to the late Nazi dictator Adolf Hitler. In February, "Squad" member Rep. Ayanna Pressley, D-Mass., referred to Musk as a "Nazi nepo baby, a godless lawless billionaire, who no one elected." 

Former left-wing Rep. Jamaal Bowman, D-N.Y., said Musk is "incompetent. He's a thief. He's a Nazi. And people don't trust him." This attack prompted Musk to say, "I’ve had enough. Lawsuit inbound."

In addition to verbal attacks against Musk, there have been at least "80 incidents of arson or vandalism against Tesla vehicles and 10 incidents of vandalism against Tesla dealerships, charging stations and facilities throughout the U.S. and Canada," according to a resolution introduced by Rep. Lauren Boebert, R-Colo.

‘WIDE-SCALE DOMESTIC TERRORISM’: ELON MUSK URGES AUTHORITIES ‘GO AFTER THE GENERALS’ BEHIND TESLA ATTACKS

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In Tuesday’s special elections, Musk played a key role in the financial backing and rallying for Republican Wisconsin Supreme Court candidate Brad Schmiel, who lost to Democrat Susan Crawford. Meanwhile, Musk’s proximity to the president because of DOGE has led the two to be lumped together on the campaign trail.

"Donald Trump and Elon Musk were crushed in Wisconsin. Keep the pressure on," House Minority Leader Hakeem Jefferies, D-N.Y., posted to X on Tuesday night. 

Obama's office declined to comment for this story.

Striking a populist theme and showcasing that he is a fighter, Democratic Rep. Chris Pappas on Thursday declared his candidacy in the 2026 race to succeed retiring Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, a fellow Democrat, in the key swing state of New Hampshire.

"What I hear from people, they want someone who shows up, someone who listens and someone who isn't afraid to take on the big fights, and more importantly today, who knows how to win them," Pappas said in a campaign launch video posted on social media. 

Using clips of a listening tour he made through all 10 of New Hampshire's counties last month as he ramps up toward running for the Senate, Pappas said voters feel like "the system's rigged."

"You think about the Social Security office that's going to be closed in Littleton, drastic cuts to Medicaid, all in the name of giving big tax breaks to billionaires like Elon Musk," he argued, as he pointed to President Donald Trump's top donor and the world's richest person, who is leading the administration's controversial downsizing of the federal government workforce.

WHY THIS LONGTIME DEMOCRATIC SENATOR ISN'T RUNNING FOR RE-ELECTION NEXT YEAR

Pappas emphasized, "I do get angry, because when you're talking about public service, you should be focused on how you can help people, how you can make people's lives better."

The four-term congressman, who represents the eastern half of the state, is the first major candidate in the race to succeed the 78-year-old Shaheen.

RISING DEMOCRATIC PARTY STAR CRITICAL OF SCHUMER'S LEADERSHIP LAUNCHES SENATE RUN IN KEY BATTLEGROUND 

Shaheen, the first woman in the nation's history elected governor and to the Senate, announced last month that she would not seek a fourth six-year term representing New Hampshire when she is up for re-election next year. 

The seat is one of the Senate Republicans' top targets as they aim to expand their 53-47 majority in the chamber in next year's midterms.

For its part, the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) instantly took aim at Pappas as being out of step with everyday New Hampshire voters.

"Chris Pappas supports biological males competing in women's sports, wants to ban gas-powered vehicles, and voted to raise taxes on hard-working Granite Staters," NRSC regional press secretary Nick Puglia charged in a statement. "Pappas is extremely out of touch, and New Hampshire families deserve better."

Additionally, Fox News obtained a memo from the NRSC to donors making the case that the GOP can flip the seat.

"Our internal polling data in New Hampshire demonstrates a favorable political environment for Republicans in this toss-up Senate race," the NRSC argued in the memo. "With a registration advantage, edge on the generic ballot, stronger enthusiasm among our voters, and alignment with independents on core party policy issues, Republicans are well positioned to flip this open Senate seat in New Hampshire regardless of who either party nominates."

ONLY ON FOX NEWS: SENATE REPUBLICAN CAMPAIGN CHAIR REVEALS HOW MANY SEATS HE'S AIMING FOR IN 2026

In the race for the GOP Senate nomination in New Hampshire, former longtime Gov. Chris Sununu told Fox News Digital last month that he was holding a dialogue with national GOP leaders about potentially running.

Sununu, who enjoys a large national profile thanks to his regular appearances the past few years on the cable news networks and Sunday talk shows, said he expected to make a decision in the coming weeks.

However, Sununu noted that while "the door’s open" to running, he emphasized "it's not open a lot, to be honest."

The former governor’s comments in recent interviews are a switch from last year, when he repeatedly said he would not seek to run for the Senate in 2026.

A POPULAR FORMER REPUBLICAN GOVERNOR MULLS SENATE RUN

Four years ago, Sununu expressed interest in running for the Senate against his predecessor as governor, Democrat Sen. Maggie Hassan, who was up for re-election in 2022. The popular governor was heavily courted by national Republicans to take on Hassan.

However, on Nov. 9, 2021, Sununu announced that he would instead run for a fourth term as governor, upsetting many Republicans in the nation's capital. 

He also heavily criticized the Senate. "They debate and talk and nothing gets done," he said at the time.

Sununu is not the only Republican mulling a Senate bid in New Hampshire.

Former Sen. Scott Brown of Massachusetts, who later narrowly lost to Shaheen in New Hampshire in the 2014 election, is seriously considering a 2026 run.

Brown, who served four years as U.S. ambassador to New Zealand during President Donald Trump’s first administration, has been holding meetings with Republicans across New Hampshire for a couple of months and has met multiple times with GOP officials in the nation’s capital.

TOP POLITICAL HANDICAPPER REVEALS DEMOCRATS CHANCES OF WINNING BACK THE SENATE MAJORITY

Pappas may not have the Democratic Senate primary in New Hampshire all to himself.

Sources close to Rep. Maggie Goodlander in New Hampshire's 2nd Congressional District said last month that the first-term representative is considering a Senate run.

Pappas, in his launch video, highlighted his Granite State roots, his business background and his record on Capitol Hill.

Pappas, a former state representative and county treasurer who later served on New Hampshire's five-member executive council before winning election to Congress in 2018 — including a re-election victory in 2022 over now-White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt — hails from a family that has owned and operated the famed Puritan Backroom restaurant and conference center for over a century. 

The restaurant, in Manchester, for decades has been a must-stop for White House hopefuls campaigning in New Hampshire's first-in-the-nation presidential primary.

"I learned about serving the community, running our family business, which has been around for over 100 years, every day at the restaurant, you need to bring hard work and determination to get the job done," Pappas highlighted in his video. 

However, Brown took to social media to take aim at Pappas, in a possible preview of a potential general election clash.

".@ChrisPappasNH talks about being grounded in ‘New Hampshire values,’ good luck squaring that rhetoric with his record in Washington D.C. supporting wide open borders, men in women’s sports and lying to his constituents about Joe Biden’s senility," Brown charged in his post.

The Pappas campaign says the candidate will hold a kick-off event at the Puritan Backroom later on Thursday and will stump across the state over the weekend.

Pappas, who is the first openly gay man to represent New Hampshire in Congress, currently serves on the House Committee on Veterans Affairs and on the Transportation and Infrastructure committee.

House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., is backing Rep. Byron Donalds, R-Fla., for Florida governor.

"Byron Donalds is a principled conservative leader who Floridians can trust as their next Governor," Johnson said in a statement obtained by Fox News Digital, which was first reported by Politico Playbook.

"In Congress, Byron has been tenacious in standing up for Florida and President Trump’s America First agenda. I have no doubt he will bring that same fighting spirit with him as Governor, working every day to improve the lives of Florida families. My good friend Byron Donalds has my full support," Johnson added. 

SCOOP: TRUMP ALLY DONALDS SHOWCASES CAMPAIGN CASH SURGE SINCE ANNOUNCING FLORIDA GOVERNOR RUN

The Sunshine State Republican thanked Johnson for his support, calling him a "good friend" in a post on X.

"From local Tea Party Activism to the State House & the halls of Congress to my candidacy for Governor of Florida, my fight for the Sunshine State has been unwavering. Together, we are Making America Great Again," Donalds added.

The congressman announced his gubernatorial bid in February after President Donald Trump had already pledged to endorse him if he chose to run.

‘SHOW OF FORCE’: TRUMP ALLY KICKING OFF CAMPAIGN IN RACE TO SUCCEED FLORIDA GOV DESANTIS

"Byron Donalds would be a truly Great and Powerful Governor for Florida and, should he decide to run, will have my Complete and Total Endorsement. RUN, BYRON, RUN!" Trump declared in a February Truth Social post.

Last month Rep. Vern Buchanan, R-Fla., endorsed Donalds' gubernatorial bid.

Current Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who is serving his second consecutive term, is not eligible to run again in 2026.

DESANTIS REBUKES REPUBLICANS FOR BACKING BILL FOR CARBON SEQUESTRATION TASK FORCE: ‘ABSOLUTELY EMBARRASSING’

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The Florida constitution stipulates, "No person who has, or but for resignation would have, served as governor or acting governor for more than six years in two consecutive terms shall be elected governor for the succeeding term."

Republican California Assemblyman Bill Essayli is pledging to "dismantle" his state's status as a popular sanctuary for illegal immigrants after President Donald Trump tapped him this week to head up a team of prosecutors for the nation's largest federal district court by population.

"I'm excited to get to work and to implement their vision and their mission for the Department of Justice," Essayli told Fox News Digital in a phone interview. "I think the first order of business is reassuring people and reinstilling trust into the Justice Department. I think for the last few years, it's been weaponized, has been politicized, and the President's made it clear that we're going to restore trust into our law enforcement agencies and into the Department of Justice."

Essayli, a lightning rod in California legislative politics who frequently spars with Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom, said his commitment is to "restore law and order" in his new post as U.S. attorney for the Central District of California. "We're going to get back to work," he said. "We're going to go after these transnational organizations, which the president designated as terrorist organizations."

CALIFORNIA DEM COMPARES 'SAVE GIRLS SPORTS' LAW TO NAZI GERMANY, AS TWO TRANS ATHLETE BAN BILLS FAIL TO PASS

"We're going to go after criminal illegal immigration," Essayli continued. 

Setting himself up for a potential showdown in the coming months with Newsom, who "Trump-proofed" the state with a $50 million legal fund to protect illegal immigrants in the state, Essayli vowed to "dismantle the sanctuary state status that they've enjoyed here in California."

Brandon Richards, a spokesman for Newsom's office, told Fox News Digital in a previous statement that "none of this funding will be used to support immigration-related services for criminals. Period."

Additionally, Essayli said as U.S. attorney, his office will tackle public corruption, noting, "I don't think we've had robust public corruption cases and investigations. It's long overdue."

When asked if Newsom had reached out to him since his appointment, Essayli laughed.

NEWSOM'S 'UNFAIR' REMARK ON GIRLS' SPORTS BELIES RECORD AS GOVERNOR: 'ABSOLUTE BULLS---'

"No," he said. "We don't talk."

Fox News Digital reached out to Newsom's office for comment but did not hear back by the time of publication.

Essayli has gone head-to-head with Newsom's administration throughout his Republican career in the state, criticizing the state over its handling of wildfire management, public safety, reparations and, most notably, parental rights in schools. It was not uncommon in the last several years to see Essayli at school board meetings voicing his opposition to policies that prohibited parental notification of their child's gender identity.

When asked how he would go about removing sanctuary state protections for illegal immigrants, Essayli responded he will be working "hand in hand" with the Trump Justice Department and Attorney General Pam Bondi. 

"We're gonna put a plan together," he said. "That's not something I'm obviously prepared to discuss or signal at this point, but I assure you that something will be done, and when we do, it will be very well known in public."

MAINE UNIVERSITIES AGREE TO KEEP TRANSGENDER ATHLETES OUT OF WOMEN'S SPORTS AFTER TRUMP ADMIN PAUSES FUNDING

Just hours before his appointment to be the next top federal prosecutor in the district that includes Los Angeles County, Essayli introduced Assembly Bill 844, which sought to reverse California's existing law that allows biological males to participate in girls' and women's sports teams corresponding to their gender identity. But the Assembly's Committee on Arts, Entertainment, Sports and Tourism rejected AB 844 along party lines on Tuesday.

Essayli called the tolerance of trans girls in girls' sports "not just bad policy, it’s also a flagrant violation of Title IX and puts California schools at risk of losing billions in federal funding," during the committee hearing. "I believe California will come into compliance with Title IX, either through this legislative process or the court process."

He resigned from his post as assemblyman that evening to accept the federal position. 

In a news release, the U.S. attorney's office said Essayli, born to two Lebanese immigrants, was sworn into the country's largest attorney’s office outside of Washington, D.C., on Wednesday morning. The office, with over 250 lawyers on staff, serves roughly 20 million residents across the counties of Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, Ventura, Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo.

Essayli previously founded the law firm Essayli & Brown LLP in 2019 and worked as a federal prosecutor from 2014 to 2018 in the Los Angeles and Riverside offices. During his time as an assistant U.S. attorney, Essayli handled high-profile cases, including the 2015 San Bernardino terrorist attack and a significant opioid prescription case. Prior to his federal role, he was a deputy district attorney in Riverside County and worked as an associate attorney at Paul Hastings LLP.

Essayli's nomination to U.S. attorney requires Senate confirmation, but the president has the authority to appoint someone to the position on an interim basis before Senate confirmation.

President Donald Trump on Thursday used a medical metaphor to describe the status of his "reciprocal tariffs" plan implemented on what he dubbed "Liberation Day."  

"THE OPERATION IS OVER! THE PATIENT LIVED, AND IS HEALING," Trump wrote on Truth Social. "THE PROGNOSIS IS THAT THE PATIENT WILL BE FAR STRONGER, BIGGER, BETTER, AND MORE RESILIENT THAN EVER BEFORE. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!!!" 

The Dow Jones Industrial Average opened more than 1,000 points lower on Thursday morning after Trump unveiled his most severe levy of tariffs yet during a White House Rose Garden ceremony a day earlier, but administration officials remained optimistic in early morning TV interviews. They touted an anticipated impact of onshoring U.S. manufacturing and further bolstering American jobs. 

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told CNN the U.S. "is no longer going to be cheated by foreign nations around the world," reiterating that Trump had declared the issue a "national emergency." 

SENATE APPROVES RESOLUTION AGAINST TRUMP'S CANADA TARIFFS HOURS AFTER 'LIBERATION DAY' EVENT

"We have a $1.2 trillion trade deficit and counting. We've had 90,000 factories close in the last couple of decades," Leavitt told CNN. "Since 1997, Americans have been put out of five million manufacturing jobs. These are not just statistics. These are real American lives that have been impacted. And it's about time we have a president who actually does something about it. This is going to restore more wealth, more jobs, more economic prosperity to our great country." 

Leavitt said that the countries targeted by Trump’s reciprocal tariffs have had "70 years to do the right thing by the American people, and they have chosen not to." 

"They have ripped off American workers. They have taken our jobs overseas," Leavitt said.

She also told CNN that Trump has already launched a "massive deregulatory agenda" that has "saved the American taxpayer millions of dollars." Leavvitt said that the president is "unleashing the might of our American energy industry," arguing that a stifled energy industry drove inflation during former President Joe Biden’s administration. 

Vice President JD Vance told "FOX & Friends" on Thursday morning that critics during Trump’s first term warned that tariffs would be inflationary, but instead inflation dipped to 1.5% until the "four terrible years of the Biden administration." Vance said the "globalist economy" has resulted in the U.S. "incurring a huge amount of debt to buy things that other countries make for us." 

"To make it a little bit more crystal clear, we borrow money from Chinese peasants to buy the things those Chinese peasants manufacture," Vance said. "That is not a recipe for economic prosperity. It's not a recipe for low prices, and it's not a recipe for good jobs in the United States of America." 

SOME COUNTRIES TARGETED BY TRUMP TARIFFS SEEK NEGOTIATIONS, CHINA SAYS 'NO WINNERS IN TRADE WARS'

The vice president said the "Joe Biden globalist pathway" has resulted in the U.S. having $2 trillion in peacetime debt and deficits and manufacturing "disappearing," promising that Trump is taking the country in a different direction. 

Addressing criticism from Wall Street following Trump’s "Liberation Day" event in the White House Rose Garden, Vance said that "a lot of people have gotten rich from American jobs moving overseas, but American workers have not gotten rich" and American companies "have not gotten wealthy from the increasing growth of foreign competitors manufacturing overseas." 

"They charge us ridiculous tariffs. They engage in a lot of non-tariff practices like currency manipulation," he said. "That has been awful for Main Street in the United States of America." 

On concerns about tariffs potentially driving up costs, Vance said the administration is "fighting very hard to bring prices down" and usher in "the biggest deregulation in the history of this country." 

Trump’s Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick told CBS News that "when tariffs come into place, foreign goods may become a little more expensive, but domestic goods do not." 

"For the first time in your lives, you're going to actually think about the Americans who make the products, the Americans who produce these products and work in these factories," he said. "It's time for us to take care of them instead of taking care of the world." 

Trump said that his administration secured about $5 trillion of committed investment, which Lutnick told CBS meant "people are going to start building factories right now." 

"That means all that construction work begins now," Lutnick said, vowing that the president's plan would build on the 150,000 jobs already added to the U.S. economy in March. "That starts to employ Americans today. You're going to see plants being built, factories rebuilding. All shifts are going to be running hot across America now. You're going to see employment leaping starting today." 

A Russian official said he is in Washington this week to meet with Trump administration officials as talks continue to hash out a potential peace agreement between Ukraine and Russia. 

"On April 2–3, at the request of the President of the Russian Federation V.V. Putin, I will hold meetings in Washington with representatives of the administration of President Donald Trump," Russia's special envoy on international economic and investment, Kirill Dmitriev, posted to Telegram Thursday confirming the visit. 

The post was published in Russian and translated to English. 

"Yes, restoring dialogue is a difficult and gradual process. But each meeting, each frank conversation allows us to move forward," he continued. "A real understanding of the Russian position opens up new opportunities for constructive cooperation, including in the investment and economic sphere." 

Dmitriev's trip marks the first time a senior Russian official has traveled to the U.S. to meet with officials since war broke out between Russia and Ukraine in February 2022. No Russian officials visited the Biden White House. 

FINNISH PRESIDENT: TRUMP SHOULD GIVE PUTIN 3 WEEKS TO AGREE UKRAINE CEASEFIRE

Dmitriev, traveled to Washington, D.C., and met with "representatives of the administration of President Donald Trump" Wednesday, and will reportedly hold meetings again with Trump officials Thursday, according to the Telegram post. 

The White House did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for additional comment on the visit. 

The Russian envoy did not specify who in the Trump administration he was meeting. Trump administration special envoy Steve Witkoff has previously cited the Russian official as his primary counterpart when he helped hash out a prisoner exchange deal with Russia in February that led to the release of American teacher Marc Fogel.

The visit comes after President Donald Trump told NBC News Sunday that he was "pissed off" with Russian President Vladimir Putin after the Russian president slammed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's leadership last week. Russia also carried out a series of attacks on Ukraine over the weekend amid ongoing talks to reach a potential peace agreement. 

TRUMP THREATENS SANCTIONS ON RUSSIA, DEMANDS PEACE AFTER MAJOR HITS IN UKRAINE

"If Russia and I are unable to make a deal on stopping the bloodshed in Ukraine, and if I think it was Russia’s fault – which it might not be – but if I think it was Russia’s fault, I am going to put secondary tariffs on oil, on all oil coming out of Russia," Trump told NBC News.

TRUMP SAYS HE IS 'PISSED OFF' WITH PUTIN OVER LACK OF PEACE PROGRESS: REPORT

"That would be that if you buy oil from Russia, you can’t do business in the United States," he continued. "There will be a 25% tariff on all oil, a 25- to 50-point tariff on all oil."

TRUMP, VANCE AND ZELENSKYY SPAR OVER RUSSIAN WAR IN TENSE EXCHANGE: 'VERY DISRESPECTFUL'

Trump added that his anger will "dissipate quickly" if Putin "does the right thing."

The reported Russia-U.S. meeting came the same week Trump celebrated "Liberation Day," when he unveiled his highly anticipated tariff plan that his administration has said will unshackle the U.S. from its decadeslong reliance on goods from overseas. 

The new tariff plan did not include reciprocal tariffs on Russia – as well as other nations such as Canada and Mexico – with Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent saying the United States doesn’t trade with Russia because the nation is sanctioned.