FIRST ON FOX: Newly-confirmed Small Business Administration (SBA) administrator Kelly Loeffler is unveiling the agency's top priorities over the next four years as she aims to work with President Trump to create a "golden era of prosperity and growth." 

Loeffler, confirmed in the Senate by a 52–46 margin last week, issued a "Day One" memo on Monday outlining the top priorities for the agency that will be tasked with the directive to "carry out President Trump’s America First agenda and empower small businesses to thrive" and to become an "America First engine for free enterprise."

The first priority on the list is promoting a "Made in America" agenda to boost U.S. manufacturing.

"The vast majority of America’s manufacturers are small businesses, and SBA programs have powered tens of thousands of them," the memo states. "This agency is committed to supporting the America First agenda by rebuilding American supply chains and investing in manufacturing to strengthen our economy and national security."

PRESIDENT TRUMP LOOKS TO BRING MANUFACTURING BACK TO US WITH TARIFFS

"The agency will transform its Office of International Trade into the ‘Office of Manufacturing and Trade’ – which will focus on promoting economic independence, job creation, and fair trade practices to power the next blue-collar boom. SBA will also partner across agencies to scale innovative manufacturing and technology startups that will help our nation return to ‘Made in America.’"

Since being sworn in as president for the second time, Trump has been vocal about eliminating diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) from the federal government while also tasking Tesla CEO Elon Musk with leading the effort to cut wasteful spending with the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).

Loeffler's memo states that the SBA intends to be an ally in both of those efforts and says it will enforce Trump's executive orders, including "Defending Women from Gender Ideology Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth to the Federal Government," "Ending Radical and Wasteful Government DEI Programs and Preferencing," and "Unleashing American Energy." 

BIDEN GAVE AMERICANS THE BUSINESS. TRUMP IS GIVING US BUSINESSMEN 

The memo says that the SBA will "continue working closely" with DOGE and "prioritize eliminating fraud and waste within the agency, to ensure American taxpayer dollars are utilized in the most productive way possible to benefit small businesses and economic growth and resilience."

The agency will work to eliminate wasteful spending and fraud with a "zero-tolerance policy" that will involve fraud investigations across all programs and appointing a "Fraud Czar" to "identify, stop, and claw back criminally obtained funds on behalf of American taxpayers – working across agencies to prevent fraud."

The SBA will also conduct an agency-wide financial audit.

"As fraud has risen, so too have delinquencies, defaults, and charge-offs on loan programs, exacerbated by the previous Administration’s lax loan underwriting, servicing, and collection efforts," the memo states. "As a result, SBA has been unable to satisfactorily complete a financial audit for several consecutive years. Therefore, the agency will request an independent audit of its financials to address mismanagement, restore the credibility of financial statements, and preserve the solvency of public-private programs like the 7(a) lending program and the Small Business Investment Company (SBIC) program, which are designed to drive economic growth without taxpayer subsidy."

Last month, Trump told federal employees working from home that they would need to return to the office or face termination, which is a sentiment echoed by Loeffler, who said in her memo that all non-exempt employees will report to work in person on Monday for five days a week. 

Trump's immigration agenda will also be furthered by the SBA, according to the memo, which will ban illegal immigrants from receiving SBA assistance while also "restricting hostile foreign nationals from accessing SBA assistance."

The memo outlines a variety of ways that the agency will work on "empowering small businesses," including a strike force to cut regulations, improving customer service and cybersecurity, promoting fair competition, and relocating offices outside of sanctuary cities. 

Fox News Digital previously reported that the SBA has faced criticism in recent years during the Biden administration from the Republican-led Small Business Committee, which issued a subpoena and alleged that the agency failed to turn over information related to efforts to funnel resources to help register swing state voters. Republicans argued those efforts were unconstitutional, and Loeffler's memo pledges that the registration efforts in question will be ended. 

"The SBA will end all taxpayer-funded voter registration activities – starting by rescinding the agency’s 2024 MOU with the Michigan Secretary of State’s office, which forced SBA district offices to conduct partisan voter registration on behalf of the previous Administration," the memo states. "Instead, the agency will return its focus to its founding mission of empowering job creators, delivering disaster relief, and driving economic growth."

Loeffler, who served as a senator in Georgia from 2020-2021, appeared before the Senate Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee on Jan. 28 to outline her vision and promised that Trump’s policies would "restore the small business economy" and would lead to a "golden era of prosperity and growth." 

"Small businesses are the backbone of our nation, driving innovation, job creation, and prosperity – and there’s no stronger advocate for small business than President Trump or myself. But over the last four years, the SBA has burdened entrepreneurs with bureaucracy – with its programs becoming mired in fraud, waste, and abuse," Loeffler told Fox News Digital in a statement. 

"That changes today. My first priority is rebuilding the SBA into an America First engine for free enterprise – by empowering small businesses and fueling economic growth."

As the Trump administration moves to slash thousands of government jobs, Rep. Clay Higgins, R-La., issued a message to federal workers facing joblessness, expressing empathy for their situation while also asserting that bureaucracies have been "cannibalizing" the country.

Higgins, who has served as a House lawmaker since 2017, also declared that federal workers' jobs were not more important than other Americans' private sector jobs.

"I’m a compassionate man. I know loss and struggle, I understand financial hardship, I know what it is to face eviction, I know hunger, I’ve lived through despair," Higgins noted in a post on X.

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"So, to the scores of thousands of FedGov employees who are facing unemployment because your elected officials have, for decades, grown the Federal bureaucracies into corrupt, bloated, weaponized devourers of America’s treasure and oppressors of American freedom… I say to you that I feel your pain and I wish you well, but your job was no more important than the carpenter, the machinist, the welder, the cop, the trucker, the warehouse worker, the salesman, the waitress, the heavy equipment operator… every American who lives down the street from you whose job has not been insulated from the real world," he continued.

"Our federal government bureaucracies are literally cannibalizing our nation, eating our children’s future. MAGA Republicans are going to bring our federal government back into sustainability. If you’ve lost your job, I’m sorry for your struggle. Pick yourself up, all of us will give you a hand. We’re all Americans, join us in saving our beloved Republic," Higgins concluded.

DC FEDERAL WORKERS IN A ‘PANIC’ OVER NOVEL EXPERIENCE OF JOB INSECURITY WITH TRUMP CUTS

The congressman's message comes as the Trump administration seeks to slash the size of the federal bureaucracy, with billionaire business tycoon Elon Musk playing a key role in helping to uncover government waste, fraud, and abuse.

Rep. Mary Miller, R-Ill., commented, "The amount of waste, fraud, and ABUSE of taxpayers which is being uncovered in the federal government is absolutely shameful. Central Illinois farms, families and businesses are struggling because of inflation, driven by reckless government spending. Finally, we have a President who is reforming our government into one that works for you. Thank you President Trump!"

DOD TELLS CIVILIAN WORKFORCE TO IGNORE ELON MUSK'S REQUEST TO REPORT PRODUCTIVITY

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In another recent tweet, Higgins said, "Hey, bureaucrats… Wake up and pack up. America is pretty much done with you and your elitist attitude. You’re being daily weighed in the balances, and found wanting."

FIRST ON FOX: House Republicans are eyeing reforms to federal benefits that would impose work requirements on a wider swath of Americans.

Rep. Dusty Johnson, R-S.D., chair of the right-wing pragmatist Main Street Caucus, is planning to introduce the "America Works Act of 2025," Fox News Digital has learned.

The bill would mandate that childless, able-bodied Americans on the Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP) – colloquially known as food stamps – between the ages of 18 and 65 take on at least 20 hours per week of work or work-related education.

Adults with a dependent child under age 7 would be exempt, according to a summary provided to Fox News Digital.

SCOOP: KEY CONSERVATIVE CAUCUS DRAWS RED LINE ON HOUSE BUDGET PLAN

"Able-bodied people who can work should work if we want to continue to have our welfare programs be pathways out of poverty," Johnson told Fox News Digital in an interview. "There is no reliable path out of poverty that doesn't have work, training and education at its core."

It comes as House Republicans get ready to negotiate on how to meet spending cut targets in their plans to move President Donald Trump’s agenda via the budget reconciliation process.

By leveling the threshold for passage in the House and Senate at a simple majority, reconciliation allows the party in power to pass budgetary or other fiscal priorities in a massive piece of legislation with zero support from lawmakers on the opposing side. The threshold for passage in the Senate is otherwise two-thirds for most items.

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GOP lawmakers are looking to accomplish a wide swath of Trump policies, from more funding for the border wall and detention beds to eliminating taxes on tipped and overtime wages.

To offset the cost of that spending, the House’s reconciliation framework directs several committees to find areas for spending cuts. The House Committee on Agriculture, which oversees SNAP, must aim to cut at least $230 billion in spending.

The new bill gives the Department of Agriculture (USDA), which oversees food stamps, the ability to exempt people who live in counties where the unemployment rate exceeds 10%.

Two sources familiar with discussions told Fox News Digital that Johnson’s bill closely resembles what will end up in Republicans’ reconciliation bill.

When asked about cost projections, however, Johnson emphasized that his bill was motivated by social rather than fiscal change.

"It would be expected to be a major cost-savings, and while I think that’s important, my primary motivator is how much work requirements have proven to improve lives as opposed to how much money they save," he said. "I want people to escape poverty."

Currently, adults aged 18 to 54 can receive three months of SNAP benefits in three years at most before a requirement kicks in to work at least 80 hours per month.

Johnson’s bill would also strip present exemptions for young adults who recently aged out of foster care and for veterans. Those were included during bipartisan negotiations on raising the debt limit in 2023, as part of the Fiscal Responsibility Act.

"The concessions we had to make in the Fiscal Responsibility Act to get things done were not helpful changes," Johnson said when asked about the change.

"It was just telling all veterans and all young adult former foster kids that the work requirements didn't apply to them, and that's not actually helpful to getting them to a better financial path."

He pointed out there would still be exceptions for pregnant women, people with disabilities, people living in high-unemployment counties, and others.

"My bill would go back to the way it was before, which is the same eligibility requirements applied to veterans and foster kids are applied to everybody else," he said.

A New York state lawmaker is proposing a ban on the sale of what he described as "highly addictive" flavored nicotine pouches, even after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration came out in support of the product due to data showing it can help smokers ditch cigarettes, which can cause cancer.

State Sen. Brad Hoylman-Sigal, a Democrat, said he opposes replacing cigarettes, which contain tobacco, with nicotine pouches, noting that he wants to keep the flavored pouches away from young kids.

"This product is distinguishable from other smokeless tobacco products because they do not contain tobacco leaf, rather contain nicotine derived from tobacco or synthetic nicotine," Hoylman-Sigal said in his bill memo, according to the New York Post.

"Regardless, nicotine in any form and in any product is a highly addictive substance. This legislation would align New York values in prohibiting enticing flavors for all nicotine products — including nicotine pouches," he added.

SOUTH CAROLINA BILL WOULD BAN SMOKING INSIDE CARS WHILE CHILDREN ARE PASSENGERS

Assemblywoman Linda Rosenthal, also a Democrat, is introducing a companion bill to ban nicotine pouches in the state legislature's lower chamber, the New York Post reported.

"There’s a lot greater awareness about nicotine patches," said Rosenthal, who first introduced a version of her bill in 2020.

Last month, the FDA approved 10 flavors of Philip Morris International’s Zyn brand of nicotine pouches, including cinnamon, coffee, mint, menthol and peppermint. This was the first time the agency authorized sales of nicotine pouches.

Nicotine pouches are held in the mouth and dissolve between the tongue and gum. In contrast to cigarettes and chewing tobacco, Zyn does not contain harmful substances linked to risks of cancer or other diseases, according to the FDA.

Data also shows that a significant number of adults who used cigarettes or smokeless tobacco products switched entirely to Zyn, the FDA said. But Hoylman-Siegal is concerned about the product's youth appeal.

"Our bill is targeted at the flavored products most likely to be used by young people," he told the New York Post. "With our bill, we’re trying to stop young people from getting hooked on favored Zyn products."

However, federal data shows that fewer than 2% of high school and middle school students in the country use nicotine pouches. The FDA also put in place restrictions to prevent companies from marketing nicotine pouches to the youth.

Tobacco companies now turn to alternatives to cigarettes amid a dip in smoking rates.

POPULAR ITALIAN CITY OFFICIALLY BANS CIGARETTE SMOKING OUTDOORS

New York has already banned flavored e-cigarettes, although critics argue that the law is not adequately enforced.

"It's very similar to the issue involving flavored vapes," Hoylman-Sigal said.

Brian Erkilla, director of regulatory science at Philip Morris International, which produces Zyn, argues against New York banning Zyn and other nicotine pouches, saying that the "unintended consequences" include leaving 1.6 million tobacco smokers with fewer alternatives and that a ban could even lead to an uptick in smoking.

"The most harmful product is the combustible smoking cigarette. We should let smokers know there are other options out there. We shouldn’t take away their choice," Erkilla told the New York Post.

EXCLUSIVE: Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy said his state can take the lead on being the best prescription for putting America back on the right track in multiple ways, including energy dominance, job growth and reducing government debt.

In an exclusive interview Thursday with Fox News Digital on the sidelines of the National Governors Association and Republican Governors Association winter meetings, Dunleavy said he is excited to work with President Donald Trump and Interior Secretary Doug Burgum on these matters in the Last Frontier.

Burgum’s experience in North Dakota and his openness to pursue Trump’s vision of an energy-independent America based on responsible stewardship is exactly what the country needs, Dunleavy said.

"What President Trump is doing is getting us back to what the purpose of all of this was," he said of the original intent to use federal lands not primarily for parks but for responsible stewardship of natural resources. 

IN THE ONLY US STATE BORDERING RUSSIA, GOV SAYS DEFENESE ARE STRONG

"And if we do that, we can eliminate a lot of ills: debt, job creation, reliance on foreign actors. The solutions are here. He knows what the solutions are and is implementing the solutions now," Dunleavy said.

He also said he hopes to work with Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins on expanding hydroelectric infrastructure in the Tongass National Forest – an area on the Inland Passage between Juneau and Petersburg that the late Rep. Don Young championed.

Rollins’ role overseeing the U.S. Forest Service – rather than Interior doing so as they do the National Park Service – is another hint that wide expanses of national forests were not meant to be off limits to resource development.

Just as the Department of Agriculture works with farmers in the Lower 48 to produce food and goods, its original mission therefore includes utilizing forest resources, he said.

One area of "tremendous" potential is Ambler, an area at the foot of the Brooks Range west of the Dalton Highway – better recognized as the 800-plus-mile "Ice Road Truckers" carriageway.

AK OUTRAGED AT FEDERAL OIL LEASE SALE ‘SET-UP’ BY BIDEN: FITTING FINALE FOR FOSSIL FUEL AVERSE PRESIDENCY

There is a 30-mile section of the line between Ambler and the Dalton Highway that crosses federal land, Dunleavy said – noting the original law gives Alaska the right to cross federal land.

"[The law says] we can't be prevented from accessing our leases through federal lands."

He said he expects Trump’s team to finally allow passage to take advantage of the area's rich mineralization opportunities.

"There was no excuse [to stop passage through federal lands] – same as there was no excuse for stopping the legally-executed [oil and gas] lease sales that were part of [Trump’s] 2017 bill."

"Two of our large national forests are larger than several states. If they were to be managed on a sustainable basis so that we could grow timber, we could mine properly, we could use the hydro resources."

Of the ANWR-1002 oil lease President Biden was mandated to market but purportedly "set up to fail," Dunleavy said investors recognized the January "sham" and are eager to see how Trump cures that particular ill.

BIDEN LEVIED MORE ENERGY SANCTIONS AGAINST ALASKA THAN IRAN: GOV. MIKE DUNLEAVY

Expansion of Alaska’s gas pipeline infrastructure and well-intended lease opportunities in ANWR-1002 are the right path to energy dominance on a global scale, Dunleavy said.

The governor added that the native communities on the North Slope are supportive of responsibly exploring ANWR-1002 as it has and would create jobs and opportunities for the far-flung residents.

"Our gas lines would also impact… our Asian allies; our position in the Pacific – It's not just a gas project for Alaska. It's a gas project for the Pacific and our allies," he said.

Another field Trump could pursue would be harnessing what are the second-strongest tides in the world, Dunleavy has said.

In another recent Fox News Digital interview, that time from Mat-Su Borough, Alaska itself, the governor said Cook Inlet's tides can be a "green" energy that works.

Cook Inlet, which extends south from the state's largest city, Anchorage, down the Kenai Peninsula and into the Gulf of Alaska, has an incredibly powerful push-pull dynamic.

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Dunleavy said he is encouraging investment in harnessing Cook Inlet tides to produce a reliable energy source, particularly "green hydrogen," while rejecting the idea that the debate over "green" vs. fossil fuels is a zero-sum game.

In a statement to Fox News Digital, a White House spokesman said, "President Trump is committed to unleashing American energy and will work with state officials across the country to release our natural resources. Governor Dunleavy knows President Trump is right – unleashing our energy will boost the economy and make America energy independent once again."

FIRST ON FOX: A watchdog group focused on getting diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) out of medicine found that the National Cancer Institute (NCI) is actively spending millions of grant dollars to boost the number of racial minorities in the cancer workforce. 

This funding, uncovered by the nonprofit watchdog Do No Harm, shows that $218 million in NCI grants for "underrepresented" groups – mainly racial minorities – is actively dispersed by the NCI. Prior to President Donald Trump taking office, during the Biden administration, around 3% of the NCI's total grant funding every year went to institutions so that they can hire more faculty members and scientists who are minorities, according to Do No Harm.

The revelation comes as Elon Musk's DOGE puts a slew of funds related to DEI on the chopping block amid efforts to slim down government spending. Trump and fellow Republicans have pushed hard against DEI policies throughout the government in recent weeks, making the case that public programs should instead focus on meritocracy. 

TRUMP ADMIN DIRECTS FEDERAL AGENCIES TO END DEI CONSIDERATIONS IN GOVT CONTRACTS AS DOGE'S IMPACT SPREADS

Among the NCI's DEI grants that remain active under Trump are two totaling more than $10.5 million, awarded to the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. These grants support hiring initiatives aimed at "inclusive excellence" and programs that promote advancing the careers of racial minorities.

One of the grant's descriptions explicitly calls for the recruitment of 12 scientists from "underrepresented groups," while the other grant's description includes, alongside its recruitment and hiring goals, a plan to "modify the Mount Sinai Health System Task Force To Address Racism Roadmap for Change with key strategies as the basis for an Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai Roadmap for Inclusive Excellence." 

In a statement to Fox News Digital, Do No Harm Chairman Dr. Stanley Goldfarb said the NCI must "stop promoting a politically motivated DEI agenda."

GROUP OF DEI WORKERS SUE TO STOP TRUMP EXECUTIVE ORDERS

"The National Cancer Institute has been taking advantage of taxpayers to push a DEI agenda on the medical field," Goldfarb said. "They dole out $218 million each year for grants prioritizing 'underrepresented' in medicine, which has generally been defined as anyone from a racial minority group, except Asian Americans. The National Cancer Institute should not be rewarding racial discrimination with taxpayer money. Racial discrimination has no place in medicine."

Under former President Joe Biden, the NCI's website was filled with statements and sources about programs tied to DEI, but, following Trump's executive order demanding an end to DEI in the federal government, much of that has come down. Fox News Digital reached out to the NCI to question whether it had any plans to terminate any of its active grants promoting DEI hiring, but did not receive a response by press time. 

Fox News Digital also inquired about the sub-agency's Equity Council, established in 2021 under Biden, but did not receive a response. The council is a steering committee for the NCI's equity and inclusion efforts.

DOGE claims it has already addressed hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars in DEI-related contract cuts, including $350 million at the Department of Education. 

Last month, DOGE announced that taxpayers would see just over $1 billion in savings through the elimination of 104 DEI contracts.

Days after he was fired by President Donald Trump, former Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman Air Force Gen. C.Q. Brown took to social media to express his gratitude for his time in the military.

"I was inspired to serve by my father, who told me, ‘Four years in the military will not hurt you.’ Four years turned into four decades, surrounded by the finest service members and civilians from across our Nation," Brown posted to LinkedIn.

Brown wrote that it was his "distinct honor" to end his military career as Joint Chiefs chairman and that he used his position to focus on warfighting, modernization and trust.

"The Joint Force’s commitment to our security has never been more critical. I’m confident you will continue to stand resolute in defense of our Nation," Brown wrote, in part.

TRUMP GOES ON ‘UNPRECEDENTED’ PENTAGON FIRING SPREE: REPORT

Brown was the second Black general to serve as Joint Chiefs chairman, following the now late Gen. Colin Powell's term from 1989 to 1993.  He served in the position for 16 months before Trump's decision to relieve him.

"I want to thank General Charles ‘CQ’ Brown for his over 40 years of service to our country, including as our current Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. He is a fine gentleman and an outstanding leader, and I wish a great future for him and his family," Trump posted on social media.

OBAMA FIRED TOP MILITARY OFFICERS TO ALIGN PENTAGON WITH HIS POLICY VISION, NOW TRUMP SET TO DO THE SAME

Trump has said he will be nominating retired Air Force Lt. Gen. Dan "Razin" Caine to be the next chairman.

Caine is an F-16 pilot who served on active duty and in the National Guard. He has also served most recently as the associate director for military affairs at the CIA, as stated by his military biography.

The move to nominate Caine has been controversial as he has not held the key assignments identified by law as prerequisites for the job, although that requirement can be waived if the "president determines such action is necessary in the national interest," according to U.S. Code.

A member of the Boston City Council called out Border Czar Tom Homan in a post on social media, calling his promises to enforce President Donald Trump's border policy "laughable."

Councilwoman Sharon Durkan posted her response on X after Homan said he would "bring hell" to Beantown after Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox recently doubled down on the city’s sanctuary policies.

"You said you doubled down on not helping the law enforcement officers of ICE. I'm coming to Boston, and I'm bringing hell with me," Homan said at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) on Saturday. "I looked at the numbers this morning... I stopped counting at nine. Nine child rapists that were in jail in Massachusetts, but rather than honoring an ICE detainer, you released them back into the street."

"You're not a police commissioner," Homan continued. "Take that badge off your chest. Put it in the desk drawer. Because you became a politician. You forgot what it’s like to be a cop."

TRUMP'S ICE RACKS UP HUNDREDS OF ARRESTS, INCLUDING ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS ARRESTED FOR HORROR CRIMES

Durkan responded by mocking Homan for briefly serving as a police officer in the village of West Carthage, New York, in the 1980s. He became a Border Patrol agent soon after, and has since worked for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in the Obama administration, as well as the first Trump administration.

"Laughable that someone who spent their career policing a town smaller than a Fenway Park crowd thinks they can lecture Boston on public safety," Durkan's post read.

"Commissioner Michael Cox serves with distinction and earns trust with integrity," the city official continued. "Tom Homan should know, we don’t scare easy."

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In a recent interview, Cox said that Boston "doesn't enforce detainers" that are filed by ICE, per Massachusetts law.

"We just don’t do that," Cox said on a segment of WCVB’s "On the Record" show. "We don’t enforce civil detainers regarding federal immigration law. It's defined here in the state, and that’s just how it works."

The Boston office of ICE's Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) has overseen the arrest of several criminal migrants in recent weeks, including MS-13 gang members. 

Earlier this month, ERO Boston officers apprehended an illegal alien from Guatemala who was charged with multiple counts of child rape.

Fox News Digital reached out to Durkan for comment, but did not immediately hear back.

Fox News Digital's Peter Pinedo and Greg Wehner contributed to this report.

President Donald Trump announced that Dan Bongino will serve as the next deputy director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).

"Great news for Law Enforcement and American Justice," Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social on Sunday night. "Dan Bongino, a man of incredible love and passion for our Country, has just been named the next DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF THE FBI, by the man who will be the best ever Director, Kash Patel."

NEW FBI LEADER KASH PATEL TAPPED TO RUN ATF AS ACTING DIRECTOR

The president said Bongino has a Master’s Degree in Psychology from the City University of New York and an MBA from Penn State.

"He was a member of the New York Police Department (New York’s Finest!), a highly respected Special Agent with the United States Secret Service, and is now one of the most successful Podcasters in the Country, something he is willing and prepared to give up in order to serve," Trump wrote. "Working with our great new United States Attorney General, Pam Bondi, and Director Patel, Fairness, Justice, Law and Order will be brought back to America, and quickly. Congratulations Dan!"

Bongino is also a former Fox News host.

The Trump administration is eliminating over a thousand positions at the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), while also placing the majority of the remaining staff members on administration leave globally, just before midnight Sunday.

The Associated Press reported that it learned from the Trump administration that 1,600 posts would be eliminated after reviewing notices that were sent to USAID workers.

"As of 11:59 p.m. EST on Sunday, February 23, 2025, all USAID direct hire personnel, with the exception of designated personnel responsible for mission-critical functions, core leadership and/or specially designated programs, will be placed on administrative leave globally," the notices read.

The Trump administration intends on leaving fewer than 300 staffers on the job, out of the current 8,000 contractors and direct hires.

USAID WORKERS SEND MESSAGE TO TRUMP ON BOXES WHILE LEAVING OFFICE FOR LAST TIME

The less than 300 remaining staff, along with an unknown number of the 5,000 locally hired international staff members abroad, will run the few life-saving programs that the administration said it intends to keep in place for the time being.

Sacked USAID staffers left their Washington, D.C., offices for the last time on Friday, with some carrying boxes scrawled with messages that seemed to be directed at Trump, who is slashing the agency's workforce.

"We are abandoning the world," read one message on a box containing belongings being hauled out by a grinning staffer as she walked out of USAID's Bureau of Humanitarian Affairs office.

'WASTEFUL AND DANGEROUS': DOGE'S TOP FIVE MOST SHOCKING REVELATIONS

Another smiling staffer’s box had a more upbeat tone, with her message reading: "You can take the humanitarians out of USAID but you can’t take the humanity out of the humanitarians."

Thousands of staffers had been notified weeks ago of their pending dismissals, and on Friday, U.S. District Judge Carl Nichols lifted a temporary restraining order he had issued at the outset of a lawsuit filed by government employee unions seeking a stop to the mass layoffs. After lifting the temporary restraining order, Nichols declined to issue a longer-term order that would have kept the employees in their posts.

Trump has moved to gut the agency after imposing a 90-day pause on foreign aid. He also appointed Secretary of State Marco Rubio as the acting director of USAID.

SECRETARY OF STATE RUBIO CONFIRMS BECOMING ACTING USAID CHIEF

The agency has come under fire by the Elon Musk-led Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) for alleged wasteful spending. 

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

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

Fox News Digital’s Michael Dorgan and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

The Trump administration is eliminating thousands of positions at the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), while also placing the majority of the remaining staff members on administration leave globally, just before midnight Sunday.

The Associated Press reported that it learned from the Trump administration that 2,000 posts would be eliminated, after reviewing notices that were sent to USAID workers.

"As of 11:59 p.m. EST on Sunday, February 23, 2025, all USAID direct hire personnel, with the exception of designated personnel responsible for mission-critical functions, core leadership and/or specially designated programs, will be placed on administrative leave globally," the notices read.

The Trump administration intends on leaving fewer than 300 staffers on the job, out of the current 8,000 contractors and direct hires.

USAID WORKERS SEND MESSAGE TO TRUMP ON BOXES WHILE LEAVING OFFICE FOR LAST TIME

The less than 300 remaining staff, along with an unknown number of the 5,000 locally hired international staff members abroad, will run the few life-saving programs that the administration said it intends to keep in place for the time being.

Sacked USAID staffers left their Washington, D.C., offices for the last time on Friday, with some carrying boxes scrawled with messages that seemed to be directed at Trump, who is slashing the agency's workforce.

"We are abandoning the world," read one message on a box containing belongings being hauled out by a grinning staffer as she walked out of USAID's Bureau of Humanitarian Affairs office.

'WASTEFUL AND DANGEROUS': DOGE'S TOP FIVE MOST SHOCKING REVELATIONS

Another smiling staffer’s box had a more upbeat tone, with her message reading: "You can take the humanitarians out of USAID but you can’t take the humanity out of the humanitarians."

Thousands of staffers had been notified weeks ago of their pending dismissals, and on Friday, U.S. District Judge Carl Nichols lifted a temporary restraining order he had issued at the outset of a lawsuit filed by government employee unions seeking a stop to the mass layoffs. After lifting the temporary restraining order, Nichols declined to issue a longer-term order that would have kept the employees in their posts.

Trump has moved to gut the agency after imposing a 90-day pause on foreign aid. He also appointed Secretary of State Marco Rubio as the acting director of USAID.

SECRETARY OF STATE RUBIO CONFIRMS BECOMING ACTING USAID CHIEF

The agency has come under fire by the Elon Musk-led Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) for alleged wasteful spending. 

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

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

Fox News Digital’s Michael Dorgan and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

On Feb. 23, 1945, six Marines teamed up for what would become one of the most iconic photos in American history.

Marines fighting on Iwo Jima scaled Mount Suribachi and worked together to push up an American flag, a moment that was captured by military photographers and later became an enduring symbol of the Allied victory over Nazi Germany and Imperial Japan in World War II.

Marines initially invaded Iwo Jima on Feb. 19, 1945, as part of the U.S. island-hopping campaign in the Pacific, and it took four days to gain the summit of Suribachi, according to a Department of Defense report. 

VANCE TOURS DACHAU CONCENTRATION CAMP AHEAD OF MUNICH SECURITY CONFERENCE: ‘WHAT UNSPEAKABLE EVIL’

"The taking of the 554-foot hill was significant, in that it suppressed the fire from Japanese who were dug in and who had prime vantage of much of the island," the DOD report reads.

Fighting continued on the island until March 26, resulting in the injury or death of about 27,000 Marines and sailors.

The brutal fighting also led to the deaths of 21,000 Japanese soldiers, who defended the island through a series of caves, tunnels and pillboxes.

WWII VETERAN TURNS 100, REVEALS THE SECRETS OF A LONG, HEALTHY LIFE

Yet the photo from four days into the battle remains its enduring image, spreading rapidly throughout the world and becoming a powerful recruiting and morale tool for the U.S. government.

"The photo was the centerpiece of a war-bond poster that helped raise $26 billion in 1945," the Pulitzer Prize Board wrote in its online account of the image.

While the identity of the men in the photo has been the subject of decades of debate, the most recent research suggests the men are, from left, Pfc. Ira Hayes, Pfc. Harold Schultz, Sgt. Michael Strank, Pfc. Franklin Sousley, Pfc. Harold Keller and Cpl. Harlon Block.

Block, Sousley and Strank were later killed during the fighting on Iwo Jima.

But the image has endured the test of time, being duplicated on everything from postage stamps to a memorial just north of Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Va.

President Donald Trump celebrated on Sunday after German conservative opposition leader Friedrich Merz claimed victory in a national election, ousting Social Democrat incumbent Chancellor Olaf Scholz.

"LOOKS LIKE THE CONSERVATIVE PARTY IN GERMANY HAS WON THE VERY BIG AND HIGHLY ANTICIPATED ELECTION," Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social. "MUCH LIKE THE USA, THE PEOPLE OF GERMANY GOT TIRED OF THE NO COMMON SENSE AGENDA, ESPECIALLY ON ENERGY AND IMMIGRATION, THAT HAS PREVAILED FOR SO MANY YEARS.

"THIS IS A GREAT DAY FOR GERMANY, AND FOR THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF A GENTLEMAN NAMED DONALD J. TRUMP," he added. "CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL — MANY MORE VICTORIES TO FOLLOW!!!"

Germany’s center-right Christian Democratic Union (CDU) won Sunday's national election, with the right-wing Alternative for Germany (AfD) finishing a strong second, according to exit polls.

TRUMP SET TO MEET WITH WORLD LEADERS IN DC DURING BUSY WEEK AS RUSSIA-UKRAINE PEACE TALKS CONTINUE

The snap election came as the European nation grapples with illegal immigration and a souring economy. CDU leader Merz is expected to take a harder line than Scholz on immigration, though not as much as AfD supporters have called for.

Merz, whose party got about 29% of the vote, must form a coalition with one or more of the other parties, but has said he will not do so with AfD.

ECONOMY, IMMIGRATION, ELON MUSK AT CENTER OF GERMAN ELECTION; CONSERVATIVE CANDIDATE FAVORED TO WIN

Merz has said he will execute a 15-point plan to tackle immigration, including tightening the borders and deporting rejected asylum seekers. AfD wants to deport migrants en masse.

While the AfD may be frozen out of the incoming coalition, it doubled its vote total from the last election.

Endorsed by Trump and Elon Musk, and led by Alice Weidel and Tino Chrupalla, the party believes it has built momentum for the next election, expected in 2029.

President Donald Trump is set to have another busy week meeting with foreign leaders in the nation's capital as administration leaders continue working out a potential peace deal between Russia and Ukraine. 

Trump will meet with U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron in his fifth week back in the Oval Office, national security advisor Mike Waltz said on Fox News' "America Reports." The announcement follows Macron calling for an emergency meeting of world leaders after the Trump administration excluded Europe from sitting at the negotiating table to settle the war between Ukraine and Russia.

"Just a few months ago, everyone was talking about this war as though it would never end," Waltz said on "America Reports" after confirming Starmer and Macron will visit Washington, D.C. "In just a very short amount of time, President Trump has us, everyone – the Ukrainians, the Russians, the Europeans – talking about it now and debating.… Only President Trump could drive that shift in conversation. And we have to acknowledge that that's happened."

TRUMP SOUNDS OFF ON ZELENSKYY'S INSULTS AS US WORKS TO BROKER UKRAINE PEACE DEAL WITH RUSSIA: 'I'VE HAD IT'

Waltz, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff met in Riyadh last week with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and President Vladimir Putin’s foreign affairs advisor Yuri Ushakov to hash out ways to end the conflict. Ukraine was absent from the negotiations in Saudi Arabia. 

RUSSIA, UKRAINE TAKE ‘SIGNIFICANT FIRST STEP TOWARD PEACE’ AFTER RUBIO-LED NEGOTIATIONS, WHITE HOUSE INSISTS

Ukraine's lack of involvement sparked President Vlodomyr Zelenskyy to double down on the stance that his nation will not accept a peace deal unless they are a part of the negotiation process. 

Zelenskyy told reporters Tuesday in Turkey that "nobody decides anything behind our back," after stressing in recent days that Kyiv will not agree to a peace negotiation without Ukraine’s input.

Trump amplified his rhetoric against Zelenskyy last week, including arguing Zelenskyy is a poor negotiator and that he's "sick of it." 

"I've been watching this man for years now as his cities get demolished, as his people get killed, as his soldiers get decimated," Trump told Fox News' Brian Kilmeade last week. "I've been watching him negotiate with no cards. He has no cards, and you get sick of it," he continued. "You just get sick of it, and I've had it."

TRUMP'S FRUSTRATIONS WITH ZELENSKYY ESCALATE AS US TURNS UP PRESSURE ON UKRAINE TO REACH PEACE DEAL

"I get tired of listening to it," Trump responded. "I've seen it enough, and then he complains that he's not at a meeting that we're having with Saudi Arabia trying to intermediate peace. Well, he's been at meetings for three years with a... president who didn't know what the hell he was doing. He's been at the meetings for three years and nothing got done, so I don't think he's very important to be at meetings, to be honest with you. He's been there for three years. He's he makes it very hard to make deals."

Trump added on Friday that Macron and Starmer "haven’t done anything" since 2022 to end the war between Russia and Ukraine. 

Trump's recent remarks on Zelenskyy have apparently alarmed European leaders who have backed Ukraine throughout the war. Macron previewed in remarks on Thursday that he will reportedly take a tough tone with Trump during their meeting. 

TRUMP AND ZELENSKYY WAR OF WORDS HEATS UP EVEN AS US LOOKS TO WIND DOWN WAR IN UKRAINE

"Trump, I know him. I respect him and I believe he respects me," Macron, who will meet with Trump on Monday, said during a question-and-answer session on social media. "I will tell him: deep down you cannot be weak in the face of President (Vladimir Putin). It's not you, it's not what you're made of, and it's not in your interests."

Starmer, who is slated to meet with Trump on Thursday, said on Sunday in Scotland that there cannot be peace talks without Ukraine's input. 

"Nobody wants the bloodshed to continue. Nobody, least of all the Ukrainians," he said Sunday, according to Reuters. 

"But after everything that they have suffered, after everything that they have fought for, there could be no discussion about Ukraine without Ukraine, and the people of Ukraine must have a long-term secure future." 

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt spoke to members of the media on Saturday following CPAC, saying a peace deal could be reached as soon as this week. 

"The president, his team are very much focused on continuing negotiations with both sides of this war to end the conflict, and the president is very confident we can get it done this week," she said. 

Fox News Digital's Bailee Hill, Morgan Phillips and Diana Stancy contributed to this report. 

The Department of Defense (DOD) told its civilian workforce to ignore billionaire and head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) Elon Musk’s request to report their productivity.

In a letter to DOD personnel, Darin S. Selnick, who is performing the duties of the undersecretary of defense for personnel and readiness, provided guidance on how to handle Musk’s demand through the Office of Personnel Management (OPM).

"DoD personnel may have received an email from OPM requesting information. The Department of Defense is responsible for reviewing the performance of its personnel and it will conduct any review in accordance with its own procedures," Selnick wrote. "When and if required, the Department will coordinate responses to the email you have received from OPM. For now, please pause any response to the OPM email titled, ‘What did you do last week.’"

Musk, a senior advisor to President Donald Trump, said earlier on Saturday that employees would receive an email giving them a chance to explain how productive they were the previous week. If an employee fails to respond to the email, Musk said the government will interpret that as a resignation.

ELON MUSK SAYS 'BAR IS VERY LOW' AFTER ORDERING FEDERAL EMPLOYEES TO FILL OUT PRODUCTIVITY REPORTS OR RESIGN

"Consistent with President @realDonaldTrump’s instructions, all federal employees will shortly receive an email requesting to understand what they got done last week," Musk wrote on X. "Failure to respond will be taken as a resignation."

Later that day, Musk said the report should take under five minutes for employees to write. The deadline for responding to the email is 11:59 p.m. on Monday.

ELON MUSK SAYS FEDERAL EMPLOYEES MUST FILL OUT PRODUCTIVITY REPORTS OR RESIGN

"To be clear, the bar is very low here. An email with some bullet points that make any sense at all is acceptable! Should take less than 5 mins to write," Musk wrote on X.

A spokesperson from OPM confirmed Musk's plans.

"As part of the Trump Administration's commitment to an efficient and accountable federal workforce, OPM is asking employees to provide a brief summary of what they did last week by the end of Monday, CC'ing their manager," the spokesperson said in a statement to Fox News Digital. "Agencies will determine any next steps."

WHITE HOUSE OUTLINES WHERE DOGE SAVINGS COULD GO AFTER TRUMP FLOATS RETURNING 20% TO AMERICANS

Also telling employees to stand down was Kash Patel, who was confirmed by the Senate last week as the new director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).

"FBI personnel may have received an email from OPM requesting information," Patel told employees, according to The Associated Press. "The FBI, through the Office of the Director, is in charge of all of our review processes, and will conduct reviews in accordance with FBI procedures. When and if further information is required, we will coordinate the responses. For now, please pause any responses."

The State Department also reportedly issued a similar message to employees on Saturday, informing them that department officials "will respond on behalf of the Department," according to a message sent by Ambassador Tibor P. Nagy, who serves as acting under secretary of state for management. 

Fox News Digital's Landon Mion, Andrea Margolis and Fox News' Patrick Ward contributed to this report.

Popular TV host Mike Rowe believes that President Donald Trump’s policies will be better for the country in the long run.

Asked by Fox News Digital how he feels about Trump’s first few weeks back in office, Rowe indicated that he is "happy" with what he has seen so far and optimistic about the future outlook.

"I’m a one-issue guy, I got a foundation, we’re trying to close the skills gap, he wants to bring manufacturing back, and I am all for it," Rowe said of Trump from the Conservative Political Action Conference on Saturday. "But right now we got 7.2 million men, able-bodied, who are not looking for work. They’re just sitting out of the workforce. And we’ve got giant shortages already in dozens of skilled trades, so I think part of what has to happen is a PR campaign to reinvigorate the trades as we bring back the manufacturing."

THE AGE OF RELYING ON CREDENTIALS IS NEARING AN END, MIKE ROWE SAYS

Rowe noted that he is willing to put his money where his mouth is to assist the effort and indicated he was available to help Trump with the issue as well.

"I got a million bucks I am giving away this month to microworks.org to help train the next generation of skilled workers. If I could be of use in any other capacity in that regard, I am at his disposal," Rowe said.

MIKE ROWE WARNS ABOUT STIGMA 'GUNK' AROUND TRADES THAT KEEPS KIDS FROM EXPLORING INDUSTRY

Touching on Trump’s tariff and trade policies, Rowe acknowledged the possibility of some short-term pain for American industries but argued the payoff would be worth it in the end.

"Yes, they will hurt short term. Is it worth it long term?" Rowe said. "Look, do you want to be dependent on China? Do you want to be reliant on other countries? These are really simple, fundamental questions. If the answer is we want to be more independent, there’s going to be some short-term pain."

"I think it will be worth it to be less reliant on countries who hate us," Rowe added. "I think it will be worth it to be less dependent on countries that aren’t terribly concerned with what’s best for us. I am all for an equal playing field, and I am all for every kind of independence we can muster, whether it's energy independence, economic independence, workforce independence, all of it."

Pope Francis signed a letter of resignation in 2013 to be used in case he was forced from his duties as a result of bad health.

"I have already signed my resignation. Tarcisio Bertone was Secretary of State. I signed it and I told him: ‘In case of impediment for medical reasons or whatever, here is my resignation,’" the Pope said during a 2022 interview, according to a report at the time from the New York Post.

The resurfaced interview comes as Francis has been hospitalized for over a week and was reported to be in critical condition after suffering an asthmatic respiratory crisis on Saturday, according to a report from the Associated Press.

POPE FRANCIS HAD PEACEFUL NIGHT'S REST AT HOSPITAL FOLLOWING RESPIRATORY CRISIS, VATICAN SAYS

Francis also received blood transfusions after tests revealed he had a low platelet count, according to a Reuters report.

Francis, who turned 88 in December, has long faced questions about what he would do if health issues left him unable to carry out his duties. Such questions would have been unheard of prior to 2013, when Pope Benedict XVI resigned, becoming the first papal resignation in over 600 years.

Francis revealed during the 2022 interview that he gave his resignation letter to the Vatican secretary of state, Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, a holdover from Benedict XVI, about six months after being elected to the papacy in March 2013.

POPE FRANCIS SHARES WRITTEN MESSAGE WHILE CONTINUING HOSPITALIZATION

"You have it. I don’t know to whom Cardinal Bertone may have given it, but I gave it to him when he was secretary of state," Francis said at the time. 

As Francis continued his hospitalization in Rome on Sunday, he shared a message thanking those who have kept him in their prayers during his health struggle.

"I have recently received many messages of affection, and I have been particularly struck by the letters and drawings from children," Pope Francis posted on X Sunday. "Thank you for your closeness, and for the consoling prayers I have received from all over the world!" 

"I urge you to continue your apostolate with joy and to be a sign of a love that embraces everyone, as the #GospelOfTheDay suggests," another post said. "May we transform evil into goodness and build a fraternal world. Do not be afraid to take risks for love!"

President Donald Trump's envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, said Sunday that he would aim to negotiate an "extension" of Phase One of the Israel-Hamas hostage release and ceasefire deal when he returns to the region this week. 

"We have to get an extension of Phase One. And, so I'll be going into the region this week, probably Wednesday, to negotiate that," Witkoff said during an appearance on CNN's "State of the Union." "And we're hoping you have the proper time to finish off to begin Phase Two and finish it off and get more hostages released. And move this – move the discussion forward." 

Israeli Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer, a close confidante of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, reportedly met with Witkoff in Washington, D.C., last week. 

In regard to the meeting, CNN's Jake Tapper asked Witkoff if he believes Netanyahu "wants to move forward with the ceasefire, or does he want to resume the war to try to eliminate Hamas?"

ISRAEL DELAYS PALESTINIAN PRISONER RELEASE AFTER HAMAS' 'HUMILIATING' TREATMENT OF HOSTAGES, NETANYAHU SAYS 

Witkoff said he believes the prime minister "is well-motivated" and wants to see "the hostages released," as well "to protect the state of Israel." 

"And so he's got a red line," Witkoff said. "And he said what the red line is, and that is that Hamas cannot be involved in a governing body when this thing is resolved." 

"They can't be any part of governance in Gaza," the U.S. envoy said of Hamas. "And, you know, as to existing, I'd leave that – that detail to the prime minister." 

In another Sunday show appearance on CBS' "Face the Nation," Witkoff said he would arrive "probably Wednesday evening" in the Middle East and would visit various countries, including Qatar, Egypt, Israel, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia. He added that the last remaining living American hostage, Edan Alexander, remains a top priority in negotiations.

"He's front and center for us," Witkoff said. "I know his parents. We talk all the time. He's critical. It's one of President Trump's most important objectives is to get all Americans home. And we're going to be successful in getting Edan home, I believe." 

REMAINS OF SHIRI BIBAS, MOM OF TWO KILLED, ALLEGEDLY RETURNED TO ISRAEL FOLLOWING HAMAS' BROKEN PROMISE

According to the May 27 protocol agreement, Witkoff explained that Phase Two involves both "a permanent ceasefire, a cessation of all violence," as well as "the fact that Hamas cannot be allowed to come back into the government" in Gaza. 

"And I think the way you square that circle is that Hamas has to go. They've got to leave," Witkoff said, adding, "I would say physically, that's correct." The envoy said he was not at liberty to say which countries might take in people from Gaza during ongoing negotiations, but stressed that Gaza would not be a safe living environment for another 15 to 20 years following the war and requires an extension reconstruction plan.

The Israeli Prime Minister's Office announced Saturday night that "in light of Hamas's repeated violations, including the ceremonies that humiliate our hostages and the cynical exploitation of our hostages for propaganda purposes, it has been decided to delay the release of terrorists that was planned for yesterday until the release of the next hostages has been assured, and without the humiliating ceremonies." 

In a video message Friday, Netanyahu condemned how Hamas "brutally murdered" two young Israeli boys, whose bodies were initially returned to Israel without the remains of their mother, Shiri Bibas. In what Netanyahu decried as a "brazen violation of their agreement," Hamas initially handed over the wrong body for Bibas, whose actual remains were later returned and identified Saturday following an intense standoff with the terrorist group. 

Hamas handed over another six Israelis on Saturday in the latest scheduled release of living hostages.

The downtown Washington, D.C., Ronald Reagan building will undergo a dramatic shift as U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) takes over the longtime headquarters of the Agency for International Development (USAID), Fox News Digital has confirmed.

"CBP has signed a license agreement to occupy approximately 390,000 usable square feet in the USAID tower," a CBP spokesperson told Fox News Digital.

The news, which was originally reported by Politico, comes after a federal judge on Friday declined to keep in place a temporary block that was preventing President Donald Trump from removing all but a small number of USAID staffers, clearing the way for the administration to continue its dramatic cuts to federal departments, according to a report from the Associated Press.

USAID WORKERS SEND MESSAGE TO TRUMP ON BOXES WHILE LEAVING OFFICE FOR LAST TIME

USAID, a decades-old foreign assistance agency, was one of the first targets for cuts by the new administration, sparking a lawsuit filed by unions representing federal workers in an attempt to block the layoffs.

The suit accused the Trump administration of stalling medical evacuations for USAID staffers and family members overseas and cutting off contractors from emergency communications while also challenging the constitutionality of the administration’s sudden cuts, which the suit argues requires congressional approval.

"At present, the agency is still standing," U.S. District Judge Carl Nichols wrote in the ruling. "And so the alleged injuries on which plaintiffs rely in seeking injunctive relief flow essentially from their members’ existing employment relationships with USAID."

'WASTEFUL AND DANGEROUS': DOGE'S TOP FIVE MOST SHOCKING REVELATIONS

With the drastic reduction in staffing and the loss of its longtime headquarters, questions remain about the future of USAID and its mission. Earlier this month, the State Department announced that Secretary of State Marco Rubio had been appointed as acting administrator for the agency with an eye toward possible reorganization of its activities under the State Department.

"The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has long strayed from its original mission of responsibly advancing American interests abroad, and it is now abundantly clear that significant portions of USAID funding are not aligned with the core national interests of the United States," the State Department said in a statement. "As we evaluate USAID and ensure it is in alignment with an America First agenda and the efforts of the State Department, we will continue to protect the American people’s interests and ensure their tax dollars are not wasted."

Department of Government Efficiency chair Elon Musk announced that federal employees must report their accomplishments from the last week or face losing their jobs, which has roiled the federal workforce as some Democratic lawmakers and unions call on employees to flout the directive. 

"This is a good opportunity for mass civil disobedience. Musk has no authority to do this. Encourage all federal employees to report to work, prepare GFY letters and continue to demonstrate the public service and patriotism he lacks," Illinois Democratic Rep. Sean Casten posted to X on Saturday evening. 

The acronym GFY is internet slang typically meaning "go f--- yourself."

"It takes a remarkable combination of arrogance and stupidity to think that this is the best use of time for our intelligence officers, VA workers, air traffic controllers, and everyone else we depend on to do their job well," he continued. 

Musk said on Saturday that federal employees would receive an email directing them to list their accomplishments from the week prior, with the DOGE leader adding later that day that the assignment should take less than five minutes to accomplish. Employees have until 11:59 pm on Monday to send the list or lose their employment, according to emails regarding Musk's directive that were sent by the Office of Personnel Management.

TRUMP RATTLES OFF ‘FLAGRANT SCAMS’ UNCOVERED BY DOGE, TAKES AIM AT FORT KNOX IN CPAC SPEECH

"Consistent with President @realDonaldTrump’s instructions, all federal employees will shortly receive an email requesting to understand what they got done last week," Musk wrote on X. "Failure to respond will be taken as a resignation."

"To be clear, the bar is very low here. An email with some bullet points that make any sense at all is acceptable! Should take less than 5 mins to write," Musk added. 

Musk's message followed President Donald Trump remarking that he's been pleased with Musk and DOGE's work investigating various federal agencies for government overspending, fraud and mismanagement, but that he would like to see Musk "get more aggressive." 

Musk responded on X: "Will do, Mr. President!"

CPAC STRAW POLL REVEALS WHO CONSERVATIVES BELIEVE WILL BE 2028 PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE

Unions lambasted Musk's directive that federal employees detail their work accomplishments to DOGE, with a chapter of the National Treasury Employees Union, which represents FDA employees, telling members they "strongly" encourage them to flout the order. 

"We work for HHS/FDA, not OPM: OPM directives that have not been formally adopted or communicated by our employer, the FDA, do not create an obligation for you to respond," the NTEU chapter's guidance stated. The chapter's website states in bolded, all-capitalized letters: "NTEU ADVISES YOU NOT TO SIGN THAT EMAIL... UNTIL WE GET MORE INFO." 

ELON MUSK SAYS 'BAR IS VERY LOW' AFTER ORDERING FEDERAL EMPLOYEES TO FILL OUT PRODUCTIVITY REPORTS OR RESIGN

The chapter noted in a comment to Fox News Digital that it is only one chapter of hundreds under the national NTEU's umbrella, and only represents FDA employees in five states, as well as Washington, D.C. Fox Digital reached out to the national NTEU's press office on Sunday morning, but did not immediately receive a reply. 

The national president of the American Federation of Government Employees, Everett Kelley, also released a statement on Saturday evening, arguing that Musk and the Trump administration were showing "their utter disdain for federal employees and the critical services they provide to the American people."

"It is cruel and disrespectful to hundreds of thousands of veterans who are wearing their second uniform in the civil service to be forced to justify their job duties to this out-of-touch, privileged, unelected billionaire who has never performed one single hour of honest public service in his life," Kelley said in a statement. 

"AFGE will challenge any unlawful terminations of our members and federal employees across the country."

ELON MUSK SAYS FEDERAL EMPLOYEES MUST FILL OUT PRODUCTIVITY REPORTS OR RESIGN

Trump joined the Conservative Political Action Conference on Saturday afternoon, where he took a victory lap for the breakneck pace of work his administration has accomplished in his first month back in the Oval Office, while lauding Musk for his DOGE efforts. 

"I signed an order creating the Department of Government Efficiency – you probably haven't heard of it – which is now waging war on government waste, fraud and abuse. And Elon is doing a great job," Trump said at the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center Saturday in Oxon Hill, Maryland, just outside the nation's capital. "He's doing a great job."

WHITE HOUSE OUTLINES WHERE DOGE SAVINGS COULD GO AFTER TRUMP FLOATS RETURNING 20% TO AMERICANS

Trump also touted that his administration is gutting the government of "corrupt" and "incompetent" federal employees. 

"We have a very corrupt group of people in this country, and we're finding them out," Trump said during his speech. "We're removing all of the unnecessary, incompetent and corrupt bureaucrats from the federal workforce."

The Senate confirmed Kash Patel as the new director of the FBI last week, and he reportedly told staffers on Saturday that his office will handle reviewing their productivity. 

"FBI personnel may have received an email from OPM requesting information," Patel reportedly told employees. "The FBI, through the Office of the Director, is in charge of all of our review processes, and will conduct reviews in accordance with FBI procedures. When and if further information is required, we will coordinate the responses. For now, please pause any responses."

The State Department also reportedly issued a similar message to employees on Saturday, informing them that department officials "will respond on behalf of the Department," according to a message sent by Ambassador Tibor P. Nagy, who serves as acting under secretary of state for management. 

The NSA told its employees that "NSA and CYBERCOM are awaiting further guidance" from the Defense Department, the Washington Post reported. 

Musk doubled down on X on Sunday that the initiative is important due to an alleged swath of government employees who accomplish such little work that they are not even checking their government email accounts. 

"The reason this matters is that a significant number of people who are supposed to be working for the government are doing so little work that they are not checking their email at all! In some cases, we believe non-existent people or the identities of dead people are being used to collect paychecks. In other words, there is outright fraud," Musk posted to X on Sunday.