President Donald Trump filled two more roles within his administration late Thursday by announcing who will be serving as deputy secretary of commerce and under secretary of the Navy.

Trump selected former Virginia congressional candidate, Hung Cao, to serve as the next under secretary of the Navy and former under secretary of energy for science, Paul Dabbar, to serve as deputy secretary of commerce.

The president congratulated both men, who are Navy veterans and graduates of the United States Naval Academy, in separate Truth Social posts Thursday night.

TRUMP REVEALS SLEW OF PICKS FOR BIG JOBS, INCLUDING FRIEND OF MIKE PENCE, BILLIONAIRE'S WIFE

Cao, who came to the U.S. in 1975 after his family escaped Vietnam shortly before the fall of Saigon, most recently ran for U.S. Senate in Virginia against Democrat Sen. Tim Kaine during the 2024 election, losing to the incumbent senator. He was endorsed by Trump during the race.

He retired from the Navy as a captain after 25 years in Special Operations. While Cao served in combat roles, he also worked at the Pentagon and was assigned to balancing the Navy's $140 billion budget.

"Hung is the embodiment of the American Dream. As a refugee to our Great Nation, Hung worked tirelessly to make proud the Country that gave his family a home. He went to our amazing United States Naval Academy, and later earned his Master’s Degree in Physics. Hung served in combat as a Special Operations Officer for twenty five years. With Hung’s experience both in combat, and in the Pentagon, he will get the job done. Congratulations to Hung, and his wonderful family!" Trump wrote on Truth Social.

Cao thanked the president for selecting him in a post on X and said "let's get to work."

VAN JONES PRAISES TRUMP FOR 'VERY GOOD' CHOICE WITH NEW PARDON CZAR PICK 

Dabbar, who worked in Trump's Department of Energy during his first term, served in the Navy as a submarine officer and spent years after his military career working in the energy sector as a managing director at J.P. Morgan.

Trump said Dabbar will work with Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick to "bring back American Leadership in Global Commerce, Trade, and Technology."

"Paul served as my Under Secretary of Energy for Science, where he lead the National Labs that started as the Manhattan Project, helping to drive semiconductors, AI, quantum, Energy Dominance, and our War-fighting capabilities," Trump wrote on Truth Social, in part.

The president still has to announce his picks for hundreds of smaller positions, but has nearly rounded out his Cabinet. Of the 22 nominations made that require Senate confirmation, 19 have been confirmed as of Thursday.

Illinois taxpayers paid out $1.6 billion for healthcare programs for illegal immigrants since 2020, well above the spending projections estimated by Democrat Gov. JB Pritzker’s administration, per a new state audit released this week at the request of GOP legislators. 

The audit also found that, in many cases, state money was spent on people who were actually U.S. citizens or otherwise eligible for federal programs.

"This audit shows that the governor, that the program was rampant in overspending. It spent well in excess of 200% more than what was estimated in budgets and in appropriations," state Senate Republican leader John Curran told Fox News Digital in an interview. 

"And it also showed that the governor was unable to manage this program," he said. "Thousands of people were allowed to sign up for free healthcare for years on the state taxpayer dime that should not have been eligible under the parameters laid out for this program, and the governor failed to even seek federal reimbursement when eligible on certain services for years, leaving federal dollars on the table."

ILLINOIS TO CUT STATE-FUNDED HEALTHCARE FOR ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS, GREEN CARD HOLDERS AFTER SOARING COSTS

Illinois Auditor General Frank J. Mautino flagged more than 6,000 people listed as "undocumented" in the programs but who had Social Security numbers, and some of those individuals may actually be legal permanent residents who are eligible for Medicaid, meaning the state could get federal funding for them. The state reviewed 94 cases and found that 19 should have been classified as legal residents instead of noncitizens.

There were also nearly 700 people in the senior health program who were under 65. A review confirmed that many of the errors were due to incorrect birth dates, which were corrected later.

Nearly 400 enrollees appeared to have been in the country for more than five years and should have qualified for Medicaid, the audit also found. The state acknowledged that some of those people were enrolled incorrectly, which cost the state federal matching funds. The report recommended that the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services seek federal reimbursement for the lost funds.

ILLINOIS HEALTH CARE PROGRAM FOR NONCITIZENS, INCLUDING ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS, BALLOONS TO $1.1B 

The auditor's report, which Curran dubbed "gross mismanagement" in a press conference, was released just one week after Pritzker suggested cutting funding for a program that offers Medicaid-like coverage to illegal immigrants under 65 or legal immigrants without a green card. The proposed reduction, expected to save $330 million, was a key part of Pritzker's strategy to address a more than $3 billion budget shortfall.

"The governor was papering over this large spending with tax increases over the last several years, as well as COVID relief funds being spent on this rather than actually trying to rein in spending in the state of Illinois," Curran said. "Now that federal dollars have tapered off, we have a large budget deficit in Illinois this year and the governor is now being forced to try to end the program for all working adults."

"We cannot afford this," Curran continued. "The state of Illinois, state taxpayers, should not be burdened with providing free healthcare, especially for [the] working-age population. People that should be out and working in paying taxes and getting healthcare in the marketplace, just like every other Illinois state taxpayer is doing, so we want to bring the program to an end."

As of December, 41,505 individuals were enrolled in the two programs, part of the Health Benefits for Immigrant Adults program, which Pritzker has proposed cutting starting July 1.

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Despite Pritzker's plan to cut funding for healthcare programs, he said during a Wednesday press conference that he supports some kind of universal health coverage: "The broader context is people need to get health care." 

He added, "It’s some evidence, anyway, that there are an awful lot of people out there that need coverage who aren’t getting it or who will do anything to get it, and I think that’s a sad state of affairs in our society."

Curran said "Pritzker, from day 1, is taking an adversarial approach to President Donald Trump and his administration, and that has really put Illinois and really the city of Chicago in focus."

"What we would like to see is a more cooperative tone," he said.

Hundreds of illegal immigrants in Chicago, which is deemed a sanctuary city, have been detained by U.S. Customs and Immigration Enforcement since Trump took office.

Both Pritzker and Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson bucked Trump's mass deportation move, vowing in January to protect residents regardless of their immigration status. 

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Pritzker's office did not respond to a request for comment by the publication deadline.

Sen. Alex Padilla, D-Cali., is demanding that Elon Musk and Acting Director of the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Charles Ezell stop sending mass emails to staffers. 

In an open letter published Thursday, Padilla said several legislative branch offices and agencies have received mass emails from [email protected] despite not being subject to personnel actions by the executive branch. 

"Neither the White House nor [the Department of Government Efficiency] nor OPM have any authority or legitimate purpose to mass email legislative branch offices and agencies demanding information from employees or to threaten adverse personnel actions," Padilla said. 

Over the weekend, the OPM sent out mass emails to federal government workers, asking them to summarize what they did over the prior week using five bullet points. They had until 11:59 p.m. on Monday to provide their responses to the inquiry. 

VIVEK RAMASWAMY ARGUES DOGE HOSTILITY ROOTED IN ‘IRRATIONALITY,’ DEFENDS TRUMP, MUSK'S PURSUIT OF ‘GOLDEN AGE’

Padilla said these emails, received by legislative staffers, wasted "time and resources and potentially [mislead] employees into responding and sharing legislative branch information in an unauthorized manner." 

Padilla added that the emails were "especially concerning" since several executive branch agencies have "even warned their own employees not to respond to these messages because doing so would risk sensitive information falling into the hands of malign foreign actors." 

"The fact that these mass emails are also going beyond the scope of the executive branch is yet another sign of how DOGE is operating in an uninformed, poorly executed, and chaotic manner," Padilla said.

The Democratic lawmaker ended his letter requesting that DOGE and OPM confirm they have taken steps "to ensure that they will cease directly any further mass email communications at legislative branch offices and agencies and their employees." 

Things got awkward when Vice President JD Vance remarked on his previous comments on Britain's free speech environment, just feet away from British Prime Minister Keir Starmer during an Oval Office meeting.

Vance doubled down on his comments at the Munich Security Conference earlier this month when he said he feared that free speech was "in retreat" in Europe. 

"To many of us on the other side of the Atlantic, it looks more and more like old entrenched interests hiding behind ugly Soviet-era words like misinformation and disinformation, who simply don’t like the idea that somebody with an alternative viewpoint might express a different opinion or, God forbid, vote a different way, or even worse, win an election," Vance said.

UK'S STARMER MEETS TRUMP AT WHITE HOUSE AMID DIVIDE BETWEEN US, EUROPE OVER UKRAINE PEACE DEAL

On Thursday, as Starmer met with President Donald Trump and administration officials at the White House, Vance stood by his comments. 

"I said what I said, which is that we do have, of course, a special relationship with our friends in the U.K. and also with some of our European allies," he said.

"But we also know that there have been infringements on free speech that actually affect not just the British. Of course, what the British do in their own country is up to them," Vance added. "But (it also affects) American technology companies and, by extension, American citizens. So, that is something that we’ll talk about today at lunch."

VANCE EVISCERATES 'SOVIET'-STYLE EUROPEAN CENSORSHIP IN ADDRESS TO MUNICH SECURITY CONFERENCE

Starmer, seated just a few feet away next to Trump, quickly chimed in. 

"We’ve had free speech for a very, very long time in the United Kingdom, and it will last for a very, very long time," the Labour Party politician said.

"Certainly, we wouldn’t want to reach across, and [regulate] U.S. citizens, and we don’t, and that’s absolutely right," he told Vance. "But in relation to free speech in the U.K., I’m really proud of that — our history there."

In Munich, Vance cited the case of a British army veteran who was convicted of breaching a safe zone around an abortion clinic where he silently prayed outside. 

He decried the enforcement of buffer zones, alleging that the Scottish government had warned people against private prayer within their own homes.

A judge in California blocked the Trump administration on Thursday from ordering departments and agencies to begin dismissing recently hired probationary federal workers, saying the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) lacks the power to fire employees.

The move came during a court hearing over a lawsuit from labor unions and other groups challenging OPM’s mass terminations.

In their lawsuit, the plaintiffs claim the mass terminations violate the Administrative Procedure Act requirements and congressional laws that deal with agency hiring and firing practices.

The judge ruled that OPM lacks the power to fire workers, including probationary employees who may have less than a year of civil service on the job.

TRUMP'S DOGE STAYS ON TRACK AFTER PAIR OF FEDERAL JUDGE RULINGS

Last week, a federal judge declined to stop the Trump administration from firing federal workers and conducting mass layoffs, which allowed the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to remain on track with its mission of finding and slashing wasteful government spending.

In one of the cases, U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper shot down a request from several labor unions, including the National Treasury Employees Union (NTEU), to issue a pause on the mass firings of federal workers.

NTEU and four other labor unions representing the federal employees filed a complaint on Feb. 12, challenging the firing of probationary employees and the deferred resignation program.

JUDGE ISSUES RESTRAINING ORDER AFTER TRUMP BLOCKS FEDERAL FUNDS FOR YOUTH SEX CHANGE OPERATIONS

Under the resignation program, federal employees were presented with a fork in the road, meaning they could either return to office or they could resign from their positions and continue to get paid through September. 

The deadline to decide was originally Feb. 6, though the date was ultimately deferred to Feb. 12, then subsequently closed that day.

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The unions moved for a temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction to prevent the firing of probationary employees across all federal agencies and furtherance of the resignation program on Feb. 14, and the next day it was sent to Cooper’s court.

Cooper denied the request, though, saying the court lacks jurisdiction over the unions’ claims.

Instead, Cooper ruled the unions must pursue their challenges through the Federal Service Labor-Management Relations Statute, which provides for administrative review by the Federal Labor Relations Authority.

President Donald Trump was asked several times on Thursday about comments he made last week, when he called Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy a "dictator," though he oftentimes either ignored the question or could not remember making the statement.

Trump met with U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer at the White House on Thursday, when the two leaders addressed peace talks between Ukraine and Russia.

The president told reporters he has had back-to-back "very successful" calls with Russian President Vladimir Putin, as well as with Zelenskyy, with hopes of bringing the war between Ukraine and Russia to an end.

"I think we’ve made a lot of progress, and I think it’s moving along pretty rapidly," Trump said. "[Friday], the progress toward peace will continue when President Zelenskyy visits the White House. He’ll be here tomorrow in the early part of the day, and we’ll be signing a historic agreement that will make the United States a major partner in developing Ukraine's minerals and rare earths, oils and gases."

TRUMP SAYS DEAL WITH UKRAINE FOR US ACCESS TO ITS RARE EARTH MINERALS IS ‘PRETTY CLOSE’

The president and Zelenskyy will meet at the White House around 11 a.m. Friday, and Trump said the rare earth minerals agreement will provide the basis for a sustainable future between the two countries.

With Zelenskyy’s visit quickly approaching, reporters asked Trump on Thursday if he had plans to apologize to the Ukrainian president for calling him a dictator.

Earlier this month, Trump blasted Zelenskyy as a "dictator without elections" after the U.S. left Ukraine out of its initial peace talks with Russia.

TRUMP TEASES MEETING WITH ZELENSKYY AMID US' ‘SERIOUS DISCUSSIONS’ WITH PUTIN TO END RUSSIA-UKRAINE WAR

"A Dictator without Elections, Zelenskyy better move fast or he is not going to have a Country left," Trump wrote on Truth Social at the time. "In the meantime, we are successfully negotiating an end to the War with Russia, something all admit only ‘TRUMP,’ and the Trump Administration, can do. Biden never tried, Europe has failed to bring Peace, and Zelenskyy probably wants to keep the ‘gravy train’ going."

When Trump greeted Starmer at the White House on Thursday, one reporter asked the two leaders about having common ground, with Trump describing Zelenskyy as a dictator and Starmer describing Putin as a dictator.

After dodging the question, another reporter asked Trump if he still believed Zelenskyy was a dictator.

TRUMP CALLS UKRAINE'S ZELENSKYY A ‘DICTATOR WITHOUT ELECTIONS’ AS RIFT WIDENS

"Did I say that?" Trump asked. "I can’t believe I said that. Next question."

After the two leaders met in the Oval Office, they faced reporters once again, and a reporter asked Trump if he would take the opportunity to apologize to Zelenskyy for calling him a dictator while praising Putin, who is a dictator.

Rather than address calling Zelenskyy a dictator, Trump spoke about the upcoming meeting with the Ukrainian president, saying, "I think we’re going to have a very good meeting tomorrow. … We’re going to get along really well."

While Ukraine and Russia were a big topic during Trump and Starmer’s meeting, so were tariffs. One reporter asked Trump if Starmer had persuaded him not to impose tariffs on the U.K.

Trump said Starmer tried hard to convince him not to impose the tariffs.

"I think there’s a very good chance that, in the case of these two great friendly countries, I think we could very well end up with a real trade deal where the tariffs wouldn’t be necessary," Trump said. "We’ll see."

While the U.S. and U.K. started with a rocky relationship in colonial days, it has flourished into one that both leaders agree is special and will remain strong.

In fact, Trump was handed a letter from King Charles through Starmer, inviting the president and first lady for a state visit.

"It was my privilege and honor to bring a letter with me today from His Majesty the King, not only sending his best wishes but also inviting the president and the first lady to make a state visit to the United Kingdom, an unprecedented second state visit," Starmer said, noting this has never happened before. "It’s so incredible. It will be historic, and I’m delighted that I can go back to His Majesty the King and tell him that President Trump has accepted the invitation."

Immediately following Starmer’s announcement, Trump thanked the prime minister and offered a compliment.

"What a beautiful accent," the president said. "I would have been president 20 years ago if I had that accent."

Fox News Digital's Danielle Wallace contributed to this report.

Department of Transportation (DOT) Secretary Sean Duffy announced Thursday his plan to "supercharge" the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)'s air traffic controllers after numerous fatal plane crashes over the last two months.

The FAA will be "streamlining" its eight-step hiring process into a five-step process, with hopes it will accelerate the time to hire for "critical positions," according to Duffy, who shared the announcement in a post on X.

The protocol change will shave more than four months off the old process, he said.

In addition, the agency will be "raising starting salaries by nearly 30%" for those in training as an incentive to apply.

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"We want the best and brightest to get expedited entry into the academy," Duffy wrote in the post. "This administration is committed to solving the air traffic control shortage that has existed for too long."

The FAA imposes a mandatory retirement age of 55 for air traffic controllers, contributing to a high turnover rate, Fox News Digital previously reported. 

Duffy noted the FAA's training academy also slowed during COVID-19, with small class sizes delaying the process.

While more than 50,000 people work at the FAA, President Donald Trump announced recent cuts that will trim 300 non-critical workers from the force.

Duffy's new policy comes after numerous aviation disasters in the U.S. over the past few months, including the midair collision of an Army Black Hawk helicopter with a commercial passenger plane in Washington, D.C., which claimed the lives of all 67 people aboard the two aircraft.

Just days after the D.C. crash, which was the country's deadliest aviation mishap in more than 20 years, a medevac plane plummeted into a Philadelphia street, killing all six on board and one person on the ground.

FORMER FAA ADMINISTRATOR IS ‘NOT CONCERNED AT ALL’ ABOUT AIR TRAVEL SAFETY AFTER THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION FIRES HUNDREDS OF FAA WORKERS

More disasters followed, with an Alaska crash killing 10 and an Arizona crash killing one.

In neighboring Canada, 21 people were injured when a Delta plane erupted in flames after overturning during a crash landing at Toronto’s Pearson Airport on Feb. 17.

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Still, the DOT continues to push the message that "flying remains the safest way to travel."

Duffy said he is "committed to restoring the FAA’s mission to safety" and hopes "more great candidates" will join the agency.

Fox News Digital's Anders Hagstrom and Danielle Wallace contributed to this report.

Andrea Lucas, the Trump administration’s acting chair of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), blasted The Washington Post and reporter Jeff Stein for spreading "fake news" about DOGE cutting 90% of the EEOC's workforce.

Lucas explained that Stein, the chief economics reporter at The Washington Post, mixed up federal agencies that have nothing to do with each other.

The Post reported that "an office within the Labor Department that enforces equal employment opportunity laws" is planning on reducing its workforce by 90%. The article went on to state that the Department of Labor plans to cut its Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) from more than 50 offices and nearly 500 employees to four offices and 50 employees.

Stein also posted on X that, among the "major changes" planned by Elon Musk’s DOGE, the Labor Department was eying "gutting EEOC office by *90%*."

'OVERWHELMINGLY POPULAR': ELON MUSK TOUTS AMERICANS' DOGE SUPPORT

After Lucas called out the error on X, Stein posted another message in which he said, "To clarify, the office I refer to above is an office within the Labor Department that enforces workers' civil rights laws."

Speaking with Fox News Digital, Lucas said the Post’s reporting "undermines" the EEOC’s ability to enforce the law by misleading the public.

"We pushed back with corrections … and WaPo [Washington Post] retweeted being like, ‘Oh, I was talking about the OFCCP,’ which is in fact what he should have been doing if he bothered to get us back straight," she said. "But the main message is that reporting is misleading.

"The Department of Labor may be contemplating significant cuts to OFCCP. I don't know. We're totally separate from OFCCP."

SCOOP: INSIDE ELON MUSK'S MEETING WITH THE SENATE DOGE CAUCUS

Lucas said any potential cuts by DOGE to the Labor Department and the OFCCP are "entirely distinct from the work that the EEOC does," which she explained is to "enforce Title VII, which explicitly creates the EEOC and gives us a specific mission to combat discrimination."

Lucas said the EEOC is "fully operational and continues to be laser-focused on combating discrimination," which she said includes discrimination on behalf of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) interests.

Lucas said the EEOC is "fully comply[ing] with the president's executive orders calling for evenhanded civil rights enforcement."

After four years of the Biden administration using federal agencies to advance DEI, Lucas directed the EEOC to issue a warning to U.S. employers that the commission would be prioritizing the enforcement of legal and financial consequences for "anti-American bias" against workers during hiring.

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"Discriminatory employers should be aware the EEOC is not asleep," she said. "This kind of fake news really can muddy the water and make it unclear to workers that this government watchdog remains active and ready to defend them against unlawful discrimination, including DEI-related discrimination."

On DOGE, Lucas said, "I fully support the president's mission and DOGE’s mission to ensure government efficiency."

HEGSETH DISMISSES 'PURGING' NARRATIVE AMID TRUMP'S PENTAGON SHAKEUP: 'TIME FOR FRESH BLOOD'

But she remains confident the EEOC is here to stay.

"We're working really hard to make sure that we have the most productive workforce possible, and we're looking to make the agency a really evenhanded and efficient workforce," Lucas said. "But I'm confident that we have an important role to play because our jurisdiction and mission are directly related to the civil rights executive orders. 

"So, we're a law enforcement agency, and we're here to execute on those and enforce the law."

The Washington Post did not respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment by time of publication.

A federal judge on Thursday ordered Trump administration officials involved with the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to testify in a legal dispute that seeks to block DOGE's access to sensitive government databases.

U.S. District Judge John Bates said officials from the departments of Labor and Health and Human Services, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and other agencies linked to the Elon Musk-led DOGE will sit for questioning under oath by lawyers for labor unions and other groups suing to block DOGE's efforts to trim the federal bureaucracy. 

The groups claim some DOGE officials and allies have already been granted access to sensitive databases and that privacy concerns of federal workers are being ignored.

HERE ARE THE AGENCIES THAT FOLLOWED MUSK'S DOGE PRODUCTIVITY EMAIL VERDICT — AND THE ONES THAT DIDN'T 

Bates had earlier refused to block DOGE access entirely. 

Bates limited the depositions to eight hours, but no specific timeline was announced. Names of those who will be asked to testify were not revealed.

HOUSE DOGE HEARING ERUPTS OVER DEMOCRAT DEEMING TRUMP 'GRIFTER IN CHIEF,' REFERRING TO 'PRESIDENT MUSK'

"It would be strange to permit defendants to submit evidence that addresses critical factual issues and proceed to rule on a preliminary injunction motion without permitting plaintiffs to explore those factual issues through very limited discovery," the judge wrote.

Bates’ order also permits a limited set of written questions to be submitted to the agencies targeted by the lawsuit. 

Fox News Digital has reached out to the White House. 

Fast-food job losses in California spiked after passage of the $20 minimum wage for some workers, according to a new study. 

A Berkeley Research Group study discovered not only were there 10,700 jobs lost between June 2023 and June 2024 in the sector, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics data. But prices at the establishments soared by 14.5% after the new minimum wage became law.

"California fast food restaurants also increased automation and technology adoption to offset rising labor costs," the study released Feb. 18 stated. 

"Therefore, it should not be surprising that the number of employees per restaurant is declining.

BLUE CITY MAYOR EMBRACES GOVERNMENT EFFICIENCY IN NEW MEMO TO CITY EMPLOYEES

"Californians are bearing the cost of the minimum wage increase through fewer available jobs and higher food cost," it added. The study also debunked notions that the minimum-wage legislation created jobs, according to the California Globe.

The study noted that the authors were "retained" by Save Local Restaurants but said the research was conducted independently. 

Chef Andrew Gruel, a California-based restaurateur, told Fox News Digital he saw early on that there could be negative consequences for the service industry.

"I railed about this months ago," he said, adding that while the early economic effects were being touted, he suggested there would be losses.

MARTINA NAVRATILOVA TAKES SHOT AT GAVIN NEWSOM OVER CALIFORNIA'S TRANS-ATHLETE POLICY

Gruel also offered advice to businesses struggling to keep up with the minimum wage requirement.

"Cut your menu size, outsource a lot of kitchen labor and utilize AI for back office management," Gruel said.

SOCIAL MEDIA BLASTS ‘GASLIGHTING’ GAVIN NEWSOM AFTER HE ANNOUNCES NEW PODCAST

The minimum wage for workers was $16 before the $20 minimum wage for fast-food workers became law in April 2024. Gov. Gavin Newsom said in September 2023 the increase would help workers earn more as the cost-of-living rises. 

"Fast food workers in CA will now be paid the highest minimum wage of any state in the country. I just signed a bill that will ensure these workers receive the fair pay they deserve," he tweeted at the time. 

However, the report also cautioned that it may also result in people getting paid less overall and "accelerate automation." 

"If large enough, the combination of job eliminations and reductions could leave workers earning less income as a result of (the) $20 minimum wage," the report stated.

"For example, even if no jobs are eliminated (a dubious assumption given the BLS data discussed above), a 20% reduction in hours worked with no overtime increases would erase the financial gains from the 25% hourly wage increase, leaving workers with the same or even less total income," it continued. 

The California Fast Food Council may consider increasing the minimum wage to $20.70, according to Restaurant Business Magazine. 

A press conference for Gov. Kathy Hochul, D-N.Y., was suddenly shut down after a group of anti-Israel protesters disrupted the event.

The governor planned a press event at the City University of New York (CUNY) on Thursday, but it was canceled due to a planned protest outside the governor's event, according to a New York Police Department officer onsite.

About 35 protesters at the entrance of CUNY were heard chanting, "Kathy Hochul go to hell," "free, free Palestine," "CUNY going to hell" and "from the river to the sea Palestine will be free."

ANTI-ISRAEL PROTESTERS ALLEGEDLY ASSAULT EMPLOYEE DURING BUILDING TAKEOVER AT BARNARD COLLEGE IN NEW YORK CITY

Several arrests were made during the protest, according to Fox News at the scene.

The individuals gathered to protest Hochul's recent decision to remove a job posting for a Palestinian studies professor role.

MEET THE FAR-LEFT GROUPS FUNDING ANTI-DOGE PROTESTS AT GOP OFFICES ACROSS THE COUNTRY

"Governor Hochul has directed CUNY to immediately remove this job posting and conduct a thorough review of the position to ensure that antisemitic theories are not promoted in the classroom," a spokesperson for Hochul told the New York Post of the decision.

The protest comes just one day after 50 anti-Israel agitators took over a building at New York City's Barnard College on Wednesday evening. 

An employee was allegedly assaulted during the protest that erupted over the expulsion of two students who stormed a Columbia University classroom in January, Fox News reported.

Fox News Digital reached out to Hochul's office for comment but did not immediately hear back.

Fox News' Christina Shaw contributed to this report.

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

Here's what's happening…

-Trump administration cutting 90% of USAID foreign aid contracts, documents show

-Attorney General Pam Bondi dismisses DEI lawsuits brought against police, fire departments under Biden 

-Trump urged to assert executive power after JD Vance's relative was denied organ transplant over COVID-19 vaccine

Rep. Andy Ogles, R-Tenn., is preparing legislation to safeguard the FBI’s Jeffrey Epstein files, citing concerns that some documents at the bureau were in danger of being destroyed.

Attorney General Pam Bondi said the government was in possession of "pretty sick" information on the late convicted pedophile, during an interview with Fox News host Jesse Watters Wednesday. 

"Should you encounter any statutory barriers to the expeditious public release of Jeffrey Epstein’s client list or other pertinent information related to his activities — to include circumstances in which any such documentation is housed in other federal agencies — I stand ready to assist," Ogles wrote to Bondi in a memo on Wednesday. 

The legislation, which is still in the works, would protect all files across Bondi’s jurisdiction… Read more

'HELP IS ON ITS WAY': Trump admin won’t tolerate antisemitism in schools, says Leo Terrell as NYC schools under microscope

FOOL'S GOLD?: Trump’s ‘gold card’ could invite fraud, national security concerns, expert says

BURDEN OF PROOF: Here's why dozens of lawsuits seeking to quash Trump's early actions as president are failing

'ROBUST MEDIA ACCESS': Trump isn't the only one. Biden also changed White House press pool, cutting off more than 440 reporters' credentials 

AUSTERE CONDITIONS: US and Canada conduct air defense drills in Greenland as Trump pushes for control

BIG DEAL: What we know about the US-Ukraine mineral deal so far

'WE CAN AND WE WILL': UK's Starmer meets Trump at White House amid divide between US, Europe over Ukraine peace deal

ON THE BOOKS: Trump accepts second state visit to UK, reveals letter from King Charles

'IMPORTANT AGREEMENT': Trump offers assurances Ukraine will agree to 'very important' rare earth minerals deal

'DEADLY DRUGS': Grieving parents slam Dems for opposing bipartisan fentanyl bill using claims parroted by Soros-backed group

MTG VS USAID: House DOGE subcommittee chair Greene threatens criminal referrals over foreign aid spending

'NEW LOW': Longtime House Dem ripped for 'disgusting' questioning of Musk's loyalty to US as an immigrant

'GREEN ENERGY BOONDOGGLES': Republicans seek to end taxpayer funding of 'green energy boondoggles' on agricultural lands

DOGE DISCUSSIONS: Inside Elon Musk's meeting with the Senate DOGE Caucus

COTTON ON CAMPAIGN TRAIL: Top Intel Republican Tom Cotton seeking re-election to Senate in 2026

TURNING UP THE HEAT: 11 House Dems vote for GOP bill to overturn Biden's gas water heater ban

RADIO-ACTIVE: 'Liberal propaganda' media outlet could see taxpayer funding slashed if GOP efforts succeed

'GENEROUS PEOPLE': Big spending conservative group once at odds with Trump to 'work closely' with him in 2026 GOP primaries

CUTTING RED TAPE: HUD terminates Obama-era housing rule that Trump warned would 'destroy' home values

'REVOLVING DOOR': Blue state's bail laws panned by police chief as violent suspects repeatedly cut loose

'#FORTHEPEOPLE': Democratic donor John Morgan launches new political party ahead of possible run for Florida governor

HELD TO ACCOUNT: Department of Homeland Security must fully account for migrant crimes linked to Biden parole program, lawmaker says

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

Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, R-Fla., who has been pressing the Department of Justice (DOJ) for the release of classified records related to sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein, was disappointed after it was revealed not all the documents would be released Thursday.

"I nor the task force were given or reviewed the Epstein documents being released today… A NY Post story just revealed that the documents will simply be Epstein's phonebook," Luna wrote Thursday in a post on X. "THIS IS NOT WHAT WE OR THE AMERICAN PEOPLE ASKED FOR and a complete disappointment. GET US THE INFORMATION WE ASKED FOR!"

AG PAM BONDI SAYS SOME EPSTEIN FILES COMING THURSDAY: ‘IT’S PRETTY SICK'

The federal lawmaker was referring to a story run by the New York Post, which noted that a source who had reviewed the files ahead of their release claimed they consisted of more than 100 pages of Epstein’s address book.

President Donald Trump signed an executive order last month calling on agencies to create plans to release and distribute top-secret documents, including those pertaining to Epstein, and the assassinations of President John F. Kennedy, Sen. Robert F. Kennedy and Dr. Martin Luther King.

Luna, who is leading the House Oversight Committee’s Task Force on the Declassification of Federal Secrets, sent letters to the DOJ on Feb. 11 and Feb. 19, requesting the release of the documents.

TRUMP SIGNS ORDER TO DECLASSIFY FILES ON JFK, RFK AND MLK ASSASSINATIONS

Having not heard back for about two days, Luna said she had faced silence from the DOJ.

"On Feb 11 & Feb 19, House Oversight sent a letter to the DOJ asking for status on releasing the Epstein files as well as JFK etc.," Luna wrote Monday in a post on X. "The DOJ has not responded. Reaching out on X because we can’t seem to get a response from the AG. @AGPamBondi what is the status of the documents? These documents were ordered to be declassified."

Two days later, she heard back from the DOJ, which thanked her for the two letters in which she requested briefings and any documents in the department’s possession relating to the classified investigations.

The DOJ also acknowledged Luna’s request for written confirmation of the date and location of the release of those records.

ANNA PAULINA LUNA TO LEAD TASK FORCE ON DECLASSIFICATION OF JFK ASSASSINATION RECORDS, EPSTEIN CLIENT LIST

"The Department remains committed to meeting its legal recordkeeping obligations as it pursues that mission," the DOJ wrote. "We are reviewing your requests and look forward to engaging further to accommodate your oversight and legislative needs."

The same day, Attorney General Pam Bondi announced on "Jesse Watters Primetime" that Epstein documents would be released Thursday.

But after not being able to release the trove of documents as announced, Bondi sent a letter to FBI Director Kash Patel, accusing the federal investigators in New York of withholding thousands of pages of Epstein documents she vowed previously to make public.

EPSTEIN FILES: PAM BONDI SENDS FIERY NOTE TO KASH PATEL ACCUSING FBI OF WITHHOLDING DOCS

Bondi said she had requested the full Epstein case file before Patel was confirmed as the head of the FBI and received about 200 pages of files — far fewer than the number of pages released last year in a civil lawsuit connected to Ghislaine Maxwell, the trafficker's former lover and convicted accomplice.

Bondi said the FBI had never disclosed the existence of thousands of pages of documents related to the investigation and indictment of Epstein, and she demanded they be turned over by Friday morning.

"By 8:00 a.m. tomorrow, February 28, the FBI will deliver the full and complete Epstein files to my office, including all records, documents, audio and video recordings, and materials related to Jeffrey Epstein and his clients, regardless of how such information was obtained," Bondi wrote. "There will be no withholdings or limitations to my or your access."

Luna did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.

Fox News’ Michael Ruiz and David Spunt contributed to this report.

FIRST ON FOX: Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard said former President Joe Biden's administration was aware of "very sexually explicit, highly inappropriate and unprofessional chatter" happening on internal agency messaging boards across national intelligence entities for years, but they allowed it to go on. 

"I've had whistleblowers come forward just in the last few days who work in the [National Security Agency] and who said, ‘Hey, we saw this, and we reported it through official channels under the Biden administration,’" she told Fox News Digital in an interview at the White House on Wednesday, following President Donald Trump's first Cabinet meeting.  

"And essentially they were told this is no issue, step aside," Gabbard said. 

BIPARTISAN DUO LOOKS TO FEND OFF FOOD SUPPLY CYBER THREATS AS GLOBAL TENSIONS PERSIST

It all comes back to "the Biden administration's obsession with" diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI), according to the new Director of National Intelligence (DNI).

The chatrooms "were set up because of DEI policies," she said. 

Gabbard said the discussions had been going on for two years. 

SCOOP: INSIDE ELON MUSK'S MEETING WITH THE SENATE DOGE CAUCUS

Fox News Digital reached out to representatives for Biden and former DNI Avril Haines but did not immediately receive comment. 

"They were shut down immediately after President Trump issued his executive order shutting down the DEI across the federal government," she noted. 

After discovering the chats, Gabbard directed the agencies under her to terminate those involved, which she said amounted to over 100 people. She further directed their security clearances to be revoked. 

TOP INTEL REPUBLICAN TOM COTTON SEEKING RE-ELECTION TO SENATE IN 2026

The employees who were part of the chats "violated the trust that the American people placed in them to work in these highly sensitive jobs that are directly related to national security," she explained. 

As for DEI, Gabbard said, "We're just scratching the surface here" regarding how much money, time and resources have been spent on DEI in intelligence agencies. 

According to the director, "getting rid of the DEI center that was stood up under the Biden administration, we immediately saved taxpayers almost $20 million."

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

An additional $3 to 4 million was saved by nixing the various DEI conferences that employees would travel to, she added. 

Gabbard joined billionaire and Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) advisor Elon Musk, Trump, and other confirmed and unconfirmed Cabinet picks on Wednesday during a meeting she described as energetic. 

Gabbard explained that many of the Cabinet officials are friends with one another and that they've all been inspired by Trump and Musk's quick and aggressive work with DOGE. 

The U.S. Coast Guard was unable to "consistently" stop drug smugglers during the Biden administration, with vessels unavailable for a combined total of 2,000 days over a three-year period, according to a new report.

The Department of Homeland Security Inspector General report found that the Coast Guard "was not able to consistently interdict non-commercial vessels smuggling drugs into the U.S." from fiscal years 2021 through 2023.

The audit looked at the Coast Guard’s ability to stop drug trafficking across 95,000 miles of coastal waters and more than 300 ports. The agency focuses primarily on cocaine because it is the primary drug smuggled across water.

The report found the Coast Guard did not have enough cutter vessels to conduct the antidrug mission and "did not have a contingency plan to address the cutters’ unavailability."

US COAST GUARD RESCUES 3 AFTER BOAT CAPSIZES OFF FLORIDA COAST: VIDEO

"We found Coast Guard cutters were unavailable for 2,058 cumulative days over a 3-year period," the report said.

Reasons for 39 of 90 cutters being unavailable included reallocation to migrant interdiction, unscheduled maintenance or being inoperable due to COVID-19 protocols. The report did find that the number of days the cutters were unavailable increased each year and correlated with a decline in seized cocaine.

"According to Coast Guard personnel, many of the cutters scheduled for the counterdrug mission were reassigned to the migrant crisis, thus reducing the number of cutters available in the maritime transit zone, and negatively impacting cocaine removals," the report said. 

RETIRED COAST GUARD HELICOPTER COMMANDER DETAILS RISKS TO AIR CREWS FIGHTING LA FIRES

"Coast Guard personnel also attributed these issues to deferred maintenance. Coast Guard personnel said that insufficient funding for maintenance and repairs has reduced cutter availability, and that the more maintenance periods that are deferred in the short term, the more downtime is needed for maintenance and repair in the long term," it said.

It said that between fiscal 2021 and fiscal 2023, which included a few months of the Trump administration but was predominantly during the Biden administration, the Coast Guard intercepted around 421 metric tons of cocaine, short of its goal of 690 metric tons.

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It also found that the Coast Guard did not accurately record all interdictions, with 58% of counter drug case files not containing seizure results and 68% not containing required documentation. 

"Without addressing the issues identified in this report, the Coast Guard may be missing opportunities to meet target goals of removing cocaine and reducing the illicit flow of drugs coming into the country," the report concluded.

It recommended that the Coast Guard develop a drug interdiction contingency plan to prioritize the availability of cutters and also update systems to ensure data accuracy, including a centralized database.

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The Coast Guard agreed with the recommendations except for the contingency plan, which it said would be "redundant and not effective to resolve the documented issue of asset availability."

The Coast Guard also said it "remains committed to strengthening its tactics, techniques, and procedures to stop the illicit flow of drugs entering the United States by disrupting the flow of cocaine and other illegal drugs in the maritime environment."

House Republican leaders were preparing for defeat Tuesday night when they were forced to call off a vote on a resolution intended to serve as a framework for a massive bill to advance President Donald Trump’s agenda.

Minutes later, however, a stunning about-face brought lawmakers sprinting back to the nearly empty House chamber. GOP leaders celebrated a narrow victory soon afterward, with the resolution being adopted in a 217-to-215 vote, with just one Republican voting against it.

It was a stark departure from the situation hours earlier when several GOP lawmakers – Reps. Tim Burchett, R-Tenn., Victoria Spartz, R-Ind., Warren Davidson, R-Ohio, and Thomas Massie, R-Ky. – all signaled that they would oppose the bill.

Several people who have spoken with Fox News Digital in the days since then have credited Trump with getting the bill across the line. Trump had lengthy phone calls with both Burchett and Spartz on Tuesday, Fox News Digital was told.

BLACK CAUCUS CHAIR ACCUSES TRUMP OF 'PURGE' OF 'MINORITY' FEDERAL WORKERS

"He answered my questions," Burchett told Fox News Digital on Wednesday. "He’s very persuasive."

One person who is familiar with the discussions told Fox News Digital that Trump had spoken with Burchett for 15 or 20 minutes on Tuesday afternoon and that the discussion was cordial.

Later, Spartz could be seen on the phone in the House Chamber during an earlier, unrelated vote.

Another source who spoke with Fox News Digital said that Spartz had asked to speak to Trump before she could support the bill and wound up having two calls with him.

Spartz declined to tell reporters how many times she had spoken with Trump and denied a Puck News report that the president had screamed at her over the phone.

"It’s a complete lie," Spartz said.

A third source credited House Majority Whip Tom Emmer, R-Minn., with helping to get Spartz over the line as well.

"Things got very emotional" on the House floor as leaders focused their efforts on Spartz for roughly an hour, the source said.

"Tom was really able to reassure Victoria that everything was OK. People weren’t mad at her. He just knows what to say," the source said.

But the earlier, unrelated vote had been held open for 45 minutes past its 15-minute window, and lawmakers were getting testy at being kept in limbo. A vote that was meant to be third in the series was second instead and had also wrapped up.

Meanwhile, three Democrats who had been absent earlier in the day returned in dramatic fashion – Rep. Brittany Pettersen, D-Colo., with her newborn infant, Rep. Kevin Mullin, D-Calif., using a walker just after knee surgery, and Rep. Frederica Wilson, D-Fla., who had returned for the earlier votes – until Republicans saw they could only lose one GOP lawmaker and still pass the bill.

But Spartz had been convinced. Just after the vote was called off, she told House Republican leaders she would support the resolution if it were to come up for a vote the next day.

GOP LAWMAKER CALLS FOR CONGRESSIONAL HEARING OVER DC PLANE CRASH

Instead of delaying the vote for another day, however, GOP leaders made a split-second-play call to rush lawmakers back to the House floor.

It angered Democratic leaders, who sent a message to their own caucus: "House Republicans are trying to jam through their Budget Resolution after assuring House Democrats that there would be no further votes this evening."

Ten minutes later, the vote was back on, and lawmakers on both sides were rushing back to the House Chamber.

Burchett voted for the bill, and Spartz followed suit. Davidson, who also voted yes, said he had done so because he had gotten assurances from House GOP leaders about the March 14 government-funding deadline.

"I voted ultimately . . . once I received the assurances I need that there would be actual cuts to discretionary spending. And, you know, everything about this is avoided," Davidson told reporters.

But a GOP lawmaker who spoke with Fox News Digital credited Trump with rescuing the bill due to his persuasion of Burchett and Spartz.

When reached for comment, a White House official told Fox News Digital that the resolution had been on life support until Trump saved it.

"As a master dealmaker, President Trump is always active in negotiations on Capitol Hill, and the budget bill was on life support until President Trump urged Members of Congress to pass it," the White House official said. "The House and Senate must ensure that the final product encompasses all of the president's priorities, but the budget passed this week was an extremely positive step towards one big, beautiful bill that puts America First."

A spokesperson for Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., referred Fox News Digital to his comments after the vote: "This is the first important step in opening up the reconciliation process. We have a lot of hard work ahead of us, but we are going to deliver the America First agenda. We're going to deliver all of it, not just parts of it. And this is the first step in that process."

Fox News Digital reached out to Spartz's office but did not receive comment by filing deadline.

FIRST ON FOX: Deterring China is a top priority in Congress for the House's number four Republican. 

Michigan Rep. Lisa McClain, GOP conference chairwoman, is putting forth legislation that would expose the assets of top CCP officials and bar them from using U.S. banking systems if China chooses to invade Taiwan.

Her bill would require the Treasury secretary to unleash details about illegal assets held by Chinese officials and "expose all the players" to show where their money is coming from to the public. 

TAIWAN COAST GUARD DETAINS CHINESE-CREWED VESSEL SUSPECTED OF CUTTING UNDERSEA CABLE

The U.S. has for decades operated under a deliberately vague "One China" policy that supports Taiwan with military aid but refuses to say whether America would defend Taiwan if China were to invade. 

"This is deterrence. The U.S. can’t risk an invasion of Taiwan that would interrupt our critical supply chains," McClain, a member of the Financial Services Committee, told Fox News Digital. "We need to keep the pressure up, we need to remember that China is not our friend." 

McClain’s legislation dropped just as President Donald Trump announced another 10% in tariffs he intends to place on Chinese goods – the latest shot in an escalating trade war. Canada and Mexico will also face another 10% in tariffs.

The president imposed minimum 10% tariffs on Chinese imports last month. He had also proposed 25% tariffs for Mexico and Canada, but those were delayed amid promises that the two countries would do more to step up border enforcement. However, Trump said Thursday the nations were still not doing enough to combat drug trafficking. 

"Drugs are still pouring into our country from Mexico and Canada at very high and unacceptable levels. A large percentage of these drugs, much of them in the form of fentanyl, are made in, and supplied by, China," Trump said. 

China, meanwhile, has warned the U.S. there are "no winners" in a trade war and insisted it has been aggressively targeting fentanyl as a favor to the U.S. 

"Out of kindness and sympathy to U.S. people and the responsibility as a big country, although fentanyl is not a problem in China, China has put into a lot of human, material and financial resources to assist U.S. to address the fentanyl crisis. It is fair to say that China is genuine and unselfish in this respect," Yang Pang, second secretary for fentanyl and law enforcement, told U.S. journalists last week. 

TAIWAN FM HAILS IMPORTANCE OF US RELATIONSHIP, SAYS GROUP VISITS 'CONTRIBUTE TO PEACE AND STABILITY'

She added that China has handed over more than 10,000 "pieces of information" to its U.S. counterpart related to online platforms conducting fentanyl trade.  

U.S. intelligence officials have pegged 2027 as the year when China will have the capability to launch a full-scale invasion of Taiwan. 

TAIWAN DISPATCHES NAVY, AIR FORCE AFTER CHINA LAUNCHES LIVE-FIRE DRILLS WITH NO WARNING

China in recent years has increasingly crept into Taiwanese waters with threatening displays of force. 

Taiwan dispatched its naval, land and air forces on Wednesday after China launched a live-fire exercise zone just 40 nautical miles off its coast.

As part of the drill, Taiwan says it detected 32 Chinese military aircraft carrying out joint exercises with warships. Chinese officials have so far not acknowledged Taiwan's complaints.

And days ago, the CCP's fourth-ranked leader, Wang Huning, called for greater "reunification" efforts. China has long maintained that Taiwan is a rebel territory belonging to Beijing.

China must "firmly grasp the right to dominate and take the initiative in cross-strait relations, and unswervingly push forward the cause of reunification of the motherland," Huning said, according to a translation by Chinese state media.

On Tuesday, Taiwan's Coast Guard detained the Chinese crew of a Togolese-registered vessel suspected of severing an undersea fiber optic cable connecting the islands of Taiwan and Penghu.

Fox News Digital's Anders Hagstrom contributed to this report. 

Rep. Dan Crenshaw, R-Texas, said that Europeans complaining about not carrying more weight in negotiations to end the conflict in Ukraine need to either step up their defense spending or "shut up." 

Crenshaw said in Politico’s "Power Play" podcast on Thursday that Europeans haven’t "earned a seat" at the negotiating table and won’t — unless they step up and place 50,000 troops on the border of Poland to bolster NATO and deter Russia. 

"Unless you’re willing to put troops on the ground and increase the leverage for the West … unless you’re willing to do that, shut up," Crenshaw said. "Shut up, and let Trump do the best he can."

The Trump administration is seeking to end the war in Ukraine, and Trump administration officials met with Russian officials in Saudi Arabia on Feb. 18. U.S. Special Envoy for Ukraine and Russia Keith Kellogg and Ukrainian officials met in Kyiv Feb. 19. 

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

Several NATO members have pushed for European involvement in such discussions. For example, The Associated Press reports that German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said on Feb. 13 that Europe "must" be present for negotiations, especially if it is "supposed to play a central or the main role in the peace order."

But Crenshaw dismissed such comments. 

"You know how many people are scared of the European Union?" Crenshaw said in the podcast. "None. Be scary, be threatening, actually show that you can have some leverage, and then maybe you can have a seat at the table."

Crenshaw, who attended the Munich Security Conference in February, reiterated that European countries that are part of NATO need to beef up defense efforts, aligning with statements from Trump administration officials like Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth. Hegseth told NATO members in Brussels on Feb. 13 that "our partners must do far more for Europe’s defense."

In 2023, the U.S. spent 3.3% of its GDP on defense spending — totaling $880 billion, according to the nonpartisan Washington, D.C.-based Peterson Institute for International Economics. The institute also found that more than 50% of NATO funding comes from the U.S., while other allies, like the United Kingdom, France and Germany, have contributed between 4% and 8% to NATO funding in recent years.

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

Crenshaw also issued support for UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who met with President Donald Trump on Thursday. Starmer pledged on Tuesday to boost UK defense spending to 2.5% of its gross domestic value. That is up from the 2.3% the UK currently spends, and it equates to a nearly $17 billion increase. 

Starmer said he is prepared to send British troops to Ukraine if necessary to ensure peace between Ukraine and Russia, according to an op-ed published in The Telegraph on Feb. 16. 

Such efforts are what deters Putin and will prevent the Kremlin from jeopardizing safety on the European continent, according to Crenshaw. 

"That’s what starts to worry Putin," Crenshaw said. "And until Putin is actually scared of y’all in Europe, he’s going to keep coming. And that’s what you need to learn."

Crenshaw did not provide additional comment to Fox News Digital. 

‘MAKE NATO GREAT AGAIN’: HEGSETH PUSHES EUROPEAN ALLIES TO STEP UP DEFENSE EFFORTS 

The Trump administration is continuing to advance discussions to end the war in Ukraine, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is scheduled to visit the White House on Friday. 

French President Emmanuel Macron visited the White House Monday and called for the U.S. to coordinate with France to secure lasting peace. Still, he advised the U.S. to exercise caution when dealing with Russia. 

"We want peace," he said in an interview from Blair House Monday on "Special Report." "And I think the initiative of President Trump is a very positive one. But my message was to say be careful, because we need something substantial for Ukraine." 

"I think the arrival of President Trump is a game-changer," he said. "And I think he has the deterrence capacity of the U.S. to re-engage with Russia."

FIRST ON FOX: The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine has raked in hundreds of millions of dollars of taxpayer funds in recent years while doling out hefty salaries to its top brass and bankrolling a variety of left-wing initiatives. 

NASEM, which the New York Times reported in 2023 derives 70% of its budget from federal funds, received $200,616,000 in taxpayer funding from grants and contracts in 2023, according to its own Treasurer’s Report. 

That budget includes several salaries for top-level positions at NASEM that exceed $1 million per year, according to the organization's 990 forms reviewed by Fox News Digital.

National Academy of Medicine President Victor Dzau receives a salary of $1,026,973 per year, National Academy of Engineering President John Anderson earns $1,027,185 per year, and National Academies President Marcia McNutt earns $1,061,843 each year.

NPR REAFFIRMS DEI COMMITMENT AFTER CHIEF DIVERSITY OFFICER ANNOUNCES RETIREMENT

Additionally, NASEM’s chief diversity and inclusion officer, Laura Castillo-Page, earned $333,788 in 2023.

NASEM has used its federal funding to promote a variety of liberal causes, including putting on events related to climate change, racism and "health equity."

In 2021, NASEM helped put on an event that discussed how "environmental injustice" and "structural racism" exacerbate climate change for "communities of color." Attendees discussed ways to use "stories" to influence elected officials on climate policy, including "the powerful indigenous voice about the existential threats that humanity faces."  

A 2021 NASEM workshop examined how "spatial justice" can exacerbate public health problems among "historically marginalized communities." 

NATIONAL CANCER INSTITUTE SPENDS $218M PER YEAR ON GRANTS FOR 'UNDERREPRESENTED' GROUPS: SOURCE

NASEM organized an event a year later that examined how "structural racism" and biased "social norms," including "representation in media and body image," contribute to obesity. 

NASEM issued a report in 2023 detailing recommendations for federal policies to improve "racial, ethnic, and tribal health equity" and another report in 2023, titled Advancing Antiracism, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in STEMM Organizations, recommending ways to address widespread racial discrimination in science, engineering, and mathematics organizations in the U.S. 

In another report in 2022, NASEM outlined the need to define and incorporate "structural racism" into scientific study and policymaking.  

A 2021 NASEM workshop examined "anti-Black racism" in "Science, Engineering, and Mathematics."

"A planning committee of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine will organize a virtual public workshop to explore facets of anti-Black racism in U.S. science, engineering, and medicine (SEM)," NASEM wrote. "The workshop will review the discussions at recent workshops of the Roundtable on Black Men and Black Women, identify policies and practices that perpetuate racism in SEM, and lay a foundation of knowledge for others to move more effectively towards anti-racist outcomes." 

NASEM also held a workshop in 2022 called "The Roles of Trust and Health Literacy in Achieving Health Equity," where a speaker blamed non-diverse leadership of healthcare institutions for alienating minority patients. 

McNutt has also been critical of DOGE chief and X owner Elon Musk on social media and said last year, "This will be my last post on Twitter/X. I can no longer be part of a platform that actively encourages disinformation and amplifies misinformation, especially when its CEO colludes to undermine democracy."

In a statement to Fox News Digital, a NASEM spokesperson said, "Each year, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine conduct hundreds of studies, workshops, and other activities at the request of federal and state agencies, Congress, foundations, and private-sector sponsors on a variety of critical issues facing the nation."

The spokesperson added that 58% of NASEM's funding came from the government in 2024.

"For decades, our work has advanced the American economy, strengthened our national security, bolstered U.S. global competitiveness, and improved our nation’s health and safety. We have taken measures to ensure that we are in compliance with executive orders, including closing our Office of Diversity and Inclusion. We stand ready, as we always have, to advise the new administration on its priorities."

NASEM's spending comes under the backdrop of the newly formed DOGE efforts by Musk and the Trump administration to rid the federal government of DEI and wasteful spending. 

Trump's January executive order removing DEI from the federal government has already had an affect on NASEM and caused it to close its DEI program and remove DEI from its website, the New York Times reported.

It is unclear if DOGE's efforts will continue to effect the day-to-day operations at NASEM.

Fox News Digital reached out to the White House for comment. 

President Donald Trump said Thursday that the rare earth minerals deal he's confident Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will sign during their Friday visit will pave the way for the U.S. to become a partner with Ukraine in developing resources like oil and gas. 

As part of negotiations to end the Russia-Ukraine War, the Trump administration is angling for Zelenskyy to sign an agreement that would allow the U.S. access to Ukraine’s minerals in exchange for support the U.S. has provided the country since Russia's invasion in 2022. Congress has appropriated $175 billion since 2022 for aid to Ukraine, according to the Council on Foreign Relations. 

Trump described the agreement as a breakthrough deal that would reimburse U.S. taxpayers, and will help Ukraine rebuild in the aftermath of the conflict. 

As a result, Trump said the minerals agreement would benefit both the U.S. and Ukraine and would serve as the foundation for a more "sustainable" future relationship between the two countries, while allowing the U.S. to access to resources like oil and gas that "we need for our country." 

"We're going to be signing really a very important agreement for both sides, because it's really going to get us into that country," Trump told reporters Thursday while meeting with U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer. "We'll have a lot of people working there and so, in that sense, it's very good." 

Trump also told reporters that a peace negotiation was in the final stages but no deal was secured, and hesitated to discuss plans regarding a peacekeeping force in the region until one is signed. 

"I think we're very well advanced on a deal," Trump said. "But we have not made a deal yet. So I don't like to talk about peacekeeping until we have a deal. I like to get things done."

Additionally, Trump said he didn't expect Russian President Vladimir Putin to breach any agreement to create peace with Ukraine. 

"I don't believe he's going to violate his word," Trump said. "I don't think he'll be back when we make a deal. I think the deal is going to hold now."

Trump also didn't double down on previous comments calling Zelenskyy a "dictator," ahead of the Ukrainian leader’s visit to the White House on Friday. 

"Did I say that?" Trump asked. "I can't believe I said that. Next question." 

The Trump administration has advanced negotiations for a peace deal to end the conflict in Ukraine, and U.S. officials met with Russian counterparts in Saudi Arabia on Feb. 18. However, Ukraine’s absence from the talks prompted Zelenskyy to tell reporters that "nobody decides anything behind our back." 

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

Trump and Zelenskyy proceeded to verbally dish out barbs at one another, with Zelenskyy accusing Trump of advancing Russian "disinformation" and Trump labeling Zelenskyy a "dictator" that has failed his country. 

"A Dictator without Elections, Zelenskyy better move fast or he is not going to have a Country left," Trump wrote in a social media post Feb. 19. "In the meantime, we are successfully negotiating an end to the War with Russia, something all admit only ‘TRUMP,’ and the Trump Administration, can do." 

Russia has pushed for Ukraine to hold an election as part of a peace deal, nearly a year after Zelenskyy's five-year term was slated to end. 

Zelenskyy has remained in his position leading Kyiv because the Ukrainian constitution prohibits holding elections under martial law. Ukraine has been under martial law since February 2022. 

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

Starmer, who announced on Feb. 16 the U.K. is ready to send troops to Ukraine if necessary to ensure peace between Ukraine and Russia, told reporters Thursday that the U.K. wants to coordinate with the U.S. on a peace negotiation "to make sure that peace deal is enduring, that it lasts, that it's a deal that goes down as a historic deal, that nobody breaches." 

French President Emmanuel Macron expressed similar sentiments regarding working with the U.S. to secure lasting peace when he visited the White House Monday. However, he also advised the U.S. to exercise caution when dealing with Russia. 

"We want peace," he said in an interview from the Blair House Monday on "Special Report." "And I think the initiative of President Trump is a very positive one. But my message was to say be careful because we need something substantial for Ukraine." 

"I think the arrival of President Trump is a game-changer," Macron said. "And I think he has the deterrence capacity of the U.S. to reengage with Russia."