Most of the media are blaming Donald Trump for the shocking shouting match that led to him kicking Volodymyr Zelenskyy out of the White House.

The result, these journalists and commentators say, is to put America’s relationship with Ukraine on life support as its people continue to fight and die in an invasion launched by Russia, even as Trump continues to tout his good relationship with Vladimir Putin. It’s the Kremlin leader who is the dictator, not Zelenskyy, and it is Russia, not Ukraine, that started the war to restore its smaller neighbor to Soviet satellite status – as Trump well knows. 

There is no question that Trump, prodded by JD Vance, lost his temper in the Oval Office and that derailed the meeting, leaving the lunch that had been prepared for their teams to be eaten by staffers. 

But Trump also makes a fair point that he can’t do a deal with Russia if he’s constantly attacking its leader (something he’s obviously not inclined to do, given their history, including the Helsinki summit).

TRUMP BANISHES ZELENSKYY AFTER OVAL OFFICE SHOUTING MATCH

At the same time, Zelenskyy was justified in asking for security guarantees, saying that Putin has a history of violating agreements, from the 2014 invasion of Crimea to the brutal war – including the deliberate targeting of civilians – that he launched three years ago.

But Zelenskyy had one job: Manage the meeting with Trump and sign the expected rare minerals agreement. And he utterly failed. He took the bait. And while he might have gotten some sympathy – Britain and France embraced him and promised to send peacekeeping troops after a settlement – the Ukrainian leader may have irreparably damaged his relationship with Trump.

The president was blunt in saying that without U.S. aid, Zelenskyy doesn’t have "the cards" to play – but he is right.

I did a lengthy "Media Buzz" interview with Karoline Leavitt, Donald Trump’s press secretary, leading off with the White House fireworks. She is very skilled at pushing back.

DECIPHERING DONALD TRUMP: HOW HIS RHETORIC SENDS DIFFERENT MESSAGES

She told me Zelenskyy was "antagonistic, and frankly, he was rude. He picked a fight with the Vice President of the United States." (It was kinda the other way around.) "He repeatedly interrupted President Trump." (That’s true.)

"President Zelenskyy wouldn't even agree to a ceasefire. If you want a war to end. How can you not agree to stop the fighting? You have the greatest deterrent in the Oval Office in President Trump, and you need to trust his ability to deter Russia's aggression."

Well, Zelenskyy doesn’t trust Trump because he believes a ceasefire would lock in Russia’s territorial gains from the invasion. But what choice does he have?

The thing that struck me most is that I can’t imagine this meltdown would have happened if the meeting was held behind closed doors – the usual venue for finalizing agreements. So as much as I support journalistic access, it’s 40 minutes of press questions that framed the dialogue.

So I asked Leavitt why, even though Trump ended things by pronouncing it "great television," he did the meeting in public. 

"Because President Trump is the most transparent president in history," she responded. "And as he said, it was great for the cameras to be in there because the American people and the world were able to see what the president and his team has seen behind the scenes in negotiating with President Zelenskyy's team."

Will Zelenskyy come back to the White House when, as Trump said, he’s ready to make peace? Who the hell knows at this point? But it’s a huge setback.

UK PRIME MINISTER LAYS OUT UKRAINE PEACE DEAL FRAMEWORK AS ZELENSKYY RESPONDS TO RESIGNATION CALLS

David Sanger, the veteran diplomatic correspondent for the New York Times, has the most penetrating big-picture take.

What the president wants "is a normalization of the relationship with Russia. If that means rewriting the history of Moscow’s illegal invasion three years ago, dropping investigations of Russian war crimes or refusing to offer Ukraine long-lasting security guarantees, then Mr. Trump, in this assessment of his intentions, is willing to make that deal."

Sanger suggests that Trump, a constant critic of NATO, is walking away from the Atlantic alliance that has thrived for 80 years.

The president "makes no secret of his view that the post-World War II system, created by Washington, ate away at American power."

To Trump, "such a system gave smaller and less powerful countries leverage over the United States, leaving Americans to pick up far too much of the tab for defending allies and promoting their prosperity.

"While his predecessors – both Democrats and Republicans – insisted that alliances in Europe and Asia were America’s greatest force multiplier, keeping the peace and allowing trade to flourish, Mr. Trump viewed them as a bleeding wound."

Look, Trump ran as the America First candidate who kept us out of wars. Many Americans, especially Republicans, have lost patience with U.S. aid to Ukraine when the money could be spent at home. The aid, I should add, is nowhere near the $350 billion that Trump keeps claiming, but it’s been substantial.

The rare minerals deal at least would have given the United States an economic incentive to keep backing Ukraine and partially paid our country back for its generosity.

But there is, in my view, a far stronger argument for supporting Ukraine. If Putin succeeds in dismembering part of the country, he will have been rewarded for launching the illegal invasion, and its barbaric practice of deliberately bombing apartment buildings and train stations.

And does anyone seriously believe he would stop there? Isn’t it extremely likely that Putin would attack another neighboring country?

Trump’s approach, aligning ourselves with Russia at the expense of Europe, may well be popular. But if he stands by that plan, the shouting in the White House may be remembered as a turning point for the old world order. 

Footnote: Zelenskyy said something monumentally dumb yesterday that vindicated Trump’s stance that he’s not ready to reach a settlement with Russia. Zelenskyy predicted that the end of the war was "still very, very far away," the AP reports.

The president quickly took to Truth Social: "This is the worst statement that could have been made by Zelenskyy, and America will not put up with it for much longer!...What are they thinking?" And Trump later told reporters: "Now maybe somebody doesn’t want to make a deal, and if somebody doesn’t want to make a deal, I think that person won’t be around very long." 

What are they thinking? I don’t have a clue. This is clearly self-destructive.

New York City officials are making it easier for illegal aliens to acquire a city residency ID card, in turn making it easier for them to obtain housing and free healthcare, according to reports.

City Council members passed a change backed by Mayor Eric Adams that opens up 23 additional types of IDs that immigrants can provide to obtain a New York City residency card.

The New York Post reported that some of the examples of identification that immigrants can provide include an expired driver’s license; documents from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) or the Federal Bureau of Prisons; and about 100 other forms of identification to obtain an IDNYC card.

Former Mayor Bill de Blasio’s administration first introduced the city IDs in 2015 to help migrants access free healthcare, enroll in school, open accounts at banks and more.

NYC MAYOR DELIVERS BLUNT MESSAGE TO LEFT-WING CRITICS OVER DESIRE TO MEET WITH TRUMP'S INCOMING BORDER CZAR

The program is open to all New Yorkers who are 10 and older, no matter what their immigration status is.

To date, nearly 1.7 million people have acquired the ID card. Last year there were 132,054 IDs handed out, while the previous year there were 127,859, according to the city.

Not everyone thinks it is a good idea to ease the process for obtaining a city ID. In fact, Rep. Nicole Malliotakis, R-N.Y., told The Post it was a "terrible idea."

"To provide a legitimate government ID to individuals in the country illegally then gives them access to government buildings and services is just another incentive [to come here]," she told the publication. "Most disturbing is that there is no vetting, no process to ensure documents provided to prove identity are not fake and, to boot, they destroy these documents that could be helpful in an investigation."

NEW YORK CITY ANNOUNCES CLOSING OF MIGRANT SHELTERS AS NUMBERS DROP 

Still, a representative from the city told The Post they vigorously vet applicant backgrounds for criminal issues.

In an Op-Ed published in Harlem World Magazine, Adams highlighted his administration’s accomplishments with immigration.

"New York City is a city built by immigrants, and we are not just stronger because of our diversity – we are the greatest city on the globe because of it," he said.

Beginning in 2022, the city faced what he referred to as an "unprecedented influx of asylum seekers," which his administration tackled head-on.

"Thanks to our efforts, over 189,100 of the 232,600 of the migrants – or 81 percent – who requested services from the city in the last three years have taken the next step in their journeys toward self-sufficiency," Adams said, adding that his administration’s support to asylum seekers while they pursued the American Dream resulted in 84 % of the adults receiving or applying for work authorization.

MAYOR ERIC ADAMS SAYS NYC'S ROOSEVELT HOTEL MIGRANT SHELTER WILL SOON CLOSE

Adams also highlighted that the city purchased over 53,000 tickets to help those seeking asylum reach their "preferred destinations," reducing the long-term costs of keeping them in the city for taxpayers.

Adams announced last week that the Roosevelt Hotel migrant shelter in Manhattan will be shutting down in the next few months.

The hotel, which was converted into a migrant shelter with about 1,000 rooms, has processed over 173,000 migrants since May 2023. It was set up as a migrant shelter in response to the wave of migrants that began coming to the city in 2022 in search of asylum.

The Roosevelt Hotel’s shelter, along with the Humanitarian Emergency Response and Relief Center located on the site, will now be closed by June, a source told the New York Post.

NYC SUES AFTER TRUMP ADMINISTRATION CLAWS BACK $80 MILLION MIGRANT HOUSING GRANT 

"While we’re not done caring for those who come into our care, today marks another milestone in demonstrating the immense progress we have achieved in turning the corner on an unprecedented international humanitarian effort," Adams said in a statement last week.

This week, he continued to address the city’s efforts.

The New York City Department of Small Business Services connected the migrant population to hundreds of job opportunities, he noted, and other parts of his administration continued to search for ways to assist new arrivals, providing things from direct outreach and resource fairs to onsite English as a Second Language courses at shelters.

"Our actions have shown an entire nation what can be accomplished when we lead with compassion and resourcefulness," Adams said. "Because of the work we have done, we will emerge from this crisis stronger than ever before. We are all New Yorkers together: anything that affects one of us, affects us all. I have faith in our great city to continue to be a beacon of hope, and a place where people from every corner of the world can build a new life."

Fox News’ Mike Lee contributed to this report.

The Department of Defense could save up to $80 million in wasteful spending by cutting loose a handful of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs, the agency said Monday.

The Defense Department has been working with the Elon Musk-led Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) in slashing wasteful spending, DOD spokesman Sean Parnell said in a video posted to social media.

Parnell listed some of the initial findings flagged by DOGE, much of it consisting of millions of dollars given to support various DEI programs, including $1.9 million for holistic DEI transformation and training in the Air Force and $6 million to the University of Montana to "strengthen American democracy by bridging divides."

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

Among the initial findings were $1.6 million to the University of Florida to study the social and institutional detriment of vulnerability in resilience to climate hazards in Africa. 

"This stuff is just not a core function of our military," Parnell said. "This is not what we do. This stuff is a distraction from our core mission."

"We believe these initial findings will probably save $80 million in wasteful spending," he added. 

OPM'S SECOND EMAIL TO FEDERAL EMPLOYEES ASKS WHAT THEY DID LAST WEEK—AND ADDS A NEW REQUIREMENT: REPORT

In an effort to gut spending, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth directed the DOD's civilian workforce to comply with Musk's DOGE productivity email, listing five things they accomplished after initially telling them not to reply.

Last week, Hegseth said his agency would work with DOGE, which has conducted reviews of the Treasury, Labor, Education and Health departments, as well as at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, Office of Personnel Management and Internal Revenue Service (IRS).

He added that many DOGE workers are veterans, and it is a "good thing" that they will find deficiencies.

"They care just like we do, to find the redundancies and identify the last vestiges of Biden priorities — the DEI, the woke, the climate change B.S., that's not core to our mission, and we're going to get rid of it all," Hegseth said.

DOGE has come under scrutiny, with some accusing President Donald Trump of giving Musk too much leeway and access to sensitive data. 

FIRST ON FOX: Linda McMahon, in her first act as Secretary of Education, is informing all employees that she will lead a "momentous final mission" to send education back to the states, according to a letter obtained by Fox News Digital. 

McMahon is sending a letter to all Department of Education (DoEd) employees on Monday evening, informing them of a "new era of accountability" as she oversees President Donald Trump's promise to dissolve the department.

"Our job is to respect the will of the American people and the President they elected, who has tasked us with accomplishing the elimination of bureaucratic bloat here at the Department of Education—a momentous final mission—quickly and responsibly," McMahon wrote to employees in the letter that was shared first with Fox News Digital.

The secretary said that the reconstruction of the department will "profoundly" impact staff, budgets and agency operations. 

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION LAUNCHES ‘ENDDEI’ PORTAL FOR PARENTS, STUDENTS, TEACHERS TO REPORT DISCRIMINATION

Under McMahon, the department will work from three base convictions, according to her letter: that parents are the primary decision makers in their children’s education, that taxpayer-funded education should refocus on "meaningful learning in math, reading, science, and history—not divisive DEI programs and gender ideology," and that post-secondary education should be a path to a well-paying career aligned with workforce needs.

"Removing red tape and bureaucratic barriers will empower parents to make the best educational choices for their children," the letter reads. "An effective transfer of educational oversight to the states will mean more autonomy for local communities. Teachers, too, will benefit from less micromanagement in the classroom—enabling them to get back to basics. "

Trump has said that his goal is to "immediately" close the DoEd and that, in the process, he wants McMahon to "put herself out of a job."

"My vision is aligned with the President’s: to send education back to the states and empower all parents to choose an excellent education for their children," McMahon told employees on Monday evening. "The Department of Education’s role in this new era of accountability is to restore the rightful role of state oversight in education and to end the overreach from Washington."

The Trump administration would need congressional approval in order to eliminate the federal department, and McMahon said that she will be partnering with the legislative branch "to determine the best path forward to fulfill the expectations of the President and the American people" in an effort to "eliminate unnecessary bureaucracy so that our colleges, K-12 schools, students, and teachers can innovate and thrive."

JUDGE BLOCKS DOGE FROM ACCESSING EDUCATION DEPARTMENT RECORDS

"As I’ve learned many times throughout my career, disruption leads to innovation and gets results," the secretary wrote. "We must start thinking about our final mission at the department as an overhaul—a last chance to restore the culture of liberty and excellence that made American education great."

The letter also applauded recent orders by the Trump administration to eliminate critical race theory (CRT), gender ideology, and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), while "restoring patriotic education and civics" in schools.

"This review of our programs is long overdue," McMahon said. "The Department of Education is not working as intended. Since its establishment in 1980, taxpayers have entrusted the department with over $1 trillion, yet student outcomes have consistently languished."

"American education can be the greatest in the world. It ought not to be corrupted by political ideologies, special interests, and unjust discrimination. Parents, teachers, and students alike deserve better," McMahon wrote in the letter.

The secretary, who was confirmed by the Senate on Monday evening, encouraged employees to join the mission. 

"This is our opportunity to perform one final, unforgettable public service to future generations of students," she said. "I hope you will join me in ensuring that when our final mission is complete, we will all be able to say that we left American education freer, stronger, and with more hope for the future."

Fox News Digital reached out to the White House for further comment but did not immediately hear back.

The top official at the FBI New York Field Office was forced to retire on Monday and apologized to his colleagues for not being able to fulfill his commitment to serve in his position for at least two years.

Former FBI director Christopher Wray appointed James Dennehy as the assistant director in charge at the FBI field office in September 2024.

"Late Friday, I was informed that I needed to put my retirement papers in today, which I just did. I was not given a reason for this decision," Dennehy said in a letter to his colleagues. "Regardless, I apologize to all of you for not being able to fulfill my commitment to you to serve as ADIC NY for at least two years.

"But as I leave today, I have an immense feeling of pride – to have represented an office of professionals who will always do the right thing for the right reasons; who will always seek the truth while upholding the rule of law; who will always follow the facts no matter where they lead and be unapologetic about it; who will never bend, break, falter, or quit on your integrity; who will always handle cases and evidence with an overabundance of caution and care for the innocent, the victims, and the process first; and who will always remain independent," he added.

FBI RAIDS HOMES OF TOP AIDES FOR NEW YORK CITY MAYOR ERIC ADAMS

Dennehy provided a top 10 list of things he will miss about working for the FBI, though his commute was not one of them.

But among the items on his list were the investigations, the intensity, the FBI brand, the camaraderie, the badge, the independence, and everyone he worked with.

"I've been told many times in my life, ‘When you find yourself in a hole, sometimes it's best to quit digging,’" he wrote. "Screw that. I will never stop defending this joint. I'll just do it willingly and proudly from outside the wire."

Dennehy's departure is the latest in a series of oustings under President Donald Trump's new administration.  

A Democratic Rep. drew criticism on social media Monday when she told DOGE Chief Elon Musk to "Go back to South Africa" and asked "What the hell" he is doing in the United States. 

"It was interesting yesterday I was watching a video of an interview of Elon Musk with someone where he said that the Italians should stay in Italy and the Chinese should stay in China, my question to Elon Musk is what the hell are you doing here in America?" Democratic Congresswoman Nydia Velazquez (N.Y.) said outside the HUD Department on Monday evening. 

"Go back to South Africa," Rep. Velazquez said.

Velazquez was repeating a claim promoted on social media about an Elon Musk interview in 2023 that liberal fact-checker Snopes deemed to be "false."

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

Velazquez, who was born in Puerto Rico, added that the fight against DOGE is the fight "for the soul of our nation."

Conservatives on social media blasted Velazquez for her comments on Musk's immigration status. 

"Unhinged," Bobby LaValley, Rapid Response Director for House Speaker Mike Johnson, posted on X.

"Completely unhinged…," the White House Rapid Response team added in a post on X.

"Elon has broken their brains so much that Democrats are now embracing nativism," White House Rapid Response’s Greg Price posted on X.

"Nydia Velasquez has finally found an immigrant she doesn't like," Claremont Institute Senior Fellow Jeremy Carl posted on X. "Not the tens of thousands of illegals in her district who live off of our tax dollars – but America's greatest entrepreneur, a White immigrant. When the left tells you who they are believe them."

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

"Imagine if any Republican said this about any liberal," Right Turn Strategies President Chris Barron posted on X.

Fox News Digital reached out to Velazquez’s office for comment. 

Velazquez had gathered outside the HUD building with fellow Democrats in the latest protest of Musk’s DOGE efforts which they argue is making cuts to programs that are vital to the everyday needs of Americans, a criticism the Trump administration has pushed back on. 

The controversial comment follows a similar sentiment expressed by Dem. Rep. Marcy Kaptur last week where she questioned Musk’s loyalty to the United States due to his immigrant status. 

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

Fox News Digital's Kyle Schmidbauer contributed to this report

The Trump administration is pausing all aid to Ukraine, including weapons in transit or in Poland. 

The pause comes days after a contentious meeting between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and President Donald Trump in the White House.

This story is breaking. Please check back for updates.

Linda McMahon, the former World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) CEO, was offically sworn in to serve as the next Secretary of Education under President Donald Trump, who seeks to "immediately" close the department during his term.

The Senate confirmed McMahon to head the Department of Education on Monday evening 51-45, along party lines, the final hurdle of her confirmation process.

McMahon was sworn in shortly after the vote and will begin her official duties on Tuesday morning.

"I am deeply grateful to President Trump for his trust in me to serve in his Cabinet as Secretary of Education. I am prepared to lead the Department in this transformational time and embrace the challenge to improve the education system for the more than 100 million children and college students who deserve better," McMahon said in a statement after being confirmed.

DEPT OF ED SPENDING SOARED 749% DESPITE DOWNSIZING, NEW DOGE-INSPIRED INITIATIVE REVEALS

"Education is the issue that determines our national success and prepares American workers to win the future. Every decision made at the Department will be driven by a commitment to support meaningful learning and empower our most important stakeholders: students, families, and teachers," McMahon added. "We will empower states and districts to have more say in what is working on the ground for students instead of bureaucratic edicts from Washington, D.C."

Trump has said he wants to close the Education Department, and McMahon, in a letter to Democratic lawmakers, said she supports his position on the issue.

"President Trump believes that the bureaucracy in Washington should be abolished so that we can return education to the states, where it belongs. I wholeheartedly support and agree with this mission," McMahon wrote to members of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) in February. 

McMahon served as the former head of WWE, which she founded with her husband, Vince McMahon.

The former WWE mogul launched two separate Senate bids in Connecticut in 2010 and 2012 but lost both general elections to Democratic nominees. 

The secretary also served as the administrator of the Small Business Association (SBA) during Trump's first term.

A Republican-led Senate bill to prevent boys from participating in girls' sports failed to overcome the legislative filibuster on Monday night after it did not reach the necessary 60-vote threshold to advance. 

The Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act would require Title IX to treat gender as "recognized based solely on a person’s reproductive biology and genetics at birth," and would disallow any adjustment for it to apply to gender identity. 

The bill was introduced by Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-AL, and has over 40 cosponsors in the Senate. It would also codify one of Trump's many recent executive orders, giving the policy better longevity. 

WHO IS ELISSA SLOTKIN, AND WHY DID DEMS CHOOSE HER FOR THE PARTY'S REBUTTAL TO TRUMP SPEECH?

Last month, Trump issued an executive order titled, "Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports." 

"It shall also be the policy of the United States to oppose male competitive participation in women’s sports more broadly, as a matter of safety, fairness, dignity, and truth," it read. 

In a statement shared by Tuberville's office prior to the Monday vote, the White House said, "The Administration strongly supports passage of S. 9, the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act of 2025."

"Through an amendment to Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, this bill would expressly recognize what is already federal law—that it is an illegal act of discrimination for a man to participate in a federally funded athletic program or activity designated for women or girls," the statement said. 

"This bill also recognizes that ‘sex,’ as used in the statutory scheme, is based solely on reproductive biology and genetics," it continued. "Men participating in women’s sports not only is demeaning and dangerous to women and girls, but it erodes the integrity of our Nation’s civil rights laws. Congress’s affirmative vote on this bill would complement both federal court rulings and President Trump’s February 5, 2025, Executive Order, ‘Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports.'"

Tuberville's effort to advance the bill has been years in the making, with the senator first introducing it during President Joe Biden's administration, during which there were no such executive orders. 

Like the executive order, the measure would ban federal funding from going toward sports programs that allow biological men to participate in women's and girls' sports.  

FLASHBACK: DEM SENATOR EMBROILED IN CONFLICT OF INTEREST ROW TARGETED SCOTUS IN ETHICS CRUSADE

"Female athletes who work extremely hard should not have their future in athletics hindered because they are forced to compete against biological males. Instead of standing up for women and girls, Democrats voted to cosign Joe Biden’s attempted assault on Title IX," said Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Chairman Bill Cassidy, R-La., in a statement. "I will continue working with President Trump and my Republican colleagues to preserve Title IX, ensuring every woman and girl has the chance to succeed."  

The bill and executive order come amid growing concerns about biological men and boys who identify as transgender participating in and winning in events and leagues for women and girls. 

"President Trump ran on the issue of saving women’s sports and won in a landslide," Tuberville said in a statement to Fox News Digital in January when he reintroduced the bill for the 119th Congress. "70% of Americans agree—men don’t belong in women’s sports or locker rooms. I have said many times that I think Title IX is one of the best things to come out of Washington. But in the last few years, it has been destroyed."

"While I’m glad that the Biden administration ultimately rescinded the proposed rule, Congress has to ensure this never happens again. I am welcoming my first granddaughter this spring and won’t stop fighting until her rights to fairly compete are protected. I hope every one of my colleagues will join me in standing up for our daughters, nieces, and granddaughters by voting for this critical bill."

'UTTER DISASTER': LINDSEY GRAHAM CALLS FOR ZELENSKYY RESIGNATION AFTER WHITE HOUSE THROWDOWN

At the time, Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., had signaled his plan to move forward with Tuberville's bill, foreshadowing the early March vote. 

The Senate's consideration of the bill comes as the Democratic Party faces an identity crisis, with many pointing to candidates' unpopular position in favor of transgender participation in women's sports as an example. 

SEE THE STAR-STUDDED LIST OF TRUMP ALLIES DESCENDING ON DC TO CHART FURTHER 100-DAY WINS

Last year, Rep. Seth Moulton, D-MA, received backlash from the party after saying in an interview, "Democrats spend way too much time trying not to offend anyone rather than being brutally honest about the challenges many Americans face." 

"I have two little girls. I don’t want them getting run over on a playing field by a male or formerly male athlete, but as a Democrat I’m supposed to be afraid to say that," he told the New York Times. 

Soon after the comments, his campaign manager resigned and Moulton faced protests. 

The Senate has confirmed former World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) CEO Linda McMahon to serve as President Donald Trump's Secretary of Education, heading the department that he intends to close "immediately."

The Senate held a full floor vote on Monday evening, confirming McMahon 51-45, along party lines.

McMahon, who co-founded WWE with her husband, Vince McMahon, served as the administrator of the Small Business Administration (SBA) during Trump's first term but exited her post early to return to the private sector in 2019.

JUDGE BLOCKS DOGE FROM ACCESSING EDUCATION DEPARTMENT RECORDS

In November, the president tapped McMahon to serve in another top post during his second term. But this time, he said he wanted her to "put herself out of a job."

REPUBLICANS BARREL TOWARD SHOWDOWN OVER TRUMP TAX CUTS AFTER DRAMATIC HOUSE BUDGET VOTE

"It’s a big con job," the president said of the Education Department. "They ranked the top countries in the world. We’re ranked No. 40, but we’re ranked No. 1 in one department: cost per pupil. So, we spend more per pupil than any other country in the world, but we’re ranked No. 40."

In a letter to Democratic members of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP), McMahon said that she "wholeheartedly" agreed with Trump's plan to abolish the department. 

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION LAUNCHES ‘ENDDEI’ PORTAL FOR PARENTS, STUDENTS, TEACHERS TO REPORT DISCRIMINATION

"President Trump believes that the bureaucracy in Washington should be abolished so that we can return education to the states, where it belongs. I wholeheartedly support and agree with this mission," McMahon wrote.

In the opening remarks of her confirmation hearing, McMahon said that "many Americans today are experiencing a system in decline," but that "the opportunity before us these next four years is momentous."

"If I am confirmed, the department will not stand idly by while Jewish students are attacked and discriminated against," McMahon said in her opening remarks, shared first with Fox News Digital. "It will stop forcing schools to let boys and men into female sports and spaces. And it will protect the rights of parents to direct the moral education of their children."

President Donald Trump touted his record pardoning several service members accused of war crimes during his first term as president, and shared details about how now-Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth played a role securing those pardons. 

Trump told The Spectator in a Thursday interview that Hegseth would call him to advocate on behalf of service members facing war crime charges who "did what they were trained to do" during his first administration. 

"What he wanted to talk about was military," Trump said of Hegseth. "In fact, whenever he called me, it was always to get somebody that was in trouble because he was too aggressive militarily out of a jail. You know, I got numerous soldiers out of jails because they did what they were trained to do."

SECDEF HEGSETH RESPONDS TO RUMORS HE DRAFTED ‘LIST’ OF MILITARY OFFICIALS HE WILL PURGE

In November 2019, during his first administration, Trump issued pardons to Army 1st Lt. Clint Lorance, Army Maj. Mathew Golsteyn and Navy Special Warfare Operator Chief Eddie Gallagher. Lorance was serving a 19-year sentence in prison at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, for murder for ordering his soldiers to open fire on unarmed Afghan civilians in 2012 when Trump issued the pardon. 

Golsteyn also faced charges for murdering an alleged Taliban bomb maker in 2010 and then burning the remains in a pit. 

Gallagher also faced murder charges for stabbing an Islamic State prisoner in 2017, and was acquitted in July 2019. However, he was convicted for posing in a photo next to the corpse and subsequently was demoted one rank. Trump’s pardon restored him to his previous rank. 

"The liberals within the military put them in jails," Trump told The Spectator. "They teach him to be a soldier. They teach him to kill bad people, and when they kill bad people, they want to put them in jail for thirty years. And Pete was really into that." 

Hegseth, a former host with Fox News and member of the U.S. Army National Guard, was vocal about these cases ahead of their pardoning, and previously said Lorance, Golsteyn and Gallagher were not "war criminals, they’re warriors" during a 2019 segment with "Fox & Friends." Hegseth also interviewed Golsteyn in May 2019 on "Fox & Friends."

DEFENSE SECRETARY PETE HEGSETH ARRIVES AT GUANTAMO BAY, CALLS IT THE ‘FRONT LINES OF THE WAR’ ON SOUTHERN BORDER

The Department of Defense referred Fox News Digital to the White House for comment. The White House did not provide additional comment, and it’s unclear if the Trump administration is considering pardons for other service members accused of war crimes. 

During Hegseth’s confirmation hearing for Secretary of Defense in January, Hegseth told lawmakers on the Senate Armed Services Committee he wanted to ensure lawyers "aren’t the ones getting in the way" of service members serving on the frontlines from having "opportunity to destroy... the enemy."

"We follow rules, but we don't need burdensome rules of engagement that make it impossible for us to win these wars," Hegseth said. 

Lawmakers cited Hegseth’s comments on the cases during his confirmation hearing, and Senate Armed Services Committee ranking member Jack Reed, D-R.I., noted that fellow service members who served alongside Lorance and Gallagher spoke out against them and reported their actions.

"They did their duty as soldiers to report war crimes," Reed said in January. "Your definition of lethality seems to embrace those people who do commit war crimes, rather than those who stand up and say, 'This is not right.'"

Hegseth served as an infantry officer in the U.S. Army National Guard, completing deployments to Guantanamo Bay, Afghanistan and Iraq. 

He earned two Bronze Star Medals, awarded to those who displayed heroic achievement or service in a combat zone.

Momentum is building among some Republicans and SpaceX and Tesla CEO Elon Musk to withdraw the U.S. from NATO amid stalled negotiations to end the war in Ukraine. 

While President Donald Trump reportedly privately floated pulling the U.S. from the alliance during his first term, Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, has publicly backed such efforts in recent weeks and said it's "time to leave" the alliance after NATO countries held an emergency meeting with Ukraine in London without the U.S.

Lee said in an X post on Sunday that if "NATO is moving on without the U.S.," the U.S. should "move on from NATO." Lee also suggested various names for the movement on Monday.

"What should we call the movement to get America out of NATO? AmerExit? NATexit?" Lee said in an X post on Monday, referencing Brexit, the term used to describe the U.K.’s withdrawal from the European Union.

"It’s a good thing our NATO allies give us such favorable trade terms based on the fact that we provide a disproportionate share of their security needs Oh wait ….They don’t," Lee said in another Monday post on X. 

EUROPEAN LEADERS ON EDGE AS PROSPECT LOOMS OF TRUMP PULLING 20K TROOPS FROM CONTINENT 

Lee isn’t the only lawmaker expressing such sentiments. Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., said Sunday in a post on X that "NATO is a Cold War relic that needs to be relegated to a talking kiosk at the Smithsonian." 

The lawmakers' comments also come after Musk, who is heading up the Trump administration’s newly created Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), also shared support for withdrawing from NATO Saturday. Musk said "I agree" in a post on X, in response to another post claiming it’s time for the U.S. to detach itself from NATO and the United Nations. 

The push to pull out of NATO coincides with stalled negotiations to end the war in Ukraine as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has sought for Ukraine to become a NATO member after Russia invaded his country in 2022. But Trump kicked Zelenskyy out of the White House on Friday after meeting to secure a deal, saying Zelenskyy was welcome back when he was ready for peace. 

Pulling the U.S. from NATO would require Congressional approval. A bipartisan provision included in the 2024 National Defense Authorization Bill requires that the executive branch would need support from 60 senators, or passage of legislation in Congress, to pull out of the alliance. Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., and then-Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., who is now Trump's Secretary of State, spearheaded the provision. 

WORLD LEADERS BACK ZELENSKYY FOLLOWING TRUMP, VANCE OVAL OFFICE SPAT

Scott Anderson, a fellow in governance studies at the Brookings Institution think tank, said the provision paves the way for a legal battle should the executive branch attempt to unilaterally withdraw the U.S. from the alliance. 

"The logic is, essentially, you're teeing up a fight if the president tries to do this without Congress … it specifically does enact exactly that sort of prohibition and says, essentially, we're going to litigate this out and take it to the Supreme Court if you try and do this, which is the most Congress can do," Anderson told Fox News Digital.  

Even so, Anderson noted that it’s not completely clear who would have legal standing to challenge an effort to withdraw from NATO, although Anderson said service members or people who own property in NATO countries are some who could arguably have standing and challenge the move. 

Most Americans maintain a favorable opinion of NATO, although support has dropped slightly in recent years. Fifty-eight percent of Americans hold a favorable view of the military alliance, according to a survey the Pew Research Center released in May 2024. However, that’s four percentage points from the previous year, the survey said. 

Meanwhile, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth urged NATO allies to beef up defense contributions to the alliance in February. 

"NATO should pursue these goals as well," Hegseth told NATO members in Brussels in February. "NATO is a great alliance, the most successful defense alliance in history, but to endure for the future, our partners must do far more for Europe’s defense."  

"We must make NATO great again," he said. 

JD VANCE STEPS INTO SPOTLIGHT DEFENDING TRUMP'S FOREIGN POLICY IN OVAL OFFICE DUSTUP WITH ZELENSKYY

As of 2023, the U.S. spent 3.3% of its GDP on defense spending, amounting to $880 billion, according to the nonpartisan Washington, D.C.-based Peterson Institute for International Economics. 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. 

Hegseth urged European allies to bolster defense spending from 2% to 5% of gross domestic product, as Trump has long advocated. 

NATO comprises more than 30 countries and was originally formed in 1949 to halt the spread of the Soviet Union.

The White House announced Monday that China will face increased tariffs, citing the ongoing fentanyl crisis in the U.S. as the main reason for the decision.

In a post on X, the Rapid Response 47 account shared the text of an executive order (EO) signed by President Donald Trump on Monday. The Chinese government will now face 20% tariffs "over their failure to address the fentanyl pouring into our country," the EO stated.

The tariffs against China, which were originally only 10%, will go into effect on Tuesday. In Monday's order, Trump said that the Chinese government has failed "to blunt the sustained influx of synthetic opioids, including fentanyl, flowing from [their country]," and that such failure constitutes an "unusual and extraordinary threat."

Trump also said that the crisis jeopardizes the "national security, foreign policy, and economy of the United States."

MEXICO, CANADA TARIFFS WILL BE IMPLEMENTED DUE TO 'UNACCEPTABLE' DRUG FLOW, TRUMP SAYS

"I have determined that the [People's Republic of China] has not taken adequate steps to alleviate the illicit drug crisis through cooperative enforcement actions, and that the crisis described in Executive Order 14195 has not abated," the order read. 

"In recognition of the fact that the PRC has not taken adequate steps to alleviate the illicit drug crisis, section 2(a) of Executive Order 14195 is hereby amended by striking the words ‘10 percent’ and inserting in lieu thereof the words ‘20 percent’."

The Trump administration is already imposing 25% tariffs on Canadian and Mexican goods, which were announced last month and will also go into effect on Tuesday. On Monday, Peter Navarro, the White House senior counselor on trade and manufacturing, defended the tariffs to CNBC and argued that the issue "starts in communist China with the precursor chemicals."

MIKE ROWE SAYS TRUMP POLICIES WILL LEAD TO SHORT-TERM PAIN, BUT LONG-TERM GAIN

"It comes into Mexico, and they make the fentanyl. But they also have these pill presses. So they do the counterfeits," Navarro explained. "And they're using Canada as a transit hub and secondary point to manufacture as well. So this is a Canada-Mexico-China thing."

The Chinese government has opposed the tariffs since they were announced. In a Feb. 1 statement, China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs claimed that China is "one of the world’s toughest countries on counternarcotics both in terms of policy and its implementation."

"Additional tariffs are not constructive and bound to affect and harm the counternarcotics cooperation between the two sides in the future," the statement read. "China calls on the U.S. to correct its wrongdoings, maintain the hard-won positive dynamics in the counternarcotics cooperation, and promote the steady, sound and sustainable development of China-U.S. relationship."

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

Failed 2024 Democratic vice presidential candidate and current Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz recently floated a potential 2028 presidential run, garnering mockery online as critics sarcastically implored him to throw his hat in the ring.

Laughing emojis and comments such as "Need a morning chuckle" or "Yes please" were splashed across conservative social media accounts after Walz floated a potential 2028 presidential run during a recent conversation with the New Yorker.

Walz ran alongside former Vice President Kamala Harris on the Democrats' 2024 ticket in the waning months of the election cycle after former President Joe Biden dropped out of the race amid mounting concern over his mental acuity and age.

Walz demurred at first when asked if he would run for president during the New Yorker interview published Sunday, before saying he would run if the opportunity presented itself. 

TIM WALZ SAYS LOSING PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION IS 'PURE HELL,' ADMITS DEMS ARE 'FATIGUED' IN MSNBC INTERVIEW

"Well, I had a friend tell me, ‘Never turn down a job you haven’t been offered,’" Walz said when asked if he would run for president. 

"If I think I could offer something ... I would certainly consider that," he said. "I’m also, though, not arrogant enough to believe there’s a lot of people that can do this."

He said that under the correct circumstances and if he has the right "skill set" for the 2028 race, "I’ll do it."

"You might do it?" the New Yorker asked. 

"I’ll do whatever it takes," Walz said. "I certainly wouldn’t be arrogant enough to think that it needs to be me."

TIM WALZ ADMITS HE WAS SURPRISED BY ELECTION DEFEAT: ‘THOUGHT THE COUNTRY WAS READY’

"I’ve always said this: I didn’t prepare my life to be in these jobs, but my life prepared me well," he said. "And, if this experience I’ve had and what we’re going through right now prepares me for that, then I would. But I worry about people who have ambition for elected office. I don’t think you should have ambition. I think you should have a desire to do it if you’re asked to serve. And that’s kind of where I’m at." 

Social media critics had a field day on X over the remarks, resurrecting the "Tampon Tim" moniker, mocking the prospect of a Walz presidency, while encouraging him to make a run official. 

"Tampon Tim" was a nickname used by conservatives during the election cycle that mocked Walz’ Minnesota policies that provide menstrual products "to all menstruating students in restrooms regularly used by students," as opposed to stating the products were intended for female students. 

TIM WALZ THOUGHT HIS LACK OF WEALTH WAS ‘REAL FLEX’ AGAINST TRUMP: ‘HOW… DID WE LOSE TO A BILLIONAIRE?’

'DOOMED': EXPERTS SAY THIS CRUCIAL CAMPAIGN DECISION LED TO VP HARRIS' 'DISASTROUS' DEFEAT

After Biden's exit from the 2024 race in July, Harris simultaneously launched her campaign as well as her search for a running mate, combing through a list of high-profile Democrats and lesser-known allies before choosing Walz.

Following the Democratic ticket’s loss, political strategists and insiders launched post-mortems on the campaign, with a handful pointing to Harris’ selection of Walz as her running mate as opposed to another candidate, such as Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, who is popular in the key battleground state that ultimately voted for President Donald Trump.

Walz added in his conversation with the New Yorker that he and Harris ended the campaign cycle on good terms, but that he has only spoken to the former vice president a handful of times since November 2024. 

"I’m doing my job, and she’s doing her job, and she’s out in California, I believe, living, and I’m here in beautiful Minnesota, where the weather’s always great," he said.

DEM PARTY BLAME GAME: ACCUSATIONS FLY AS TO WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR HARRIS' LOSS TO TRUMP

"Well, maybe she doesn’t want to talk to me after we got this thing done," Walz said while laughing when asked why they don’t speak more frequently. "No, I think it’s just there’ll be a time and a place. But we left good, and my family misses her. My daughter, especially."

Fox News Digital reached out to Walz’s office for any additional comment on a potential presidential run or response to social media critics, but did not immediately receive a reply.

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…

-Illegal immigrant health care spending sparks investigative border state legislation

-Dems hit Medicaid, Elon Musk fears in expensive campaign targeting 23 House Republicans

-New polls reveal where Trump stands on eve of his first major address to Congress

A left-wing political party tapped Democratic California Rep. Lateefah Simon, a longtime friend and mentee of former Vice President Kamala Harris, to deliver its response to President Donald Trump's address to Congress on Tuesday. 

"I’m honored to speak on behalf of the Working Families Party," Simon said in a statement last week. "We need a government that is run by and for working people, not billionaires—and that’s what the WFP is fighting for. When I see what’s happening in our country right now, it’s essential that we—as Members of Congress—are showing up for our communities and reminding people that it doesn’t have to be this way."

The Working Families Party, which is a small left-wing political party, has featured Rep. Ayanna Pressley, former Rep. Jamaal Bowman, and Rep. Rashida Tlaib to deliver its response to a president's joint address to Congress in previous years…Read more

'WORST STATEMENT': Trump hits Zelenskyy for 'worst statement' on war with Russia, says US 'will not put up with it' much longer

DOUBLE STANDARDS: Tump’s row with Zelenskyy recalls Obama, Biden humiliations of Netanyahu

KREMLIN'S COFFERS: European Union spent more on Russian gas than Ukraine aid in 2024

TRUMP RETORT: Who is Elissa Slotkin, and why did Dems choose her for the party's rebuttal to Trump speech?

'DELIVERING ACCOUNTABILITY': GOP reps launch judicial task force to expose 'judicial activism'

MELANIA ON THE HILL: Melania Trump to speak for the first time on Capitol Hill in roundtable focused on punishing revenge porn

FLASHBACK: Dem senator embroiled in conflict of interest row targeted SCOTUS in ethics crusade

'DEFENDER OF THE SILENCED': Former Rep. Lincoln Diaz-Balart, brother of sitting congressman, dead at 70

'DE FACTO AMNESTY': House report exposes how controversial 'de facto amnesty' program exploded under Biden

'STEW IN HIS OWN JUICE': Nancy Pelosi has advice for Dems on handling Trump speech

'MESSAGES OF HATE': Anti-Israel protesters who wave flags linked to terror groups could be jailed if NY law passes

FAILING MARK: 13 American universities handed ‘F’ grade on campus antisemitism

'INCOMPATIBLE': Trans airmen, Space Force personnel have until March 26 to resign under Trump order: Memo

'WIPE THEM OUT': Time to ‘take the fight to the cartels,’ says Texas leader after U.S. citizen killed by cartel explosive

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

Editor's Note: There will be no newsletter on Tuesday, March 4. Be sure to tune in to Fox News Channel tomorrow evening for coverage of President Donald Trump's address to Congress.

Boston Mayor Michelle Wu responded to critics who accused her of being excessively sympathetic to a would-be stabber who was killed by the police, accusing them of "politicizing" the situation.

The suspect, who was identified as 32-year-old Lmark Jaramillo, was killed by an off-duty police officer after he allegedly tried to stab at least two people in a Chick-fil-A restaurant near Boylston Street. The officer identified himself and instructed Jaramillo to drop his weapon before pulling the trigger, police said.

On Monday, Wu said it was "unfortunate to politicize being at the scene of a tragic incident."

"Our officers are in extremely difficult and dangerous situations every single day keeping our residents safe," the politician, who took office in 2021, said. "I expressed condolences, along with our police commissioner and district attorney, because every loss of life is a horrible tragedy."

BOSTON COUNCILWOMAN SOUNDS OFF AFTER TOM HOMAN'S CPAC PROMISE TO 'BRING HELL': 'WE DON'T SCARE EASY'

Wu also said she is grateful "every hour of every day for the work of our Boston police officers."

"In this case, we had an off-duty officer who saw something happening, his training kicked in, and took action and surely saved even more lives," she added.

Wu was responding to a question about criticism from Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., over her condolences.

"Condolences from the mayor of Boston – wait for it – to a knife-wielding man trying to kill people!" the South Carolina congresswoman previously wrote. "Thankfully this guy was stopped in his tracks by a brave law enforcement officer." 

At Saturday's press conference, Wu notably did not reference the victims of the attempted stabbing. Instead, she said she was thinking of those "impacted" by the incident, which transpired in "one of the busier parts" of Beantown.

"My condolences, and all of our thoughts, are with the family of the individual whose life has been lost," Wu said. "And I'm also thinking of all the people who were impacted here today in one of the busier parts of the city with this tragedy."

BOSTON COUNCILWOMAN BACKS OFF AFTER RIDICULING TOM HOMAN'S EMPLOYMENT HISTORY IN FIERY POST: 'I UNDERSTAND'

"I'm glad that the officer is safe and very grateful for a quick response from all of our first responders here again," she continued.

It wasn't just Mace – conservatives across the country slammed Wu for appearing regretful over the death of the suspect.

One of Wu's many online critics was conservative commentator Charlie Kirk, who suggested that the 40-year-old leave office.

"Boston, I’m going to say this as simply as I can: You desperately need a new mayor. Trust me," Kirk wrote.

Fox News contributor Joe Concha, a former Boston resident, also expressed disbelief at Wu's response.

"How exactly did Boston vote for this again?" Concha wrote. "I lived in the Back Bay area. It was one of the safest parts of the city. And she’s offering condolences????"

Wu will head to Washington, D.C., this week, where she is slated to testify before Congress on Boston's sanctuary city policies. She is one of four Democratic mayors planning to speak.

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

Fox News' Andrew Fone contributed to this report.

FIRST ON FOX: The "Renewal of the American Dream" is the theme of President Donald Trump’s first address of his second term to a joint session of Congress, Fox News Digital has learned. 

White House officials exclusively told Fox News Digital that the speech, themed "The Renewal of the American Dream," will feature four main sections: accomplishments from Trump's second term thus far at home and abroad; what the Trump administration has done for the economy; the president's renewed push for Congress to pass additional funding for border security; and the president's plans for peace around the globe.

HOW TO WATCH AND WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT TRUMP'S TUESDAY ADDRESS TO A JOINT SESSION OF CONGRESS

Trump’s joint address "will be must-see TV," White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told Fox News Digital. 

"President Trump has accomplished more in one month than any president in four years — and the renewal of the American Dream is well underway," Leavitt told Fox News Digital. "In his Joint Address to Congress, President Trump will celebrate his extraordinarily successful first month in office while outlining his bold, ambitious and common-sense vision for the future." 

The president will review his administration’s "accomplishments from his extraordinarily successful first month in office, both here at home and abroad," White House officials told Fox News Digital. 

Officials said the president also will discuss what his administration has done and continues to do to "fix the economic mess created by the Biden administration and end inflation for all Americans." 

TRUMP SET TO CONTINUE UNPRECEDENTED LEVEL OF ACTIONS, ADDRESS CONGRESS IN 7TH WEEK BACK IN OFFICE

The president is expected to highlight the more than $1.7 trillion in investments made since he took the Oath of Office to bring manufacturing back to the United States, including increases in energy production; investments in the private sector on AI; and more. 

Also in the address, the president will push Congress to pass more border security funding to fund deportations and the continued construction of the border wall along the U.S. southern Border. 

On foreign policy, the president is expected to outline his plans "to restore peace around the world." A White House official told Fox News Digital that he will lay out his plans to end the war in Ukraine. He also will focus on the work of his administration to ensure the release of all hostages from Gaza. 

The president posted on his Truth Social account Monday morning teasing his address, saying: "Tomorrow night will be big. I will tell it like it is!" 

When asked for comment on the president’s post, a White House official told Fox News Digital: "As always, President Trump will keep it real and speak the truth."

The president is scheduled to speak before all members of Congress on Tuesday at 9 p.m. Eastern Standard Time. 

The speech is not officially called the State of the Union, as Trump has not been in office for a full year, though it operates in a similar fashion. The yearly presidential address is intended to showcase the administration's achievements and policies. 

President Donald Trump said he would reveal the future of a rare-earth minerals deal with Ukraine Tuesday during his address to Congress, after peace negotiations with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy came to a halt Friday after a disorderly White House visit. 

Zelenskyy visited Washington Friday amid negotiations to end the war in Ukraine, and was poised to sign a minerals agreement that would allow the U.S. access to Ukraine’s minerals in exchange for U.S. support in the country. 

But after a tense exchange between Trump, Vice President JD Vance and Zelenskyy over whether diplomacy was the correct avenue to secure a peace deal and whether Russian President Vladimir Putin could be trusted, Trump kicked Zelenskyy out of the White House and said the Ukrainian leader could return when he was ready for peace. 

When asked Monday about the status of the rare-earth minerals deal, Trump told reporters that he would disclose where the deal stands when he addresses a joint session of Congress Tuesday in a speech akin to the annual State of the Union. 

"I'll let you know," Trump told reporters Monday. "We're making a speech, you've probably heard about it, tomorrow night. I'll let you know tomorrow night ... it's a great deal for us."

Zelenskyy told reporters in London Sunday that he was still on board with the deal, and that he predicts the relationship between Ukraine and the U.S. will persevere. 

TRUMP SAYS ZELENSKYY CAN ‘COME BACK WHEN HE’S READY FOR PEACE' AFTER FIERY WHITE HOUSE EXCHANGE

Trump also said Monday he wanted to see the Ukrainian leader express more gratitude for U.S. support during the war in order to rekindle peace negotiations with Zelenskyy. 

"I just think he should be more appreciative because this country has stuck with him through thick and thin," Trump said. "We’ve given them much more than Europe, and Europe should have given more than us because, as you know, that’s right there, that’s the border." 

Trump previously hailed the minerals agreement as a breakthrough deal that would benefit both the U.S. and Ukraine, touting that it would serve as the foundation for a more "sustainable" future relationship between the two countries and allow the U.S. 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 said Thursday it would reimburse taxpayers for financial contributions backing Ukraine after Russia’s invasion in 2022. 

JD VANCE STEPS INTO THE SPOTLIGHT DEFENDING TRUMP'S FOREIGN POLICY IN OVAL OFFICE DUSTUP WITH ZELENSKYY

Precise numbers on financial assistance to Ukraine vary slightly, depending on what is considered aid. However, the Council on Foreign Relations reports that Congress has appropriated $175 billion since 2022 for aid to Ukraine. 

All European assistance to Ukraine between January 2022 and December 2024 amounts to roughly $138.7 billion, German-based think tank Kiel Institute estimates. The organization also estimates that the U.S. contributed $119.7 billion in that same time frame. 

The meeting between Trump, Vance and Zelenskyy soured after Zelenskyy said that Putin couldn't be trusted and had breached other agreements. Trump and Vance then accused Zelenskyy of not being grateful for the support the U.S. has provided over the years and said the Ukrainian leader was in a "bad position" at the negotiating table. 

"You're playing cards," Trump said Friday. "You're gambling with the lives of millions of people. You're gambling with World War III. You're gambling with World War III. And what you're doing is very disrespectful to the country, this country."

Following his departure from the White House on Friday Zelenskyy issued a social media post on X expressing gratitude to the U.S. for its support. 

"Thank you America, thank you for your support, thank you for this visit," Zelenskyy said. "Thank you @POTUS, Congress, and the American people. Ukraine needs just and lasting peace, and we are working exactly for that."

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul launched an ad campaign in Washington, D.C., and New York City this weekend offering to hire federal workers who were fired by Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).

One ad, which ran in D.C.’s Union Station and New York City’s Moynihan train stations, depicted the Statue of Liberty and read: "DOGE said you’re fired? We say you’re hired! New York wants you!"

The ad includes a link to the New York state government’s website, which lists nearly two thousand different positions in the state government.

After meeting with New York residents impacted by the federal cuts, Hochul held a press conference on Monday in which she bashed Musk and "his clueless cadre of career killers." 

'GREAT JOB' OR 'NO IDEA WHAT HE'S DOING'? ELON MUSK EMAIL SETS CAPITOL HILL ABLAZE

She said that many of the fired federal workers "found the whole experience degrading [and] dehumanizing" and accused Musk and President Donald Trump of not caring for the needs of Americans or the services that she said will be impacted by DOGE firings.

"They call themselves putting America First. Give me a break," she said. "They know nothing about the functions of government. They don't know who it serves, and they don't care about the tireless public servants who keep it all running."

"None of this seems to matter to Donald Trump and Elon Musk, not at all. For them, it’s just fodder for this cheap second-rate reality show. ‘You're fired,’ it's fun for them to say it," she said.

Addressing former federal workers directly, Hochul said: "The current regime in Washington may not recognize your talents, but I can assure you New York State does. We don't vilify public servants. We value you. We cherish your contribution, and we do want to welcome you to the New York family."

ELON MUSK IS PUSHING BACK ON BUSINESS AS USUAL WITH DOGE, SAYS REP. LUNA

"In New York, we know it's not the demagogues and the technocrats who make America great," she went on. "It's public servants like Luke and all the people I just met, and countless who came before them, who dedicate their lives to serving others."

Hochul said the state of New York has 7,000 public sector positions available, including positions for engineers, attorneys, healthcare workers, educators and others. She said the campaign is part of an "ongoing effort" to rebuild the state’s public workforce after it was "decimated, particularly during COVID."

Beyond hiring laid-off federal employees, Hochul emphasized states’ role in resisting the new Trump administration’s DOGE efforts.

"It starts in the courts," she said. "We are ready to file lawsuits to stop anything, particularly with this first wave of layoffs for provisional individuals because the proper notice wasn't done. They didn't follow any rules. They did not follow a single rule. They think they are kings and they can just come in and do whatever they want."

WHAT'S THE POINT OF ALL THESE ANTI-DOGE LAWSUITS? FIGHT TRUMP'S AGENDA TO SCOTUS, LEGAL EXPERTS SAY

"So, in the meantime, the states have to step up," she went on. "This is what we can do. We'll see them in court, but also, let's take care of these people. Let's not have them worry about their healthcare, whether or not their child's going to get medical treatment for their own families."

In response, White House spokesperson Harrison Fields told Fox News Digital: "No amount of Democrat obstruction will stop President Trump from delivering on the promises he made to the American people."

"Radical, out-of-touch Democrats should clean up the disasters they’ve created in their own states before trying to promote their failed policies to the rest of America," said Fields.

Conservatives on social media praised Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Sunday after he responded to an attack from former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton with a photo that was seen over 2 million times on X.

"Wouldn’t want to hurt Putin’s feelings," Clinton posted on X over the weekend along with a Gizmodo headline that read, "Trump’s Defense Secretary Hegseth Orders Cyber Command to ‘Stand Down’ on All Russia Operations."

Hegseth responded to the post with a photo of Clinton smiling with Russian Foreign Affairs Minister Sergei Lavrov in March 2009 in which the two are holding a "reset" button that was meant to symbolize a reset of relations between the two countries. 

The post was quickly praised by conservatives on X.

DEFENSE SECRETARY PETE HEGSETH ARRIVES AT GUANTANAMO BAY, CALLS IT ‘FRONT LINES OF THE WAR’ ON SOUTHERN BORDER

"Crooked Hillary just got OWNED," Department of Defense Press Secretary Kingsley Wilson posted on X.

"Call an ambulance …," Rasmussen Reports posted on X.

DEFENSE SECRETARY HEGSETH SAYS GUANTANAMO BAY IS ‘PERFECT PLACE’ TO HOLD MIGRANTS ‘SAFELY IN THE INTERIM’

"LOL," conservative commentator Jack Posobiec posted on X.

"Total Secretary Hegseth W," Greg Price of the Trump White House Rapid Response Team posted on X.

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Hegseth's post was reposted over 10,000 times on X with over 3,000 comments and over 70,000 likes.

Fox News Digital reached out to Clinton's office for comment.

Democrats have been highly critical of the Trump administration in recent days and attacked the president as being aligned with Russia based on the heated Oval Office exchange between Trump and Ukrainian President Zelenskyy on Friday.

The Trump administration has maintained that the controversy shows Zelenskyy is not serious about peace talks, and Trump has publicly said the Ukrainian president can return to the White House at a later time to resume negotiations.

"We should spend less time worrying about Putin, and more time worrying about migrant rape gangs, drug lords, murderers, and people from mental institutions entering our Country - So that we don’t end up like Europe!" Trump recently posted on Truth Social over the weekend.