Vice President JD Vance spoke out against Sen. Mitch McConnell's, R-Ky., vote against confirming Elbridge Colby to serve as undersecretary of defense for policy.
"Mitch’s vote today—like so much of the last few years of his career—is one of the great acts of political pettiness I’ve ever seen," Vance declared in a post on X.
Colby was confirmed in a 54-45 vote on Tuesday. McConnell was the only Senate Republican to vote against confirmation, while three Democrats voted in Colby's favor.
President Donald Trump announced Colby as his pick for the Pentagon post when he was the president-elect.
"Elbridge Colby’s long public record suggests a willingness to discount the complexity of the challenges facing America, the critical value of our allies and partners, and the urgent need to invest in hard power to preserve American primacy," McConnell said in a statement.
"The prioritization that Mr. Colby argues is fresh, new, and urgently needed is, in fact, a return to an Obama-era conception of a la carte geostrategy. Abandoning Ukraine and Europe and downplaying the Middle East to prioritize the Indo-Pacific is not a clever geopolitical chess move. It is geostrategic self-harm that emboldens our adversaries and drives wedges between America and our allies for them to exploit," the senator asserted.
McConnell has voted against multiple Trump nominees this year.
"Mr. Colby’s confirmation leaves open the door for the less-polished standard-bearers of restraint and retrenchment at the Pentagon to do irreparable damage to the system of alliances and partnerships which serve as force multipliers to U.S. leadership. It encourages isolationist perversions of peace through strength to continue apace at the highest levels of Administration policymaking," McConnell said.
What’s most striking about President Trump’s tariff war is that he’s being pressured by some of his closest advisers and supporters to end the crusade that has upended the world economy.
It’s not just media conservatives like Ben Shapiro, Rich Lowry, Ben Domenech and the Wall Street Journal editorial page. It’s longtime wealthy donors like Ken Langone, co-founder of Home Depot, who denounced the tariffs and cited the 46 percent levy on Vietnam as an example of "bull****," telling the Financial Times that "right now what everybody’s terrified of is a trade war."
Another billionaire, hedge fund investor Bill Ackman said, "The consequences for our country and the millions of citizens who have supported the president…are going to be severely negative." Jamie Dimon, CEO of JP Morgan, said "whether or not the menu of tariffs causes a recession remains in question, but it will slow down growth."
The most famous defector is Elon Musk, who, according to the Washington Post, privately urged Trump not to go ahead with the sky-high tariffs. Now he’s gone public:
"Ideally, both Europe and the United States should move to a zero-tariff situation, effectively creating a free trade zone between Europe and North America." Even the world’s richest man and chief budget cutter couldn’t convince the boss, and he is off the reservation.
Musk is also taking shots at the strongest tariff booster in the White House, Peter Navarro, calling him "truly a moron," "dumber than a sack of bricks," and, in a particularly juvenile jab, "Peter Navarrdo."
The aforementioned Navarro, you’ll be happy to hear, went on Fox and guaranteed there will be no recession. So you can all resume regular breathing.
It doesn’t help Trump that after an early rebound rally yesterday ran out of gas, the Dow dropped another 320 points, after a dramatic decline that has decimated people’s stock holdings and 401-Ks. The Constitution, by the way, says Congress is in charge of tariffs.
Almost no one is safe, including Bibi Netanyahu, who came to the White House on Monday in a ring-kissing gesture, has imposed no levies on the U.S., but still got hit with a 17 percent tariff. Against Israel, our chief ally in the Middle East and the region’s only democracy?
And the escalation with China, our biggest adversary, was predictable. Trump had hit Beijing with a 54 percent tariff (including an earlier 20 percent levy). Beijing hit back, as promised, with a 34 percent tariff on U.S. goods, battling what it calls blackmail.
Wouldn’t we have done the exact same thing if the roles were reversed?
But Trump acted as though he was personally insulted, and is now vowing an additional 50 percent tariff on the Chinese. This is how trade wars spiral out of control. And China has cut off negotiations on the sale of TikTok to an American owner.
Media blunders also fueled the market’s volatility. On Monday, Bloomberg – that is, someone identified as Walter Bloomberg, not connected to any news outlet – posted this: "HASSETT: TRUMP IS CONSIDERING A 90-DAY PAUSE IN TARIFFS FOR ALL COUNTRIES EXCEPT CHINA."
This goosed the stock market. Except that Kevin Hassett, director of the White House economic council, never said that.
But CNBC morning anchor Carl Quintanilla told viewers, "I think we can go with this headline. Apparently, Hassett’s been saying that Trump will consider a 90-day pause in tariffs for all countries except for China."
Reuters then ran with this headline: "Wall Street reverses course after Hassett’s comments on tariff pause."
What Hassett actually said, when asked on Fox if Trump would consider a 90-day tariff pause: "I think the president is gonna decide what the president is gonna decide." Not exactly the same thing. But the market shot up.
The wire service later admitted the mistake: "Reuters has withdrawn the incorrect report and regrets its error."
A CNBC spokeswoman said later, "As we were chasing the news of the market moves in real-time, we aired unconfirmed information in a banner. Our reporters quickly made a correction on air."
Meghan McCain posted a broader swipe against the media: "There are so many hypocritical talking heads on TV saying they don’t care about losing money or being in financial pain for a while. Most of you are married to finance bros, come from rich families or have huge media contracts. You have a cushion…
"One of my best friends buys her groceries for her family based on what coupons each store has. I assure you a possible recession or huge rise in prices everywhere will be a different experience for her family than you."
Is there an exit ramp? White House officials say 70 countries have been in touch, seeking a negotiated settlement. Some, of course, were doing that in the runup to "Liberation Day." The president could reach many of the settlements, declare victory and credit his tariff war.
At the moment, he shows no inclination to do that, having pushed the tariff idea since the 1980s and repeatedly promising such an approach during last year’s campaign.
I wrote a book on Wall Street and the media, talked to many top traders as well as business anchors and commentators. I understand the hair-trigger nature of the culture. Everyone expected that Donald Trump would impose hefty tariffs, just not at this stratospheric level.
New York Republicans are pushing a new law to protect animals after a beloved pet squirrel and internet star named P’Nut was taken and killed by state environmental officers late last year.
The bill, called "Peanut’s Law: The Humane Animal Protection Act," would require a 72-hour waiting period before the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) can euthanize any seized animal. It would also give animal owners the chance for a hearing before the state takes or puts down their animals.
P’Nut and another pet squirrel named Fred were taken from Mark and Daniela Longo’s upstate farm last October after someone filed an anonymous complaint. Both animals were killed and tested for rabies, and both tests came back negative.
The squirrel had a huge following on social media, with P'Nut accruing nearly one million followers to watch content of the critter and his family.
Once news spread on P'Nut's Instagram page, backlash over DEC’s actions spread like wildfire online. At the time, everyone from Elon Musk to President Trump weighed in on the killing of the dear family pets.
Musk referred to the killing back in November as "the whole squirrel thing" while on Joe Rogan's podcast.
Assemblyman Jake Blumencranz (R-Nassau), who is sponsoring the bill, said it’s about fairness. "This is about due process," he said, adding that animals should not be killed unless they’re an immediate danger.
The Longos, who run an animal sanctuary, say they were never told why their pets were taken. They hope the new bill will stop similar cases from happening again.
Mark Longo said of the new bill: "I sit here trying not to cry, but passing this law will be a movement to make sure that animal rights are not overlooked anymore."
Peanut or "P'Nut" was only a baby when the Longos rescued him. The squirrel adapted to his adoptive human family after his real mother was run over by a car when he was just five weeks old.
"They were not dangerous. They were not sick. They were not wild threats roaming the streets," said Assemblyman Blumencranz. "They were rescues — loved, nurtured, and safe."
Supporters of the legislation say it’s a common-sense move to protect both animals and their owners.
"Here is the cold, hard truth. It is too little, too late. Words don’t save P’Nut and Fred, and words won’t save the next animal, or the next family, unless we change the law."
An attorney who represents the Longo family did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment.
President Donald Trump touted the record-breaking fundraising numbers garnered by the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) during its annual president's dinner Tuesday evening.
"You know, we've done very well in this room before," Trump told attendees at the annual dinner Tuesday night. "But right now we broke every record. I just heard from Mike Johnson, he said, ‘We broke every record, sir.’ There is over $35 million. That's not bad, for an evening."
The fundraising numbers achieved during Tuesday night's dinner rival what the NRCC has garnered across entire quarters. In July, the group highlighted a "record-shattering" fundraising haul for the second quarter of 2024, which was only $2 million more than what the NRCC was able to garner Tuesday night.
Estimates, in advance of the Tuesday night dinner, suggested it might only bring as much as $10 million for the NRCC, a source familiar told Fox News Digital.
"Next year we'll do 45 or 50 million, right?" Trump asked the crowd, garnering cheers. "A lot of people, you broke your record attendance, and you broke your money record, and that's a great tribute to the Republicans and the party and everything it stands for."
Tuesday's event had "giving levels" as high as $310,100, with the lowest costing seat being $6,000 per person, or $10,000 per couple.
"We have some unbelievable supporters of our House Republican majority with us, as you know, and with the help of everyone in this room the next year's Republican Party is going to defy history. We're going to really defy it, and we already are."
To illustrate this point, Trump pointed to the "fortune" America is making with his new tariff plan.
"Two billion dollars a day – do you believe it? I was told $2 billion a day," Trump told the crowd. "You know I get hit by the press about tariffs, we're making $2 billion – billion – this isn't $35 million, that's peanuts. $2 billion a day."
"In addition, we have a lot of countries coming to see us – they want to make a deal. And we're doing – we're doing things that nobody's ever even thought about."
It was supposed to be a routine Senate Agriculture Committee hearing to consider nominees for top USDA posts, but one visitor turned the event into a tail-wagging affair.
Babydog Justice, the beloved English bulldog of Sen. Jim Justice, R-W.Va., made a surprise and highly photogenic appearance Tuesday as the committee met to review the nominations of Judge Stephen Vaden for Deputy Secretary of Agriculture and Tyler Clarkson for USDA General Counsel.
The hearing may have been serious business, but Babydog’s presence brought smiles, laughter, and even a little bipartisan levity.
Sen. John Boozman, R-Ark., couldn’t resist the moment, joking, "Babydog was the difference in you getting on the committee or not," as Justice and his pup settled in.
Justice, who recently joined the Senate after serving as West Virginia’s governor, shared an exclusive comment with Fox News Digital about his pup’s Capitol Hill cameo.
"I am so pleased to see the warm reception of Babydog from folks in Congress. Today she came along with me to the Agriculture Committee hearing and knew if she participated, there would be a treat as a reward. Senator Boozman took the time to introduce her to the committee, and contrary to what Senator Hoeven said in the hearing, she is not livestock or up for auction — even though she may resemble a little brown cow!" Justice told Fox News Digital.
At one point during the hearing, a comment by Sen. John Hoeven, R-N.D., sparked laughter when he joked about Babydog possibly being livestock — a suggestion Justice playfully refuted.
After holding up the pooch to the microphone and sharing how Babydog "humanizes us all," Justice requested a staffer remove the dog from his lap, adding, "She's heavy!"
The social media response was swift. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins, who was confirmed earlier this year, reposted footage of Babydog in action, writing: "We love you Babydog! Senate Ag is never the same when you’re around."
Even the Senate Agriculture Committee’s own social media accounts joined the fun, posting behind-the-scenes content of the pup’s visit and noting she was "making new friends and monitoring policy."
Following her eventful day on Capitol Hill, Babydog Justice took to her own social media account. Posting a photo from the Senate Agriculture Committee hearing, she humorously captioned it, "Is this thing on?" in reference to the microphone.
Babydog's charm extended beyond the committee room, capturing the attention of senators in the halls of Congress. Sen. Steve Daines, R-Mont., shared a photo with Babydog, tweeting, "All in favor of making @babydogjustice our 101st senator, say AYE!"
Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala., also joined in, posting a picture of himself petting Babydog with the caption, "@BabydogJustice is America’s favorite dog."
Babydog is no stranger to the spotlight.
Born in 2019, the 60-pound English bulldog has been a fixture in Justice's political life since she was gifted to him by his children. She gained national attention during the COVID-19 pandemic when Justice launched the "Do It for Babydog" vaccine lottery to encourage West Virginians to get vaccinated.
Babydog's most famous public appearance was at the 2024 Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, where she charmed attendees and the media alike from a bulldog-sized chair on the main stage.
While Babydog may have captured the spotlight, Justice is focused on the work ahead as a newly appointed member of the Senate Agriculture Committee. The West Virginia Republican has long emphasized the importance of supporting rural communities and strengthening the agricultural economy — key concerns in his home state.
Justice, a former two-term governor and lifelong farmer and businessman, has frequently spoken about the need for practical, common-sense solutions to issues like food security, rural development, and infrastructure investment. His role on the Agriculture Committee positions him to advocate for policies aligned with West Virginia’s agricultural and economic interests.
As Babydog continues to turn heads on Capitol Hill, Justice is expected to use his platform to advance those priorities with his four-legged sidekick never too far behind.
The Department of Commerce on Tuesday announced its decision to cut $4 million in funding related to climate research for Princeton University.
Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said in a news release the cuts were made "after a detailed, careful, and thorough review of the Department’s financial assistance programs against the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) current program objectives."
The department added that the termination of these funds from Princeton, effective June 30, "will streamline and reduce the cost and size of the Federal Government, consistent with President Trump’s promise for his Administration. The Department of Commerce is delivering on that promise."
Princeton received $455 million in federal funding during fiscal year 2024.
The department said the financial awards previously given to Princeton through NOAA, including the Cooperative Institute for Modeling the Earth System (CIMES), "are no longer aligned with the program objectives of NOAA, a sub-agency of the Department of Commerce, and are no longer in keeping with the Trump administration’s priorities."
Princeton did not immediately respond to an inquiry from Fox News Digital.
The CIMES website states that the program "has contributed to the development of oceanic and atmospheric models, performed research on climate and biogeochemical cycling and educated several generations of postdoctoral researchers and graduate students."
The commerce department, however, said the CIMES agreement "promotes exaggerated and implausible climate threats, contributing to a phenomenon known as ‘climate anxiety,’ which has increased significantly among America’s youth."
The department further stated that the Climate Risks and Interactive Sub-seasonal to Seasonal Predictability agreement "suggests that the Earth will have a significant fluctuation in its water availability as a result of global warming," and the Advancing Prediction agreement "has used its resources to assess risks associated with climate change, including alleged changes to precipitation patterns and sea-level rise," according to the release.
"It also aims to address coastal inundation while other more targeted research efforts are addressing this issue," the release continues.
The department said the administration's goal in terminating these funds will save U.S. taxpayer dollars, and it will "continue to review its outstanding cooperative agreements, grant awards, and other financial assistance on an individualized basis to avoid wasteful governmental spending — whether they be to Princeton or any other recipient."
Colleges and universities across the country have been on edge since Trump began investigating schools for alleged antisemitic discrimination and harassment, cutting federal funds for certain schools that allowed anti-Israel protests on campus since the Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel.
Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem spent Tuesday morning with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Arizona law enforcement agents going after illegal immigrant criminals in the Phoenix area.
Standing with a gun in her hands, Noem said in a video posted to X that she was going out with ICE to pick up someone facing charges of human trafficking. She also said she went out earlier with agents and swept up a person wanted for murder.
"I appreciate the work that they do every day, and we appreciate them working to keep America safe," Noem said.
In another post, Noem shared images of her standing with law enforcement officials and sitting in an ICE vehicle while wearing a Kevlar vest.
She also shared pictures of law enforcement officials arresting two men, one who had no shoes and the other who was wearing a pair of Crocs.
"Arizona is safer this morning after a successful operation getting criminal illegal aliens and gang members off our streets," Noem wrote. "Thank you to our brave law enforcement officers. If you are in this country illegally, we will find you, arrest you, and send you back."
Noem toured the facility where she met face-to-face with alleged Tren de Aragua and MS-13 gang members, all of whom were wearing white prison suits and had shaved heads.
She also sent a message from the prison to illegal immigrants who are still in the U.S. or plan to visit anytime soon.
"First of all, do not come to our country illegally: You will be removed, and you will be prosecuted," she said while standing with her back to the inmates. "But know that this facility is one of the tools in our toolkit that we will use if you commit crimes against the American people."
Noem shared the video on X, saying, "President Trump and I have a clear message to criminal illegal aliens: LEAVE NOW. If you do not leave, we will hunt you down, arrest you, and you could end up in this El Salvadorian prison."
Trump’s hard-line approach to illegal immigration was a key campaign promise, and his administration has also been arresting and deporting criminal illegal migrants across the country under the leadership of Noem and border czar Tom Homan.
City council members in Maryland introduced a bill Monday to expand access to menstrual products in all city-run bathrooms, including those designated for men.
Baltimore Councilman Paris Gray, who is the lead sponsor of the bill, introduced the legislation during the city council’s bi-monthly meeting.
Gray said the bill is not just a proposal, but it reflects the city’s commitment to menstrual equity and the values Baltimore holds dear, including dignity, accessibility and public health.
"Access to menstrual products should be as fundamental as access to soap or toilet paper," Gray said. "It is an essential part of personal hygiene, and yet, for far too many people, these products remain out of reach. Menstrual products are not a luxury. They are a necessity, and the absence of access can create undue stress and hardship."
Gray said the bill, if approved, will require all city-owned and leased buildings with public restrooms to provide menstrual products, free of charge.
"This includes restrooms and all kinds of facilities, whether they are designated for men, women, family use or single occupancy," he said.
But the bill, Gray noted, is nothing new. Instead, the bill codifies what Mayor Brandon Scott’s administration and Department of General Services have already done by taking steps to ensure menstrual products are available in many public facilities across the city.
Gray also said Baltimore is not joining a national movement for menstrual equality, but instead, is leading the charge across the country.
"Cities and municipalities are recognizing the point-importance of free access to menstrual products and Baltimore's proudly taking this place at the forefront of this critical effort," he said.
Gray did not respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment on the matter.
In February, the Long Beach Unified School District in California took similar measures when it notified parents in an email that all schools containing grades 3 through 12 would have menstrual products in girls bathrooms, all-gender bathrooms, and in at least one boys bathroom.
The email told parents and caregivers the system is "committed to reducing barriers to learning and fostering a supportive environment for all students."
The availability of period products in girls bathrooms and at least one boys bathroom is to "ensure that any student who menstruates-including transgender boys and nonbinary students-can access these necessary products with dignity and discretion," per the email.
In California, the "Menstrual Equality for All Act" was passed in October 2023, and it mandated that changes must be enacted at or before the start of the 2024-25 school year.
The following text was added to the state's education code when the bill was passed:
"On or before the start of the 2024–25 school year, a public school, including a school operated by a school district, county office of education, or charter school, maintaining any combination of classes from grades 3 to 12, inclusive, shall stock the school’s restrooms at all times with an adequate supply of menstrual products, available and accessible, free of cost, in all women’s restrooms and all-gender restrooms, and in at least one men’s restroom."
Menstrual products were defined in the bill as pads and tampons specifically "for use in connection with the menstrual cycle."
The bill also said it is the state legislature's intent "to promote period equity through adequate access to menstrual products in schools also serving grades 3 to 5, inclusive."
Fox News Digital’s Elizabeth Pritchett contributed to this report.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton announced on Fox News' The Ingraham Angle Tuesday night that he will run for U.S. Senate.
The announcement comes as Paxton no longer faces the cloud of a federal corruption investigation that loomed over him as he rose up the ranks in the Republican Party.
This is a breaking story. Please check back for updates.
The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, which regulates and supervises national banks, on Tuesday said it notified Congress of a February hack that it called a "major information security incident."
The breach was first disclosed in February when it learned of "unusual interactions between a system administrative account in its office automation environment and OCC user mailboxes," an OCC news release states.
According to Bloomberg, the hackers had access to more than 150,000 emails after breaching the system in June 2023.
"The confidentiality and integrity of the OCC’s information security systems are paramount to fulfilling its mission," said Acting Comptroller of the Currency Rodney Hood.
The OCC first learned of the incident on Feb. 11. Compromised administrative accounts were shut off the next day.
"The OCC discovered that the unauthorized access to a number of its executives’ and employees’ emails included highly sensitive information relating to the financial condition of federally regulated financial institutions used in its examinations and supervisory oversight processes," the agency said.
The OCC said it has reached out to third-party cybersecurity experts to conduct a review of IT security protocols to prevent future attacks.
"I have taken immediate steps to determine the full extent of the breach and to remedy the long-held organizational and structural deficiencies that contributed to this incident," Hood said. "There will be full accountability for the vulnerabilities identified and any missed internal findings that led to the unauthorized access."
Throughout its review, the OCC has coordinated with the Treasury Department to share information about its findings.
A Republican lawmaker has warned that Democrats in Colorado’s state legislature could face the ire of the Trump administration if a series of controversial bills passed Sunday — including one labeling parental misgendering during custody battles as "coercive control" — are signed into law.
"It really does feel like we're poking the bear," state Rep. Jarvis Caldwell told Fox News Digital on Tuesday.
Colorado enacted legislation to expand health care access to illegal immigrants this year, "as well as housing and food and education for illegal immigrants, which is in direct violation of some of the orders that have come from President Trump," according to Caldwell.
"And then the transgender issue, we're pushing this further than we ever have before on children in the state of Colorado, and that directly goes in violation of what President Trump is looking at."
As such, Caldwell said "it's a very real possibility" that some of the state's programs could be at risk of losing federal funding, adding the Centennial State will "pay the consequences for it, and Democrats will be responsible."
"Health is a big one with Medicaid, a big portion of that is federal funds, and then education as well," Caldwell said. "And so we are passing bills, especially on the illegal immigrant issue, that directly involve these issues. And so I think that's going to be something that's on President Trump's radar."
The Colorado Democratic House majority barreled through four controversial gender and abortion bills on Sunday — which one Republican lawmaker described as a day for "family and prayer," curtailing floor debate in an "unprecedented" floor procedural tactic.
The bills that were passed include SB25-183, which requires taxpayers to fund abortion services; HB25-1309, mandating insurers cover transgender procedures regardless of age; HB25-1312, which imposes state-mandated gender policies on schools and considers it "coercive control" in child custody cases when a parent does not affirm a child's gender identity or "deadnames" them; and SB25-129, which prohibits cooperation with out-of-state investigations on transgender procedures and abortion services.
State House Majority Democratic Leader Monica Duran told Fox News Digital previously that the four bills were debated on the floor for more than 12 hours last week. Duran also invoked a procedural rule that limited debate to two hours last Friday.
But Caldwell said under 24 hours is nothing compared to the Democrat majority's 12 months they spent on several of the bills.
"They had an entire year to coordinate testimony, and we had less than 24 hours," Caldwell said. "And then when it went to the final vote, we're each supposed to get 10 minutes for debate, and they completely cut off any and all debate."
The Republican minority also failed to get any of their amendments passed. For HB 1309, which would mandate insurers cover the cost of transgender procedures regardless of age, Republicans introduced an amendment to exclude minors from it.
"Because some of the coverage is genital surgical procedures, it's hormone therapy, it's facial reconstruction, and then breast reductions and chest augmentation," Caldwell said. "And so now your health care plan, even if you disagree with this, you're going to be paying a higher premium most likely to cover the cost, in my opinion, to genitally mutilate children."
SB25-183 and SB25-129 are headed to the governor's desk for signature, while the other House bills now go to the Senate for consideration.
It's not unlikely that Trump could target Colorado Democrats.
Earlier this year, Trump signed several executive orders aimed at eliminating "radical gender ideology," and he’s already moved to slash some federal funds in Maine after Gov. Janet Mills refused to enforce Trump's ban on biological males competing in women's sports. Mills lobbed a lawsuit against the Trump administration on Monday over the frozen funds.
In January, Trump signed the "Defending Women From Gender Ideology Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth to the Federal Government" executive order, which defines two sexes: male and female. The order prohibits "chemical and surgical mutilation" of minors to include puberty blockers, hormones such as estrogen and testosterone, and sex-change surgeries. It also bars institutions receiving federal grants from providing such services and allows healthcare providers to refuse services based on gender identity.
Trump also signed an executive order requiring military personnel to serve according to their biological sex.
House Republicans are divided over how to proceed on a massive piece of legislation aimed at advancing President Donald Trump's agenda as a possible vote on the measure looms Wednesday afternoon.
Fiscal hawks are rebelling against GOP leaders over plans to pass the Senate's version of a sweeping framework that sets the stage for a Trump policy overhaul on the border, energy, defense and taxes.
Their main concern has been the difference between the Senate and House's required spending cuts, which conservatives want to offset the cost of the new policies and as an attempt to reduce the national deficit. The Senate's plan calls for a minimum of $4 billion in cuts, while the House's floor is much higher at $1.5 trillion.
"The problem is, I think a lot of people don't trust the Senate and what their intentions are, and that they'll mislead the president and that we won't get done what we need to get done," Rep. Rich McCormick, R-Ga., told reporters on Tuesday. "I'm a ‘no’ until we figure out how to get enough votes to pass it."
McCormick said there were as many as 40 GOP lawmakers who were undecided or opposed to the measure.
A meeting with a select group of holdouts at the White House on Tuesday appeared to budge a few people, but many conservatives signaled they were largely unmoved.
"I wouldn't put it on the floor," Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, told reporters after the White House meeting. "I've got a bill in front of me, and it's a budget, and that budget, in my opinion, will increase the deficit, and I didn't come here to do that."
Senate GOP leaders praised the bill as a victory for Trump's agenda when it passed the upper chamber in the early hours of Saturday morning.
Meanwhile, House Republican leaders like Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., have appealed to conservatives by arguing that passing the Senate version does not in any way impede the House from moving ahead with its steeper cuts.
The House passed its framework in late February.
Congressional Republicans are working on a massive piece of legislation that Trump has dubbed "one big, beautiful bill" to advance his agenda on border security, defense, energy and taxes.
Such a measure is largely only possible via the budget reconciliation process. Traditionally used when one party controls all three branches of government, reconciliation lowers the Senate's threshold for passage of certain fiscal measures from 60 votes to 51. As a result, it has been used to pass broad policy changes in one or two massive pieces of legislation.
Passing frameworks in the House and Senate, which largely only include numbers indicating increases or decreases in funding, allows each chamber's committees to then craft policy in line with those numbers under their specific jurisdictions.
Members of the conservative House Freedom Caucus have pushed for Johnson to allow the House GOP to simply begin crafting its bill without passing the Senate version, though both chambers will need to eventually pass identical bills to send to Trump's desk.
"Trump wants to reduce the interest rates. Trump wants to lower the deficits. The only way to accomplish those is to reduce spending. And $4 billion is not – that's … anemic. That is really a joke," Rep. Eric Burlison, R-Mo., told reporters.
He said "there's no way" the legislation would pass the House this week.
The measure will likely go through the House Rules Committee, which acts as the final gatekeeper for most legislation getting a chamber-wide vote.
However, tentative plans for a late-afternoon House Rules Committee meeting on the framework, which would have set up a Wednesday vote, were scrapped by early evening on Tuesday.
The legislation could still get a House-wide vote late on Wednesday if the committee meets in the morning.
As for the House speaker, he was optimistic returning from the White House meeting on Tuesday afternoon.
"Great meeting. The president was very helpful and engaged, and we had a lot of members whose questions were answered," Johnson told reporters. "I think we'll be moving forward this week."
Fox News' Ryan Schmelz and Aishah Hasnie contributed to this report.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt insisted Tuesday that "all options are on the table for each country" when it comes to making deals over the latest U.S. tariffs, but warned those who retaliate that President Donald Trump "has a spine of steel and he will not break."
Leavitt said since Trump’s "Liberation Day" tariff announcements, 70 countries have already reached out to the president to begin negotiations.
"On the other hand, countries like China who have chosen to retaliate and try to double down on their mistreatment of American workers are making a mistake. President Trump has a spine of steel and he will not break," Leavitt added, referencing 34% retaliatory tariffs that China unveiled against the U.S. last week…Read more
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RED SEA RESET: New Navy Chief 'regrets' costly missile strikes against Houthis, pushes for cheaper Red Sea defense
'DOMINANT POWER': White House: US will lead in AI, but China is catching up
BATTLE OF THE CHAMBERS:House Republicans worry even Trump can't save them as tax cuts, budget bill hang in balance
'COMPLETE 180 DEGREE FLIP': House Democrat says he'd vote to protect Trump's tariff plan, worries White House will stand down
EMOTIONALLY TAXING: Treasury Secretary Bessent to huddle with key Republican caucus as Trump enacts tariff plan
'MAGA EXTREMISTS': Jeffries claims Trump budget bill will steal food from 'the mouths of babies' while enriching billionaires
CHRIS' CALL: Popular former Republican governor whom Trump urged to run for Senate makes his 2026 decision
NUCLEAR NOMINATION: Supporters defend Trump’s pick to control America’s nuclear arsenal before Senate grilling
FUNDRAISER-IN-CHIEF: Trump hauls in millions for House GOP 2026 war chest as Dems taunt they are 'running scared'
'ENOUGH IS ENOUGH': GOP Rep. touts GOP effort to pass bill cracking down on 'rogue' judges
FLORIDA TARGETS DEI: Florida AG bans law firms with DEI policies from serving as outside counsel
BRAINS AND BRASS: Elbridge Colby confirmed to top Pentagon policy post after hesitation from GOP hawks
'SIGNIFICANT DANGER': Migrant convicted of killing his son arrested by ICE years after initial deportation
TESTY OVER TARIFFS: Dem governors revolt against Trump's 'Liberation Day' tariffs
TULSI'S TASK: Gabbard establishes new Intelligence Community task force to restore transparency
RESHAPING THE WORKFORCE: Noem offers Homeland Security employee buyouts in move to shrink department
Get the latest updates on the Trump administration and Congress, exclusive interviews and more on FoxNews.com.
Wall Street rebounded into the green as multiple foreign countries came to the tariff negotiating table with President Donald Trump – but that was not enough to assuage some lawmakers’ critiques of the "alla prima" tariff actions, as one Republican put it.
U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer testified Tuesday the U.S. has long-suffered from "China Shock" – the surge in manufacturing outputs from the Communist nation since the turn of the century – and that the U.S. had to do something substantive but strategic about the 5 million manufacturing jobs lost and 90,000 factories closed since the middle of the Clinton administration.
"President Biden left us with a $1.2 trillion trade deficit-in-goods - the largest of any country in the history of the world," Greer said.
"During COVID, we were unable to procure semiconductors to build our cars or materials for pharmaceuticals and personal protective equipment. During World War II, we built nearly 9,000 ships. Last year, the United States built only three ocean-going vessels," he said.
Greer said the U.S. historically was on the surplus side of agriculture trade but that, as of late, purportedly friendly countries like Australia have essentially rejected beef and pork exports, while America has not reciprocated with their livestock.
That became a sore subject during a particularly heated exchange between Greer and Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., as the lawmaker claimed Trump unnecessarily "clobbered" Canberra with a 10% tariff.
"We have a free trade agreement with Australia," he said, questioning Trump’s "fancy Greek formula" for determining tariffs.
Democrats and media figures previously mocked Trump for tariffing uninhabited Australian islands in the Indian Ocean – which Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick suggested over the weekend was to close any potential loophole to circumvent tariffs on such countries’ mainland.
Greer argued the "lowest rate available" was imposed on Australia, leading Warner to ask again "why did they get whacked in the first place."
"Despite the [free trade] agreement, they ban our beef, they banned our pork, they're getting ready to impose measures on our digital companies - It's incredible," Greer said.
Warner later acknowledged markets had rebounded a "blip" by midday but said a Wall Street contact equated it to a "good day in hospice."
Meanwhile, during his opening remarks, Senate Finance Committee ranking member Ron Wyden said he has drafted a bipartisan resolution to "end the latest crop of global tariffs that are clobbering American families and small businesses."
"Members on both sides of the aisle ought to know that this is a call to action and Congress must step in to rein this president on trade," Wyden said.
He called the tariffs "aimless" and "chaotic" and said it showed Congress ceded the executive branch too much constitutional power.
In his testimony, Greer called trade imbalance an indicator of both an economic and national security emergency.
He also suggested America’s allies have been foisting unfair policies on the American consumer – including the European Union.
"[They] can sell us all the shellfish they want, but the EU bans shellfish from 48 states. The result is a trade deficit in shellfish with the EU," he said.
"We only charge a 2.5% tariff on ethanol, but Brazil charges us an 18% tariff. The result? We have a large trade deficit in ethanol with Brazil."
"Our average tariff on agricultural goods is 5%, but India's average tariff is 39%. You understand the trend here."
In response to some of Wyden’s concerns, Greer said Vietnam has already negotiated a lower tariff on U.S. cherries and apples exported from Oregon and the Northwest.
"This is exactly the right direction that we want to go in," Greer said.
Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., struck a more middling tone on tariffs, saying that he has never been a "great fan of free trade," and cited his work ending NAFTA and opposing normalized relations with China.
He also cited the outsourcing of manufacturing to Mexico, saying it killed hundreds of thousands of American jobs and has many Mexican workers "living in cardboard boxes."
"That is the type of trade policy which I detest. But I want to move to an area, to talk about the legal basis of what President Trump has done," he said.
Sanders said he lives 50 miles from Canada and does not see the same empirical data on illegal immigration and fentanyl smuggling that Trump accused Ottawa of failing to act on – and incorporated into his tariff calculations.
On the Republican side, Chairman Michael Crapo, R-Idaho, was largely deferential to Trump and Greer, while some other Republicans voiced concerns.
Sen. Charles Grassley of Iowa questioned whether Congress "delegated too much authority to the president" but said he supports the president so long as his mission is to "turn tariffs into trade deals to reduce tariff and non-tariff barriers" versus any plot to "feed the U.S. Treasury through them."
"I made very clear throughout my public service that I’m a free and fair trader. The Constitution gives Congress the authority to regulate interstate and foreign commerce. I believe that Congress delegated too much authority to the president in the Trade Expansion Act of 1962 and Trade Act of 1974," he said.
Additionally, Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., pressed Greer on who should be considered the person that will take ultimately responsibility for either praise or accountability depending on the outcome of the tariff actions.
"Whose throat do I have to choke," he said, underlining that the phrase was borrowed from a management consulting mantra.
EXCLUSIVE: Legislation will be introduced Tuesday to expand the list of crimes that would require a migrant to be taken into custody.
The "Safeguarding American Property Act" would add arson, vandalism and trespassing to the crimes that would require those in the country illegally to be placed into federal custody.
"Property rights are a fundamental American value," Rep. Troy Downing, R-Mont., said in a statement to Fox News Digital.
"Those who disregard our laws by committing acts of vandalism or trespassing on private property, especially those who broke our laws crossing our borders, must not be allowed to remain. This bill builds on the good work of the Laken Riley Act and takes another step toward reversing Biden's border crisis. I appreciate the support of the bill’s cosponsors, and I look forward to getting this legislation passed into law to keep our communities safe," he continued.
Specifically, it would amend the Immigration and Nationality Act. The Montana Republican’s legislation is meant to help rural communities, which could have limited law enforcement resources to protect property.
Many properties along the southern border faced damage as a result of the high volume of migrants that came across throughout the Biden administration, which triggered the state of Texas to create the Landowner Compensation Program to help repay those in agricultural communities.
"Illegal aliens crossing the Texas-Mexico border at Joe Biden’s invitation leave behind a trail of destruction that harms Texas agricultural land," Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton said in May 2024. "This program will provide needed relief to Texans whose property is damaged by foreign aliens waved into the country by the federal government. I am glad to help the farmers and ranchers on our borderlands who bear the costs of Biden’s destructive policies."
Downing’s proposal builds off the Laken Riley Act, which was signed into law by President Donald Trump this winter. The act garnered some bipartisan support, as it made theft, similar criminal charges or assaulting an officer triggers for federal authorities to detain illegal immigrants for potential deportation.
The law is named after a late 22-year-old nursing student who was killed by illegal immigrant Jose Ibarra while on a jog on the University of Georgia campus.
Ibarra had been arrested in the past but was not taken into ICE custody, and he’s now facing life behind bars.
"This horrific atrocity should never have been allowed to happen," Trump said at the time, as it was the first bill signed in his second term. "And as president, I'm fighting every single day to ensure that such a tragedy never happens again."
FIRST ON FOX: Schools around the country could soon be able to opt into the "Congressional Fitness Challenge," including legendary boxer Mike Tyson’s own academy.
House Concurrent Resolution 20, introduced by Rep. Abe Hamadeh, R-Ariz., would create a voluntary program that would allow students who successfully complete the challenge to receive a signed certificate from the speaker of the House, president pro tempore of the Senate, and the student’s senator and congressman.
"Listen, because we need to be in shape, man," Tyson told Fox News Digital in an interview.
"We can't physically get into an army because we're out of shape. And that's embarrassing. So it comes across we're the most heavy, heaviest people in the planet. We're the fattest people in world, Americans," he continued. Specifically, Tyson noted 77% of Americans aged 17 to 24 would need a wavier in order to serve in the military, according to the Department of Defense.
"It's just mental. It's just a shame, but it can be helped," Tyson said of the issue.
It would apply to students in K-12 public and private schools, groups that provide the testing to home schoolers, and members of Congress who hold a "community-based event" for the challenge, the current text states.
According to the resolution, the benchmarks will be inspired by "historical" lines for the Presidential Physical Fitness Test, which was popularized under the Eisenhower, Kennedy and Johnson administrations in the 1960s.
"So we got to make sure that they're physically fit. Now is the perfect time to be instituting this once again, because we understand President Trump through his Cabinet picks and through what his campaign promises have been with the America First agenda, where he wants to make America healthy again," Hamadeh said.
The test itself would entail a mile-long run or walk, pull-ups or a flexed arm hang, curl-ups, sit-ups, shuttle runs, and sit-and-reach. Those who perform well would be divided into gold, silver, and bronze levels. The gold level would be in the top 85th percentile, silver would cover the top 75th percentile, and bronze would be in the top 50th percentile, the legislation states.
Tyson added that actions like this give him hope for the future.
"I think this is going to improve, and people are going to get better, and people want to get healthier. I just believe that," he said.
Tyson is at the helm of Tyson Transformational Technologies Academy, a private school in Arizona that is part of the My Life My Power International Preparatory Academy, which has campuses in Florida and West Virginia as well. The academies plan on taking up the challenge.
"I believe in this country and I believe we're going to get well and we're going to be in good condition. And we're gonna be able to go into the army and defend our country," Tyson said.
Other athletes have come out in support of the resolution, including former Green Bay Packers quarterback Brett Favre and former Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Antonio Brown.
"Love this! So important for our Youth," Brown posted to X.
"As a former pro athlete, one of us knows first-hand the doors that physical fitness can open— confidence, leadership, the drive to succeed. As a Member of Congress and former US Army Captain and Intelligence Officer, the other sees the broader picture – healthier kids mean a healthier, more prosperous America," Favre and Hamadeh co-wrote in an op-ed for OutKick in March.
The resolution is co-sponsored by Republican Reps. Tony Wied and Martin Stutzman.
"Right now, people are really focused on what foods have been going into their bodies and how come the obesity rate has tripled," Hamadeh said. "And it's a real problem in terms of a national security perspective. So the government has an invested interest in this. but also the American people do it themselves as well."
President Donald Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth vowed to hike the Pentagon budget to over $1 trillion for the first time ever.
Speaking to reporters alongside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Trump said the upcoming budget would be "in the vicinity" of $1 trillion, a major boost from this year’s $850 billion budget.
"COMING SOON: the first TRILLION dollar @DeptofDefense budget," Hegseth posted on X.
He said Trump is "is rebuilding our military – and FAST."
The budget for all national security programs, including the Department of Defense, nuclear weapons development and other security agencies, is at $892 billion for this year.
Moving to a $1 trillion Pentagon budget would be a 12% increase over current levels.
But the $1 trillion budget idea comes just as the Pentagon has moved to cut 8% each year for five years from each program to reinvest in modernization. The department is also planning to slash tens of thousands from its civilian workforce and consolidate bases across the world.
"We’re going to be approving a budget, and I’m proud to say, actually, the biggest one we’ve ever done for the military," he said. "$1 trillion. Nobody has seen anything like it.
"We are getting a very, very powerful military. We have things under order now."
White House officials are expected to unveil their budget proposal for fiscal year 2026 later this spring before Congress hashes out the appropriations process.
Even a $1 trillion budget would not put the U.S. at Trump’s stated target for NATO countries to spend on defense: 5%.
But the president said the cash influx would be used to kickstart production on new equipment and technologies.
"We’ve never had the kind of aircraft, the kind of missiles, anything that we have ordered," he said. "And it’s in many ways too bad that we have to do it because, hopefully, we’re not going to have to use it."
The Trump administration recently unveiled a Boeing contract for the Air Force's sixth-generation fighter jet, the F-47, which the service branch expects to cost around $20 billion from 2025 to 2029.
"We know every other plane," Trump said. "I’ve seen every one of them and it’s not even close. This is a next level."
An announcement on the Navy's next-generation fighter jet, F/A-XX, has been stalled, while chief of naval operations Adm. James Kirby told reporters Monday work on the new jet's contract was taking place at "secretary-level and above."
