Over a two-day period, 239 "wasteful" contracts with a "ceiling value" of $1.7 billion have been terminated, the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) said Thursday, including a grant intended to teach transgender and queer urban farmers about "food justice."
The elimination of the contracts represents a savings of $400 million, according to a DOGE tweet posted on X.
Among them included an $8.5 million consulting contract for "fiscal stewardship to improve management and program operations in order to drive innovation and improve efficiency and effectiveness of business services; rethink, realign and reskill the workforce; and enhance program delivery through a number of transformational initiatives."
On Tuesday, DOGE announced the National Institutes of Health canceled multiple federal grants related to trans and sexual identity. Those include $699,000 for studying "cannabis use" among "sexual minority gender diverse individuals" and $620,000 for "an LGB+ inclusive teen pregnancy prevention program for transgender boys," DOGE said.
Another included $225,000 in federal funds for the University of Colorado to study the "effects of hormones on headaches in transmasculine adolescents."
On Wednesday, Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins noted that a $379,000 U.S. Department of Agriculture grant in the San Francisco Bay Area to educate queer, trans and BIPOC urban farmers and consumers about food justice and values-aligned markets had been canceled.
"By stopping this wasteful spending here at USDA, we are ending identity politics, and we are refocusing our agency on its core mission of supporting American farming, ranching and forestry," she said in a video message.
"Serving on the front lines, in combat zones, and at our borders, these fearless four-legged fighters are an invaluable part of protecting America," Trump said in a Thursday message to commemorate the day.
In the military, more than 30,000 "dedicated working dogs" — with 1,600 working dogs actively serving — have provided frontline support to U.S. service members, according to the White House.
These warriors are trained in detecting explosives and drugs, and assisting in search and rescue operations.
Famous military working dogs include Army Special Operations Forces dog Conan — the 50-combat-mission veteran named after late-night talk show host Conan O'Brien — who helped track Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi when he was killed in October 2019 in Syria. Conan was injured on the mission but made a full recovery.
In 2019 at the White House, Trump gave a medal and plaque to Conan, who had been assigned to 1st Special Forces Operational Detachment-Delta. The doggo later was adopted by his former handler and passed away in 2023.
White House protector and most decorated K-9 in U.S. history, Hurricane, died in February after more than a decade in the Secret Service.
The 16-year-old Belgian Malnois — whose accolades included a Secret Service Award for Meritorious Service, Distinguished Service Medal and Department of Homeland Security Secretary’s Award for Valor — made a national name for himself after taking down an intruder who had breached the White House gate in 2014.
Mere yards away were former President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama, watching a movie in the White House theater, according to The New York Times.
In 2022, Hurricane was one of three dogs to become the first recipients of the Animals in War & Peace Distinguished Service Medal on Capitol Hill — earning him a spot among the famed Guinness World Records.
He received the award alongside Yorkshire Terrier and World War II Army Air Corps veteran Smoky, who helped lay communication wires in the Philippines, and Coast Guard explosive detection dog Feco, a Hungarian Vizsla who at the time had conducted more than 365 bomb searches, according to the records book.
Trump also nodded to now-deceased SEAL Team Six operator veteran Cairo, who played a significant role in the raid that killed al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden in May 2011, and Marine veteran Rex, who "saved countless lives by detecting explosives in combat in Iraq."
The German shepherd served alongside Corps Cpl. Megan Leavey, whose heroic service with the dog was depicted in the 2017 film namesake.
Trump said Thursday, "As we remember the fallen, we thank all of the brave veterans of the K-9 Corps who protect the American people and our way of life, living up to the name of man’s best friend."
Fox News Digital’s Emma Colton contributed to this report.
The GOP bill even picked up one Democratic yea: Rep. Jared Golden, D-Maine.
Passing government funding bills on their own wasn’t always the case for the House GOP. Republicans have held the House majority for more than two years now. The GOP majority consistently leaned on Democrats – serving in the minority – for many of the votes to keep the government open and lift the debt ceiling. But that changed late Tuesday afternoon as House Republicans approved their own bill to keep the lights on.
But before the vote, House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., berated Democrats for opposing the temporary spending package, known as a "Continuing Resolution" or "CR."
"If Congressional Democrats refuse to support this clean CR, they will be responsible for every troop who misses a paycheck. For every flight delay from reduced staffing at TSA. For every negative consequence that comes from shutting down the government," said Johnson.
It was unclear if Johnson could pass the bill with just Republicans. Especially as the Speaker upbraided Democrats for vowing to vote nay.
"You continually criticize the Democrats," yours truly said to the Speaker. "Doesn't that imply that you don't have the votes on your side? Because you wouldn’t need Democratic assistance to keep the government?"
"No. We will have the votes," responded Johnson. "We’re going to pass the CR and we can do it on our own."
A few hours later, the Speaker made good on his promise.
But he had an assist.
Vice President JD Vance came to the Capitol to assuage fears of skeptical House Republicans Tuesday morning. But Vance didn’t quite close the deal.
"I saw some looks in there that didn't leave me feeling good as to securing the votes of those who may be having questions," said Rep. Mark Alford, R-Mo., after the House Republican conclave with Vance.
Rep. Kat Cammack, R-Fla., and others said they needed more assurances about future spending cuts. Rep. Tim Burchett, R-Tenn., said he would "pray" about how to vote on the bill. But heading into the meeting, Burchett conceded he hadn’t yet experienced any political intercession.
"I'm uncomfortable with giving the Pentagon more money, even though overall, we're cutting," said Burchett.
By afternoon, Burchett told me he was "closer," but still not there.
But what made the difference when it came to convincing skittish Republicans to vote yes?
Rep. Eric Burlison, R-Mo., told Fox he was "barely" for the CR.
"What's the ‘barely’ part?" I asked.
"The ‘barely" is Donald Trump. He is the difference maker. I would never support this language. But I do trust Donald Trump," said Burlison. "He's not let me down. I think that he is a man of his word. And so I believe him when he's when he says he's going to get it done."
But that was only half of the battle. The bill earned the support of all but one Senate Republican. But 60 votes are necessary to break a filibuster. Republicans only have 53 GOP members. So that would entail assistance from Democrats.
Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., said he opposed the bill because it didn’t cut spending. Paul said he didn’t get any blowback from the President or fellow Republicans on his position.
"People know kind of where I am. I'm pretty consistent on opposing debt and opposing spending," said Paul.
Contrast the silence Paul has heard to how President Trump unloaded on his Bluegrass State colleague, Thomas Massie. Mr. Trump argued that Massie should face a primary for his defection.
Sen. John Fetterman, D-Penn., is the only Democrat on the record support the stopgap spending bill.
So, it’s about the math.
With only 52 Republicans primed to crack a filibuster, that means the Senate needs eight Democrats to vote yes. That includes Fetterman. Note that they don’t have to vote yes on the bill. Just to overcome the filibuster. Republicans can pass the bill on their own with a simple majority.
This leaves Democrats as badly torn as any party in recently on any issue.
On one hand, Democrats don’t want to shutter the government. They fear that will imperil already skittish federal workers. And it could lead to additional cuts from Elon Musk and DOGE if federal workers aren’t on the job.
On the other hand, they want to be seen as fighting for their base and rally against President Trump and Musk.
Democrats must either go to the mat or try to salvage something before the 11:59:59 pm et government funding deadline Friday.
There are rattlings that Democrats may ask for votes on a universe of amendments – none of which would pass. But at least Democrats could save face – telling their loyalists that they fought for their values and tried to stand up to the President and Musk. They could also make the case that a shutdown is worse than keeping the government open.
Fox is told senators would be interested in votes on the following subjects:
Fetterman appeared to be the only Democrat willing to vote for the GOP interim spending bill, but Thursday, Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) announced he would vote for it. And it’s possible that a vote on a set of amendments could unlock a few Democratic votes to break a filibuster on the bill.
But tensions are now running high.
Reporters staking out a meeting of Senate Democrats talking about the shutdown heard who they believe was Sen. Kirstin Gillibrand, D-N.Y., screaming at her colleagues through he thick Capitol walls.
Multiple Senate Democrats were utterly silent as they left a lengthy Senate Democratic Caucus. None of the senators approached by Fox were willing to talk – even though some are quite loquacious under other circumstances. In fact Fox even asked several of the Democrats if they were told not to say anything. Several replied "no comment."
Quiet on Capitol Hill often means something is up and that lawmakers are trying to broker a very fragile deal. It also means that lawmakers are fuming.
There was genuine fear among Democrats that a government shutdown could permanently imperil the federal government and perhaps trigger additional layoffs of thousands of federal workers.
Here’s the other problem: If the government shut down, no one is quite sure HOW it could re-open. It’s about the math. And the calculus under those circumstances simply did not work to for the House and Senate to eventually pass the same bill and re-open the government. That calculus simply did not seem to work.
That’s why Schumer made the decision to support the Band-Aid spending bill – as risky as it is.
This is why multiple Senate Democrats refused to comment on what Schumer told them at the closed-door caucus meeting today. That’s why tempers flared and Sen. Kirstin Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) was heard yelling through the thick Senate walls.
But this is not without peril for Schumer.
He needs to convince six other Democrats (for a grand total of eight) to support overcoming a filibuster.
There are 53 Senate Republicans. 60 votes are needed to avert a filibuster.
Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) is a no. So the deficit is eight. Schumer and Sen. John Fetterman (D-Penn.) are the first two Democrats to say they are willing to vote to overcome a filibuster. So Schumer needs six more.
If he can’t find those votes, the government will close. And Schumer will have committed a tremendous tactical error.
As the saying goes, a leader with no followers is just a man out for a walk.
Former House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, used to say that "nothing good" ever happens when Congress has been in session for more than three consecutive weeks.
Members grow angry. Antsy. Tempers are short.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., noted that the Senate has met for ten consecutive weeks.
"Senators have been seeing a lot of each other lately. In fact, too much," said Thune.
That includes three all-night sessions and weekend sessions. This period is the longest stretch of consecutive weeks for Senate activity in 15 years.
The Senate is scheduled to be out next week for the first time this year. A government shutdown trashes the recess. Senators have barely seen their family members. It’s been a frenetic pace.
That’s why the most powerful people in Washington could have the ultimate say about funding the government: Senate spouses.
And if the Senate aligns with the House, they will have averted a government shutdown.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., says he will vote to keep the government open, warning that a shutdown has worse consequences for Americans and would only empower President Trump and Elon Musk further.
"I believe it is my job to make the best choice for the country to minimize the harms to the American people. Therefore, I will vote to keep the government open and not shut it down," Schumer said while speaking on the Senate floor on Thursday.
Democrats have criticized Republicans for their hesitation to pass government funding legislation, while their own party is currently on the brink of allowing a federal shutdown.
On Wednesday, Schumer said that his party would oppose the spending bill that Republicans drafted and passed through the House, as the Friday midnight deadline looms for Congress to take action to avoid a government shutdown.
Schumer called for a one-month spending bill to keep the government open until April 11 so that Democrats can better negotiate a deal. The continuing resolution, which passed through the House on Tuesday on a nearly party-line vote of 217-213, would keep the government open for the next six months, for the rest of the fiscal year, which ends Sept. 30.
Fox News Digital's Danielle Wallace contributed to this report.
President Donald Trump is reportedly expected to invoke the Alien Enemies Act of 1798 in an effort to pave the way for faster mass deportations of illegal immigrants.
Trump campaigned on invoking the wartime law, which allows the president to detain or deport the natives and citizens of an enemy nation.
Trump will use the law to target members of the violent Venezuelan Tren de Aragua gang, the New York Post reported, citing two sources close to the administration.
Fox News Digital has reached out to the White House.
The law has been invoked three times during major conflicts: the War of 1812 and World Wars I and II. During World War II, the law was used to detain Japanese Americans.
The move would come weeks into Trump's second term in office, which has seen 32,000 illegal immigrants arrested in the first 50 days.
During his campaign, Trump promised to use the law to combat Tren de Aragua (TdA) members in the United States. TdA is an international gang that has committed a wave of violent acts across American cities, including taking over entire apartment complexes in Aurora, Colorado.
The group was recently designated a foreign terrorist organization by the Department of State.
"I'm announcing today that upon taking office, we will have an Operation Aurora at the federal level to expedite the removals of these savage gangs, and I will invoke the Alien Enemies Act of 1798," he said during an October rally. "Think of that, 1798."
"Yeah, that's a long time ago, right?" he added. "To target and dismantle every migrant criminal network operating on American soil."
Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., his staff and family have been the target of harassment and death threats, according to a memo released by his office on Thursday afternoon.
Voicemails shared by Tillis' team, which were filled with profanity and fueled by discontent with President Donald Trump, reveal a frightening new reality. The senator's senior advisor, Daniel Keylin, said "the volume of threats and harassment directed at members of Congress and their staff is the new normal."
Keylin said Tillis' office in Greenville, North Carolina, received a handwritten and unsigned letter postmarked in Greensboro last month calling his staff members "sacrificial lambs" and insisting they "signed up to be his shield." The anonymous writer, while reiterating "in no way is this a threat," said people are going to start "coming in filled with rage."
The voicemails released by Tillis' office express outrage over Trump's policies and include violent threats to Tillis and his staff.
"You are not going to destroy my country," one woman said. Another caller told Tillis he is "not one of the good guys anymore" and said to "get the f--- out of government."
"…When things get really bad, people are going to stop calling and writing. They’re going to start coming in, and they’re going to be coming in filled with rage… And you signed up to be his shield. Resign, please resign, or find a Groupon for self defense class because America’s transition to oligarchy is going to be a wild ride for us peons," reads the anonymous letter sent to Tillis.
The anonymous writer references "America's transition to oligarchy," a term that has been used by the left to describe the alleged rising power of the billionaire class.
Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., has drawn thousands of supporters to his "Fighting Oligarchy" rallies across the country, with stops in Michigan and Wisconsin this past weekend. The events are billed as an opportunity to "discuss how we take on the greed of the billionaire class and create a government that works for all and not just the few."
Democrats were outraged by Trump inviting billionaires like Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos and Mark Zuckerberg to sit behind him at his inauguration inside the U.S. Capitol. Former President Joe Biden also used the term "oligarchy" in his farewell address to the nation.
"Today, an oligarchy is taking shape in America of extreme wealth, power, and influence that literally threatens our entire democracy, our basic rights and freedoms, and a fair shot for everyone to get ahead," Biden told Americans on Jan. 13.
Two weeks after Tillis' office received the letter, Indivisible Guilford County, a local arm of a progressive political action group, organized a protest at Tillis’ Greensboro office. While the protest's press release encouraged peaceful signs and "solidarity," Keylin said the protesters attempted to break into Tillis' office.
"They angrily yanked and attempted to open the office’s locked door, yelling at Tillis’ staff to open it: ‘Come back, we see you! Open the door!’ and reminding the staff they had no way to exit their office," Keylin said in the memo.
Keylin said Tillis' office received several media inquiries questioning if Tillis would attend the protests or town halls planned in Republican-held districts. Outlining years of targeted threats that have only escalated since Trump returned to office, Keylin said, "I imagine anyone with a modicum of sanity would understand what a silly question that is."
The memo says that "out of an abundance of caution," law enforcement has directed the senator's office to work from home on the days protests are planned.
"We will not make any apologies for prioritizing the safety and security of our staff," Keylin said.
The memo outlines two more instances in which the North Carolina senator was subject to death threats.
"Senator Tillis, his staff, and even his family have long been subject to threats, harassment, attempted intimidation, and verbal abuse from unstable individuals who don’t agree with his political view," Keylin said.
A U.S. citizen living abroad was arrested for threatening to kill Tillis and cut off the hands of his staffers in 2023, and a Minnesota man was indicted in 2022 for threatening to kill Tillis, the memo confirmed.
Protests have shut down town halls and disrupted local legislative offices in the past two months, and Republicans have opted for tele-town halls instead of in-person town halls as a result. Democrats have accused Republicans of ignoring their constituents' concerns by avoiding in-person town halls.
Gov. Tim Walz, D-Minn., will host town halls on Friday in Republican-held congressional districts in Iowa and Nebraska "to lend a megaphone to the people." Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., has reportedly started planning her own rallies in Republican-held congressional districts as well.
MoveOn.org, which has accepted millions of dollars from billionaire George Soros and his Open Society Policy Center, announced in a press release last month that it was mobilizing resources as part of a "Congress Works for Us, Not Musk" initiative "aimed at pressuring lawmakers to fight back against the Trump-Musk agenda." The group planned protests at congressional-led town halls and congressional offices.
President Donald Trump, taking questions from reporters on Thursday, touted that "a lot of great things are happening."
But Americans, nearly eight weeks into Trump's second tour of duty in the White House, seem divided on the job he's doing steering the country.
Trump's approval rating stood in negative territory at 42%-53% among registered voters nationwide in a new Quinnipiac University national poll conducted March 6-10 and released on Thursday.
That's down from 46% approval and 43% disapproval in Quinnipiac's survey from late January, in the days after Trump's second inauguration.
The president was also underwater in a CNN poll (46%-53%) conducted March 6-10 and released this week.
But Trump was above water in three other surveys in the field in recent days.
And Trump, who has long kept a close eye on public opinion polling, took to social media on Monday to showcase his "Highest Approval Ratings Since Inauguration."
Trump's poll numbers are an improvement over his first term, when he started out in negative territory and remained there for his four-year term.
An average of all the most recent national polls indicates that Trump's approval ratings are slightly above water. However, Trump has seen his numbers edge down slightly since returning to the White House in late January, when an average of his polls indicated the president's approval rating in the low 50s and his disapproval in the mid 40s.
"A noticeable uptick of discontent can be seen over President Trump's handling of a range of issues: from Ukraine to the economy to the federal workforce," Quinnipiac polling analyst Tim Malloy highlighted in the survey's release.
The president's approval rating was underwater in nine of the 10 issues tested in the Quinnipiac survey, with his handling of trade with China the only issue where most respondents gave him a thumbs-up.
And on the top issue on the minds of Americans, the economy, Trump stood at 41%-54%.
It was the third poll conducted this month, after the CNN survey and a Reuters/Ipsos poll, to spell trouble for Trump on the economy, which arguably was the most important issue that boosted him to victory in last November's presidential election.
On his handling of the federal workforce, the president stood at 40% approval and 55% disapproval in the Quinnipiac survey.
Trump, through his recently created Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), is on a mission to overhaul and downsize the federal government.
Trump named Elon Musk, the world's richest person and the chief executive of Tesla and SpaceX, to steer the organization.
DOGE has swept through federal agencies, rooting out what the White House argues was billions in wasteful federal spending. It has also taken a meat cleaver to the federal workforce, resulting in a massive downsizing of employees. The moves by DOGE have triggered a slew of lawsuits in response.
Sixty percent of voters questioned in the poll disapprove of the way Musk and DOGE are dealing with workers employed by the federal government, with only 36% approving.
And the survey's release adds that "54% of voters think Elon Musk and DOGE are hurting the country, while 40% think they are helping the country."
The CNN poll indicated that more than 6 in 10 thought the cuts by DOGE would go too far and that important federal programs would be shut down, with 37% saying the cuts wouldn't go far enough in eliminating fraud and waste in the government.
It's no surprise that there's a massive partisan divide in the latest polls when it comes to Trump and DOGE.
Democrats, by a 96%-2% margin in the Quinnipiac survey, gave the president a thumbs-down on the job he's doing in office, while Republicans approved by an 89%-9% margin. Independent voters disapproved, 58%-36%.
There was also a large partisan gap over how Musk and DOGE are performing, with more than three-quarters of Republicans approving and 96% of Democrats and more than two-thirds of independents disapproving.
The poll also asked respondents about Vice President JD Vance's performance in office. Vance stood at 41% approval and 49% disapproval.
Quinnipiac's survey questioned 1,198 registered voters nationwide for their latest poll. The survey's overall sampling error was plus or minus 2.8 percentage points.
-The Hitchhiker's Guide to where we stand to avoid a government shutdown
-Judge orders Trump admin to reinstate probationary workers fired at 6 agencies
Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., was heard screaming inside Democratic senators' private lunch on Thursday amid ongoing debate over the looming government shutdown.
Democrats remained tight-lipped as they left the meeting, which lasted over an hour, but Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., told reporters: "You'll hear from me soon."
Senate Democrats are in disagreement over how to proceed on the House-passed stopgap spending bill to avert a government shutdown, with some inclined to help advance it and others apparently willing to risk a lapse in funding…Read more
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Get the latest updates on the Trump administration and Congress, exclusive interviews and more on FoxNews.com.
Senate Democrats are teasing a government shutdown this week in protest of a Republican-led funding bill, despite repeatedly stoking fears over shutdowns and criticizing GOP lawmakers for hesitating over funding legislation in the past.
"Funding the government is the most basic responsibility we have in Congress," Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said in September.
The House passed a continuing resolution (CR) this week to keep the government open until October, but Democratic Senators are holding up the legislation to advocate for a "clean" month-long stopgap bill. Schumer said on Wednesday that Republicans "do not have the votes" to pass the House version of the bill - putting the government at risk as the Friday funding deadline looms.
While Democrats are on the brink of allowing the government to shut down this week, their past comments reveal they have criticized Republicans over the same issue.
In September 2024, Schumer warned of the implications that would follow if the government were to shut down.
"If the government shuts down, it will be average Americans who suffer most. A government shutdown means seniors who rely on Social Security could be thrown into chaos," the Democratic Senator said.
"So what changed, Chuck?" Trump's Rapid Response team said on Thursday in a post on X alongside a resurfaced clip of the remarks.
Rep. Kathy Castor, D-Fla., amid the September spending bill fight, claimed that "MAGA Republicans have exploited each funding deadline to play political games and force their radical Project 2025 policies on Americans while American families’ livelihoods hang in the balance."
"This is no way to govern, but the last thing Florida families need is a government shutdown as Floridians prepare for Hurricane Helene and its difficult aftermath," Castor said.
"We are mere days away from a partial government shutdown on March 1," Schumer said in a February 2024 letter. "Unless Republicans get serious, the extreme Republican shutdown will endanger our economy, raise costs, lower safety, and exact untold pain on the American people."
In another instance, in 2023, Schumer claimed that "a shutdown would be a terrible outcome for the country despite what some on the hard right would have us ludicrously believe."
"It’s hard for me to believe that some, the extreme right in the other chamber, say they actually want a shutdown. What insanity," the New York Democrat said.
Rep. Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., during a meeting with President Donald Trump in 2018, also cautioned against a government shutdown.
"I think the American people recognize that we must keep the government open, that a shutdown is not worth anything," Pelosi told Trump in the Oval Office.
During the same meeting, Schumer mirrored Pelosi's stance, telling Trump that "we shouldn’t shut down the government over a dispute."
Castor, in response to Democratic opposition to the CR this week, told Fox News Digital, "Elon Musk and Republicans in Congress are exploiting a deadline to continue their illegal shutdowns and firings of public servants who serve veterans, neighbors who rely on Social Security and more."
"Let’s be clear: Republicans control the White House, the Senate, and the House. This is their chaos, their crisis, and their responsibility," Castor's office said in a statement. "If they want to ram through a funding bill that inflicts pain on the American people, they’ll have to do it on their own."
Sen. Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla., speaking to reporters, said that if Democrats shut down the government, it would be "a Schumer shutdown."
A spokesperson for Pelosi told Fox News Digital that, given their majority, it is the Republicans' responsibility to fund the government.
"Republicans have control of the House, Senate and White House. Democrats are ready, willing and able to support bipartisan government funding – but Republicans walked away from negotiations, so it is their responsibility to fund the government. Democrats do not have the ability to shut down the government," a spokesperson for Pelosi told Fox.
Fox News Digital reached out to Schumer for comment, but did not immediately receive a response.
Fox News' Julia Johnson and Remy Numa contributed to this report.
In the face of pressure from the Trump administration, the Venezuelan government has agreed to resume accepting deportation flights from the U.S., according to Richard Grenell, a special envoy to President Donald Trump.
As Trump cracks down on illegal immigration, with ICE making upward of 32,000 arrests of illegals across the country, some Latin American countries have refused to accept returns.
Grenell announced Thursday the Venezuelan government, led by socialist dictator Nicolás Maduro, had agreed to resume the flights.
Maduro had previously threatened to halt deportation flights after Trump’s decision to revoke a Biden-era special license allowing U.S.-based Chevron to produce and sell oil from the country.
"I am pleased to announce that Venezuela has agreed to resume flights to pick up their citizens who broke U.S. Immigration Laws and entered the U.S. illegally," Grenell said on X.
Deportation flights to Venezuela will resume Friday, according to Grenell’s post.
Venezuela is home to one of the most notorious migrant gangs in the U.S., Tren de Aragua, members of which have been among the administration’s primary targets for deportation.
John Fabbricatore, a visiting fellow at the Heritage Foundation’s Border Security and Immigration Center, told Fox News Digital this development will help improve the administration’s deportation operation.
"President Trump has continued to work diligently to ensure that deportation flights continue to countries that have been recalcitrant in the past," said Fabbricatore. "Venezuela’s acceptance of these flights allows for a smooth deportation process and shorter, overall detention time."
During his first term, Trump pursued a "maximum pressure" sanctions policy against Maduro's government, especially targeting Venezuela's energy business. Trump imposed heavy oil sanctions against Venezuela in 2019, but those sanctions were then relaxed by President Joe Biden.
"The regime has not been transporting the violent criminals that they sent into our Country (the Good Ole’ U.S.A.) back to Venezuela at the rapid pace that they had agreed to," he added. "I am therefore ordering that the ineffective and unmet Biden "Concession Agreement" be terminated as of the March 1st option to renew."
The Trump administration scored another significant diplomatic victory with Venezuela in January when Grenell visited Caracas, Venezuela’s capital city, and secured the release of six American citizens who were being held by the dictatorship on espionage and terrorism-related charges.
Reuters reported last week that Secretary of State Marco Rubio determined Maduro’s government is still holding nine Americans hostage under "questionable circumstances and without respect for their rights."
Rep. Raul Grijalva, D-Ariz., died of lung cancer-related issues on Thursday morning, his office announced in a statement. In Congress, the southern Arizona Democrat was most known for his work on the House Natural Resources committee.
"From permanently protecting the Grand Canyon for future generations to strengthening the Affordable Care Act, his proudest moments in Congress have always been guided by community voices," the statement read.
"He led the charge for historic investments in climate action, port of entry modernization, permanent funding for land and water conservation programs, access to health care for tribal communities and the uninsured, fairness for immigrant families and Dreamers, student loan forgiveness, stronger protections for farmers and workers exposed to extreme heat, early childhood education expansion, higher standards for tribal consultation, and so much more," the statement continued.
"Some of these victories seemed out of reach when he first came to Congress, but with support from community, colleagues, allies, and staff, he helped make them real."
The southern Arizona Democrat was 77 years old, and he had served in Congress since 2003. While receiving treatment, he had undergone local scrutiny for missing dozens of votes on Capitol Hill, KOLD reported.
There was an outpouring of condolences for the late congressman.
"First and foremost, as someone who lost their father recently, I want to express my sincerest condolences to the Grijalva family," Arziona state Rep. Alma Hernandez, D-Tucson, told Fox News Digital. "Losing a parent is beyond one of the hardest experiences one can face. Outside of this political world we are all normal human beings. May the family find peace in the memories that they lived with the Congressman."
"A genuinely devastating loss," Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., posted to X. "Raúl Grijalva stood as one of the biggest champions for working people in all of Congress. His leadership was singular. He mentored generously and was an incredible friend. I will always be grateful for his lifelong courage and commitment."
The Democrat represented a deep blue district, leaving the door wide open for a competitive primary.
FIRST ON FOX: The White House compiled a highlight reel of Senate Democrats in recent years railing against potential government shutdowns as an attack on democracy, as the same Democrats this week flirt with rejecting a Trump-backed federal funding bill that would avert a looming shutdown.
"This is a democracy, and in a democracy, hostage tactics are the last resort for those who can't win their fights through elections, can't win their fights in Congress, can't win their fights for the presidency, and can't win their fights in the courts," Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., said in a clip included in the White House video.
"To hold these people hostage instead of just letting them do their jobs, which they want to do while we work out our differences. So wrong." declared Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer in a 2019 video, referring to furloughed federal employees.
A Trump administration official told Fox News Digital Thursday that Democrat "hypocrisy" and "hatred for Donald Trump" has "overpowered" the party's common sense.
"Last week, Democrats refused to stand for a child battling brain cancer and Angel Moms," a Trump administration official told Fox News Digital. "Now, their hypocrisy and hatred for Donald Trump have overpowered a commonsense, reasonable funding measure that their party has historically endorsed. This isn’t principled opposition; it’s a vitriolic response to their contempt for President Trump and the undeniable momentum on Republicans’ side."
The more than two-minute video included clips from Sens. Schumer, Warren, Kirsten Gillibrand, Jack Reed, Corey Booker, Tim Kaine, Chris Murphy, Adam Schiff and Amy Klobuchar railing against previous shutdowns or threats of government shutdowns.
The Trump administration official added in comment to Fox Digital that Democrats' threats of a shutdown are "purely political theater" and attempts to grandstand.
"Make no mistake: Democrats’ threats of a Schumer Shutdown are purely political theater," the official said. "As President Trump works to fulfill his mandate to the American people, Senate Democrats are grandstanding against a measure to keep the government open — one that supports veterans’ benefits and military pay increases."
The House passed a Trump-backed federal funding bill Tuesday, largely along partisan lines in a 217 to 213 vote. The bill would fund the federal government through the end of September.
The bill is now in the Senate's hands, presenting Democrats in the upper chamber with the option of either passing the bill or triggering a government shutdown Friday at midnight.
Senate Democrats are reportedly at odds on how to proceed, sources told Fox News Digital this week.
"They’ve been debating what to do, and there’s been people who feel strongly on both sides," a Democratic source familiar told Fox News Digital, in reference to several lengthy Senate Democratic caucus meetings in the past couple days.
Though many Senate Democrats have remained mum on the contents of their recent meetings, multiple lawmakers, such as Sens. Mark Warner, D-Va., and Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., posted videos to social media stating they planned to vote against the continuing resolution.
"This is a shutdown bill that's bad for the economy — let Trump shutdown whatever he wants," Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., said Sunday. "Hurting everyday folks to use money for tax breaks for the uber-rich. Hell no!"
Meanwhile, Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., was heard by the media screaming inside a private lunch with Senate Democrats on Thursday, which lasted more than an hour.
Gillibrand also was included in the White House highlight reel, where she slammed the 2019 government shutdown as risking children "going to bed hungry."
"If this shutdown continues indefinitely, 39 million Americans will risk not having enough food. They will lose their SNAP benefits in February, so that means American children will be going to bed hungry. It's unacceptable," she said in the video clip.
Fox News Digital's Julia Johnson and Aubrie Spady contributed to this report.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte lauded President Donald Trump’s efforts to push NATO allies to increase defense spending, amid efforts to end the war in Ukraine.
Trump has long advocated for NATO allies to ramp up defense spending to between 2% and 5% gross domestic product — and has made it clear that European nations need to shoulder greater responsibility for the security of their continent.
"You're starting to hear the British prime minister and others all committing to much higher defense spending," Rutte told reporters Thursday at the White House. "We're not there. We need to do more, but I really want to work together with you . . . to make sure that we will have a NATO which is really reinvigorated, under your leadership. And we are getting there."
"When you look at Trump 47, what happened the last couple of weeks is really staggering," Rutte said.
Rutte’s comments come as European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen put forth an $841 billion proposal on March 4 for European Union nations to bolster defense spending.
Likewise, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer pledged in February to boost his country's defense spending to 2.5% of its gross domestic value. That is an increase from the 2.3% the U.K. currently spends, and amounts to a nearly $17 billion increase.
Still, Rutte emphasized the need to strengthen the defense industrial base in both the U.S. and Europe, and cautioned they were falling behind Russia and China in defense production.
As of 2023, the U.S. spent 3.3% of its GDP on defense spending — totaling $880 billion, according to the nonpartisan Washington, D.C.-based Peterson Institute for International Economics. 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.
NATO comprises more than 30 countries and originally was formed in 1949 to halt the spread of the Soviet Union.
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth also encouraged NATO allies to beef up defense spending during a trip to Brussels in February.
"NATO should pursue these goals as well," Hegseth said. "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."
Pledges from European and allied nations to increase defense spending coincide with negotiations to end the war in Ukraine.
Nations including the U.K. and France have proposed deploying troops to ensure that Ukraine is protected from future Russian aggression under a peace negotiation.
A new report from the conservative Heritage Foundation calling for the U.S. to phase out direct aid to Israel in favor of a "strategic partnership" is facing backlash from pro-Israel advocates.
But the report’s authors tell Fox News Digital they’ve been misunderstood. The "best thing" for Israel would not be to leave them at the mercy of U.S. policymakers who can choose to withhold direct aid, they say.
"Our goal is actually to reduce U.S. leverage over Israel. I don't want to force them to do stuff," said Victoria Coates, deputy national security advisor to President Donald Trump during the first administration and co-author of the report.
"We want them to do stuff because we have a strong partnership and they have confidence that the United States is their best partner, but we don't want that to be because we bought and paid for them," she explained in an interview with Fox News Digital.
A current memorandum of understanding [MOU] signed in 2016 stipulates that the U.S. provides Israel $3.8 billion in foreign military financing per year until 2028. Congress allocated a supplemental $9 billion in 2024 for Israel’s war against Hamas.
The memorandum must be renegotiated in 2026, which Heritage argues will allow Israel's relationship with the U.S. to evolve from "primarily a security aid recipient" to that of a "true strategic partnership."
The Heritage plan calls for a new MOU that increases Israeli aid to $4 billion from fiscal year 2029-2032, and requires all of it be spent on equipment made in the U.S., before decreasing that number by $250 million per year until it ends in FY 2047.
But the call to wind down military aid raised some eyebrows when it was first reported by Jewish Insider on Tuesday.
Rep. Steny Hoyer, D-Md., said it was, "wrong, dangerous, and gives comfort to those who seek [Israel's] destruction."
House Foreign Affairs Chairman Brian Mast, R-Fla., and Israeli Ambassador to the U.S. Yechiel Leiter had been slated to headline an event at the Heritage headquarters Wednesday to discuss the report, but they abruptly withdrew the day before. An Israeli embassy spokesperson said the ambassador would not be able to attend due to a "miscommunication regarding the format for the event," but "looks forward to future engagement" with Heritage.
Still, the idea of reorienting the Israeli relationship got the backing of Jonathan Schanzer, executive director at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, a hawkish pro-Israel think tank.
"It's a legitimate debate that I think needs to unfold," Schanzer told Fox News Digital. "What happened over the last year with the Biden administration withholding military assistance to Israel… must not happen again.
"I believe that is the impetus for the discussion that is now taking place. There does need to be discussion about making sure that America's closest ally in the Middle East does not find itself in a position where it's begging for the assistance that it expects."
Biden halted arms transfers to Israel last year amid frustrations over Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's handling of the war on Gaza.
"There is a legitimate debate about whether this is healthy for Israel to continue down the path of total reliance on the U.S.," Schanzer asserted.
"Some are trying to cast us as alt-right isolationists. It’s so disingenuous as to be laughable," said Coates, who last year authored a book entitled ‘The Battle For The Jewish State: How Israel – And America – Can Win.’
She claimed the plan was "non-controversial" among the Israeli officials Heritage had circulated it to.
"The Biden administration used their control of Israeli resupply to try to coerce their behavior," she said.
Once Trump leaves office, "we can't assume we’ll have another friendly president to this alliance, and if we have started a process like this now, we'll be all the further along to having a more equal footing between Israel and the United States."
Coates said the goal was for the U.S. to have the same sort of relationship it has with Israel as it does the United Kingdom.
"We want to continue to invest in joint programs, the way we do with the U.K. Do joint exercises, station stuff in the country which gives them a lot of confidence, but not necessarily direct aid.
"Given the scale of their economy, they don't actually need $4 billion a year from us."
The report also calls for an increase in spending on U.S.-Israeli joint programs, like developing missile, rocket, and projectile defense capabilities for both nations, to $2.25 billion.
Beginning in 2039, the plan calls for a $250 million per year increase in the amount of weapons the U.S. sells to Israel, until Israel is buying $2.25 billion worth of U.S.-made defense goods by 2047.
Heritage also calls for an increase in intelligence sharing and joint counterterrorism measures, establishing a cybersecurity partnership, loosening export controls and establishing "high-level economic dialogue."
It also said the U.S. should condition aid to Palestinians on "robust deradicalization and disengagement programming in Palestinian territories to undo decades of antisemitic and anti-Israel propaganda."
In response to the backlash against the report, Coates added: "The outburst of antisemitism here in the United States, you know, the attacks on Israel, showed that there's a lot of work to do here."
"Rather than trying to tear us down for contributing, you know, maybe, maybe we should look more to getting after the substance of these issues, instead of instituting a circular firing squad."
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is launching a probe into the city of Dallas over the region's sanctuary city policies that protect illegal immigrants.
On Thursday, Paxton announced the investigation, as well as a formal request for city and Dallas Police Department records concerning the police department's refusal to comply with state and federal immigration laws.
"The law is not optional. Local governments do not have the authority to disregard state and federal immigration laws," Paxton said in a statement. "The people of Texas expect law enforcement agencies to uphold public safety, not to implement sanctuary policies that put our communities at risk."
"My office will take all necessary legal actions to ensure compliance with state law and hold accountable any local entity that defies its legal obligations," he added.
Paxton's office has requested all policies, training materials and communications related to Dallas’ enforcement or non-enforcement of immigration laws, including any records reflecting decisions to decline cooperation with federal immigration authorities.
He cited Dallas Interim Police Chief Michael Igo, who said that his agency "is not assisting any federal agency on detaining people that are either documented or undocumented in the City of Dallas."
Paxton said the chief's remarks "raise serious concerns" that the city and police department are possibly violating Texas law, which prohibits local entities from adopting sanctuary city policies that limit immigration enforcement.
In a statement to Fox News Digital, the city of Dallas said: "We are reviewing the letter received from the Texas Attorney General’s Office and will respond at the appropriate time."
Texas has taken a hard stance against illegal immigration, particularly during the Biden administration. The state deployed authorities to its border with Mexico and took on a campaign of bussing migrants to Democratic-run cities to bring attention to the flow of illegal immigrants into the U.S.
Things are getting dicey as we hurtle toward a potential government shutdown tomorrow night as time slips off the clock.
But Democrats are REALLY torn – as badly as I’ve ever seen any party torn – about what approach to take.
On the one hand, they don’t want to shut down the government. They fear that will imperil already skittish federal workers. And it could lead to additional cuts from Elon Musk and DOGE if federal workers aren’t on the job.
On the other hand, they want to be seen as fighting for their base and rallying against President Donald Trump and Musk.
But it is often the darkest before the dawn.
And we’re getting close to the stage where lawmakers realize they must make a decision: Either go to the mat, or try to salvage something before the 11:59:59 p.m. ET deadline.
There are rattlings now that Democrats may ask for votes on a universe of amendments – none of which would pass. But at least Democrats could try to save face – and tell their loyalists that they had fought for their values and tried to stand up to the president and Musk. They could also make the case that a shutdown is worse than keeping the government open.
Fox is told senators would be interested in votes on the following subjects:
While Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., appears to be the only Democrat willing to vote for the GOP interim spending bill, it’s POSSIBLE that a vote on a set of amendments COULD unlock a few Democratic votes to break a filibuster on the bill.
A test vote would likely come tomorrow morning. That’s why they need to potentially broker a deal today.
Multiple Senate Democrats were utterly silent as they left a lengthy Senate Democratic Caucus. None of the senators approached by Fox were willing to talk – even though some are quite loquacious under other circumstances.
That includes Sens. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., Chris Coons, D-Del., Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., Ed Markey, D-Mass., and Tammy Baldwin, D-Wisc.
In fact, Fox even asked several of the Democrats whether they have been told not to say anything. Several of them replied, "No comment."
Quiet on Capitol Hill usually means something is up, and that lawmakers are trying to broker a deal, and it could be very fragile. It also means that lawmakers are completely beside themselves and fuming inside.
Don’t underestimate the latter as a potential avenue out of this political cul-de-sac.
Former House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, used to say that "nothing good ever happens when the House has been in session for more than three consecutive weeks."
Members grow angry. Antsy. Tempers are short.
As Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., noted this morning, the Senate has been in session for 10 consecutive weeks. That includes three all-night sessions and weekend sessions. This period is the longest stretch of consecutive weeks for Senate activity in 15 years.
The Senate is scheduled to be out of session next week for the first time this year. If the government shuts down, that recess could be trashed. Senators have barely seen their family members and loved ones all year long. It’s been a frenetic pace.
That’s why the decision about funding the government and getting people out of the Capitol could be made by the most powerful people in Washington: the Senate spouses.
This is far from settled. But they are already getting late in the game if they are to avoid a shutdown tomorrow night.
Federal judges in Maine said they were compelled by their code of ethics to recuse themselves from a case brought forth by Maine GOP state Rep. Laurel Libby.
Libby, R-Bangor, is challenging her censure in the state legislature, which was issued in response to her opposition to transgender athletes competing in women's high school sports.
Judges in the U.S. District Court for the District of Maine, the state's sole federal court district, announced Wednesday that they would all be recusing themselves from Libby's case, forcing it to be moved to a court in Rhode Island. While the judges did not initially state any reasons explaining their mass recusal, Chief Judge Lance Walker said in a statement Wednesday evening that it was the result of a potential conflict of interest.
"The Judges of the District of Maine independently concluded that they are compelled by the Code of Conduct for United States Judges to recuse themselves because an employee of the District of Maine is involved in or directly impacted by the controversy underlying this litigation," Walker said. "The case will remain in the District of Maine but has been specially assigned to judges in the District of Rhode Island."
While Walker's explanation shed some light on the reasoning behind the mass recusal, it failed to specify the exact nature of the conflict of interest. A Fox News Digital analysis of public records found that the transgender high school athlete at the center of Libby's censure lawsuit – filed after she posted a photo of the athlete competing before transitioning – shares a last name with someone working in the U.S. District Court system for the District of Maine.
"It seems like there was a reasonable explanation for those judges to recuse, that they all did have a close relationship with someone related to the athlete," said Carrie Campbell Severino, president of the Judicial Crisis Network. Severino said, when asked about the possible familial link: "My concern now is – how has this next judge been chosen? Because there are lots of questions about whether this judge is actually able to be impartial in the case."
Due to the judges' recusal, Biden-appointed Judge Melissa DuBose of the District of Rhode Island will now oversee the case.
During DuBose's confirmation hearing in March 2024, Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., questioned DuBose over comments she made to a journalist about going through a "Marxist phase" at a certain point in her life. "Senator, I have never been a Marxist and I am not [currently] a Marxist," DuBose said.
In 2021, DuBose signed a letter alongside a slew of other Rhode Island judges, ensuring the LGBTQ community, racial minorities "and all under-represented communities" that "Rhode Island's courts are their courts." The letter followed a rally of thousands on the state House steps protesting police brutality.
Severino said it was "hard to imagine" that DuBose would be able to provide a fair trial in Libby's case, which centers on highly contentious LGBTQ issues.
"It's not clear to me how it was decided it was going to go to Rhode Island, as opposed to another jurisdiction nearby. There are other adjacent states the case could theoretically go to," Severino pointed out. "Now that it has been moved, there are further concerns about the ability of this judge to be impartial."
Libby declined to comment for this article, citing ongoing litigation. Maine House Speaker Ryan Fecteau, D-Biddeford, who is a defendant in Libby's case, also cited the same reason for not wanting to comment. Maine House Clerk Robert Hunt, another defendant, did not respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment.
