We’re quickly approaching the fourth weekend of 2025.

And the Senate is already running behind.

This could trigger weekend Senate sessions as Senate Republicans try to accelerate the process on some of President Donald Trump's Cabinet nominees.

Senators failed to forge a time agreement to expedite the confirmation of CIA Director nominee John Ratcliffe.

SEN. THUNE SUGGESTS STAYING THROUGH WEEKEND TO CONFIRM TRUMP PICKS AFTER DEMS DELAY VOTES: 'SHOULDN'T BE HARD'

So, here are some Senate vocabulary terms for you.

Cloture, filibuster and ripen.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., filed "cloture" Tuesday to break filibusters on three nominees, starting with Ratcliffe. "Invoking cloture" is the parliamentary means to break a filibuster.

A filibuster is in the eyes of the beholder. A filibuster could be a way to hold something up via a lengthy speech. It could be a way to just object and sidetrack the Senate’s course. Or, it could be implied that senators who plan to deploy either option. Thus, the Senate Majority Leader gets the joke. He knows he must "file cloture" to terminate the "filibuster."

Democrats appear dug in on Ratcliffe. So Thune took the procedural step of filing cloture petitions to overcome a filibuster on the the Ratcliffe nomination, but also for Defense Secretary nominee Pete Hegseth and Homeland Security Secretary nominee Kristi Noem.

By rule, once cloture is filed, it must "ripen" for a day before the Senate may consider it. Thune filed cloture on Ratcliffe Tuesday. Therefore Wednesday serves as the intervening day. The Senate could vote to break the filibuster one hour after the Senate meets on Thursday at 10 am et. By rule, the cloture vote can begin at 11 am et. That will only need 51 yeas to break the filibuster.

SECOND ACTS: PRESIDENT TRUMP MAKES HISTORIC COMEBACK

CIA Director is not recognized as a full-level cabinet position. So the "post cloture" time is limited to only two hours – not the full 30 hours of debate allowed for all cabinet level slots.

Thus, if the Senate breaks the filibuster on Thursday, a vote to confirm Ratcliffe as CIA Director could come just two hours later. Confirmation only needs 51 votes.

Next in the queue is the Hegseth nomination. And the process starts all over again.

Fox has learned that unless there is a time agreement to accelerate debate on nominees, it is possible that the confirmation vote on Defense Secretary nominee Pete Hegseth could come late Friday night or in the wee hours of Saturday morning.

So let’s say the Senate clears the filibuster on Ratcliffe by late morning. It debates his nomination for a couple of hours. That means the Senate could vote by 3 or 4 p.m. ET to confirm Ratcliffe.

Once Ratcliffe is confirmed, Hegseth is next. The Senate could then vote to break the filibuster on Hegseth on Thursday afternoon. If the Senate breaks the filibuster, that would then trigger up to 30 hours of debate. If all time is used, final confirmation on Hegseth could come late Friday night or early Saturday morning.

HEGSETH LAWYER SLAMS 'FLAWED AND QUESTIONABLE AFFIDAVIT' FROM EX-SISTER-IN-LAW

Regardless, this is where things get interesting:

Fox is told it’s possible there could be a tie on the confirmation vote for Hegseth. It’s about the math. Republicans have 53 members. Fox is told to keep an eye on Sens. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., Susan Collins, R-Maine, and Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska. All have played their cards close to the vest as to their opinions on Hegseth. If they vote nay, Vice President Vance could need to come to the Capitol to break the tie and confirm Hegseth as Defense Secretary.

No vice president had ever broken a tie to confirm a cabinet secretary until former Vice President Mike Pence did so to confirm Betsy DeVos as Education Secretary on February 7, 2017. Pence also broke ties to confirm former Sen. Sam Brownback, R-Kan., as ambassador for religious freedom in 2018. He also broke a tie to confirm current Budget Director nominee Russ Vought as Deputy Budget Director in 2018.

Once the Senate dispenses with the Hegseth nomination, it’s on to a procedural vote for Noem. The Senate would need to break a filibuster on Noem’s nomination. If that vote comes late Friday/early Saturday, the Senate could vote to confirm Noem midday Sunday if they burn all time. If the vote to break the filibuster on Noem comes at a "normal" hour Saturday (say 10 or 11 am et), the Senate doesn’t vote to confirm Noem until Sunday night or Monday if all time is required.

Thune also filed cloture on the nomination of Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent late Thursday. So that’s up once Noem is confirmed. If all time is used, Bessent isn’t confirmed until early next week.

And so it goes.

TRUMP NOMINEES COLLINS, STEFANIK TO FACE SENATE GRILLING AS VA, UN PICKS; BESSENT GETS COMMITTEE VOTE

"Do you all have your sleeping bags and cots?" asked Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Roger Wicker, R-Miss.

Everyone is settling in for a slog.

"Right now it appears there's every indication that votes will be taking place through Saturday. We'll see if that goes into Sunday or Monday without any days in between. But right now, I'm planning on being there for the weekend for votes," said Sen. Ben Ray Lujan, D-N.M.

"I'm happy to be here all weekend, if that's what it takes," said Sen. Cynthia Lummis, R-Wyo.

That said, Senate Minority Whip Dick Durbin, D-Ill., cautioned that things sometimes accelerate in the Senate. Especially when there’s chatter of late-night votes and weekend sessions.

"I think I've seen this game before," said Durbin Tuesday. "I think it ends with an accommodation and a bipartisan agreement. So I wouldn't jump too quickly now to reach a conclusion."

DEM WHO CALLED TRUMP 'EXISTENTIAL THREAT TO DEMOCRACY' NOW BLOCKING HIS NOMINEES

That said, there are two factors afoot:

Democrats want to make a point about their reservations Trump nominees – especially those with whom they vehemently disagree or believe are unqualified. So politically, it’s important that they go to the mat and show their base they’re standing up to the President and his cabinet.

By the same token, this is Thune’s first rodeo as Majority Leader. He needs to establish his bona fides as Leader. Politically, Thune must demonstrate he’s fighting for Mr. Trump and his nominees – and willing to keep the Senate in session around the clock. In other words, there’s a new sheriff in town.

So, unless something changes, everyone is dialed in for some lengthy weekend and even late-night sessions. It’s likely the Senate will confirm President Trump’s nominees.

But it might just take a while.

President Trump re-designated the Houthis as a foreign terrorist organization (FTO) on Wednesday, four years after his first administration made an identical move.

In an executive order signed on Wednesday, Trump said that the terrorist group "threaten[s] the security of American civilians and personnel in the Middle East, the safety of our closest regional partners, and the stability of global maritime trade."

"Supported by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Quds Force (IRGC-QF), which arms and trains terrorist organizations worldwide, the Houthis have fired at U.S. Navy warships dozens of times since 2023, endangering American men and women in uniform," the order noted.

Trump also documented that "numerous" attacks that the terrorist group has conducted over the years, including "multiple attacks on civilian airports in Saudi Arabia, the deadly January 2022 attacks on the United Arab Emirates, and more than 300 projectiles fired at Israel since October 2023."

DOGE CAUCUS PLANS FOR BIGGEST IMPACT, EYEING KEY TOOLS TO EXPEDITE CUTTING WASTE

"The Houthis have also attacked commercial vessels transiting Bab al-Mandeb more than 100 times, killing at least four civilian sailors and forcing some Red Sea maritime commercial traffic to reroute, which has contributed to global inflation," the order added.

Trump administration designated the Houthis as an FTO in January 2021. In a Wednesday press release, the White House noted that the Biden administration immediately reversed it.

"As a result of the Biden administration’s weak policy, the Houthis have fired at U.S. Navy warships dozens of times, launched numerous attacks on civilian infrastructure in partner nations, and attacked commercial vessels transiting Bab al-Mandeb more than 100 times," the White House said on Wednesday.

OHIO GOV DEWINE PICKS LT GOV TO FILL VICE PRESIDENT-ELECT JD VANCE'S VACANT SEAT

"The Executive Order directs the Secretary of State, in consultation with others, to recommend the re-designation of the Houthis within 30 days."

Though the Biden White House removed the FTO designation in January 2021, Biden did name the Houthis as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) entity last week. That designation is considered a lower grade than an FTO.

Then-State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller defended the move in a press conference, claiming that the Houthis recently launched attacks on cargo ships in the Middle East – though the group has targeted commercial ships for years.

"The Houthis were procuring military equipment long before that designation and they continued to procure it in the year since," Miller explained. "What's changed as we have seen them launching attacks on commercial shipping in the Red Sea, something that wasn't the case in 2021. And that's why we decided it was important to take this step. "

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

Here's what's happening…

-Bureau of Prisons director out as Trump's Justice Department reforms take shape

-Republican leaders still at odds on reconciliation debate after Trump meeting

-Trump DHS expands expedited deportation powers as operations ramp up

The U.S. State Department has adopted a new policy under the Trump administration that effectively blocks U.S. embassies and outposts from flying Pride and Black Lives Matter flags, a report said Tuesday.

The Washington Free Beacon first reported that it obtained a copy of the "One Flag Policy" order, which permits only the American flag to be flown at U.S. facilities at home and abroad, with two notable exceptions: the Prisoner of War/Missing in Action (POW/MIA) emblem and the Wrongful Detainees Flag.

"Starting immediately, only the United States of America flag is authorized to be flown or displayed at U.S. facilities, both domestic and abroad, and featured in U.S. government content," the memo states, according to the outlet. "The flag of the United States of America united all Americans under the universal principles of justice, liberty, and democracy. These values, which are the bedrock of our great country, are shared by all American citizens, past and present."…Read more

ROOTING OUT DEI: Trump revokes Biden order allowing transgender troops in bid to rid DEI from military…Read more

KEY MEETING: Trump, GOP leaders meet at White House as president plans visit to NC, defends executive orders…Read more

'DESPERATE ATTEMPTS': Pastors, conservatives unleash on Episcopal bishop for 'weaponizing' the pulpit against Trump…Read more

BYE-BYE BIDEN: Biden returns to California vacation spot after leaving office…Read more

'VERY NICE': Biden left Trump 'inspirational' message in 'very nice' letter, new president says…Read more

'NOT VERY GOOD AT HER JOB!': Trump excoriates bishop as 'Radical Left hard line Trump hater' after politically charged prayer service…Read more

TALIBAN FEARS: Trump order puts thousands of Afghan allies waiting for US resettlement in limbo…Read more

A NEW HEALTHCARE HORIZON: Trump's Day One actions reversed Biden-era health policies, including efforts to expand ObamaCare…Read more

ODD MAN OUT: Nearly all of D.C. shut down for Trump's inauguration. So why was there no designated survivor?…Read more

'DO NOT NEGOTIATE': UN urges diplomacy as Iran hits nuclear 'gas pedal,' conservative commentator tells Trump ‘do not appease’…Read more

'FIGHTING BACK': Democrats join DOGE subcommittee, including member seeking 'good government'…Read more

'SHOULDN'T BE HARD': Sen. Thune suggests staying through weekend to confirm Trump picks after Dems delay votes…Read more

'OPEN YOUR ASIAN EYES': Dem rising star eyeing elected office has social media littered with vulgar post…Read more

LAND GRAB: Senate Republicans launch effort to ban Chinese nationals from buying land in US…Read more

'HONOR AND BRAVERY': Vermont Border Patrol agent allegedly killed by German national worked in Pentagon during 9/11…Read more

HIGH AND DRY: California water supply crucial for LA wildfire response allowed to run dry months before infernos: lawsuit…Read more

'BACK IN BUSINESS': Alaska leaders cheer Trump oil and gas drilling executive order…Read more

‘THE LAW IS CLEAR’: Adams says NYC is coordinating with ICE as mass migrant deportations loom…Read more

'BREATH OF FRESH AIR': Mother of missing Marine veteran calls Trump admin a 'breath of fresh air' as she continues 12-year search…Read more

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

The Republican Party's Laken Riley Act is heading to President Donald Trump’s desk to become the first bill he signs into law after the party retook both chambers of Congress and the White House.

The House of Representatives passed the bill in a 263 to 156 vote on Wednesday, the second time the lower chamber advanced the bill this month.

It passed the House 264 to 159 on Jan. 7. All voting Republicans supported the bill, along with 48 Democrats – two more than the most recent vote.

TRUMP ELIMINATING LNG PAUSE TO HAVE ‘QUICKEST EFFECT’ ON ENERGY INDUSTRY: RICK PERRY

The GOP-controlled Senate also advanced the bill in a bipartisan 64 to 35 vote, but added measures to deport illegal immigrants who assault a police officer or cause death or "serious bodily injury" of another person.

The original bill would direct Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers to detain illegal immigrants accused of theft-related crimes. It also would allow states to sue the Department of Homeland Security for harm caused to their citizens because of illegal immigration.

The majority of Democrats were against the bill, arguing that allowing people accused but not convicted of crimes to be deported is a slippery slope. But supporters of the bill point out that people here illegally have already run afoul of U.S. law.

It’s notable, however, that more Democrats supported the bill when it passed the House this month than when it first came up for a vote in 2024. It’s a marked difference from last year when the then-Democrat-controlled Senate did not even take up the bill for a vote.

"Nothing ever happens in this town up here until the American people demand it," the bill’s leader, Rep. Mike Collins, R-Ga., told Fox News Digital when asked about the increased support from the left. 

"And they have been screaming at the top of their lungs for something to happen to fix the border problem."

Rep. Randy Feenstra, R-Iowa, who led Sarah's Law, one of the amendments adopted in the bill, told Fox News Digital, "Nearly a decade ago, 21-year-old Sarah Root's life was tragically cut short when she was killed by an illegal immigrant who was driving while drunk…Sarah's Law not only delivered justice for the Root family but also ensures that any illegal immigrant who harms or kills an American citizen is swiftly detained and prosecuted."

KAMALA HARRIS MAKES TRUMP'S 2024 PRESIDENTIAL WIN OFFICIAL DURING JOINT SESSION OF CONGRESS

GOP lawmakers are working to follow through on Trump’s promises to crack down on illegal immigration and border security amid a flurry of executive orders from the president on those same issues. They’re positioning the Laken Riley Act as the first bill to get Trump’s signature as a reflection of their effort to make his agenda permanent.

The bill is named after a nursing student who was killed by an illegal immigrant while jogging on the University of Georgia's campus.

Jose Ibarra, who was sentenced to life in prison for Laken Riley's murder, had previously been arrested but was never detained by ICE.

A Danish Member of European Parliament (MEP) seethed at U.S. President Donald Trump amid his bid to have Greenland sold or ceded to the United States.

MEP Anders Vistisen, a member of the right-wing Danish People’s Party, addressed Trump’s efforts at an EU session in Strasburg, France.

"Dear President Trump, listen very carefully: Greenland has been part of the Danish kingdom for 800 years. It is an integrated part of our country. It is not for sale," Vistisen said.

Appearing to cue into the American president’s occasional salty language, Vistisen said he would put his remarks in "words you might understand."

GREENLAND PM SAYS ARCTIC ISLAND DOESN'T WANT TO BE PART OF US

"Mr. Trump, f--- off," said Vistisen. The remark drew a formal reprimand from European Parliament Vice President Nicolae Ștefănuță, who, however, suggested he too has reservations about Trump.

"If the translation was correct, the term you used is not allowed in this House, and there will be consequences to the message you have used," said Ștefănuță, who represents Romania.

"It is not OK in this House of Democracy. Regardless of what we think of Mr. Trump, it is not possible to use such language."

First son Donald Trump Jr. led a small delegation to Nuuk — the Greenlandic capital — prior to the inauguration and met with members of the public and reportedly held a luncheon.

Both Greenlandic Prime Minister Mute Egede and Danish PM Mette Frederiksen have said the landmass is not for sale.

TRUMP PLANS NC VISIT AS HE DEFENDS EXECUTIVE ORDERS

The island enjoys relative autonomy in domestic affairs and relies on Copenhagen for foreign policy and support.

The U.S. does, however, retain a U.S. Space Force presence on Greenland — at Pituffik (formerly Thule) Air Base near Savissivik.

Just over 100 years ago, the U.S. did successfully purchase Danish lands from Copenhagen.

King Christian X of Denmark and the U.S. Senate both ratified a 1916 treaty that led to the purchase of what are now the United States Virgin Islands (USVI) — St. Thomas, St. John and St. Croix. Then-President Woodrow Wilson, a Democrat, approved the treaty.

Wilson's Secretary of State Frank Polk said the island chain's people would have American nationality but not the "political status of citizens," according to the State Department’s archives.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

Residents were, however, later given full citizenship through a 1932 act of Congress.

With its roots as the Danish West Indies and originally home to British expatriates, it is also the only U.S. territory where driving on the left side of the road is the law.

Leaders in one Southern California city fed up with the state's immigration policies have voted to become a "non-sanctuary" city and ignore the state's sanctuary laws. 

The resolution was approved by the Huntington Beach City Council Tuesday night by a unanimous 7-0 vote. Mayor Pat Burns, who introduced the legislation, "Non-Sanctuary City for Illegal Immigration for the Prevention of Crime," said the move was a matter of public safety. 

"This is in the best interest of our community, Huntington Beach, to make sure that we utilize every facet of law enforcement we can to make it the best place to live," Burns, a former law enforcement officer, said during Tuesday's meeting alongside a small bust sculpture of President Donald Trump. 

The move directs the city's police officers to work with federal immigration authorities and notify immigration officials when they are about to release an illegal immigrant from jail.

TREN DE ARAGUA GANG MEMBERS ARRESTED IN NYC APARTMENT NEXT TO DAYCARE FACILITY

The resolution "deliberately sidestep[s] the Governor’s efforts to subvert the good work of federal immigration authorities and to announce the city’s cooperation with the federal government, the Trump Administration and Border Czar Tom Homan’s work," the city said in a news release. 

Sanctuary cities prohibit their law enforcement personnel from cooperating with federal immigration authorities. The practice has come under scrutiny for shielding criminal illegal immigrants from being deported. 

In addition to the resolution, Huntington Beach is suing the state over its sanctuary state laws, which it claims are unconstitutional. 

Before the vote, Councilman Chad Williams chided state lawmakers for enacting policies to protect illegal immigrants, including those convicted of violent crimes. 

"If we want to voluntarily cooperate with federal authorities to protect our community, that is absolutely our prerogative," he said. "It's just basic common sense. Why wouldn't you want to use every tool available to keep your community safe?"

TRUMP ADMIN HITS BACK AS ACLU LAUNCHES LAWSUIT ON BIRTHRIGHT CITIZENSHIP: ‘READY TO FACE THEM'

The resolution text mentions crimes committed by illegal immigrants on behalf of criminal gangs like MS-13 and Tren de Aragua, which gained widespread attention after its members allegedly terrorized residents at a Colorado apartment complex.

Tuesday's vote came weeks after California Gov. Gavin Newsom proposed a "Trump-proof" legal defense fund of up to $25 million for California's justice department. Trump has promised to target criminal illegal immigrants for deportation. 

"In California in particular, fighting crime is difficult enough with the relaxed criminal laws and lack of enforcement. The State should get out of the way of local law enforcement, stop handcuffing our police officers and California’s cities, and get back to the business of protecting innocent citizens," Huntington Beach City Attorney Michael Gates said in a press release. 

"Emphatically, the State should not take a position of violating federal immigration laws or encouraging cities to violate federal immigration laws." 

President Donald Trump's latest executive order seeks to water down diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) practices in federally funded higher-education institutions in an effort to restore "merit-based opportunity," according to the White House.

During his first two days in office, Trump issued a slew of executive orders, including ordering that all federal agencies close their DEI offices by Wednesday and put employees in those units on paid leave. To further his effort to deter DEI, the president is launching a federal review of such teachings and practices in educational institutions receiving federal funding.

"Institutions of higher education have adopted and actively use dangerous, demeaning, and immoral race and sex-based preferences under the guise of so-called ‘diversity, equity, and inclusion,’" reads the White House order, published on Tuesday.

The order requires that the attorney general and secretary of education identify potential civil compliance investigations among institutions of higher education with endowments over $1 billion dollars and, accordingly, develop action plans to "deter DEI programs or principles that constitute illegal discrimination or preferences."

CONSERVATIVE GROUP REVEALS HOW TRUMP CAN CLEAN HOUSE AT DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, LISTS TO BUREAUCRATS TO FIRE

Within 120 days, the AG and the secretary of education will issue guidance to state and local educational institutions that receive federal funds or grants or that participate in the student loan program. The focus will be on ensuring compliance with the Supreme Court's decision in Students for Fair Admissions, Inc. v. President and Fellows of Harvard College, a landmark case that held that race-based admissions practices violate the Fourteenth Amendment.

"Illegal DEI and DEIA policies not only violate the text and spirit of our longstanding Federal civil-rights laws, they also undermine our national unity, as they deny, discredit, and undermine the traditional American values of hard work, excellence, and individual achievement in favor of an unlawful, corrosive, and pernicious identity-based spoils system," the memo reads. 

The executive order noted that it will not prevent educational institutions or agencies from engaging in "First Amendment-protected" speech.

WHITE HOUSE OPM ORDERS ALL DEI OFFICES TO BEGIN CLOSING BY END OF DAY WEDNESDAY

Rep. Tim Walberg, R-Mich., who chairs the House Education and the Workforce Committee, applauded Trump for pushing back against the controversial practice.

"For too long, social justice warriors crusaded to mandate DEI in every corner of America. Instead of merit, skills and ability, DEI devotees pushed policies that are antithetical to American exceptionalism," Walberg said. "From the classroom to the boardroom, Americans have felt the negative effects. DEI has bloated education budgets while telling students what to think instead of how to think."

Jonathan Turley, a Fox News contributor and the Shapiro Professor of Public Interest Law at George Washington University, suggested in an analysis of the executive order that it "will send a shock wave through higher education and the resulting agency actions are likely to trigger a tsunami of lawsuits."

Meanwhile, one education expert suggested that universities could begin to pre-comply with new DEI measures. 

"It seems very plausible that higher-education institutions will pre-comply, even before the Department of Education or the National Science Foundation writes it into specific projects," Eboo Patel, founder and president of Interfaith America, told the Chronicle of Higher Education. "Universities will adopt the spirit of the executive order."

Nearly 10 states, including one with a Democrat governor, have already either banned or prohibited the use of DEI initiatives in public colleges and universities.

Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., disrupted Senate Republicans' plans to quickly confirm President Donald Trump's national security nominees on Tuesday night when he objected to bypassing lengthy procedural votes that are routinely skipped. 

"Unfortunately, we were at the point of almost having a consent agreement to have a vote on the confirmation of John Ratcliffe to be the CIA director tomorrow. Not today, not yesterday, when it should have happened, but tomorrow," Senate Republican Conference Chairman Tom Cotton, R-Ark., said on the chamber floor. "But the senator from Connecticut has decided to object at the last minute."

"I don't really understand the objection to Mr. Ratcliffe. He was confirmed by the Senate to be the director of National intelligence. He was fully vetted through the bipartisan process in the Senate Intelligence Committee. We voted him out yesterday on a 14 to 3 vote," Cotton, also the chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, continued. 

HEGSETH LAWYER SLAMS 'FLAWED AND QUESTIONABLE AFFIDAVIT' FROM EX-SISTER-IN-LAW

During his objection, Murphy said there were "serious concerns" from some Democrats about Trump's CIA pick John Ratcliffe. "I don't think it's too much to ask to make sure that we have a full, real debate that lasts two days on the Senate floor," he said. 

The Connecticut Democrat notably previewed Trump's eventual second presidency over the summer. "There's a lot of anxiety in the country and in the party today, and that's because the stakes are so high," he said. 

"That's because Donald Trump presents an existential threat to democracy. He has advertised he is going to transition this country from a democracy to a dictatorship," he claimed in a July appearance on CNN.

REPUBLICAN LEADERS STILL AT ODDS ON RECONCILIATION DEBATE AFTER TRUMP MEETING

Murphy's Tuesday night objection to speeding through the routine procedural votes is the first case of Democrats using the strategy Republicans employed while in the Senate minority to gain leverage to negotiate. 

Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., expressed his frustration with the objection on the floor, saying, "OK, so 14 to 3 coming out of the committee. And we've now wasted a whole day where we could have been acting on that nomination."

"And so really, I think the question before the House is, do we want a vote on these folks on Tuesday or vote on them on Friday, Saturday and Sunday? Because that's what we're going to do," he said, threatening weekend votes in the upper chamber. 

NEW SECRETARY OF STATE MARCO RUBIO PAUSES REFUGEE OPERATIONS, RAMPS UP VISA VETTING

"This can be easy or this can be hard."

Murphy foreshadowed this type of defiance while speaking to reporters last week. 

"I think Republicans changed the rules here over the last two years," he said. "They used extraordinary powers to block nominees and to lengthen every process."

NEW OHIO AND FLORIDA SENATE-APPOINTEES SWORN IN AS VANCE AND RUBIO’S REPLACEMENTS

"The rules are different now, they changed the way the Senate works," he reiterated. 

Thune took the necessary actions to tee up eventual votes on Ratcliffe, Trump's choice to lead the Department of Defense Pete Hegseth and his pick for Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem. Since there is no agreement with Democrats to limit debate and bypass certain procedural votes, the nominations will not ripen for confirmation votes for more than a day. 

FIRST ON FOX: Republican senators are putting forth legislation that would ban China from buying U.S. land entirely. 

The Not One More Inch or Acre Act, led by Republican Sens. Tom Cotton of Arkansas, Kevin Cramer of North Dakota and Katie Britt of Alabama, would require the sale of land owned or "influenced" by the CCP that is deemed a national security risk. It would direct the president to take action to prohibit the purchase of public or private real estate in the U.S. by Chinese citizens or companies.

China owned around 350,000 acres of farmland across 27 states as of last year, according to data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. 

As of 2022, foreign entities and individuals held 43.4 million acres of U.S. agricultural land, which is nearly 2% of all land in the U.S.

BIDEN ADMIN FAILING TO TRACK CHINESE OWNERSHIP OF US FARMLAND: GOVT WATCHDOG

Lawmakers have argued that China’s land buys are a national security risk since many of them are near military installations. For years, Chinese nationals have attempted to breach U.S. military facilities, often through the use of surveillance drones or posing as tourists. 

"For decades, the Chinese Communist Party has been gobbling up American farmland and real estate," Cotton, chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee, said in a statement.

"At best, this submits American land and resources to China’s best interests, not America’s—at worst, these purchases serve as outposts for Chinese espionage campaigns against American businesses and military bases. We can’t allow Chinese citizens, or anyone affiliated with the CCP, to own one more inch of American soil. And any American land exploited by current Chinese ownership should be sold."

Some states have already barred foreign nationals from purchasing land.

Smithfield Foods, which has a Chinese parent company, makes up the largest share of Chinese-owned land with 110,000 acres. 

A 2022 Chinese land purchase brought concerns to a fever pitch when food producer Fufeng Group bought 370 acres for corn milling near a North Dakota Air Force base.

"One acre of American farmland owned by the Chinese Communist Party is one acre too many," said Britt. "The CCP's strategic acquisition of farmland, particularly near our military installations, isn't just a national security risk, it is a threat to our economic and food security."

TRUMP WANTS TO VISIT CHINA AGAIN AFTER HE TAKES OFFICE: REPORT

That prompted the Biden administration to propose a rule requiring any foreign company or individual looking to buy land within 100 miles of certain U.S. military bases to get government approval.

Last month, a Chinese national was arrested at San Francisco International Airport before he could board a flight to China on accusations that he tried to fly a drone over Vandenberg Air Force base in California.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

Efforts to thwart China from purchasing U.S. farmland near U.S. military installations have gained steam among Republicans in both chambers. 

"It's a major concern for me that countries like China have increased purchases of American farmland tenfold over the last decade to control our land and threaten our food, energy and national security," Rep. Randy Feenstra, R-Iowa, who led efforts in the House to ban China from buying farmland suitable for energy production, told Fox News Digital. 

President Donald Trump's first actions in the Oval Office included rolling back healthcare policies put forth by former President Joe Biden, including expansions to the Affordable Care Act (ACA), otherwise known as "ObamaCare."  

Directly after he was sworn in on Monday, Trump moved quickly to revoke a long list of Biden executive orders covering a wide range of issues. Two of the orders that were revoked included efforts by Biden to expand access to the ACA and restore the federal program "to the way it was before Trump became president" the first time around.

The move angered Democrats, who argued the action was an "attack" on the federal health insurance program.

"Donald Trump’s immediate priority as president is ripping away affordable health care coverage for tens of millions of Americans and screwing over people with preexisting conditions," the Democratic National Committee said in a Tuesday statement. 

Shortly after taking office in January 2021, Biden passed Executive Order 14009, titled the "Strengthening Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act." The move, which Trump rescinded as part of his Day One executive actions, doubled the window of time that uninsured Americans had to apply to participate in the federal insurance program. Under Trump's first term, the ACA's open enrollment period was six weeks long.  

TRUMP AND A HEALTHIER AMERICA WELCOMED BY DOCTORS: ‘NEW GOLDEN AGE’

In addition to expanding the open enrollment period, Biden's January 2021 executive order also directed all relevant federal agencies to examine their policies and implement any necessary changes to help get more people covered under the ACA.

Meanwhile, in April of the following year, Biden signed a second executive order on "Continuing to Strengthen Americans’ Access to Affordable, Quality Health Coverage," which Trump also reversed on Monday. The April order from Biden directed the Department of Health and Human Services to analyze new policies aimed at "exploring how medical debts are collected from beneficiaries," in order to find new ways to reduce "the burden of medical debt on working families and individuals across the country." 

Consistent with both of these orders, agencies facilitated the expansion of the ACA through new eligibility provisions, increased funding to groups that help people sign up for the ACA, and more. 

Other changes enacted by Trump during his first days in office included the revocation of a Biden-era policy that directed Medicare and Medicaid to investigate how to lower drug costs. In response to that order, the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) implemented a $2 cap for certain generic drugs, ensured Medicare beneficiaries did not overpay for drugs that received accelerated approval, and helped state Medicaid programs pay for certain high-cost, cutting-edge therapies. Biden's policy that capped insulin costs at $35 and implemented a $2,000 out-of-pocket maximum for prescription drug costs went unaffected by Trump's Day One orders.

TRUMP TO DEPLOY MILITARY TO BORDER, END BIDEN PAROLE POLICIES IN FLURRY OF DAY ONE EXECUTIVE ORDERS

Trump also acted during his first day in office to rescind several of Biden's COVID-19 health orders, such as directives to ensure equity in the pandemic response and COVID-19 vaccine requirements for federal workers. He withdrew the U.S. from its participation in the World Health Organization, as well.

The Democratic National Committee argued Tuesday that Trump was "screwing over people with pre-existing conditions." 

"Donald Trump’s immediate priority as president is ripping away affordable health care coverage for tens of millions of Americans," the DNC said in a Tuesday statement. "Thanks to the Biden-Harris administration, more Americans have health coverage than ever before, and Trump wants to unwind this progress even though the American people overwhelmingly support the ACA. Trump’s plans will do nothing but raise costs and make Americans sicker."

Yet, according to a health policy expert from Vanderbilt University, the moves Trump made on health policies will likely not be consequential when it comes to how much Americans are paying for their healthcare. 

"When administrations change over, many of them want to undo some of the actions of other presidents, even when those are more symbolic," Dr. Stacie Dusetzina, a professor at Vanderbilt's Department of Health Policy told NBC News. "It could mean that the Trump administration is not interested in pursuing any of the work that has since developed out of these executive orders."

Fox News Digital reached out to the Trump administration for comment, but did not receive a response by publication time.

Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, on Wednesday unveiled a lengthy report that he says serves as a "roadmap" to "Make America Healthy Again" and points to how the flawed American healthcare system impacts "national defense." 

The 47-page report – titled "The Case for Healthcare Freedom" – is a "painstakingly researched" summary of "America’s health crisis and how to address it," Roy said.

Its findings include that U.S. healthcare spending had reached $4.9 trillion in 2023. 

As a share of the nation's gross domestic product (GDP), health spending accounted for 17.6%, and costs are growing around 1% faster than the annual GDP, the report says.

The report argues that "if conservatives care about a strong national defense and low taxes, these trends have to be reversed." 

MAKE AMERICA HEALTHY AGAIN: THE POWERHOUSE FOODS THAT WORK MEDICAL MAGIC

"The Case for Healthcare Freedom lays out a detailed roadmap for how Congressional Republicans can help President Trump deliver on the promise to address America's health crisis," Roy said in a statement. "The problem isn't just health insurance, or Big Pharma, or food additives that are making us unhealthy; it's the fact that politicians, bureaucrats and corporations are all benefitting from a broken, cronyistic system that lets them put profits over patients with impunity." 

Roy argued that right now, Congress has "a tremendous opportunity to put American healthcare back on track by embracing the empowerment of patients and doctors through the promotion of expansive health savings accounts in the budget reconciliation process, and we need to take full advantage." The congressman went on to say, "giving the same actors more power and money won't work; if we want to Make America Healthy Again, the answer is healthcare freedom. If we want to control our budgets and healthcare spending, the answer is healthcare freedom."

The wide-ranging report comes just two days after President Donald Trump was sworn into a second term. The pledge to "Make America Healthy Again" became a focal point of Trump's campaign when Democrat turned Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. dropped out of the race and backed him. Trump tapped Kennedy to lead the Department of Health and Human Services, but his confirmation hearing has not yet been scheduled. 

The report includes criticism of the program providing food welfare assistance for low-income households. 

FORMER TRUMP HHS OFFICIAL TAPPED TO BE RFK JR'S CHIEF OF STAFF: REPORT

"While chronic food illness kills up to 678,000 Americans per year, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) will likely pay over $250 billion on junk food for the next 10 years," Roy's office notes.

The report also targets the coveted weight loss and diabetes drugs championed as "miracle medication," which has even used by celebrities to drop pounds in recent months. It found the Danish pharmaceutical company, Novo Nordisk, "spent at least $25.8 million over the past decade on U.S. medical professionals to promote two of its obesity drugs, Wegovy and Saxenda."

The report assesses that families and their employers on average in 2024 spent $25,000 annually, or nearly the cost of a company car, for health insurance, and that's despite "the false promise of Obamacare to lower premiums by $2,500 a year." The cost of premiums has increased at least 100% since 2010, according to the report. 

"Obamacare has made healthcare so expensive that it now subsidizes households earning up to $600,000 per year for their health insurance," the report says.

In 2024, the report found, four of the top five American industries by revenue were healthcare-related. Those were hospitals, which came in first; drug, cosmetics and toiletry wholesaling, which came second; health insurance, which earned the third place slot; and pharmaceutical wholesaling, which came in fifth. 

The report also discusses how 47% of hospital cash prices are lower than the insurer-negotiated price "that people pay hundreds of dollars a month for the privilege of having." 

The report argues multiple insurance companies, including UnitedHealth, Anthem/Elevance, and Humana, "earn" a majority of their revenue from taxpayers.

"We do not have a free market in the healthcare system. The government controls more than 80% of health spending," according to a summary of the report provided by Roy's office. "The Left’s solution to fix our healthcare system is spending even more money and giving the government even further control over the healthcare system. ‘Medicare for All’ would cost an additional $33 trillion over 10 years, and it would leave 70% of Americans financially worse off." 

The jobs are the first the former Conservative leader has taken since he returned to the backbenches.

President Donald Trump's pick for secretary of defense, Pete Hegseth, is pushing back on a last-minute affidavit from his former sister-in-law with new allegations.

Hegseth's lawyer, Timothy C. Parlatore, wrote to Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC) Chairman Roger Wicker, R-Miss., on Wednesday to dispel the claims made by Danielle Dietrich, formerly Hegseth, in her affidavit. 

"While it is difficult to respond to, or to credit anonymous allegations, the benefit of someone putting their name on the record is that we can examine their credibility and bias. In this case, the credibility and bias is easy to discern," he said in the correspondence obtained by Fox News Digital.

REPUBLICAN LEADERS STILL AT ODDS ON RECONCILIATION DEBATE AFTER TRUMP MEETING

Dietrich's affidavit was obtained by Fox News on Tuesday. Hegseth's former sister-in-law, once married to his brother, alleged that Hegseth had an alcohol abuse problem and that at times made his ex-wife, Samantha, fear for her safety. 

She provided a number of anecdotes in the affidavit, including an event where Samantha supposedly hid in a closet from her husband.

However, Dietrich noted that she never witnessed any abuse herself, physical or sexual, from Pete against Samantha. 

NEW SECRETARY OF STATE MARCO RUBIO PAUSES REFUGEE OPERATIONS, RAMPS UP VISA VETTING

The affidavit also referred to anecdotes about Hegseth's alleged heavy drinking, referring to several specific occasions, including one at a strip club. 

After the affidavit was reported, Sen. Jack Reed, D-R.I., the committee's ranking member, said in a statement, "As I have said for months, the reports of Mr. Hegseth’s history of alleged sexual assault, alcohol abuse and public misconduct necessitate an exhaustive background investigation. I have been concerned that the background check process has been inadequate, and this affidavit confirms my fears. 

"The alleged pattern of abuse and misconduct by Mr. Hegseth is disturbing. This behavior would disqualify any service member from holding any leadership position in the military, much less being confirmed as the secretary of defense."

NEW OHIO AND FLORIDA SENATE-APPOINTEES SWORN IN AS VANCE AND RUBIO’S REPLACEMENTS

In the document, Dietrich further suggested her former brother-in-law is not fit to be the secretary of defense.

"She is openly admitting that her purpose is to sink the nomination and has been promised by Democrats that such a statement would have that effect," Parlatore said in his letter to Wicker. 

He pointed out that the "vast majority" of what Dietrich referred to were events she admitted to not being a witness to. "She materially contradicts Sam’s sworn statements in the divorce proceedings where she acknowledges that there was no abuse," Hegseth's lawyer added. 

Parlatore also pointed out that her claims "inadvertently" accuse Samantha of lying during the FBI's background check of Hegseth.  

"It is important to note that Ms. Dietrich told all of this to the FBI on December 30, 2024, but the FBI was unable to corroborate her claims, which were then flatly refuted by Sam, the actual participant," he said. 

'DESPERATE ATTEMPT': SENATORS RECEIVE AFFIDAVIT WITH ALLEGATIONS ABOUT HEGSETH’S PREVIOUS MARRIAGE

"There is no basis to credit this deeply flawed and questionable affidavit, which was submitted at the 11th hour in a clear and admitted partisan attempt to derail Mr. Hegseth’s confirmation," the letter concluded. 

Dietrich's lawyer, Leita Walker, responded in a statement: "Danielle will not be commenting beyond her statement to the Senate Armed Services Committee, which required much courage. She asks for respect for her privacy and the privacy of those she cares about, including Pete Hegseth’s former wives and children."

While Democrats were quick to claim the affidavit affirmed that Hegseth is not fit for the role, Republicans slammed them as looking to obstruct the confirmation process.  

Wicker told reporters on Wednesday that he had seen the affidavit and "I am still a firm yes" on Hegseth's confirmation. 

"I think the nomination is gonna go forward and that this essentially doesn’t change much," he said. 

"They're just being the Democrats, being obstructionists," Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., told reporters. 

"They're just trying to make sure Trump doesn't have his administration team put together. It's not good for the American public. President Trump won the election. If he won the electoral vote by [a] significant margin, they should stop being obstructionists," he continued. 

The U.S. Pentagon is sending an additional 1,500 active-duty troops to the southern border by the end of the month, a U.S. official told Fox News on Wednesday.

It was not immediately clear what specific units would be sent, though the Trump administration is expected to make a formal announcement later Wednesday.

There are already 2,500 U.S. service members stationed at the southern border. The troops were ordered there in May 2023 during the Biden administration under title 10 authorities, were approved by former Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and are planned to be in place until the end of FY2025, according to a U.S. Northern Command spokesperson. 

The 1,500 additional service members will deploy to different locations along the southern border by the end of the month, the U.S. official said. 

BORDER CZAR TOM HOMAN SENDS MESSAGE TO FAR-LEFT OFFICIALS PUSHING BACK AGAINST MASS DEPORTATIONS: ‘GAME ON’

The added troops will act in the same roles as the service members already there, providing aerial reconnaissance, data entry, training, vehicle maintenance, detection and monitoring, and some other logistical support roles. 

The announcement will mark the third time that U.S. troops have been sent to the southern border in the last two years. 

VERMONT BORDER PATROL AGENT ALLEGEDLY KILLED BY GERMAN NATIONAL WORKED IN PENTAGON DURING 9/11: FAMILY

In May 2023, former President Joe Biden and Austin approved a request from former Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas to send an additional 1,500 active-duty troops to the southern border for 90 days to assist with the influx of migrants after pandemic era health restrictions ended in May 2023. 

In March 2024, Austin approved another DHS request for 2,500 service members, including national guardsmen under Title 10 duty status.

Nearly two dozen states are suing the Trump administration over President Donald Trump’s executive order seeking to end birthright citizenship for the children of illegal immigrants – claiming that it is unconstitutional and "unprecedented."

"The President has no authority to rewrite or nullify a constitutional amendment or duly enacted statute. Nor is he empowered by any other source of law to limit who receives United States citizenship at birth," the lawsuit by 18 Democratic-led states said.

"If this unprecedented executive action is allowed to stand, both Plaintiffs and their residents will suffer immediate and irreparable harm," it argues.

TRUMP ADMIN HITS BACK AS ACLU LAUNCHES LAWSUIT ON BIRTHRIGHT CITIZENSHIP: ‘READY TO FACE THEM'

Trump signed the order, "Protecting the Meaning and Value of American Citizenship," which ends birthright citizenship for illegal immigrants. The order seeks to clarify the 14th Amendment, which states: "All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside."

It clarifies that those born to illegal immigrant parents, or those who were here legally but on temporary nonimmigrant visas, are not citizens by birthright.

The Trump order argues: "Among the categories of individuals born in the United States and not subject to the jurisdiction thereof, the privilege of United States citizenship does not automatically extend to persons born in the United States: (1) when that person’s mother was unlawfully present in the United States and the father was not a United States citizen or lawful permanent resident at the time of said person’s birth, or (2) when that person’s mother’s presence in the United States at the time of said person’s birth was lawful but temporary (such as, but not limited to, visiting the United States under the auspices of the Visa Waiver Program or visiting on a student, work, or tourist visa) and the father was not a United States citizen or lawful permanent resident at the time of said person’s birth."

The states argued that thousands of children are born to parents on temporary or illegal status.

TRUMP DHS REPEALS KEY MAYORKAS MEMO LIMITING ICE AGENTS, ORDERS PAROLE REVIEW 

"Under the Order, such children born after February 19, 2025 – who would have been unquestionably deemed citizens had they been born two days ago – will lack any legal status in the eyes of the federal government," the states argue. "They will all be deportable, and many will be stateless. They will lose the ability to access myriad federal services that are available to their fellow Americans. And despite the Constitution’s guarantee of their citizenship, they will lose their rights to participate in the economic and civic life of their own country – to work, vote, serve on juries, and run for certain offices."

Signed onto the lawsuit are attorneys general of New Jersey, Massachusetts, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Rhode Island, Vermont and Wisconsin. The city and county of San Francisco, and Washington, D.C., are also signed on.

The lawsuit comes shortly after another one filed by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) "on behalf of organizations with members whose babies born on U.S. soil will be denied citizenship under the order…" and claimed the order is unconstitutional and against congressional intent and Supreme Court precedent.

Four other states, Illinois, Arizona, Washington and Oregon, later filed a separate lawsuit.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE IMMIGRATION COVERAGE

The Trump administration pushed back, saying it was ready to tackle the lawsuit in court.

"Radical Leftists can either choose to swim against the tide and reject the overwhelming will of the people, or they can get on board and work with President Trump to advance his wildly popular agenda," Harrison Fields, White House principal deputy press secretary, told Fox News Digital.

"These lawsuits are nothing more than an extension of the Left’s resistance – and the Trump administration is ready to face them in court," he said.

Fox News' Bill Mears contributed to this report.

President Donald Trump is quickly showcasing his accessibility to reporters days after returning to the White House, a stark contrast to his Democratic predecessor who frequently ducked questions and took scripted questions from reporters.

"We'll take a few questions," the president said on Tuesday, after announcing what's said to be a half-trillion dollar investment by top tech companies to vastly expand the nation's artificial intelligence infrastructure.

Trump then took questions for half an hour from reporters gathered at the White House.

It was the second straight day the new president held an informal, off-the-cuff and freewheeling news conference with reporters. 

HEAD HERE FOR FOX NEWS UPDATES ON PRESIDENT TRUMP'S FIRST 100 DAYS IN THE WHITE HOUSE

On Monday, hours after he was inaugurated at the U.S. Capitol, Trump took questions for 45 minutes as he sat in the Oval Office and simultaneously signed an avalanche of executive orders and actions. The back and forth with reporters was carried live by Fox News and CNN.

Trump on Wednesday is taking questions from Fox News' Sean Hannity, for his first Oval Office interview since returning to the White House.

The sit-down will run at 9 p.m. ET on Fox News' "Hannity."

FOX EXCLUSIVE: TRUMP SHARES LETTER BIDEN LEFT FOR HIM

"The president is the tip of the spear and he's been active in wanting to go out and communicate both his successes and the challenges that we have, and he's been active in wanting to solve those," deputy White House chief of staff for communications Taylor Budowich told Fox News.

The accessibility with reporters showcases Trump's unscripted nature, and it stands in stark contrast with former President Joe Biden, whose interactions with reporters were more limited and at times tightly stage-managed.

"Did Biden ever do news conferences like this?" Trump asked on Monday, as he appeared to take a jab at the former president.

TRUMP'S AVALANCHE OF EXECUTIVE ORDERS

Julie Mason, the host of a national radio program, veteran White House reporter and former elected board member of the White House Correspondents Association, told Fox News "it is completely refreshing to have a president who is accessible, available."

"He'll answer any question you throw at him. He's not always happy with the questions he gets, but he engages with journalists. That's the most important thing. Their job is to inform the public about what is going on at the White House and having direct access to the president is essential to that," Mason emphasized.

She added that "Biden was kept very much under wraps. Reporters rarely got a chance to ask him anything. It was a huge frustration in the press corps. This is completely different."

Trump is known for his extended interactions with reporters. He held two unconstrained news conferences at his Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach, Florida, during his transition back to the presidency. 

And while for years he has accused reporters of being "fake news" and "the enemy of the people," and while his answers to their questions keep fact-checkers busy, his exchanges with the media are often free-flowing, without any aides selecting reporters to ask questions.

Budowich says Trump's accessibility and off-the-cuff style are contributing factors to his political success.

"The reason we won this election is because of Donald Trump. The reason why we are going to succeed in executing his agenda is because of Donald Trump," he argued.

And he touted that Trump "in the first two and a half days, has accomplished what most presidents fail to accomplish in their first two years."

House Speaker Mike Johnson channeled his inner dad energy as he excitedly recorded Vice President JD Vance’s first time in the Oval Office. The speaker not only celebrated the moment, but he noted Vance’s background, saying his story is one that could happen "only in America."

"As we gathered for our meeting at the White House yesterday, JD Vance mentioned to us that he had never before visited the Oval Office. I told him and President Trump that I HAD to capture the moment on video," Johnson wrote in a post on X. "Only in America can a hardworking young man from Appalachia rise from his humble circumstances to enter the Oval for first time as VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES. What a country!"

REPUBLICAN LAWMAKERS MEET WITH PRESIDENT TRUMP, VP VANCE TO ADVANCE AGENDA

Vance’s background took center stage in the campaign as then-Vice President Kamala Harris’ running mate, Gov. Tim Walz, D-Min., made a joke about no one from his small town going to Yale, where Vance got his law degree.

"Now, I grew up in Butte, Nebraska, a town of 400 people. I had 24 kids in my high school class, and none of them went to Yale," Walz said during his remarks at the Democratic National Convention.

The Trump campaign was quick to call out Walz’s remarks on social media, calling it a "weird flex."

WHO IS TRUMP'S RUNNING MATE JD VANCE?

Before he was chosen as President Donald Trump’s running mate, Vance served as a senator from Ohio after winning the seat in 2022. However, the current vice president entered the public eye in 2016 when he published his book, "Hillbilly Elegy: A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis." In the book, he details his challenging upbringing in Middletown, Ohio.

Surrounded by poverty, and grappling with his mother's drug addiction, Vance worked his way into a position to make change.

In 2020, years after the memoir was published, it was turned into a Netflix movie, which was directed by Ron Howard and starred Glenn Close and Amy Adams. "Hillbilly Elegy" faced fierce criticism, which both Close and Adams rejected. Recently, while on "The View," Close praised the vice president’s "very generous family."

GLENN CLOSE PRAISES 'GENEROUS' FAMILY OF JD VANCE DURING 'HILLBILLY ELEGY' FILMING, AS 'VIEW' HOSTS TAKE JABS

Vance’s mother, Beverly Aikins, has been sober for a decade. Aikins briefly addressed the crowd at the Ohio inaugural ball, which was held in Washington, D.C., on Sunday night. She informed the crowd that she officially hit 10 years of sobriety that day and that the next day was her birthday, in addition to it being her son’s inauguration, Cincinnati.com reported.

Vance returned to his hometown for a rally held at Middletown High School, from which he graduated in 2003. He told the crowd that the town was "so good to me," and that he was "proud" to be from Middletown.

Commons leader Lucy Powell says she is open to debate about bars in Parliament but they serve a purpose.

The government says the industry must find ways to clear the explosives without disrupting marine life.

Questions continue over why UK authorities did not publish key details about Axel Rudakubana earlier than they did.