Hamas’ treatment of the hostages it has been holding in captivity in the Gaza Strip is "intolerable," U.S. envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff said Thursday, warning that "it's not going to be tolerated by President Trump." 

Witkoff spoke outside the White House a day after President Donald Trump met with eight former hostages in Washington and posted what he called a "last warning" to Hamas on his Truth Social platform. 

"We're not going to sit here, do nothing and tolerate this kind of inhumane conditions," Witkoff said. "They lived in a terrible situation. By the way, who keeps dead bodies? Who does that? Who keeps people chained up downstairs? Who murders in front of other hostages? What's happened here is intolerable, and it's not going to be tolerated by President Trump." 

"We had a wonderful day with the hostages yesterday... they got a treat a lifetime, they got to spend some time with President Trump. And we thought it was going to be a short period of time because his day was busy, but he ended up spending about an hour with them, with each of the hostages, pictures, and spent a lot of time listening to their stories about what happened to them in captivity. And he was clearly emotional about it as anybody would be," Witkoff also said. 

AFTER TRUMP THREAT, HAMAS REFUSES TO RELEASE MORE HOSTAGES WITHOUT PHASE 2 OF CEASEFIRE DEAL 

"The president was pretty blunt," Witkoff added. "It's time for Hamas to start acting in a responsible and reasonable way. And we don't think that they have been doing that." 

However, the Palestinian terrorist group on Thursday dismissed Trump’s latest threat and refused to release more Israeli hostages without a permanent ceasefire deal in the Gaza Strip. 

Hamas spokesman Abdel-Latif al-Qanoua said the "best path to free the remaining Israeli hostages" is through negotiations on a second phase of the ceasefire agreement.  

TRUMP STICKING TO GAZA RELOCATION PLAN, AS WHITE HOUSE SEEMS TO DISMISS EGYPTIAN PROPOSAL 

The first phase of the ceasefire, which lasted 42 days, ended on Saturday. A second phase was supposed to begin in early February, though only limited preparatory talks have been held so far. 

"‘Shalom Hamas’ means Hello and Goodbye - You can choose," Trump said on Wednesday. "Release all of the Hostages now, not later, and immediately return all of the dead bodies of the people you murdered, or it is OVER for you." 

Trump added that he is "sending Israel everything it needs to finish the job," and that "not a single Hamas member will be safe if you don’t do as I say. 

"Also, to the People of Gaza: A beautiful Future awaits, but not if you hold Hostages," the president wrote. "If you do, you are DEAD! Make a SMART decision. RELEASE THE HOSTAGES NOW, OR THERE WILL BE HELL TO PAY LATER!" 

Fox News’ Stephen Sorace and the Associated Press contributed to this report. 

President Donald Trump signed an executive order Thursday that would rescind security clearances and access to certain federal resources for Perkins Coie, the law firm that hired the company responsible for crafting the so-called "Steele dossier" containing alleged salacious material and Trump’s alleged connections to Russia, which the president has denied. 

"This is an absolute honor to sign," Trump told reporters Thursday. "What they’ve done, it’s just terrible. It’s weaponization, you could say weaponization against a political opponent, and it should never be allowed to happen again." 

Specifically, the executive order suspends security clearances for Perkins Coie employees until a further review evaluating its access to sensitive information is complete to determine if it aligns with the national interest. 

Additionally, the order cuts off access to sensitive compartmented information facilities for Perkins Coie employees, and will limit the company's access to government employees. Additionally, the order bars the federal government from hiring Perkins Coie employees without specific authorization. 

JUDGE DISMISSES TRUMP'S LAWSUIT ALLEGING INFAMOUS DOSSIER AND ITS ‘SCANDALOUS CLAIMS’ DAMAGED HIS REPUTATION

Likewise, the federal government is prohibited from hiring contractors that use the law firm, amid a review of all federal contracts associated with Perkins Coie that agency heads will be ordered to terminate to the fullest extent lawfully permitted. 

The international law firm represented Hillary Clinton’s campaign and the Democratic National Committee in the 2016 election, and former President Joe Biden after Trump challenged Biden’s win in the 2020 election.

Perkins Coie first came under scrutiny after Marc Elias, the former chair of the firm's political law practice, hired opposition research firm Fusion GPS to conduct opposition research against then-presidential candidate Trump in April 2016 for his opponent, Clinton, and the Democratic National Committee.

Fusion GPS then hired former British intelligence officer Christopher Steele, who composed the so-called "Steele dossier." The document included scandalous and mostly unverified allegations, including details that Trump engaged in sex acts with Russian prostitutes. 

CARTER PAGE FISA WARRANT LACKED PROBABLE CAUSE, DOJ ADMITS IN DECLASSIFIED ASSESSMENT 

Trump repeatedly denied allegations included in the dossier, and filed a lawsuit against Orbis Business Intelligence, a company that Steele co-founded. Trump’s legal team claimed that he "suffered personal and reputational damage and distress" as a result of the dossier, but a judge in London pitched the lawsuit in February 2024. 

The dossier first became public in 2017 when BuzzFeed News published it. The Justice Department’s inspector general lambasted the agency and the FBI in 2019 for using the document to make a case in securing surveillance applications against former Trump campaign adviser, Carter Page, as part of the agency’s investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election. 

Still, the inspector general determined that no political bias motivated the surveillance of Page or the launching of Russia investigations. 

Requests for comment by Perkins Coie were not immediately answered. 

Two moderate Democrats who voted against censuring Rep. Al Green, D-Texas, suggested they did not believe Congress should be focused on such matters.

Ten Democratic lawmakers broke from their party to vote on a House GOP-led resolution to formally admonish Green for protesting during President Donald Trump's address to a joint session of Congress on Tuesday night. 

The majority of those 10 are considered frontline Democrats in more moderate districts, while others, like Rep. Jared Moskowitz, D-Fla., are generally known to cross the aisle and work with Republicans.

Fox News Digital reached out to nine other Democrats representing moderate areas, who were part of the 198 total who opposed censuring Green.

PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP CONCLUDES REMARKS AFTER DECLARING 'AMERICA'S MOMENTUM IS BACK'

Of those, just two – Reps. Jared Golden, D-Maine, and Josh Riley, D-N.Y. – offered responses.

"In today’s environment, censure tends only to give a greater platform to the censured legislator. So I tend to lean in favor of free speech unless a clear red line is crossed," Golden told Fox News Digital.

The Maine Democrat's written statement also included a link to a reference of his vote in favor of censuring "Squad" member Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., over her anti-Israel comments.

He did, however, offer criticism for Green's interruption of Trump's speech.

"I voted against censuring Rep. Green because I don’t believe he crossed that line – and I don’t believe it’s in the House’s interest to draw even greater attention to his misguided behavior," Golden explained.

Riley's statement did not remark directly on Green but more broadly dismissed attention-seekers in Washington.

"Upstate New Yorkers sent me to Congress to lower costs, create jobs, and ensure they get a fair shot. I wish we’d spent this morning focused on that instead of the drama and political theater in Washington," the first-term House Democrat said.

Riley won his seat in November by unseating former Rep. Marc Molinaro, R-N.Y., in a district that spans much of central New York state.

TOP 5 MOMENTS FROM TRUMP'S ADDRESS TO JOINT SESSION OF CONGRESS

Green was censured in a 224 to 198 vote on Thursday morning after repeatedly disrupting the beginning of Trump's primetime speech.

He shouted, "You have no mandate!" at Trump and shook his cane in the air as the president touted Republican victories in the House, Senate and White House. Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., after giving a warning, had Green removed from the chamber.

The 77-year-old Democrat was unrepentant, posting on X on Thursday afternoon, "Today, the House GOP censured me for speaking out for the American people against [Trump's] plan to cut Medicaid. I accept the consequences of my actions, but I refuse to stay silent in the face of injustice."

The 10 Democrats who voted to censure Green are Reps. Ami Bera, D-Calif.; Ed Case, D-Hawaii; Jim Costa, D-Calif.; Laura Gillen, D-N.Y.; Jim Himes, D-Conn.; Chrissy Houlahan, D-Pa.; Marcy Kaptur, D-Ohio; Jared Moskowitz, D-Fla.; Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, D-Wash.; and Tom Suozzi, D-N.Y.

Green himself voted "present," as did first-term Rep. Shomari Figures, D-Ala.

President Trump on Thursday exempted certain goods from Canada and Mexico covered under the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) from his 25% tariffs for a month.

The tariffs were imposed earlier this week, and will be reinstated on April 2. 

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Trump had previously mentioned an exemption for Mexico, but the amendment signed on Thursday covers Canada also. 

Reuters contributed to this report. 

EXCLUSIVE: Democratic Rep. Jasmine Crockett is becoming one of the most prominent faces of the resistance movement against President Trump, but she faces a Republican challenger who says voters are "chomping at the bit" to remove her from office. 

"She's not really a leader. She's not really a representative. Jasmine Crockett is more of a performer or an influencer," Dallas area attorney Sholdon Daniels, who is running as a Republican to unseat Crockett in Texas’ 30th Congressional District, told Fox News Digital. 

"She's wholly ineffective as a legislator. She wasn't able to pass any laws when she was in the Texas State House, and we don't anticipate that she'll be able to have any effect while she's on Capitol Hill."

Daniels added that it is "unfortunate" that the "hardworking people" of his district aren’t receiving leadership from Crockett, who he said is "spewing all this racist divisiveness" and is "hell-bent on tearing our country down."

'SHE'S REALLY THIS DUMB': HOUSE DEM RIPPED AFTER CALLING TRUMP 'ENEMY OF THE UNITED STATES'

"So somebody has to stand up to that and God blessed me with the ability to do the job, and so I feel the responsibility to act right now," Daniels said. 

Crockett has skyrocketed into the spotlight as one of the most outspoken critics of the Trump administration while routinely going viral, drawing the ire of conservatives on social media for her heated rhetoric. 

Leading up to and after Trump’s address to Congress on Tuesday, Crockett made several derogatory comments that earned headlines, including calling the president "Putin’s ho" and suggesting that he is attempting to bring Black people back into slavery. 

Daniels told Fox News Digital comments like that are "utterly disrespectful" and "unbecoming of the office."

REP. JASMINE CROCKETT SAYS TRUMP VOTERS 'DON'T WANT TO READ' ABOUT FACTS, RACISTS SUPPORT 'THE OTHER RACIST'

"To be a member of the U.S. House of Representatives is one of the most prestigious honors and privileges that could be bestowed on any of us and she treats it like it is a given," Daniels said. "She takes it for granted, and every opportunity she takes, she just denigrates our country and our president. And as a veteran and as somebody who actually loves America, I can't sit around and do nothing. So I'm going to fight back. We are fighting back, and we are going to win."

Crockett, 43, has cruised to victory in her previous campaigns for the House of Representatives, including in November when she defeated her Libertarian challenger in the general election by 70 points after defeating her primary challenger by over 80 points.

However, Daniels told Fox News Digital that the district is more conservative than those results show. 

"She has her sycophants, for sure, but she grows more and more unpopular in our district every single day," Daniels explained. "You know, the thing about TX-30 is it's way more diverse and way more conservative than everyone thinks, and people are chomping at the bit to have an election, because they cannot wait to see this girl replaced by Sholdon Daniels."

Daniels told Fox News Digital that being a dad, husband, veteran, and "somebody that cares about the community" is what inspired him to run for Crockett’s seat because it doesn’t feel right to "sit around while people are trying to tear our country down."

"Becoming a dad and concern for my daughter and one of the issues surrounding biological males being allowed in restrooms and locker rooms and girls private spaces, and then biological males competing against girls in sports, that's when it hit home for me," Daniels said about his decision to run. "I have a five-year-old daughter who loves to play sports. I fully anticipate she's going to be an athlete, and I just want to pave a way for her to make sure that she's safe and that covers all other little girls in America."

If elected, Daniels told Fox News Digital he will bring "professionalism and decorum" back to the office while focusing on issues that his constituents care about.

"I'm going to focus on lowering taxes so that we can bring down the cost of living for Americans. We're going to focus on securing the border and supporting our president and his policy of keeping the border secure so that we can ensure safer communities here in TX-30," Daniels said. 

"We are also going to focus on providing some support for small businesses and make sure that they get to keep more of the money that they earn in their pockets so that they can invest and hire more people. And then we're obviously going to focus on all the new revelations that are coming out with the DOGE effort to uncover the government waste, fraud and abuse. And we're going to try to hold whoever is responsible for that accountable."

Daniels has been active on social media, calling out Crockett, including a post challenging her to a debate next month.

Fox News Digital asked Daniels whether the voters in his district support DOGE's goals of slashing government waste, given Crockett's vocal opposition to the endeavor.

"There was a study that came out from the Congressional Management Foundation that found that 90% of voters want their representatives to be focused on policy and not social media, essentially on doing the job and not grandstanding for the cameras and that translates over into TX-30," Daniels said. 

"People want a representative in 2025 that's going to provide tangible and effective change that they can see in their community. Gone are the days where we just elect someone out of TX-30 and set it and forget it, and we don't hear about them again until they're getting ready to retire."

Republican state lawmakers in Maine are urging Democrats to repeal the state's policy allowing transgender women to compete in women's sports, warning that failure to act could jeopardize hundreds of millions in public education funding.

The pleading comes after a spokesperson for Maine's attorney general confirmed Thursday that the Trump administration had formally issued a "Notice of Violation against the Maine Department of Education" for violating Title IX federal law, which is meant to protect the rights of women. 

The "official" notice follows an investigation launched by the Health and Human Services Department's (HHS) Office of Civil Rights, which had been probing the Maine Department of Education (MDOE) for several weeks. The probe stemmed from reports that transgender women were continuing to compete in women's sports in the Pine Tree State, despite an executive order from President Donald Trump mandating the practice end nationwide. 

SENATE BID TO PREVENT BOYS FROM PLAYING GIRLS' SPORTS GETS STUCK ON FILIBUSTER

The strength of Trump's executive order lies in its power to withhold federal education funding from states that do not comply with his directive. Such an action to slash federal education funds in Maine – as is expected to happen unless something changes – would amount to a potential loss for MDOE of more than $700,000 annually from HHS agencies alone, based on 2024 funding numbers provided in HHS's notice of violation. In total this school year, the U.S. Department of Education provided roughly $250 million strictly to K-12 schools in Maine, according to recent numbers obtained by the Portland Press Herald. 

"If Maine Democrats continue to double down on allowing biological males to participate in girls' sports, our students stand to lose hundreds of millions of dollars of federal funding. Gov. [Janet] Mills and legislative Democrats have a renewed opportunity to do the right thing, to ensure restored funding and a fair and level playing field for Maine girls," said state Rep. Laurel Libby, R–Bangor. 

"Enough is enough, it is time to put away radical ideology and put the future of our kids first," added Assistant House Minority Leader Katrina Smith, R–Palermo. "The Mills administration’s policy of allowing biological boys in girls’ sports has physically and mentally mistreated our young ladies and now this same policy will harm every child and teacher with the loss of federal funds to our schools."

MAINE STATE REP ‘EXPLORING OPTIONS’ TO REGAIN VOICE AFTER CENSURE OVER TRANSGENDER ATHLETE POST

In addition to the remarks from Libby and Smith, the broader coalition of Maine House Republicans put out a "public call to action" for Mills' administration to reverse its current policies allowing sports eligibility to be determined by one's self-stated gender-identity. 

Mills told Trump to his face during a meeting with governors at the White House last month that she had no intention of following his order aiming to rid female sports of transgender competitors. Mills told Trump during the meeting, which was broadcast live, that she would "see [him] in court."

MARYLAND SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER TARGETED WITH TITLE IX INVESTIGATION AFTER SPEAKING OUT AGAINST TRANS POLICY

Based on an analysis by Sarah Perry, a civil rights attorney who has extensive experience litigating Title IX issues, Maine would be successful in court on this matter as Mills might hope.

"Maine entered into a contract with the Department of Education, promising to follow that federal civil rights law. [Mills'] reliance on contrary state law will prove fatal to any continued recalcitrance," Perry wrote on social media. 

She added in an interview last month with Fox News Digital that in addition to federal law, Maine is also flouting directives from the Department of Education and previously established precedent from a slew of cases that overturned former President Joe Biden's Title IX regulations allowing athletic eligibility to be determined by one's preferred gender identity.

Fox News Digital reached out to Mills and Maine Attorney General Aaron Frey for comment on these calls from Republicans but did not receive a response by publication time.

Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., who is taking credit for a recently criticized Democratic mashup of identical social media posts, turned down Tesla CEO Elon Musk's extravagant offer to the mind behind the "cringe video."

At least 22 Democratic lawmakers participated in a "S--- That Ain’t True" social media campaign ahead of President Donald Trump's address to a joint session of Congress, posting identical videos to social media in a mashup against the president. 

Musk made fun of the synchronized mashup on social media, offering in a post on X to buy a Cybertruck for anyone who can "provide proof of who wrote this particular piece of propaganda." Booker eventually took credit for it.

Asked on Capitol Hill if he wanted the Cybertruck offered by Musk, Booker burst into laughter and said, "No, I don't."

‘COULDN’T CLAP FOR A 13-YEAR-OLD BOY': GOP SLAM ‘CHILDISH’ DEM SILENCE ON SUPPORTING CANCER SURVIVOR

The video begins with a clip of Trump vowing to "bring prices down starting on day one" followed by a cut-in of the Senate Democrats saying in unison, "S--- That Ain’t True? That's what you just heard."

CONSERVATIVES FLIP SCRIPT ON SENATE DEMS PUSHING IDENTICAL TALKING POINTS AGAINST TRUMP: ‘LIKE ROBOTS’

"Since day one of Donald Trump’s presidency, prices are up, not down. Inflation is getting worse, not better. Prices of groceries, gas, housing, rent, eggs — they’re all getting more expensive. Meanwhile, Donald Trump has done nothing to lower costs for you," the Democrats, including senators Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., said in the video.

Booker said the video was created with the intention of reaching more people online.

"We're trying to do more things as a caucus that break through. Clearly, this was very successful," the senator said.

The video drew criticism from Republicans on social media, including Rep. Virginia Foxx, R-N.C., who called it "weird" in a post on X.

However, Booker thanked conservatives for sharing the post.

"In this world where people are competing for attention, it got attention and got many more views, especially because people on the right kept elevating our content, which I appreciate," Booker said.

Fox News' Deirdre Heavey and Andrew Mark Miller contributed to this report.

Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., said her resistant applause when President Donald Trump called her "Pocahontas" during his address to a joint session of Congress was to affirm "American support for Ukrainians." 

Warren told Nicholas Ballasy for Fox News Digital she was communicating the importance of American support for Ukraine, following Trump’s contentious meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in the Oval Office last Friday. 

"What I was talking about is the importance of American support for the Ukrainians, who are fighting on the front lines for democracy and fighting back against an autocrat," Warren told Fox News Digital. 

Warren, a loyal Ukraine supporter since Russia’s invasion in 2022, said Russian President Vladimir Putin’s line does not stop with Ukraine. 

TRUMP READING ZELENSKYY LETTER MET WITH SUPPORT FROM GOP, INDEPENDENT VOTERS

"Everyone needs to understand: They take a bite out of Ukraine, they're not giving up there. They're coming for the rest of Europe, and we need to fight it," Warren said.

TOP 5 MOMENTS FROM TRUMP'S ADDRESS TO JOINT SESSION OF CONGRESS

Warren told Fox News Digital on Tuesday night she "hit a nerve" by applauding U.S. support for "Ukrainian patriots" during President Donald Trump's speech. 

"Sen. Warren, what did you think of President Trump calling you out by name?" Fox News Digital asked Warren.

"I actually hit a nerve when I applauded the United States' support of Ukrainian patriots. If that hits a nerve for Trump, then it's worth sitting through the rest of that speech."

"Millions of Ukrainians and Russians have been needlessly killed or wounded in this horrific and brutal conflict, with no end in sight. The United States has sent hundreds of billions of dollars to support Ukraine's defense with no security," Trump said during his joint address. 

Responding to the loud applause from Warren and her fellow Democrats, Trump said "Pocahontas," a nickname Trump uses to mock Warren for claiming Native American heritage, wants "another five years" of war in Ukraine. 

"Do you want to keep it going for another five years? ‘Yeah, yeah,’ you would say. Pocahontas says yes," Trump said. 

Warren was one of several Democrats who slammed Trump after the meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in the Oval Office last Friday. 

"Donald Trump is treating the destruction of a democracy as a political show — throwing Ukraine to the wolves and doing a favor for Putin. It's shameful and dangerous. I've been to Ukraine, as have many Senate Republicans. I hope they speak up. Millions of lives are at stake," Warren said on X.

Warren and Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., have visited Zelenskyy in Kyiv in a bipartisan show of American support for Ukraine. Throughout the war, Warren has not waned in her support of funding for Ukraine. 

However, Graham said after the "complete, utter disaster" in the Oval Office that he didn’t know "if we can ever do business with Zelenskyy again." Graham said Zelenskyy needs to resign or "send somebody over that we can do business with, or he needs to change."

Zelenskyy was asked to leave the White House after his public disagreement with Trump and Vice President JD Vance, a visit that was intended to result in the Ukraine-United States Mineral Resources Agreement.

Trump ordered a suspension of all U.S. military aid to Ukraine on Monday. Zelenskyy then sent a letter to Trump affirming his commitment to a peaceful negotiation and thanking the U.S. for its service to Ukraine.

FIRST ON FOX: President Donald Trump signed a memo Thursday directing government agency heads to ask federal judges to require financial guarantees to hold "activist" groups that sue the government financially responsible if an injunction is found to be unnecessary.

The memo comes as the Trump administration faces more than 90 lawsuits stemming from executive orders, memos and executive proclamations issued since Jan. 20 that legal groups, labor organizations, and other state and local plaintiffs are challenging. 

Specifically, the memo instructs federal agencies to coordinate with Attorney General Pam Bondi to request federal courts adhere to a rule that mandates financial guarantees from those requesting injunctions. 

While federal judges ultimately have the final say on whether these financial guarantees are required, the Department of Justice can request under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 65(c) that judges implement the rule to require financial guarantees from plaintiffs that are equal to the potential costs and damages the federal government would incur from a wrongly issued preliminary injunction or temporary restraining order. 

SCOTUS RULES ON NEARLY $2B IN FROZEN USAID PAYMENTS

The memo signed Thursday applies to all lawsuits seeking preliminary injunctions or temporary restraining orders "where the government can demonstrate monetary harm from the requested relief," according to a White House fact sheet. 

"Agencies must justify security amounts based on reasoned assessments of harm, ensuring courts deny or dissolve injunctions if plaintiffs fail to pay up, absent good cause," the White House said in the fact sheet obtained by Fox News Digital. 

As a result, the White House said the order will rule in "activist judges" and keep "litigants accountable."  

"Unelected district judges have issued sweeping injunctions beyond their authority, inserting themselves into executive policymaking and stalling policies voters supported," the White House said in its fact sheet. 

The lawsuits challenging the Trump administration already have started to make their way up to the Supreme Court. For example, the high court issued a 5-4 ruling Wednesday upholding a district judge’s order requiring the Trump administration to pay almost $2 billion in foreign aid money. 

The Supreme Court said that since the district court’s Feb. 26 deadline for the Trump administration to pay the USAID funding contracts has expired it directed the case back to the lower court to hash out future payment plans. 

TRUMP TEMPORARILY THWARTED IN DOGE MISSION TO END USAID

"Given that the deadline in the challenged order has now passed, and in light of the ongoing preliminary injunction proceedings, the District Court should clarify what obligations the Government must fulfill to ensure compliance with the temporary restraining order, with due regard for the feasibility of any compliance timelines," the Court said.

Fox News’ Kerri Urbahn and Breanne Deppisch contributed to this report. 

Rep. Kevin Kiley, R-Calif., is asking the FBI to look into California's high-speed rail project, which is already facing a compliance audit from the Department of Transportation.

Kiley says no rail has been constructed since the project kicked off 17 years ago, and the projection that it could cost $100 billion above previous estimates raises red flags.

"This malfeasance leads to questions that transcend mere incompetence. How is it possible to have spent over $13 billion without a single station opening? Where have these funds gone? Who benefited?" Kiley wrote in a letter to FBI Director Kash Patel Tuesday.

TRUMP ADMIN PUTS 'DISASTROUS' HIGH-SPEED RAIL PROJECT IN DEEP BLUE STATE ON NOTICE

"Because the project has consumed billions in federal funding, the FBI has both the authority, and I would argue the responsibility, to pursue these questions and deliver answers to the American people. The Public Integrity Division is uniquely qualified to root out any corruption, recover stolen funds, and restore confidence that our tax dollars are being stewarded carefully."

The FBI declined to comment on the request. 

"We welcome this investigation & look forward to working with federal partners. CA High-Speed Rail has been audited over 100x, every dollar is accounted for & progress is real - 50 structures built, 14,600 jobs created & 171 miles under construction," the California High-Speed Rail Authority posted to X in response. 

"Full speed ahead!" 

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy visited Los Angeles last month to rail against the bullet train efforts after it received billions in federal taxpayer funding.

TRANPORTATION SEC. SEAN DUFFY CALLS FOR INVESTMENTS IN TRAVEL INFRASTRUCTURE: 'WE NEED ALL THE CASH'

"For too long, taxpayers have subsidized the massively over-budget and delayed California High-Speed Rail project," Duffy said in a statement at the time.

"President Trump is right that this project is in dire need of an investigation. That is why I am directing my staff to review and determine whether the CHSRA has followed through on the commitments it made to receive billions of dollars in federal funding. If not, I will have to consider whether that money could be given to deserving infrastructure projects elsewhere in the United States."

CALIFORNIA DEMOCRATS URGE FEDS TO APPROVE HIGH-SPEED RAIL FUNDING BEFORE DOGE NIXES ‘BOONDOGGLE’

Although rail has not been built, other construction projects related to it have caused issues for some California residents, including one in Madera County, where an overpass is being built so close to a house that a survey obtained by Fox News Digital labeled it encroachment.

President Donald Trump's choice to lead the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) flipped a question about vaccine processes around onto a top Democratic senator during his confirmation hearing on Thursday, advising them to ask former President Joe Biden why he skipped a key step when it came to the COVID-19 booster. 

Dr. Marty Makary, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine professor and former Fox News medical contributor, went before the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP), during which he answered questions regarding vaccines, chronic illness, food safety and abortion. 

"So if you are confirmed, will you commit to immediately reschedule that FDA Vaccine Advisory Committee meeting to give the expert views?" Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., asked Trump's FDA pick. 

INSIDE ELON MUSK'S HUDDLE WITH GOP SENATORS: DOGE HEAD TOUTS $4M SAVINGS PER DAY

Her question came in reference to an FDA vaccine meeting that was reportedly postponed at the last minute. 

"I would reevaluate which topics deserve a convening of the advisory committee members on [Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee] and which may not require a convening," Makary replied, noting he was not a part of the decision. 

Asked again by Murray, the FDA commissioner nominee said, "Well, you can ask the Biden administration that chose not to convene the committee meeting for the COVID vaccine booster."

EXCLUSIVE: ELON MUSK PAC THANKS TRUMP FOR 'SAVING THE AMERICAN DREAM' IN NEW MILLION-DOLLAR AD

In 2021, Biden's administration notably pushed through FDA approval for a COVID-19 booster for everyone over the age of 18. Per a press release at the time, "The FDA did not hold a meeting of the Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee on these actions as the agency previously convened the committee for extensive discussions regarding the use of booster doses of COVID-19 vaccines and, after review of both Pfizer’s and Moderna’s EUA requests, the FDA concluded that the requests do not raise questions that would benefit from additional discussion by committee members."

At the time, committee member Dr. Paul Offit, director of the Vaccine Education Center at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia remarked, "We’re being asked to approve this as a three-dose vaccine for people 16 years of age and older, without any clear evidence if the third dose for a younger person when compared to an elderly person is of value."

HOUSE GOPERS HOPE TRUMP KEEPS DOOR TO MINERAL DEAL OPEN FOR UKRAINE DESPITE OVAL OFFICE DISPUTE

Fox News Digital asked Murray whether she was similarly concerned by Biden's decision. The senator said in a statement, "In 2022, I had confidence that our public health agencies were following the latest science and listening to public health experts. I do not have that confidence now."

"We’re talking about Trump and RFK Jr. canceling a routine meeting that has taken place annually, for at least 30 years, to make recommendations for which influenza strains should be included in the flu vaccines for the upcoming flu season – there has been zero justification for its cancellation or any information about when it would be rescheduled," she continued. "The flu vaccine is safe, effective, and lifesaving – we need this advisory committee to meet so manufacturers have enough time to prepare the correct vaccines."

Ahead of the Thursday hearing, Murray and fellow HELP Democratic Sens. Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin and Angela Alsobrooks of Maryland penned a letter to Makary, telling him, "We intend to use your nomination hearing next week to understand whether you support this ill-informed measure to slow critical public health decision-making." 

GOP REBELS FIRE WARNING SHOT IN SHUTDOWN SHOWDOWN: NO DOGE, NO DEAL

HELP Chairman Bill Cassidy, R-La., also inquired about the postponed meeting, asking Makary, "How will you ensure that advisory committees remain objective, transparent and still benefiting from the necessary expertise of external experts?"

The nominee told Cassidy, "You have my commitment to review what the committees are doing [and] how they're being used."

"As you know, I was critical when that committee was not convened at all during one of the COVID booster guidance decisions by the FDA," Makary noted. 

He recalled that FDA leadership "at the time argued that they're advisory, and we don't have to convene them. That was repeatedly, throughout the Biden administration."

President Donald Trump on Thursday said he's ordered all of his cabinet secretaries to work with the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to take a ‘scalpel’ on which workers will remain in their jobs. 

In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump said the Elon Musk-led group has "been an incredible success."

"And now that we have my Cabinet in place, I have instructed the Secretaries and Leadership to work with DOGE on Cost Cutting measures and Staffing," he wrote. "As the Secretaries learn about, and understand, the people working for the various Departments, they can be very precise as to who will remain, and who will go. We say the "scalpel" rather than the ‘hatchet.’"

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Trump and Musk met with most of the secretaries, with Trump calling the gathering very "positive."

"It’s very important that we cut levels down to where they should be, but it’s also important to keep the best and most productive people," he said. "We’re going to have these meetings every two weeks until that aspect of this very necessary job is done."

DOGE, as well as Musk, has come under heavy scrutiny from Democrats over its cost-cutting measures and attempts to gain access to sensitive data. 

On Wednesday, Elon Musk met with a small group of House Republicans where he discussed avenues for cost savings in a quest to find as much as $1 trillion in government waste, people familiar with the discussion told Fox News Digital.

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"The executive DOGE team is confident, they think they can get $1 trillion," one lawmaker familiar with the meeting told Fox News Digital. "Now, we'll see, right? And the thing is, he acknowledged that we're going to make mistakes, but we're going to correct them very quickly."

Democrats have accused Trump of giving Musk too much power as he focuses on Trump's promise to make the federal government more efficient. 

"Protests will not deter President Trump and Elon Musk from delivering on the promise to establish DOGE and make our federal government more efficient and more accountable to the hardworking American taxpayers across the country," Harrison Fields, special assistant to the president and principal deputy press secretary, told Fox News Digital in a statement on Wednesday. 

Fox News Digital's Aubrie Spady and Elizabeth Elkind contributed to this report. 

A Muslim journalist warned the Senate Judiciary Committee on Wednesday that antisemitism has become an "industry" in the United States, and called for the Justice Department to investigate the "malign foreign influence" behind it.

"Antisemitism is now an industry. It is an industry that is being perpetuated, unfortunately, by organizations that even have nonprofit status in America – 501(c)(3)s, 501(c)(4)s," Asra Nomani, founder of the Pearl Project, told Chairman Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa. "And these are organizations that are belying their own mission in order to use as a Trojan horse this opposition to Israel to perpetuate this hate. These young students that we have are the targets of that hate." 

"October 7th became their moment. And what has happened is that, unfortunately, pulling our punches and not recognizing their danger in our society serves no one," Nomani added. "It absolutely does not serve our interests of an inclusive society. An actual inclusive society means that we do not allow hate of any kind, and the kind that we have right now against our Jewish community is of epidemic proportions." 

In her opening statement, Nomani detailed the origin of the Pearl Project, a faculty-student investigative project into the murder of Daniel Pearl. Pearl was Nomani's colleague at The Wall Street Journal when they both reported in Pakistan in the wake of the 9/11 terrorist attacks. He was kidnapped and killed by Islamic terrorists, who, Nomani asserted, targeted Pearl for being a descendant of Israel. 

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"Many people will think that he was targeted because he was Jewish, but an FBI agent went and interviewed the kidnapper, and he said, 'I didn't target him just because he's Jewish. I targeted him because he is a son of Israel,'" Nomani told the committee. "I am here to report to you that in the 22 years since then, I have been investigating the network that has perpetuated the hate that was targeted against Danny. We have called them agitators today, and we have called them protesters, but they have names. They are from organizations that are in a network that I have numbered now at 1,500. This is not a grassroots organization." 

Nomani held up posters seen at recent anti-Israel protests and at the Democratic National Convention disseminated by American Muslims for Palestine. 

She said the person charged with spraying graffiti that read "Hamas is coming" on the Christopher Columbus statue in front of Union Station in Washington, D.C., during protests against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's visit last July was "not just an agitator," but "a man who is the Richmond Director of American Muslims for Palestine." She claimed that  other anti-Israel demonstrators were affiliated with the Party for Socialism and Liberation.

"The hate that killed Danny Pearl on the streets of Karachi is now in our streets. It's on our campuses. It's a frightening network of the far left and the Islamist groups," she said. "Nobody in this room can support their ideals. Their ideals are against individual liberties and free enterprise. They want to destroy the United States of America. They want to destroy Israel. And our young Jewish students on campuses, our younger Danny's, are in their crosshairs." 

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Nomani continued: "We must recognize this existential threat. It is a vast network. We must investigate them. We must have them register with the Foreign Agent Registration Act when they are doing the work of these malign foreign actors that want to destroy America. And we must support Muslim reform movement leaders who want to stand up with our Jewish brothers and sisters." 

Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, later questioned another witness about the funding of antisemitism in the United States. 

"Is it clear that there is significant money funding these attacks on Jewish students and attacks on America?" Cruz asked Dr. Alyza Lewin, president of the Louis D. Brandeis Center for Human Rights.

"It is clear that there is coordination and there must be some common funding," Lewin responded. 

Lewin said she was not aware of any investigations under the Biden Justice Department to follow the money behind antisemitic activities, and neither was she aware of anyone being indicted over the flow of funding. Cruz again asked whether Lewin was aware of any university or institution having Title VI federal funds cut off because they "tolerated, welcomed" or "had their own officials cheering on" antisemitism, and the witness said she was not. 

As for the free speech argument, Cruz also suggested that universities would bring swift punishment against people who dared to dress as Ku Klux Klan members on campuses.

"They should expel them. If they're foreign students, they should be deported. And, mark my words, if you are horrified at the antisemitism, you will see the Trump Department of Justice follow the money, prosecute the people who are paying for this, prosecute those engaged in violence, and cut off the money from universities that are tolerating and celebrating this," Cruz said. "That is the rule of law. And ask yourself, 'Why did the Biden Justice Department do absolutely nothing about this horror that is unfolding?'" 

Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., bucked his party this week, criticizing fellow Democrats for not standing for 13-year-old cancer survivor DJ Daniel during President Donald Trump's address to a joint session of Congress.

"I don't know why we can't fully celebrate," Fetterman told Nicholas Ballasy for Fox News Digital. "I mean, I have a 13-year-old myself, and thank God she's never had cancer, but I think that's something we can all celebrate there. And I think it was a touching moment. And, like I said, that's part of the best of the American experience."

Fox News Digital reached out to 30 Democratic lawmakers about why they did not stand for DJ Tuesday night but only received six responses. 

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Fetterman also said in an X post that Democrats' inaction "only makes Trump look more presidential and restrained." Some Democratic lawmakers said their feelings against Trump were the reason they did not stand for DJ. 

"You know, that is a very individual thing. And aren't there a lot of other things we can be focusing on, as I would think?" Sen. Mazie Hirono, D-Hawaii, said when asked why Democratic members did not stand for DJ. "The word betrayal comes to mind with regard to the president."

Sen. Jack Reed, D-R.I., ranking member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, said, "We all stood when the president entered, which I think is appropriate. And I think, frankly, by and large showed him respect to the office."

Sen. Peter Welch, D-Vt., said it "was a moving story," but that "what Trump left out, of course, is he's cutting research for cancer, which is pretty, pretty bad."

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"Our hearts are with the Riley family on the loss of their daughter and inspired at Devarjaye 'DJ's' story. It shouldn't be confused with the disdain we have for President Trump's divisive and strident voice," Rep. Marc Veasey, D-Texas, told Fox News Digital.

Rep. Debbie Dingell, D-Mich., said she "clapped and was touched – not rolling my eyes," while Trump introduced the boy.

"After the Secret Service gave him his [badge] and he sat back down, but then he reached back up and hugged the Secret Service chief, it made me cry. I had tears. I was wiping a freaking tear," Dingell said. 

Republican lawmakers criticized their Democratic colleagues for remaining seated during DJ's big moment, calling it "childish" that they refused to stand for the boy. 

"The Democrats really embarrassed themselves. I mean, they wouldn't even stand up for DJ, who survived cancer," Sen. Eric Schmitt, R-Mo., told Fox.

"I was so disappointed that my Democratic colleagues couldn't stand and show love for some of the Americans that were recognized tonight. That was really heartbreaking to me," said Sen. Katie Britt, R-Ala.

Despite the tepid response from Democrats, chants of "DJ!" erupted in the House chamber Tuesday night as Trump directed Secret Service Director Sean Curran to designate the 13-year-old an honorary Secret Service agent. DJ's father, Theodis, held DJ over his shoulders as the boy showed off his new badge to the chamber.

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"Joining us in the gallery tonight is a young man who truly loves our police. His name is DJ Daniel. He is 13 years old. He has always dreamed of becoming a police officer himself. But in 2018, DJ was diagnosed with brain cancer. The doctors gave him five months at most to live. That was more than six years ago. Since that time, DJ and his dad have been on a quest to make his dream come true, and DJ has been sworn in as an honorary law enforcement officer," Trump said. 

"Tonight, DJ, we're going to do you the biggest honor of them all. I am asking our new Secret Service director, Sean Curran, to officially make you an agent of the United States Secret Service." 

President Donald Trump's Labor Secretary nominee, Lori Chavez-DeRemer, advanced past her last procedural vote on Thursday, teeing up a final confirmation vote next week. 

She is now one step closer to becoming the secretary of the Department of Labor, and she will face a final vote on Monday. 

She recently managed to get past the key Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) with bipartisan backing. There was initially some uncertainty whether her nomination would be reported out favorably, as Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., had pledged to oppose her. 

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Chavez-DeRemer ultimately received 14 votes to advance from the committee last month, with 9 senators opposing. 

She earned the votes of Sens. Maggie Hassan, D-N.H., John Hickenlooper, D-Colo., and Tim Kaine, D-Va., in addition to nearly all Republicans, except for Paul. 

In a previous statement announcing her support prior to the committee vote, Hassan said, "The Department of Labor plays an integral role in supporting workers and small businesses alike, and after hearing significant support from constituents, including members of labor unions in New Hampshire, I will support Representative Chavez-DeRemer's nomination as Secretary of Labor."

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"Though we may not agree on everything, after meeting with Representative Chavez-DeRemer and listening to her testimony during her confirmation hearing, I believe that she is qualified to serve as the next secretary of labor, and I look forward to working with her to support New Hampshire's workers and small businesses," she continued.

After attending Trump's joint address to Congress on Tuesday, she told Fox News Digital she was "grateful" to have gotten some Democratic support in committee. 

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During her hearing, Chavez-DeRemer was questioned over her past support for the controversial Protecting the Right to Organize (PRO) Act, which would effectively kill state-level laws that bar employers and unions from requiring workers to pay union dues as a condition of their employment. Republicans have long opposed overturning such Right-to-Work laws at the state level. 

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Trump's labor pick recently walked back her support for the policy as she was questioned by senators. "Like President Trump, I believe our labor laws need to be updated and modernized to reflect today's workforce and the business environment," she said during the hearing. 

"As a member of Congress, the PRO Act was the bill to have those conversations that mattered deeply to the people of Oregon's 5th congressional district. I recognize that that bill was imperfect, and I also recognize that I am no longer representing Oregon as a lawmaker."

President Donald Trump’s ‘Golden Dome’ missile defense project will require a whole-of-government effort on par with the Manhattan Project to develop the atomic bomb, according to a Space Force general. 

"This is on the order of magnitude of Manhattan Project, and it’s going to take concerted effort from the very top of our government. It's going to take a national will to bring all this together," Gen. Michael Guetlein, vice chief of space operations of the U.S. Space Force, told a gathering of defense industry experts on Wednesday. 

The ‘Golden Dome’ idea stemmed from Israel's Iron Dome. With the help of the U.S., it employs an invisible boundary that triggers interceptors when short-range missiles are fired toward its territory. 

But the Golden Dome has proved a more daunting project for guarding the U.S., which is close to 500 times the size of Israel and would likely be threatened more by long-range than short-range missiles. 

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Guetlein said the project will require unprecedented cooperation across the defense and intelligence agencies. 

"We are in full planning mode," the official said at the National Security Innovation Base Summit hosted by the Ronald Reagan Institute. "We owe an answer back to the White House by the end of the month on what our thoughts are."

The Golden Dome would need to protect the U.S. from a range of threats – including hypersonic missiles, ballistic missiles, advanced cruise missiles. Early detection would rely on space-based sensors that would trigger rapid-response missile interceptors. 

"It’s going to be a heavy lift across all the organizations that are going to be participating. And what we’ve got to really push back on are the organizational boundaries and the cultures that are going to try to slow us down or to prevent us from working together," Guetlein said. 

The U.S. Missile Defense Agency is "really good at protection of the homeland from an ICBM," according to Guetlein, but they need the Space Force to build space capabilities, and the Air Force and Army to manage counter-drone systems. 

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The National Reconnaissance Office, which operates the U.S.’s spy satellites, also has space capabilities needed for homeland protection. 

Guetlein said the nation would have to "break down the barriers" between Title 10 and Title 50 of the United States Code, the federal laws that govern the nation’s defense and clandestine operations.

"Without a doubt, our biggest challenge is going to be organizational behavior and culture to bring all the pieces together," Guetlein said.

The Golden Dome would be a major step up from the current Ground-Based Midcourse Defense system, which relies on missile interceptors stationed in Alaska and California designed to protect the homeland from a small number of ballistic missiles that could be fired from North Korea. 

Guetlein said Iran has provided a "real life example" in the Middle East, where U.S. forces helped thwart a barrage of missiles targeting Israel last year. 

Trump said during his address to a joint session of Congress on Tuesday that he would be asking lawmakers to appropriate funds for the project. 

"My focus is on building the most powerful military of the future," Trump said. "As a first step, I'm asking Congress to fund a state-of-the-art, 'Golden Dome' missile defense shield to protect our homeland – all made in the USA." 

The president claimed that Ronald Reagan had wanted to build such a system, but it wasn’t possible given the technology of the time. 

"Israel has it, other places have it, and the United States should have it, too," he said. "This is a very dangerous world. We should have it. We want to be protected. And we're going to protect our citizens like never before." 

Farage rejects suggestions from Rupert Lowe that Reform UK is a "protest party led by the Messiah".

The PM refrained from criticising JD Vance and chose to read out the names of fallen British soldiers.

Democrat Gov. Gavin Newsom put distance between himself and his party, and found common ground with influential conservative activist and commentator Charlie Kirk when the term-limited California governor and possible 2028 presidential contender agreed that biological men in women's sports is "deeply unfair."

"The young man who's about to win the state championship in the long jump in female sports, that shouldn't happen," Kirk said on Newsom's debut episode on his new podcast, "This is Gavin Newsom," on Thursday.

Kirk, a MAGA world rock star and ally of President Donald Trump and Donald Trump Jr. who leads the powerful Turning Point USA youth organization, asked Newsom, "You, as the governor, should step out and say no. Would you do something like that? Would you say no men in female sports?"

"Well, I think it's an issue of fairness," Newsom replied. "I completely agree with you on that. It's deeply unfair."

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Kirk further pressed Newsom on whether he would condemn the recent victory of a transgender track athlete with a more than 40-foot jump at Jurupa Valley High School in Southern California. 

Newsom - who was ahead of many in his party when, two decades ago, as San Francisco mayor, he defied existing state laws and issued marriage licenses to same-sex couples - didn't directly address the win, but said "it's a fairness issue."

The student, AB Hernandez, won an invitational meet on Feb. 22, booting out a female runner-up who had jumped just over 32 feet in their competition category. Hernandez also took first place in two other events at the meet.

"So that's easy to call out the unfairness of that," Newsom, a Democratic Party torchbearer, said. "There's also a humility and a grace… these poor people are more likely to commit suicide, have anxiety and depression, and the way that people talk down to vulnerable communities is an issue that I have a hard time with as well."

"So both things I can hold in my hand," the governor continued. "How can we address this issue with the kind of decency that I think you know is inherent in you, but not always expressed on the issue?"

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Transgender athletes in California have long been protected prior to Newsom's administration under AB 1266, also known as the School Success and Opportunity Act. The law was signed by Gov. Jerry Brown, a Democrat, in August 2013. 

However, Senate Bill 132, also known as the Transgender Respect, Agency and Dignity Act, allows inmates to request cells and searches that align with their gender identity, which Newsom signed in September 2020.

Newsom's comments in California came as Senate Democrats in Washington D.C. earlier this week voted unanimously to block a GOP-led bill that would prohibit federally funded schools from allowing transgender athletes from participating in women's sports.

Title IX government protections - which cover schools - prohibit discrimination on the basis of sex in education programs or activities that receive funding from the federal government.

Democrats argue that policies to restrict transgender athletes’ participation in team sports are a form of discrimination.

There are relatively few transgender athletes competing at the collegiate level. Regardless, Republicans have spotlighted in recent years that transgender women playing in female sports hold an unfair physical advantage.

And the GOP attacked Democrats over transgender issues up and down the ballot on the campaign trail last year. That included a politically cutting ad from Trump's campaign that spotlighted then-Vice President Kamala Harris' support for taxpayer-funded gender transition-related medical care for federal prisoners and detained immigrants.

"It was a great ad," Newsom said in the podcast, which was first reported by Politico. "She didn’t even react to it, which was even more devastating."

Trump signed an executive order titled, "Keeping Men Out of Women's Sports" in February, which said transgender athletes in women sports is "demeaning, unfair, and dangerous to women and girls." The order requires institutions receiving federal funding to abide by Title IX and follow the definitions of biological sex. 

Newsom noted he has four children, including two daughters, and highlighted that both he and his wife played college-level sports.

"I revere sports, so the issue of fairness is completely legit," Newsom said.

And pointing to Kirk's efforts on the campaign trail, he emphasized the right was "able to weaponize that issue at another level."

Newsom noted that Republicans have been successful in portraying Democrats as out of step with most Americans on the issue.

"We’re getting crushed on it. Crushed. Crushed," he said.

Some Golden State leaders from the left and the right were critical of the governor's comments.

The California Legislative LGBTQ Caucus, in a statement on social media, charged that "sometimes Gavin Newsom goes for the Profile in Courage, sometimes not. We woke up profoundly sickened and frustrated by these remarks.  All students deserve the academic and health benefits of sports activity, and until Donald Trump began obsessing about it, playing on a team consistent with one’s gender has not been a problem since the standard was passed in 2013."

And Will O'Neil, chair of the Orange County Republican Party, took to social media to claim "the difference between "redefining Newsom" and actual Newsom policies is going to get exposed in these podcasts."

"Entertainment is one thing, governing is different," he added.

Virginia officials hosted a virtual statewide hiring event Wednesday, showcasing at least 10,000 job openings, as Gov. Glenn Youngkin continues to support President Donald Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) agenda while offering empathy for people in his state who are affected.

"Virginia is open for business and ready to help you succeed: offering opportunities for anyone navigating a career transition," Youngkin said of the initiative.

"Your experience is invaluable, your skills are transferable, and you have access to a broad range of job opportunities in America's Top State for Business. With our resources and support, we’re here to help you thrive in Virginia’s robust job market." 

Youngkin has long touted Virginia’s improved business environment over the three years since Democratic predecessor Ralph Northam left office.

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Another recent initiative entailed openly inviting all of Trump’s aides and new hires to settle in Virginia versus the District of Columbia or Maryland due to their higher-ranking schools and overall tax environment.

VirginiaWorks, which doubles as the Virginia Department of Workforce Development, said the fair featured virtual "booths" to meet with prospective employers, job search resources and live video interview opportunities.

Major participants included CACI, a California-founded information technology company now based in Reston, Virginia – as well as Newport News shipbuilders at the other end of the state.

Virginia’s efforts to recruit workers both affected by DOGE’s job cuts and from throughout the other parts of the Old Dominion will continue in earnest, a source familiar told Fox News Digital.

Youngkin said last week he has "extraordinary empathy for the fact that there are many workers in Virginia from our federal workforce who are experiencing real concerns." 

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With at least 140,000 federal employees in his state, Youngkin said there are a quarter million openings across the Potomac in Virginia, and 100,000 in the DC Metro region of the commonwealth.

Defending DOGE last week in McLean, Youngkin said we "have a federal government that is inefficient, and we have an administration that is taking on that challenge of rooting out waste, fraud, and abuse."

Youngkin hails from neighboring Falls Church, where he previously worked as a business executive for the Carlyle Group and has influenced his work in Richmond with his experience in the private sector.

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Youngkin’s virtual hiring event and position toward hiring ousted bureaucrats does have its vocal critics, including former top Jeb Bush aide Tim Miller.

Miller, a frequent Trump critic who is largely dissociated from today’s GOP, said on a podcast Wednesday that Youngkin’s move made him "break out in hives," and scoffed at the governor’s "response to many of his constituents getting capriciously fired by 23-year-old vape-ers."

Virginia Democratic Party chairwoman Susan Swecker added in a statement that Youngkin’s support for DOGE shows a "gross misunderstanding of what it means to be jobless and without a paycheck, but he is shamelessly trying to play both sides by pretending to support federal workers while kissing the rings of Donald Trump and Elon Musk."