Following news that the House Rules Committee will convene at 1 a.m. on Wednesday morning to take the next steps in advancing President Trump's "big, beautiful" budget bill, Democrats are accusing Republicans of cowardice for advancing the monumental bill "in the dead of night."

The House Budget Committee reached an initial consensus to pass the bill to the Rules Committee late Sunday evening, after gaveling in at approximately 10:00 p.m. The Rules Committee must now take up the matter to set out the rules for debate and markup that are expected to take place next in the GOP-controlled House of Representatives. 

Shortly after, the House Budget Committee passed the bill in a late-Sunday night vote, the House Rules Committee announced it would be considering the One Big Beautiful Bill Act at 1 a.m. on Wednesday morning. The announcement, followed by the late-night Sunday vote, has stirred up criticism from Democrats who argue the late-night legislative sessions are the result of GOP cowardice.

"Republicans are scheduling votes in the DEAD OF NIGHT on Trump's ‘big, beautiful bill.’ They advanced their bill last night at 10:30PM. The next vote is scheduled for 1AM on Wednesday. Why hide?" questioned Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass. "Maybe because this bill rips away health care from babies, new moms, and seniors."

NEW PROJECTION SIGNALS GOOD NEWS FOR FAMILIES, WORKERS IN TRUMP'S 'BIG, BEAUTIFUL BILL'

The legislative negotiations over the GOP's budget bill have circulated around what federal programs, or funding, will need to be cut in order to extend the president's tax cuts from his first term, which are set to expire. Among those cuts are new provisions to federal healthcare programs, like Medicaid, which Democrats have slammed as a move to take away public healthcare programs from those who need them the most.   

"Republicans know that their efforts to take away health care from millions of Americans is deeply unpopular. Republicans know that the effort to enact the largest cut to nutritional assistance in American history, which will literally take food from the mouths of children, veterans and seniors, is deeply unpopular. Republicans know that providing billionaire donors with a massive tax break for people, like Elon Musk, and at the same time, exploding the deficit by trillions of dollars is deeply unpopular," the Democrats' House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said during a Monday afternoon press conference. 

"That's why Republicans are going to try to advance this bill in the dead of night at 1 a.m. in the morning."

HAROLD FORD, JR. ARGUES TRUMP'S 'BIG, BEAUTIFUL BILL' CUTS ONLY THE RICHEST PEOPLE'S TAXES

Republicans, however, have indicated their hope to pass their new budget bill by Memorial Day, and, in order to do that, the lengthy reconciliation process Republicans are using to get the bill passed must move quickly as the date is fast approaching. 

As a result of the looming Memorial Day deadline, Republicans appear to be moving the bill forward as quickly as possible, and, to do so, it is reportedly requiring the House Rules Committee to convene early Wednesday morning.  

"Under the rules, Budget Dems get two calendar days to file minority views after last night's markup. That could take until midnight Tuesday. Rules then has a one hour notice requirement, hence starting at 1 am," political commentator Brendan Buck said on X, citing someone with expert knowledge of the legislative process. 

BUDGET OFFICE WITH 'FUNDAMENTALLY PROGRESSIVE ROOTS' USED BY DEMS AS LATEST TOOL IN ANTI-TRUMP RESISTANCE

But that hasn't stopped Democrats from claiming Republicans are engaging in late-night votes to somehow keep the budget bill process out of the limelight.

"Remember when Republicans said late-night sessions were ‘not what the country needs or deserves’ during the American Rescue Plan? Now they’re getting ready to make dramatic cuts to Medicaid and SNAP so they can give tax breaks for billionaires - in the dead of night," Rep. Gregory Meeks, D-N.Y., said following news of the Wednesday morning Rules Committee session. "Hypocrisy on full display."

A bill making its way through the Texas Legislature would ban minors from accessing popular social media apps and websites in an effort to curb what a lawmaker says is an addictive and "harmful product."

Republican state Rep. Jared Patterson's measure, House Bill 186, passed the Texas House with bipartisan support last month and appears poised to be pushed through by the state Senate en route to Gov. Greg Abbott's desk.

In an interview with Fox News Digital on Monday, Patterson said the bill came about by speaking with multiple committees and with parents who have young kids about the effect that popular social media sites like X, TikTok, Facebook and Snapchat have on children.

These committees and conversations came during the last two interims in the state Legislature that studied the issue of social media and minors.

"Learning more about it, we really came to the realization that this is the most harmful product that our kids have access to in terms of its addictive nature," Patterson said.

NEW TEXAS LAW TAKES EFFECT REQUIRING PARENTAL APPROVAL FOR CHILDREN TO CREATE SOCIAL MEDIA ACCOUNTS

Bill 186 would ban minors from signing up for accounts on social media, require parental consent to download applications, and place warning labels about the dangers of social media.

Websites that allow users to create content and share it will be considered a social media platform and thus be banned from minors. 

However, websites containing news and sports will be accessible for minors.

While Texas isn’t the first state to put some restrictions on minors' access to social media platforms, it right now would be the strictest.

As of June 2024, there are 10 states that have age restriction laws on social media for minors, according to the ​​Age Verification Providers Association.

SNAPCHAT ‘OPENLY DEFYING’ LAW, ALLOWING KIDS ACCESS TO HARMFUL ADDICTIVE CONTENT: FLORIDA AG

Currently, only Florida has laws banning minors from using social media, but its laws are not as strict as the proposed Texas Bill 186.

Florida’s age restriction is currently 14 years old, while Texas’s proposed limit would be for those under the age of 18.

However, Patterson said the age restriction isn’t set in stone.

"We'll see what happens with the Senate. When [the bill] left the House, people under the age of 18 will be prohibited from social media. There was broad bipartisan support when the bill left the Texas house," Patterson said. "[The Senate has] every right to adjust it to whatever it needs to get out of that body."

MOMS FOR LIBERTY CO-FOUNDER SAYS CONGRESS' LATEST BILL TO PROTECT KIDS ONLINE HAS SERIOUS LOOPHOLE

Regardless of what changes are made, Patterson said he still feels strongly that protecting children is the No. 1 priority and that parents will realize just what exactly is happening.

"It starts with the understanding that these parents don’t stand a chance against these algorithms," he said. "It also starts with parents understanding that these apps aren’t for friends sharing information with friends; they are built to harvest data and get people hooked on their products."

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Patterson said Texas will continue to "stand in the gap and protect these kids, even when these social media companies refuse to show up.

"They refuse to answer for the harm they’ve caused, and they don't even care to answer questions in a public forum about what they’ve done to our kids."

New Jersey real estate developer Charles Kushner was confirmed by the U.S. Senate on Monday for the ambassadorship to France and Monaco.

He was confirmed in a 51-45 vote. 

Kushner, the father-in-law of Ivanka Trump, was previously pardoned by President Donald Trump for federal tax evasion and Federal Election Commission violations from 2005, during the mogul’s first term.

In 1985, he founded the Kushner Companies and has long been a philanthropist, particularly to Jewish causes and institutions like Yeshiva University in Washington Heights, Manhattan.

TRUMP EXPRESSES 'ABSOLUTE CONFIDENCE' AS STEVE WITKOFF IS SWORN IN AS SPECIAL MIDDLE EAST ENVOY

He has also donated to St. Barnabas Hospital in Essex County, New Jersey, which has a wing bearing his family name.

During his May 1 confirmation hearing, Kushner acknowledged his past legal missteps, claiming they sharpened his judgment and better prepared him for both the ambassadorship and life.

"I think that my past mistakes actually make me… better in my values to really make me more qualified to do this job," he told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

Kushner, who just celebrated his 71st birthday, was nominated in November after Trump called him a "tremendous business leader, philanthropist, & dealmaker, who will be a strong advocate representing our country & its interests."

TRUMP TAKES WELL-EARNED VICTORY LAP FOR MIDDLE EAST PEACE TRIUMPHS

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"He was recognized as New Jersey Entrepreneur of the Year by Ernst & Young, appointed to the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Council, & served as a commissioner, & chairman, of the Port Authority of New York & New Jersey, as well as on the boards of our top institutions, including NYU," Trump said.

"Congratulations to Charlie, his wonderful wife Seryl, their 4 children, & 14 grandchildren. His son, Jared, worked closely with me in the White House, in particular on Operation Warp Speed, Criminal Justice Reform, & the Abraham Accords."

Trump added that Kushner will help strengthen America’s partnership with "our oldest ally and one of our greatest." 

The chancellor tells the BBC the latest trade agreements with the EU, US and India will boost economic growth.

The deal paves the way for more common ground with the EU, but only dismantles a fraction of the trade barriers erected post-Brexit.

Acting U.S. Attorney for the District of New Jersey Alina Habba is charging Rep. LaMonica McIver for her alleged misconduct toward law enforcement in front of Delaney Hall earlier this month, but she is dismissing the trespassing charge against Newark Mayor Ras Baraka.

"Today my office has charged Congresswoman McIver with violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 111(a)(1) for assaulting, impeding and interfering with law enforcement," Habba said in a post on X on Monday.

In a letter posted with the comment, Habba announced that after extensive consideration, she was dismissing charges against Baraka.

Newark Mayor Ras Baraka was charged with class C misdemeanor trespassing at the facility, which is privately operated by the GEO Group, last week, and he had his first court appearance on Thursday, which Habba personally attended.

BLUE STATE ICE FACILITY RAMPS UP SECURITY WITH NEW BARRICADES AMID CLASHES WITH PROTESTERS

"We believe that I was targeted in this," Baraka said outside the courtroom after his appearance.

Baraka and three congressional lawmakers – McIver, Robert Menendez Jr., and Bonnie Watson Coleman were outside the ICE facility last week with a group of protesters when the gates opened to allow an ICE bus in. All four officials then allegedly rushed through the gates past security, according to officials from the Department of Homeland Security. 

"If it was a typical U.S. citizen, and they tried to storm into a detention facility that's housing dangerous criminals or any person at all, they would be arrested," DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin told "Fox News Live" host Kevin Corke Saturday. "Just because you are a member of Congress or just because you're a public official, does not mean you are above the law.

DEM LAWMAKERS DEFEND ‘STORMING’ OF ICE FACILITY, SAY TRUMP ADMIN IS ‘LYING AT ALL LEVELS’

However, McIver and others allege that "ICE created chaos" and instigated the situation.

"The way we were treated at Delaney Hall is almost unbelievable. ICE shoved me, manhandled [Watson Coleman], and arrested [Baraka]. They disrespected us and tried to stop us from conducting the oversight we’re elected to do. But we’ll never back down in our fight for what is right," McIver posted to X last week.

The arrest came as activists had been calling for access to the facility for days, which is a privately run facility that was revamped as an immigration detention facility this year. The city says that the facility is operating without a valid certificate of occupancy, whereas the GEO Group maintains that they are in full compliance with city laws. 

DHS SAYS ‘ARRESTS ARE STILL ON THE TABLE’ AFTER NEW JERSEY HOUSE DEMS CAUGHT ON CAMERA ‘STORMING’ ICE FACILITY

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After another protest that went right up to the gates of Delaney Hall, large yellow barricades were placed in front of its entrance with signs warning against trespassing on private property. 

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

A retired four-star admiral who once served as the Navy’s second-highest ranking officer, was convicted of bribery and other conspiracy charges, making him the most senior member of the U.S. military ever convicted of committing a federal crime while on active duty.

Following a five-day trial, retired four-star Adm. Robert P. Burke, 62, was found guilty on Monday of a scheme to direct lucrative contracts to a training company in exchange for a $500,000-a-year job after leaving the Navy, according to a news release from the Department of Justice. 

Burke is facing up to 30 years in prison for his role in the scheme to direct contracts potentially worth millions of dollars to a New York City-based company that offered training programs to the Navy.

"When you abuse your position and betray the public trust to line your own pockets, it undermines the confidence in the government you represent," U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro wrote in a post on X following the conviction. 

RETIRED NAVY ADMIRAL CHARGED WITH BRIBERY FOR ALLEGEDLY OFFERING GOVERNMENT CONTRACT IN EXCHANGE FOR JOB

"Our office, with our law enforcement partners, will root out corruption – be it bribes or illegal contracts – and hold accountable the perpetrators, no matter what title or rank they hold," Pirro continued. 

Burke, who served as vice chief of naval operations, was once the Navy’s second-highest ranking officer. 

According to court documents and as the evidence proved at trial, from 2020 to 2022, Burke was a four-star admiral who oversaw U.S. naval operations in Europe, Russia, and most of Africa, and commanded thousands of civilian and military personnel.

Yongchul "Charlie" Kim and Meghan Messenger, co-CEOs of a company not named by the DOJ, allegedly participated in the scheme to get a government contract in exchange for offering Burke a position with the company.

The company provided a training program for a small part of the Navy from 2018 and 2019, before their contract was terminated. 

FORMER US ARMY INTELLIGENCE ANALYST SENTENCED FOR SELLING SENSITIVE DOCUMENTS TO CHINESE NATIONAL

The company was told by the Navy not to contact Burke, but the three met in Washington, D.C., in July 2021 and Burke allegedly agreed to use his influence to get the company a sole-source contract and urge other Naval officers to use the company for a more widespread training program that Kim estimated would be worth "triple digit millions."

In December 2021, Burke allegedly ordered his staff to award the company a $355,000 contract to train Naval personnel under his command in Italy and Spain and made an unsuccessful attempt to convince a senior Naval commander to give them another contract. 

"There was no connection between this contract and his employment. The math just doesn’t make sense that he would give them this relatively small contract for that type of job offer," Burke's defense attorney, Timothy Parlatore, previously told Fox News Digital.

Burke allegedly implied that he had no role in awarding the contract, and that his discussions with Kim and Messenger didn’t start until after the contract started. 

'FAT LEONARD' MASTERMIND BEHIND LARGEST CORRUPTION SCANDAL IN US MILITARY HISTORY SENTENCED TO 15 YEARS

Both Kim and Messenger were arrested in May 2024 and were charged with conspiracy to commit bribery and bribery and could face 20 years in prison. 

Parlatore told Fox News Digital that they are "obviously disappointed by the verdict," but said "this is a result of the fact that the jury did not get to hear the whole story." 

"The investigation was very poorly conducted. It was conducted by the exact same investigator who completely screwed up the Fat Leonard case," Paralore said. 

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"They didn't do any research and so you have an incompetent and unethical, corrupt investigator relying upon the word of a known liar, building this terrible case. And ultimately, the only way that they could bring it to a conviction was to only present certain evidence to the jury," Paralore continued. 

Fox News Digital reached out to the DOJ for comment, but did not immediately receive a response. 

Fox News Digital's Brie Stimson contributed to this report. 

Following his phone calls with the leaders of Russia and Ukraine, President Donald Trump appeared confident that peace talks between the two warring nations will soon be progressing.

In response to a reporter’s question outside the White House on Monday, Trump said that he believes Russian President Vladimir Putin is genuine in his seeking a peace deal.

"President Trump, do you think Vladimir Putin wants peace?" the reporter shouted across the lawn.

Trump stopped and responded: "I do. Yes."

"Do you still trust Putin?" the reporter continued, to which Trump responded: "I do."

TRUMP SAYS PUTIN IS ‘TIRED’ OF RUSSIA-UKRAINE WAR 

Speaking later that same day, after an event honoring fallen law enforcement officers in the White House, Trump said that he believes Putin has "had enough" of the war. 

"I think he's had enough. I think he's had enough. It's been a long time. This has been going on for more than three years. When you think, it's been going on for a long time," said the president. 

Meanwhile, Trump seemed less confident in Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Asked whether Zelenskyy is doing enough to help the peace talks process along, Trump responded: "I'd rather tell you in about two weeks from now, because I can't say yes or no." 

"Look, he's a strong person, Zelenskyy, a strong guy, and he's not the easiest person to deal with," said Trump. "But I think that he wants to stop, and it's a very bad thing that's happening over there. I think he wants to stop. But I could answer that question better in two weeks or four weeks from now. I hope the answer is that he wants to get it solved."

RUSSIA BOMBARDS UKRAINE WITH DRONES HOURS AFTER TRUMP ANNOUNCES TALKS WITH PUTIN

Trump also commented on newly inaugurated Pope Leo XIV, saying he would like to help facilitate peace between the two nations. Trump said that it would be "great" to have the peace talks at the Vatican.

"There's tremendous bitterness, anger, and I think maybe that could help some of that anger," said Trump. 

Trump and Putin held a two-hour call on Monday in what the U.S. said was a push to get Russia to end its deadly war in Ukraine. 

Both Trump and Putin described the call in a positive light, with the Kremlin chief saying it was "frank" and "useful," but it is not immediately clear what results were achieved. 

Trump took to social media to praise the call as having gone "very well" and said, "Russia and Ukraine will immediately start negotiations toward a Ceasefire and, more importantly, an END to the War."

RUBIO TEASES DETAILS OF POTENTIAL TRUMP, PUTIN IN-PERSON MEETING AFTER RUSSIA-UKRAINE CEASEFIRE TALKS STALL

"The conditions for that will be negotiated between the two parties, as it can only be, because they know details of a negotiation that nobody else would be aware of," he added. 

Putin, in a statement after the call, also noted that "a ceasefire with Ukraine is possible" but "Russia and Ukraine must find compromises that suit both sides."

Any concrete details on the nature of these compromises remain unclear, despite negotiation attempts in Turkey on Friday, which Trump suggested failed because he needed to negotiate with Putin first.

In the lead up to the talks, Trump also spoke with Zelenskyy, along with other world leaders like U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron, who said they discussed the urgent need for Putin to agree to an unconditional ceasefire or face serious repercussions, including more sanctions.

TRUMP KICKS OFF 18TH WEEK IN OFFICE WITH HIGH-STAKES BID TO BROKER UKRAINE, RUSSIA PEACE

Russia currently occupies about 20% of Ukraine's landmass. However, the Russian military's advance has significantly slowed to a virtual stalemate. 

In October, Fox News Digital reported that Russia has suffered some 600,000 casualties in its war with Ukraine — more than its losses in every conflict since World War II combined.

President Donald Trump spoke candidly about former President Joe Biden's recent prostate cancer diagnosis on Monday, expressing sympathy while also suggesting that the situation should be investigated.

Biden's team announced the diagnosis on Sunday afternoon, saying that the former statesman "was seen for a new finding of a prostate nodule after experiencing increasing urinary symptoms."

"On Friday, he was diagnosed with prostate cancer, characterized by a Gleason score of 9 (Grade Group 5) with metastasis to the bone," the statement added.

"While this represents a more aggressive form of the disease, the cancer appears to be hormone-sensitive which allows for effective management," Biden's team concluded. "The President and his family are reviewing treatment options with his physicians."

'SMALL NODULE' FOUND IN BIDEN'S PROSTATE DURING ROUTINE EXAM, SPOKESPERSON SAYS

Speaking to reporters on Monday afternoon, Trump called the news "very sad, actually." 

"I'm surprised that…you know, the public wasn't notified a long time ago because to get to stage nine [sic], that's a long time," Trump said. "I just had my physical… We had the doctors at the White House and over at Walter Reed, which is a fantastic hospital. I did a very complete physical, including cognitive tests."

Trump also referenced Biden's cognitive decline during his presidency, stating that "anybody running for president should take a cognitive test."

"They say it's unconstitutional. But I would say in that particular case, having a cognitive test wouldn't be so bad," the Republican said.

Trump also posited that the general public "wasn't informed" about Biden's medical situation, and suggested that the situation should be investigated.

OBAMA REACTS TO BIDEN CANCER DIAGNOSIS 

"I think somebody is going to have to speak to his doctor if it's the same, or even if it's two separate doctors," Trump said. "Why wasn't the cognitive ability, why wasn't that discussed? And I think the doctor said he's just fine. And it's turned out that's not so. It's very dangerous."

The president concluded by saying that the cancer diagnosis is "a very, very sad situation and I feel very badly about it."

"I think people should try and find out what happened, because I'll tell you….I don't know if it had anything to do with the hospital," Trump added. "Walter Reed is really good. There's some of the best doctors I've ever seen."

"Somebody is not telling the facts," he concluded. "It's a big problem."

News of Biden's aggressive cancer diagnosis shocked the country over the weekend. After receiving bipartisan messages of sympathy, the 82-year-old thanked his supporters on social media on Monday.

"Cancer touches us all," Biden wrote on X. "Like so many of you, Jill and I have learned that we are strongest in the broken places. Thank you for lifting us up with love and support."

White House’s visitor logs reveal that many of the top Democratic leaders who most vocally defended former President Joe Biden’s leadership capabilities were frequent White House visitors and were thus presumably aware of Biden’s worsening cognitive decline.

National Republican Congressional Committee spokesperson Mike Marinella slammed Democratic leadership for participating in what he called a "cover-up" and the "political scandal of the century."

This comes as the 82-year-old former president's condition is once again making headlines, courtesy of excerpts from a new book being released this week, "Original Sin: President Biden’s Decline, Its Cover-up, and His Disastrous Choice to Run Again," which offers claims of a White House cover-up of the then-president's apparent cognitive decline.

Additionally, last week's leaked audio of Biden’s 2023 interview with special counsel Robert Hur, in which the then-president appears to suffer memory lapses, is also fueling the conversation.

DEMS FACE A LITMUS TEST OVER BIDEN'S COGNITIVE ABILITIES

Hur, who investigated whether Biden years earlier had improperly stored classified documents, made major headlines early last year when he decided not to charge Biden but described the then-president as an "elderly man with a poor memory."

Visitor logs reveal that four top Democrats made a total of 63 visits to the Biden White House between 2022 and 2024.

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., made 21 visits to the White House in the span of just two years, 2022 through 2024, according to official visitor logs. This means that Jeffries would presumably have been very familiar with the former president’s condition.

Despite these visits, Jeffries continued to assert that he was confident in Biden’s leadership, even saying in a 2023 interview that based on firsthand knowledge of the former president "in a high stakes circumstance," Biden was an "incredible leader, incredible negotiator, incredible strategist, and he's strong, brilliant, understands nuance."

TRUMP WISHES BIDEN 'FAST AND SUCCESSFUL RECOVERY' AFTER PROSTATE CANCER DIAGNOSIS

Again, Jeffries claimed that Biden was "one of the most accomplished American presidents in our history, and he has the vision, I believe, the ability, the capacity and the track record to make a case to the American people that will result in us being successful in November."

Jeffries insisted as late as February that Biden was "the strongest candidate to defeat Donald Trump."

The last several documented visits Jeffries made were shortly before Biden’s disastrous debate with President Donald Trump. Biden’s shockingly poor performance at this debate led to calls for him to step down, ultimately leading to his dropping out of the 2024 presidential race.

In addition to Jeffries, several other top Democrats were also frequent White House visitors, including House Democratic Whip Katherine Clark, D-Mass., as well as Reps. Pete Aguilar, D-Calif., and Suzan DelBene, D-Wash.

Amid the Democratic turmoil in the wake of Biden’s poor debate performance, DelBene, who made five visits to the White House between 2022 and 2024, expressed continued support for Biden, saying: "The stakes are incredibly high this election, for all of us. That hasn’t changed after last week."

DEM SENATOR SAYS BIDEN SHOULD HAVE DROPPED OUT OF PRESIDENTIAL RACE MUCH SOONER

"The choice this November is crystal clear," said DelBene. "Democrats who want to govern responsibly versus extremist Republicans obsessed with tax breaks for billionaires, rolling back reproductive freedom, and defending Trump’s attacks on our democracy." 

Aguilar, who made 10 documented visits to the White House in the span of two years, continued to defend Biden even after the debate, saying in a July 9 press conference that "right now President Biden is the nominee, and we support the Democratic nominee."

Meanwhile, Clark, who made 27 visits to the White House between 2022 and 2024 and was among Biden’s most vocal supporters up until his poor debate performance, refrained from taking a strong stance on whether Biden should remain in the race, saying, "The decision is up to the president."

After Biden announced he was dropping out of the race, Clark praised the former president, saying that "around the globe, he is admired for his steady, experienced leadership — always honoring America’s crucial role as a facilitator of peace, democracy, and human rights."

FORMER PRESIDENT ISSUES FIRST PUBLIC COMMENTS SINCE PROSTATE CANCER DIAGNOSIS

Jeffries, Clark, Aguilar and DelBene did not respond to Fox News Digital’s requests for comment.

Marinella commented that "while Americans were asking questions, Democrat leaders lied to their faces and worked overtime to cover up the political scandal of the century."

Marinella told Fox News Digital that "voters will never forget their disgusting deception." 

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer was ripped on social media over the weekend for suggesting President Donald Trump was partially to blame for a Mexican Navy ship losing control and crashing into the Brooklyn Bridge.

"After being fully briefed on last night’s Brooklyn Bridge accident, one thing is predominantly clear: there are more questions than answers as it relates to exactly how this accident occurred," Schumer said in a press release after a 150-foot-tall Mexican Navy training ship, Cuauhtémoc, reportedly experienced a mechanical issue before its masts crashed into the Brooklyn Bridge, killing two cadets on the ship. 

"Bridges serve as critical transportation arteries for commerce, emergency response, and daily travel, and many span key waterways that are vulnerable to both natural and man-made threats. The Coast Guard plays a crucial role in monitoring and securing these areas, deterring potential terrorist attacks, preventing illegal activities, and responding quickly to emergencies," Schumer wrote. "At the same time, maintaining the structural integrity and safety of America’s bridges is critical to the economy and the well-being of communities. A failure or attack on a major bridge could disrupt supply chains, endanger lives, and cause massive economic losses. It is unacceptable that the Trump administration is potentially jeopardizing our national and economic security – as well as American lives."

Schumer went on to point to the DOGE-implemented hiring freeze at the Coast Guard, arguing it could have impeded the Coast Guard's Vehicle Traffic System, which works in a similar fashion to the air traffic control system.

TRUMP SAYS 'THERE'S SOMETHING WRONG' WITH TOP DEMOCRAT HE'S KNOWN 'A LONG TIME'

Schumer’s claim drew immediate criticism from conservatives on social media as well as the Department of Homeland Security.

"Minority Leader Schumer’s accusations that a hiring freeze led to the U.S. Coast Guard’s Vessel Traffic Services not being adequately staffed are FALSE," the official DHS account posted on X. 

"The US Coast Guard has been fully supported and been exempt from hiring freezes. Additionally, this incident had nothing to do with Vessel Traffic Services— when a ship loses propulsion in a high current area, the vessel needs to engage all capabilities to stop and ideally tugs are nearby to support. We encourage Minority Leader Schumer to get his facts straight before he misleads the American people."

CREW ON MEXICAN NAVY TALL SHIP SEEN CLINGING TO RIGGING AFTER COLLISION WITH BROOKLYN BRIDGE, VIDEO SHOWS

"Mexican vessel: Loses control, hits bridge," Fox News contributor Guy Benson posted on X. "Schumer: I’ll never forgive Drumpf for this!"

"Schumer is a stupid, evil man," conservative radio host and Fox News host Mark Levin posted on X. 

"I, too, question Donald Trump's leadership of the Mexican Navy," substack writer Jim Treacher posted on X. 

"Elon and Trump Derangement Syndrome is out of control," conservative communicator Steve Guest posted on X. "Schumer is trying to pass the blame from the Mexican Navy onto them…"

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"He is an idiot," senior counsel to Trump's assistant AG Leo Terrell posted on X. 

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

"The U.S. Coast Guard’s New York Vessel Traffic Service was fully functional during the incident, operating in accordance with established procedures to manage commercial traffic and facilitate safe navigation," a Coast Guard spokesperson told Fox News Digital. 

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

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

Here's what's happening…

-Pope Leo XIV meets with JD Vance, Marco Rubio

-Trump kicks off 18th week in office with high-stakes calls to potentially broker Ukraine, Russia peace

-Biden speaks out for first time since cancer diagnosis

The Supreme Court on Monday agreed to lift a lower court injunction that blocked President Donald Trump's decision to terminate the protected legal status of hundreds of thousands of migrants living in the U.S., in a win for the administration as it looks to deliver on its hard-line immigration enforcement policies.

The decision clears the way for the Trump administration to move forward with its plans to terminate Biden-era Temporary Protected Status (TPS) protections for roughly 300,000 Venezuelan migrants living in the U.S. and allows the administration to move forward with plans to immediately remove these migrants, which lawyers for the administration argued they should be able to do.

U.S. Solicitor General John Sauer argued as much when he asked the Supreme Court to lift the injunction this month, arguing in an emergency appeal that a lower court judge had overstepped their authority by blocking the administration from ending the program for certain Venezuelans…READ MORE

LITMUS TEST: Spotlight on Biden's cognitive decline forces Democrats to run the gauntlet

KUSHNER VOTE: Trump-pardoned real estate mogul Charles Kushner up for key diplomatic post

'VILE': Walz ripped for 'sickening' use of Nazi era language describing Trump's immigration policy: 'Anti-American'

NO CONCERNS: Trump remains confident in White House doctors despite Biden cancer diagnosis

'HUGE ADVANTAGE': Trump's 'big, beautiful bill' wins support from police for overtime tax elimination

GRIM NEWS: Obama reacts to Biden diagnosis: 'Nobody has done more to find breakthrough treatments for cancer...than Joe'

'NOT SEEKING WAR': Iranian president calls for negotiation and dialogue as nuclear talks continue

HISTORIC DEAL: UK, Europe strike post-Brexit deal on defense, trade issues

UKRAINE BOMBARDED: Russia bombards Ukraine with drones hours after Trump announces talks with Putin

'GOD BLESS US ALL': Trump to call Putin in a bid to end Russia's 'bloodbath' war with Ukraine

FORCED RESET: Trump's tough policies push UK, EU to significantly expand trade and defense

GAMBLING TAX DOLLARS: Republicans demand probe into DOD’s taxpayer-funded charges at casinos, bars and nightclubs

REPORTER'S NOTEBOOK: A user’s manual to where we stand with the 'big, beautiful bill'

BRIDGE TOO FAR: Schumer slammed for claiming DOGE might be to blame for Mexican ship crashing into Brooklyn Bridge

RADICAL TRANSPARENCY: FBI director opens up files on Nashville school shooting to rep for first time

'ONLY PERSON ARRESTED': Blue state political battle intensifies after Dem mayor's arrest at ICE facility: 'Outraged'

TAKE-HOME PAY DAY: New projection signals good news for families, workers in Trump's 'big, beautiful bill'

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Decorated warfighter Ret. Gen. Stanley McChrystal lambasted recent moves at the Pentagon, arguing on Sunday that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's focus on rooting out diversity, equity and inclusion is a "distraction." 

"I think that the DEI thing is, frankly, a distraction. It's not helpful," he told CBS’ "Face the Nation."

"I am completely aligned with Secretary Hegseth on the idea that we need to defend the nation, that the defense department needs to be as effective as it can be, and that a certain warrior ethos matters," McChrystal explained. "We just define it differently." 

The four-star retired Army general challenged the conception that "everybody's got to look a certain way, got to have biceps of a certain size, there's got to be a male, straight."

HEGSETH QUIPS '99.9%' OF DEI INITIATIVES ARE GONE FROM THE MILITARY UNDER TRUMP’S WATCH

He also argued for a more inclusive military. 

"In the counter-terrorist fight, where much of my experience was, it became a meritocracy. You didn't care what somebody looked like or how old they were, what their gender was or sexual orientation because it was too important to get the job done.

"America needs to harness talent from every corner of our society, everyone."

McChrystal resigned as commander of the U.S. forces in Afghanistan, only a year into the job, during the Obama administration after a Rolling Stone article attributed scathing comments about President Barack Obama to McChrystal and his aides. 

During his short tenure, McChrystal advocated for a buildup of U.S. forces in Afghanistan.

HEGSETH SAYS HE'S UNDOING 'SOCIAL JUSTICE/BIDEN INITIATIVE' THAT TRUMP SIGNED INTO LAW

He had wanted 60,000 additional U.S. troops to reverse insurgent "momentum." Obama offered him 33,000.

McChrystal appeared on CBS to promote his new book, "On Character: Choices That Define a Life."

"As a nation, our character is our fate. So, what I am trying to do is convince people to start a national conversation on character, with the idea that it starts at the bottom," said McChrystal. "Not at the top."

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"Our national leaders are not the cause of the problem. They are the symptom of the problem. The cause is us," he argued. 

"We’ve always had a problem with certain evil in society and corruption, but I think the fact that we see everything so much now that we normalize it," McChrystal said. "We start to accept things in celebrities or leaders that frankly, things we wouldn’t have accepted even a generation ago. And that’s our problem."

MPs have already overturned calls for more copyright protection for artists against AI once before.

A new deal extending access for EU boats in UK waters has been agreed as part of a wider softening of relations with the bloc.

President Donald Trump is considering Justice Department official Emil Bove, his former defense attorney, for a U.S. appeals court vacancy — a controversial nomination that would come as he continues to attack so-called "activist" judges for blocking his agenda.

Bove, 44, is among those Trump is considering for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, which covers Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware.

There are currently two vacancies on the court — increasing the odds that Bove's name could be floated by Trump. If confirmed, he would serve a lifetime appointment on the federal bench.

Bove's name is not the only one being considered, familiar sources say, and conversations are believed to be in the early stages.

JUDGE ON WARPATH PRESSES TRUMP DOJ ON ABREGO GARCIA DEPORTATION, ANSWERS LEAVE COURTROOM IN STUNNED SILENCE

Prior to his installation at the Justice Department, Bove spent nearly 10 years as a U.S. prosecutor for the Southern District of New York.

He also defended Trump in two of his criminal trials following his first term in the White House.

In each of these roles and at DOJ, Bove's hard-charging tactics have solidified his reputation as a fierce, loyal and, at times, aggressive leader. 

At the Justice Department, Bove has emerged as the man behind some of the administration's most contentious actions — prompting some officials to resign rather than carry out his marching orders.

Shortly after taking office, he sent a memo threatening state and city officials with criminal charges or civil penalties if they failed to comply with the Trump administration's crackdown on immigration or slow-walked their orders on enforcement. 

"Federal law prohibits state and local actors from resisting, obstructing and otherwise failing to comply with lawful immigration-related commands," Bove said in the memo.

TRUMP'S REMARKS COULD COME BACK TO BITE HIM IN ABREGO GARCIA DEPORTATION BATTLE

It was Bove who ordered federal prosecutors for the Southern District of New York to file a motion to dismiss charges against New York City Mayor Eric Adams. 

That order prompted a string of resignations from personnel, including acting U.S attorney for the section Danielle Sassoon to leave DOJ rather than drop the case.

Bove, along with Edward Sullivan from the Justice Department's Public Integrity Section, eventually signed on to the motion themselves. 

Fox News also reported earlier this year that Bove was behind an exhaustive questionnaire sent to FBI agents detailing their roles in the Jan. 6 investigations. 

Questions ranged from agents' participation in any grand jury subpoenas to whether the agents worked or responded to leads from another FBI field office or if they worked as a case agent for investigations.

FBI AGENTS GROUP TELLS CONGRESS TO TAKE URGENT ACTION TO PROTECT AGAINST POLITICIZATION

Former Justice Department officials have cited concerns that the probe or any retaliatory measures carried out as a result could have a chilling effect on the work of the FBI, including its more than 52 separate field offices.

The group cited in particular the order from acting then-Acting Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove to terminate the entire FBI senior leadership team and the assistant director in charge of the Washington Field Office. 

Bove would face a highly uncertain path to confirmation if nominated. The news comes at a time when Democrats have sharply excoriated what they argue are Trump's attempts to install loyalists to head up the DOJ and FBI. 

The White House and Justice Department did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment.

BETHLEHEM, PA – Freshman GOP Rep. Ryan Mackenzie flipped a congressional seat in the Lehigh Valley just six months ago, but with competitive midterm elections expected in 2026, Americans for Prosperity (AFP) is already building its grassroots coalition in his swing district. 

It's an off-election year for Mackenzie, who unseated longtime Democrat Rep. Susan Wild in November, but as the 42-year-old jogged through neighborhood blocks in Bethlehem and greeted constituents at their doors on Saturday afternoon, the newest Pennsylvania congressman still has 17 months before his first re-election challenge.

Mackenzie joined AFP activists in the Lehigh Valley on Saturday for a day of action, designed to educate constituents on his work to extend President Donald Trump's 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) and pass Trump's "big, beautiful bill" as budget negotiations continue back on Capitol Hill. He said it was his first time door knocking since winning in November. 

"We have a tremendous opportunity as members of Congress to actually pass transformative legislation which will bring down taxes and the cost of living for not only individuals, but small businesses all across this country. For the past four years, we've seen that inflation has been out of control, driving up the prices of everything — food, fuel, housing, healthcare," Mackenzie told Fox News Digital in an exclusive interview. 

GOP REPS, ADVOCACY GROUP TO TARGET COMPETITIVE HOUSE DISTRICTS IN TRUMP TAX-CUT PUSH

"It's been very difficult for people to make ends meet. That was a big issue in the campaign, and now we have that opportunity to deliver, as members of Congress, with significant tax reform and tax relief," Mackenzie added.

CONGRESSIONAL DEMOCRATS TARGETING DOZENS OF HOUSE REPUBLICAN-HELD SEATS IN 2026 MIDTERM BATTLE FOR MAJORITY

Conservative holdouts stalled a procedural vote for reconciliation on Friday, prompting House leaders to return to the Hill late Sunday night to continue negotiations. Meanwhile, Trump is urging House Republicans to pass his "big, beautiful bill" following his high-profile diplomatic trip to the Middle East last week. 

"Ultimately, we do have to get a resolution that satisfies 218 members of Congress. We're very close to doing that, and this is all part of the process. Nobody should be upset or concerned about any kind of little bumps in the road, because ultimately, we're going to come together to do what's right for the American people," Mackenzie said. 

The conservative advocacy group teamed up with GOP Reps. David Schweikert and Juan Ciscomani of Arizona, Ashley Hinson of Iowa, Tom Barrett of Michigan and Mackenzie of Pennsylvania for door-knocking, phone banks and grassroots organizing in a show of support for Trump's tax cuts this weekend — telling constituents how their representatives are working to alleviate financial burden for everyday Americans.

AFP shared with Fox News Digital that they reached over 90,000 voters on Saturday. 

"Americans for Prosperity Pennsylvania has been on the ground knocking doors, making calls, hosting events, and organizing demonstrations to educate and show the urgency for Congress to make provisions of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act permanent," Emily Greene, Americans for Prosperity Pennsylvania State Director, told Fox News Digital. 

"We’re talking with taxpayers and business owners every day who understand that Congress needs to get to work — we can’t risk facing the largest tax hike in American history. After four years of record-high inflation, taxpayers deserve better."

AFP launched the day of action in conjunction with a $20 million "Protect Prosperity" campaign, which the advocacy group called the single largest investment of any outside group dedicated to preserving the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act.

And it's no coincidence that AFP focused its attention on competitive congressional districts in Arizona, Iowa, Michigan and Pennsylvania this weekend, as contentious races are expected in 2026. While Saturday's day of action was designed to spotlight how Republican representatives are working in Washington, D.C., to boost the economy for everyday Americans back home, it also launched an early messaging campaign.

As Democrats try to win back control in the House of Representatives in 2026, AFP is getting ahead of Democrats' likely attacks on vulnerable Republicans' support for Trump's "big, beautiful bill" — by telling Republican voters that their representatives are delivering for them. 

EXCLUSIVE: A conservative Republican said he's opposed to his moderate colleague's proposal for a modest tax hike on high-income earners, as GOP lawmakers continue to navigate divisions over President Donald Trump's "one big, beautiful bill."

"Well, think about that — higher taxes to pay for something that is pretty much self-inflicted by all the states that don't have their financials in order," Rep. Ralph Norman, R-S.C., a member of the conservative House Freedom Caucus, told Fox News Digital on Sunday.

It comes as various House Republican factions are locked in high-stakes debates on taxes, Medicaid, and green energy subsidies while crafting Trump's wide-ranging bill.

Rep. Nick LaLota, R-N.Y., suggested over the weekend that increasing the top tax bracket to a 39.6% income tax rate rather than 37% could help pay for higher deduction caps for state and local taxes (SALT).

TRUMP'S 'BIG, BEAUTIFUL BILL' PASSES KEY HOUSE HURDLE AFTER GOP REBEL MUTINY

The 39.6% rate refers to the top income tax bracket before it was lowered by Trump’s 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA).

SALT deduction caps primarily benefit people living in high-cost-of-living areas like New York City, Los Angeles, and their surrounding suburbs.

Republicans representing those areas, including LaLota, have argued that raising the SALT deduction cap is an existential issue — and that a failure to address it could cost the GOP the House majority in the 2026 midterms.

Several of the Republicans vying for higher SALT deduction caps have pointed out that their victories are critical to the party retaining control of the House in 2024.

SALT deduction caps did not exist before TCJA, which notably instilled a $10,000 ceiling for married and single tax filers.

"The One Big Beautiful Bill has stalled—and it needs wind in its sails. Allowing the top tax rate to expire—returning from 37% to 39.6% for individuals earning over $609,350 and married couples earning over $731,200—breathes $300 billion of new life into the effort," LaLota wrote on X.

"It’s a fiscally responsible move that reflects the priorities of the new Republican Party: protect working families, address the deficit, fix the unfair SALT cap, and safeguard programs like Medicaid and SNAP—without raising taxes on the middle class."

But Republicans in lower-tax states are largely wary of significant increases to those caps, believing them to incentivize blue states' high-tax policies.

"People with money invest, and to tax them more — history has been, when you tax the other upper 1% more, you know, the economy does worse," Norman argued. "More taxes don't make sense to me."

The current legislation would increase the SALT deduction cap from $10,000 to $30,000, but a majority of Republicans in the House SALT Caucus rejected the deal.

LaLota and others have contended it's not enough for middle-class families in their districts.

"My party’s $30K cap proposal only makes 4 in 5 households whole. That’s not enough. On [Long Island], $250K isn’t rich—it barely covers the basics. Too many families pay over $15K in property taxes & get left out. I’m fighting for a higher cap. Wish me luck," he said on X.

But while tax hike proposals targeting wealthy Americans were part of Republicans' negotiations at an earlier point, any such effort appears to have been all but definitively stamped out. 

House GOP leadership aides signaled to reporters on Monday morning that such a tax hike would not be in the final bill, pointing to Speaker Mike Johnson's comments on the matter.

Johnson, R-La., said on The Will Cain Show late last month that he was "not in favor of raising the tax rates, because our party is the group that stands against that, traditionally."

HOUSE GOP TARGETS ANOTHER DEM OFFICIAL ACCUSED OF BLOCKING ICE AMID DELANEY HALL FALLOUT

But nevertheless, the differing viewpoints underscore the divisions that Republicans still have to navigate ahead of their planned House-wide vote on Trump's bill later this week.

Republicans are using the budget reconciliation process to advance Trump's priorities on taxes, immigration, energy, defense and the national debt via one massive bill.

Budget reconciliation lowers the Senate’s threshold for passage from 60 votes to 51, thereby allowing the party in power to skirt the minority — in this case, Democrats — to pass sweeping pieces of legislation, provided they deal with the federal budget, taxation or the national debt.

Republican leaders want to have a final bill on the president’s desk by Fourth of July.

Fox News Digital reached out to LaLota's office for comment on Norman's remarks but did not immediately hear back.

President Donald Trump will descend on Capitol Hill Tuesday morning where he’s expected to meet with House Republicans on his "one, big, beautiful bill."

Trump is attending the House GOP’s weekly conference meeting, three House GOP sources and two White House officials confirmed to Fox News Digital and Fox News Radio, respectively. It’s normally an hour-long session behind closed doors in which Republicans discuss the week’s agenda and any outstanding issues.

The president is expected to rally Republicans around the massive piece of legislation designed to advance his agenda on tax, immigration, defense, energy, and raising the debt limit.

It’s a significant escalation in the president’s involvement in the process so far.

TRUMP'S 'BIG, BEAUTIFUL BILL' PASSES KEY HOUSE HURDLE AFTER GOP REBEL MUTINY

House Republicans, meanwhile, have several critical differences to resolve before their self-imposed deadline to pass the bill by Memorial Day.

Conservatives are pushing for the bill to be more aggressive on cutting waste, fraud, and abuse in the Medicaid system, including a faster timeline for implementing work requirements for able-bodied recipients. Currently, the legislation has work requirements kicking in 2029.

Moderates, meanwhile, have been wary of making significant cuts to the program.

Fiscal hawks are also pushing for a total and near-immediate repeal of the former Biden administration’s green energy subsidies in the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), noting it was a Trump campaign promise — while other Republicans have pointed out businesses in their districts are benefiting from the tax relief.

HOUSE GOP TARGETS ANOTHER DEM OFFICIAL ACCUSED OF BLOCKING ICE AMID DELANEY HALL FALLOUT

There’s also disagreement over raising the state and local tax (SALT) deduction cap, a critical issue for blue state Republicans representing high-cost-of-living districts. GOP lawmakers in lower-tax states have dismissed it as a giveaway to high-tax Democrat-controlled areas, however.

News of Trump’s likely appearance on Capitol Hill comes after Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., said on a lawmaker-only call on Monday morning that the president is ready and willing to play an active role in discussions.

"He wants to be involved as much as we need him," Johnson told House GOP colleagues.

The speaker also said he spoke with Trump by phone on Monday morning, and the president was "very excited, very encouraged."

Republicans are working to pass Trump’s policies on tax, immigration, energy, defense, and the national debt all in one massive bill via the budget reconciliation process.

GOP lawmakers also see it as an opportunity to put the country on a better fiscal path, with the national debt already having surpassed $36 trillion.

Budget reconciliation lowers the Senate’s threshold for passage from 60 votes to 51, thereby allowing the party in power to skirt the minority — in this case, Democrats — to pass sweeping pieces of legislation, provided they deal with the federal budget, taxation, or the national debt.

House Republicans are hoping to advance Trump’s bill through the House by the end of this week, with a goal of a final bill on the president’s desk by Fourth of July.

The House Rules Committee, the final gatekeeper before a House-wide vote, is set to take up the bill at 1 a.m. on Wednesday.

President Donald Trump said the cooperation he witnessed to get the Take It Down Act into law was one of the greatest moments of bipartisanship he has seen. 

The president signed the bill, which punishes internet abuse involving nonconsensual, explicit imagery, during an outdoors ceremony in the White House Rose Garden Monday afternoon, joined by first lady Melania Trump, who has been championing the issue since her husband's inauguration.

"This legislation is a powerful step forward in our efforts to ensure that every American, especially young people, can feel better protected from their image or identity being abused through non-consensual, or intimate imagery of NCII," the first lady said from the rose garden Monday afternoon. "Artificial intelligence and social media at a digital candy for the next generation," she added. "Sweet, addictive and engineered to have an impact on the cognitive development of our children. But unlike sugar, these new technologies can be weaponized to shape beliefs, and sadly affect emotions and even be deadly."

Trump reiterated the importance of the new legislation during the signing ceremony Monday afternoon from the White House. He also touted "a level of bipartisanship" he's never seen before to get the legislation across the finish line, citing the work of the first lady as a big catalyst. 

"We've shown that bipartisanship is possible," Trump said shortly before he signed the new act. "I mean, it's the first time I've seen such a level of bipartisanship, but it's a beautiful thing to do. I'm not even sure you realize, honey, you know, a lot of the Democrats and Republicans don't get along so well. You've made them get along, and she didn't even know about that. She didn't know we had a problem. She didn't know we had a problem. She got it.  

The Take It Down Act is a bill introduced in the Senate by Sens. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, and Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., that would make it a federal crime to publish, or threaten to publish, nonconsensual intimate imagery, including "digital forgeries" crafted by artificial intelligence. The bill unanimously passed the Senate in February, and passed in the House of Representatives in April with a vote of 409–2. 

MELANIA TRUMP SPEAKS ON CAPITOL HILL FOR FIRST TIME IN ROUNDTABLE FOCUSED ON PUNISHING REVENGE PORN

The law would require penalties of up to three years in prison for sharing nonconsensual intimate images — authentic or AI-generated — involving minors and two years in prison for those images involving adults. It also would require penalties of up to two and a half years in prison for threat offenses involving minors, and one and a half years in prison for threats involving adults. 

The bill requires social media companies, like Snapchat, TikTok, Instagram and similar platforms, to put procedures in place to remove such content within 48 hours of notice from the victim. 

AI-generated images known as "deepfakes" often involve editing videos or photos of people to make them look like someone else by using artificial intelligence. Deepfakes hit the public’s radar in 2017 after a Reddit user posted realistic-looking pornography of celebrities to the platform, opening the floodgates to users employing AI to make images look more convincing and widely shared in the following years. 

Right now, nearly every U.S. state has a law protecting people from nonconsensual intimate image violations, but the laws vary in classification of crime and penalty. 

In March, the first lady spoke on Capitol Hill for the first time since returning to the White House to participate in a roundtable with lawmakers and victims of revenge porn and AI-generated deepfakes. 

The first lady invited 15-year-old Elliston Berry, whose high school peers used AI to create nonconsensual imagery of her and spread them across social media. 

"It’s heartbreaking to witness young teens, especially girls, grappling with the overwhelming challenges posed by malicious online content, like deepfakes," Trump said. "This toxic environment can be severely damaging. We must prioritize their well-being by equipping them with the support and tools necessary to navigate this hostile digital landscape. Every young person deserves a safe online space to express themselves freely, without the looming threat of exploitation or harm." 

REVENGE PORN BILL BACKED BY MELANIA TRUMP HEADS TO PRESIDENT'S DESK AFTER OVERWHELMING HOUSE VOTE

Berry, a Texas native, told the roundtable she was just 14 years old when she realized in 2023 that "a past Instagram photo with a nude body and my face attached made from AI," was circulating on social media. 

"Fear, shock and disgust were just some of the many emotions I felt," Berry said. "I felt responsible and began to blame myself and was ashamed to tell my parents. Despite doing nothing wrong. As I attended school, I was scared of the reactions of someone or someone could recreate these photos."  

"We need to hold big tech accountable to take action," the young woman continued. "I came here today to not only promote this bill, but to fight for the freedom of so many survivors, millions of people, male, female, teenage children, kids all are affected by the rise of this image-based sexual abuse. This is unacceptable. The Take It Down act will give a voice to the victims and provide justice." 

Another young girl, Francesca Mani of New Jersey, recounted that she also was just 14 when she and other peers found deepfake images on themselves online. 

"Teenagers might not know all the laws, but they do know when something is wrong," Mani said. "Schools need to take immediate, serious action to ensure that AI exploitation, harassment and deepfake abuse are met with real consequences." 

The first lady invited the young women as her special guests for Trump’s first address to a joint session of Congress in March.  

Sharing nonconsensual and AI-generated explicit images on social media and the internet has not just affected young girls, as young boys and adults also face similar crimes. A woman named Breeze Liu told the roundtable that she worked tirelessly to remove AI-generated images of herself that landed on a pornography site in 2020 when she was 24 years old. 

And Republican South Carolina state Rep. Brandon Guffey also joined the group of lawmakers and the first lady in March, recounting how his 17-year-old son committed suicide in 2022 after he was caught up in a sextortion scam. 

"I lost my oldest son, Gavin Guffey, to suicide," he shared. "We quickly found out that he was being extorted online. That someone pretending to be a young female at another college requested images to be shared back and forth. And as soon as he shared those images, he took his life. It was an hour and 40 minutes from the time that he was contacted until the time that he took his life." 

Meanwhile, during the first Trump administration, Melania Trump hosted virtual roundtables on foster care as part of her "Be Best" initiative and focused on strengthening the child welfare system. The "Be Best" initiative also focused on online safety. 

"As first lady, my commitment to the ‘Be Best’ initiative underscores the importance of online safety," she said. "In an era where digital interactions are integral to daily life, it is imperative that we safeguard children from mean-spirited and hurtful online behavior." 

The first lady, in March, said the bill "represents a powerful step toward justice, healing and unity."