President Donald Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced the U.S. will soon begin construction of a "Golden Dome" missile defense system they say will be a next-generation "game changer" protecting the American homeland from outside adversaries.

A similar system, the Iron Dome, has already been developed in Israel with U.S. assistance and has proven effective in repelling missile attacks. Now. Trump says a bigger, more technologically advanced, multi-layered dome system will soon be installed in America.  

The president announced the "one big beautiful" budget bill being discussed in Congress will include $25 billion in initial funding for the project, which he expects will cost $175 billion overall. He said he expects a major phase of the dome will be complete in under three years and that it will be "fully operational before the end of my term."

He noted there is significant support for the project in Congress, quipping, "It's amazing how easy this one is to fund."

HEGSETH REVEALS PLANS TO COUNTER CHINA, STAY AHEAD IN ARMS RACE AS PENTAGON PIVOTS TO INDO-PACIFIC

"In the campaign, I promised the American people that I would build a cutting-edge missile defense shield to protect our homeland from the threat of foreign missile attack. And that's what we're doing today," he said, adding that the Golden Dome "will be capable of intercepting missiles even if they are launched from the other side of the world and even if they are launched from space."

Trump also announced he is placing Space Force Gen. Michael Guetlein in charge of the project, saying, "No one is more qualified for this job."

Hegseth called the Golden Dome a "bold initiative" and another addition to Trump’s "long and growing list of promises made and promises kept."

He said investing in the new system is essential to respond to growing threats from countries like Russia and China.

"Ultimately, this right here, the Golden Dome for America, is a game changer," said Hegseth. "It's a generational investment in the security of America and Americans."

TRUMP'S TOUGH POLICIES PUSH UK, EU TO SIGNIFICANTLY EXPAND TRADE AND DEFENSE

Addressing Trump, Hegseth said, "Mr. President, you said we’re going to secure our southern border and get 100% operational control after the previous administration allowed an invasion of people into our country. President Reagan 40 years ago cast the vision for it. The technology wasn't there. Now it is, and you're following through to say we will protect the homeland from cruise missiles, ballistic missiles, hypersonic missiles, drones, whether they're conventional or nuclear."

Guetlein indicated the Golden Dome is necessary to preserve the safety, security and the quality of life Americans are used to.

"We owe it to our children and our children's children to protect them and afford them a quality of life that we have all grown up enjoying. Golden dome will afford that," said Guetlein.

MARCO RUBIO: WE SHOULD BE HAPPY WE HAVE A PRESIDENT WHO SEEKS PEACE

The general said "our adversaries have become very capable and very intent on holding the homeland at risk."

"While we have been focused on keeping the peace overseas, our adversaries have been quickly modernizing their nuclear forces, building up ballistic missiles capable of hosting multiple warheads, building out hypersonic missiles capable of attacking the United States within an hour and traveling at 6,000 miles an hour, building cruise missiles that can navigate around our radar and our defenses, building submarines that can sneak up on our shores and, worse yet, building space weapons," Guetlein said. 

"It is time that we change that equation and start doubling down on the protection of the homeland."

Senate Republicans indicated that they intend to vote this week on whether to nix California's emissions waiver from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), which has allowed the blue state to adopt stricter vehicle emissions standards than those imposed at the federal level, including a mandate that all vehicles sold in the state must be electric by 2035. 

The planned vote sets up a battle between Republicans and Democrats over whether the waiver is a government "rule" subject to the Congressional Review Act, which allows Congress to get rid of regulations with just a simple majority, as opposed to the typical 60-votes required to pass a bill. Democrats have described the GOP maneuvering as a "nuclear option" aimed at upending formal Senate rules.

"The administration says it's a rule. The GAO has said it's not. The United States Senate is going to be heard from on this issue tomorrow and do something that will avoid, again, what I think and what a lot of people across this country think, would be a catastrophic outcome – and that is an EV mandate that would be imposed, across the United States," Senate Majority Leader Thune said during a press conference from the Capitol on Tuesday afternoon. 

35 DEMOCRATS VOTE WITH GOP TO BLOCK BIDEN RULE ALLOWING NEWSOM'S GAS CAR BAN

The waiver, which gives California officials latitude to make their vehicle emissions standards stricter than those at the federal level, also allows other states to choose whether they want to follow federal standards or California's stricter ones. 

"Obviously, the Democrats are going to make a lot of noise," Thune added during the Tuesday afternoon press conference, referring to the party's criticism of Republicans' procedural maneuvering. 

"But the truth of the matter is, this has nothing to do with the legislative filibuster," Thune continued. "This is the Congress and the United States Senate submitting to the body the question of whether or not the Government Accountability Office, the GAO, ought to be able to determine for us what it is and isn't a rule."

'FLOOD THE SYSTEM': US ATTORNEY UNLEASHES NEW TASK FORCE TO CRACK DOWN ON BLUE STATE'S SANCTUARY POLICIES

Elizabeth MacDonough, the Senate parliamentarian who interprets and advises on the congressional rules officials must follow, agreed with the Government Accountability Office's determination that California's EPA waiver is not considered a "rule." The discrepancy has led Democrats to claim Republicans are attempting to upend the Senate filibuster, an important tool for the minority party to gain leverage in the legislative process. 

However, during Tuesday's short press conference, Thune slammed Democrats for complaining about the GOP's maneuvering around the filibuster, pointing out they have tried to knock it down themselves in the past when convenient for their party's priorities.

"The only people that have attempted to get rid of a legislative filibuster, the Democrats, every single one of them up there that's popping off and spouting off, has voted, voted literally to get rid of the legislative filibuster," Thune said in response to a reporter's question about Democrats' criticism.

"This is a novel and narrow issue that deals with the Government Accountability Office and whether, or not, they ought to be able to determine what is a rule and what isn't, or whether the administration and the Congress ought to be able to make that decision."

The U.S. is awaiting a proposal from Russian President Vladimir Putin that may lead to a ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine, Secretary Marco Rubio announced Tuesday. 

"He says he's going, they're going to submit a proposal that would lead to a ceasefire, that would then lead to a broader negotiation," Rubio told lawmakers during a Senate appropriations subcommittee hearing. "I think we will know from the context of that proposal where their mindset is and where they stand."

Asked if he believed Russia was ready to cut a deal, the secretary and interim national security advisor said, "I think Putin will always cut a deal he thinks is in the best interest for the country, for Russia and for his view of the world."

PRESIDENT TRUMP CONFIDENT PUTIN WANTS PEACE WITH UKRAINE, THINKS HE'S 'HAD ENOUGH' OF WAR

President Donald Trump and Putin spoke by phone for two hours Monday, though the discussion did not yield an immediate breakthrough. Trump told reporters he believes Putin wants peace and said he trusts him. 

"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," Trump said. 

Asked whether Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was doing enough to move the peace process along, Trump said, "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."

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

The European Union on Tuesday passed a set of new sanctions against Russia, and Republicans on Capitol Hill have said they are waiting for the go-ahead from the White House to pass a new sanctions package. 

Trump said Monday he was not yet ready to impose new sanctions but could in the future. 

"I think there’s a chance of getting something done," Trump said. "And if you do that, you can also make it much worse. But there could be a time when that’s going to happen."

He also said Moscow and Kyiv would continue direct peace negotiations, adding the Vatican was ready to host peace talks. 

President Joe Biden's last known prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test was in 2014, as questions arise about how much his cancer has spread and why it wasn't caught earlier. 

"President Biden's last known PSA was in 2014. Prior to Friday, President Biden had never been diagnosed with prostate cancer," a Biden spokesperson told Fox News. 

The PSA test is a blood test used primarily to screen for prostate cancer. The test measures the amount of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) in the blood, according to the Mayo Clinic. 

DAVE PORTNOY GOES OFF ON BIDEN'S LATE CANCER DIAGNOSIS AS ‘ONE OF THE GREATEST SCANDALS’ IN US POLITICS

PSA is a protein produced by both cancerous and noncancerous tissue in the prostate, a small gland that sits below the bladder in males. It's mostly found in semen, which is also produced in the prostate, the Mayo Clinic said. 

Small amounts of PSA ordinarily circulate in the blood.

"The PSA test can detect high levels of PSA that may indicate the presence of prostate cancer," the clinic states on its website. "However, many other conditions, such as an enlarged or inflamed prostate, also can increase PSA levels. Therefore, determining what a high PSA score means can be complicated."

NEW PROSTATE CANCER TEST PINPOINTS DISEASE BETTER THAN PSA OPTION, STUDY FINDS

The former president’s prostate cancer has been characterized by a Gleason score of 9 (grade group 5) with "metastasis to the bone." The ranking of Biden's cancer on the Gleason scale, a grading system for prostate cancer severity, has sparked concerns, as it correlates with high-grade cancer.

The fact that Biden’s cancer has been classified as "hormone-sensitive" means it could be more responsive to hormone therapies, and thus more treatable.

Biden's prostate cancer diagnosis has ignited several questions about why it wasn't caught sooner, despite undergoing several physical examinations. 

"There are things going on that the public wasn't informed of," President Donald Trump said Monday. "I think somebody's going to have to speak to his doctor."

"This is no longer politically correct. This is dangerous for our country," he added. "Somebody is not telling the facts."

The decision has been condemned by trans rights advocates and by gender critical activists.

The UK, France and Canada "strongly oppose" Benjamin Netanyahu's expansion of military operations, a statement from their leaders said.

The Trump administration on Tuesday took steps to begin enforcing a law that requires truck drivers to speak English.

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy was in Austin, Texas, where he signed an order to direct the Department of Transportation to enforce the law.

Duffy framed the move as a safety issue for America's roadways. 

TRUMP TO MAKE ENGLISH OFFICIAL LANGUAGE OF US IN NEW EXECUTIVE ORDER

"For too long, misguided policies have prioritized political correctness over safety of the American people," Duffy said. 

Under federal law, a driver must "read and speak the English language sufficiently to converse with the general public, to understand highway traffic signs and signals in the English language, to respond to official inquiries, and to make entries on reports and records."

The move came after President Donald Trump signed an executive order on April 28 directing the Department of Transportation to include English literacy tests for our truckers.

GOOGLE MAPS, FAA OFFICIALLY ACKNOWLEDGES GULF OF AMERICA AFTER TRUMP DECLARATION: 'ISN'T IT BEAUTIFUL?'

"You might not know, but there's a lot of communication problems between truckers on the road with federal officials and local officials, as well, which obviously is a public safety risk," White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said at the time. "So we're going to ensure that our truckers, who are the backbone of our economy, are all able to speak English. That's a very commonsense policy." 

Before 2015, more than 99,000 drivers had English proficiency violations and a thousand were taken out of service, Duffy said. 

Many of those drivers were given a "slap on the wrist," he said. 

"English is the language of opportunity in America," the secretary said. "Allowing drivers who can not read stop signs, or understand police officers' instructions to operate an 80,000-pound big rig threatens the safety of every American on our roadways."

Moving forward, truckers would be taken out of service if they are pulled over and found unable to speak English.

EXCLUSIVE: Immigration and Customs Enforcement captured an Ecuadorian illegal immigrant who is facing vehicular homicide charges in Minnesota on Friday.

The August crash, in which German Adriano Llangari Inga allegedly had a blood alcohol content "twice the legal limit," killed mother Victoria Eileen Harwell, and hurt her teenage daughter and sister, according to DHS and local media outlets.

"Despite a lack of cooperation from local Minnesota authorities, ICE arrested criminal illegal alien German Llangari Inga. This criminal illegal alien has been evading prosecution for vehicular homicide that resulted in the death of Minnesota mom, Victoria Eileen Harwell," Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement on Tuesday.

WHITE HOUSE RIPS MINNESOTA DEMS AFTER ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT CHARGED IN DUI DEATH OF MOTHER: 'ON THE RUN'

He was arrested by Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office on May 10 "on an outstanding warrant," but then released on May 13 without notifying ICE despite the detainer request placed by the agency on that day, according to the Department of Homeland Security.

There was another detainer placed by ICE in August when the crash occurred, but Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office told Fox News Digital that because of the state Attorney General’s guidance, they "cannot lawfully hold individuals in custody based solely on an administrative detainer issued by the Department of Homeland Security or Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)."

"If a judicially-signed warrant is presented to HCSO, ICE will be notified when it becomes the holding agency. In the absence of such a warrant, individuals must be released once all criminal charges or holds have been resolved. HCSO is committed to working with federal and local partners and honoring the constitutional rights of all individuals," HCSO’s statement at the time added.

ICE FILES DETAINERS AGAINST 2 ILLEGAL ALIENS, INCLUDING 1 FACING ATTEMPTED MURDER CHARGES FOR SHOOTING SPREE

In August, he was in county jail for two days.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE IMMIGRATION COVERAGE

"Despite Hennepin County refusing to honor this criminal illegal alien’s detainer TWICE, ICE officers tracked him down and removed this criminal from Minnesota’s streets. Tim Walz should be thanking ICE not using despicable rhetoric. Remember sanctuary politicians are fighting for criminal illegal aliens. President Trump and Secretary Noem are fighting for the victims of illegal alien crime, like Eileen Harwell," McLaughlin continued.

Earlier this month, the Trump White House took aim at Minnesota leaders because the man was still at large. According to ICE, he first came to the United States in June 2016 and "was detained by U.S. Customs and Border Protection, issued an order of expedited removal and placed into removal proceedings."

NEWSOM'S OFFICE REVEALS BLUE STATE WILL COMPLY WITH ICE AFTER ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT'S EARLY RELEASE PLANS EXPOSED

"An illegal immigrant drove drunk, killed an innocent mother, and is now on the run because Democrats didn't do their most important job: protect their constituents," Alex Pfeiffer, White House Principal Deputy Communications Director, told Fox News Digital in an exclusive statement at the time.

Fox News Digital reached out to Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office on Tuesday.

FIRST ON FOX: Most of the nation's Republican governors on Tuesday signed on to a letter of support for the massive GOP-crafted budget bill advancing President Donald Trump's second-term agenda on tax cuts, immigration, defense, energy and the debt limit. 

The letter was sent to the White House as the massive measure, known as Trump's "one big, beautiful bill," is slowly making its way through numerous votes and hurdles in the House of Representatives.

And the letter, shared first with Fox News by the Republican Governors Association (RGA), came as Trump made a rare visit Tuesday morning to Capitol Hill to rally Republicans in support of the legislation.

INSIDE TRUMP'S URGENT MEETING WITH HOUSE REPUBLICANS

"As Republican Governors, we stand UNITED in strong support of your One, Big, Beautiful Bill. This landmark piece of legislation embodies your powerful vision to bring about the next great American revival. It truly delivers on the bold promises all Republicans made to the American people to restore the security, prosperity, and fiscal sanity for our nation," stated the letter, which was signed by 20 of the nation's 27 GOP governors.

And the governors argued that "after four long years of tremendous hardship under President Joe Biden and Kamala Harris, the American people cannot wait any longer for Congress to enact the One, Big, Beautiful Bill."

"The American people have witnessed the tireless work undertaken by you and your administration to reverse the disastrous consequences of President Biden’s failed and often illegal policies," the governors claimed. "You have demonstrated a commitment to using every ounce of Executive authority available to reinstitute fiscal sanity, fight the deep state, secure our borders, and achieve energy dominance." 

With a fragile, razor-thin majority in the House, GOP leaders in the chamber cannot afford more than a couple of Republicans to hold out against the bill in order to pass it and send it to the Senate. No Democrats in the House are expected to vote for the measure.

Upon arriving on Capitol Hill, Trump suggested that any GOP lawmaker who votes against the bill would be "knocked out so fast," as he mentioned a couple of "grandstanders." 

He urged House Republicans must get his "one big, beautiful bill" done, and added that the GOP is a "very unified party."

While Trump's meeting with the House Republicans was kept behind closed doors, two people in the room told Fox News Digital that the president warned House Republicans to not "f--- around" with Medicaid and state and local tax (SALT) deduction caps, two significant points of contention for warring conservative and moderate GOP factions.

The Republican governors, in their letter to Trump, said that "we agree with you; Republicans must UNIFY around this unprecedented piece of conservative legislation."

"We stand by your side and will support you in any way to ensure this necessary piece of legislation is enacted," they added.

The letter was signed by Govs. Kay Ivey of Alabama, Mike Dunleavy of Alaska, Sarah Sanders of Arkansas, Brian Kemp of Georgia (the chair of the RGA), Brad Little of Idaho, Mike Braun of Indiana, Kim Reynolds of Iowa, Jeff Laundry of Louisiana, Tate Reeves of Mississippi, Mike Kehoe of Missouri, Greg Gianforte of Montana, Jim Pillen of Nebraska, Kelly Armstrong of North Dakota, Henry McMaster of South Carolina, Bill Lee of Tennessee, Greg Abbott of Texas, Spencer Cox of Utah, Glenn Youngkin of Virginia, Patrick Morrisey of West Virginia, and Mark Gordon of Wyoming.

Fox News' Elizabeth Elkind and Deirdre Heavey 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…

-Inside Trump's urgent meeting with House GOP to pass the 'big, beautiful bill'

-GOP senators renew call for DOD watchdog to probe former Joint Chiefs boss Milley for alleged misconduct

-Expert reveals how companies are rebranding 'toxic' DEI policies to skirt Trump-era bans

Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. slammed Washington Sen. Patty Murray during a Tuesday Senate hearing for allegedly "presiding over the destruction" of Americans' health across her more than 30 years in the upper chamber. 

"You've presided here, I think, for 32 years. You presided over the destruction of the health of the American people. Our people are now the sickest people in the world," Kennedy said to Murray during a tense back and forth Tuesday morning. 

The Washington Democrat previously exchanged barbs with Kennedy on Wednesday, May 14, when Murray accused him and the Trump administration of delaying critical cancer care for one of her constituents… READ MORE

MINE, BABY, MINE: Trump admin hits bullseye with first US mine for key mineral used in military ammo, night-vision, Big Tech

NO 'ISOLATED CASE': Federal air marshals surveilled Trump Cabinet member Gabbard in 2024, Rand Paul says

'NULL AND VOID': Federal judge blocks Trump dismantling of US Institute of Peace

'UTTER NONSENSE': Iran's Khamenei says Americans should avoid talking 'nonsense' in nuke talks

'FAKE NEWS': Trump hostage envoy dismisses report of Trump Israel abandonment threat as 'fake news'

POLITICALLY MOTIVATED: Sparks expected to fly at high-stakes House hearing on threats against ICE

CHEERS AND JEERS: Trump supporters find unlikely common ground with blue state congressman at town hall: 'I love it'

LAWMAKER CHARGED: DOJ cites bodycam footage in charging document for House Dem McIver

'VERY UNITED PARTY': Trump heads to Capitol Hill to push 'big, beautiful bill'

ON THE HILL: Trump faces uphill battle to secure votes for 'big, beautiful bill' before recess

'STEP UP': GOP senator says federal government is ‘going to need to play a big role’ after tornadoes ravage Midwest
 

FLASHBACK: Remember when Nikki Haley called for mental competency tests for all politicians 75 or older?

STEEL CURTAIN: Pittsburgh's progressive mayor faces stiff challenge from 'old guard' in primary

FULLY REIMBURSED: Texas lawmakers seek to get federal reimbursement for Biden-era border control expenses

REPARATIONS NIXED: Maryland's first Black governor blocks reparations bill, disappointing fellow Democrats

ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM: More polling problems for this blue state Democratic governor facing re-election next year

CASE DISMISSED: Alina Habba drops federal trespassing charge against Dem mayor, offers ICE facility tour

BANNED: Nebraska becomes first state approved to ban soda purchases with food stamps

BOTTOMS UP: Former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms tears into Trump while launching gubernatorial bid

TENSIONS FLARE: Tensions flare at school board meeting after trans athlete wins multiple track events

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

The Food and Drug Administration is shifting its annual COVID-19 vaccine approval policies to focus on Americans older than age 65 and other "high-risk" individuals, while increasing the standard of evidence to approve COVID vaccines for low-risk individuals. 

"The FDA will approve vaccines for high-risk persons and, at the same time, demand robust, gold-standard data on persons at low risk," FDA's Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research chief, Vinay Prasad, and FDA Commissioner Martin Makary, wrote in the New England Journal of Medicine Tuesday. "These clinical trials will inform future directions for the FDA, but more important, they will provide information that is desperately craved by health care providers and the American people." 

Americans over the age of 65 and those considered at high-risk of contracting the virus will be able to receive an annual COVID-19 vaccine this fall, the essay outlined, while vaccines for low-risk Americans will likely face stricter scientific analysis before they are made available to the public. The FDA estimated that about "100 million to 200 million Americans" older than age 65 or considered at high-risk will still have access to vaccines. 

Prasad and Makary said in their essay that the U.S. will move away from a "one-size-fits-all" paradigm that promoted COVID-19 vaccines for the vast majority of Americans, stretching from children to the elderly. The shift, they said, will bring America's policies more in line with guidelines in European nations. 

RFK JR'S HHS TO END ROUTINE COVID VACCINE GUIDANCE FOR CHILDREN, PREGNANT WOMEN: REPORT

"While all other high-income nations confine vaccine recommendations to older adults (typically those older than 65 years of age), or those at high risk for severe Covid-19, the United States has adopted a one-size-fits-all regulatory framework and has granted broad marketing authorization to all Americans over the age of 6 months," the health leaders wrote in the New England Journal. 

"The U.S. policy has sometimes been justified by arguing that the American people are not sophisticated enough to understand age- and risk-based recommendations," they wrote. "We reject this view." 

FIERY RFK JR. FLOGS WHO FOR CAVING TO CHINA ON COVID, CELEBRATING PANDEMIC ‘FAILURES’ IN STUNNING VIDEO TO ORG

The FDA's policy shift will include requiring vaccine manufacturers to gather clinical trial data to justify rolling out new COVID-19 vaccines for Americans at low risk of contracting the virus. 

BEN & JERRY'S CO-FOUNDER ARRESTED PROTESTING SENATE HEARING: 'RFK KILLS PEOPLE WITH HATE'

Prasad and Makary held a roundtable discussion on the framework outlined in their medical essay Tuesday afternoon to walk Americans through the policy shift. Prasad explained that health officials under the Trump administration are taking into account that Americans have balked at the FDA's guidance under the Biden administration to receive multiple booster shots, while other Americans demand access to the vaccines. 

"We have to admit to ourselves that America is deeply divided on the policy issue of repeat COVID 19 vaccine doses or boosters," he said. "There are some Americans out there who are worried that the FDA has not fully documented and interrogated the safety harms of these products, and they are categorically opposed to these products. There are also some Americans we also have to recognize, who are desperate for additional protection, and they demand these products. But the truth is that most doctors and most of the public are entirely uncertain, and that is reflected in low vaccine uptake of these products." 

The pair added during the roundtable that Americans' trust in the scientific community has cratered since the pandemic. 

"Survey after survey shows trust in institutions like the FDA and scientists in general, it's rock bottom," Prasad said during the roundtable. "I mean, we have lower trust than Congress, and that's saying something, you know. And we need to rebuild that trust. And part of rebuilding that trust is having conversations like this, writing articles like we've done in the New England Journal, and having a common-sense evidence-based framework for rebuilding that trust." 

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

The pair cited in their article in the New England Journal that "public trust in vaccination in general has declined," including for "vital immunization programs such as that for measles–mumps–rubella (MMR) vaccination, which has been clearly established as safe and highly effective."

President Donald Trump's rallying speech to House Republicans Tuesday morning wasn't enough to convince some holdouts to unite behind his "big, beautiful bill" ahead of a planned vote this week.

Trump urged Republicans to cease infighting on Medicaid reform and state and local tax (SALT) deduction caps at the House GOP’s weekly conference meeting. Several Republicans who emerged said they were still concerned enough to oppose the bill, however.

House Freedom Caucus Chair Andy Harris, Rep. Eric Burlison of Missouri, Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky and representatives Nick LaLota, Mike Lawler and Andrew Garbino of New York told Fox News Digital Tuesday they would vote against the bill if changes were not made.

On the other hand, Trump did persuade some people. Rep. Ralph Norman of South Carolina, one of several Republicans to sink a committee vote on the bill Friday, told reporters he would review it and make a "judgment call" ahead of a 1 a.m. meeting to advance the bill through the House Rules Committee.

INSIDE TRUMP'S URGENT MEETING WITH HOUSE GOP TO PASS THE 'BIG, BEAUTIFUL BILL'

Norman said Trump did a "fantastic job" and delivered "one of the best speeches I've heard" at the House GOP meeting, and he urged his blue state colleagues to "take the words the president said to heart about SALT."

CONSERVATIVE RIPS BLUE STATE REPUBLICAN'S PROPOSAL TO RAISE TAXES ON WEALTHY IN SALT DEBATE

Norman and Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, are both members of the powerful rules panel who have not been shy about their concerns with the current bill. The committee acts as the final gatekeeper before most legislation sees a full House vote.

Roy did not appear to attend Trump's speech but told reporters Monday evening the 1 a.m. Wednesday vote should be postponed.

But the New York Republicans weren't budging after Trump's "big, beautiful" speech, maintaining the bill doesn't go far enough to deliver for middle-class New Yorkers on the SALT deduction cap.

"This is the single biggest issue that I've talked about, and, with all due respect to the president, I'm not budging," Lawler said. 

"Between property taxes and income taxes, it blows well past the $30,000 cap with the $400,000 income cap. So, as I've said repeatedly, that is insufficient. We will continue the dialogue with leadership, but as it stands right now, I do not support the bill," Lawler said. 

Lawler said SALT is one of the biggest issues affecting his district in New York and campaigned on never supporting a tax bill that doesn't "adequately lift the cap."

"The president can say whatever he wants, and I respect him, but the fact is, I certainly understand my district. I'm one of only three Republican members that won in a district Kamala Harris won, and I did so for reasons," Lawler said. 

"We need a little more SALT on the table to get to this," fellow New York Republican LaLota added. "I hope the president's presence motivates my leadership to give us a number that we can go sell back home."

LaLota said while he is still a "no," he hopes "the president's presence here today motivates some folks in the Ways and Means Committee and my leadership to give us a number to which we can actually say ‘yes.’"

When asked if Trump did enough to ease concerns in Tuesday's meeting, Garbarino, another New York Republican, said, "No. There were no specifics. … It was more of a rally. We need to get this done."

"We share President Trump's call for unity within the House Republican Conference," Rep. Young Kim, R-Calif., said in a joint statement after Trump's visit to Capitol Hill. 

"We hope his remarks today motivate the Speaker to advance a SALT proposal that delivers meaningful relief for our middle-class constituents, as we have worked in good faith with House Leadership for more than a year," the statement from Kim, Garbarino, Lawler, LaLota and Rep. Tom Kean, R-N.J., said.

Meanwhile, Trump urged Republicans not to "f--- with" Medicaid in his speech, though different factions came to different conclusions about what he meant.

Rep. Andy Ogles of Tennessee, who was not in the room for Trump's speech, called for more cuts to the entitlement program in an X post Tuesday afternoon but told Fox News Digital he was opposed to the legislation as written.

"I agree with President Trump — we must crush the waste, fraud, and abuse. Liberal states like California and New York are abusing Medicaid — and making you pay for it. Illegal aliens and freeloaders have no right to taxpayer-funded benefits," Ogles said on X.

Other fiscal conservatives, like Ogles, who were in the room, said the bill does not go far enough to reform Medicaid and would also vote "no" in the bill's current form. 

"I think it's inappropriate for us to say we're not going to touch it and then leave all of this fraud that's happening in the system," Burlison said. 

Harris, the House Freedom Caucus chair, said, "I can't support the bill. It does not eliminate waste, fraud and abuse in Medicaid. The president called for waste, fraud and abuse to be eliminated. I don't think that's where the bill sits."

Massie, known for being a libertarian, was unconvinced by Trump's appearance, telling reporters that his constituents didn't "vote for increased deficits and Biden-level spending."

He acknowledged that younger members or those who harbor ambitions for higher office would likely fall in line, however.

"I think he probably closed the deal in there," Massie said. 

SALT deduction caps and Medicaid remain two of the biggest sticking points in Republican negotiations. 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 have argued that raising the SALT deduction cap is a critical issue and that a failure to address it could cost the GOP the House majority in the 2026 midterms.

Republicans in redder, lower-tax areas have said in response that SALT deductions favor wealthy people living in Democrat-controlled states and that such deductions reward progressive high-tax policies.

It was Trump's Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 that first instituted caps on SALT deductions, setting the maximum at $10,000 for both married couples and single filers.

SALT Caucus members have rejected House Republican leaders' offer to increase that to $30,000.

Members of the conservative House Freedom Caucus, meanwhile, are pushing for the bill to be more aggressive in 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.

They also want to restructure Medicaid cost-sharing to put a bigger burden on the states. Moderates, meanwhile, have been wary of making significant cuts to the program.

House GOP leaders are hoping to hold a full House vote on the bill this week.

FIRST ON FOX: Government watchdog group Democracy Restored is calling on the Department of Justice (DOJ) to investigate U.S. attorneys in the Southern District of New York (SDNY), accusing them of potentially seeking to undermine Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy's efforts to end New York City's driving tax, also known as a congestion tax.

New York City's congestion pricing program essentially assesses drivers a toll for driving on some streets in Manhattan, with the price varying depending on the time of day. 

Late in the night of April 23, SDNY attorneys representing Duffy and the Department of Transportation published an 11-page confidential memo in federal court in Manhattan, explaining that the Trump administration's argument to end the NYC driver's tax was weak and included "considerable litigation risk." The next day, the memo was taken down from the public case docket, and the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District said the filing was a mistake.

In response, officials at the Transportation Department said they would be transferring the case to the DOJ's civil division, according to the New York Times. Fox News Digital reached out to the DOT to confirm the attorneys involved in the mistaken filing were off the case, but did not immediately receive a response.

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"It's imperative to know whether this filing was inadvertent, and incompetent, or something worse," Houston Keene, the director of Democracy Restored said. "The memo contains confidential legal advice that just happens to criticize the secretary and department's legal strategy — quite an inconvenient document to have made public for lawyers doing their best for their client."

Democracy Restored said in its letter that more fact-finding must take place, but indicated there are "a variety" of potential ethical and legal violations associated with the mistaken filing, particularly if the act was done on purpose. 

While it can not be concluded whether the act stemmed from incompetence, or whether it was purposeful, Democracy Restored points to the "partisan political activity" and involvement in political non-profits by the attorneys involved, suggesting it could shed light on the motivations behind the action. 

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According to Democracy Restored, the attorneys involved were all registered Democrats and had a history of donating to Democratic political candidates and campaigns. The attorneys' public social media posts also showed them supporting left-wing political groups and acts of defiance against President Donald Trump's executive directives.

"US Attorneys must be nonpartisan and objective in their work and the partisan backgrounds of these attorneys add to the doubts," Keene said. "Far too many questions remain unanswered about this incident. The DOJ must investigate this matter immediately."

In early January, NYC launched its congestion pricing program, or driver's tax, which imposed a $9 daytime toll on most individuals driving their cars into Manhattan's core, south of Central Park. A month later, the Trump administration issued a federal order meant to halt the program by March 21, but the tolls have continued as the result of a federal lawsuit filed by New York City's Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), the state agency that runs New York City's public transit system. 

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The Department of Transportation and the MTA subsequently reached an agreement extending the deadline to end the program until at least the fall. Earlier this month, as the legal battle over the matter has continued, New York City and the MTA requested a federal judge block the Trump administration's efforts to squash the program. City officials say the program has significantly reduced congestion, improving travel times due to reduced traffic. 

Because the program involves tolls on federal highways, it must have Department of Transportation approval.

The Justice Department declined to comment for this article. Fox News Digital also reached out to the Department of Transportation and the office of the U.S. Attorney or the Southern District of New York, but did not hear back in advance of publication.    

FIRST ON FOX: New Jersey Rep. LaMonica McIver is fundraising off her federal charges for allegedly "assaulting, impeding and interfering with law enforcement" earlier this month at the gates of Delaney Hall, which is a privately-operated Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility in Newark.

"As you know, Trump is using his Department of Justice to target political opponents. Less than two weeks ago, I was doing my job and conducting oversight at an ICE facility in my city," the fundraising text obtained by Fox News Digital stated.

"Now, the Trump admin has filed charges against me. This is a first-and it's a flashing red light for our democracy," it continues. "I'm sounding the alarm and asking you to donate now so we can fight these charges and keep speaking truth to power."

FEDERAL CHARGES FILED AGAINST DEM CONGRESSWOMAN FOLLOWING CONFRONTATION AT ICE FACILITY

Investigators say McIver assaulted two federal agents at the Delaney Hall, according to the charging documents.

Prosecutors say one victim was an HSI agent, and the other was an ICE agent."

Law enforcement says McIver assaulted the agents when she "slammed her forearm into the body of a uniformed HSI agent. & reached out and tried to restrain the agent by forcibly grabbing him." Then, after Mayor Ras Baraka was arrested, McIver allegedly "pushed an ICE officer & used her forearms to forcibly strike the agent."

BLUE STATE POLITICAL BATTLE INTENSIFIES AFTER DEM MAYOR'S ARREST AT ICE FACILITY: 'OUTRAGED'

According to the documents, McIver created a "human shield" and blocked agents from handcuffing Baraka after he ignored numerous warnings to leave the property and told him he would be arrested.

When the HSI agent told the mayor he was going to arrest him, McIver interjected, yelling, "Hell no! Hell no! Hell no!"

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The HSI agent then ordered the mayor to put his hands behind his back and displayed his handcuffs. So, McIver and other members of Congress "surrounded the Mayor and prevented HSI from handcuffing him and taking him into custody," according to prosecutors.

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

In a statement after the charges were announced, McIver said that she is "thankful for the outpouring of support" she’s gotten and that the "truth" will be "laid out clearly in court."

"Earlier this month, I joined my colleagues to inspect the treatment of ICE detainees at Delaney Hall in my district. We were fulfilling our lawful oversight responsibilities, as members of Congress have done many times before, and our visit should have been peaceful and short. Instead, ICE agents created an unnecessary and unsafe confrontation when they chose to arrest Mayor Baraka," she stated.

"The charges against me are purely political—they mischaracterize and distort my actions, and are meant to criminalize and deter legislative oversight," McIver added.

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

Baraka had a federal trespassing charge against him that was dropped by acting U.S. Attorney for the District of New Jersey Alina Habba, but the mayor said he stands in solidarity with McIver.

"Representative LaMonica McIver assaulted, impeded, and interfered with law enforcement in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 111 (a)(1)," Habba said in a letter shared on X Monday. "That conduct cannot be overlooked by the chief federal law enforcement official in the State of New Jersey, and it is my Constitutional obligation to ensure that our federal law enforcement is protected when executing their duties."

Fox News Digital reached out to the McIver campaign for comments about the texts and both the campaign and her official office about the charging documents. The Democrat represents a deep blue district that includes Newark.

Acting ICE Director Todd Lyons is demanding that former Democratic vice-presidential candidate Tim Walz apologize after he called agents "[President] Donald Trump’s modern-day Gestapo."

Lyons said that "if the governor doesn’t like the laws, he’s free to advocate that Congress change them, but he should refrain from putting ICE officers in danger by likening them to one of the most appalling groups in history."

During a commencement speech at the University of Minnesota law school over the weekend, Walz, a Democrat and the governor of Minnesota, described Trump as a "tyrant" and told students they "are graduating into a genuine emergency."

"Some would say, ‘Boy, this is getting way too political for a commencement address,'" Walz told students during his commencement address on Saturday. "But I would argue, I wouldn’t be honoring my oath if I didn’t address this head on."

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He then proceeded to compare the Trump administration’s ongoing deportations of criminal illegal immigrants to the Nazi secret police force of the 1930s and 1940s.

"I’m gonna start with the flashing red light — Donald Trump’s modern-day Gestapo is scooping folks up off the streets. They’re in unmarked vans, wearing masks, being shipped off to foreign torture dungeons. No chance to mount a defense. Not even a chance to kiss a loved one goodbye. Just grabbed up by masked agents, shoved into those vans and disappeared."

Walz’s comments drew strong condemnation from Lyons, who released a statement on Tuesday in which he pointed out that the commencement fell during National Police Week.

"On the final day of National Police Week — when those brave enough to put on a badge and a uniform mourn their fallen brothers and sisters — Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz referred to my professional, hard-working ICE agents and officers as ‘modern-day Gestapo,’" said Lyons.

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The acting ICE director said that Walz’s "abhorrent, dehumanizing and ignorant comment should not be tolerated."

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Lyons said that assaults against ICE officers have risen by over 400% from the same time last year.

He placed part of the blame for the rise in assaults against ICE agents on "politicians like Gov. Walz are careless with their politically motivated rhetoric."

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White House Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy Stephen Miller has also responded to Walz’s statement, saying in a Sunday X post that "this vile anti-American language can only be construed as inciting insurrection and violence."

Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., clashed in a heated and racially charged exchange over South African refugees on Tuesday – with Kaine accusing Rubio and the Trump administration of prioritizing white South African farmers for refugee entry.

The spat was prompted after the United States last week welcomed dozens of white South African refugees who the State Department said are victims of "government-sponsored racial discrimination" in their homeland. Their arrival comes as the administration has suspended most refugee resettlement programs. 

Kaine, during a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing, called the persecution claims "specious," noting that South Africa now has a government of national unity and the agriculture minister is an Afrikaner.

TRUMP TO BRING WHITE AFRIKANERS TO US AS REFUGEES FROM SOUTH AFRICA, IN WAKE OF EXPROPRIATION LEGISLATION

He inferred that the Trump administration was giving preference to Afrikaners because of their skin color.

"Can you have a different standard based upon the color of somebody's skin? Would that be acceptable?" Kaine said before Rubio shot back.

"I'm not the one arguing that, apparently you are because you don't like the fact that they’re white and that’s why they’re coming," Rubio said. 

"I’m asking you to say that that would be unacceptable, that would seem to be a very easy thing to say," Kaine said.

"The United States has a right to pick and choose who they allow into the United States," Rubio said before Kaine cut across him.

"Based on the color of somebody's skin?" Kaine asked. 

"You're the one that's talking about the color of their skin, not me. These are people whose farms were burned down and they were killed because of the color of their skin," Rubio said.

TRUMP ADMINISTRATION MAKES NEW MOVE TO BRING SOUTH AFRICAN REFUGEES TO US AS PRESIDENT BLASTS NATION'S RULERS AGAIN

President Donald Trump directed the State Department to bump up Afrikaners to the front of the line for resettlement after a law was passed by the South African government allowing it to take private land for public use, sometimes without compensation. Trump claimed the law would be used to target South Africa’s white minority Afrikaner group, descended from Dutch and other European settlers who arrived more than 300 years ago. 

Amid his immigration crackdown, Trump said in January the U.S. will only admit refugees who "can fully and appropriately assimilate."

Kaine played down the threat the Afrikaners face and said that the U.S. did not establish a special refugee program for Black South Africans during the apartheid era.

"Now we’re creating a special pathway for white Afrikaner farmers in a country governed by a unity government that includes the Afrikaner parties," Kaine said. "Would you agree, Mr. Secretary, that if we’re interpreting the phrase 'a well-founded fear of persecution', we should apply that standard evenhandedly?"

"I think we should apply it in the national security interest of the United States," Rubio said. "The United States has the right to choose who it allows in and to prioritize that choice," Rubio asserted. 

"And should that be applied evenhandedly?" Kaine asked, with Rubio responding, "Our foreign policy does not require evenhandedness."

Rubio also said that Kaine seems to think everyone should be allowed into the country for any reason, and reasserted that the government’s immigration policy should reflect what benefits the United States.

In March, Rubio expelled the South African ambassador to the U.S., calling him a "race-baiting" politician who hates America and Trump after he said the commander-in-chief is leading a global white supremacist movement. 

South Africa's foreign ministry has said the accusations of racial discrimination against Afrikaners are "unfounded." 

Elsewhere in the hearing on Tuesday, Rubio requested a budget totaling $28.5 billion, which he said will allow the State Department to fulfill its mission while also outlining a bureaucratic overhaul, proposing the recission of $20 billion in duplicate, wasteful and ideologically driven programs. Rubio announced the creation of new consolidated funds that will absorb many U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) functions.

Last month, Rubio announced he was overhauling the agency and shuttering more than 130 offices around the world in order to streamline operations and align the department more closely with the administration's foreign policy objectives. 

Rubio said that all the changes will not be universally welcome, but the intent of the changes is to make the agency more efficient. 

"It is not to dismantle American foreign policy and it is not to withdraw us from the world, because I just hit 18 countries in 18 weeks, that doesn't sound like much of a withdrawal," Rubio said.

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"We are engaged in the world, but we're going to be engaged in a world that makes sense and that's smart. And that isn't about saving money, it is about ensuring that we are delivering to our people what they deserve. A foreign policy that makes America stronger, safer and more prosperous."

He also discussed various foreign affairs matters, including the Ukraine-Russia war, which he said can only end through a negotiated settlement.

"Neither side can win militarily," Rubio said.

Fox News’ Brie Stimson contributed to this report. 

Democratic Rep. Jared Golden of Maine is passing on a potential statewide bid for governor or the Senate and instead will seek re-election in a key swing congressional district that Republicans are working to flip in the 2026 midterm elections.

"I have decided the best way to continue serving the people of Maine is to do my part to restore balance in Congress by helping to win back the House of Representatives. My focus will remain on checking the extremes and putting working-class families first," Golden said Tuesday morning in a social media post, as he announced his re-election.

Golden, a U.S. Marine veteran who deployed to the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, is a moderate Democrat who often bucks his own party in Congress.

He has held the seat in Maine's 2nd Congressional District, which is one of the most competitive in the nation, since first winning it in 2018.

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Golden won re-election by a razor-thin margin last year in the district, which is the second-most rural in the U.S. and the largest east of the Mississippi River. And President Donald Trump carried the district in the 2016, 2020 and 2024 presidential elections by nine, seven and 10 points.

"While the election is still 18 months away and I remain focused on my responsibilities to my constituents and my family, I also know the path to the GOP majority runs through Maine," said the 42-year-old Golden, who had been floated as a potential gubernatorial or Senate candidate.

HOUSE GOP, AIMING TO HOLD MAJORITY, TOUTS THIS KEY METRIC

As Republicans aim to defend their razor-thin House majority in the midterms, Golden's district is in their crosshairs.

National Republican Congressional Committee spokeswoman Maureen O'Toole said that "we look forward to making out-of-touch Democrat Jared Golden wish he ran for governor."

But the top Democrats in House leadership countered that "Jared’s dedication to representing all of his constituents — no matter their party affiliation — makes him uniquely suited to once again win one of the toughest seats in the country for Democrats to hold."

"He’s also helping Democrats flip Republican seats in competitive districts throughout America," House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries (NY-08), Whip Katherine Clark (MA-05), Chairman Pete Aguilar (CA-33) and Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) Chair Suzan DelBene (WA-01) added in a joint statement.

CONGRESSIONAL DEMOCRATS TARGETING THESE HOUSE REPUBLICANS IN 2026 MIDTERM BATTLE

Challenging Golden is former two-term Republican Gov. Paul LePage, who is a major Trump supporter and ally.

"I am going to do what it takes to make sure no one like Paul LePage blusters his way into Congress," Golden said in his announcement.

LePage, in his first interview after announcing his candidacy earlier this month, told Fox News Digital, "I never, ever had any aspirations to go to Washington until now."

"Donald Trump, I think, is doing what is necessary in addressing the debt this country is facing. And I think that's a big, big thing for me," LePage said as he was interviewed in Lewiston, the Maine city where he was born and raised.

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LePage — the brash and blunt politician who won over blue-collar workers struggling with economic woes, which helped the Republican businessman win election and re-election in the blue-leaning state — was one of the first major GOP elected officials to endorse Trump when the president first ran for the White House nearly a decade ago.

"I have a friend in the White House right now. I know President Trump. I think I can have an audience of President Trump. I know several of his secretaries very well. And so I think this is a good time. It's a good time for me to go help," LePage told Fox News.

The family of a U.S. Air Force veteran who was wrongfully detained in Venezuela since November 2024, on Tuesday, said he was released.

Joseph St. Clair, a four-tour Afghanistan War veteran from Hansville, Washington, first went missing in November while getting PTSD treatment in Colombia. 

"This news came suddenly, and we are still processing it—but we are overwhelmed with joy and gratitude," said Scott and Patti St. Clair, Joseph's parents.

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The details surrounding St. Clair's release were not disclosed. The St. Clair family declined to comment further to Fox News Digital. 

The family also thanked President Donald Trump, as well as his administration, for securing St. Clair's release. Trump, Ambassador Ric Grenell, Adam Boehler and Sebastian Gorka, the Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs, had worked to secure Joseph’s release.

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"We remain in prayer and solidarity with the families of those who are still being held," the St. Clairs added. "We will never stop loving and supporting them as they continue their fight to be reunited with their loved ones."

In February, St. Clair's father got a call from the Colombian consulate telling him neighboring Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro's regime had his son hostage.

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With the addition of St. Clair, at least 37 Americans have been released from hostage situations in six countries – Afghanistan, Belarus, Venezuela, Israel, Russia and Kuwait — since Trump took office. 

St. Clair is the seventh American to be released from Venezuela since January. Six others were released from the South American nation on Jan.31, 2025, after Grenell met with Maduro.

The Milwaukee judge accused of helping an illegal immigrant evade Immigration and Customs Enforcement is back in the spotlight — this time because of the liberal federal judge presiding over her trial.

U.S. District Judge Lynn Adelman, 85, was randomly assigned to preside over the jury trial of Milwaukee County Circuit Judge Hannah Dugan, who was indicted earlier this month for allegedly shielding an illegal immigrant from ICE in her courtroom. Adelman, a former Democratic lawmaker and outspoken judge, faces mounting criticism and scrutiny of his record as he handles the high-profile case. 

Adelman spent 20 years as a Democrat in the Wisconsin state Senate before then-President Bill Clinton nominated him in 1997 to serve on the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin. 

Though the judge hasn’t been active in politics for years, critics note recent rulings and writings in which he’s taken aim at President Donald Trump, Chief Justice Roberts and others.

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Some fear this continued political bias could risk his impartiality in presiding over Dugan's trial — or at least the perceptions of it, in the eyes of Trump allies. Adelman did not respond to a request for comment.

In 2020, Adelman published an article for Harvard Law & Policy Review, titled, "The Roberts Court’s Assault on Democracy" that set off a torrent of criticism from Trump allies and court commentators alike.

The article accused Chief Justice John Roberts of breaking with his Senate confirmation testimony in 2005 — instead ushering in a "hard-right majority" on the Supreme Court, and "actively participating in undermining American democracy."

Adelman also took aim at Trump, whose temperament he said "is that of an autocrat," but who he said "is also disinclined to buck the wealthy individuals and corporations who control his party."

Adelman used the article to advocate for "righting the ship" of the high court, in part by embracing an approach similar to the Warren Court — known both for its landmark civil rights rulings and a slew of other progressive decisions. 

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Adelman was later admonished by the Civility Committee for the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals for his remarks in the article. 

They found his remarks did not violate prohibited political activity under the Canons of Judicial Conduct, but issued the following rebuke:

"The opening two sentences regarding the Chief Justice and the very pointed criticisms of Republican Party policy positions could be seen as inconsistent with a judge's duty to promote public confidence in the integrity and impartiality of the judiciary and as reflecting adversely on the judge's impartiality," the committee said.

Adelman later issued a public apology for those remarks. 

Adelman was also at the center of a major case involving Wisconsin's voter ID law, which sought to make it harder for citizens to vote. 

He blocked the law from taking force ahead of the elections — a decision that was later reversed by the U.S. Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals, which again issued a sharp rebuke of his ruling. 

In "our hierarchical judicial system, a district court cannot declare a statute unconstitutional just because he thinks (with or without the support of a political scientist) that the dissent was right and the majority wrong," the appeals court said, noting that Adelman did not rely on any Supreme Court precedent to base his decision.

In light of his previous remarks and progressive rulings, court-watchers expect his behavior here to be closely scrutinized.

It's unclear whether his behavior could assuage the concerns of longtime critics — among them, Mike Davis of the Article III Project, and conservative scholar Josh Blackman, who took aim at Adelman's 2020 remarks in a blog post at the time.

This is due in part to the canons of judicial ethics, Fox News contributor Jonathan Turley noted in an op-ed for The Hill.

"Because of these ethical principles, judges are usually highly restrained in their public comments, particularly about political or ideological matters," he said. 

JUDGES V TRUMP: HERE ARE THE KEY COURT BATTLES HALTING THE WHITE HOUSE AGENDA

Dugan's trial comes at a time when Trump and his allies have blasted so-called "activist" judges who they see as acting politically to block his agenda — suggesting her trial, and Adelman's behavior — will be under especially close scrutiny.

But others noted that federal judges often take great caution to avoid the appearance of political bias, even more so in public remarks, understanding that doing so could violate the canons for judicial behavior. 

Many also see their roles on the court as a serious job that requires them to be impartial arbiters of the law — looking to precedent, rather than politics — as their guide.

In presiding over Dugan's case, experts hope Adelman will do the same.

"When I have served on panels with sitting federal judges, they often balk at even discussing the scope of constitutional rights out of concern for these canons," Turley noted in the an op-ed. "Federal judges are expected to speak through opinions in court decisions rather than in editorials or law review articles."

Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth is instructing the Pentagon to launch a comprehensive review into the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021. 

In 2021, then-President Joe Biden removed U.S. troops from Afghanistan, following up on existing plans from the first Trump administration in 2020 with Taliban leaders to end the war in the region. Biden faced scrutiny after the withdrawal as the Taliban quickly took over Afghanistan again and more than a dozen U.S. service members died supporting evacuation efforts. 

Thirteen U.S. service members were killed during the withdrawal process due to a suicide bombing at Abbey Gate, outside the then-Hamid Karzai International Airport, as the Taliban quickly seized control of Kabul.

TRUMP PUSHES TO RECOVER ‘BILLIONS OF DOLLARS’ OF MILITARY EQUIPMENT LEFT BEHIND IN AFGHANISTAN WITHDRAWAL

"The Department of Defense has an obligation, both to the American people and to the warfighters who sacrificed their youth in Afghanistan, to get to the facts," Hegseth said in a Tuesday memo. "This remains an important step toward regaining faith and trust with the American people and all those who wear the uniform and is prudent based on the number of casualties and equipment lost during the execution of this withdrawal operation." 

Hegseth said the Pentagon has already completed a review into the "catastrophic" withdrawal and concluded that a full investigation is necessary to provide a complete picture of the event and to hold those responsible accountable. 

As a result, Hegseth is directing Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell to spearhead a special review panel to evaluate previous investigations and to "analyze the decision-making that led to one of America’s darkest and deadliest international moments." 

"This team will ensure ACCOUNTABILITY to the American people and the warfighters of our great Nation," Hegseth wrote in the memo. 

On Aug. 26, 2021, an ISIS-K suicide bomber who the Taliban released earlier that month detonated his body-worn improvised explosive device at Abbey Gate outside Kabul's airport, according to a U.S. Army Central Command investigation released in 2024. In addition to the 13 U.S. service members who were killed, approximately 170 Afghan civilians also died.

HOUSE GOP RELEASES SCATHING REPORT ON BIDEN'S WITHDRAWAL FROM AFGHANISTAN 

The Biden administration's White House released a report in 2023 evaluating the Afghanistan withdrawal, which stated that top intelligence officials did not accurately assess how quickly the Taliban would retake control of Kabul. 

Republicans on the House Foreign Affairs Committee conducted their own investigation into the withdrawal, and the U.S. military produced at least two reports on the matter. 

The Biden administration "prioritized the optics of the withdrawal over the security of U.S. personnel on the ground," according to the House Foreign Affairs Committee report. 

"For that reason, they failed to plan for all contingencies, including a noncombatant evacuation operation (NEO) and refused to order a NEO until after the Taliban had already entered Kabul," the report said.

Additionally, the report said the "failure" to adequately establish evacuation plans led to an unsafe environment at the airport and put the lives of service members and State Department officials at risk. 

In February, Trump told reporters that he wouldn’t instruct Hegseth on what actions the Pentagon should take when asked if he was considering firing military leaders who oversaw the withdrawal. But Trump said he would "fire every single one of them." 

The commander of U.S. Central Command in 2021, retired Marine Gen. Kenneth F. McKenzie Jr., in 2024 took full ownership of the loss of U.S. troops that day. 

"I was the overall commander, and I and I alone bear full military responsibility for what happened at Abbey Gate," McKenzie told the House Foreign Affairs Committee in March 2024.

Now-retired Army Gen. Mark Milley, the former chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told lawmakers at the same hearing that he believed the evacuation should have occurred sooner and that multiple factors contributed to failures in the withdrawal. Both McKenzie and Milley told lawmakers they advised Biden to keep some U.S. troops in Afghanistan after pulling out most U.S. forces.

"The outcome in Afghanistan was the result of many decisions from many years of war," Milley told lawmakers. "Like any complex phenomena, there was no single causal factor that determined the outcome."

Fox News' Liz Friden contributed to this report.