A Washington, D.C.-based federal judge on Friday temporarily halted the Trump administration's planned mass layoffs at the Consumer Financial Protections Bureau (CFPB), shortly after an appeals court narrowed her earlier injunction.

U.S. District Judge Amy Berman Jackson's order temporarily blocks the terminations, which would have slashed the bureau's workforce by roughly 90%, as she weighs whether the planned layoffs violate her earlier injunction. 

Her order comes after plaintiffs in the case, which include the CFPB Employee Association and other labor entities, accused the government of violating her earlier injunction. The plaintiffs alleged these layoffs would take place on Friday evening.

SUPREME COURT CHIEF JUSTICE ROBERTS SWOOPS IN TO SAVE TRUMP FIRING DECISION

Jackson noted on Friday that the agency was slated to carry out a reduction in force, or RIF, of roughly 1,400 employees — which would have left just several hundred in place. 

Jackson said that within several days of an appeals order narrowing her initial injunction, CFPB employees were told the agency would do "exactly what it was told not to do," which was to carry out a RIF. 

"I’m willing to resolve it quickly, but I’m not going to let this RIF go forward until I have," she said during the Friday hearing, noting that she is "deeply concerned, given the scope and scope of action."

Justice Department lawyers had sought to appeal Jackson's order earlier this year, arguing in a filing that the injunction "improperly intrudes on the executive [branch’s] authority" and goes "far beyond what is lawful."

SUPREME COURT RULES ON STATUS OF TENS OF THOUSANDS OF FIRED PROBATIONARY EMPLOYEES

Jackson blocked the administration from moving forward with any layoffs or from cutting off employees' access to computers at the bureau until she has time to hear from the officials in question later this month.

"We’re not going to disperse" more than 1,400 employees "into the universe... until we have determined that is lawful or not," Jackson said.

She proceeded to then set an April 28 hearing date to hear testimony from officials slated to carry out the RIF procedures. 

The plaintiffs in the suit filed their legal challenge in D.C. district court in early February seeking a temporary restraining order after the Trump administration moved to severely downsize the bureau. 

The court issued a preliminary injunction in late March, finding that the plaintiffs would likely succeed on the merits.

The order directed the government to "rehire all terminated employees, reinstate all terminated contracts, and refrain from engaging in reductions-in-force or attempting to stop work through any means." 

The Trump administration appealed the order shortly thereafter.

SUPREME COURT TO HEAR ORAL ARGUMENTS IN BIRTHRIGHT CITIZENSHIP CASE

The Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit stayed Jackson's order only in part, staying the provision dictating that the government must rehire the terminated employees. 

The appeals court also stayed the provision of the order prohibiting the government from "terminating or issuing a notice of reduction" to employees the administration deemed "to be unnecessary to the performance of defendant's statutory duties."

After a video showing federal agents smashing a car window to arrest an illegal immigrant went viral online, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is dispelling rumors about both the agent involved and the detainee.

The arrest was carried out by Boston ICE officials and took place in New Bedford, Massachusetts, on Monday. 

The footage, which the detainee’s wife took from the inside of a car, shows two federal agents attempting to speak with two individuals who have locked themselves in the vehicle, claiming they are waiting for their lawyer. After unsuccessfully trying to access the vehicle, the agents use a large hammer to smash the backseat car window.

BOSTON POLICE COMMISSIONER DOUBLES DOWN ON ICE RESISTANCE: 'WE DON’T ENFORCE' DETAINERS

Eventually, the agents arrested one of the car’s occupants, a 29-year-old Guatemalan man named Juan Francisco-Mendez. 

According to local outlet The New Bedford Light, Francisco-Mendez’s lawyer, Ondine Gálvez, claims he has no criminal history in Massachusetts and is seeking asylum status. 

Francisco-Mendez’s wife, who is identified by the outlet as "Marilú," said the agents "pulled us out violently" and "treated us very harshly."

The video has since gone viral and sparked significant controversy. Some people online have even claimed that the agent who smashed the window is a far-right militia member named Lewis Arthur.

A spokesperson for ICE told Fox News Digital that Francisco-Mendez "refused to comply with officers’ instructions and resisted apprehension" and that the agent’s actions were in line with training on applying the minimum amount of force needed. 

ICE ARRESTS OVER 200 ILLEGAL ALIENS IN NEW YORK CITY'S 'MOST CRIME-INFESTED NEIGHBORHOODS'

"ICE concurs with the actions deemed appropriate by the officers on the scene who are trained to use the minimum amount of force necessary to resolve the situation in a manner that ensures the success of the operation and prioritizes the safety of our officers," the spokesperson said. 

The representative categorically denied that the agent involved in the arrest was Arthur, saying rather that he is a legitimate federal agent working with ICE.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE IMMIGRATION COVERAGE

The spokesperson declined to release the name of the officer publicly but confirmed to Fox News Digital that "he is a federal law enforcement officer who has worked with ICE to help keep New England communities safe for years."

"The officer recorded making an arrest in New Bedford, Mass., is not militia leader Lewis Arthur," the spokesperson said, adding that "the rumors circulating on social media that ICE Boston employed a militia leader from Arizona to make arrests in New England are not only false, but they are also inflammatory and place the safety of federal officers in jeopardy."

WHITE HOUSE DEFENDS ICE, SAYS DEMS, MEDIA WANT 'SICK' CRIMINAL MIGRANTS LEFT ON STREETS

"ICE vehemently denies the lies that are being spread on social media," the spokesperson said, noting that "our ICE officers are facing a 300% increase in assaults while carrying out enforcement operations."

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Regarding the detained migrant, ICE said Francisco-Mendez is in the country illegally despite reporting that he is a legal asylum seeker.  

Francisco-Mendez has now been served with a notice to appear before a Justice Department immigration judge.

The House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform is investigating how Harvard University uses taxpayer money as the school faces scrutiny on civil rights issues like antisemitism.

Committee Chairman James Comer and House Republican Leadership Chairwoman Elise Stefanik sent a letter to the university president, Dr. Alan M. Garber, Thursday afternoon, after the Trump administration halted $2.2 billion in funding to the school. The Department of Homeland Security is also scrapping $2.7 million in grants, and the IRS is weighing an end to the university's tax-exempt status.

The goal is to ultimately decide "whether legislation is necessary to ensure that institutions of higher education receiving federal financial assistance are no longer able to violate the law while lucratively benefiting from the generosity of the American people."

JOHN YOO SAYS HARVARD DOES NOT HAVE 'RIGHT TO FEDERAL GRANTS' AMID BATTLE WITH TRUMP ADMIN

The committee is asking for "documents and communications" to investigate the issue.

"On April 11, 2025, officials from the General Services Administration, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and the U.S. Department of Education wrote to you with a proposed settlement agreement seeking to return Harvard into compliance with civil rights laws," the letter states.

"Instead of working with the government, you wrote to the Harvard community claiming that efforts to comply with basic civil rights law obligations would ‘surrender its independence or relinquish its constitutional rights," it continues.

"Even as Harvard is apparently preparing to reject all federal financial assistance so it can avoid complying with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Harvard has received enormous sums from foreign sources, including from authoritarian governments," the letter added.

HARVARD WON’T COMPLY WITH TRUMP ADMIN’S DEMANDS AMID THREATS OF CUTTING FEDERAL FUNDING

On the possibility of the federal government ending the university’s tax-exempt status, the university told Fox News Thursday it has "no legal basis" to do so.

"The government has long exempted universities from taxes in order to support their educational mission. The tax exemption means that more of every dollar can go toward scholarships for students, lifesaving and life-enhancing medical research and technological advancements that drive economic growth," a spokesperson said.

President Donald Trump has been a vocal critic of Harvard, saying its hires have been "almost all woke."

TRUMP ADMIN PAUSES $1B FROM CORNELL, $790M FROM NORTHWESTERN AMID CIVIL RIGHTS INVESTIGATION: REPORT

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"Harvard is a JOKE, teaches Hate and Stupidity, and should no longer receive Federal Funds," Trump posted recently.

Antisemitism on American college campuses has become a major focus after anti-Israel protests hit a breaking point in the aftermath of the Oct. 7 Hamas attacks. 

Harvard University said it's reviewing the letter about the oversight investigation.

"Harvard is reviewing the committee’s inquiry, which — like the sdministration’s announcement of the freeze of $2.2 billion in grants and $60 million in contracts, scrutiny of foreign student visas, and consideration of revoking Harvard’s 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status — appears to be a direct response to the university’s commitment to uphold its independence and constitutional rights," a spokesperson told Fox News Digital in a statement. 

"Harvard continues to comply with the law, and we have made significant strides in combating antisemitism on our campus, strengthening our policies, disciplining those who violate our policies, encouraging civil discourse and promoting open, respectful dialogue. 

"However, complying with the federal government’s demands, which are largely unrelated to combating antisemitism, would undermine our rights under the First Amendment and due process under Title VI and erode academic freedom. Such demands include changing Harvard’s governance structure, ‘reducing the power held by students and untenured faculty' and submitting to external audits for viewpoint diversity. These demands go well beyond the requirements of federal law."

FIRST ON FOX: Days of highly publicized departures at the Pentagon appear to have come from weeks – if not months – of simmering tensions and factional infighting, Fox News Digital can reveal. 

According to multiple defense officials, the three employees put on leave this week were never told what they were accused of leaking, were not read their rights and were given no guidance on who they could or couldn’t speak to. They were also not asked to turn over their cellphones as part of the leak probe.

At least one of the former employees is consulting with legal counsel, but none have been fired and all are awaiting the outcome of the investigation.

Top aides to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth were placed on leave and escorted out of the building this week as the Pentagon probes unauthorized leaks: senior adviser Dan Caldwell, deputy chief of staff Darin Selnick and Colin Carroll, chief of staff to Deputy Secretary of Defense Stephen Feinberg.

PENTAGON FIRES GREENLAND US BASE COMMANDER WHO 'UNDERMINED' JD VANCE AFTER PITUFFIK VISIT

Another press aide, John Ullyot, parted ways with the Pentagon because he did not want to be second-in-command of the communications shop. 

Officials denied that the three men were placed on leave because of their foreign policy views and said they saw no connection to their positions on Iran and Israel – even as reports surfaced that President Donald Trump told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu the Pentagon would not intervene if Israel attacked Iran.

Selnick was focused on operations, administration and personnel matters; Carroll was focused largely on acquisitions; and Caldwell advised mostly on the Europe portfolio. 

But the trio were united, according to one defense official with knowledge of the situation, in the fact that Hegseth's chief of staff, Joe Kasper, had a "deep vendetta" against them. Kasper issued a memo in late March directing the Pentagon to investigate unauthorized disclosures to reporters and to go so far as using lie detector tests if necessary. 

The three had raised concerns to Hegseth about Kasper’s leadership, and Kasper believed they were trying to get him fired, according to the official. 

Those tensions had boiled into "shouting matches in the front office," the official said. 

TRUMP, HEGSETH REVEAL WHOPPING FIGURE THEY WANT FOR THE NEXT PENTAGON BUDGET

Another Pentagon official disputed those claims and insisted that any accusation the firings had to do with anything other than the unauthorized leak investigation was "false." 

"This is not about interpersonal conflict," that official said. "There is evidence of leaking. This is about unauthorized disclosures, up to and including classified information." 

Legal experts say the employees don't need to be notified of what they're accused of doing until the investigation is concluded.

"Being placed on paid leave is not considered a disciplinary decision. It's considered a preliminary step to conduct an investigation, so if they think they're being railroaded or hosed, they'll have some due process opportunity to respond when there's a formal decision," said Sean Timmons, a legal expert in military and employment law. 

"They've been humiliated in the media to some extent. However, this happens every day in the federal government. Generally speaking, what's happened so far is not necessarily considered discipline. It's just considered a security protocol step to suspend their authorization, suspend their access to their emails, and a full, thorough independent investigation can be conducted."

The three aides are civilian political appointees, meaning they could be fired at-will regardless of the investigation. But if they are found to have engaged in unauthorized leaking, they could have their security clearances yanked away.

"There are very few protections when it comes to political appointees versus career civilian staff," said Libby Jamison, an attorney who specializes in military law. "For appointees, there is very broad discretion to be placed on administrative leave or reassigned." 

If employees are accused of leaking, a report is sent to the Defense Information System for Security, and then there is an independent review of their eligibility for access to sensitive information.

"They'll get a chance, potentially, to try to keep their clearance and show that they didn't violate any security clearance protocols when it comes to handling sensitive information," said Timmons. "If it is found they were leaking information in violation of the rules, and then there's a guideline violation for personal misconduct and for breaching of sensitive information. So they could be possibly criminally prosecuted and certainly terminated from their employment and have their clearance stripped and revoked."

Or, if the independent officer does not find sufficient evidence to tie them to the leaks, they could return to their positions and maintain clearances. 

Ullyot, meanwhile, said that he had made clear to Hegseth from the beginning that he was "not interested in being number two to anyone in public affairs."

Ullyot ran the public affairs office on an acting basis at the start of the administration, leading a memo that yanked back workspaces for legacy media outlets and reassigned them to conservative networks. Ullyot also took a jab at former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Mark Milley, saying his "corpulence" set a bad example for Pentagon fitness standards. 

But as his temporary chief role came to a close and Sean Parnell took the Pentagon chief spokesperson job, Ullyot said he and Hegseth "could not come to an agreement on another good fit for me at DOD. So I informed him today that I will be leaving at the end of this week."

Ullyot said he remains one of Hegseth’s "strongest supporters." 

The office of the secretary of defense and the three aides who were placed on leave this week either declined to comment or could not be reached for this story. 

A new investigation tracking the current state of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) at colleges and universities from conservative nonprofit Defending Education found that there are still 383 "currently active" DEI offices and programs, with 243 universities maintaining institution-wide DEI offices or programming.

Defending Education, formerly known as Parents Defending Education, is a nationwide grassroots organization that works to "fight indoctrination in classrooms and on campus to promote the reestablishment of a quality, non-political education for all students." 

In addition to tracking those DEI offices and programs that are still active, the group's investigation also highlighted that Defending Education uncovered dozens of schools that have taken steps to rebrand or reorganize their DEI efforts, as opposed to shutting them down like others have done. 

MAJOR UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER ACCUSED OF HIDING DEI PROGRAMS, INFLUENTIAL SENATOR CALLS THEM OUT 

At least 27 universities, colleges or schools within such institutions have taken steps to do this, according to the investigation. Meanwhile, in "a few cases," schools have moved their online DEI resources behind password-protected web pages, Defending Education also pointed out.

"DEI evangelists at federally funded institutions are hiding race discrimination in an effort to violate federal law and think they won’t be found out. But our latest report demonstrates they already have been," said Sarah Parshall Perry, Defending Education Vice President and Legal Fellow, who has extensive legal experience in the higher education realm. "Despite a very clear directive from the White House to end ‘DEI’ practices, too many institutions of higher education have simply sent their discrimination underground by renaming or reorganizing race-based initiatives and DEI offices."

Vanderbilt University Medical Center (VUMC) is an example of one of the universities that has been accused of attempting to hide their DEI resources. 

In response to the accusations, a VUMC spokesperson told Fox News Digital at the time that it was undergoing "a thorough review" of its programs to figure out "where revisions may be required to remain in compliance, including updating information on websites and other public platforms." 

However, today, offices such as the Office of Health Equity, the Office of Diversity and Inclusion, and the Office for Diversity Affairs are seemingly still active, according to Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn.

WATCHDOG GROUP EXPOSES RED STATE COLLEGE ADMINISTRATOR EXPLAINING ‘LOOPHOLE’ AROUND ANTI-DEI LAW

The White House blasted some of the nation's premier universities for "egregious illegal behavior," after Harvard refused to comply with Trump administration demands related to ending their DEI programs. Amid Harvard's refusal to comply, the administration revealed this week that it would freeze more than $2 billion in federal funding for the institution.

During a press briefing this week, when asked why federal funding was so available to premier Ivy League institutions like Harvard, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said it was a question President Donald Trump frequently ponders himself.

"It's a question the president has obviously raised in his discussions," Leavitt said. "I think a lot of Americans are wondering why their tax dollars are going to these universities when they are not only indoctrinating our nation's students, but also allowing such egregious illegal behavior to occur."

Perry told Fox News Digital that Defending Education will not stop looking for "discrimination" in higher education, in an effort to make the guarantee of a "colorblind education" for every American student a reality "once and for all."

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Fox News Digital reached out to the White House for comment but did not hear back by time of publication.

Sen. Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla., shared a health update regarding his son, Andrew, who has been at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., as doctors try to determine the cause of a possible mystery illness.

Mullin, whose eyes were bruised — presumably from surgery — announced on Friday that Andrew was set to undergo two procedures. Andrew said in the video that he wanted to be fully sedated, but the Mayo Clinic was allegedly unable to fulfill the request.

MAYO CLINIC FINDS NEW TYPE OF MEMORY LOSS THAT’S OFTEN MISTAKEN FOR ALZHEIMER’S

On Tuesday, the senator shared that several members of his family, including himself, were facing health issues. The senator underwent eye surgery on April 11 and his wife, Christie, had "major knee reconstructive surgery" on April 8, and his mother had a stroke on the same day as his procedure. He said on April 17 that his wife and mother were doing better, as was he.

Mullin’s son, Andrew, however, was facing a different health challenge — one that the senator said in a video on Tuesday that he had been dealing with since January.

"Andrew has been dealing with something a little different since January," the senator said while standing next to his son in a video posted on Tuesday. "He was at practice at OU and um —"

"[I] had a severe side pain and had to go to the E.R. and get checked out," Andrew said. The University of Oklahoma wrestler explained that he had fluid in his lungs and some "growth spots" that kept getting worse.

MAYO CLINIC SEES AI AS 'TRANSFORMATIVE FORCE' IN HEALTH CARE, APPOINTS DR. BHAVIK PATEL AS CHIEF AI OFFICER

Since the video on Tuesday, Mullin has shared updates on his social media almost daily, if not more often. The day after sharing the health statuses of himself, his wife, his mother and his son, Mullin shared that the Mayo Clinic had ruled out cancer as a possible reason for the growth spots in Andrew’s lungs.

"Senator Mullin is at the Mayo Clinic this week supporting his son, Andrew, as he undergoes rigorous testing. The senator’s priorities are clear: God, Family, and everybody else," a spokesperson for Mullin told Fox News Digital.

Mullin has thanked the public for their prayers in multiple posts about his family’s health challenges.

A young girl collapsed near the Resolute Desk in the Oval Office while President Donald Trump spoke during a Friday swearing-in ceremony for former heart surgeon Dr. Mehmet Oz, who rushed over to assist the child. 

A White House official confirmed to Fox News Digital that the girl was a family member of Oz's who fainted during the ceremony and that she has recovered. 

Department of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. swore in Oz to oversee the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. The Senate confirmed Oz on April 3, and he is now tasked with managing nearly $1.5 trillion in federal healthcare spending. 

In addition to leading the Medicare and Medicaid services, he will oversee the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP). He will be responsible for issuing decisions on how the government will cover procedures, hospital stays and medication. 

At the ceremony, Oz laid out his priorities in the role to advance the "Make America Healthy Again" movement that Kennedy is spearheading, and instituting reform for Medicare and Medicaid. 

NEW BIPARTISAN PROPOSAL TARGETS ‘ONE OF THE MOST EGREGIOUS’ KINDS OF FRAUD RAVAGING HEALTHCARE INDUSTRY

"Healthy people don't consume healthcare resources," Oz said in regard to the so-called "MAHA" movement. "The best way to reduce drug spending is to use less drugs, because you don't need them." 

"Next big thing we want to focus on is modernizing Medicare and Medicaid," Oz said. "That's how Americans will get the care that they want, need and deserve. Need to empower patients and providers, both the doctors and the patients, both have to be equipped with better tools." 

Lastly, Oz said he would seek to weed out any fraud or abuse within the Medicare and Medicaid systems. 

Medicare is a government healthcare program that provides coverage to roughly 65 million Americans aged 65 or older, according to the Center for Medicare Advocacy. Medicaid is a federal assistance program for approximately 72 million low-income Americans, according to Medicaid.gov. 

HHS DOWNSIZING BEGINS AMID RFK JR. ‘MAKE AMERICA HEALTHY AGAIN’ PUSH: ‘WIN-WIN FOR TAXPAYERS’

Oz received medical and business degrees from the University of Pennsylvania and became a household name during television stints that include "The Oprah Winfrey Show," and 13 seasons of "The Dr. Oz Show."

Fox News' Alec Schemmel contributed to this report. 

Director of National Intelligence (DNI) Tulsi Gabbard announced the release of the first batch of Robert F. Kennedy assassination files on Friday after teasing the news earlier this month. 

"Nearly 60 years after the tragic assassination of Senator Robert F. Kennedy, the American people will, for the first time, have the opportunity to review the federal government’s investigation thanks to the leadership of President Trump," Gabbard said in a statement released. "My team is honored that the President entrusted us to lead the declassification efforts and to shine a long-overdue light on the truth. I extend my deepest thanks for Bobby Kennedy and his families’ support."

Health and Human Services Secretary (HHS) Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. said in the same statement that releasing the files was "a necessary step toward restoring trust in American government."

GABBARD SAYS RFK, MLK JR RECORDS ‘READY TO RELEASE’ IN DAYS, HAS 'HUNTERS' LOOKING AT FBI, CIA FOR MORE FILES

"I commend President Trump for his courage and his commitment to transparency. I’m grateful also to Tulsi Gabbard for her dogged efforts to root out and declassify these documents," he continued. 

Likewise, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt reacted to the files' release on X on Friday morning, writing, "RFK Files have been released. Promises Made. Promises Kept."

During a Friday morning appearance on "FOX and Friends," Gabbard said 10,000 pages had been released — none of which had previously been digitized or publicly viewed. Gabbard said the files included documents regarding the government's investigation of the assassination and "questions and theories" as the investigation played out, as well as State Department conversations and insight. 

"The significance of this is huge," Gabbard said. "It's been nearly 60 years since Senator Kennedy was assassinated. We're obviously not stopping here."

WEEKS AFTER EPSTEIN FILE FALLOUT, A NEW DEADLINE LOOMS IN THE RELEASE OF THE RFK AND MLK FILES

Gabbard also said that "just the other day, we discovered over 50,000 additional pages solely around Senator Kennedy's assassination," saying she had "over 100 people at National Archives" scanning through the documents in anticipation of a second release. 

"Nearly six decades have passed since the tragic assassination of Senator Robert F. Kennedy and these historic files have been hidden from the American people all this time — until now," a White House spokesperson told Fox News Digital. "In the name of maximum transparency, President Trump has released over 10,000 pages of the RFK files with more to come. There has never been a more transparent president in the history of our country than President Donald J. Trump. Another promise made and promise kept."

Gabbard had previously mentioned the files' drop on April 10 during a Cabinet meeting at the White House, saying at the time that more than 100 people had been "working around the clock" scanning paperwork related to both the Martin Luther King Jr. and RFK assassinations and subsequent investigations. 

"These have been sitting in boxes in storage for decades," Gabbard told President Donald Trump. Kennedy was also present during the meeting. 

"They have never been scanned or seen before. We'll have those ready to release here within the next few days," Gabbard said. 

The RFK files' release comes as a result of Trump's declassification executive order issued shortly after he started his second term. The order specifically seeks to declassify files on the assassinations of former President John F. Kennedy, his brother Robert and civil rights icon King.

EPSTEIN FILES DEBACLE SPURS NEW INTEREST IN CONTENTS OF PROMISED RFK, MLK ASSASSINATION FILES

Trump had previously promised to declassify the documents while on the campaign trail, saying at the time, "When I return to the White House, I will declassify and unseal all JFK assassination-related documents. It’s been 60 years, time for the American people to know the truth."

According to the order, the director of national intelligence and other officials were expected to submit their proposed release plans for the RFK and MLK files on March 9. 

DNI and the attorney general were previously given a Feb. 7 deadline to submit their release plans for the JFK files. 

The Justice Department saw a fallout in late February after releasing a batch of Jeffrey Epstein files. Many of the documents publicized then had already been released during the federal criminal trial of Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein's former lover and convicted accomplice. 

Fox News Digital's Louis Casiano contributed to this report. 

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul and Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., have already begun trading barbs in the 2026 gubernatorial race amid reports that the Republican congresswoman is considering a run.

When asked about Stefanik’s potential bid, the Democrat responded by saying she’s heard from "people in the North Country" concerned about Trump’s tariffs policies and how that will impact the region, particularly with its relationship with Canada.

"So, no matter who the GOP nominee is next year that I’ll be running against, it’ll be an extreme MAGA Republican and I look forward to that fight," Hochul said while taking questions on Wednesday.

BILL MAHER SUGGESTS ANDREW CUOMO'S NURSING HOME SCANDAL MAY COST HIS NYC MAYORAL CAMPAIGN

Stefanik, who has not officially announced a campaign, clapped back at the governor.

"The Worst Governor in America takes the bait and responds by talking about ‘People in the North Country.’ Just a quick reminder of Hochul’s abysmal polling of the "People in the North Country - it is the region where she is the least popular in the entire state…and that’s saying a lot because she’s unpopular everywhere," Stefanik posted to X on Wednesday afternoon.

"And North Country voters will not forget her attempt to disenfranchise and rob them of their voice and vote. They will not forget what she did to our farmers and our COs. Oh and one more thing … even Democrat candidates in the North Country refuse to publicly support her. Just ask them!" she continued.

TRUMP ADMIN RIPS BLUE CITY CRIME IN VOW TO CLEAN UP DANGERS FOR COMMUTERS: 'THIS IS NOT HUMANE'

Although Cook Political Report ranks the race as "Likely D," Hochul is currently facing scrutiny for a 39% approval rating, according to a recent Marist poll. The Democrat notably faced off against Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin in 2022 while he was in Congress. He had the best Republican gubernatorial performance since Gov. George Pataki won in 2002.

Stefanik was recently pulled as the United Nations Ambassador pick in order to keep the narrow Republican majority in the House as high as possible.

"I have been proud to be a team player. The president knows that. He and I had multiple conversations today, and we are committed to delivering results on behalf of the American people. And as always, I'm committed to delivering results on behalf of my constituents," she said on Fox News' "Hannity" last month.

TOM HOMAN WARNS MAJOR SANCTUARY STATE WILL ‘GET EXACTLY WHAT THEY DON’T WANT’

Just hours before reports emerged that Stefanik was considering her next political move, Trump posted to Truth Social that "Congresswoman Elise Stefanik is GREAT!!!" Sources told Fox News that allies of the president have encouraged her to run.

On the Republican side, Rep. Mike Lawler, Nassau County executive Bruce Blakeman and Bethany town supervisor Carl Hyde Jr. are also considering bids. On the Democratic side, Lt. Gov. Antonio Delgado and Rep. Ritchie Torres may primary Hochul.

Fox News’ Paul Steinhauser and Elizabeth Elkind contributed to this report.

The White House released a splitscreen image overnight to underscore the stark contrast between where Republicans and Democrats stand on illegal immigration.

One image featured distraught Angel Mom Patty Morin being comforted by President Trump in the Oval Office. Morin’s daughter, Rachel Morin, was savagely beaten, raped and killed in Maryland by an illegal migrant from El Salvador in 2023. 

The other image showed Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., sitting and talking with deported illegal alien Kilmar Abrego Garcia, 29, in El Salvador.

RACHEL MORIN'S MOTHER TEARFULLY BEGS MEDIA TO 'TELL THE TRUTH' ABOUT CRIMINAL ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS

Abrego Garcia was deported last month by the Trump administration, which says that he was an MS-13 gang member who also violently beat his wife. 

Van Hollen, who called the deportation "absolutely unjust," flew to El Salvador to advocate for Abrego Garcia’s release.

"We are not the same," the White House captioned the image while tagging Van Hollen.

The image of Morin was taken on Wednesday when she visited the White House and spoke to reporters from the White House briefing room, where she called out Van Hollen’s trip to El Salvador. 

She noted that Van Hollen, who represents her state, had never once reached out to her since her daughter was killed. 

DEM SENATOR VAN HOLLEN MEETS, SHAKES HANDS WITH ABREGO GARCIA; EL SALVADOR SAYS INMATE WILL REMAIN IN CUSTODY

"To have a senator from Maryland who didn’t even acknowledge – barely acknowledged my daughter and the brutal death that she endured, leaving her five children without a mother, and now a grandbaby without a grandmother, so that he can use my taxpayer money to fly to El Salvador to bring back someone that is not even an American citizen," Morin said. "Why does that person have more right than I do for my daughter or my grandchildren? I don’t understand this." 

Following Martinez-Hernandez’s conviction, Van Hollen issued a statement vowing to bolster border security while also "supporting our immigrant communities." 

Patty Morin appealed to the media to "tell the truth" about violent illegal aliens who were let into the country. Rachel Morin’s killer, Victor Antonio Martinez-Hernandez, allegedly committed a murder in his home country. He was also linked to a home invasion and assault in Los Angeles before moving to Maryland.

Van Hollen flew to El Salvador this week to meet with Abrego Garcia and was denied multiple times. He was granted his request on Thursday night and met with Abrego Garcia on Friday. 

"I said my main goal of this trip was to meet with Kilmar," Van Hollen wrote on X, along with the picture the White House posted. "Tonight I had that chance. I have called his wife, Jennifer, to pass along his message of love."

Van Hollen previously said that it was "absolutely unjust and illegal to have this Marylander detained one more day in a notorious prison in El Salvador."

Garcia who was living in Maryland with his wife and children, was deported to the El Salvadoran megaprison "Terrorism Confinement Center" (CECOT) last month, and officials acknowledged in court that his deportation had been an administrative error, although now some top Trump officials say he was correctly removed and contend he's a member of the notorious MS-13 gang. 

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Both a federal district court and the U.S. Supreme Court have ordered the Trump administration to "facilitate" his release and return to the U.S. for proper deportation proceedings.

Attorney General Pam Bondi said that Abrego Garcia would not be allowed back into the U.S. unless El Salvador were to decide otherwise. "He is not coming back to our country." 

Fox News’ Greg Wehner contributed to this report.

The top Democrat on the Senate Homeland Security Committee demanded answers from the Trump administration over potentially stranded American travelers once REAL ID requirements take effect May 7.

Rhode Island Sen. Jack Reed wrote to Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem regarding plans to begin enforcement that day, after President Donald Trump gave DHS discretion on when to begin enforcement of the chronically delayed Bush-era law.

"Following the recommendations of the 9/11 Commission, Congress passed, and then-President George W. Bush signed, the REAL ID Act of 2005, which requires minimum security standards for driver’s licenses or other identification of anyone seeking to board a domestic flight," Reed wrote.

"Recognizing the time and complexity involved in switching to REAL ID-compliant driver’s licenses and identification cards, President Trump signed legislation in 2020 that confirmed the Secretary of Homeland Security’s discretion over when to begin enforcing this requirement."

REAL ID DEADLINE FOR TRAVELERS, SOME FEDERAL BUILDING ACCESS QUICKLY APPROACHING

Delays persisted through three presidential administrations due to concerns over the complexity of updating 50 state, seven territorial and one district’s DMV and other systems.

Then, when the COVID-19 pandemic hit, state agencies were given further leeway on enacting REAL ID until DHS finally settled on the May 7 date for this year.

"According to the TSA, around 20 percent of air travelers still use a form of identification that is not compliant with REAL ID requirements," Reed wrote to Noem.

"Indeed, millions of Americans still do not have a REAL ID-compliant license or an acceptable alternative form of identification, such as a passport or a military identification card."

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He cited the secretary’s public comment at the White House that she does not want to see anyone delayed or unable to board a flight – for which a REAL ID-compliant identification will be required.

"Since it seems likely that many travelers will not have a compliant ID by May 7th, please describe how you will ensure that there are not delays at TSA security checkpoints and what steps the TSA is taking to process travelers who arrive at airport security checkpoints without REAL ID compliant identification," Reed concluded.

AMERICANS GROUNDED WITHOUT REAL ID, LONG DMV WAITS TURN TO OTHER OPTIONS

After its 2005 passage, REAL ID became one of the few political issues that had cross-partisan support and opposition.

Conservative and anti-illegal immigration groups praised the Bush administration’s work, while gun rights groups and libertarian-minded lawmakers warned it expanded the proverbial omnipresent "Big Brother."

Labor groups and liberals like Hillary Clinton also expressed reservations about the law.

They found recent agreement from Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., who wrote on X that people who believe REAL ID is supposed to bolster election integrity will be "sorely disappointed."

"Someone has lied to you, or you’re engaged in wishful thinking. Please don’t shoot the messenger," Massie said.

In a statement on its website, DHS pushed back on claims REAL ID would be used to build a new "database" – in apparent response to Massie-like concerns.

"REAL ID is a national set of standards, not a national identification card," the agency wrote. 

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"REAL ID does not create a federal database of driver license information. Each jurisdiction continues to issue its own unique license, maintains its own records, and controls who gets access to those records and under what circumstances," it said.

"The purpose of REAL ID is to make our identity documents more consistent and secure."

DHS Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs, Tricia McLaughlin, told Fox News Digital in a statement: "Real IDs make identification harder to forge, thwarting criminals and terrorists. 81% of air travelers hold REAL ID-compliant or acceptable IDs. DHS will continue to collaborate with state, local, and airport authorities to inform the public, facilitate compliance, curb wait times and prevent fraud."

"DHS responds to official correspondence through official channels," McLaughlin added.

Fox News’ Elizabeth Elkind and Deirdre Heavey contributed to this report.

U.S. District Judge William Fitzpatrick has agreed to delay the Justice Department’s motion to dismiss its case against Henrry Josue Villatoro Santos, the Virginia-based Salvadorian national accused of being a top leader of the MS-13 gang in the U.S.

The ruling, handed down Friday, directs the government to keep Villatoro Santos in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service, and not be transferred to DHS officials until the appeal is resolved.  

Villatoro Santos was arrested less than a month ago in Woodbridge, Virginia, and was charged with being an illegal alien in possession of a firearm.

His high-profile arrest was supervised by both U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi and FBI Director Kash Patel from a nearby tactical center.

JUDGE BOASBERG POISED TO HOLD TRUMP ADMIN IN CONTEMPT, TAKES DOWN NAMES OF DHS OFFICIALS: 'PRETTY SKETCHY'

At the time, Bondi touted his capture and referred to him as the "top MS-13 leader" on the East Coast.

Shortly afterward, however, the Department of Justice abruptly filed a motion to dismiss their case against Villatoro Santos – prompting speculation as to what would happen to him next.

His counsel said during an April 15 hearing that the government had not clarified next steps for their client, and suggested the Trump administration might move to summarily deport him without due process.

Villatoro Santos' lawyer, Muhammad Elsayed, claimed during the April 15 hearing that the decision to dismiss the case had come from "high up" in the Trump administration, and argued if he were released, he would likely be deported almost immediately to CECOT, the Salvadorian prison housing hundreds of U.S. migrants. 

"They have already determined the outcome, that he’ll go to the worst prison in the western hemisphere," Elsayed said earlier this week.

At the hearing, his attorneys also invoked the case of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, who was deported last month to El Salvador for being an alleged MS-13 member.

Two federal judges in Texas and New York also temporarily blocked the Trump administration's use of the Alien Enemies Act law to deport certain nationals, siding with their contention that the plaintiffs in question are at risk of removal by the Trump administration, possibly without the opportunity to seek habeas relief in a U.S. court.

The updates follow a 5–4 Supreme Court ruling that lifted a lower court’s restraining order, allowing the Trump administration to temporarily resume use of the Alien Enemies Act — albeit with new due process protections for migrants.

The high court said individuals slated for deportation must have the opportunity to challenge their removal, with sufficient time to do so in a U.S. court.

 Fox News' Jake Gibson contributed to this report.

As Passover and Holy Week came to a close, U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee fulfilled a vow he had made to President Donald Trump. In his first act as ambassador, Huckabee placed a prayer from Trump into the Western Wall.

In his remarks at the Western Wall, Huckabee said that Trump "handwrote" the prayer and handed it to the new ambassador at the White House. Along with the note, Trump reportedly gave Huckabee a directive to bring it to the holy site as his first official act as ambassador.

WHITE HOUSE PLANS 'EXTRAORDINARY' HOLY WEEK AS TRUMP HONORS EASTER WITH 'THE OBSERVANCE IT DESERVES'

"This morning, I visited [the Western Wall] in Israel’s eternal capital, Jerusalem, and placed a prayer from [the president] between the stones. On behalf of President Trump and the American people, I say to Israel: our commitment to you is unwavering, and we pray for the immediate return of all the hostages. Israel will never be alone," Huckabee wrote in a post on X.

Trump famously relocated the U.S. embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem in 2018, a move that drew intense praise and criticism at the time. He has also enjoyed a close relationship with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during both of his terms in the White House.

EASTER AND PASSOVER FOODS THAT AMERICANS MOST LIKE AND DISLIKE, ACCORDING TO NEW DATA

The Western Wall Foundation included a photo of the note that Huckabee said was from Trump, which appeared to read, "For peace in Israel. D.T."

TRUMP DEMANDS BIDEN ISSUE APOLOGY OVER 'BLASPHEMOUS' TRANS VISIBILITY DAY ON EASTER SUNDAY: 'APPALLING'

Placing notes, like the one from Trump, in the wall is a common practice. The notes are typically collected twice a year — once before Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish new year, and then again before Passover. 

Huckabee’s visit to the Western Wall came as the Trump administration emphasized Holy Week, with the White House Faith Office leading events, including a pre-Easter dinner with faith leaders. 

"We pray that America will remain a beacon of faith, hope, and freedom for the entire world, and we pray to achieve a future that reflects the truth, beauty, and goodness of Christ’s eternal kingdom in Heaven," Trump said in a White House statement on Holy Week.

Confidence in the Democratic Party's congressional leadership has sunk to an all-time low, according to a new national poll.

The confidence rating for Democratic leadership in Congress stands at 25% in a Gallup poll conducted April 1-14 and released on Thursday. That's nine points below the previous low of 34%, which was recorded in 2023.

According to Gallup, confidence in Republican congressional leadership stands at 39%, which is well above the 24% low hit in 2014.

Fueling the drop in confidence in the Democratic congressional leadership were Democrats.

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"Democratic congressional leaders’ rating among their own party faithful has fallen 41 points since last year to their lowest point ever," Gallup noted in its release.

DEMOCRATS FAVORABLE RATINGS DROP TO RECORD LOWS

The Democratic Party is in the political wilderness, following last November's election setbacks, when Republicans won back control of the White House and the Senate, and defended their fragile House majority. And Republicans made gains among Black and Hispanic voters, as well as younger voters, all traditional members of the Democratic Party's base.

Democrats have become increasingly angry and energized in response to President Donald Trump's aggressive and controversial moves, since returning to the White House three months ago, in slashing the federal government and upending longstanding national policies. 

NEW MOVE BY DEMOCRATIC PARTY VICE CHAIR FURTHER INFLAMES EXISTING INTRA-PARTY TENSIONS

That anger is directed not only at Trump and Republicans, but also at Democrats. Many in the party's base feel their leaders in Congress haven't been effective or vocal enough in pushing back against the president.

And the energy has been evident at town halls this winter and early spring held by both Democratic and Republican members of Congress.

National polls conducted in February by Quinnpiac University, and last month by CNN and by NBC News, indicated the favorable ratings for the Democratic Party sinking to all-time lows.

As Christians across the country celebrate Holy Week, a group of LGBTQ+ faith leaders gathered outside the U.S. Capitol to reject President Donald Trump's "anti-LGBTQ+ legislation." And one religious leader told Fox News Digital the Trump administration is "the most hostile administration to religion in recent memory."

Attendees at the Collective of Queer Christian Leaders event Monday claimed Trump had not only targeted the LGBTQ+ community but faith leaders. 

"We've seen a series of attacks on faith leaders," Guthrie Graves, an ordained Baptist deacon, told Nicholas Ballasy for Fox News Digital. "For instance, Bishop Mariann Budde, the bishop in the Episcopal Church of Washington, spoke about mercy for LGBTQ people and immigrants during the inaugural prayer service. And then, even at a very humble plea for mercy, President Trump lashed out at her."

In a Truth Social Post, Trump called Budde a "Radical Left hard line Trump hater" and accused her of politicizing his inaugural prayer service by asking him to "have mercy" on LGBTQ+ children who are "scared."

TRUMP EXCORIATES BISHOP AS 'RADICAL LEFT HARD LINE TRUMP HATER' AFTER POLITICALLY CHARGED PRAYER SERVICE

"As the Collective of Queer Christian leaders, our message today was to let LGBTQ+ communities and individuals know that they are not alone. We are not alone. We're in this together. We wanted today to speak out against the anti-LGBTQ+ legislation as well as the executive orders coming out of this current administration," said Ryan Henderson, who attended Monday's event. 

LGBTQ CHRISTIANS INVOKE 'RIGHTEOUS RAGE' AT CAPITOL DURING HOLY WEEK

Trump, on his first day back in the Oval Office, issued an executive order establishing only two sexes, male and female. 

And Trump Attorney General Pam Bondi announced a lawsuit Wednesday against the state of Maine for allowing transgender women to continue playing women's sports. 

Democratic Maine Gov. Janet Mills has refused to comply with Trump's executive order restricting biological men from playing girls and women’s sports. Nearly two months ago, Trump and Mills sparred during a bipartisan meeting of governors at the White House, during which Trump promised Mills he'd see her "in court."

Many attendees told Fox News Digital that transgender people, in particular, are "under attack." And Haley Warner of the Belong Collective, an LGBTQ+ inclusive church, advocated for a "full embrace from the church, from the arms of God" and to speak out against "what's being done by the far-right in the name of God."

Sunu Chandy, a senior advisor at Democracy Forward, a legal organization that advocates for the advancement of democracy through policy engagement, said rights "need to be fought for in the courts, in the faith communities, in the streets, to make sure that our trans siblings, in particular, are uplifted in this time.

"What's incredibly clear is that we are in the midst of a certain level of unprecedented attacks against the LGBTQ+ community, wherein the rights that my ancestors fought so hard to gain are now not only under attack, but are actively being rolled back," said the Rev. Don Abram, founder of Pride in the Pews.

Another attendee, Jan Lawrence, executive director of Reconciling Ministries Network, an LGBTQ+ justice organization within the United Methodist Church, emphasized the importance of faith leaders standing united during this "critical time."

"We have a collective voice that is louder than the voice of any one of us," Lawrence said. 

While the Trump administration was called "the most hostile administration to religion in recent memory" during Monday's event, Trump's new White House Faith Office announced a robust Holy Week schedule to celebrate Easter. 

The White House did not respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment by deadline. 

Last year, President Joe Biden proclaimed March 31, which fell on Easter Sunday, Transgender Day of Visibility to show "transgender and nonbinary Americans that we see them, they belong, and they should be treated with dignity and respect." 

President Donald Trump is calling Sen. Chris Van Hollen a "fool" on Friday after the legislator flew to El Salvador to meet with deported illegal immigrant Kilmar Abrego Garcia. 

"Senator Chris Van Hollen of Maryland looked like a fool yesterday standing in El Salvador begging for attention from the Fake News Media, or anyone. GRANDSTANDER!!!" Trump wrote on his Truth Social account. 

Garcia, a 29-year-old illegal immigrant living in Maryland, was deported to the El Salvadoran megaprison "Terrorism Confinement Center" (CECOT) last month, and officials acknowledged in court that his deportation had been an administrative error, although now some top Trump officials say he had been correctly removed and contend that he is a member of the notorious MS-13 gang. 

"I said my main goal of this trip was to meet with Kilmar," Van Hollen, a Democrat, said in a post on X on Thursday. "Tonight I had that chance. I have called his wife, Jennifer, to pass along his message of love. I look forward to providing a full update upon my return." 

DEMOCRAT SENATOR VAN HOLLEN MEETS, SHAKES HANDS WITH ABREGO GARCIA 

Van Hollen said earlier Thursday that "Kilmar Abrego Garcia had been illegally abducted and is being held in a notorious prison in El Salvador -- barred from contacting his family or lawyers." Van Hollen also spoke to the press in El Salvador, in a video posted on YouTube. 

Abrego Garcia's wife Jennifer Vasquez said in a statement that "we still have so many questions, hopes, and fears," according to the Associated Press. 

Both a federal district court and the U.S. Supreme Court have ordered the Trump administration to "facilitate" Garcia’s release and return to the U.S. for proper deportation proceedings. 

MORE DEMOCRATS WORK TO JOIN VAN HOLLEN IN EL SALVADOR TO PUSH FOR ALLEGED GANG MEMBER’S RETURN TO US 

The Trump administration also released information on Wednesday indicating that Abrego Garcia's wife has accused him of repeated abuse of her.  

Fox News obtained the written domestic violence allegations filed in court against Abrego Garcia by Vasquez in 2021. 

In the filing, written in her own handwriting, Vasquez alleged that Abrego Garcia had repeatedly beaten her, writing: "At this point, I am afraid to be close to him. I have multiple photos/videos of how violent he can be and all the bruises he [has] left me." 

Fox News Digital’s Greg Wehner, Jasmine Baehr and Bill Mears contributed to this report. 

President Donald Trump announced that conservative commentator Mark Levin, South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster, Florida state Sen. Joe Gruters and former NYPD detective Bo Dietl will serve on the Homeland Security Advisory Council.

The president described service on the panel as a "big honor."

"I am proud to announce the formation of my revamped Homeland Security Advisory Council (HSAC), which is comprised of Top Experts in their field, who are highly respected by their peers. It is a big honor to serve on HSAC, and I know the new Members, South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster, Mark Levin, Bo Dietl, and Joseph Gruters, will do an incredible job," the president declared in a post on Truth Social.

‘MASS SURVEILLANCE’: CONSERVATIVES SOUND ALARM OVER TRUMP ADMIN'S REAL ID ROLLOUT

"Under Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem’s leadership, HSAC will work hard on developing new Policies and Strategies that will help us secure our Border, deport Illegal Criminal Thugs, stop the flow of Fentanyl and other illegal drugs that are killing our Citizens, and MAKE AMERICA SAFE AGAIN. Congratulations to all!" he added.

Levin, a conservative talk radio show star and author, hosts the TV show "Life, Liberty, & Levin" on the Fox News Channel.

Last year, Trump urged Gruters to run for the role of Florida chief financial officer. 

IRS AND DHS REACH HISTORIC DEAL TO AID IN PURSUIT OF ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS SUBJECT TO DEPORTATION

"RUN JOE, RUN! This is an Endorsement I would love to make," he declared in a March 2024 Truth Social post.

Gruters noted in a November post on X, "Whether via appointment or at the ballot box in 2026, I look forward to running for CFO as President Trump’s endorsed candidate."

WHITE HOUSE DEFENDS ICE, SAYS DEMS, MEDIA WANT ‘SICK’ CRIMINAL MIGRANTS LEFT ON STREETS

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U.S. Rep. Jimmy Patronis, R-Fla., who previously served as Florida's CFO, joined Congress this month after winning election to former Rep. Matt Gaetz's old seat in the Sunshine State's 1st Congressional District. 

Patronis resigned from the Florida CFO role before the end of his term, and Gov. Ron DeSantis can appoint a replacement.

The Florida CFO election is slated to take place in 2026.

There's no denying that President Donald Trump is moving at warp speed during his second tour of duty in the White House.

"We have accomplished more in 43 days than most administrations accomplished in four years or eight years, and we are just getting started," the president said during his prime-time address to Congress and the nation last month.

And a few days later, the White House team touted, "50 WINS IN 50 DAYS: President Trump Delivers for Americans."

Trump has aggressively asserted executive authority in his second term, overturning long-standing government policy and making major cuts to the federal workforce through an avalanche of sweeping and controversial executive orders and actions – many aimed at addressing grievances he has held since his first term.

CLICK HERE FOR FOX NEWS COVERAGE OF TRUMP'S FIRST 100 DAYS

But the most recent national public opinion polls suggest that Americans aren't thrilled with the job the president is doing.

The latest Gallup poll, conducted April 1-14 and released on Thursday, indicates that Trump is underwater, with a 44% approval rating and 53% disapproval rating.

Most, but not all, of the most recent national public opinion surveys indicate Trump's approval ratings in negative territory, which is a slide from the president's poll position when he started his second tour of duty in the White House.

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Contributing to the slide are increasing concerns over the economy and inflation, which was a pressing issue that kept former President Joe Biden’s approval ratings well below water for most of his presidency. And Trump's blockbuster tariff announcement two weeks ago, which sparked a trade war with some of the nation's top trading partners, triggered a massive sell-off in the financial markets and increased concerns about a recession.

The Gallup poll is the latest to spotlight the massive partisan divide over the polarizing president.

Nine out of 10 Republicans questioned by Gallup gave Trump a thumbs up, but only 4% of Democrats said they approved of the president's performance. Among Independents, only 37% approved of the job Trump's doing steering the nation.

With the president reaching three months into his second term this weekend – he was inaugurated on Jan. 20 – Gallup is comparing his approval ratings with his presidential predecessors.

According to Gallup's figures, Trump's average approval rating during the first quarter of his first year back in office is 45%.

While that's an improvement from his 41% average approval rating during the first three months of his first administration, in 2017, it's far below previous presidents.

FIRST ON FOX: HERE'S HOW MUCH REPUBLICAN NATIONAL COMMITTEE HAULED IN THE PAST THREE MONTHS

"John F. Kennedy and Dwight Eisenhower had the highest first-quarter average ratings, with both registering above 70%, while Jimmy Carter, Barack Obama and Ronald Reagan averaged between 60% and 69%. George W. Bush, George H.W. Bush, Joe Biden and Bill Clinton had similar average ratings of 55% to 58% in their first quarters," Gallup noted in its release. 

Gallup highlighted that "Trump is the only president to have sub-50% average approval ratings during a first quarter in office."

But enjoying promising approval ratings out of the gate doesn't guarantee a positive and productive presidency.

Carter's poll numbers sank into negative territory less than two years into his presidency, and he was resoundingly defeated in his bid for re-election in 1980.

Biden's approval rating hovered in the low-to-mid-50s during the first six months of his single term as president, with his disapproval in the upper 30s to the low- to-mid-40s. 

However, Biden's numbers sank into negative territory in the late summer and autumn of 2021, in the wake of his much-criticized handling of the turbulent U.S. exit from Afghanistan, and amid soaring inflation and a surge of migrants crossing into the U.S. along the nation's southern border with Mexico.

Biden's approval ratings stayed underwater throughout the rest of his presidency, and he dropped his bid for re-election last summer.

Code Pink, the liberal antiwar group known best for disrupting hearings in their trademark fuchsia garb, may need to register under a 1938 law requiring disclosure of political behavior benefiting foreign entities or governments, according to a top Senate Republican.

Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, wrote a letter Wednesday to FBI Director Kash Patel and Attorney General Pam Bondi openly considering whether Code Pink, as well as the New York-based socialist "incubator" The People’s Forum, must register under the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA).

"The Department of Justice has a duty to ensure compliance with the [FARA, which] remains a priority tool to combat adversarial foreign governments from influencing public policy and opinion in the United States," Grassley wrote.

"FARA provides the American people with much-needed accountability and transparency. FARA is a content-neutral law and does not require any entity or individual to refrain from certain types of speech or activities. It simply requires individuals to register with the DOJ if they are acting as an agent of a foreign government or enterprise attempting to influence U.S. public policy."

SEN HAWLEY CLAPS BACK AS ‘PRO-TERRORIST’ ACTIVIST SHOUTS ‘HAMAS WILL NEVER BE ELIMINATED’

Focusing particularly on China, Grassley said the CCP spent more than $400 million since 2016 to influence American politics, and that both Code Pink and The People's Forum have ties to a wealthy Shanghai-based U.S. citizen-activist, Neville Roy Singham, and the CCP itself.

"Mr. Singham has denied working with the Chinese government; however, in July 2023, Mr. Singham reportedly attended a Communist Party workshop about ‘promoting the party internationally,'" Grassley wrote.

"Reportedly, Mr. Singham shares office and staff with the Shanghai Maku Cultural Communication Company, whose goal is to ‘educate foreigners about ‘the miracles that China has created on the world stage.' Further, it is reported that Mr. Singham’s news outlet is co-producing a show on YouTube that is partially financed by Shanghai’s propaganda department," he added, footnoting a New York Times report from 2023.

Code Pink was co-founded by Jodie Evans – Singham’s wife – and according to Grassley, it received hefty donations from groups tied to Singham.

Grassley, appearing to cite the Times, catalogued Evans’ reported criticism of the Uyghurs as terrorists, though they are considered by the U.S. government to be victims of human rights abuses at the hands of the Chinese government. He wrote that when Evans married Singham and "became a recipient of funds tied to him," she and Code Pink became "stridently" pro-China.

CODE PINK ACTIVIST DISRUPTS SECRETARY AUSTIN HEARING

The letter also cited a meeting between Code Pink and the House Select Committee on China, in which he said they "denied evidence of forced labor in Xinjiang, a public policy position that benefits China’s interests" and separately urged the Foreign Relations Committee to vote "nay" on funding a $1.6 billion anti-Chinese-propaganda campaign.

Code Pink, however, objected to Grassley's characterizations, telling Fox News Digital it is "neither funded nor influenced by any foreign government or political party."

"We have always been transparent about our funding. The notion that we are influenced by external political entities or governments is not only false—it's insulting. We've always been an independent, non-partisan voice for peace, and we refuse to be labeled otherwise," a spokesperson said.

"When we speak out, we speak out on behalf of a growing majority in the United States who want peace over war."

The group said that protesting war and genocide is not supporting terrorism and that wanting diplomacy versus war with China is not a "CCP talking point, but a humanitarian value."

"The real question is, are the members of Congress, both Democrats and Republicans, who take money for pro-Israel lobby groups going to register under FARA? They are the ones who are funded by special interests and receive talking points and direction from a foreign government that ends up influencing U.S. policy."

As for The People’s Forum, which operates a café and meeting space in Manhattan, Grassley cited a Free Press report finding Singham the "main funder" of the group, which organized anti-Israel protests in Times Square after the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas terror attacks.

Grassley cited a tweet in which The People’s Forum responded to claims that it receives "dark money," and it goes on to say how it met "Roy Singham, a Marxist comrade who sold his company and donated most of his wealth to non-profits that focus on political education, culture & internationalism."

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Rep. Bruce Westerman, R-Ark., previously wrote to The People’s Forum demanding answers for alleged ties to the July 24 pro-Palestinian mass-vandalism protest at Washington-Union Station, and the broader "Shut-It-Down-4-Palestine movement" nationwide.

In a statement, Grassley said, "Evidence suggests that The People’s Forum and Code Pink have been funded and influenced by Mr. Singham and the Communist Chinese government, both of which are foreign principals."

"The evidence also suggests that The People’s Forum and Code Pink have engaged in covered political activities that directly advance the Communist Chinese government’s political and policy interests."

"Secretive foreign lobbying and public relations campaigns by China and other adversaries undermines the political will and interests of the American people," he added, calling on Bondi and Patel to review any interactions between the groups and DOJ, and what the feds have done to assess their FARA eligibility.

Fox News Digital reached out to The People’s Forum, as well as two emails listed for Singham, but did not hear back.

FIRST ON FOX: The Trump administration rolled out a revamped COVID.gov website Friday showing the "true origins" of the coronavirus, while admonishing Democrats and the media for discrediting the theory that the virus leaked from a lab and alternative health treatments, and for imposing strict mandates. 

"This administration prioritizes transparency over all else," a senior administration official told Fox News Digital Friday. "The American people deserve to know the truth about the COVID pandemic, and we will always find ways to reach communities with that message." 

The website, which previously had focused on promoting the coronavirus vaccine to Americans, now walks readers through evidence supporting the lab leak theory, how former National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Director Anthony Fauci promoted the idea that COVID-19 originated naturally, former President Joe Biden pardoning Fauci for "any offenses against" the U.S. he may have committed, and providing details on the origin of the "social distancing" rules and mask mandates. 

LEGACY MEDIA, DC JOURNOS COME AROUND TO INVESTIGATING DEM SCANDALS YEARS AFTER CONSERVATIVES SOUNDED ALARM

"'The Proximal Origin of SARS-CoV-2' publication — which was used repeatedly by public health officials and the media to discredit the lab leak theory — was promoted by Dr. Fauci to push the preferred narrative that COVID-19 originated naturally," the site states, before launching into five bullet points on the origins of the virus. 

The new site outlines that a biological characteristic found in the virus was not found in nature, bolstering the lab-leak theory, while noting that Wuhan, China, where the first coronavirus case was found, is also home to China's "foremost SARs research lab" and that "if there was evidence of a natural origin it would have already surfaced. But it hasn't."

HOUSE SUBCOMMITTEE CONCLUDES COVID-19 'MOST LIKELY' LEAKED FROM WUHAN LAB

The Trump administration's CIA reported earlier in 2025 that a lab leak was the likely origin of the COVID-19 virus, which had been passed off by media outlets and scientists as a likely conspiracy theory during the early days of the pandemic. The Department of Energy under the Biden administration and former FBI Director Christopher Wray in 2023 also said evidence indicated that the coronarius was the result of a lab leak. 

CREDIBILITY CRISIS: NEW YORK TIMES HELPED MISLEAD AMERICA OVER COVID LAB LEAK THEORY

The website also walks readers through the origins of COVID-era rules, such as mask mandates and social distancing. 

"The ‘six feet apart’ social distancing recommendation — which shut down schools and small business across the country — was arbitrary and not based on science," it states. "During closed-door testimony, Dr. Fauci testified that guidance 'sort of just appeared." 

The website says of mask mandates: "There was no conclusive evidence that masks effectively protected Americans from COVID-19. Public health officials flip-flopped on the efficacy of masks without providing Americans scientific data — causing a massive uptick in public distrust." 

The website notes that content on the page was sourced directly from the House Oversight Committee's Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic. 

"Public health officials often mislead the American people through conflicting messaging, knee-jerk reactions, and a lack of transparency," the website states under a portion called "COVID-19 misinformation." "Most egregiously, the federal government demonized alternative treatments and disfavored narratives, such as the lab leak theory, in a shameful effort to coerce and control the American people's health decisions." 

TRUMP MADE ME DO IT: LIBERAL MEDIA BLAMES ITS DISMISSAL OF LAB LEAK THEORY ON EX-PRESIDENT'S ‘XENOPHOBIA’

Many media outlets dismissed Trump in 2020 when he said he had seen evidence that the virus originated in a Wuhan, China, lab, before U.S. intelligence officials such as Wray and the Department of Energy reported that the virus likely originated there. 

Many outlets have since published articles showing that the theory is credible, including the New York Times running a March column claiming the scientific community had "badly misled" the public in an effort to suppress the theory, even after the paper's own science writer called the theory "racist."