As New York’s "congestion pricing" inner-city tolling plan takes effect Sunday, one of its major proponents is questioning whether the timing is right for a policy meant to drive people to an increasingly dangerous mass transit system.

Through a spokesman, former Gov. Andrew Cuomo confirmed that he still backs the system that now tolls drivers $9 to cross below Central Park or enter Lower Manhattan from Brooklyn and New Jersey – but questioned whether now is best to implement it.

"Governor Cuomo believes congestion pricing is ultimately the right policy, which is why he fought and succeeded in passing it after more than a decade of failed attempts," longtime spokesman Rich Azzopardi told Fox News Digital on Friday.

Azzopardi said that Cuomo’s original plan, which found agreement from then-Mayor Bill de Blasio, was based on a "safe and reliable subway system" and a thriving city core. Prior Mayor Michael Bloomberg had proposed a similar plan in 2007, but it died in Albany.

HOCHUL SPARKS BIPARTISAN OUTRAGE OVER CONGESTION PRICING REBOOT AS DEMS WORRY TRUMP WILL BLOCK

"[G]iven the obvious lack of confidence the public currently has in the subway system – combined with the tenuous state of New York City post-COVID, [Cuomo] called for a data-driven study on the impact of congestion pricing to inform the timing of such a major policy change and to ensure New York was not creating additional obstacles to its comeback."

Cuomo previously wrote in a March op-ed that congestion pricing’s success hinges on confidence in the MTA and mass transit, which he noted has also statistically still not recovered from COVID levels.

He noted how congestion pricing is meant to "incentivize" subway use – but that that is hard to do when people are getting brutally attacked underground – and noted that it was his father, Gov. Mario Cuomo, who first beefed-up police presence after the "bad old days."

At the time of a prior column in the Post, Cuomo cited a conductor with 24 years of service to the MTA vowing never to go back underground after he was slashed in the neck and required 34 stitches while operating an A train in Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn.

NEW ‘DRACONIAN’ LAWS TAKING EFFECT IN 2025: FROM SHAMPOO TO IMMIGRANT CARE

More recently, an Ocean County, N.J., woman was burned alive in Coney Island, and there have been several near-fatal cases of people being randomly shoved in front of trains, occurring from Morningside Heights to TriBeCa, since Christmas.

"It is undeniable that New York is in a dramatically different place today than it was in 2019, and without a study forecasting its consequences based on facts, not politics, it could do more harm than good to New York City's recovery," Cuomo’s spokesman said Friday.

But Cuomo’s onetime deputy, Gov. Kathy Hochul, appeared full-steam-ahead in enacting the policy, which is intended to drive commuters and residents to consider mass transit to head to work or play in Midtown.

FEDERAL JUDGE RULES ON NYC CONGESTION PRICING

In a recent statement lauding her current plan, Hochul’s office said the reduction of the congestion toll from its original $15 will save drivers $1,500 per year, and that commuters will see "new and improved subway services."

"By getting congestion pricing underway and fully supporting the MTA capital plan, we’ll unclog our streets, reduce pollution and deliver better public transit for millions of New Yorkers," Hochul said.

MTA Chairman Janno Lieber, who oversees the state-run metro subway, bus and rail network, said that Hochul is "stepping up" for people who want cleaner air, safer streets and less gridlock.

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He also noted that upgrades have already taken place on the 7 subway from Times Square to Flushing, Queens, and the L train from Union Square to Canarsie.

However, Cuomo’s camp maintains that it was he who envisioned and oversaw the upgrades to New York’s transit network without the added tolls in effect – and ripped Hochul and Lieber for claiming that he had gotten cold feet. 

When the New York Post asked Hochul for comment on Cuomo suggesting she "hit the brakes" on congestion pricing, the governor directed comment to a Lieber spokesman, who blasted Cuomo for "flip-flopping."

"What would really harm New York’s continuing recovery is starving subways of a desperately needed source of funding after decades of underinvestment," the MTA’s Aaron Donovan said.

"The $15 fee was passed by the MTA under Hochul’s watch, but please gaslight away," Azzopardi told Fox News Digital. "New Yorkers aren’t stupid."

Cuomo previously told WNYW that people have the option to work from home, which they didn’t have when he first pushed the plan in 2019 – and that if he were a commuter, he would likely balk at the idea of added costs at a time of "high crime and homelessness."

Cuomo’s camp also said that Hochul likes to take credit for the achievements of his three-term administration that presaged the new tolls.

"The difference here is that Governor Cuomo built the [new Amtrak/MetroNorth] Moynihan Train Hall and the Second Avenue Subway [extension to East Harlem], as well as fixed the L train and did the hard work to get [Grand Central’s] East Side Access and the LIRR Third-Track done. All Hochul wanted to do was cut the ribbons," Azzopardi said.

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Cuomo’s calls for a pause were joined by several New York Republicans, yet the former governor and potential 2025 mayoral candidate remains supportive of congestion pricing, while the GOP wants it nixed entirely.

Commuters from New Jersey must still pay Port Authority tolls to cross the Hudson River, and outer-borough commuters the same via the East River – albeit with a slight credit toward their "congestion" fee.

Drivers who remain on the FDR Drive or Joe DiMaggio West Side Highway will not be charged unless they turn onto surface streets.

It is unclear what Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s day one priorities will be if he is confirmed to be the next Health and Human Services Secretary, but diet and nutrition experts suggest Kennedy could effectuate changes on a number of different fronts when it comes to healthy eating. These potential reforms might include overhauling school lunch programs, establishing new standards for seed oils and ultra-processed foods, setting limits on toxins, and more.  

Kennedy, who wants to "Make America Healthy Again," has been a staunch advocate for reforms to the food industry and President-elect Donald Trump has said he will have permission to "go wild on health" if he is confirmed.

One major opening for Kennedy would be overseeing a revision of the federal government's "Dietary Guidelines for Americans," one of the most powerful tools in terms of shaping public perception about what is healthy. The guidelines must be revised every five years and the deadline for the next update arrives in 2025. Kennedy, if confirmed, would ultimately be in charge of hiring the experts who draft the guidelines.

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"I know that they really want to focus on kids," Nina Teicholz, nutrition expert and founder of The Nutrition Coalition, told Fox News Digital. 

Teicholz, who has been in discussions with Kennedy's team about the new national dietary guidelines, suggested that he could potentially use them to implement changes to school lunches, such as adding a limit on sugar, for which Teicholz said there currently is none, and bringing back whole milk to school cafeterias, which was prohibited under the Obama administration. 

The addition of whole milk to school cafeterias could limit how frequently children consume high-sugar, flavored-milk beverages, Teicholz said. She also pointed out that current recommendations that are keeping whole milk out of schools "is based on the saturated fat content in milk, but there's really no good evidence to show that saturated fats have any negative effect on children."

"I think that Kennedy has aimed to stand for evidence-based changes to policy," Teicholz said. "So, that means not making policy based on weak science."

Teicholz added that in addition to school lunches, there is other "low-hanging fruit" associated with the guidelines that Kennedy could go after. 

Kennedy could use the guidelines to narrow the definition of ultra-processed foods, she pointed out, which is a sector of the food industry that Kennedy has previously been critical of. Teicholz also said that research on "ultra-processed foods" is scant, and, therefore, you could see Kennedy commissioning more studies on such foods as well.

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Dave Asprey, an author and nutrition advocate who has written several New York Times best-selling books about healthier eating, said he thinks it is likely Kennedy will also add toxin limits within the new dietary guidelines, aimed at pesticides and herbicides that have come under scrutiny. He also said he wouldn't be surprised if Kennedy and his team were to implement new standards around animal feed.

Asprey added that Kennedy's experience as a trial lawyer could aid him tremendously in initiating legal proceedings if he wanted to pursue companies that "are continuing to push outdated, unhealthy guidelines."

"Where can he actually impact real change? The dietary guidelines – because they control how we feed our kids, what we do in hospitals and a lot of our public policy," Asprey said.

Kennedy has recently been courting support for his nomination on Capitol Hill, and, according to GOP Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala., Kennedy told him that he would exercise restraint and use a light touch when seeking to regulate the food and agriculture industries.

But, according to Mara Fleishman, CEO of the Chef Ann Foundation, a healthy-eating nonprofit, the Trump administration's desire for a more limited-government approach to governing could clash with Kennedy's efforts to reform the food industry.

"I think time will tell what – if anything – RFK Jr. can, or will, do," Fleishman said.

Fox News Digital reached out to representatives for Kennedy but did not receive a response.

President Biden took a departing jab at Trump, saying that what the president-elect did was a "genuine threat to democracy." 

Ahead of the anniversary of the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol, Biden was asked if he still thought Trump was a threat to democracy.

"We've got to get back to establishing basic democratic norms," Biden told reporters in the White House East Room on Sunday. "I think what he did was a genuine threat to democracy. I'm hopeful that we are beyond that."

Biden made the comments to the press after signing the Social Security Fairness Act.

Biden also discussed his plans to visit New Orleans on Monday to grieve with family members of victims and meet with officials after the terrorist attack in the city on New Year's Day. 

BIDEN ADMIN RIPPED AFTER JUDGE UPHOLDS PLEA DEALS FOR ALLEGED 9/11 MASTERMINDS: ‘KICK IN THE GUT’

"I've been there. There's nothing you can really say to somebody who has had such a tragic loss. And my message is going to be personal to them," he said. "They just have to hang on to each other and there will come a day when they think of their loved one, and they'll smile before a tear comes to their eye."

DID BIDEN DO ENOUGH ON TERROR?

The visit comes after 14 people were killed and dozens injured after police said 42-year-old Shamsud-Din Jabbar rammed a rented pickup truck into pedestrians on bustling Bourbon Street early Wednesday morning. Police fatally shot Jabbar after he opened fire on officers.

"We established beyond any reasonable doubt that New Orleans was a single man who acted alone. All the talk about conspiracies with other people, no evidence of that, zero," Biden said.

"He had real problems in terms of his own, I think, mental health, going on. And he acted alone in the same way as what went on in Las Vegas," Biden said. "But there is no evidence, zero evidence of the idea that these are foreigners coming across the border, but they worked here, they remained here."

Tech billionaire and Trump ally Elon Musk renewed criticism of the more than 150 House Democrats who voted against deporting illegal immigrants convicted of sex offenses, demanding each of the lawmakers be voted out of office. 

"There is no excuse. Please post the list of people who opposed this law and want to keep illegals who are convicted sex offenders in America," Musk posted to his X account on Saturday referencing a September House vote. 

"They all need to be voted out of office. Every one of them."

The Violence Against Women by Illegal Aliens Act passed the House in September, after all 215 present Republicans voted in favor of the bill, and were joined by 51 Democratic colleagues. A total of 158 Democrats, however, voted against the bill. 

158 DEMS VOTE AGAINST BILL TO DEPORT ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS WHO COMMIT SEX CRIMES

The Democrats who voted against the bill came under scrutiny in September, and are facing renewed criticism on social media this month as commenters resurrect the vote ahead of President-elect Trump taking office this month. 

"The bill targeted rapists, pedophiles, domestic abusers, and stalkers, ensuring they couldn’t stay in the U.S. Opponents claimed it ‘demonized immigrants,’ but how does protecting convicted predators help anyone – especially their victims?" X show host Mario Nawfal posted to his account Saturday, sparking Musk to weigh in. 

"Deporting violent offenders isn’t ‘fearmongering’ – it’s basic public safety. Why would anyone vote to keep criminals who prey on women and children?" Nawfal added.

EX-BORDER CHIEF WARNS OF 'SIGNIFICANT THREAT' AS MIGRANT NUMBERS SKYROCKET: 'ENTIRE SECTORS' MISSING AGENTS

The legislation would deport illegal immigrants convicted of sex crimes, and would ​​also deem illegal immigrants who admit to domestic violence or sex-related charges – or are convicted of them – to be inadmissible in the U.S., Fox Digital previously reported. The legislation is currently with the Senate, and was referred to the Judiciary Committee. 

Notable Democrats who voted against the legislation included Rep. Jerry Nadler, D-N.Y., former California Rep. Adam Schiff, who now serves in the Senate, and former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif.

Musk’s call for the Democrats to be voted out of Congress over the vote comes after he vowed in December to fund moderate Democratic politicians in deep blue districts, "so that the country can get rid of those who don’t represent them."

CLYBURN BRUSHES OFF MUSK'S PLAN TO FUND MODERATES IN DEMOCRATIC DISTRICTS

Musk is also slated to serve alongside Vivek Ramaswamy to lead an upcoming presidential advisory committee, the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which will work to cut excessive government spending and slash the size of the government under Trump’s second administration.

According to the office of the House clerk, the 158 Democrats who voted against the legislation are:

The Democrats who voted against the legislation came under fierce scrutiny in September from conservatives. 

"If you vote against it, you're sexist against women," South Carolina Republican Nancy Mace, who introduced the legislation, said in September to Fox Digital. 

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"I mean, truly, because we're talking about illegals who are here who are committing domestic violence, rape and murder on women and children – they’ve gotta go. They shouldn't be allowed into our country."

"158 Democrats just voted AGAINST deporting migrants for s*x offenses. This is a slap in the face to every victim and their family members. Democrats hate you and your children," popular conservative X account Libs of TikTok posted at the time. 

Democrats who voted against the bill characterized it as xenophobic and an example of "fearmongering" against immigrants. 

"Here we are again, debating another partisan bill that fear mongers about immigrants, instead of working together to fix the immigration system," Congressional Progressive Caucus Chair Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., said during debate on the bill.

"I probably shouldn't be too surprised. Scapegoating immigrants and attempting to weaponize the crime of domestic violence is appearing to be a time-honored tradition for Republicans."

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

Top GOP senators criticized recent law enforcement failures by the FBI and other groups Sunday, calling on President-elect Trump's administration to enact reforms.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune told NBC's "Meet the Press" that Americans have lost trust in the FBI. Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., also told "Fox News Sunday" that there need to be "consequences" for law enforcement failures that allowed incidents like last week's terrorist attack in New Orleans.

"The FBI is an agency that I think is in need of reform, and it needs a good makeover, so to speak, and probably a good amount of housecleaning when it comes to the perception the American people have of it and these institutions that the American people need to have confidence and trust in," Thune said Sunday.

He added that Trump's nominee to lead the FBI, Kash Patel, "understands the mission."

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Meanwhile, Cassidy reacted to news that New Orleans police had access to 48 barriers that could have prevented last week's deadly truck attack. The permanent barriers blocking vehicle access to Bourbon Street were being replaced at the time of the attack, but authorities in the city could have deployed archer barriers that are rated to stop a 5,500-pound vehicle going 60 miles-per-hour.

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"There has to be leadership at the top. And if the leadership failed, as you describe it, then absolutely there has to be consequences. Period. End of story," Cassidy said.

"Now, I think we're going to have a kind of complete review of everything from top to bottom. And if that's the way it ends up shaking out completely, she should be replaced," he added, referencing New Orleans Police Superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick.

Thune and Cassidy's statements come days after Trump's allies excoriated the FBI for its initial characterization of the truck attack as not terror-related, before the nation’s top federal law enforcement agency backtracked and launched a terrorism investigation allegedly connected to ISIS.

OFFICIALS POSTPONE SUGAR BOWL IN  THE WAKE OF TERROR ATTACK ON BOURBON STREET

"The FBI has a no-fail mission. There is no room for error. When they fail, Americans die. It's a necessity that Kash Patel gets confirmed ASAP," a source close to Trump told Fox News Digital on Thursday morning. 

Patel is one of many incoming Cabinet nominees who will need to go through Senate confirmation after Trump is inaugurated later this month.

Fox News' Emma Colton contributed to this report.

Former Speaker Newt Gingrich, who led Republicans to their first House majority in four decades in 1994, said Saturday the House Freedom Caucus should recall how his own caucus led conservatives to power within the party.

Gingrich tweeted that he and other conservatives had developed "positive action principles" in 1983 as part of what they called the Conservative Opportunity Society.

"[Those] led 11 years later to the Contract with America and the first GOP House Majority in 40 years."

"If the Freedom Caucus would study them, they could be dramatically more effective," Gingrich said, going on to cite and agree with a sentiment from political reporter Mark Halperin’s "Wide World of News" newsletter.

"[T]he Freedom Caucus is a bunch of rebels with a series of causes but no coherent path to achieving said causes," Halperin wrote.

In the 1980s, although Ronald Reagan was in the White House, Boston Democratic Speaker Tip O’Neill wielded strong control of the House. O’Neill and Reagan had a notably friendly but ideologically disparate relationship.

Coinciding with the early days of C-SPAN televising live floor proceedings, Gingrich would often take to the well of the House in the late-night hours and address conservatives’ issues to a mostly empty chamber but with a captive audience on the new TV format.

GINGRICH BLASTS HARRIS' ‘RAMBLING’ SPEECHES

Gingrich biographer Craig Shirley told Fox News Digital on Saturday that the Freedom Caucus should study the work of their comparative predecessor, the Conservative Opportunity Society, as well as the path Gingrich led from a low-profile congressman to speaker.

"I guess the word brilliant is thrown around so, so cavalierly. So let me just say, it was extremely smart politics to make the case for conservative governance," Shirley said of Gingrich’s work in the 1980s and 1990s.

"Reagan had already blazed that path eight years before Gingrich did."

While critics say the GOP has shifted hard to the right on some issues and softened on others, Shirley said it’s essentially the same as it was during Gingrich’s rise.

"Less government, more freedom, less taxes, strong national defense, pro-life."

Former Rep. Vin Weber, R-Minn., another top member of Gingrich’s conservative group, said in a PBS interview that there have not been too many groups like the Conservative Opportunity Society (or the Freedom Caucus, which hadn’t been formed at the time of the interview) and that there was the same issue with apprehension over angering their party leaders.

Weber said there had been a few small intra-caucus conservative groups prior to the Reagan era, including one in the 1960s led by then-Rep. Donald Rumsfeld, R-Ill. – who would go on to serve as Pentagon chief two times.

On the last day of the 1982 session, Gingrich approached Weber and asked, "What are you doing next year and for the next 10 years after that?." 

"I thought that was interesting and I said, ‘I expect to be back here, but nothing special other than that,’" Weber recalled. 

"What he was saying was that he, as one person, was not being effective…. He identified me in the [GOP] conference as somebody [who] had been supportive of his point of view and maybe had some ability to organize things," Weber said.

MIKE JOHNSON RE-ELECTED HOUSE SPEAKER

Shirley said the current Freedom Caucus has the rare opportunity to achieve their goals if they play their cards right, with full Republican control of Washington.

"They don't have a ‘contract,’ but they have the next best thing there. They have a core set of issues and an ideology that they can easily follow," he said, adding that "no one should ever doubt" Speaker Mike Johnson’s commitment to "Reaganite" principles.

In additional comments to Fox News’ "Hannity," Gingrich said the one-round vote Friday was a "great victory" for Johnson, R-La.

"[He’s] just a decent, hardworking, intelligent human being.… I could not have been the kind of speaker he is. I don't have the patience. I don't have that ability to just keep moving forward. It's really very extraordinary."

Meanwhile, Freedom Caucus member Ralph Norman, R-S.C., told Fox News the group met with Johnson earlier and that he "just didn't come away with the feeling that the ‘umph’ or the willingness to fight for Trump's agenda was there."

"And I use as a backdrop what’s happened the last 14 months, we had 1500-page omni-bills that you couldn’t read – where you had no spending cuts to offset $100 billion in new spending."

"And I know we had a slim majority, but that's over with now. What we wanted to impress with [Johnson] yesterday was, are you going to fight for these things that we've been asking for, like a balanced budget? Like offsets? Like getting behind all of the Trump agenda?"

Norman, along with Rep. Keith Self, R-Texas, initially did not vote for Johnson, which would have set up a second round of speaker votes.

But, Norman told "The Story" that that action was the "only way to let my voice be heard."

He said Johnson "gave his word" to fight for the things he mentioned to Fox News, and that agreement, plus a message from Trump that Johnson was the only speaker candidate with support in the caucus, guided his decision to ultimately support the Louisianan.

In a "Dear Colleague" letter released Friday, House Freedom Caucus Chairman Andy Harris, R-Md., and his members expressed several policy points that Johnson should commit to in order to "reverse the damage of the Biden-Harris administration," as well as achieve long-standing conservative goals.

The letter indicated they had voted for Johnson because of their "steadfast support" of Trump and ensuring the Jan. 6 elector certification can run smoothly.

"We did this despite our sincere reservations regarding the Speaker’s track record over the past 15 months."

The caucus called for Johnson to modify the House calendar so its schedule is as busy as the Senate’s, ensure reconciliation legislation reduces spending and deficits in "real terms," and halt violations of the "72-hour-rule" for debate on amendments to bills.

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They also demanded Johnson not rely on Democrats to pass legislation that a majority of his own caucus won’t support.

In comments on "The Story," Norman said he believes Johnson now understands – through the initial silence of several Republicans during the first roll call and his and Self’s initial non-Johnson-vote – that he will have to work to consider the conservative bloc’s demands.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., on Sunday conceded that Democrats should regard the 2024 election as a loss and reflect on what went wrong for the party after losing both the White House and Senate and failing to flip the House of Representatives.

Schumer appeared on NBC’s "Meet the Press," where he was asked about Democratic strategist James Carville’s assertion that the reason Democrats lost was because of "the economy, stupid."

"I told my caucus, and I’ll say it here, too… certainly it was a loss, but it’s also a challenge," Schumer said of the election.

Schumer said Democrats faced "severe headwinds" to win four of seven contested Democratic Senate seats, though conceded that "we did some things wrong and we have to look in the mirror and see what we did wrong."

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President-elect Trump defeated Vice President Harris to win the White House, while Republicans flipped the Senate and retained a razor-thin majority in the House.

Shumer said "there are some things we didn’t do that we should have done," such as focusing on working families in America.

KAMALA HARRIS' BUNGLED ANSWER ON ‘THE VIEW’ ABOUT BIDEN SEEN AS TURNING POINT FOR CAMPAIGN

Schumer said Democrats talked about the mechanics and details of the legislation, though "didn’t show the kind of empathy or concern, or enough of it, to average working families."

This failing made working families not "realize how much we have done and how much we care for them," the minority leader said.

"What we’re going to do is spend time talking to working families, showing them how much we care for them," Schumer said. "And not just talk about legislation, but talk about the conditions that have made so many working families worried about their futures."

President-elect Trump is playing host to Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni at Mar-a-Lago this weekend, suggesting he plans to develop a warmer relationship with one of his closest ideological allies in Europe.

Trump praised Meloni, 47, for having "taken Europe by storm" during a dinner Saturday night. Meloni was elected in 2022 after running on a conservative pro-family and anti-immigration agenda, panned as "far-right" by many in the media.

Meloni is the first female Italian prime minister, and she has served as leader of the Brothers of Italy party since 2014. Both she and her party surged in popularity thanks to backlash against how the Italian government handled the COVID-19 pandemic.

Meloni's coalition government is likely the closest ideological ally Trump has within the European Union. Meloni has also developed a close relationship with top Trump ally Elon Musk, who has frequented Mar-a-Lago since Election Day.

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Similar to the U.S., Italy faces a major illegal immigration problem with migrants crossing the Mediterranean Sea to their shores. Meloni's "return hubs" policy ensures that migrants are not released into Italy during their asylum process, a program she says has become a "model" for Europe.

"It is a new, courageous, unprecedented path, but one that perfectly reflects the European spirit," she said of the program in October.

Meloni has also proven to go against the grain on social issues, moving last year to limit parental rights for same-sex couples. The policy ensures that only the biological parent of a child within a same-sex marriage enjoys full parental rights.

FRENCH FAR RIGHT SEEKS ALLIANCE WITH CONSERVATIVES AFTER STUNNING EU PARLIAMENT WINS

Meloni's coalition government has also proven uncommonly stable compared to Italy's recent history. She has avoided in-fighting within her party and opposition leaders have failed to coalesce around any candidate to effectively challenge her.

ITALIAN PM MELONI ALLY FIRES BACK AGAINST CRITICISM SAYS POLICIES THE SAME BUT 'EUROPE HAS CHANGED'

All this places Meloni in a natural position to serve as a go-between for the Trump administration and the European Union over the next four years.

Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., Trump's nominee for secretary of state, was also in attendance when Meloni visited Trump's Florida residence this weekend.

President Biden is set to travel later this week to Rome to meet with Meloni and then Pope Francis. The White House said Biden's meeting with Meloni will "highlight the strength of the U.S.-Italy relationship" and will include the president thanking the prime minister "for her strong leadership of the G7 over the past year."

Rep. Mikie Sherrill, D-N.J., called out New York as it prepares to implement a controversial new congestion pricing tax for commuters on Saturday.

The congestion pricing program takes effect on Sunday, but Sherrill argues the tax is little more than an attempt to "fund the [Metro Transportation Authority] on the backs of New Jersey commuters."

"This new tax will raise costs for New Jerseyans, while also worsening traffic and increasing pollution in New Jersey as commuters go out of their way to seek more affordable routes into New York," Sherrill wrote.

"I refuse to sit back as New York uses New Jersey's workforce as a meal ticket for the MTA," she added. "And I will continue to fight to move businesses to the Garden State, to expand office sharing sites, and to make it easier for New Jerseyans to work remotely."

FEDERAL JUDGE RULES ON NYC CONGESTION PRICING; INTERPRETATION DIFFERS BETWEEN PARTIES

Sherrill is among a long list of Democratic candidates vying in the New Jersey gubernatorial race this year.

The congestion tax took effect Sunday despite efforts by New Jersey officials, who filed a lawsuit seeking to block the implementation on the grounds that New York had not sufficiently investigated environmental impacts.

NYPD MAKES ARREST IN FATAL STABBING OF ON-DUTY POSTAL WORKER

Gordon ruled on Friday that there was no basis to delay the toll.

MTA Chair Janno Lieber praised the ruling, noting the potential benefits of congestion pricing.

"We've been studying this issue for five years, but it only takes about five minutes if you're in midtown Manhattan to see that New York has a real traffic problem," Lieber said at a news conference. "I recognize there's been a lot of controversy about this program and there are a lot of people who are concerned about the impact of congestion pricing. To them, I want to say the point is to make the city better for everybody."

Congestion pricing is expected to generate billions in revenue to modernize New York’s transit infrastructure, but it has faced criticism from New Jersey officials and commuters who say it places an unfair burden on people driving in from outside of New York.

Some commuters could face daily charges of up to $22, which would include existing tolls for Port Authority crossings.

President-elect Trump has repeatedly said he plans to block the plan after he takes office later this month.

Fox News' Landon Mion contributed to this report.

Amazon Prime has exclusively licensed a documentary film for global theatrical and streaming release that will give viewers an "unprecedented behind-the-scenes look" at First Lady Melania Trump's life, Fox News Digital has learned. 

Fox News Digital has learned that the project is expected to be released globally in theaters and for streaming use in the second half of 2025. 

Filming for the upcoming documentary began in December 2024. The documentary will be executive produced by First Lady Melania Trump and Fernando Sulichin of New Element Media, with Brett Ratner of RatPac Entertainment serving as director. 

Prime Video is expected to share more details on the project as filming progresses, and will release plans when finalized, Fox News Digital has learned. 

MELANIA TRUMP TO RELEASE 'COLLECTOR'S EDITION' OF MEMOIR FEATURING IMAGES PHOTOGRAPHED BY FORMER FIRST LADY

"We are excited to share this truly unique story with our millions of customers around the world," an Amazon spokesperson said in a statement. 

The announcement comes just weeks before Mrs. Trump will return to the White House as first lady of the United States of America. 

It also comes months after the release of her first-ever book, "Melania." The memoir presents an intimate portrait of Melania Trump and includes personal stories and family photos she had not previously shared with the public. 

"Melania" has been at the top of the New York Times’ best-selling list since its release to the public. 

MELANIA TRUMP LAUNCHES 'ON THE MOVE' DIGITAL PHOTO SERIES HIGHLIGHTING HER 'FAST-MOVING LIFE'

In November, just days after President-elect Trump was elected the 47th President of the United States, Mrs. Trump also rolled out a digital photography series to highlight her life on the 2024 campaign trail and at home. 

Trump told Fox News Digital in an interview last year that if she had the privilege to serve as first lady again — which she will, beginning on Jan. 20, 2025 — she would continue to prioritize initiatives focused on the well-being and development of children to ensure they have the "support and resources they need to reach their full potential." 

"My focus would continue to be creating a safe and nurturing space for children to learn, grow and thrive," she said.  

During the first Trump administration, Mrs. Trump hosted virtual roundtables on foster care as part of her "Be Best" initiative and focused on strengthening the child welfare system. She worked with members of Congress on legislation that secured funding for grants awarded to youth and young adults currently or formerly in foster care to help pay for college, career school or training. The bill ultimately was signed by then-President Donald Trump in December 2020.

GET TO KNOW DONALD TRUMP'S CABINET: WHO HAS THE PRESIDENT-ELECT PICKED SO FAR?

Since leaving the White House, the former first lady has also created special edition Non-Fungible Tokens. A portion of those proceeds also went toward her initiative "Fostering the Future" to secure educational opportunities and scholarships for children in the foster care community.

"Fostering the Future" students are currently enrolled in multiple colleges and universities across the country, with areas of focus primarily on technology and computer sciences. 

"Writing my memoir has been an amazing journey filled with emotional highs and lows," Mrs. Trump told Fox News Digital last year. "Each story shaped me into who I am today." 

She said that "although daunting at times, the process has been incredibly rewarding, reminding me of my strength, and the beauty of sharing my truth." 

President-elect Trump appeared Saturday with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni at his Mar-a-Lago club in Florida.

Trump appeared at a screening of a documentary detailing challenges some conservative lawyers say they face in the legal system.

He entered the grand ballroom around 7 p.m. and returned about two hours later after eating dinner.

JAVIER MILEI FIRST WORLD LEADER TO MEET WITH PRESIDENT-ELECT TRUMP: 'GREATEST POLITICAL COMEBACK IN HISTORY'

"This is very exciting," Trump told the crowd of Meloni.

"I'm here with a fantastic woman, the prime minister of Italy," he continued. "She's really taken Europe by storm, and everyone else, and we’re just having dinner tonight."

Other notable people in attendance for the screening of the documentary include his pick for his incoming administration's Secretary of State, Florida Republican Sen. Marco Rubio, and his selection for national security adviser, Florida Republican Rep. Mike Waltz, as well as his choice for Treasury Secretary, Scott Bessent.

Meloni's visit to Trump's resort comes after other world leaders met with the president-elect in Florida. 

Argentina's President Javier Milei was the first world leader to meet with Trump at Mar-a-Lago after his Election Day victory in November, followed by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán who each traveled to the Sunshine State to meet with Trump.

CANADIAN MINISTERS HEAD TO FLORIDA FOR TALKS WITH INCOMING TRUMP ADMINISTRATION: REPORT

President Biden is set to travel later this week to Rome to meet with Meloni and then Pope Francis. The White House said Biden's meeting with Meloni will "highlight the strength of the U.S.-Italy relationship" and will include the president thanking the prime minister "for her strong leadership of the G7 over the past year."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

After a surge in violence on the New York City subway in the last few weeks, New York Governor Kathy Hochul said that security cameras have been installed in "every single subway car" in the city, which she said will help police fight and "solve crimes even faster."

This comes amid a wave of violent crime incidents in the New York City subway system, including a homeless woman being burned alive by an illegal immigrant and a man being pushed in front of an approaching subway. 

It also follows the high-profile trial of former Marine Daniel Penny, who was charged but later cleared of homicide for his actions defending subway passengers from a mentally unstable homeless man named Jordan Neely.

Hochul, a Democrat, touted her deployment of 1,000 National Guard members to patrol the New York City subway, saying: "Public safety is my top priority." She also claimed credit for directing the state-run Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) to install cameras in subway cars, which she said has now been completed.

HOCHUL SLAMMED FOR SAYING SHE'S MADE SUBWAYS SAFER ON SAME DAY WOMAN BURNED ALIVE ON TRAIN

"The recent surge in violent crimes in our public transit system cannot continue — and we need to tackle this crisis head-on," she said. "I directed the MTA to install security cameras in every single subway car, and now that the project is complete, these cameras are helping police solve crimes even faster."

Hochul went on to emphasize that "many of these horrific incidents have involved people with serious untreated mental illness," which she said is "the result of a failure to get treatment to people who are living on the streets and are disconnected from our mental health care system."

She blamed weak state laws and "nearly half a century of disinvestment in mental health care and supportive housing," which she said "directly contributed to the crisis we see on our streets and subways."

HOCHUL DEPLOYS HUNDREDS OF NATIONAL GUARD MEMBERS TO NYC SUBWAY SYSTEM

Hochul said she would introduce legislation to change New York’s laws governing the involuntary commitment of dangerous mentally unstable individuals to improve the process through which a court can order certain individuals to participate in assisted outpatient treatment.

"We can’t fully address this problem without changes to state law," she said. "Currently, hospitals are able to commit individuals whose mental illness puts themselves or others at risk of serious harm, and this legislation will expand that definition to ensure more people receive the care they need."

Despite these commitments, Hochul is being criticized for not being stronger on protecting New Yorkers traveling on the subway.

"The Governor is all talk and no action," said Curtis Sliwa, an activist and founder of the "Guardian Angels," a citizen law enforcement group known for patrolling and offering assistance to subway passengers.

‘GUARDIAN ANGELS’ FOUNDER SLAMS NEW YORK SANCTUARY CITY POLICIES AFTER WOMAN SET ON FIRE

Sliwa told Fox News Digital that Hochul should "lever her power" and call out individual members of the state legislature who refuse to support legislation to commit the emotionally disturbed to state psychiatric hospitals.

"She has to tell them she will not sign any of their initiatives into law until they support her signature subway initiative," said Sliwa.

He also claimed that the MTA further spurred on violent crime by allowing fare evasion to "explode to the point where 30% of subway riders don't pay their fare."

"The governor must get control back of who comes in and out of the system," he said. "Without control of who comes in then all of the other gubernatorial initiatives will result in more tax money spent with little if any results. Everything will change when you restrict who comes into the subway."

CRITICS WARN OF 'DANIEL PENNY EFFECT’ AFTER WOMAN BURNED ALIVE ON NYC SUBWAY CAR AS BYSTANDERS WATCHED

New York Council member Joe Borelli, a Republican, meanwhile, blamed Democrats for instituting soft-on-crime policies that have resulted in more violence in New York.

"Successive Democratic governors have closed mental health facilities and eroded the very same system she is now saying we need," Borelli told Fox News Digital. "What we really need to do is look at the bail reform and ‘raise the age’ laws her party put into effect in 2019 and see how the trajectory of criminal behavior increased thereafter."

A new addition to the Democrat side on a key Senate committee could bolster U.S. support for Israel as the country's war against terror group Hamas continues in Gaza. 

Sen. Jacky Rosen, D-Nev., is assigned to the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations (SFRC) in the new Congress, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., announced Thursday. 

The Nevada Democrat, who was re-elected in November by a narrow margin in the state that President-elect Donald Trump flipped, is notably the third Jewish woman to ever serve in the U.S. Senate. Rosen is also the co-chair and co-founder of the Senate Bipartisan Task Force for Combating Anti-Semitism alongside Sen. James Lankford, R-Okla.

'LIVES DEPEND ON IT': REPUBLICANS PUSH FOR PROMPT TRUMP CONFIRMATIONS IN WAKE OF NEW ORLEANS ATTACK

During her time in federal office, Rosen has supported Israel's right to self-defense, especially amid the ongoing war against Hamas.

"At a time when America’s adversaries are looking to upend our global leadership and destabilize our alliances, I’m joining the Senate Foreign Relations Committee to be a strong voice supporting our allies and fighting for freedom, democracy, and justice around the globe," Rosen said in a statement. 

"I’ll continue working with colleagues on both sides of the aisle to strengthen U.S. global partnerships and counter threats from Iran, Russia, and China. As a member of the committee, I’ll also make sure the United States’ commitment to supporting our democratic ally Israel remains unwavering and unconditional."

MIKE JOHNSON GETS PUBLIC GOP SENATE SUPPORT AHEAD OF TIGHT HOUSE SPEAKER VOTE

Outgoing SFRC Chair Sen. Ben Cardin, D-Md., has long supported Israel, and his departure from the committee would normally leave the Democrat side somewhat unbalanced as several other members have been more critical of the U.S. ally. 

Current Democrat committee members include Sens. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., Chris Coons, D-Del., Chris Murphy, D-Conn., Tim Kaine, D-Va., Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., Cory Booker, D-N.J., Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii, Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., and Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill.

HEALTHY LIVING, PARTY UNITY, AND 'TIME TO SMELL THE ROSES': CONGRESSIONAL REPUBLICANS' NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTIONS

Six of the nine current Democrat members recently voted in favor of resolutions aimed at blocking weapon transfers to Israel. Incoming SFRC ranking member Shaheen, Merkley, Schatz, Van Hollen, Kaine and Murphy were among 19 Democrats who favored some or all of the three measures to do this on the Senate floor in November. 

BERNIE SANDERS PLANS TO SPEARHEAD LEGISLATION ON KEY TRUMP PROPOSAL

With Rosen's addition, there could be a greater potential for bipartisan action from the committee, particularly as it relates to Israel.

The committee will be chaired by Sen. James Risch, R-Idaho, in the new Congress.

President-elect Trump announced his latest staff picks on Saturday night, naming four additional people to serve in the White House in administrative and advisory capacities.

Trump, who takes office in less than three weeks, began by naming Stanley E. Woodward, Jr., to serve as an assistant to the president and a senior counselor.

Woodward co-founded a law firm called Brand Woodward Law, LP, where he "represented numerous high-profile clients in complex, high-stakes litigation, including multiple federal jury trials," according to Trump. 

"Previously, he worked at a multinational law firm where his experience included the representation of multiple international corporations in defense of alleged violations of the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act as well as serving as coordinating counsel to companies involved in nationwide federal litigation," the statement read.

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Next, Trump said that Robert Gabriel, Jr., will work as an assistant to the president for policy.

"Mr. Gabriel has served President Donald J. Trump in various roles since his 2015 campaign for the world's most powerful office," the statement read. He started in Trump Tower as a Policy Advisor on Mr. Trump’s historic campaign."

"Mr. Gabriel served in the West Wing, for the entirety of the first Trump Administration, as Special Assistant to the President."

Nicholas F. Luna is slated to serve as assistant to the president and deputy chief of staff for strategic implementation, the president-elect said. His role will involve scheduling and managing external White House communications.

JEAN-PIERRE BRISTLES WHEN PRESSED ON PAST 'DEMOCRACY' WARNINGS: 'DO NOT APPRECIATE HAVING MY WORDS TWISTED'

Trump called Luna a "highly respected White House veteran and a Trump-Vance campaign warrior."

"He previously served in the White House as Presidential Trip Director, Personal Aide to the President, Assistant to the President, and Director of Oval Office Operations," Trump said. "Most recently, he served with great distinction as Director of Operations for Vice President-elect JD Vance."

Finally, Trump said that William "Beau" Harrison will serve as an assistant to the president and deputy chief of staff for operations. The statement called him a "trusted aide to the President and First Family."

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"During President Trump’s first term, Mr. Harrison served as the liaison between the operational elements of the Executive Office of the President and was charged with the coordination and execution of all presidential travel, including dozens of complex international visits," Trump's statement added. "He has participated in and led multiple U.S. delegations across the globe in countries, such as North Korea, Iraq, and Afghanistan, and played a critical role in planning each of the historic summits with DPRK Leader Kim Jong-Un."

Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., told Republican lawmakers on Saturday that President-elect Trump supports a conservative policy overhaul via a single large bill, three sources told Fox News Digital.

Trump wants both the House and Senate to have such a bill on his desk by May, the sources said. The president-elect's buy-in will likely end the growing intraparty friction on how to pass Republican goals next year via a process known as "reconciliation," which lawmakers plan to use to pass conservative policy and budget changes.

House Republicans met behind closed doors in Washington's Fort McNair on Saturday to discuss the plan.

JOHNSON BLASTS DEM ACCUSATIONS HE VOWED TO END OBAMACARE AS 'DISHONEST'

Reconciliation allows the Senate to bypass its traditional 60-vote threshold in favor of a simple majority, provided the legislation is focused on budgetary and other fiscal matters.

Both parties have traditionally used reconciliation to pass broad policy changes in a single bill. But the legislation also goes through a strict assessment where the Senate parliamentarian is tasked with deciding what is and is not relevant to U.S. fiscal matters. 

Notably, Democrats previously tried to use reconciliation to pass mass amnesty measures, but they were blocked.

Republicans might face similar issues with their push to add border security provisions to the bill. They're also aiming to use it to extend Trump's Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) of 2017, as well as to pass measures on energy and defense.

The apparent decision by Johnson on Saturday comes after Congressional Republicans were at odds over whether to pass one or two reconciliation bills.

It is a process normally used once per year, but Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., floated a plan last month to split Republicans' priorities into two bills – one dealing with the border and defense and a second aimed at preserving Trump's tax policy. 

REPUBLICANS GIVE DETAILS FROM CLOSED-DOOR MEETINGS WITH DOGE'S MUSK, RAMASWAMY

The plan was also backed by top Trump adviser Stephen Miller.

But that push angered Republicans on the House Ways and Means Committee, who warned that two reconciliation bills could be too big a lift, and putting taxes second could imperil remaining GOP tax provisions that are set to expire at the end of this year.

House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Jason Smith, R-Mo., pointed out on Fox Business Network's' "Mornings With Maria" that Congress has not passed two reconciliation bills into law in one year since 1997.

"I am saying we need a reconciliation bill that has border, energy, permitting and tax. You put all four of those things together, we can deliver on that," Smith said.

Ways and Means Committee member Rep. Nicole Malliotakis, R-N.Y., did not go into specifics about what was said at the meeting but called it "an informative and productive day where we exchanged ideas, priorities and procedure to accomplish our legislative goals of securing our borders, deporting cartels and criminals, saving trafficked children, restoring energy dominance, reducing bureaucracy and wasteful spending and building upon President Trump’s historic tax cuts."

"We are united and ready to deliver for Americans in what will be a momentous year for Congress and the country," Malliotakis told Fox News Digital.

The panel put out a memo last month warning that everyday Americans could see their taxes rise by 22% if Trump's tax policies expire.

But other lawmakers bristled at the idea that two bills were impossible.

House Freedom Caucus Chairman Andy Harris, R-Md., told Fox News Digital last month, "I think we need to prove to the American people that we can actually defend our borders. The bottom line is, I think they need to be on almost parallel tracks. But I do believe that taxes are much more complicated."

Fox News Digital reached out to Thune and Smith's offices for comment. Thune's office responded and declined to comment, and Smith's office did not immediately respond.

The week-long state funeral services honoring former President Jimmy Carter, who died at 100 last week, began Saturday morning. The ceremonies will honor Carter’s journey from his hometown of Plains, Georgia, to his esteemed role on the global humanitarian stage and as the 39th American president.

On Saturday morning, individuals gathered in downtown Plains to place flowers at the base of Carter's monument. The tribute also featured Habitat for Humanity hardhats adorned with handwritten messages, including one that read, "God bless you, Mr. President," USA Today first reported. 

Carter was the oldest living president, and President Biden has now taken that mantle at the age of 82 years, 2 months.

Carter's specific cause of death on Dec. 29 was unclear. Carter's death followed the passing of his wife Rosalynn on Nov. 19, 2023. She died at the age of 96 with her family by her side at the Carter home in Plains, just days after she had been admitted to hospice care. 

Carter's motorcade arrived at the Carter Presidential Center in Atlanta just before 4 p.m. ET. As his casket was unloaded, a military band played "Hail to the Chief."

During the private memorial service, Carter was eulogized and stories from his life were shared.

His son, James Earl Carter III, spoke of a kind but firm parent who spent time with his Boy Scouts of America troop and took the family on vacations.

"Chip" Carter said that once, while working on the hiking merit badge, their troop hiked six miles to the family farm.

While roasting marshmallows and hot dogs on the fire, President Carter told ghost stories. Some of the tales appeared to spook the scouts to the point that they began employing the "buddy system" when they left the relative security of the fire to use the latrine and so on.

When Chip was in eighth grade, he recalled, he brought home an "F" on a Latin exam just before Christmas break.

"I didn't see any reason to learn Latin, no one spoke it very much," he quipped. "But my father was not pleased."

During their vacation, President Carter would take Chip's Latin textbook, study it, and return to teach Chip what he had learned himself each day.

When Chip returned to school in January, he asked his teacher to retake the exam. When she assented, he returned home with a 100% score.

The Morehouse College Glee Club provided musical accompaniment during the service, including the Battle Hymn of the Republic.

Carter's body will lie in repose at his presidential center overnight, and the public can pay its respects during that time.

Next, Carter's casket will be on its way to the District of Columbia, where the 39th president will lie in state at the U.S. Capitol until his Thursday morning funeral in Northwest D.C. President Biden is expected to eulogize his fellow Democrat, and all other living presidents – Clinton, G.W. Bush, Obama and Trump – have received invitations.

Late Saturday morning, Carter's motorcade departed his hometown of Plains, a small farming community just below Fort Benning (now Fort Moore) and two hours above Tallahassee, Florida.

Carter's funeral detail arrived in Atlanta on Saturday afternoon. He will lie in repose at the Carter Center. On its way there, the motorcade passed by the girlhood home of Rosalynn Carter. The couple had been married for 77 years when Mrs. Carter died.

JIMMY CARTER, 39TH PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, DEAD AT 100

The convoy also rolled by Carter’s 1976 presidential campaign headquarters and a gas station that had been owned by his brother, Billy Carter, according to the AP.

The motorcade also passed through the small community of Archery, Georgia – just outside Plains.

It was in Archery where Carter grew up on the family’s peanut farm owned by James Earl Carter Sr. The farm’s bell was rung 39 times on Saturday to honor the 39th president.

Carter’s mother, Lillian, was a nurse, who ironically delivered the then-Rosalynn Smith, who would go on to marry her son.

Carter’s body arrived in Atlanta around 3 p.m. ET, and stopped outside the Georgia State Capitol from where he once governed.

A moment of silence was led by Georgia Republican Gov. Brian Kemp and Atlanta Democratic Mayor Andre Dickens.

Here is the order of funeral events:

•10:15 a.m.: The Carter family will arrive at Phoebe Sumter Medical Center in Americus, Georgia. Nine current and former Secret Service agents of Carter's administration will serve as pallbearers, escorting his remains to the hearse.

•10:50 a.m.: The motorcade will travel through Plains, pausing briefly at Carter’s boyhood home in Archery. During this pause, the National Park Service will ring the historic farm bell 39 times, symbolizing Carter’s tenure as the 39th President.

•10:55 a.m.: The journey to Atlanta begins.

FORMER PRESIDENT JIMMY CARTER TO SPEND 'REMAINING TIME' AT HOME RECEIVING HOSPICE CARE

•3 p.m.: Upon arrival in Atlanta, the motorcade will stop at the Georgia State Capitol for a moment of silence led by Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp, Lt. Gov. Burt Jones, Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens, and members of the Georgia General Assembly.

Georgia State Patrol troopers, both current and retired, will assemble on the Capitol steps, with those who served on Carter’s security detail during his governorship taking a place of distinction.

•3:45 p.m.: An arrival ceremony will take place at the Carter Presidential Center.

•4 p.m.: A private service will be conducted in the lobby of the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library and Museum.

•7 p.m.: President Carter will lie in repose at the Carter Presidential Center, allowing the public to pay their respects until 6 a.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 7.

•Jan. 7: Carter’s remains will be transported to Washington, D.C., where he will lie in state at the U.S. Capitol for national homage.

•Jan. 9: A national funeral service will be held at the Washington National Cathedral, with President Biden expected to deliver the eulogy. Biden has declared Thursday as a National Day of Mourning. 

JIMMY CARTER EXPECTED TO LIE IN ROTUNDA AHEAD OF STATE FUNERAL SCHEDULED BY BIDEN

Following the Washington service, Carter’s remains will return to Georgia for a private funeral at Maranatha Baptist Church in Plains. 

He will then be laid to rest next to his late wife, Rosalynn, at their residence.

Fox News Digital's Andrea Magolis and the Associated Press contributed to this report. 

Social media erupted in anger Saturday morning with news that President Biden will award the Presidential Medal of Freedom to former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and left-wing billionaire George Soros.

The award, the nation’s highest civilian honor, is given to individuals who have made exemplary contributions to the prosperity, values or security of the United States, world peace or other significant societal, public or private endeavors, the White House said in a statement.

Tesla founder Elon Musk led the furious outcry, labeling the decision to award Soros the honor as "a travesty."

Musk shared a video clip of himself on Joe Rogan's podcast, where he said he believed that Soros "fundamentally hates humanity."

"He's doing things that erode the fabric of civilization. You know, getting DAs elected who refuse to prosecute crime," he says in the clip. 

PRESIDENT BIDEN AWARDS MEDAL OF HONOR TO SEVEN ARMY VETERANS

Online commentator Blake Habyan wrote, "What a joke — these people have done the exact opposite of what the award is intended for," while Natalie F. Danelishen wrote that the news could be a Babylon Bee story given how unbelievable it is. 

"Seriously, two of the worst people on earth," she wrote.

Clinton, the White House said, made "history many times over decades in public service" and the first female senator from New York and the first First Lady to hold elected office.

After serving as Secretary of State, she became the first woman nominated for president by a major United States political party. As the Democrat nominee, she lost her bid to be the country’s first female president when she lost to President-elect Trump in the 2016 election.

However, her tenure as Secretary of State came in for much criticism over her handling of the war in Libya and the attack on United States government facilities in Benghazi, Libya, on Sept. 11, 2012. Four Americans died in the attack, including Ambassador Christopher Stevens.

She also used a private email server for government business. Although FBI Director James Comey said publicly that Clinton had mishandled classified information, he declined to recommend prosecution, and the Department of Justice refused to move forward with the case.

Her husband, former President Bill Clinton, was given the same honor by former President Barack Obama. 

Soros, a mega-Democrat donor, runs a web of non-profits that bankroll various candidates around the world who align with his progressive agenda, including his Open Society Foundations. Soros has given over $32 billion to Open Society Foundations since 1984, according to its website. 

The White House said that Soros’ philanthropy across the world has strengthened democracy, human rights, education and social justice.

However, commentators on the right have slammed him for funding progressive district attorneys who have been light on crime, which they say has led to crime waves in Blue cities. 

Saturday's ceremony comes just days after Biden awarded former Republican Wyoming Rep. Liz Cheney and Mississippi Democrat Rep. Bennie Thompson with the Presidential Citizens Medal after the pair oversaw the controversial Jan. 6 House Select Committee. The Presidential Citizens Medal is the second-highest civilian medal.

Clinton and Soros are among 17 other prominent figures to be granted the award, the nation’s highest civilian honor. Those being presented with the honor represent prominent figures in politics, fashion, sport entertainment and activism.

Robert Francis Kennedy, the former Attorney General, will be posthumously awarded the gong, while other notable recipients include actors Denzel Washington and Michael J. Fox, U2 frontman Bono, former basketballer Earvin "Magic" Johnson and soccer star Lionel Messi.

"President Biden believes great leaders keep the faith, give everyone a fair shot, and put decency above all else," a White House statement reads. "These nineteen Americans are great leaders who have made America a better place. They are great leaders because they are good people who have made extraordinary contributions to their country and the world."

SOROS DAS SUFFER 12 BIG DEFEATS, BILLIONAIRE'S AGENDA FACES UNCERTAIN FUTURE

Kennedy, the father of former Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr., is being recognized for combatting racial segregation and as a United States Senator, "sought to address poverty and inequality in the country."

His legacy continues to inspire those committed to justice, equality and public service, the White House said. 

José Andrés, celebrity chef and founder of the World Central Kitchen charity group.

Bono, frontman for rock band U2 and an activist against AIDS and poverty. 

Ashton Baldwin Carter (posthumous), 25th Secretary of Defense.

Hillary Rodham Clinton, former First Lady and former Secretary of State. 

Michael J. Fox, Emmy, Golden Globe and Grammy Award-winning actor and advocate for Parkinson’s disease research and development.

Tim Gill, entrepreneur, LGBTQ rights advocate. 

Dr. Jane Goodall, world-renowned ethologist and conservationist.

Fannie Lou Hamer (posthumous), civil rights advocate and founder of the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party.

Earvin "Magic" Johnson, legendary retired basketball player and philanthropist who supports underserved communities through his Magic Johnson Foundation.

Robert Francis Kennedy (posthumous), former U.S. Attorney General and Senator.

Ralph Lauren, world-renowned fashion designer and cancer research advocate 

Lionel Messi, soccer’s most decorated player, UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador who supports healthcare and education programs for children

William Sanford Nye, often referred to as "Bill Nye the Science Guy," a science educator who advocates for space exploration and environmental stewardship.

George W. Romney (posthumous), businessman and former Governor of Michigan

David M. Rubenstein, co-founder and co-chairman of The Carlyle Group, philanthropist who supports the restoration of historic landmarks and cultural institutions.

George Soros, philanthropist and Open Society Foundations founder.

George Stevens, Jr., author and playright. 

Denzel Washington, actor, director, and producer who has won two Academy Awards. Served as National Spokesman for the Boys & Girls Clubs of America for over 25 years.

Anna Wintour, fashion icon and the editor-in-chief of Vogue.

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, a Democrat, is looking to expand the state’s involuntary commitment laws to allow hospitals to force more people with mental health problems into treatment.

This comes in response to a series of violent crimes in the New York City subway system.

Hochul said Friday she wants to introduce legislation during the coming legislative session to amend mental health care laws to address the recent surge of violent crimes on the subway.

"Many of these horrific incidents have involved people with serious untreated mental illness, the result of a failure to get treatment to people who are living on the streets and are disconnected from our mental health care system," the governor said.

HOCHUL'S CHRISTMASTIME BOAST OF SAFER SUBWAY CAME AMID STRING OF ALARMING VIOLENT ATTACKS

"We have a duty to protect the public from random acts of violence, and the only fair and compassionate thing to do is to get our fellow New Yorkers the help they need," she continued.

Mental health experts say that most people with mental illness are not violent and are far more likely to be victims of violent crime than they are to carry out a violent crime.

The governor did not provide details on what her legislation would change.

"Currently, hospitals are able to commit individuals whose mental illness puts themselves or others at risk of serious harm, and this legislation will expand that definition to ensure more people receive the care they need," she said.

Hochul also said she would introduce another bill to improve the process in which courts can order people to undergo assisted outpatient treatments for mental illness and make it easier for people to voluntarily sign up for those treatments.

The governor said she is "deeply grateful" to law enforcement who every day "fight to keep our subways safe." But she said "we can't fully address this problem without changes to state law."

"Public safety is my top priority and I will do everything in my power to keep New Yorkers safe," she said.

State law currently allows police to compel people to be taken to hospitals for evaluation if they appear to be suffering from mental illness and their behavior presents a risk of physical harm to themselves or others. Psychiatrists must then determine if the patients need to be involuntarily hospitalized.

New York Civil Liberties Union executive director Donna Lieberman said requiring more people to be placed into involuntary commitment "doesn't make us safer, it distracts us from addressing the roots of our problems, and it threatens New Yorkers' rights and liberties."

Hochul's statement comes after a series of violent crimes in New York City's subways, including an incident on New Year's Eve when a man shoved another man onto subway tracks ahead of an incoming train, on Christmas Eve when a man slashed two people with a knife in Manhattan’s Grand Central subway station and on Dec. 22 when a suspect lit a sleeping woman on fire and burned her to death.

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The medical histories of the suspects in those three incidents were not immediately clear, but New York City Mayor Eric Adams, a Democrat, has said the man accused of the knife attack in Grand Central had a history of mental illness and the father of the suspect who shoved a man onto the tracks told The New York Times that he had become concerned about his son's mental health in the weeks prior to the incident.

Adams has spent the past few years urging the state Legislature to expand mental health care laws and has previously supported a policy that would allow hospitals to involuntarily commit a person who is unable to meet their own basic needs for food, clothing, shelter or medical care.

"Denying a person life-saving psychiatric care because their mental illness prevents them from recognizing their desperate need for it is an unacceptable abdication of our moral responsibility," the mayor said in a statement after Hochul's announcement.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., is taking aim at the controversial H-1B visa program, arguing that it replaces "good-paying American jobs with low-wage indentured servants from abroad" — just as the program is at the center of a debate within the Republican Party.

"The main function of the H-1B visa program and other guest worker initiatives is not to hire ‘the best and the brightest,’ but rather to replace good-paying American jobs with low-wage indentured servants from abroad," Sanders wrote on X. "The cheaper the labor they hire, the more money the billionaires make."

The self-described democratic socialist has a history of opposing the program, which allows U.S. companies to hire foreign workers for specialty occupations. It is predominantly used by the tech industry, but has faced criticism mainly from the right that it brings in cheap labor from abroad to replace American workers.

TRUMP SAYS HE'S NOT CHANGED HIS MIND ON H-1B VISAS AS DEBATE RAGES WITHIN MAGA COALITION

The program recently became part of an intra-Republican debate when Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy, who have been tapped by Trump to lead the Department of Government Efficiency, argued for the importance of foreign workers for tech companies.

"The reason I’m in America along with so many critical people who built SpaceX, Tesla, and hundreds of other companies that made America strong is because of H1B," Musk said on X.

That reopened a rift between those on the right over the program and whether it is being used to attract the best talent or being used by companies to bring in cheaper labor, primarily from India, who are tied to their job by the visa.

Sanders cited statistics to show that in 2022 and 2023, the top 30 corporations using the program laid off over 85,000 American workers, while hiring over 34,000 H-1B workers, and that 33% of new IT jobs are filled by foreign national guest workers. He also pointed to layoffs at Tesla, one of Musk’s companies.

ERIC SCHMITT BLASTS ‘ABUSE’ OF H-1B VISA PROGRAM, SAYS AMERICANS ‘SHOULDN’T TRAIN THEIR FOREIGN REPLACEMENTS'

"If this program is really supposed to be about importing workers with highly advanced degrees in science and technology, why are H-1B guest workers being employed as dog trainers, massage therapists, cooks, and English teachers?" he said. "Can we really not find English teachers in America?"

Sanders conceded that there may be labor shortages that could be filled by H-1B workers, but he called for substantially increased guest worker fees in order to pay for opportunities for Americans, as well as other reforms, including increased minimum wages and the ability to easily move jobs.

"Bottom line. It should never be cheaper for a corporation to hire a guest worker from overseas than an American worker," he said.

TRUMP ADMINISTRATION MOVES TO CHANGE H-1B GUEST WORKER PROGRAM TO PRIORITIZE HIGHER-WAGE APPLICANTS

Sanders said that the "economic elite and political establishments" promised in the 1990s that a loss of blue-collar jobs due to free trade agreements would be offset by more white-collar IT jobs.

"Well, that turned out to be a Big Lie. Not only have corporations exported millions of blue-collar manufacturing jobs to China, Mexico, and other low-wage countries, they are now importing hundreds of thousands of low-paid guest workers from abroad to fill the white-collar technology jobs that are available," he said.

Sanders comments come days after President-elect Trump, who had railed against H-1B abuse during the 2016 campaign, said that he has always supported the program. 

"I have many H-1B visas on my properties. I’ve been a believer in H-1B. I have used it many times. It’s a great program," he told the New York Post.

While the high-stakes fight to lead the House of Representatives is over, Speaker Mike Johnson’s politically perilous year is just beginning.

Winning the speaker’s gavel was no easy feat considering Johnson, R-La., had no Democratic support and could only lose one fellow Republican, thanks to the House GOP’s razor-thin majority.

All House Republicans except for Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., voted for Johnson on Friday afternoon. Two GOP lawmakers who had initially voted for someone other than Johnson, Reps. Keith Self, R-Texas, and Ralph Norman, R-S.C., were eventually persuaded to switch their votes after speaking with Johnson and President-elect Trump.

Johnson will have to navigate a similarly slim margin over the next few months as he helps carry out what President-elect Donald Trump promised would be a very active first 100 days of his new administration.

REPUBLICANS GIVE DETAILS FROM CLOSED-DOOR MEETINGS WITH DOGE'S MUSK, RAMASWAMY

"There’s a lot of expectations and potential pitfalls," Marc Short, who served as director of legislative affairs during the first Trump administration, told Fox News Digital in an interview late last month. 

Just the first half of 2025 alone is expected to see at least three separate fiscal fights.

Johnson, meanwhile, is set to lose two House Republicans – Reps. Elise Stefanik of New York and Mike Waltz of Florida. Both members are joining the Trump administration at the end of this month.

It will reduce his House GOP majority to just 217 seats, compared to 215 for Democrats, which means Republicans will need to vote in lock-step to pass any bills on a party-line vote. 

Special elections to replace Waltz and retired Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., are set for April. An election to replace Stefanik has not yet been set.

Meanwhile, Republicans are gunning to pass two massive conservative policy and spending overhauls via a process called "reconciliation," which lowers the threshold for passage in the Senate from 60 votes to a simple majority for certain budgetary issues.

Both Republicans and Democrats have tried to use reconciliation to pass significant fiscal policy changes that the other side normally opposes, meaning it takes extraordinary levels of intra-party cooperation in both the House and Senate.

"There’s huge expectations on budget reconciliation, and that’s really hard, even when you’ve got wide margins. To think you’re going to do it twice in a year with those margins, I think is an enormously high expectation that seems to be unreasonable," Short told Fox News Digital.

"And add onto that another funding bill in three months, plus a debt ceiling fight."

Along with reconciliation bills – which are unlikely to get much, if any, Democratic support – Republicans will also have to grapple with the government funding deadline they just punted to March 14.

DANIEL PENNY TO BE TAPPED FOR CONGRESSIONAL GOLD MEDAL BY HOUSE GOP LAWMAKER

House and Senate lawmakers passed a short-term extension of fiscal year (FY) 2024’s government funding levels in December to give negotiators more time to hash out the rest of FY 2025.

Congress will risk plunging the government into a partial shutdown if the House and Senate does not pass another funding extension or set new priorities for the remainder of FY 2025 by then.

The next government funding deadline will come at the end of the fiscal year on Sept. 30.

That’s not all Johnson will have to focus on during those months, however.

A bipartisan agreement struck in 2023 suspended the U.S. debt limit through January 2025 – after which the Treasury Department will be forced to take "extraordinary measures" to avoid a national credit default.

The debt limit refers to how much debt the U.S. government can accrue while making expenditures it has already committed to. As of Christmas Eve, the national debt — which measures what the U.S. owes its creditors — fell to $36,161,621,015,445.57, according to the latest numbers published by the Treasury Department. 

Raising the debt limit is also traditionally a fraught political battle, with both Republicans and Democrats seeking any possible leverage to attach their own policy goals to the negotiations.

A recent model produced by the Economic Policy Innovation Center (EPIC) projects the Treasury’s "extraordinary measures" will carry the U.S. through mid-June or earlier, giving Congress potentially six months to act.