FIRST ON FOX: The National Sheriffs' Association (NSA) has endorsed Kash Patel as the director of the FBI in a letter to Senate Judiciary Committee leaders that also railed against the state of law enforcement under the Biden administration. 

"We are pleased to give our enthusiastic endorsement of Mr. Patel’s nomination to be the Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and urge the Committee hold hearings expeditiously. We believe there will be broad support for Mr. Patel and we look forward to his swift confirmation by the full United States Senate," NSA President Kieran Donahue wrote in a letter Monday to Sens. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, and Dick Durbin, D-Ill., the chair and ranking member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, respectively. 

The NSA is a professional association that boasts roughly 10,000 active members. 

President-elect Trump nominated Kash Patel as FBI director in November. Patel is an outspoken crusader against the "deep state." In a book published last year, he explicitly called for revamping the FBI in a chapter dubbed "Overhauling the FBI," and moving the FBI’s headquarters out of Washington, D.C.

'WHEN THEY FAIL, AMERICANS DIE': TRUMP SOURCE BLASTS FBI, URGES SWIFT CONFIRMATION OF KASH PATEL AS DIRECTOR

In his letter to the senators, Donahue lauded Patel's resume as evidence he has the "credentials, skills, temperament, commitment, and experience for this critical position."

Patel previously served as a public defender in Florida’s Miami-Dade area, where he tried "scores of complex cases ranging from murder, to narco-trafficking, to complex financial crimes in jury trials in state and federal courts," according to his Defense Department biography. He also won a DOJ award in 2017 under the Obama administration for his prosecution and conviction of 12 terrorists responsible for the World Cup bombings in 2010. 

Patel hit the national radar during Trump’s first administration, including when he worked as the national security adviser and senior counsel for the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence under committee Chair Rep. Devin Nunes, R-Calif.

I WORKED WITH KASH PATEL TO EXPOSE THE RUSSIA HOAX AND KNOW HE'S THE BEST PICK TO REFORM THE FBI

"Mr. Patel’s service will undoubtedly prioritize the restoration of confidence in the Bureau through increased transparency, integrity, collaboration, and commitment to excellence. Mr. Patel promised NSA – if confirmed – his unwavering dedication to working hand in glove with local, state, tribal, and federal law enforcement at the rank-and- file and leadership levels. His commitment to the reciprocity of access-to-advise is essential to combating the most serious security and policing challenges ahead. We are certain Mr. Patel’s engagement will result in vital and effective partnerships nationwide to protect communities large and small," Donahue wrote. 

The sheriff group's leader also took direct aim at policies affecting law enforcement that were rolled out under the Biden administration, which he said has "undermined the rule of law and burdened our nation with great risk and vulnerability."

GOP ATTORNEYS GENERAL OFFER SUPPORT FOR TRUMP FBI PICK KASH PATEL, URGE SENATORS TO DO THE SAME

"Equally detrimental are the border policies that permit unchecked access to our homeland. These two factors have sadly but predictably granted domestic and international criminals unprecedented opportunity to victimize or endanger the citizens and residents of our nation. As a result, countless communities across America are under siege. Through the exploitation of these vulnerabilities, complex criminal and terror schemes are taking hold and flourishing. The blind spot created by inadequate border control and law enforcement policies has facilitated criminal activity that falls under multiple jurisdictions and therefore demands a robust and coordinated response," he wrote to the senators. 

WHO IS KASH PATEL? TRUMP'S PICK TO LEAD THE FBI HAS LONG HISTORY VOWING TO BUST UP 'DEEP STATE'

The sheriff continued that local law enforcement agencies want to work more closely with federal leaders in order to combat the infiltration of cartels and organized crime groups in the U.S., but have "been denied direct unfiltered access to the President" in the last four years. 

"As a result, there is a perception within law enforcement and the public that our national leaders do not comprehend the ground truth about criminal trends and lack the will, policy tools, and resources to thwart the criminal activities undermining the security of our nation," he wrote. 

"Our federal law enforcement hierarchy, armed with knowledge gained through local collaboration, must be heard by the decisionmakers in Washington. In this time of uncertainty, it is critical the Federal Bureau of Investigation be led by someone who has the complete confidence of the President," he continued. 

Congressional Republicans were buoyant on Monday after lawmakers gathered to certify President-elect Donald Trump's White House victory.

"It went great. It went smooth. This is a textbook transition of power. This is how democracy is supposed to operate," House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., told Fox News Digital.

House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La., shared praise for both Republican and Democratic leaders who led the largely ceremonial event.

"It was really neat to see the certification go smoothly. I thought Vice President Harris handled it well. It was neat to have JD Vance in the chamber too, as a sitting senator at the time, but getting ready to become the vice president of the United States so that, you know, it's very historic," he told reporters.

A USER’S MANUAL TO CERTIFYING THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION

Like Comer, House GOP Policy Committee Chair Kevin Hern, R-Okla., remarked on how calm the process was.

"Everybody accepts the fact that President Trump won the Electoral College and the popular vote. So there really isn't much of a denial by the Democrats, that he didn't have a mandate to do his agenda. And we're going to make sure we help him get it done," Hern told Fox News Digital.

Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., said Monday marked "a great day in American history."

"We have no time to waste. We've got to get right to work immediately, ASAP, as soon as humanly possible," Mace said.

Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, emphasized Republicans' commanding victory in the November elections, telling Fox News Digital, "It was a clear mandate from the voters, and we now need to get to work delivering on that mandate."

HARRIS TO OVERSEE CERTIFICATION OF HER DEFEAT TO TRUMP IN PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION: 'SACRED OBLIGATION'

First-term lawmaker Rep. Mike Haridolopos, R-Fla., said he was excited to now begin executing the GOP's agenda and remarked on the snow storm that shut down much of Washington, D.C. save for Capitol Hill on Monday.

"I think we're all excited to get started with the Republican trifecta," he said. "I'm so excited about it and glad it's behind us. It took a snow day to make it happen, but we are definitely here and ready to go to work."

Sen. Tim Sheehy, R-Mont., who is also just beginning his first term in Congress, called the process "fascinating."

"It was really great to see the process today. It was an honor to be there, and I was just privileged to be a part of it," Sheehy said. "And the snow storm, I think, is symbolic — winds of change are coming. We’re gonna get this country back on track."

House and Senate lawmakers gathered for a joint session of Congress to certify Trump's victory over Vice President Kamala Harris, who was constitutionally bound to preside over the proceedings.

The orderly process was a stark contrast to the scene in the House chamber four years ago when rioters protesting the results of the 2020 election halted proceedings and forced lawmakers into hiding for several hours.

Unlike four years ago, when lawmakers were forced to finish certification hours after midnight, Monday's event was wrapped inside an hour.

No Democrats raised objections to Trump's victory, unlike 2016, which saw several progressives cast doubt on his win.

"I think that just showed that America is really ready for… a new page and a new start," Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, R-Fla., said of the certification. "You saw that, at least on the Republican side, that we were pretty excited about the results for our elections."

And Rep. Cory Mills, R-Fla., another Florida lawmaker and ally of Trump, told Fox News Digital, "We're happy that we had no issue with certification, no contesting of the certification. And everyone's very happy that we have Donald J. Trump and JD Vance in the White House, in the Naval Observatory, and we're ready to make America great again."

Donald Trump Jr. is expected to travel to Greenland Tuesday after his father, President-elect Trump, signaled an interest in U.S. "ownership and control" of the country, Fox News Digital has learned. 

A source familiar with Trump Jr.'s plans told Fox News Digital that the president-elect’s son, who is traveling in a personal capacity, is set to arrive in Nuuk, Greenland, midday Tuesday for meetings with locals, to visit cultural sites and more. 

"As someone who has traveled to some fascinating places across the globe as an outdoorsman, I’m excited to stop into Greenland for a little bit of fun this week," Donald Trump Jr. told Fox News Digital. 

A source familiar told Fox News Digital that Trump Jr. is "popping in for a quick day-long trip to shoot some fun video content for podcasting."

A USER’S MANUAL TO CERTIFYING THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION

"He will not be meeting with any government officials or political figures," the source told Fox News Digital. 

The trip comes as President-elect Trump seeks to buy the mineral-rich, geographically important territory. 

American interest in Greenland dates back to the 1800s. 

JOHNSON REVEALS TRUMP'S WISHES ON DELIVERING HUGE POLICY OVERHAUL IN CLOSED-DOOR MEETING

In 1867, the State Department explored buying both Greenland and Iceland, recognizing their strategic importance, Fox News reported. After World War II, Denmark turned down a $100 million offer from President Harry Truman for the island.

Acquiring the land would mark the largest expansion of American territory in history, topping the Louisiana Purchase.

But Greenland Prime Minister Mute Egede said last week that the country is not interested. 

"Greenland is ours," he said. "We are not for sale, and will never be for sale. We must not lose our long struggle for freedom."

Mental health disorders are on the rise in the military, now accounting for more hospitalizations than any other ailment, according to a new Defense Department health report. 

Diagnoses of mental health disorders are up 40% over the past five years, from 2019 to 2023, according to a Defense Health Agency report. It found that anxiety disorders and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) doubled over the five-year period. 

In 2023, active-duty service members experiencing a mental health disorder made up 54.8% of hospital bed stays, more than every other affliction combined.

From 2019 through 2023, 541,672 active-duty service members across all branches were diagnosed with at least one mental health disorder, according to the report. About 47% of those were diagnosed with more than one mental health disorder. In 2023, there were 1.3 million U.S. active duty troops.

The sobering report follows the New Year's Day vehicle attack in New Orleans that killed 14 people, revealing that the suspect, Shamsud-Din Jabbar, was an Army veteran with multiple deployments.  

That same day in Las Vegas, Col. Matthew Livelsberger, an active member of the Army Green Berets, shot himself in the head in a Cybertruck full of explosives. 

PRESIDENT BIDEN AWARDS MEDAL OF HONOR TO SEVEN ARMY VETERANS

"As service members continue to experience increased rates of mental health disorders after the COVID-19 pandemic, help-seeking behaviors to address psychological as well as emotional well-being should be prioritized to maintain force readiness," the report read. 

The Pentagon could not immediately be reached for comment on what's behind the uptick in diagnoses and whether U.S. forces are mentally prepared to go into combat if needed. 

Female service members, those who are younger and those in the Army, were most likely to be diagnosed. 

The Navy led all other branches in depressive disorders, bipolar disorders and personality disorders.

Active duty female service members were diagnosed with PTSD twice as often as their male counterparts. 

The medical data came from records accessed via the Defense Medical Surveillance System and Theater Medical Data Store. It analyzed ambulance encounters, hospitalization or outpatient visits to a psychiatric facility, and other factors to define a mental health diagnosis. 

Meanwhile, military suicides ticked up again last year, following a dark trend the Pentagon has struggled to combat. 

HERE'S HOW MANY US SERVICE MEMBERS ARE SPENDING THE HOLIDAYS AWAY FROM HOME DEPLOYED OVERSEAS

Overall, there were 523 reported suicides in 2023, the most recent data available, up from 493 in 2022. The number of active-duty troops who died by suicide increased to 363 from 331 the previous year, up 12%. 

Suicide is by far the biggest killer of service members, killing more than training accidents, illnesses, homicides or combat, according to the Defense Department (DOD). In addition to the sheer number, the rate of suicides per 100,000 also went up last year. 

Suicide deaths by active-duty service members have been on the rise since 2011.

Another troubling sign from the data is how many suicide victims sought help: 67% had a primary care encounter in the 90 days before their death; 34% had been to an outpatient mental health center; 8% had been discharged from an in-patient mental health facility; and 18% were on psychotropic medication at the time of their death. 

Within a year prior to their death, 44% of military suicide victims reported intimate relationship problems, and 42% reported a behavioral health diagnosis. 

Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., said during an interview on "Fox News Sunday" that Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is "wrong" on the issue of vaccinations.

President-elect Donald Trump tapped Kennedy to serve as Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) secretary. 

Cassidy, a gastroenterologist who is currently serving Louisianans in the Senate, is the incoming chair of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

TOP GOP SENATORS CALL FOR REFORM, ‘CONSEQUENCES’ IN WAKE OF LAW ENFORCEMENT ‘LEADERSHIP FAILURE’

The senator, who noted that he is looking forward to meeting with Kennedy in the coming week, said that he agrees with Kennedy on some issues but disagrees with him on others. 

While Cassidy described ultra-processed food as a problem, he said Kennedy is "wrong" about vaccinations.

Fox News Digital inquired about whether Cassidy plans to vote against confirming Kennedy to HHS due to the disagreement on vaccines. 

"Cassidy does not discuss his votes prior to meetings with the nominees and the Senate process playing itself out," a Cassidy spokesman said in a statement. "Cassidy explained these are topics he wants to discuss with RFK Jr in his meeting with him this week and he looks forward to having a good dialogue with him."

DIET AND NUTRITION EXPERTS WEIGH IN ON HOW RFK JR'S NOMINATION COULD IMPACT HOW WE EAT

Reached by Fox News Digital on Monday, Kennedy declined to comment on Cassidy's assertion that he is "wrong" on the vaccine issue.

But Kennedy has previously said that he does not want to block people from getting vaccines.

ELON MUSK ADMITS TO TAKING CONTROVERSIAL WEIGHT LOSS DRUG PREVIOUSLY OPPOSED BY RFK JR.

"Bottom line: I'm not going to take anyone's vaccines away from them. I just want to be sure every American knows the safety profile, the risk profile, and the efficacy of each vaccine. That's it," he declared in a tweet last year.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has arrested a Dominican illegal immigrant charged with sex crimes and kidnapping in Boston, after he was released from local custody despite a request by the agency to hand him over.

In a statement, ICE said it had arrested Emilio Jose Pena-Casilla, a 46-year-old, who is charged with assault to rape, kidnapping, two counts of indecent assault and battery on a person 14 or older, and intimidation of an official, witness, or juror, was arrested Dec. 17 in Boston.

Pena-Casilla entered the U.S. illegally near Eagle Pass, Texas, in January 2023, and was enrolled in the Alternatives to Detention program. Under that program, migrants are monitored by a GPS tracking device or check in via an app. He was removed from the program a month later.

‘SHEER INSANITY’: CONSERVATIVE WATCHDOG PUTS ‘SANCTUARY’ OFFICIALS ON NOTICE AHEAD OF TRUMP DEPORTATION PUSH

In July this year, he was arraigned in Massachusetts. ICE says its Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) in Boston issued a detainer, but it was ignored by the district court and he was released on GPS on bail. ICE would eventually track him down in December.

"Emilio Jose Pena-Casilla stands accused of some very serious offenses against a Massachusetts resident," acting Field Office Director Patricia Hyde of ERO Boston said in a statement. "We hold a sacred duty to protect the residents of our communities, and we will continue to do so by apprehending and removing egregious noncitizen offenders from our neighborhoods. Today, another victim in Massachusetts no longer needs to fear their predator."

Boston is one of a number of "sanctuary" cities that limit or forbid cooperation by local law enforcement with ICE. Supporters of sanctuary policies say they allow illegal immigrants to cooperate with local law enforcement, but opponents say they result in the release of criminal illegal immigrants back onto the streets.

Boston City Council recently doubled down on its sanctuary policies, voting in favor of a resolution to limit ICE cooperation and to ban police from keeping migrants in custody for possible deportation unless there is a criminal warrant.

The resolution adopted by the council states that "proposals for mass deportations represent a direct attack on Boston’s immigrant families, and threaten to tear communities apart."

TRUMP'S INCOMING BORDER CZAR HAILS MEETING WITH MAYOR ERIC ADAMS: ‘NYC IS ABOUT TO GET A LOT SAFER’

Sanctuary policies have been back in the spotlight with the approaching Trump administration, which has promised to ramp up deportations and launch a historic operation to potentially remove millions of illegal immigrants.

A number of Democratic officials in states, including Massachusetts, have said they will not cooperate in the deportation push. President-elect Trump’s border czar, Tom Homan, has hinted there could be legal consequences for those who get in the way of the operation.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE IMMIGRATION COVERAGE

Recently, America First Legal notified nearly 250 officials in jurisdictions that limit or forbid local law enforcement cooperation with ICE that there could be legal consequences for interfering with the feds or for concealing illegal immigrants.

"We have identified your jurisdiction as a sanctuary jurisdiction that is violating federal law. Such lawlessness subjects you and your subordinates to significant risk of criminal and civil liability. Accordingly, we are sending this letter to put you on notice of this risk and insist that you comply with our nation’s laws," the letter says.

Congress officially certified President-elect Trump’s 2024 election victory on Monday, taking him one step closer to assuming the Oval Office at the end of this month.

It was the final step before Trump's inauguration on Jan. 20.

The orderly process is a stark contrast to the scene in the House chamber four years ago when rioters protesting the results of the 2020 election halted proceedings and forced lawmakers into hiding for several hours.

A USER’S MANUAL TO CERTIFYING THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION

Vice President Kamala Harris presided over the certification of Trump’s win, after having lost to him in a November election that saw Republicans sweep the presidency and both houses of Congress.

Harris recorded a video message that was released prior to the certification, telling viewers, "The peaceful transfer of power is one of the most fundamental principles of American democracy. As much as any other principle, it is what distinguishes our system of government from monarchy or tyranny."

HARRIS TO OVERSEE CERTIFICATION OF HER DEFEAT TO TRUMP IN PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION: 'SACRED OBLIGATION'

Democrats and Republicans had starkly different reactions heading into Monday, with lawmakers on the right celebrating a new era in Washington, while those on the left glumly remarked on the violent scenes of Jan. 6, 2021.

"Today, I will vote to certify the election of President Donald J. Trump. It’s time to save America!" Rep. Andy Ogles, R-Tenn., wrote on X.

Rep. Lloyd Doggett, D-Texas, wrote on the site, "Four years ago today, Trump incited a deadly insurrection after he lost a free and fair election. Today, only snow is on the Capitol steps, not an angry mob bashing their way in to desecrate and injure."

JOHNSON REVEALS TRUMP'S WISHES ON DELIVERING HUGE POLICY OVERHAUL IN CLOSED-DOOR MEETING

Trump said on Truth Social ahead of the certification, "CONGRESS CERTIFIES OUR GREAT ELECTION VICTORY TODAY — A BIG MOMENT IN HISTORY. MAGA!"

Lawmakers gathered on Capitol Hill to certify the election, despite a heavy snowstorm that forced many federal offices and public schools in the Washington, D.C., area to shutter for the day.

Congressional GOP leaders had urged lawmakers to stay in the national capital through the weekend to avoid potential travel issues. 

Newly sworn-in Sen. Bernie Moreno, R-Ohio, wants to get legislation tackling the crisis on the southern border to President-elect Trump's desk immediately, and he thinks it could get enough votes on the floor. 

"We have to make certain that we actually do the things that we campaigned on," he told Fox News Digital in an interview, referencing the border's prevalence on the campaign trail. 

Noting that voters were frequently concerned about "open borders and high prices," the Ohio Republican, who unseated incumbent Democrat Sherrod Brown, said the issues need to be taken on right away. 

PRO-ISRAEL DEM COULD TIP SCALES IN KEY SENATE COMMITTEE AS MIDDLE EAST WAR CONTINUES

"We're going to make it so that there's no illegal immigration, that we seal our border, we secure our border, and we deport anybody who's in this country illegally," Moreno explained. 

The hypothetical legislation would include "funding deportations, making certain that we have the funding to secure the border to make certain that we have a safe and secure border, that we finish the wall, that we put in place the technology, that we put in place the money so that these deportation efforts can happen at scale," he said. 

"We can get it done soon, I'm confident," the senator claimed. "We can even get a bill in front of President Trump right when he gets sworn in."

HOUSE REPUBLICANS REJOICE OVER QUICK SPEAKER VOTE WITH ONLY ONE DEFECTOR

In order for a measure to pass the Senate outside the budget reconciliation process, it must receive at least 60 votes in a procedural step, overriding the legislative filibuster. The Republicans will have only a 53-vote majority in the 119th Congress, and to beat the filibuster would need Democratic votes to move a bill forward. 

"Look, there should be 100 votes for that because that's not a Republican issue," Moreno said. "That's an American issue. I would like to see the Democrats take public positions against securing our border, because that's insane."

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

Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., could bring such border measures to the floor for votes and put Democratic senators on record when it comes to key GOP-led border bills. This was a tactic frequently used by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., who scheduled several votes on abortion, contraception and in vitro fertilization (IVF). 

While Moreno wants to see some border-related bills voted on immediately, a portion of legislation on illegal immigration is expected to be included in a reconciliation bill this year, which is also set to address tax cuts, energy and defense.

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

"Members of Congress are getting to work on one powerful Bill that will bring our Country back, and make it greater than ever before," Trump wrote on Truth Social on Sunday. "We must Secure our Border, Unleash American Energy, and Renew the Trump Tax Cuts, which were the largest in History, but we will make it even better – NO TAX ON TIPS. IT WILL ALL BE MADE UP WITH TARIFFS, AND MUCH MORE, FROM COUNTRIES THAT HAVE TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF THE U.S. FOR YEARS."

"Republicans must unite, and quickly deliver these Historic Victories for the American People. Get smart, tough, and send the Bill to my desk to sign as soon as possible. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!"

President Biden is expected to designate two new national monuments in California this week, which will bar roughly 850,000 acres of tribal lands from future development.

After signing the new orders, Biden will have shut down development on more public lands than any other president in history besides former President Jimmy Carter, according to the Washington Post.  

The move would establish a 644,000-acre Chuckwalla National Monument located in the southern part of the state near Joshua Tree National Park, sources familiar with the matter said. While no public plans about the new monument have been announced, sources have leaked details to the media and the president's public schedule shows he will be traveling Tuesday to Southern California's east Coachella Valley, site of the designated tribal land. 

BIDEN ISSUES SWEEPING OFFSHORE OIL, GAS DRILLING BAN IN 625M ACRES OF FEDERAL WATERS AHEAD OF TRUMP TRANSITION

In addition to Biden's plans to designate a large swath of the Colorado Desert located in Southern California as a national monument, the president also plans to designate roughly 200,000-acres of land in Northern California, near the Oregon border, as a national monument. The move would establish the Sáttítla National Monument and would also bar any future energy development in that area.

While environmentalists, tribal groups and Democrat lawmakers have urged Biden to designate these two new national monuments, Rep. Doug LaMalfa, R-Calif., has argued that designating the roughly 200,000-acres of land in Northern California is unnecessary because it is already protected from development, according to local California news outlet, the Redding Record Searchlight. Additionally, he added, getting permits approved on forest service lands is already difficult and prohibiting them further could make it more difficult to fight wildfires in the area due to a scarcity of roads. 

The new monuments will be designated by Biden via his authority under the Antiquities Act of 1906, which allows presidents to bypass Congress when seeking to protect lands and water for the benefit of the nation. Since the start of his presidency, Biden has already used his executive authority under the act to establish eight new national monuments, while expanding four others, the Washington Post reported.

BIDEN MOVING TO BAN OIL AND GAS LEASES FOR 20 YEARS IN NEVADA REGION, JUST WEEKS BEFORE TRUMP INAUGURATION

President-elect Trump has vowed to unleash U.S. domestic energy dominance during his upcoming term. Meanwhile, in the final weeks and months ahead of Biden's departure from the White House, his administration has made efforts to bolster its green energy priorities against any potential blowback from Trump.

Last month, the Biden administration unveiled a report detailing the negative public impact on increasing liquefied natural gas exports, a move that experts said could provide fodder for environmentalists seeking to challenge Trump's efforts to increase U.S. energy production.

BIDEN ADMIN REPORT COULD SLOW TRUMP'S EFFORTS TO UNLEASH DOMESTIC NATURAL GAS, EXPERTS SAY 

Steve Milloy, a fellow at the Energy and Environmental Legal Institute, said Biden's latest national monuments designation could serve the same purpose. "While Trump can undo whatever Biden does, Biden is trying to create litigation traps for Trump that will discourage investors from projects on public lands," he said.

On Monday, Biden also used his executive authority to ban new oil and gas drilling off nearly all U.S. coasts. "The decision to unilaterally block areas from future offshore oil and gas development is a strategic error, driven not by science or voter mandate, but by political motives," the National Ocean Industries Association said.

Fox News Digital reached out to the White House for comment but did not receive a response by publication time. 

Republican Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry is calling on Senate lawmakers, most notably Democrats, to confirm President-elect Donald Trump's pick to lead the Department of Homeland Security, Kristi Noem, in the wake of a terrorist attack that shook New Orleans. 

"This is no time to play around.  Which is why I am also calling on Senate Democrats on the Homeland Security & Governmental Affairs Committee to allow Kristi Noem to get to work on Day 1 as our Secretary of Homeland Security. There should be no gap in leadership. In the wake of the Bourbon Street and Las Vegas attacks, our nation’s security depends on her quick confirmation," Landry said in a statement Monday. 

Early on New Year's Day, chaos broke out on Bourbon Street in New Orleans as revelers partied on the streets in celebration of the holiday. The suspect, later identified as Shamsud-Din Jabbar, is accused of ramming a truck into the crowd on the beloved and famed party street, killing at least 14 and injuring dozens of others. Jabbar, who was armed with a Glock and a .308 rifle, was killed after opening fire on police. 

Landry's office said the Republican governor is expected to meet with President Biden on Monday, when he will press the commander in chief to issue a Presidential Disaster Declaration following the attack. 

NEW ORLEANS TERRORIST CHOSE BOURBON STREET FOR MAXIMUM CARNAGE: TIMELINE

"I look forward to speaking with President Biden today on quickly approving my request for a Presidential Disaster Declaration," he continued. 

Landry previously sent a letter to Biden detailing the need for the declaration as the city prepares to manage other massive public events this year, including the Super Bowl and Mardi Gras, following the terrorist attack.  

WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT VICTIMS OF NEW ORLEANS TERRORIST ATTACK

"This terrorist attack has caused significant harm to our visitors and residents, disrupted essential services, and overwhelmed local and state resources during a time when the city is host to several large-scale events, including the Sugar Bowl and related activities, as well as the Super Bowl and Mardi Gras in coming weeks. The Super Bowl and Mardi Gras will bring in tourists from around the world and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security has designated Super Bowl LIX as a Special Event Planning Assessment ("SEAR") Level 1," Landry wrote in his letter to Biden on Jan. 2. 

Trump announced South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem as his pick to lead the DHS, which oversees key national security and law enforcement agencies, such as U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the U.S. Secret Service and the Federal Emergency Management Agency, last year after his win over Vice President Kamala Harris. 

BOMBMAKING MATERIALS FOUND AT NEW ORLEANS AIRBNB POTENTIALLY TIED TO BOURBON STREET TERRORIST: REPORT

Landry urging Senate lawmakers to support Noem as DHS chief in the wake of the terrorist attack follows law enforcement groups and leaders from across the nation also throwing their support behind the Trump candidate, urging lawmakers to quickly confirm her to the role. 

NOEM BOASTS OUTPOURING OF POLICE, BORDER UNION SUPPORT FOR DHS CHIEF: CURRENT LEADERS 'BETRAYED US'

At least eight police groups or unions have issued letters to Sen. Rand Paul, who sits on the committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, urging the Senate to confirm Noem in order to bolster national security, including to combat the immigration crisis along the southern border, as well as stem the flow of deadly narcotics coming across the border.

President Biden appeared to attempt to rehabilitate the image of notorious late pro-segregation Sen. Strom Thurmond on Monday during one of the final speeches of his presidency.

Biden made the comments while speaking at a White House reception for new Democratic members of Congress. The president offered up several redeeming details about Thurmond, though he said he wasn't defending the man.

"In my career I have been asked to do the eulogy of the most incredibly different people. Strom Thurmond, 100 years old. On his deathbed, I get a phone call from the hospital. From the hospital, from out of Walter Reed and his wife, Nancy said. Joe, I'm here with the doctors at the nurses station. Strom asked me to ask you whether or not you'd do his eulogy," Biden said, adding that he accepted the offer.

"Strom Thurmond decided that separate but equal was not right, not that Blacks and Whites should be together. But if you do separate equal, you had to spend as much money on Black schools as White schools. By the time Strom Thurmond left the United States Senate, he had. And I'm making the case for him," Biden continued.

TRUMP PLANNING TO LIFT BIDEN'S LNG PAUSE, INCREASE OIL DRILLING DURING 1ST DAYS IN OFFICE: REPORT

"But he had more African-Americans in his staff than any United States senator had, more. Strom Thurmond had an illegitimate child with a Black woman [and he] never denied it. Never stopped paying for his upbringing. There's a lot of strange people, a lot of different people. And I mean, well, I bet I can look at you and I can find some strange things too," Biden added.

BIDEN MOVING TO BAN OIL AND GAS LEASES FOR 20 YEARS IN NEVADA REGION, JUST WEEKS BEFORE TRUMP INAUGURATION

Biden has repeatedly mentioned his relationship with Thurmond at various times during his presidency. He claimed in August 2023 that he had "literally" convinced Thurmond to vote for the Voting Rights Act before his death in 2003, when he was just 21 years old.

"I was able to — literally, not figuratively — talk Strom Thurmond into voting for the Civil Rights Act before he died," Biden said at the time.

"And I thought, ‘well, maybe there’s real progress,'" he added. "But hate never dies, it just hides. It hides under the rocks."

Biden was born on Nov. 20, 1942. The Civil Rights Act passed the Senate on June 19, 1964.

While Thurmond and Biden were contemporaries in the Senate, the president would have been 21 at the time of the landmark legislation's passing — and nowhere near the Senate seat he won at 29 years old.

Fox News' Houston Keene contributed to this report.

President-elect Donald Trump said he plans to immediately reverse President Biden's new ban on offshore drilling along most of the U.S. coastline, but he faces major roadblocks under a 70-year, irrevocable law.

Throughout his 2024 presidential campaign, Trump vowed that, if elected, he would expand oil and gas drilling in an effort to bolster American-made energy.

However, Biden issued an 11th-hour executive order Monday morning to forestall such actions exactly two weeks before his term ends, announcing a permanent stop to most new oil and gas drilling across U.S. coastal and offshore waters in an area that spans about 625 million acres. 

"It's ridiculous. I'll unban it immediately," Trump said on "The Hugh Hewitt Show" on Monday. "What's he doing?"

BIDEN MOVING TO BAN OIL AND GAS LEASES FOR 20 YEARS IN NEVADA REGION, JUST WEEKS BEFORE TRUMP INAUGURATION

"We can't let that happen to our country," Trump added. "It's really our greatest economic asset."

The executive order, issued under the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (OCSLA), seeks to block future oil and natural gas leasing along the East and West coasts, the eastern Gulf of Mexico and portions of Alaska's Northern Bering Sea.

Trump said that he "has the right" to reverse such an action, but given that Biden issued the order under a 1953 law that allows the president to enact bans on oil and gas development, he would not be able to simply reverse it.

TRUMP TELLS EU TO BUY MORE AMERICAN-MADE OIL AND GAS OR FACE ‘TARIFFS ALL THE WAY’

In 2019, during Trump's first term, a federal judge ruled that OCSLA does not permit presidents to overturn bans established by previous administrations. This means Trump would need congressional approval to reverse Biden's decision.

Biden said that his decision stemmed from his efforts to curb climate change – one of dozens of moves from the Democratic president's green energy agenda.

"My decision reflects what coastal communities, businesses, and beachgoers have known for a long time: that drilling off these coasts could cause irreversible damage to places we hold dear and is unnecessary to meet our nation’s energy needs," Biden said in a statement. "It is not worth the risks. As the climate crisis continues to threaten communities across the country and we are transitioning to a clean energy economy, now is the time to protect these coasts for our children and grandchildren." 

Trump's spokeswoman, Karoline Leavitt, also issued a statement criticizing Biden's order.

"This is a disgraceful decision designed to exact political revenge on the American people who gave President Trump a mandate to increase drilling and lower gas prices. Rest assured, Joe Biden will fail, and we will drill, baby, drill," Leavitt said.

The legislative gears are already turning in Congress as Republicans prepare a slew of border security and other conservative policy bills for President-elect Donald Trump two weeks ahead of his inauguration. 

Friday marked the first day of the 119th Congress, meaning any bills not signed into law by President Biden must already be introduced and passed again, even if they passed one or both chambers in the previous term.

Republicans appeared to waste no time in doing that. The most recent Congressional record shows lawmakers re-introduced several bills that Democrats and even some GOP lawmakers dismissed as "messaging" efforts as recently as last year.

Among them is the Safeguarding American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act by Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, which would require proof of citizenship in the voter registration process.

CLICK HERE FOR THE LATEST FOX NEWS REPORTING ON TRUMP'S RETURN TO THE WHITE HOUSE

Another bill re-introduced on Friday was the Violence Against Women by Illegal Aliens Act, by Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., which would mandate deportation of migrants found to have committed sex crimes.

"Let’s get it passed through both chambers of Congress this go around," Mace wrote on social media over the weekend.

Meanwhile, House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La., announced that the House would vote this week on the Laken Riley Act, named after an Augusta University nursing student who was killed by an illegal immigrant early last year. 

The legislation would require federal immigration authorities to issue detainers and take custody of illegal immigrants who commit theft-related crimes.

It passed the House with some Democratic support but was not taken up in the Senate, which was led by then-Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y.

CHECK OUT WHO TRUMP'S PICKED TO HELP STEER HIS SECOND PRESIDENTIAL ADMINISTRATION

Now, however, Republicans are poised to control all the levers of power in Washington after Trump’s inauguration on Jan. 20.

"If the Senate will do its job, President Trump will make it law," Rep. Mike Collins, R-Ga., who introduced the bill, said in a statement.

A fourth bill, among others, was re-introduced by Rep. Nick LaLota, R-N.Y., and aimed at defunding sanctuary cities.

Other Republican priorities introduced last year but which never received Biden’s signature were also reintroduced, like Roy’s bill alongside new House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Brian Mast, R-Fla., to levy sanctions on the International Criminal Court for targeting Israel.

It is a glimpse into the specifics of how Republicans intend to carry out their promise of securing the border.

GOP lawmakers appear to be moving fast to deliver on Trump’s wish for a highly active first 100 days of Congress.

Over the weekend, GOP lawmakers began crafting plans for a massive conservative policy overhaul bill, aimed at including elements of border security, energy policy, tax cuts and defense measures.

FIRST ON FOX — Dozens of former Justice Department (DOJ) officials sent a letter to the Senate Judiciary Committee Monday urging confirmation of President-elect Donald Trump’s pick for attorney general, Pam Bondi, later this month— praising both her commitment to the rule of law and her track record as Florida’s former attorney general that they said makes her uniquely qualified for the role.

The letter, previewed exclusively to Fox News Digital, was signed by more than 110 senior Justice Department officials who served under both Democratic and Republican administrations, including former U.S. attorneys general John Ashcroft, Jeff Sessions, Bill Barr and Edwin Meese. 

Former acting Attorney General Matthew Whitaker, deputy attorneys general Rod Rosenstein and Jeffrey Rosen, and Randy Grossman, who served as the U.S. attorney for the Southern District of California under the Biden administration, are among the other notable signatories. 

The DOJ alumni expressed their "strong and enthusiastic support" for Bondi, Florida’s former attorney general, who also spent 18 years as a prosecutor in the Hillsborough County State Attorney’s office.

"It is all too rare for senior Justice Department officials—much less Attorneys General—to have such a wealth of experience in the day-to-day work of keeping our communities safe," they wrote.

TRUMP'S AG PICK HAS ‘HISTORY OF CONSENSUS BUILDING’

"As a career prosecutor, Attorney General Bondi will be ready from the first day on the job to fight on behalf of the American people to reduce crime, tackle the opioid crisis, back the women and men in blue, and restore credibility to the Department of Justice," they wrote in the letter sent to Sens. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, and Dick Durbin, D-Ill.

The letter praised Bondi's work as Florida's attorney general, where she led an aggressive crackdown on opioid drugs and the many "pill mills" operating in the state when she took office. They also praised what they described as Bondi's "national reputation" for her work to end human trafficking, and prosecuting violent crime in the state.

Officials also emphasized Bondi's other achievements in Florida, where she secured consumer protection victories and economic relief on behalf of residents in the Sunshine State. After the 2008 financial crisis, her work leading the National Mortgage Settlement resulted in $56 billion in compensation to victims, the letter said — and in the wake of the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill, Bondi's lawsuit against BP and other companies responsible resulted in a $2 billion settlement in economic relief.

The letter also stressed Bondi's commitment to the rule of law, and what the former officials touted as her track record of working across the aisle during the more than two decades she spent as a prosecutor. 

'UNLIKELY COALITION': A CRIMINAL JUSTICE REFORM ADVOCATE SEES OPPORTUNITIES IN A SECOND TRUMP TERM

"Some of us have worked directly with Attorney General Bondi during her time in office and can personally attest to her integrity and devotion to the rule of law," they wrote. "Many more of us know and admire her well-earned reputation from her long and accomplished career in government service in Florida, her litigation and advocacy on the national stage, and her demonstrated courage as a lawyer."

"As former DOJ officials, we know firsthand the challenges she will face as Attorney General, and we also know she is up to the job."

Those close to Bondi have praised her long record as a prosecutor, and her staunch loyalty to the president-elect, alongside whom she has worked since 2020—first, helping to represent him in his first impeachment trial, and, more recently, in her post as co-chair of the Center for Law and Justice at the America First Policy Institute (AFPI) a think tank set up by former Trump staffers.

She also served in Trump's first presidential term as a member of his Opioid and Drug Abuse Commission.

Bondi's former colleagues have told Fox News Digital they expect her to bring the same playbook she used in Florida to Washington—this time with an eye to cracking down on drug trafficking, illicit fentanyl use, and the cartels responsible for smuggling the drugs across the border. 

"We firmly believe the Justice Department and the Nation will benefit from Attorney General Bondi’s leadership," the DOJ officials  said in conclusion, adding: "We urge you in the strongest manner possible to confirm her as the next Attorney General of the United States."

Russia is planning to share advanced satellite technology with North Korea, according to a warning from Secretary of State Antony Blinken. 

"The DPRK is already receiving Russian military equipment and training. Now, we have reason to believe that Moscow intends to share advanced space and satellite technology with Pyongyang," Blinken said while in Seoul, using North Korea’s official name.

Such technology would allow North Korea to identify targets and aim strikes at adversaries across the world, including the U.S. As of last year, North Korea was estimated to have an arsenal of 50 nuclear weapons. 

The warning comes as North Korea fired a ballistic missile into the Sea of Japan, expanding its weapons tests in the weeks before President-elect Donald Trump takes office. 

NORTH KOREA CARRIES OUT FIRST MISSILE LAUNCH TEST SINCE TRUMP'S ELECTION

In one of his last moves as head of the State Department, Blinken was visiting Seoul for talks with South Korean allies about the North Korean nuclear threat. He'll also visit with officials in Japan, France, Italy and the Holy See. 

Supplying North Korea with satellite technology would come after North Korea supplied Russia with troops and arms to fight in its war on Ukraine. 

Russia "may be close" to accepting North Korea’s nuclear weapons program, reversing decades of commitment to denuclearizing the DPRK. 

SOUTH KOREA IMPOSES A TRAVEL BAN ON PRESIDENT YOON OVER MARTIAL LAW DECLARATION

Russia helped North Korea launch its first successful satellite in 2023. A Russian rocket launched Iranian satellites into orbit in November, ratcheting up the 21st century space race between the U.S. and its foes. 

Last year, Rep. Mike Turner, R-Ohio, chair of the House Intelligence Committee, issued an ominous warning calling on the Biden administration to declassify information that was later revealed to be about Russia's anti-satellite capabilities. 

In May, Assistant Secretary of Defense for Space Policy John Plumb warned that Russia was developing an "indiscriminate" nuclear weapon designed for space, highlighting its potential impacts on communications, commerce and national security.

In a year-end political conference, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un vowed to implement his "toughest" anti-U.S. policy and condemned the Biden administration for strengthening ties with South Korea and Japan, describing the alliance as a "nuclear military bloc for aggression."

During his administration, President-elect Trump met with Kim three times for talks about nuclear programs. However, emboldened by Russian support and a lessened enforcement of international sanctions, Kim may be less likely to stand down in talks with the U.S. than ever before. 

It is also unclear if Trump would put the same emphasis on bolstering U.S. alliances in Asia that the Biden administration did. In the past, he has complained about the cost of keeping 28,000 U.S. troops in South Korea to deter threats from the north and pushed for Seoul to increase its own defense contributions. 

The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

President-elect Donald Trump filed a motion to stay the Jan. 10 sentencing in the New York v. Trump case, Fox Digital has learned. 

"Today, President Trump’s legal team moved to stop the unlawful sentencing in the Manhattan D.A.’s Witch Hunt. The Supreme Court’s historic decision on Immunity, the state constitution of New York, and other established legal precedent mandate that this meritless hoax be immediately dismissed," Trump spokesman and incoming White House communications Director Steven Cheung told Fox Digital on Monday morning. 

NEW YORK JUDGE SETS TRUMP SENTENCING DAYS BEFORE INAUGURATION

"The American People elected President Trump with an overwhelming mandate that demands an immediate end to the political weaponization of our justice system and all of the remaining Witch Hunts. We look forward to uniting our country in the new administration as President Trump makes America great again," Cheung continued. 

New York Judge Juan Merchan set Trump's sentencing date in the case earlier this month, ahead of his inauguration as president on Jan. 20. Trump is set to be sentenced on Friday, Jan. 10 at 9:30 a.m.

​​Trump was found guilty of 34 counts of falsifying business records in the Manhattan case in May. Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg's office worked to prove that Trump falsified business records to conceal a $130,000 payment to former porn star Stormy Daniels ahead of the 2016 election to quiet her claims of an alleged affair with Trump in 2006.

Trump has maintained his innocence in the case and repeatedly railed against it as an example of lawfare promoted by Democrats in an effort to hurt his election efforts ahead of November. 

"Virtually ever legal scholar and pundit says THERE IS NO (ZERO!) CASE AGAINST ME. The Judge fabricated the facts, and the law, no different than the other New York Judicial and Prosecutorial Witch Hunts. That’s why businesses are fleeing New York, taking with them millions of jobs, and BILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN TAXES. The legal system is broken, and businesses can’t take a chance in getting caught up in this quicksand. IT’S ALL RIGGED, in this case against a political opponent, ME!!!" Trump posted to Truth Social on Sunday evening of the case. 

Vice President Kamala Harris is set to do what only two other vice presidents in recent history have done - preside over her defeat in a White House election.

Harris on Monday afternoon will preside over a joint session of Congress where lawmakers will certify President-elect Trump's victory over the current vice president in November's election.

The vice president says her mission is to ensure a peaceful transfer of power from one administration to the next.

CLICK HERE FOR THE LATEST FOX NEWS REPORTING ON TRUMP'S RETURN TO THE WHITE HOUSE

Harris, in a recorded video message released ahead of congressional certification of the 2024 Electoral College vote, said it's a "sacred obligation" which she will uphold, "guided by love of country, loyalty to our Constitution and my unwavering faith in the American people."

CHECK OUT WHO TRUMP'S PICKED TO HELP STEER HIS SECOND PRESIDENTIAL ADMINISTRATION

And pointing to four years ago, when Trump supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol in an unsuccessful effort to upend congressional certification of Trump's 2020 election loss to President Biden, Harris said "as we have seen, our democracy can be fragile."

"It is up to each of us to stand up for our most cherished principles," the vice president emphasized.

The Capitol was attacked hours after Trump, at a large rally on the National Mall near the White House, repeated his unproven claims that the 2020 election was riddled with massive voter fraud and stolen from him. And Trump urged then-Vice President Mike Pence not to certify the election results.

Harris, in her role of presiding over the Senate, becomes the first vice president to oversee the congressional confirmation of their electoral loss since then-Vice President Al Gore did it in January 2001, following his razor-thin defeat to then-Texas Gov. George W. Bush in the 2000 election, which was decided by a Supreme Court ruling.

Four decades earlier, then-Vice President Richard Nixon presided over the certification of his narrow election loss in a 1960 showdown with then-Sen. John F. Kennedy.

Biden, in comments Sunday night, joined Harris in emphasizing that he was "determined to do everything in my power to respect the peaceful transfer of power."

And the president, pointing to the Jan. 6, 2021 storming of the Capitol, told new Democrats in Congress that "now it's your duty to tell the truth. You remember what happened, and I won't let January 6th be rewritten or even erased."

President-elect Donald Trump is urging congressional Republicans to send him "one powerful Bill" as swiftly as possible once he takes office later this month.

Republicans hold the majority in both chambers of Congress and later this month will regain the White House when Trump is sworn in on Jan. 20.

"Members of Congress are getting to work on one powerful Bill that will bring our Country back, and make it greater than ever before. We must Secure our Border, Unleash American Energy, and Renew the Trump Tax Cuts, which were the largest in History, but we will make it even better - NO TAX ON TIPS," Trump declared in a post on Truth Social.

SPEAKER JOHNSON REVEALS HOW TRUMP WANTS CONGRESS TO HANDLE BUSINESS DURING THE FIRST HUNDRED DAYS

"IT WILL ALL BE MADE UP WITH TARIFFS, AND MUCH MORE, FROM COUNTRIES THAT HAVE TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF THE U.S. FOR YEARS. Republicans must unite, and quickly deliver these Historic Victories for the American People. Get smart, tough, and send the Bill to my desk to sign as soon as possible," Trump urged.

House Speaker Mike Johnson had noted during an appearance on Fox News Channel's "Sunday Morning Futures" that he thinks Trump will "prefer, as he likes to say, one big, beautiful bill."

Johnson, who described it as "One big up or down vote which can save the country," noted that he thinks the measure, which will tackle various issues, will also address the debt ceiling.

MIKE JOHNSON RE-ELECTED HOUSE SPEAKER AS GOP MUTINY THREAT DISSOLVES

He indicated that lawmakers are aiming to hold the House vote during the first week of April — the lawmaker said it could potentially clear the chamber as soon as April 3, then head to the Senate, and eventually arrive on Trump's desk by the end of April, or by Memorial Day in a "worst case scenario." 

Johnson retained the speaker's gavel last week after Trump backed him. House Republicans, with the exception of Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., voted for Johnson to remain in the role he has occupied since late October 2023. Two Republicans who initially did not vote for Johnson, ultimately switched their votes to Johnson, handing him the win.

GOP REBELS SWITCH VOTE TO JOHNSON AFTER TRUMP'S 11TH HOUR CALLS, PUSHING HIM OVER THE FINISH LINE

Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, has warned that the U.S. "Senate will be one of the biggest barriers to cutting spending and shrinking government," and "will need public pressure." 

He added the hashtag "#DOGE," referring to the Department of Government Efficiency, an outside of government effort to advocate for decreased government spending, which is being spearheaded by Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy.

Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand says she will apply the lessons learned from the 2024 elections and other recent cycles as she works to win back the Senate majority for the Democrats in the 2026 midterm elections.

"If we've learned anything in the last few cycles, if you're not in the field early, talking to voters about what they're worried about, what’s their kitchen table issues, and then coming up with legislative solutions to help them, they're not going to feel that you have their back. And so it's about a relationship with your voters," the new chair of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee told Fox News Digital in a recent interview.

Gillibrand, the longtime senator from New York who was re-elected in November, was named on Monday by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, a fellow New Yorker, to steer the Senate Democrats' campaign committee in the 2026 cycle.

"Electing more Democrats to the Senate in 2026 is the most important thing we can do to limit the damage of Donald Trump and Congressional Republicans and do more for working families," Schumer argued in a statement. "I have worked side by side with Kirsten Gillibrand for nearly two decades and I know she will be an outstanding DSCC Chair. With her hard work, tenacity, and discipline, Sen. Gillibrand is the right person to lead our campaign to victory in 2026."

MEET THE REPUBLICAN SENATOR TASKED WITH DEFENDING THE GOP'S SENATE MAJORITY IN 2026

Gillibrand pledged in a statement to "work my hardest to support our Democratic incumbents, recruit the strongest possible candidates, and ensure they have every resource needed to win. I am confident that we will protect our Democratic seats, mount strong challenges in our battleground races, and look to expand our efforts into some unexpected states."

The senator, as she looked ahead to her new mission to win back the Senate majority or at the least, cut into the GOP's newly won 53-47 control of the chamber, pointed in her Fox News Digital interview to her own re-election and her efforts to help House Democrats flip Republican-controlled seats in the 2024 cycle.

"I made sure that for my race and for the House races in New York that our candidates were in the community talking to voters two years before the election, talking to them about what mattered to them. People were concerned about crime; they were concerned about immigration. They were concerned about fentanyl and gun trafficking. They were also concerned about the economy and the cost of food, the cost of housing," she said.

GILLIBRAND ARGUES DEMOCRATS SHOULD HAVE PUT IMMIGRATION ON THE TABLE TWO YEARS AGO

Gillibrand emphasized that "we really did the outreach and engagement that you really need to do in this day and age to make sure you're talking about the things that voters want you to be working on."

Additionally, she said that Democrats can learn from President-elect Donald Trump's 2024 White House victory.

"President-elect Trump is a formidable candidate. He showed in this last election that he was able to win over voters in states across this country, not just red states," Gillibrand noted. "I think it's important to learn the lessons of last cycle."

Senate Democrats faced an extremely difficult map in the 2024 cycle as they lost control of the majority. An early read of the 2026 map shows they will continue to play defense in some states, but also offers opportunities to go on offense.

Among them is the southeastern battleground state of North Carolina.

"There's a number of places where Democrats can win if they have the right candidate in the community early enough talking about the issues that voters care about. A state like North Carolina might be one where we got very close last time.," Gillibrand said.

There is plenty of speculation that former Gov. Roy Cooper, who just finished steering the state for two terms, may make a bid for the Senate against Republican incumbent Sen. Thom Tillis.

"There are some really remarkably good candidates in North Carolina, considering the former governor would be one of them. That's the kind of state I'm going to be looking at around the country, states where Democrats have won in the past, where they might be able to win again if they have a candidate that really resonates and does the hard work of engaging voters early," Gillibrand said.

FORMER TRUMP AMBASSADOR EYES SENATE RETURN, POTENTIALLY SETTING UP 2026 REMATCH IN KEY SWING STATE

Another potential pickup opportunity for Gillibrand may be blue-leaning Maine, where moderate Republican Susan Collins is up for re-election in 2026.

"Susan is quite tough to beat," Gillibrand acknowledged. But she added that "if we get a great candidate there, that's a race where we will be competitive."

The 2026 map also gives Republicans opportunities to flip Democrat-controlled seats.

In swing state New Hampshire, longtime Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, who's taking over as ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, is up for re-election.

Sen. Gary Peters, who steered the DSCC in the 2022 and 2024 cycles, is up for re-election in battleground Michigan. So is first-term Sen. Jon Ossoff in swing state Georgia.

"The great thing about Jean Shaheen is she is in her community every week, talking to people about the things she works on, on their behalf. She's common sense, she's bipartisan, and so I'm optimistic we will hold her seat," Gillibrand said. "I'm also optimistic about making sure Gary Peters holds his seat in Michigan. Again, he's extremely bipartisan. He's constantly working on behalf of the voters of Michigan to make sure they understand that he fights for them. The same is true, I'd say for Jon Ossoff. He hit the ground running as a new senator last term, and I think he really does resonate with Georgia voters."

President Biden announced an 11th-hour executive action on Monday that bans new drilling and further oil and natural gas development on more than 625 million acres of U.S. coastal and offshore waters. 

Biden, whose term expires in two weeks, said he is using authority to protect offshore areas along the East and West coasts, the eastern Gulf of Mexico and portions of Alaska's Northern Bering Sea from future oil and natural gas leasing. He invoked the 1953 Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act, meaning President-elect Trump could be limited in his ability to revoke the action. Congress might need to intervene to grant Trump authority to place federal waters back into development. 

"My decision reflects what coastal communities, businesses, and beachgoers have known for a long time: that drilling off these coasts could cause irreversible damage to places we hold dear and is unnecessary to meet our nation’s energy needs," Biden said in a statement. "It is not worth the risks. As the climate crisis continues to threaten communities across the country and we are transitioning to a clean energy economy, now is the time to protect these coasts for our children and grandchildren." 

The move garnered quick condemnation from Trump's incoming White House press secretary, Karoline Leavitt. 

TRUMP PLANNING TO LIFT BIDEN'S LNG PAUSE, INCREASE OIL DRILLING DURING 1ST DAYS IN OFFICE: REPORT

"This is a disgraceful decision designed to exact political revenge on the American people who gave President Trump a mandate to increase drilling and lower gas prices. Rest assured, Joe Biden will fail, and we will drill, baby, drill," Leavitt wrote on X. 

Biden patted himself on the back for what he categorized as a legacy move in the fight against climate change. 

"From Day One, I have delivered on the most ambitious climate and conservation agenda in our country’s history. And over the last four years, I have conserved more than 670 million acres of America’s lands and waters, more than any other president in history," Biden said. "Our country’s remarkable conservation and restoration progress has been locally led by Tribes, farmers and ranchers, fishermen, small businesses, and outdoor recreation enthusiasts across the country. Together, our ‘America the Beautiful’ initiative put the United States on track to meet my ambitious goal to conserve at least 30 percent of our Nation’s lands and waters by 2030."  

BIDEN MOVING TO BAN OIL AND GAS LEASES FOR 20 YEARS IN NEVADA REGION, JUST WEEKS BEFORE TRUMP INAUGURATION

"We do not need to choose between protecting the environment and growing our economy, or between keeping our ocean healthy, our coastlines resilient, and the food they produce secure and keeping energy prices low," the statement added. "Those are false choices. Protecting America’s coasts and ocean is the right thing to do, and will help communities and the economy to flourish for generations to come." 

Ron Neal, the chairman of the Independent Petroleum Association of America Offshore Committee, also slammed Biden's last-ditch offshore drilling ban as "significant and catastrophic." 

"While it may not directly affect the currently active production areas in the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) and adjoining coastal areas, it represents a major attack on the oil and natural gas industry. This should be seen as the ‘elephant’s nose under the tent.’ The ban severely limits potential for exploration and development in new areas therefore chocking the long-term survivability of the industry," Neal, also the President of Houston Energy LP and CEO of HEQ Deepwater, said in a statement. "This move is a first step towards more extensive restrictions all across our industry in all U.S. basins including the onshore. If the activists come for anything, they are coming for everything. The policy is catastrophic for the development of new areas for oil and natural gas but, the environmentalists will eventually look to also shut down offshore wind farms for most of the same reasons. President Biden and his allies continue to push anti-energy policies that will hurt Americans." 

Trump, during his 2024 campaign, promised to deliver American "energy dominance" on the world stage as he looked toward bolstering U.S. oil and gas drilling, as well as distance from Biden’s prioritization of climate change initiatives.