President Donald Trump met with foreign leaders from El Salvador and Italy this week, advancing negotiations on both trade and immigration issues at the White House. 

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni visited Washington during a pause in steep tariffs against the European Union and other countries that could go into effect in June. But both Trump and Meloni voiced optimism that the two countries would secure a deal before then.

"There will be a trade deal, 100%," Trump told reporters at the White House Thursday. "Of course there will be a trade deal, they want to make one very much, and we’re going to make a trade deal. I fully expect it, but it’ll be a fair deal." 

ITALY'S MELONI GOES TO WASHINGTON FOR TARIFF HUDDLE WITH TRUMP 

When asked whether she still considered the U.S. a reliable trading partner due to changes related to tariff policy, Meloni said that she wouldn’t have made the trek to the White House unless it were so. Meloni said her objective for the trip was to invite Trump to meetings on behalf of Italy and Europe to foster a trade negotiation between the two states. 

"I think the best way is that we simply speak frankly about the needs that every one of us has and find ourselves in the middle for that's useful for all," Meloni told reporters Thursday.

Meanwhile, Vice President JD Vance met with Meloni Friday in Rome to continue discussing economic policies between the two countries. 

Here’s what also happened this week: 

Trump kicked off the week meeting with El Salvador President Nayib Bukele Monday, launching a debate about whether El Salvador should return Maryland resident Kilmar Abrego-Garcia after he was deported there. 

On Monday, Trump administration officials and Bukele agreed that they didn't have the authority to return Abrego-Garcia to the U.S., even though the Trump administration admitted in court filings that he was deported in an "administrative error." Even so, the Trump administration has accused Abrego-Garcia of being a member of the MS-13 gang, a designated terrorist group. 

Meanwhile, the Supreme Court upheld in April a lower court's order that "requires the government to 'facilitate' Abrego Garcia's release from custody in El Salvador and to ensure that his case is handled as it would have been had he not been improperly sent to El Salvador."

While Attorney General Pam Bondi told reporters Monday that El Salvador would call the final shots on whether it would return Abrego-Garcia, Bukele said it was "preposterous" for El Salvador to do so. 

"How can I smuggle a terrorist into the U.S.? I don't have the power to return him to the United States," Bukele said.

Additionally, the Justice Department unveiled documents Wednesday detailing domestic violence allegations that Abrego-Garcia’s wife, Jennifer Vasquez, included in a court filing in 2021. Vasquez alleged in the filing that Garcia beat her and that she had documentation of the bruises he left on her.

The Trump administration also continued to go after federal funding at higher education institutions. 

After Harvard refused to comply with a series of requests from the Trump administration to reform various practices on campus, the administration revealed Monday that it would freeze more than $2 billion in federal funding for the institution.

Harvard University President Alan M. Garber said in a Monday statement that the Trump administration included additional requests unrelated to tackling antisemitism on campus. As a result, Garber said the institution would not bend to those requests, claiming they were unconstitutional. 

WHITE HOUSE SLAMS IVY LEAGUE INSTITUTIONS FOR ‘EGREGIOUS ILLEGAL BEHAVIOR’ AMID TRUMP FEUD WITH HARVARD 

Garber said the new requests "direct governmental regulation of the ‘intellectual conditions’ at Harvard," including auditing viewpoints of student, faculty and staff members on campus, and eliminating all diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs, offices and initiatives at Harvard. 

"It makes clear that the intention is not to work with us to address antisemitism in a cooperative and constructive manner," Garber said. "We have informed the administration through our legal counsel that we will not accept their proposed agreement."

Trump also signed an executive order Tuesday seeking to combat soaring prescription drug prices.  

The directive instructs Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to standardize Medicare payments for prescription drugs, including those used for cancer patients, no matter where a patient receives treatment. This could lower prices for patients by as much as 60%, according to a White House fact sheet.

The order also includes a provision to match the Medicare payment for certain prescription drugs to the price that hospitals pay for those drugs. That amounts to up to 35% lower than what the government pays to acquire those medications, the White House said.

Drug prices have significantly risen in recent years. Between January 2022 and January 2023, prescription drug prices rose more than 15% and reached an average of $590 per drug product, according to the Department of Health and Human Services. Of the 4,200 prescription drugs included on that list, 46% of the price increases exceeded the rate of inflation.

FIRST ON FOX: The White House is launching a new "Road to Independence" video lecture series leading up to America's 250th birthday, and the Trump administration has planned a year of festivities to commemorate it. 

The series, launched the same day as the first engagement of the Revolutionary War in 1775, will commemorate important moments in American history ahead of the Trump administration's commencement of a full year of festivities that will launch on Memorial Day in honor of America's 250th anniversary. 

The videos are being produced in a partnership between the Department of Education and Hillsdale College, whose president appeared in an introductory video launching the series. 

"President Trump wishes to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence next year with an open heart," Hillsdale President Larry P. Arnn said in his introductory video. "One of the things we must do to commemorate anything — commemorate just means to remember together — first we have to know the thing. We can't remember it very well if we don't know it very well. So, part of the purpose of this series of lectures is to remember."

AHEAD OF TRUMP SPEECH TO CONGRESS, FLASHBACK TO 2017 ADDRESS ASKING ‘WHAT WILL AMERICA LOOK LIKE’ AT 250

The "Road to Independence" video series will culminate with the start of the Trump administration's year-long festivities honoring America's 250th birthday. 

In January, President Donald Trump signed an executive order establishing a White House task force to lead the planning and execution of this "extraordinary celebration." The White House plans to engage with the entire federal government, state and local governments, the private sector, nonprofits and educational institutions.

Arnn's introductory message, launching the video series on Saturday, was also paired with the video series' first episode commemorating the Battle of Lexington and Concord. Additional episodes, which will be shared on the White House website, will be released regularly to commemorate significant events related to America's founding.

TRUMP TO CREATE TASK FORCE TO PLAN ‘EXTRAORDINARY CELEBRATION’ FOR 250TH ANNIVERSARY OF AMERICA'S INDEPENDENCE  

The Battle of Lexington and Concord, fought on April 19, 1775, was the first military engagement leading to America's independence from Great Britain and the eventual signing of the Declaration of Independence. The 10-minute video shares the story of this pivotal moment in history from the perspective of Hillsdale College history professor Wilfred M. McClay

In addition to the two videos in the series, the White House is also commemorating the start of America's fight for independence this weekend with a reading of the poem "Paul Revere's Ride" by White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt, which will be posted across social media. The poem commemorates the midnight ride of Paul Revere on April 18, 1775, when he rode his horse through the night to warn Massachusetts colonists of advancing British troops.   

"President Trump signed an executive order to create the America 250 task force because he feels strongly about honoring our nation’s heritage ahead of this monumental anniversary," Leavitt told Fox News Digital. "The ‘Road to Independence’ video series will bring the incredible story of our country to the public as we prepare to celebrate America together in July 2026."

PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP HOSTS EASTER DINNER WITH ‘WORSHIP AND PRAYERS’

During President Trump's first term, he held a unique "Salute To America" event on the Fourth of July in 2019, which was different from typical Independence Day celebrations put on by past presidents. The event included a prominent display of military hardware with tanks parked near the National Mall and military flyovers by an array of aircraft. It also included an address on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial from the president and the typical fireworks display.

A Democratic congresswoman from Oregon is the latest lawmaker to announce she will travel to El Salvador to advocate for the release of deported illegal migrant Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia.

Rep. Maxine Dexter, said late Friday she would jet to the South American country following Sen. Chris Van Hollen's, D-Md., highly publicized visit there this week when he met with Abrego Garcia, who was deported to the country’s "Terrorism Confinement Center" (CECOT) megaprison with other suspected illegal migrant gang members last month.

"A legal U.S. resident has had his due process rights ripped away and is now being held indefinitely in a foreign prison," Dexter said in a statement. 

"This is not just one family’s nightmare; it is a constitutional crisis that should outrage every single one of us. I will travel to El Salvador to confront this crisis head on. Our constitutional rights are on the line."   

FEDERAL JUDGE HAMMERS DOJ ON WHEREABOUTS OF ALLEGED MS-13 GANG MEMBER FOLLOWING SCOTUS ORDER

The case has drawn a wedge between Democrats and Republicans. 

The Trump administration argues Abrego Garcia is an MS-13 gang member who is suspected of human trafficking and has a violent history of abusing his wife.

A 2022 Homeland Security Investigations report identified Garcia as a member of MS-13 and a suspected human trafficker. A 2021 domestic violence filing, written by his wife, Jennifer Vasquez, claimed, "I have multiple photos/videos of how violent he can be and all the bruises he [has] left me."

Democrats say he is a hard-working Maryland resident who has had his due process rights stripped away after being sent to the notorious prison. 

The Supreme Court acknowledges that Abrego Garcia was subject to a 2019 withholding order forbidding his removal to El Salvador, and that the removal to El Salvador was "therefore illegal." The Court stressed that the government must facilitate his release from custody in El Salvador and treat his case as if he were never deported.

WHITE HOUSE PHOTO BLUNTLY SHOWS WHERE PARTIES STAND ON IMMIGRATION AMID ABREGO GARCIA DEPORTATION

Trump administration officials acknowledged in court that his deportation had been an administrative error, although now some top Trump officials say he was correctly removed and contend he's a member of the notorious MS-13 gang. 

One immigration judge in 2019 found that Garcia had not sufficiently refuted evidence of MS-13 affiliation and was thus removable to anywhere other than El Salvador because of a threat from a rival gang. This is called a withholding order.

On Friday, Trump released an image of Abrego Garcia’s hand showing purported MS-13 gang tattoos. 

White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller on Monday said that two courts found Abrego Garcia to be an MS-13 gang member, and he was deported after Trump declared the violent gang a terrorist organization. 

Miller said that when Trump declared MS-13 a terrorist organization, Abrego Garcia was no longer eligible for any form of immigration relief in the United States.

Critics, including Republicans and Trump allies, have questioned why Van Hollen would travel abroad to advocate for someone with alleged gang ties and a record of domestic abuse while remaining silent on victims like Rachel Morin, a Maryland woman murdered by an illegal immigrant in 2023.

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The White House released a split-screen image to underscore what it says is the stark contrast between where Republicans and Democrats stand on illegal immigration.

One image featured distraught Angel Mom Patty Morin, mother of Rael Morin, being comforted by President Trump in the Oval Office. The other image showed Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., sitting and talking with Abrego Garcia, 29, in El Salvador.

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

Fox News’ Greg Wehner, Kerri Urbahn and Jasmine Baehr contributed to this report.

Due to a security law passed 20 years ago, many Americans are now required to update their driver’s license or identification cards to become REAL ID-compliant — or they won’t be able to board U.S. flights.

With the deadline fast approaching on May 7, some conservatives have called on President Donald Trump to do away with the inconvenient requirement that they say violates civil liberties. 

On May 7, federal agencies, including the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), will no longer accept driver’s licenses or ID cards that do not have a star in one of the upper corners to represent their REAL ID verification. To become REAL ID-verified, applicants have to provide additional verifying information like Social Security numbers. 

Flyers who don’t have REAL ID verification on their license should plan to use a passport, a passport card, a permanent resident card, military ID or an enhanced driver’s license offered by some states.  

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

The TSA says it will begin "phased enforcement" on May 7, but it’s unclear whether that means turning away travelers without proper documentation or subjecting them to additional security screening.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said in an FAQ on its website that travelers without "a REAL ID-compliant license or acceptable alternative beginning May 7, 2025, will not be permitted through the security checkpoint."

In a federal rule established this year, the TSA says its "phased approach" could last two years, with the potential to issue warnings to people without REAL ID verification. 

Access to other federal facilities and nuclear power plants will also require a REAL ID, according to DHS. 

Drivers who have recently renewed their driver’s license may already have a REAL ID. Check for the star in the upper right or left corner. Otherwise, check with your local Department of Motor Vehicles office on how to get a REAL ID or make an appointment to get a new license. 

You’ll need documentation to show your full legal name, date of birth, Social Security number and lawful status, as well as two proofs of address. If you don’t have your Social Security card, you can provide a W-2 or pay stub with your name and Social Security number on it. 

NO 'REAL ID' APPOINTMENTS OPEN IN NEW JERSEY AS RESIDENTS SOUND OFF: ‘GET WITH THE TIMES, NJ'

Congress passed and President George W. Bush signed the REAL ID Act in 2005 after the 9/11 Commission warned that it was too easy for bad actors to obtain a driver’s license.

Implementation of the law has been marred by delays in getting all 50 states and U.S. territories to implement the new requirements and start issuing advanced identification, which the federal government estimated would cost $11 billion in 2007. 

The 2020 deadline was pushed back multiple times due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

TSA senior official Adam Stahl said recently in an announcement that REAL ID "bolsters safety by making fraudulent IDs harder to forge, thwarting criminals and terrorists."

Some on the right have cried foul, and questioned why, if previous administrations have delayed the implementation, it is necessary now. 

When Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem posted a video reminding Americans of the May 7 deadline, former Alaska governor and vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin responded: "Or what?? Evidently, existing ID requirements for American citizens just aren’t adequate now, so Big Brother is forcing us through more hoops for the ‘right’ to travel within our own country."

Palin continued: "Other administrations delayed this newfangled, burdensome REAL ID requirement. Are you curious why its implementation is imperative now?? And who came up with this?"

Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., argued in an X post, "As long as the pilot’s door is locked and no one has weapons, why do you care that someone who flies has government permission? REAL ID provides no benefit, yet presents a serious risk to freedom. If a person can’t be trusted to fly without weapons, why are they roaming free?"

Massie took shots at Trump in a follow-up post: "REAL ID is a 2005 George Bush-era Patriot Act overreach that went completely unenforced until Trump got into office. Let me guess: he’s playing 4D chess and I should just go along with it?"

Trump ally Rep. Mark Alford, R-Mo., rebuked REAL ID critics in his own public statement. 

"The REAL ID Act was passed way back in 2005, 20 years ago!!!! It’s about time everyone stop dragging their feet. Quit scrolling through social media, quit complaining, get your info together, and get down to the DMV to get your REAL ID," Alford said Wednesday. 

The White House could not immediately be reached for comment on the criticisms of REAL ID. 

Fox News' Liz Elkind contributed to this report.

Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., has been crisscrossing the country the past couple of months, taking a lead in amplifying the Democratic Party's message in resisting President Donald Trump's aggressive and controversial actions in overturning long-standing government policy and slashing the federal workforce.

But Khanna, the California Democrat who's in his fifth term in the House and who likely harbors national ambitions in 2028, is not only turning up the volume in his broadsides against Trump and Vice President JD Vance, Trump's heir apparent, but also against his own party.

"We have to have a whole rebrand of the Democratic Party with a coherent platform and a future-oriented platform, and many leaders need to do that. New leaders, not the old guard. And I hope to be part of that," Khanna said in an interview with Fox News Digital.

DEMOCRATS’ VICE CHAIR IGNITES CIVIL WAR, TARGETING 'ASLEEP AT THE WHEEL' INCUMBENTS IN PRIMARIES

When asked if party leaders need to be more vocal in pushing back against the Trump administration, Khanna quickly said yes.

"We need more from our leadership. And you know, if you're not willing to speak up about someone being snatched away from their home and deported without due process, you probably shouldn't be in elective office as a Democrat right now," he said. "We need Democrats speaking out, not just on the economy. We need them speaking out on civil liberties, on the rights of immigrants and on the rights of universities."

DEM RISING STAR EYES VANCE AS KEY LONG-TERM THREAT: 'NEEDS TO BE DEFEATED'

But Khanna also praised the recent record-breaking marathon Senate floor speech by Sen. Cory Booker D-N.J., and the large rallies across the country being co-headlined by Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y.

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

Democrats have become increasingly angry and very energized in response to Trump's moves. That anger is directed not only at Trump and Republicans, but also at fellow Democrats. Many in the party's base feel their leaders in Congress haven't been effective or vocal enough in pushing back against the president.

BERNIE SANDERS, AOC AND OTHER ANTI-TRUMP PROGRESSIVES HAUL IN BIG BUCKS FOR 2026 MIDTERMS

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

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

And a Gallup poll released on Thursday spotlighted that confidence in the Democratic Party's congressional leadership has sunk to an all-time low.

Looking ahead to next year's midterm elections, when House Democrats aim to topple the GOP's razor-thin majority in the House, Khanna said he will continue his brisk pace on the campaign trail.

"I'm already going out to more red districts. We did three red districts in California. I'm headed out to Pennsylvania. Was invited to go out to Nebraska, to Nevada, down south to South Carolina," he said. "So we will be campaigning in red districts. Thousands of people are showing up. I'm very, very confident that we're going to succeed."

This past week, Khanna trained his verbal fire on Vance as he delivered two high-profile speeches in the vice president's home state of Ohio on Monday and on Tuesday at Yale Law School, where both politicians earned their legal degrees.

In his interview with Fox News Digital in New Haven, Connecticut, ahead of the Yale speech, Khanna was asked if his attacks on Vance were an early 2028 positioning move.

Khanna responded that "what I'm doing is providing an intellectual foundation for the Democratic Party."

FIRST ON FOX— Pro-life activist Mark Houck, who sued the Justice Department over his arrest and prosecution under the Biden administration, said his family has been blocked from settling their lawsuit by an "activist" federal judge. 

Houck filed a lawsuit against the Justice Department last year, seeking restitution for what he called "a faulty investigation" and "excessive force" after a SWAT team of around 25 people arrested him in front of his children.

Now, Houck is appealing the judge's decision to the Third District Court and calling on the Trump administration to follow through on ending the weaponization of the DOJ against pro-lifers such as him once and for all. He discusses the case with his wife and 40 Days for Life founder Shawn Carney in a new video shared with Fox News Digital. 

"You live in fear of it happening again, not only to yourselves but to others, and you want to know that this administration, which rode this message to the White House, is willing to step in," Houck said in the video, adding, "and they're doing it for other organizations, they're doing it in the DOGE, they're doing it with all the things, they're cleaning house." 

PRO-LIFE JOURNALIST ASSAULTED ON STREET ASSIGNS BLAME TO DEMOCRATIC RHETORIC

In an interview with Fox News Digital, 40 Days for Life President Shawn Carney said: "I just think, Democratic or Republican, we're tired of activist judges on both sides of the political aisle." 

"Nobody likes it – and just, this guy's a victim," Carney said, adding that the Justice Department "needs to fix this."

News of the appeal, which is slated to be filed by 40 Days for Life on behalf of Houck, was shared exclusively with Fox News Digital. The group has already filed a Notice to Appeal to the courts. 

At issue are the settlement negotiations that 40 Days for Life entered into with the Justice Department in early 2025, following Trump's inauguration.

U.S. District Judge Paul Diamond, a Bush appointee, abruptly issued a motion to dismiss the case last month, effectively ending the negotiations that had been playing out between Houck and the Trump-led Justice Department.

FEDERAL JUDGES IN NEW YORK AND TEXAS BLOCK TRUMP DEPORTATIONS AFTER SCOTUS RULING

It appears that the motion to dismiss the case had originally been filed by the Biden-led Justice Department, which charged Houck in 2021 for allegedly violating the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances, or FACE Act. 

In the video, Carney and Houck discussed the judge's decision as well as changes in the law enforcement community more broadly, and what they hope to be new priorities of the second Trump administration.

Houck said his family is disappointed by the judge's actions and added that "it reflects poorly against the Trump administration."

Speaking with Fox News Digital, Carney lamented the dismissal of their lawsuit by Diamond, whom he called an "activist" judge and accused of political bias. Nevertheless, he expressed confidence that the Trump administration would make it right. 

PENNSYLVANIA JURY ACQUITS PRO-LIFE ACTIVIST MARK HOUCK ON CHARGES OF OBSTRUCTING ABORTION CLINIC ACCESS

"We are appealing the decision of the judge to continue the lawsuit against the DOJ," Carney said. "And of course, if we could get back on track with that, the idea is that then we would be able to settle with DOJ, since they want to settle."

"We have a very strong appeal," he said of their yet-to-be-filed brief. "We're very confident about the appeal."

The FBI and Department of Justice did not respond to requests for comment. 

Houck, a longtime volunteer with 40 Days for Life, was arrested in 2021 for his actions outside a Planned Parenthood clinic, which prosecutors said violated the so-called Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act, or FACE Act.

He was acquitted by a Philadelphia jury, but could have faced up to eleven years in prison if convicted.

Both his high-profile arrest at home, and the lengthy prison sentence he could have faced if convicted, prompted outrage from pro-life groups, including 40 Days for Life, where Houck has volunteered since 2007. 

SUPREME COURT FREEZES ORDER TO RETURN MAN FROM EL SALVADOR PRISON

In 2023, after Houck's acquittal, 40 Days for Life joined Houck in suing the Justice Department over the ordeal, accusing law enforcement personnel of conducting a "faulty investigation" against him, and accusing law enforcement of using "excessive force" in the FBI raid of his family home.

Carney has weighed in on the topic before, saying in a post on X this year that 40 Days for Life was "targeted constantly by the Biden DOJ." 

"With 1,000,000 peaceful volunteers we will always fight for free speech for pro-life and pro-abortion Americans alike. God bless Trump and Vance for backing us up," said Carney. 

Tax season is done. 

And this year, Congressional Republicans converted tax season to "sales" season. Republicans and President Donald Trump are pushing to approve a bill to reauthorize his 2017 tax cut package. Otherwise, those taxes expire later this year.

"We absolutely have to make the tax cuts permanent," said Rep. Tom Tiffany, R-Wis., on FOX Business.

"We've got to get the renewal of the President's Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. That's absolutely essential," said Sen. Mike Rounds, R-S.D., on FOX Business.

Rates for nearly every American spike if Congress doesn’t act within the next few months.

CONFIDENCE IN DEMOCRATS HITS ALL TIME LOW IN NEW POLL

"We are trying to avoid tax increases on the most vulnerable populations in our country," said Rep. Beth Van Duyne, R-Texas, a member of the House Ways and Means Committee which determines tax policy. "I am trying to avoid a recession."

If Congress stumbles, the non-partisan Tax Foundation estimates that a married couple with two children – earning $165,000 a year – is slapped with an extra $2,400 in taxes. A single parent with no kids making $75,000 annually could see a $1,700 upcharge on their tax bill. A single parent with two children bringing home $52,000 a year gets slapped with an additional $1,400 in taxes a year.

"Pretty significant. That's an extra mortgage payment or extra rent payment," said Daniel Bunn of the non-partisan Tax Foundation. "People have been kind of used to living with the policies that are currently in law for almost eight years now. And the shift back to the policy that was prior to the 2017 tax cuts would be a dramatic tax increase for many."

But technically, Republicans aren’t cutting taxes.

"As simple as I can make this bill. It is about keeping tax rates the same," said Sen. James Lankford, R-Oklahoma, on Fox.

Congress had to write the 2017 tax reduction bill in a way so that the reductions would expire this year. That was for accounting purposes. Congress didn’t have to count the tax cuts against the deficit thanks to some tricky number-crunching mechanisms – so long as they expired within a multi-year window. But the consequence was that taxes could climb if lawmakers failed to renew the old reductions.

"It sunsets and so you just automatically go back to the tax levels prior to 2017," said Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa.

A recent Fox News poll found that 45% of those surveyed – and 44% of independents believe the rich don’t pay enough taxes.

Democrats hope to turn outrage about the perceived tax disparity against Trump.

"He wants his billionaire buddies to get an even bigger tax break. Is that disgraceful?" asked Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., at a rally in New York.

"Disgrace!" shouted someone in the crowd.

"Disgraceful! Disgraceful!" followed up Schumer.

Some Republicans are now exploring raising rates on the wealthy or corporations. There’s been chatter on Capitol Hill and in the administration about exploring an additional set of tax brackets.

"I don't believe the president has made a determination on whether he supports it or not," said White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt.

"We’re going to see where the President is" on this, said Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent while traveling in Argentina. "Everything is on the table."

A Treasury spokesperson then clarified Bessent’s remarks.

"What’s off the table is a $4.4 trillion tax increase on the American people," said the spokesperson. "Additionally, corporate tax cuts will set off a manufacturing boom and rapidly grow the U.S. economy again."

Top Congressional GOP leaders dismissed the idea.

"I’m not a big fan of doing that," said House Speaker Mike Johnson on Fox. "I mean we're the Republican party and we're for tax reduction for everyone."

FEDERAL JUDGE TEMPORARILY RESTRICTS DOGE ACCESS TO PERSONALIZED SOCIAL SECURITY DATA

"I don’t support that initiative," said House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La., on FOX Business, before adding "everything’s on the table."

But if you’re President Donald Trump and the GOP, consider the politics of creating a new corporate tax rate or hiking taxes on the well-to-do. 

The president has expanded the GOP base. Republicans are no longer the party of the "wealthy." Manual laborers, shop and storekeepers and small business persons now comprise Trump’s GOP. So maintaining these tax cuts helps with that working-class core. Raising taxes on the wealthy would help Republicans pay for the tax cuts and reduce the hit on the deficit. And it would shield Republicans from the Democrats’ argument that the tax cuts are for the rich.

Congress is now in the middle of a two-week recess for Passover and Easter. GOP lawmakers and staff are working behind the scenes to actually write the bill. No one knows exactly what will be in the bill. Trump promised no taxes on tips for food service workers. There is also talk of no taxes on overtime. 

WHITE HOUSE PHOTO BLUNTLY SHOWS WHERE PARTIES STAND ON IMMIGRATION AMID ABREGO GARCIA DEPORTATION

Republicans from high-tax states like New York and Pennsylvania want to see a reduction of "SALT." That’s where taxpayers can write off "state and local taxes." This provision is crucial to secure the support of Republicans like Reps. Nicole Malliotakis, R-N.Y., and Mike Lawler, R-N.Y. But including the SALT reduction also increases the deficit.

So what will the bill look like?

"Minor adjustments within that are naturally on the table," said Rounds. "The key though, [is] 218 in the House and 51 in the Senate."

In other words, it’s about the math. Republicans need to develop the right legislative brew which commands just the right amount of votes in both chambers to pass. That could mean including certain provisions – or dumping others. It’s challenging. Especially with the slim House majority.

"There were trade-offs and offsets within that bill that many people are dissatisfied with," said Bunn of the 2017 bill. "And it's not clear how the package is going to come together with those various trade-offs."

Johnson wants the bill complete by Memorial Day. Republicans know this enterprise can’t drag on too late into the year. Taxpayers would see a tax increase – even if it’s temporary – if working out the bill stretches into the fall when the IRS begins to prepare for the next tax season.

It’s also thought that finishing this sooner rather than later would provide some stability to the volatile stock markets. Establishing tax policy for next year would calm anxieties about the nation’s economic outlook.

"The big, beautiful bill," Trump calls it, adding he wants the legislation done "soon."

And that’s why tax season is now sales season. Both to the lawmakers. And to the public.

The U.S. Supreme Court issued a ruling early Saturday morning blocking, at least for now, the deportations of any Venezuelans held in northern Texas under an 18th century wartime law.

The justices instructed the Trump administration not to remove Venezuelans held in the Bluebonnet Detention Center "until further order of this court."

Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito dissented from the majority opinion.

ACLU APPEALS TO SUPREME COURT TO STOP VENEZUELAN DEPORTATIONS; BOASBERG HOLDS EMERGENCY HEARING FRIDAY NIGHT

The court's ruling comes after an emergency appeal from the American Civil Liberties Union arguing that federal immigration authorities appeared to be working to resume the removal of migrants from the U.S. under the Alien Enemies Act of 1798.

Two federal judges earlier declined to step in and the U.S. 5th Circuit Court of Appeals has not made any decision.

DEMOCRAT SENATOR VAN HOLLEN MEETS, SHAKES HANDS WITH ABREGO GARCIA

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The Alien Enemies Act has only been invoked three previous times in U.S. history, with the most recent being during World War II to hold Japanese-American civilians in internment camps.

The Trump administration claims the act gave them the authority to swiftly remove immigrants they accuse of being members of the Tren de Aragua gang, regardless of their immigration status.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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

Here's what's happening…

-Gabbard announces RFK files released months after Trump's order: 'Light on the truth'

-Top Dem asks Noem how TSA will prevent 'major disruptions' as many travelers still lack REAL ID

-Biden's vax-focused COVID-19 website obliterated by White House, replaced with 'true origins' virus guide

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

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

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

HOMELAND SECURITY REPORT: Kilmar Abrego Garcia suspected of human, labor trafficking in Homeland Security report

'LOOKED LIKE A FOOL': Trump calls Sen. Van Hollen a 'fool' after meeting with deported MS-13 suspect in El Salvador

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PUT THAT ON HOLD: Federal judge bucks Trump admin, delays dismissal of of MS-13 leader's case

CROWN OF THORNS: LGBTQ Christians crusade against Trump's religiously 'hostile' policies during Holy Week

'BIG HONOR': Trump announces a conservative media star, a GOP governor, and others for Homeland Security Advisory Council

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'YOU WANT PEOPLE TO BUY': Trump says US 'talking to China end may be in sight amid tariff hikes

'NEVER ALONE': Huckabee visits iconic holy site in Israel, delivers Trump's prayer for peace

HAMAS CASH CRISIS: Hamas terror group reportedly buckling under financial strain amid Israeli military gains and growing unrest

‘UNACCEPTABLE’: Chinese firm aiding Houthi attacks on US vessels, as airstrikes kill 74

HOLY WEEK OUTREACH: Pope Francis visits Rome prison during Holy Week

'MOVE ON': Rubio says US ready to 'move on' within days if no progress on Russia-Ukraine peace deal

DEMOCRATS IN DISARRAY: Confidence in Congressional Democrats hits all time low in new poll

PINK ALERT: Top GOP senator calls out Code Pink, The People’s Forum allegedly pushing CCP propaganda in US

UNMASKED: Anti-Israel agitator charged in violent hate crime attack on two Jewish college students

GLOVES ARE OFF: Top GOP lawmaker, Hochul trade barbs amid speculation Trump ally is jumping in gubernatorial race

'SAFER TODAY': ICE arrests over 200 illegal aliens in New York City's 'most crime-infested neighborhoods'

GATHERING INFO: ICE and DOGE seek sensitive data in crackdown on illegal immigration, waste: report

UNHEALTHY: HHS probing hospital over firing of nurse who blew whistle on minors getting gender treatments

'WIDE FISSURE': Federal judge temporarily restricts DOGE access to personalized Social Security data

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

Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., says the margaritas were fake. The outrage, he says, is real.

Returning from a highly publicized trip to El Salvador to meet with deported illegal immigrant Kilmar Abrego Garcia, Van Hollen addressed reporters Thursday after landing at Dulles International Airport in Virginia. He attempted to set the record straight on what’s now being dubbed "margarita-gate," a viral photo posted by Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele that appeared to show the senator and Garcia sitting casually at a table with two salt-rimmed drinks.

"Let me just be very clear," Van Hollen said. "Neither of us touched the drinks that were in front of us. And if you want to play a little Sherlock Holmes, I’ll tell you how you can know that. … If you sip out of one of those glasses, some of whatever it was — salt or sugar — would disappear. You would see a gap. There’s no gap.

"Nobody drank any margaritas or sugar water or whatever it is."

KILMAR ABREGO GARCIA SUSPECTED OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING IN REPORT OBTAINED BY FOX NEWS

Van Hollen claimed the glasses were placed after the meeting began as a staged photo-op, adding that earlier footage shows the table without drinks. Van Hollen accused both El Salvador President Nayib Bukele and the Trump administration of trying to distract from what he described as a constitutional crisis.

"This is a lesson into the lengths that President Bukele will do to deceive people," Van Hollen said. "And it also shows the lengths that the Trump administration and the president will go to, because when he was asked by a reporter about this, he just went along for the ride."

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

The controversy stems from the case of Garcia, a 29-year-old Salvadoran national deported from Maryland last month and placed in the country's notorious CECOT prison. 

WHITE HOUSE PHOTO BLUNTLY SHOWS WHERE PARTIES STAND ON IMMIGRATION AMID ABREGO GARCIA DEPORTATION

Federal officials have called the deportation an "administrative error" in court. Van Hollen and other Democrats have since argued it violated Garcia’s constitutional right to due process.

But the Trump administration has pushed back, pointing to Garcia’s alleged domestic abuse, gang ties and suspected involvement in human trafficking. 

A 2022 Homeland Security Investigations report identified Garcia as a member of MS-13 and a suspected human trafficker. A 2021 domestic violence filing, written by his wife, Jennifer Vasquez, claimed, "I have multiple photos/videos of how violent he can be and all the bruises he [has] left me."

Despite these reports, Van Hollen insists no evidence has been presented in court and that the removal was unlawful. He cited rulings by a federal district court and the U.S. Supreme Court ordering Garcia’s return.

"The government in this case, the Trump administration, is asserting a right to stash away residents of this country in foreign prisons without the semblance of due process," Van Hollen said, quoting a recent Fourth Circuit decision. "That is the foundation of our constitutional order."

He added that Judge Paula Xinis, the federal judge who first reviewed the case, found the administration "offered no evidence linking Abrego Garcia to MS-13 or any terrorist activity."

Van Hollen traveled to El Salvador this week after the Salvadoran government initially denied him access to Garcia. After press coverage, he said, officials arranged a meeting at a hotel, which was filmed. He said Salvadoran soldiers had previously stopped him from approaching the prison and that he was surprised by the last-minute permission to meet.

He also revealed that the U.S. had committed $15 million to El Salvador to support detention operations and said over $4 million had already been paid. Van Hollen claimed this funding was unauthorized and pledged to oppose future appropriations.

"I won’t support the use of one penny of taxpayer dollars to keep Abrego Garcia illegally detained in El Salvador," he said.

Critics, including Republicans and Trump allies, have questioned why Van Hollen would travel abroad to advocate for someone with alleged gang ties and a record of domestic abuse while remaining silent on victims like Rachel Morin, a Maryland woman murdered by an illegal immigrant in 2023.

The White House drew a sharp contrast, posting side-by-side photos of Trump meeting with Morin’s mother and Van Hollen meeting with Abrego Garcia. The caption: "We are not the same."

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Asked about the comparison, Van Hollen said his "heart breaks" for Morin’s family but defended his actions as grounded in the Constitution.

"The reason we have courts of law is to punish the guilty, but also to make sure that those who have not committed crimes are not found guilty and arbitrarily detained," he said.

Fox News' Rachel Wolf, David Spunt, Greg Norman, Greg Wehner, and Bill Mears contributed to this report.

The American Civil Liberties Union appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court on Friday, asking for an emergency injunction against the Trump administration from deporting Venezuelan nationals held in Texas back to South America under the rarely used Alien Enemies Act. 

The Supreme Court previously ruled there are restrictions on how the government can use the Alien Enemies Act of 1798, including that those targeted under it are entitled to a hearing before being deported. 

Hours before appealing to the Supreme Court on Friday, the ACLU had asked two federal judges for an injunction on the deportations. 

One of the judges, James E. Boasberg, scheduled a Friday evening hearing over the request. 

SENATOR CALLS FOR PROBE INTO JUDGE BOASBERG AFTER DEPORTATION CLASH

Boasberg, who originally ruled on the Alien Enemies Act, previously found probable cause that the Trump administration committed criminal contempt in disobeying his ruling on the deportations. 

The Supreme Court then ruled that only judges in the areas from where migrants are set to be deported have jurisdiction over their cases. 

Boasberg is in Washington, D.C. 

Judges in Colorado, New York and south Texas have temporarily halted deportations in those areas, but there’s no ban for the Venezuelan nationals facing possible deportation from the Bluebonnet Detention Center in northern Texas. 

TRUMP REVEALS THE ONLY DETAIL HE HASN'T DECIDED IN HIS SELF-DEPORTATION PROGRAM

The ACLU has called for a deportation ban on two Venezuelans being held at the center2, saying the administration is accusing them of being members of the Tren de Aragua gang, and any immigrants in the region. 

President Trump on Friday also commented on the case of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a Salvadoran national who had been living in Maryland and had protections against deportation, who was mistakenly deported to a prison in the county last month. 

"This is the hand of the man that the Democrats feel should be brought back to the United States, because he is such ‘a fine and innocent person,’" Trump wrote on Truth Social with a picture of him holding a photo that shows tattoos on Garcia’s knuckles. The photo says the symbols on Garcia’s knuckles spell out MS-13. 

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He continued: "They said he is not a member of MS-13, even though he’s got MS-13 tattooed onto his knuckles, and two Highly Respected Courts found that he was a member of MS-13, beat up his wife, etc. I was elected to take bad people out of the United States, among other things. I must be allowed to do my job. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!"

The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

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

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

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

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

On Friday evening, those three employees were fired, two defense officials confirmed to Fox News Digital, along with chief of staff Joe Kasper. 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

EXCLUSIVE: Christian leaders say President Donald Trump has a chance to fix a Biden-era mistake by halting deportations of believers facing torture or death.

As thousands of Christians rallied during Holy Week, faith leaders across the U.S. urged Trump to intervene and stop the deportation of Afghan Christians who face near-certain persecution under the Taliban.

On April 10, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced it would terminate humanitarian parole for Afghan nationals, effectively ordering thousands to leave the U.S. within days.

Though early reporting referred to the change as ending temporary protected status (TPS), internal DHS notifications confirm the affected Afghans were in fact under humanitarian parole. The mislabeling was repeated by media outlets and DHS but has since been corrected in official memos from advocacy groups.

TRUMP ADMINISTRATION ENDS TEMPORARY PROTECTED STATUS FOR THOUSANDS OF AFGHANS AMID DEPORTATION PUSH

The policy shift affects about 9,000 Afghans living legally in the U.S. while awaiting special immigrant visa (SIV) or asylum adjudication.

Among them, according to documents obtained exclusively by Fox News Digital, are hundreds of Christians, many of whom converted after the 2021 U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan, and now face life-threatening danger under Taliban rule.

"We believe all 9,000 could face persecution upon return to the Taliban, but we are particularly concerned about a group of hundreds of Christians who we believe will face an immediate threat of torture or death," a coalition memo states.

The document sent to Trump and copied to Vice President JD Vance; DHS Secretary Kristi Noem; House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La.; and Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., asks for a 90-day pause on deportations to allow time for legal pathways or protections.

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

Their proposal includes a "vetted and qualified exemptions list," identifying Christians most at risk to help DHS reinstate humanitarian protections or expedite asylum or SIV review.

One individual on that list, using the pseudonym "Nashinas," is an Afghan Christian who was tortured by the Taliban in 2021, later resettled in Raleigh, North Carolina, and is now active in his local church. Despite having filed for asylum, he received a formal DHS notice ordering his departure.

The timing of the parole termination during Holy Week has energized Christian leaders in the U.S. and around the world.

"This isn’t just a legal issue; it’s a moral one," according to the Enduring Hope Alliance (EHA). "As Christians across the globe reflect on the sacrifice of Christ, we’re being asked to turn away fellow believers facing real persecution."

The EHA, a coalition of churches, veterans, nonprofits and volunteers formed in the aftermath of the Biden administration’s 2021 withdrawal from Afghanistan, helped rescue and resettle over a thousand Christian converts and allies of the U.S. military. It reports spending millions in private donations and thousands of volunteer hours to bring persecuted individuals to safety.

"This is a moment for the administration to show compassion and leadership," a source close to the EHA told Fox News Digital. "We’re not asking for open borders. We’re asking for a narrow, temporary solution to protect lives that are clearly at risk."

The Aug. 26, 2021, suicide bombing at Kabul's Abbey Gate that killed 13 U.S. service members remains a defining failure of the U.S. withdrawal. Faith leaders argue this is a chance for the Trump administration to fix one of the most painful consequences of that Biden-era decision — abandoning persecuted Christians. 

"The Afghanistan withdrawal was one of the darkest chapters in American foreign policy," said Mike Mannina, a former Bush White House official who helped lead the rescue alliance. He had never spoken publicly about it until now. 

"What followed, though, was one of our finest hours — thousands of everyday Americans stepping up to save lives. I’d hate to see that work undone."

In an exclusive interview with Fox News Digital, Rev. Franklin Graham, the president of Samaritan’s Purse, said he believes there may now be more time to resolve the crisis.

"No, it did not come up at the White House," Graham said. "But I understand from Kristi Noem — she said that I think it's July, that the Afghans have till July, or the government will work with them till July to get this work solved. So, it looked like they're going to be deported maybe as of today. That's what I heard. But … now [it’s] July. So, they've got more time to work out this visa issue."

DHS has not publicly confirmed any extension. Multiple Afghan Christians received notices giving them seven days to leave the country.

Independent groups, including the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom and Human Rights Watch, confirm that Afghan Christians are specifically targeted under Taliban rule. Conversion from Islam is considered apostasy and is punishable by death.

"Afghan Christians are in a more vulnerable position today under the Taliban than even Christians were under ISIS," an assessment from Help The Persecuted says.

Advocates say deporting these individuals would violate both U.S. values and international law, which prohibits returning people to countries where they face likely torture or death.

Josh Youssef, founder of Help The Persecuted, said Trump has a clear opportunity to right a grave wrong left by the Biden administration’s chaotic 2021 Afghanistan withdrawal. 

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"We know Christians were beaten, imprisoned and even killed by the Taliban," Youssef told Fox News Digital. "Now, as some of those same people face deportation, President Trump can take a scalpel — not a hammer — and protect those at real risk of death for their faith.

"This is Good Friday," he added. "It’s unthinkable to send Christians back to a country where they could face their own crucifixion. We’re asking the president to fix this."

DHS did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment.

President Trump on Friday said that career government employees working on policy matters for the administration will be reclassified "Schedule Policy/Career," – or at will employees – and will be fired if they don’t adhere to his agenda.

"Following my Day One Executive Order, the Office of Personnel Management will be issuing new Civil Service Regulations for career government employees," the president wrote on Truth Social Friday afternoon. 

He added, "Moving forward, career government employees, working on policy matters, will be classified as ‘Schedule Policy/Career,’ and will be held to the highest standards of conduct and performance."

This comes as the Trump administration continues to fire federal employees in an effort to shrink the government. 

FEDERAL JUDGE ORDERS HALT TO TRUMP ADMIN'S CFPB TERMINATIONS

The administration’s Office of Personnel Management (OPM) estimated the rule change in Trump’s executive order "Restoring Accountability to Policy-Influencing Positions Within the Federal Workforce" would affect around 50,000 employees or 2% of the federal workforce, the White House said in a Friday memo. 

The regulations for civil service employees "with important policy-determining, policy-making, policy-advocating, or confidential duties" will now be considered "at-will" employees, "without access to cumbersome adverse action procedures or appeals, overturning Biden Administration regulations that protected poor performing employees." 

Trump added in his post: "If these government workers refuse to advance the policy interests of the President, or are engaging in corrupt behavior, they should no longer have a job. This is common sense, and will allow the federal government to finally be ‘run like a business.’ We must root out corruption and implement accountability in our Federal Workforce!" 

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

The White House said the "rule empowers federal agencies to swiftly remove employees in policy-influencing roles for poor performance, misconduct, corruption, or subversion of Presidential directives, without lengthy procedural hurdles."

The employees aren’t required to personally support the president, but "must faithfully implement the law and the administration’s policies."

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The proposed rule won't change the status of affected employees' jobs until another executive order is issued, the White House said. 

Anti-Israel law students at Harvard conspired to smear numerous law firms that have stood opposed to anti-Israel efforts on college campuses, an investigation by the conservative Washington Free Beacon found.

Harvard's student-led chapter of the National Lawyers Guild, a left-wing legal advocacy group with chapters around the country, held a "Big Law, Big Secrets: Wikipedia Edit-A-Thon" earlier this month on campus. The event, led by a student with a reported history of anti-Israel activity, was meant to "gather data to edit the Wikipedia pages of Big Law firms to reflect cases they have recently argued." 

Two days later, over a dozen law firms that have been critical of antisemitism at Harvard and other college campuses, including some that rescinded job offers from Harvard law students over it, saw their Wikipedia pages amended. 

The changes were done by a Wikipedia account linked to another Harvard law student with a history of anti-Israel advocacy, the Free Beacon found, and the changes effectively sought to make the law firms look bad in the eyes of liberals. Some changes also sought to soften language critical of campus antisemitism.

5 CONTROVERSIES EMBROILING HARVARD UNIVERSITY AS TRUMP SEEKS TO CUT FUNDING

For instance, a section on the Wikipedia page for the firm Davis Polk, which describes cases it has worked on, was changed from "Race Relations" to "Defense of Segregation." The firm's page also saw the addition of a lengthy section about its "Representation of Purdue Pharma," a pharmaceutical company blamed by Democrats for playing a part in the opioid crisis.    

In 2023, Davis Polk rescinded a job offer it gave to a Harvard student over the student's leadership in organizing anti-Israel protests on campus. It was also among 100 law firms that sent a November 2023 letter to Harvard urging it to clamp down on campus antisemitism after Hamas' Oct. 7, 2023, attacks against innocent Israelis. 

Jones Day, which also signed the letter, had its Wikipedia page changed to include additions about it defending Walmart against allegations of overprescribing opioids, Second Amendment rights and "racial gerrymandering."

TRUMP SAYS HARVARD HAS ‘LOST ITS WAY,’ DOESN'T DESERVE FEDERAL FUNDING

Latham & Watkins, another signer, saw a section about its work on a case related to the Chevron deference principle changed to say the firm "eroded agencies' abilities to protect civil rights, human health and the environment, and other critical public functions." 

Jenner & Block, another signer of the November letter, saw a criticism about its representation of Uber in a suit over whether its drivers should be considered full-time employees or contractors added to its page.

Meanwhile, the edit history for some of the firms that signed on to the letter, such as Simpson Thacher & Bartlett, showed efforts to dull language about what occurred on college campuses after Hamas' attacks. For instance, the Harvard law student-linked account changed "amid a wave of antisemitism in the United States," to "amid a wave of Gaza war protests in the United States" on the firm's page. Additionally, "antisemitic incidents at elite U.S. law schools" was changed to "pro-Palestine protests at elite U.S. law schools."

Overall, 14 law firms saw changes such as these, according to the Free Beacon's investigation. When reached for comment, Harvard University spokesperson Jeff Neal said the Wikipedia Edit-A-Thon was organized by a student-run organization "and does not represent the views of Harvard Law School." 

HARVARD SLAMMED FOR REFUSING TO COMPLY WITH TRUMP ADMIN DEMANDS AMID ANTISEMITISM FIGHT

Fox News Digital reached out to the National Lawyers Guild's Harvard chapter and its national organization but did not receive a response. 

Earlier this month, the Trump administration's Joint Task Force to Combat Anti-Semitism froze over $2.2 billion in federal funding for Harvard. The administration has indicated it could take away as much as $9 billion if Harvard does not meet its requirements on antisemitism and other federal directives from Trump.

The Trump administration is also looking at ways to strip Harvard's tax-exempt status after the school said it would not comply with a number of the president's demands related to campus antisemitism, DEI and other policy priorities the president has laid out during his first 100 days in office. 

President Donald Trump said that Kilmar Abrego Garcia holds an "unbelievably bad" record, following Sen. Chris Van Hollen’s, D-Md., visit to El Salvador to meet with the Maryland resident the Trump administration deported there. 

When asked if Trump encouraged other Democrats to visit Abrego Garcia in El Salvador, the president proceeded to blast the "fake" Democrats for not actually caring about Abrego Garcia, who entered the U.S. illegally from El Salvador in 2011 and that the Trump administration has asserted is a member of the MS-13 gang. 

"They're all fake, and they have no interest in that prisoner," Trump told reporters Friday at the White House following a swearing-in ceremony for Dr. Mehmet Oz to oversee Medicare and Medicaid services. "That prisoner's record is unbelievably bad."

KILMAR ABREGO-GARCIA SUSPECTED OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING IN REPORT OBTAINED BY FOX NEWS

The Trump administration deported Abrego Garcia, 29, to El Salvador in what it described in court filings as an "administrative error," and has since said that it is up to El Salvador whether Abrego Garcia returns to the U.S. Meanwhile, a federal court and the Supreme Court have instructed the Trump administration to coordinate Garcia’s return so that proper deportation hearings can occur. 

The remarks come after the Justice Department unveiled documents on Wednesday detailing domestic violence allegations that Abrego Garcia’s wife, Jennifer Vasquez, included in a court filing in 2021. Vasquez alleged in the filing that Abrego Garcia beat her and that she had documentation of the bruises he left on her.

"At this point, I am afraid to be close to him," she said, according to the filing. "I have multiple photos/videos of how violent he can be and all the bruises he (has) left me."

TRUMP CALLS SEN. VAN HOLLEN A 'FOOL' AFTER MEETING WITH DEPORTED MS-13 SUSPECT IN EL SALVADOR

Additionally, a 2022 Homeland Security Investigations report obtained by Fox News claims that Abrego Garcia was suspected of partaking in labor and human trafficking. The report said that a Tennessee Highway Patrol trooper pulled Abrego Garcia over in 2022 after swerving. The patrol officer found eight other individuals in the car with Abrego Garcia, who had just begun driving three days prior. 

The officer originally believed the incident qualified as a human trafficking case because no luggage was found in the car, but the officer ultimately only wrote up Abrego Garcia for driving with an expired license. 

The report also identified Abrego Garcia as a member of MS-13, a designated terrorist organization under the Trump administration. 

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"Abrego Garcia is a MS-13 gang member, illegal alien from El Salvador, and suspected human trafficker," Homeland Security Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs Tricia McLaughlin told Fox News. "The facts reveal he was pulled over with eight individuals in a car on an admitted three-day journey from Texas to Maryland with no luggage." 

"The facts speak for themselves, and they reek of human trafficking," McLaughlin added. 

Meanwhile, Trump has also condemned Van Hollen, a Democrat from Maryland, for even conducting the visit to El Salvador. 

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

Fox News’ David Spunt, Rachel Wolf and Greg Norman contributed to this report. 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Trump administration appealed the order shortly thereafter.

SUPREME COURT TO HEAR ORAL ARGUMENTS IN BIRTHRIGHT CITIZENSHIP CASE

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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