President Donald Trump issued a stern warning to the Houthis by saying it was time for them to hide now that he has removed "dangerous red tape" from the Biden administration, allowing U.S. troops to protect Somalia against terrorists.
"Time for the terrorists to hide, but it won’t do them any good. Our Warfighters, the Greatest the World has ever seen, will find them, and bring them to a swift Justice," Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social. "I just got rid of Joe Biden’s dangerous red tape, and empowered our Warfighters, once again, just like I did against our fight with ISIS, who were completely obliterated in three weeks under General Daniel Caine, our new Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
"We will support the Somali People, who should not allow the Houthis to embed (which they are trying to do!), to end terrorism, and bring prosperity to their Country," the president added.
Fox News Digital has reached out to the State Department on the matter and is waiting to hear back.
For years, the U.S. has helped Somali forces with airstrikes and other support against the al-Shabab extremist group and an affiliate of the Islamic State, or ISIS.
Last month, Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud drafted a letter to Trump offering the U.S. exclusive access to air bases and seaports, which reignited tensions between the government of Somalia and the breakaway region of Somaliland, the Associated Press reported.
In the letter, Somalia offered "exclusive operational control" over the Berbera and Baledogle air bases and the ports of Berbera and Bosaso to "bolster American engagement in the region."
The letter was dated March 16 and leaked on social media during the last week of March. In it, the Somali leader spoke of "ensuring uninterrupted military and logistical access while preventing external competitors from establishing a presence in this critical corridor."
The letter was confirmed as "an authentic draft" by a senior official in Somalia’s foreign ministry, who spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to give press interviews.
The official was not sure if the final letter, which made the same offer, was sent.
One of the ports, Berbera, is in a key city located in Somaliland, whose long assertion as an independent state has not received international recognition.
Somaliland, a former British protectorate, declared independence from Somalia in 1991 after the collapse of the central government. It maintains its own government, security forces and currency and has held elections.
President Donald Trump vowed on Sunday that nobody was getting "off the hook" for unfair trade balances and tariff barriers, which other countries have used against the U.S.
The Trump administration announced Friday that it was exempting imported smartphones, laptops and other electronics from reciprocal tariffs, but the president wanted to clear a few things up.
"There was no Tariff ‘exception’ announced on Friday," Trump said in a post on X on Sunday. "These products are subject to the existing 20% Fentanyl Tariffs, and they are just moving to a different Tariff 'bucket.’ The Fake News knows this, but refuses to report it. We are taking a look at Semiconductors and the WHOLE ELECTRONICS SUPPLY CHAIN in the upcoming National Security Tariff Investigations.
"What has been exposed is that we need to make products in the United States, and that we will not be held hostage by other Countries, especially hostile trading Nations like China, which will do everything within its power to disrespect the American People," he continued. "We also cannot let them continue to abuse us on Trade, like they have for decades, THOSE DAYS ARE OVER!"
Trump closed out his post by saying the Golden Age of America will mean "more and better paying jobs" as well as making products in the U.S. and treating other countries as they have treated America.
"The bottom line is that our Country will be bigger, better, and stronger than ever before," he said. "We will MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!"
Customs and Border Protection issued new guidance on reciprocal tariff negotiations late Friday, noting the exemption of those goods from Trump’s April 2 executive order that declared a national emergency due to non-reciprocal trade practices and structural imbalances in the global trading system. Subsequent executive orders ramped up tariffs on China to 125%.
The updated guidance, which cites a presidential memorandum issued Friday, excluded the products from Trump’s 125% China tariff and his baseline 10% global tariff on some countries. They apply to goods that left a warehouse as of April 5.
The new move will likely ease the blow for consumers while giving a boost to electronics giants such as Apple, Samsung and Dell.
A White House official confirmed to Fox News that the exemptions were put in place.
Products included in the exemption are things like hard drives, computer processors, solar cells, semiconductor manufacturing equipment, flat-panel TV displays and memory chips.
But in light of the easing of tariffs on electronics, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said Sunday the exemption would be temporary.
"They’re exempt from the reciprocal tariffs, but they’re included in the semiconductor tariffs, which are coming in probably a month or two," Lutnick told ABC’s "This Week" on Sunday.
Lutnick’s comments Sunday made clear that more changes were on the horizon.
Trump told reporters on Air Force One on Saturday night that he would get into more specifics on exemptions on Monday.
"We’ve been making a lot of money," he said. "It’s been the other way around. Other countries, in particular China, was making a lot of money."
In a statement issued Saturday, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt did not specifically address the exemptions but indicated the administration still plans to push for tech companies to move manufacturing to the U.S.
She said the administration has secured U.S. investments from tech companies, including Apple, TSMC and Nvidia, that are "hustling to onshore their manufacturing in the United States as soon as possible."
Fox News Digital’s Michael Dorgan, Brie Stimson and Sarah Tobianski, as well as the Associated Press, contributed to this report.
President Donald Trump "remains in excellent health," according to a release from the White House physician following the president’s annual physical.
"President Trump remains in excellent health, exhibiting robust cardiac, pulmonary, neurological, and general physical function," read the release by Navy Capt. Sean P. Barbabella, the physician to the president.
Trump underwent the physical on Friday morning at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, the release noted, which included "diagnostic and laboratory testing" and "consultations with fourteen specialty consultants."
The release included Trump’s vital statistics, noting that the president is 75 inches tall, weighs 224 pounds, has a resting heart rate of 62 beats per minute, a blood pressure of 128/74 mmHg, a pulse oximetry of 99% on room air, and a temperature of 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit.
Trump’s physical examination raised no red flags or significant abnormalities, though the physician noted that the president has "scarring on the right ear from a gunshot wound."
The president’s lab results also came back normal and Trump’s "lifelong abstinence from tobacco and alcohol" was noted in his medical history.
Trump is currently on four medications, the release notes, including Rosuvastatin and Ezetimibe for cholesterol control, aspirin for cardiac prevention, and Mometasone cream as needed for a skin condition.
The release also credits Trump’s "active lifestyle" for contributing "significantly to his well-being."
"President Trump’s days include participation in multiple meetings, public appearances, press availability, and frequent victories in golf events," the release reads. "President Trump exhibits excellent cognitive and physical health and is fully fit to execute the duties of the Commander -in-Chief and Head of State."
Videos of President Donald Trump appearing to snub actress Cheryl Hines, who is married to Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., at a UFC match on Saturday evening are spreading like wildfire on social media, but don't show the entire story.
"This is clickbait. He went back to her," former senior RFK Jr. advisor Link Lauren posted to X, showing a photo of Trump chatting with his HHS secretary and Cheryl Hines during the UFC match.
Trump joined the UFC match in Miami on Saturday night alongside members of his Cabinet, and was seen shaking Kennedy's hand after entering the arena to wild cheers, but appeared to ignore greeting Hines despite her reaching out for a handshake. Hines was seen pulling her hand away as Trump moved to greet other attendees.
Video of the exchange has racked up hundreds of thousands of views, while also generating headlines both in the U.S. and abroad speculating that the president "snubbed" Hines.
"Cheryl Hines getting blown off for a handshake by President Trump is just missing the Curb theme music," one user posted to X, referring to Hines starring on the hit show "Curb Your Enthusiasm."
"Curb theme music - Trump showing no love for Cheryl Hines," another post on X reads.
Hines' publicist Ann Gurrola told Fox Digital on Sunday that she did not attend the event and could not comment, but added that it appeared, based on reports, that Trump circled back to shake Hines' hand and that videos of Trump appearing to snub Hines was likely "simply an oversight." While an administration official added in comment to Fox Digital on Sunday that the president did not snub Hines.
Fox Digital obtained another photo showing Trump speaking with Hines and others ahead of the UFC fight on Saturday.
X users have also shared footage and a screenshot showing Trump chatting with both Kennedy and Hines, indicating he circled back to talk to the couple.
"President Trump spoke with Cheryl Hines last night at UFC 314. There were some reports that Trump may have ‘snubbed’ Hines (wife of RFK Jr) at the event, but the footage below shows that was not the case," one X user posted, accompanied by video footage of Trump speaking with Hines.
"No, President Trump did not ‘snub’ RFK Jr’s wife, Cheryl Hines. He didn’t see her hand, and went back after he was done greeting Joe Rogan and Daniel Cormier, as seen in the picture below," another X user posted.
"Video goes viral with social media users claiming Trump ‘snubbed’ RFK Jr’s wife Cheryl Hines at the UFC 314. However, Trump appeared to not see her hand for the handshake and later went back to greet her and her husband," another X user posted.
The reports come after Hines previously criticized Trump and his rhetoric as "ridiculous and disrespectful," but has joined a handful of Trump-related events at Mar-a-Lago and the White House since her husband endorsed Trump over the summer and ultimately became his HHS chief this year.
EXCLUSIVE: All 15 Arizona counties have now begun the process of verifying and removing noncitizens from their voter rolls, including nearly 50,000 registrants who did not provide proof of U.S. citizenship.
"This settlement is a great result for all Arizonans," America First Legal (AFL) senior counsel James Rogers told Fox News Digital after his organization’s successful lawsuit spearheaded the process in Arizona.
AFL filed the lawsuit against the 15 Arizona counties last year on behalf of EZAZ.org, and Yvonne Cahill, a registered voter and naturalized citizen, arguing that the counties had not been following a state law that requires proof of citizenship to vote in local and state elections and for the state to do monthly checks of the rolls for noncitizens.
As a result of the lawsuit, the 15 counties have now begun working with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to verify the citizenship status of all registered voters in the state who failed to provide proof of citizenship.
While a 2013 Supreme Court ruling prohibits states from imposing voter registration requirements beyond the federal requirement that registrants must check a box affirming their U.S. citizenship, Arizona residents are still required to provide proof of citizenship to vote in state and local elections.
The Arizona law also requires that county recorders perform a monthly list maintenance to confirm the U.S. citizenship of so-called "federal-only voters," a list of nearly 50,000 individuals who failed to provide proof of U.S. citizenship and were not allowed to vote in state or local elections.
Registrants confirmed to be citizens are then moved to the regular list while those found to be noncitizens are required to have their registration canceled.
But AFL argued in the lawsuit that county recorders had not been utilizing the resources available to them to help verify citizenship status, something the Arizona law requires them to do. As a result, all 15 counties have now sent requests to DHS in order to assist their efforts to clear the voter rolls of noncitizens.
"This will help County Recorders find and remove any aliens on their voter rolls," Rogers said. "It will also potentially enfranchise federal-only voters whose citizenship is confirmed, which would allow them to vote in state and local elections. AFL congratulates each of Arizona’s 15 county recorders for taking this bold and important step for election integrity in the state."
Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., took the Coachella stage on Saturday to deride President Donald Trump and "billionaires" to the crowd of luxury music festival-goers.
Sanders, a self-described Democratic socialist, introduced the performance of Clairo, praising the 26-year-old artist, whose real name is Claire Cottrill, for her political activism. He was joined by Rep. Maxwell Frost, D-Fla., who the 83-year-old Sanders noted is the youngest member of Congress, and"in my view, one of the best members."
"This country faces some very difficult challenges and the future of what happens to America is dependent upon your generation. Now you can turn away and you can ignore what goes on but if you do that, you do it at your own peril. We need you to stand up, to fight for justice. To fight for economic justice, social justice, and racial justice," Sanders told the crowd.
"Now we got a President of the United States…" Sanders continued, as the crowd booed.
"I Agee," Sanders said of their opposition to President Donald Trump.
"He thinks that climate change is a hoax. He is dangerously wrong," Sanders said. "You and I are going to have to stand up to the fossil fuel industry and tell them to stop destroying this planet."
"All over this country, not in California, not in Vermont where I’m from, but in Florida where Maxwell is from, many other states, politicians are trying to take away a woman’s right to control her own body," Sanders went on. "We need you to stand up and fight for women’s rights. We have an economy today that is working very well for the billionaire class but not for working families. We need you to help us to create an economy that works well for everybody, not just the 1%. We have a healthcare system that is broken. We are the only major country not to guarantee healthcare to all people. We need you to stand up to the insurance companies and the drug companies and understand that healthcare is a human right."
Sanders said he was there to support Clairo because the artists has used her "prominence to fight for women’s rights, to try to end the terrible, brutal war in Gaza, where thousands – thousands of women and children are being killed."
The former Democratic presidential primary candidate’s remarks against "billionaires" were condemned by critics online who noted tickets to watch Clairo’s set started at around $600.
Coachella attendees typically shell out thousands of dollars to camp in the desert for the weekend in Indio, Calif.
"Bernie Sanders making a surprise appearance at Coachella to sermonize on the evils of wealth in front of a crowd of people who paid at least $600 per ticket to be there is peak 21st century Democratic Party," one X user wrote.
Sanders posted on X about introducing Clairo, saying, "These are tough times. The younger generation has to help lead in the fight to combat climate change, protect women’s rights, and build an economy that works for all, not just the few."
"Do you know the avg ticket price to attend this event bro?" Ryan Fournier, National Chairman for Students For Trump, responded.
"Bernie, America doesn’t want your socialism. We’ve made that clear for decades now," another user wrote. "Just retire already. Go enjoy your mansions and private flights."
Sanders traveled to the music festival after appearing with fellow progressive Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., for their "Fighting Oligarchy" event in Los Angeles.
Both Sanders and AOC condemned "billionaires" and the Trump administration, namely criticizing the president's relationship with top Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) adviser Elon Musk.
Massachusetts Democratic Sen. Elizabeth Warren defended her calls for the Securities and Exchange Commission to investigate President Donald Trump over accusations of market manipulation and insider trading, saying such an investigation is "entirely appropriate."
"That's what investigations are for. And it's entirely appropriate to have an investigation to make sure that Donald Trump, Donald Trump's family, Donald Trump's inner circle didn't get advance information and trade on that information," Warren told CNN's Jake Tapper on Sunday during an appearance on "State of the Union."
Warren, alongside a handful of other Senate Democrats such as Oregon's Ron Wyden and New York's Chuck Schumer, wrote a letter to the SEC chief on Friday calling for an investigation into alleged market manipulation following Trump's reciprocal tariff announcement and subsequent 90-day pause to the customized tariffs he leveled on foreign nations.
"We urge the SEC to investigate whether the tariff announcements, which caused the market crash and subsequent partial recovery, enriched administration insiders and friends at the expense of the American public and whether any insiders, including the President’s family, had prior knowledge of the tariff pause that they abused to make stock trades ahead of the President’s announcement," the Senate Democrats wrote in their letter to SEC Chair Paul Atkins on Friday.
The White House slammed calls for investigations into market manipulation last week in comments provided to Fox Digital that accused Democrats of playing "partisan games."
"It is the responsibility of the President of the United States to reassure the markets and Americans about their economic security in the face of nonstop media fearmongering. Democrats railed against China’s cheating for decades, and now they’re playing partisan games instead of celebrating President Trump’s decisive action yesterday to finally corner China," White House spokesman Kush Desai said in comment to Fox Digital when asked about Democrats claiming Trump manipulated the market.
When asked on Sunday if Warren had actually seen evidence of alleged insider trading, she responded: "Well, there are people who have looked at what happened to purchases and to calls just before he made that announcement that caused the stock market to skyrocket."
She continued on Sunday that members of Congress should also be subject to a rule barring them from trading individual stocks.
"This is how the stock market works in order to make sure on a consistent basis that nobody's trading on inside information. And, by the way, Jake, the same thing should apply to Congress. And that is, we should have a rule that no one in Congress can… trade in any individual stocks, no senator, no representative. I have had that bill for a long time. It's got a lot of support," she told Tapper.
Sens. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., and Ruben Gallego, D-Ariz., wrote a letter on Thursday to White House chief of staff Susie Wiles, as well as Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, also calling for an investigation into potential insider trading.
Trump, ahead of pausing the reciprocal tariffs on Wednesday of last week, posted to Truth Social, "BE COOL! Everything is going to work out well. The USA will be bigger and better than ever before!" and "THIS IS A GREAT TIME TO BUY!!! DJT." The president had previously said he would not pause tariffs but was open to negotiating with other nations.
Trump paused only the higher, customized tariffs he placed on nations that historically installed trade barriers on U.S. goods, with nations across the world instead facing a lower 10% tariff on goods, as the Trump administration and world leaders hash out negotiations for the reciprocal tariffs.
China, however, was not part of the tariff pause and was instead hit with a higher 125% tariff after retaliating with its own additional tariffs against the U.S.
Warren continued in her remarks that tariffs can "be an important tool in the toolbox when used in targeted ways," but accused Trump of spreading "chaos" through the implementations of his tariff plans.
"Right now, what we have got is chaos and corruption. Donald Trump has imposed a tariff on everyone everywhere, on all products. That's the 10% tariff. Of course, it was much higher earlier in the week, and now in this trade war with China that basically tries to shut down all trade," she said.
White House trade advisor Peter Navarro brushed off concerns about a feud between him and billionaire Elon Musk, arguing the two administration advisors had a "great" relationship.
"First of all, Elon and I are great. It’s not an issue," Navarro said during an appearance on NBC News’ "Meet the Press" on Sunday.
The comments come after Navarro and Musk got tangled in a public war of words last week after Navarro said in an interview that Musk’s Tesla is more of a "car assembler" than "car manufacturer" that relies on parts from other countries.
"We all understand in the White House (and the American people understand) that Elon's a car manufacturer. But he's not a car manufacturer – He's a car assembler," Navarro said on CNBC. "In many cases, if you go to his Texas plant, a good part of the engines that he gets (which in the EV case are the batteries) come from Japan and come from China. The electronics come from Taiwan."
The point seemingly didn’t sit well with Musk, who took to X to defend his auto company.
"Navarro is truly a moron. What he says here is demonstrably false," Musk said.
"Tesla has the most American-made cars. Navarro is dumber than a sack of bricks," Musk added in a subsequent post.
But Navarro downplayed the public war of words Sunday, praising Musk’s contributions to the Trump administration.
"Everything’s fine with Elon," Navarro said. "And look, Elon is doing a very good job with his team, with waste, fraud and abuse. That’s a tremendous contribution to America. And no man doing that kind of thing should be subject to having his cars firebombed by crazies."
The White House has also downplayed concerns between them, with press secretary Karoline Leavitt arguing the feud shows that President Donald Trump is willing to hear vastly different views at the highest level.
"These are obviously two individuals who have very different views on trade and tariffs. Boys will be boys, and we will let their public sparring continue," she said during a press briefing last week. "You guys should all be very grateful that we have the most transparent administration in history."
EXCLUSIVE: Former Oakland City Council member Loren Taylor said former Rep. Barbara Lee's ties to the political establishment could help him to win over Oaklanders who are "fed up" with the status quo ahead of the April 15 special election.
A self-described political outsider who only served one term as a city council member after unseating a 16-year incumbent, Taylor shared his plans to bring change to the "struggling" Bay Area city in an interview with Fox News Digital.
"I am running as a political outsider who has just enough experience inside of City Hall to understand what's going on, but not so much that I'm entrenched in the political establishment. That is what Oaklanders are looking for," Taylor said.
WhileLee – a former member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus and 2024 Senate primary candidate – has name recognition and national experience, Taylor has made waves in Oakland's special election as campaign finance reports reveal he has outraised the career California politician.
"We have raised more money than other candidates in this race from local residents," Taylor said. "Over 80% of our contributions come directly from people who live right here in Oakland, compared to less than 50% for my primary component. That speaks volumes about who this campaign is. We are powered by Oaklanders, locals who are impacted by the decisions that are being made. The campaign is surging. Huge momentum these final days fueled by that overwhelming grassroots support."
Oakland's staggering $129.8 budget deficit for Fiscal Year 2024-25 forced some Oakland firehouses to close their doors earlier this year. The City Council passed a resolution to reopen those firehouses, preventing tragedy from financial mismanagement.
The liberal-run city has had four different mayors in a four-month period after formerMayor Sheng Thao was recalled this November and subsequently indicted on eight counts of bribery. Oakland has been without a clear leader this year as the city continues to grapple with a homelessness crisis.
Alameda County Health's January 2024 Point-in-Time (PIT) report found there were 5,490 homeless individuals in Oakland in 2024, a 9% increase since 2022.
"Oaklanders are frustrated," Taylor explained. "We are upset that we have not been getting what we deserve, what we should be getting from our local government. The status quo continues to fail us when we see crime rates rising out of control, we see homelessness still growing when it's shrinking in neighboring cities, we see our city facing the largest fiscal budget deficit in our history – a number of failures that show that what we have is not working."
Taylor has called for equipping more police officers on the ground with technology to prevent violence and lawlessness.
"We are struggling as a city, and that is what this campaign is speaking to. I am ready to make the hard and necessary decisions in order to fix the mismanagement, in order to address the corruption head on, restore trust in City Hall, make sure that we're delivering as Oaklanders want," he said.
Just across the Bay, San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie has hit the ground running since assuming office in January. He launched the San Francisco Police Department (SFPD) Hospitality Task Force and passed the Fentanyl State of Emergency Ordinance as he works to clean up San Francisco's streets and restore what he describes as commonsense policies to the city.
"I'm absolutely watching what's going on in San Francisco right across the Bay and even in the South Bay, in San Jose, with Mayor Matt Mahan, whom I am proud to have his endorsement," Taylor said. "I think both of those mayors are political outsiders, just like me. They didn't grow up within the ranks of government. They had careers, were making a significant impact outside and saw the gaps that existed with local government. I think that we share a bond in that in terms of bringing a data, results-driven approach to moving things forward."
Lee did not respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment by deadline.
The Trump administration is receiving an outpouring of support from animal advocacy groups, lawmakers and others for recent announcements to end animal testing within programs at the FDA and EPA.
"PETA applauds the FDA’s decision to stop harming animals and adopt human-relevant testing strategies for evaluating antibody therapies," Kathy Guillermo, PETA senior vice president, said in a statement.
"It’s a significant step towards meeting the agency’s commitment to replace the use of animals – which PETA has worked hard to promote. All animal use, including failed vaccine and other testing on monkeys at the federally-funded primate centers, must end, and we are calling on the FDA to further embrace 21st-century science," the PETA statement continued.
PETA's statement followed the Food and Drug Administration announcement on Thursday that it is phasing out an animal testing requirement for antibody therapies and other drugs in favor of testing on materials that mimic human organs, Fox Digital first reported.
"For too long, drug manufacturers have performed additional animal testing of drugs that have data in broad human use internationally. This initiative marks a paradigm shift in drug evaluation and holds promise to accelerate cures and meaningful treatments for Americans while reducing animal use," FDA Commissioner Martin A. Makary, said in comments provided to Fox News Digital.
"By leveraging AI-based computational modeling, human organ model-based lab testing, and real-world human data, we can get safer treatments to patients faster and more reliably, while also reducing R&D costs and drug prices. It is a win-win for public health and ethics."
Dogs, rats and fish were the primary animals to face testing ahead of Thursday's announcement, Fox Digital learned.
The phase-out focuses on ending animal testing in regard to researching monoclonal antibody therapies, which are lab-made proteins meant to stimulate the immune system to fight diseases such as cancer, as well as other drugs, according to the press release.
Instead, the FDA will encourage testing on "organoids," which are artificially grown masses of cells, according to the FDA's press release.
Environmental Protection Agency chief Lee Zeldin announced on the same day that the agency would reinstate a 2019 policy from the first Trump administration to phase out animal testing at that federal agency. The EPA said in comment that the Biden administration moved away from phasing out animal testing, but that Zeldin is "wholly committed to getting the agency back on track to eliminating animal testing."
"Under President Trump’s first term, EPA signed a directive to prioritize efforts to reduce animal testing and committed to reducing testing on mammals by 30% by 2025 and to eliminate it completely by 2035. The Biden administration halted progress on these efforts by delaying compliance deadlines. Administrator Zeldin is wholly committed to getting the agency back on track to eliminating animal testing," EPA spokesperson Molly Vaseliou told the Washington Times.
The EPA's and FDA's recent announcements also received praise from animal rights groups, including the White Coat Waste Project, which reported in 2021 that the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases spent hundreds of thousands of dollars under Dr. Anthony Fauci's leadership to test beagle dogs with parasites via biting flies.
"Thank you @DrMakaryFDA for your years of advocacy & outstanding leadership to eliminate FDA red tape that forces companies & tax-funded federal agencies to conduct wasteful & cruel tests on dogs & other animals!" the group posted to X last week.
"White Coat Waste made historic progress under Trump 45 to cut wasteful and cruel animal testing at the EPA and FDA, some of which was undone by the Biden Administration," Justin Goodman, senior vice president at White Coat, told Fox News Digital on Sunday.
"We applaud Administrator Zeldin and Commissioner Makary for picking up where Trump left off and prioritizing efforts to cut widely-opposed and wasteful animal tests. This is great news for taxpayers and pet owners as it sends a message to big spending animal abusers across the federal government: Stop the money. Stop the madness!"
Other animal rights groups and lawmakers praised the Trump administration for its recent moves to end animal testing.
"We’re encouraged to see the EPA recommit to phasing out animal testing – a goal we’ve long championed on behalf of the animals trapped in these outdated and painful experiments," Kitty Block, president and CEO of Humane World for Animals, said in a press release. "But promises alone don’t spare lives. For too long, animals like dogs, rabbits and mice have endured tests that inflict suffering without delivering better science. It’s time to replace these cruel methods with modern, humane alternatives that the public overwhelmingly supports."
Other groups have come out and warned that there is not yet a high-tech replacement for animals within the realm of biomedical research and drug testing, and that humane animal testing is still crucial to test prospective drugs for humans.
"We all want better and faster ways to bring lifesaving treatments to patients," National Association for Biomedical Research President Matthew R. Bailey said in a press release provided to Fox Digital. "But no AI model or simulation has yet demonstrated the ability to fully replicate all the unknowns about many full biological systems. That’s why humane animal research remains indispensable."
Under his first administration, Trump took other steps to protect animals, including signing the Preventing Animal Cruelty and Torture Act into law in 2019, which made intentional acts of cruelty a federal crime.
FIRST ON FOX: The Department of Government Efficiency launched a website where Americans can directly report and suggest how to deregulate policies within the federal government, Fox News Digital learned.
"Your voice in federal decision making," reads the website Regulations.gov, "Impacted by an existing rule or regulation? Share your ideas for deregulation by completing this form."
DOGE worked with the Government Services Administration, an independent agency tasked with helping support the functioning of other federal agencies, and the Office of Management and Budget, which is the federal office frequently charged with overseeing deregulation efforts, to launch the website earlier this month, Fox Digital learned.
"DOGE is combining the administration’s goals of adding transparency and slashing waste, fraud, and abuse by offering the American people the unique opportunity to recommend more deregulatory actions. This DOGE-led effort highlights President Trump’s priority to put the people first and government bureaucrats last," White House spokeswoman Taylor Rogers told Fox Digital.
The website's main page directs users to a form where they can report "deregulatory suggestions," which provides users with more than a dozen prompts regarding their issue.
The prompts include describing which federal agency had promoted a regulation at issue, if the regulation is finalized or in the midst of the rule-making process, justification for the deregulation, the history of how the regulation operates, and the title and name of the agency's leader, as well as other detailed information on the regulation.
The form prompts users to provide their name, but the box is not mandatory to complete before submission. The person who submits a deregulatory suggestion could see the Trump administration name the rescission to the rule after the individual.
"Only answer if you would like the rescission to be named after you or your organization. Providing your name does not guarantee that it will appear on any final agency action, and we reserve the right to refrain from using names that are inappropriate or offensive," the prompt asking for the user's name states.
DOGE's public leader, Elon Musk, has railed against government regulations for months, including when he joined President Donald Trump's campaign in key battleground states to rally support.
In a Pennsylvania rally ahead of the election, Musk recounted how his company SpaceX was wrapped up in "bunch of nutty stories" related to government overregulation, including studying the probability of the company's Starship rocket hitting a whale or shark and facing lofty fines from the EPA for "dumping fresh water on the ground."
"I’ll tell you like a crazy thing, like we got fined $140,000 by the EPA for dumping fresh water on the ground. Drinking water. It’s crazy. I’ll just give you an example of just how crazy it is. And we’re like, ‘Well, we’re using water to cool the launch pad during launch. You know, we’re going to cool the launch pad so it doesn’t overheat. And in excess of caution, we actually brought in drinking water, so clean, super clean water,’" Musk said to the audience in Folsom, Pennsylvania, last year.
"And the FAA said, ‘No, you have to pay a $140,000 fine.’ And we’re like, ‘But Starbase is in a tropical thunderstorm area. Sky water falls all the time,’" Musk recounted, referring to SpaceX's headquarters in Texas. "'That is the same as the water we used' So, and it’s like… there’s no harm to anything. And they said, ‘Yeah, but we didn’t have a permit.’ We’re like, ‘You need a permit for fresh water?’" Musk recounted.
Trump went on a deregulation blitz targeting energy and climate regulations last week in a series of executive orders aimed to "unleash" the power of coal energy in the U.S., including ending a pause to coal leasing on federal lands, promoting coal and coal technology exports, and encouraging the use of coal to power artificial intelligence initiatives.
"President Trump knows that the bureaucracy is built to regulate, not deregulate. The result is an ever-increasing number of regulations that stifle innovation and limit American freedom," the White House said in a fact sheet on the EOs last week.
President Donald Trump issued a Palm Sunday message at the start of Holy Week renewing his administration's promise "to defend the Christian faith in our schools, military, workplaces, hospitals, and halls of government."
"We will never waver in safeguarding the right to religious liberty, upholding the dignity of life, and protecting God in our public square," Trump wrote in his 2025 Holy Week presidential message released by the White House.
"As we focus on Christ’s redeeming sacrifice, we look to His love, humility, and obedience—even in life’s most difficult and uncertain moments," Trump said. "This week, we pray for an outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon our beloved Nation. We pray that America will remain a beacon of faith, hope, and freedom for the entire world, and we pray to achieve a future that reflects the truth, beauty, and goodness of Christ’s eternal kingdom in Heaven."
"May God bless you and your family during this special time of year and may He continue to bless the United States of America," Trump wrote.
Trump said he and first lady Melania Trump "join in prayer with Christians celebrating the crucifixion and resurrection of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ – the living Son of God who conquered death, freed us from sin, and unlocked the gates of Heaven for all of humanity." The presidential message reiterated how Holy Week begins "with Christ’s triumphal entry into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday" and culminates "in the Paschal Triduum, which begins on Holy Thursday with the Mass of the Lord’s Supper, followed by Good Friday." The week reaches its "pinnacle in the Easter Vigil on Holy Saturday night."
"This week is a time of reflection for Christians to memorialize Jesus’ crucifixion – and to prepare their hearts, minds, and souls for His miraculous Resurrection from the dead," Trump wrote.
"During this sacred week, we acknowledge that the glory of Easter Sunday cannot come without the sacrifice Jesus Christ made on the cross," the president said. "In His final hours on Earth, Christ willingly endured excruciating pain, torture, and execution on the cross out of a deep and abiding love for all His creation. Through His suffering, we have redemption. Through His death, we are forgiven of our sins. Through His Resurrection, we have hope of eternal life."
"On Easter morning, the stone is rolled away, the tomb is empty, and light prevails over darkness—signaling that death does not have the final word," Trump said.
Since surviving a July 2024 assassination attempt during a rally in Butler, Penn., Trump has acknowledged his faith on the campaign trail and months into his second term by repeatedly affirming that he was "saved by God to Make America Great Again." On Friday, the White House hung a painting depicting a bloodied Trump pumping his first in the air during that attempt on his life last summer, replacing a portrait of former President Barack Obama.
The Holy Week proclamation on Sunday is first on the docket of a series of roll-outs and events expected before Easter organized by the newly established White House Faith Office.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told Fox News Digital that Trump delivered on his promise to millions of Christians in creating the office. She drew a "sharp contrast" with the Biden administration, which marked Easter Sunday, which fell on March 31, 2024, the most important holiday on the Christian Church calendar, as Transgender Day of Visibility.
Jennifer Korn, faith director of the White House Faith Office, told Fox News Digital the administration is gearing up for "extraordinary" celebrations during Holy Week to treat the Easter season "with the observance it deserves."
On Monday, Trump is expected to release a Holy Week video and will host an Easter dinner on Wednesday evening. On Holy Thursday, the president is expected to host a staff worship service at the White House, where Pastor Paula White, the senior advisor to the White House Faith Office, the Rev. Franklin Graham, Pastor Greg Laurie and Pastor Jentezen Franklin will participate in prayer, scripture, service and communion.
Fox News' Brooke Singman contributed to this report.
When lawmakers arrived on Capitol Hill last Monday, House GOP leaders' plans to sync up with the Senate on sweeping legislation to advance President Donald Trump's agenda seemed an all-but-impossible task.
House fiscal hawks were furious with Senate Republicans for passing an amended version of the former's budget framework, one that called for a significantly lower amount of mandatory spending cuts than the House's initial plan.
By late Thursday morning, House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., was celebrating victory in front of reporters after a narrow 216-to-214 vote.
"I told you not to doubt us," a triumphant Johnson told the media. "We’re really grateful to have had the big victory on the floor just now. It was a big one, a very important one."
The hard-fought win came after long hours and late nights as House Republican leaders — and leaders in the Senate GOP as well — worked to persuade holdouts, while Trump and his aides worked those same critics from the sidelines.
White House aides were at House Republicans' weekly conference meeting on Tuesday, a rare sight but not unexpected, given the importance of the coming vote.
But GOP lawmakers filed out of that meeting doubting whether Trump's influence could help this time, after he played a key role in helping shepherd earlier critical bills across the finish line this year.
"I don't see it happening," a House Republican told Fox News Digital when asked whether Trump would be enough to sway critics.
Nevertheless, a select group of those holdouts were summoned to the White House alongside House GOP leaders on Wednesday afternoon, hours before the expected vote.
Fox News Digital was told that Trump commanded the room for roughly 20 to 30 minutes, and told House conservatives he agreed with them on the need to significantly slash government spending.
Trump also communicated to holdouts that Senate leaders felt the same, but, like the House, were working on their own tight margins, Fox News Digital was told.
The president, meanwhile, has been concerned in particular with the looming debt limit deadline, Fox News Digital was told.
It's one of the issues that Republicans are looking to tackle via the budget reconciliation process. By lowering the Senate's passage threshold from 60 votes to 51, it allows the party controlling the House, Senate and White House to enact broad policy changes via one or two broad pieces of legislation.
In this case, Republicans are looking for some added funds for border security and defense and to raise the debt ceiling — while paring back spending on the former Biden administration's green energy policies and in other sections of the federal government, likely including entitlement programs.
GOP lawmakers are also looking to extend Trump's 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, the provisions of which expire at the end of this year. They will also need new funding for Trump's efforts to eliminate taxes on tipped and overtime wages.
But first, Republicans wanted the House and Senate to pass identical frameworks setting the stage for filling those frameworks with actual legislative policy.
Whereas the House version calls for at least $1.5 trillion in spending cuts, the Senate mandated a floor of $4 billion — a wide gap to bridge.
The Wednesday-afternoon White House meeting did sway some holdouts, but far from enough.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., also met with House GOP critics of the bill for more than an hour on Wednesday evening ahead of the planned vote.
"He couldn't have been more cordial and understanding in talking to us about what we needed to know. And honestly, he had some of the same concerns that we did," Rep. Tim Burchett, R-Tenn., told Fox News Digital.
"You know, he's got to get it over the finish line, and he had to make certain commitments. But he committed to us to work with us."
Ultimately, however, plans to advance the measure that evening were hastily scrapped as an unrelated vote was held open for over an hour, leading to confusion and frustration on the House floor.
"He looked like he was in no better spot than he was at the beginning," one House Republican said of that night.
Trump was not called to address the group during that huddle with holdouts, two sources in the room told Fox News Digital.
However, the president did have individual conversations with some holdouts on Wednesday and Thursday, one person said.
The Wednesday night failure gave way to a late night of negotiations involving both holdouts and House GOP leaders.
Two House GOP leadership aides told Fox News Digital that Johnson had huddled with Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La., and House GOP Conference Chairwoman Lisa McClain, R-Mich., until late Wednesday to figure out a path forward.
When they emerged shortly before midnight, they had settled on a plan — a televised promise by Johnson and Thune to put both leaders on the record committing to deep spending cuts.
"I'm happy to tell you that this morning, I believe we have the votes to finally adopt the budget resolution so we can move forward on President Trump's very important agenda for the American people," Johnson said.
Thune added, "We are aligned with the House in terms of what their budget resolution outlined in terms of savings. The speaker has talked about $1.5 trillion. We have a lot of United States senators who believe in that as a minimum."
A senior Senate GOP aide argued to Fox News Digital, "Absent Thune’s intervention, Mike Johnson would not have gotten this resolution through the House."
But the speaker was also putting in his own long hours with holdouts.
The office of Rep. Ralph Norman, R-S.C., who ultimately voted to advance the framework, told Fox News Digital that critics were sent a memo by Johnson early on Thursday, assuring them that he was committed to deep spending cuts.
"The Senate amendment to H. Con. Res. 14 preserves untouched language from the original House-passed resolution, including the reconciliation instructions to House committees and Section 4001 — Adjustment for spending cuts of at least $2 trillion," the memo said.
It referred to a measure in the House-passed framework that suggested funding toward tax cuts would be reduced by a corresponding amount if final spending cuts did not equal $2 trillion.
"This language reflects a critical principle — that deficit-increasing provisions of the final reconciliation bill are accompanied by concomitant spending cuts," it said.
Then, as the vote was called around 10:30 a.m. on Thursday morning, a final huddle between holdouts and leaders sealed the Republicans' victory.
"At some point, it was heated. And then the speaker's leadership team [House Majority Whip Tom Emmer, R-Minn.] made sure we were clarified on some issues which are very important to some of the members," Burchett said.
"And then Steve Scalise, really batting cleanup, and he came in with the final with the final conclusion, which everybody agreed to pretty much. And then the speaker closed the deal."
Burchett said he believed that Johnson had spoken to Trump separately at some point during that huddle.
A senior House GOP aide said McClain was also present for that meeting.
Republicans clinched the win minutes after 11 a.m. on Thursday, with the GOP side of the House chamber erupting in applause.
House Freedom Caucus Chairman Andy Harris, R-Md., who helped lead the opposition, told reporters after the vote, "We made tremendous progress over the last two days in making certain that whatever we do on reconciliation, we don't increase this country's budget deficit."
"We take the Moody report from two weeks ago pretty seriously, that you can't have unpaid-for tax cuts, and we made progress in making, getting assurances both from the Senate and the House leadership that that's not going to occur," Harris said.
Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, a potential 2028 Democratic presidential candidate, was ribbed online for seeming to hide her face during a meeting with President Donald Trump in the Oval Office.
Whitmer was seen temporarily shielding her face from cameras in the Oval Office by holding up a folder, according to a photo by the New York Times.
She later lowered the folder, as the president spoke to the press and encouraged Whitmer to comment as well. The Democratic governor, who clashed with Trump during his first term regarding her COVID-19 lockdown policies, met with the president to discuss recovery from an ice storm that impacted thousands of Michiganders, funding for the Selfridge Air National Guard base near Detroit, protections for the Great Lakes and the automobile industry.
Whitmer, joined by Michigan State House Speaker Matt Hall and several Cabinet secretaries, stood steps away from Trump while he signed executive orders Wednesday.
"We're honored to have Gretchen Whitmer from Michigan, great state of Michigan. And, she's been -- she's really done an excellent job. And a very good person," Trump said.
Whitmer told reporters afterward that she thought she was coming into the Oval Office for a one-on-one meeting with the president and was taken by surprise by the press conference.
Her face-shielding was derided online.
"Whitmercovering her face is the perfect metaphor for the Democratic Party," one user wrote.
Another X user said, "Gretchen Whitmer hiding behind her files in the White House is one of the funniest things I’ve ever seen. This is what my 2 year old does."
"Was this the nail in the coffin of Gretchen Whitmer's political aspirations?" a third user wrote.
Some users joked that Whitmer was "embarrassed" to be photographed with Trump but had no shame in placing a Dorito in the mouth of a podcaster in a 2024 social media post that critics said mocked a Christian sacrament.
The photo showed Whitmer hiding her face while standing in between Trump aide Natalie Harpe and Deputy Assistant to the President and White House Director of the Office of Intergovernmental Affairs Alex Myer.
Myer shared the photo on X, writing: "#NewProfilePic."
Whitmer was in Washington to deliver a "Build, America, Build" address in which she called for bipartisan cooperation to strengthen American manufacturing. She was at the White House for her second meeting with Trump in less than a month, this time to talk about tariffs that were expected to disproportionately affect Michigan, whose economy is closely tied to an auto industry reliant on trade with Canada, Mexico and other countries.
In her speech Wednesday, which came before Trump announced he was pausing tariffs in most nations except for China, Whitmer highlighted areas of agreement with Trump on tariffs but criticized how they had been implemented.
"I understand the motivation behind the tariffs, and I can tell you, here’s where President Trump and I do agree. We do need to make more stuff in America," said Whitmer, before adding, "I’m not against tariffs outright, but it is a blunt tool. You can’t just pull out the tariff hammer to swing at every problem without a clear defined end-goal."
Whitmer’s approach stands in stark contrast to that of other high-profile Democratic governors, many of whom are also seen as potential contenders for the party’s 2028 presidential nomination. But Whitmer faces a more challenging political landscape than leaders such as Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker or California Gov. Gavin Newsom as she represents a state with a divided state legislature and that went for Trump in two of the last three elections.
EXCLUSIVE: The White House is gearing up for an "extraordinary" celebration for Holy Week ahead of Easter, with President Donald Trump participating in a number of events to celebrate and honor the holiday "with the observance it deserves."
The new White House Faith Office organized the Holy Week schedule.
"The newly created White House Faith Office is grateful to share that President Trump will honor and celebrate Holy Week and Easter with the observance it deserves," Jennifer Korn, faith director of the White House Faith Office, told Fox News Digital.
"Throughout the week, we will distribute a Holy Week proclamation, a special presidential video message (and) host a pre-Easter dinner and White House staff Easter service."
Korn said it "will be a special time of prayer and worship at the White House to be shared with Americans celebrating the week leading up to Resurrection Sunday."
On Palm Sunday, the president is expected to issue a presidential Easter proclamation that will speak directly to Christians as Holy Week begins and maintain his commitment to defend the Christian faith in schools, in the military, in workplaces, hospitals, in government and beyond.
On Monday, the president is expected to release a Holy Week video and will host an Easter dinner Wednesday evening.
The dinner will feature hymns from the Marine Corps Band, Christian opera by singer Charles Billingsley, prayers and remarks from President Trump.
Christian pastors, priests and faith leaders are expected to attend the dinner along with the president, Korn, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt and Pastor Paula White, the senior advisor to the White House Faith Office.
On Holy Thursday, the president is expected to host a staff worship service at the White House, where White, the Rev. Franklin Graham, Pastor Greg Laurie and Pastor Jentezen Franklin will participate in prayer, scripture, service and communion.
During the service, an ensemble from Liberty University will perform worship music.
"President Trump promised millions of Christians across the country that he would create a White House Faith Office, and he delivered on that promise," Leavitt said. "The White House Faith Office has put together an extraordinary weeklong celebration for Holy Week ahead of Easter Sunday."
Leavitt stressed that this "is another sharp contrast from the previous administration."
Leavitt noted that, last year, the Biden White House marked Easter Sunday, which fell on March 31, 2024, the most solemn Christian holiday, as Transgender Day of Visibility.
"On Transgender Day of Visibility, we honor the extraordinary courage and contributions of transgender Americans and reaffirm our Nation’s commitment to forming a more perfect Union — where all people are created equal and treated equally throughout their lives," a statement released by the Biden White House stated.
"Today, we send a message to all transgender Americans: You are loved. You are heard. You are understood. You belong. You are America, and my entire Administration, and I have your back," it added. "NOW, THEREFORE, I, JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR., President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim March 31, 2024, as Transgender Day of Visibility."
Biden's defenders were quick to say he didn't choose March 31 as the date for Transgender Day of Visibility, and that, since 2021, when Biden took office, the White House had issued the same proclamation every year on March 31.
At the time, Leavitt, who was serving as the Trump campaign's national press secretary, blasted Biden's proclamation as "appalling and insulting," calling it an example of the Biden administration's "yearslong assault on the Christian faith."
"We call on Joe Biden's failing campaign and the White House to issue an apology to the millions of Catholics and Christians across America who believe tomorrow is for one celebration only — the resurrection of Jesus Christ," she said last year.
Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., said Saturday his latest rally with Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., on their "Fighting Oligarchy" tour was also their largest with a stop in downtown Los Angeles before a massive crowd of supporters.
"Your presence here today is making Donald Trump and Elon Musk very nervous," the 83-year-old independent, who caucuses with Democrats, said to loud cheers, adding about 36,000 attended the event.
Sanders mentioned that after their last rally in Denver, Colorado, in March, which was slightly smaller than Saturday's in LA, Tesla CEO and DOGE policy advisor Musk claimed most of those in attendance were "paid organizers."
"Anybody here being paid to come today?" asked Sanders, who was met with shouts of "no!" from the crowd assembled at LA City Hall.
"We're living at a moment where a handful of billionaires control the economic and political life of our country," Sanders said. "We're living in a moment with a president who has no understanding or respect for the Constitution of the United States and, let us make no doubt about it, moving us rapidly toward an authoritarian form of society. And, Mr. Trump, we ain't going there."
Sanders also noted that Musk had recently posted on social media that Sanders "has been talking about the growth of oligarchy year-after-year-after-year."
Sanders added, "Well, Elon, you're damn right. That's what I've been talking about. The difference is I'm no longer talking about how we're moving to oligarchy. I'm talking about how we are living today in an oligarchic form of society."
The pair have already done rallies in Las Vegas; Tempe and Tuscon, Arizona; and Denver and Greeley, Colorado, and they have upcoming rallies scheduled in Bakersfield and Folsom, California; Salt Lake City; Nampa, Idaho; and Missoula, Montana.
Fox News Digital has reached out to the White House for comment.
The U.S. military will take control of a strip of federal land that spans three states along the southern border in an effort to stem illegal immigration, a memorandum Friday by President Donald Trump said.
The memorandum, "Military Mission for Sealing the Southern Border of the United States and Repelling Invasions," directs the secretaries of Defense, Interior, Agriculture and Homeland Security "to provide for the use and jurisdiction by the Department of Defense over such Federal lands, including the Roosevelt Reservation and excluding Federal Indian Reservations, that are reasonably necessary to enable military activities."
He wrote it could include "border-barrier construction and emplacement of detection and monitoring equipment."
"Our southern border is under attack from a variety of threats," Trump wrote in the memorandum. "The complexity of the current situation requires that our military take a more direct role in securing our southern border than in the recent past."
The federal land, which consists of a narrow, 60-foot-deep strip at the border within the Roosevelt Reservation, would become a "military installation" designated as "National Defense Areas" where "military activities" would occur.
The Roosevelt Reservation covers California, New Mexico and Arizona and was designated as federal land by Theodore Roosevelt in 1907 to keep the border secure.
The memorandum added that the secretary of defense can "determine those military activities that are reasonably necessary and appropriate to accomplish the mission" of keeping the border secure.
The Trump administration is ending the protected status for thousands of Afghans who entered the U.S. after its chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021 under the Biden administration.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security doesn’t plan to renew Afghans' Temporary Protected Status (TPS), which lasts six to 18 months and applies to people from countries that are war-torn or have a natural disaster or some other event that makes returning dangerous.
The U.S. military evacuated more than 82,000 Afghans from the country when the U.S. withdrew in 2021, and the Taliban took over.
Thousands of Cameroonians are also expected to lose their status.
"At least 60 days before a TPS designation expires, the Secretary, after consultation with appropriate U.S. Government agencies, is required to review the conditions in a country designated for TPS to determine whether the conditions supporting the designation continue to be met, and, if so, the length of an extension of the designation," DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin told FOx News Digital. "If the Secretary determines that the country no longer meets the statutory conditions for designation, she must terminate the designation."
She added, "The Secretary determined that Afghanistan no longer continues to meet the statutory requirements for its TPS designation and so she terminated TPS for Afghanistan."
McLaughlin said that the decision was "based on a U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) review of the conditions in Afghanistan. As part of its review process, USCIS consulted with the Department of State."
Shawn VanDriver, who served in the military and is president of #AfghanEvac, disagreed with the administration's assessment on Afghanistan.
"The conditions on the ground haven't improved — they've worsened," he told NPR. "Afghans who were invited here, who built lives here, are now being told they don't matter. It's cruel, it's chaotic, and it undermines everything America claimed to stand for when we promised not to leave our allies behind."
More than 14,000 Afghans and 7,000 Cameroonians are expected to lose their TPS protections.
The Biden administration renewed TPS protections for Afghans in 2023.
Afghan TPS protections end in May and Cameroonian protections in June. At that time, foreign nationals will be eligible for deportation.
Both Afghanistan and Venezuela are listed by the U.S. State Department as "Level 4: Do Not Travel" because of the risk of terrorism, unlawful detention, civil unrest and kidnapping.
Cameroon is listed as "Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution" due to the risk of terrorism, kidnapping and armed violence.
President Donald Trump ramped up steep tariffs against Chinese imports to the U.S. this week while alleviating them for other countries during trade negotiations this week. He also signed a series of executive orders aimed at repealing Biden-era restrictions.
The Trump administration announced Wednesday it would lower reciprocal tariffs on other countries, while also revealing that the administration would immediately hike tariffs on Chinese goods to 145%. In response, China has raised its tariffs on U.S. goods to 125%.
Trump disclosed historic tariffs in a ceremony at the White House’s Rose Garden for a "Make America Wealthy Again" event on April 2, asserting that these new duties would generate new jobs for U.S. workers.
The tariff plan established a baseline tax of 10% on all imports to the U.S., along with customized tariffs for countries that place higher tariffs on U.S. goods. The baseline tariffs of 10% took effect Saturday, while the others took effect Wednesday at midnight.
But Trump announced in a post on Truth Social Wednesday that reciprocal tariffs announced last week would remain paused for 90 days, during which period the countries would only face the baseline 10% tariff.
"At some point, hopefully in the near future, China will realize that the days of ripping off the U.S.A., and other Countries, is no longer sustainable or acceptable," Trump posted on his Truth Social media platform on Wednesday.
Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent said that the tariffs suggest that China is at odds with the rest of the world.
"China is the most imbalanced economy in the history of the modern world," Bessent told reporters Wednesday. "They are the biggest source of the U.S. trade problems, and indeed they are the problem for the rest of the world."
Here’s what also happened this week:
Trump also signed an executive order this week aimed at reinvigorating the shipbuilding industry in the U.S., amid concerns that China is outpacing the U.S. in production.
China is responsible for more than 50% of global shipbuilding, compared to just 0.1% from the U.S., according to the Center for Strategic and International Studies.
The executive order requires agencies to craft a Maritime Action Plan and instructs the United States Trade Representative to provide a list of recommendations to deal with China’s "anticompetitive actions within the shipbuilding industry," among other things.
Trump also signed an executive order to reverse Obama- and Biden-era conservation measures that limited water pressure in showers in an attempt to "make showers great again." Former President Barack Obama initially imposed the water pressure restrictions, and Trump sought to ease some of them during his first term.
However, former President Joe Biden reinstated the measure, which limited multi-nozzle shower heads from releasing more than 2.5 gallons of water per minute.
"I like to take a nice shower, take care of my beautiful hair," Trump said Wednesday. "I have to stand in the shower for 15 minutes until it gets wet. Comes out drip, drip, drip. It’s ridiculous."
The Trump administration also unveiled plans this week for upcoming talks to negotiate with Iran on Saturday. While Trump has reiterated that these discussions will be "direct" nuclear talks, Iran has pushed back on that description and characterized them as "indirect" negotiations instead.
Middle East envoy Stever Witkoff will travel to Oman on Saturday and is slated to potentially meet with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi. However, Iran has maintained that the discussions will be held through a third party instead.
"The ultimate objective is to ensure that Iran can never obtain a nuclear weapon," Leavitt told reporters Friday. "The president believes in diplomacy, direct talks, talking directly in the same room in order to achieve that goal. But he's made it very clear to the Iranians, and his national security team will, as well, that all options are on the table and Iran has a choice to make. You can agree to President Trump's demand, or there will be all hell to pay. And that's how the president feels. He feels very strongly about it."
Fox News’ Bonny Chu, Danielle Wallace, and Caitlin McFall contributed to this report.
Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. visited employees at the FDA on Friday and reportedly told them that "the Deep State is real." The visit was his first appearance with FDA Commissioner Marty Makary and was reportedly meant to welcome the new chief.
"President Trump always talks about the Deep State, and the media, you know, disparages him and says that he’s paranoid," Kennedy said according to Politico, which reported it obtained an audio recording and transcript of the secretary’s remarks. "But the Deep State is real. And it’s not, you know, just George Soros and Bill Gates and a bunch of nefarious individuals sitting together in a room and plotting the, you know, the destruction of humanity."
According to multiple reports, Kennedy pointed the finger at "institutional pressures."
Kennedy also reportedly said the FDA had become a "sock puppet" of the industries it was meant to regulate. NBC News reported that Kennedy said that this was the case with "every agency," not just the FDA.
One area where Kennedy said he has seen this within the FDA is its Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) system, which he says acts as a "loophole" for food companies. In March, Kennedy directed the FDA to reevaluate its policies on food companies obtaining approval before adding new ingredients to their products. He believes that "eliminating this loophole" will not only provide consumers with more transparency, but will be key in improving Americans’ health.
The HHS secretary has not hidden his disdain for the FDA, especially as he spoke throughout the 2024 election cycle about what changes he believes are crucial to improving Americans’ health. About a week and a half before the election, Kennedy — who had already endorsed now-President Donald Trump — issued clear warnings on social media to those who "work for the FDA and are part of this corrupt system."
He told them to preserve their records and to "pack your bags."
Kennedy recently embarked on a MAHA (Make America Healthy Again) tour in which he visited Utah, Arizona and New Mexico. According to HHS, Kennedy was set to speak on state laws banning ultra-processed foods and food dyes from school lunches, among other regulations.
Fox News Digital reached out to HHS for comment on the reports outside working hours but did not receive a response for publication.
