The Supreme Court upheld President Donald Trump’s removal of two Democratic appointees from federal boards, handing the administration a legal victory and settling a high-stakes dispute over the president's power to fire agency officials.

The Thursday ruling comes after Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts agreed to temporarily halt the reinstatement of National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) member Gwynne Wilcox and Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB) member Cathy Harris, two Democrat appointees who were abruptly terminated by the Trump administration this year. 

Both had challenged their terminations as "unlawful" in separate lawsuits filed in D.C. federal court.

However, the high court suggested that it could block attempts to fire Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, who, according to Trump, has complained has not cut interest rates fast enough. 

APPEALS COURT BLOCKS TRUMP FROM FIRING FEDERAL BOARD MEMBERS, TEES UP SUPREME COURT FIGHT

The issue confronting the justices was whether the board members, both appointed by President Joe Biden, can stay in their jobs while the larger fight continues over what to do with a 90-year-old Supreme Court decision known as Humphrey’s Executor, in which the court unanimously ruled that presidents cannot fire independent board members without cause.

The court’s three liberal justices dissented. 

"Not since the 1950s (or even before) has a President, without a legitimate reason, tried to remove an officer from a classic independent agency," Justice Elena Kagan wrote, joined by Justices Sonia Sotomayor and Ketanji Brown Jackson.

Kagan wrote that her colleagues were telegraphing what would happen. 

"The impatience to get on with things—to now hand the President the most unitary, meaning also the most subservient, administration since Herbert Hoover (and maybe ever)—must reveal how that eventual decision will go," she wrote.

Lawyers for the Trump administration urged the Supreme Court to either keep Wilcox and Harris off the job while the case moves through the lower courts, or to resolve the issue directly. They asked the justices to grant certiorari before judgment – a fast-track procedure the court uses occasionally to bypass the appeals process in cases of significant national importance.

They urged that Wilcox and Harris not be reinstated to their positions, arguing in their reply brief that the "costs of such reinstatements are immense."

They argued that keeping both Wilcox and Harris in place would "entrust" the president's powers "for the months or years that it could take the courts to resolve this litigation," something they said "would manifestly cause irreparable harm to the President and to the separation of powers."

"The President would lose control of critical parts of the Executive Branch for a significant portion of his term, and he would likely have to spend further months voiding actions taken by improperly reinstated agency leaders."

Earlier this month, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit voted 7–4 to restore Wilcox and Harris to their respective boards, citing Supreme Court precedent in Humphrey’s Executor v. United States and Wiener v. United States – landmark rulings that upheld limits on the president’s power to remove members of independent federal agencies.

The majority noted that the Supreme Court has never overturned the decades-old precedent upholding removal protections for members of independent, multimember adjudicatory boards – such as the NLRB and MSPB – and said that precedent supported reinstating Wilcox and Harris.

It also rejected the Trump administration's request for an administrative stay, which would have allowed their removals to remain in place while the challenge proceeds in court. 

"The Supreme Court has repeatedly told the courts of appeals to follow extant Supreme Court precedent unless and until that Court itself changes it or overturns it," judges noted in their opinion. 

The ruling would have temporarily returned Harris and Wilcox to their posts – but the victory was short-lived. The Trump administration quickly appealed to the Supreme Court, which granted an emergency administrative stay blocking their reinstatement.

In their own Supreme Court filings, lawyers for Wilcox and Harris argued that the court should reinstate them to their roles on their respective boards until a federal appeals court can consider the matter.

APPEALS COURT BLOCKS TRUMP ADMIN'S DEPORTATION FLIGHTS IN ALIEN ENEMIES ACT IMMIGRATION SUIT

Both Wilcox and Harris opposed the administration’s effort to fast-track the case, warning against skipping the normal appeals process and rushing arguments. "Rushing such important matters risks making mistakes and destabilizing other areas of the law," Harris’s lawyers told the Supreme Court this week.

Wilcox, the NLRB member, echoed this argument in her own brief to the high court. 

Counsel for Wilcox cited the potential harm in removing her from the three-member NLRB panel – which they argued in their filing could bring "an immediate and indefinite halt to the NLRB’s critical work of adjudicating labor-relations disputes."

"The President’s choice to instead remove Ms. Wilcox does not bring the Board closer in line with his preferred policies; it prevents the agency from carrying out its congressionally mandated duties at all," they said.

Harris and Wilcox's cases are among several legal challenges attempting to clearly define the executive's power. 

Hampton Dellinger, a Biden appointee previously tapped to head the Office of Special Counsel, sued the Trump administration over his termination. Dellinger filed suit in D.C. district court after his Feb. 7 firing.

He had maintained the argument that, by law, he could only be dismissed from his position for job performance problems, which were not cited in an email dismissing him from his post.

Dellinger dropped his suit against the administration after the D.C. appellate court issued an unsigned order siding with the Trump administration.

The Justice Department, for its part, said in February a letter to Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., that it was seeking to overturn Humphrey's Executor.

The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

Four months into his second tour of duty in the White House, President Donald Trump's approval ratings remain slightly underwater.

The president stands at 46% approval and 54% disapproval in a new national survey by Marquette Law School. And Trump is at 42% approval and 52% disapproval in a Reuters/Ipsos poll. 

Most, but not all, of the latest national surveys place the president's approval rating in negative territory, with a handful indicating Trump is above water.

Trump has aggressively asserted executive authority in his second term, overturning longstanding government policy and aiming to make major cuts to the federal workforce through an avalanche of sweeping and controversial executive orders and actions, with some aimed at addressing grievances he has held since his first term.

TRUMP'S APPROVAL RATINGS ARE UNDERWATER, BUT DEMOCRATS FACE RECORD-LOW POLLING NUMBERS

Trump started his second administration with poll numbers in positive territory, but his poll numbers started to slide soon after his late-January inauguration.

But two issues where the president remains at or above water in some surveys are border security and immigration, which were front and center in Trump's successful 2024 campaign to win back the White House.

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Trump stands at 56% approval on border security and 50% approval on immigration in the Marquette Law School poll, which was conducted May 5-15.

But Trump's muscular moves on border security and immigration, which have sparked controversy and legal pushback, don't appear to be helping his overall approval ratings.

"Immigration is declining now as a salient issue," said Daron Shaw, who serves as a member of the Fox News Decision Team and is the Republican partner on the Fox News poll.

Shaw, a politics professor and chair at the University of Texas, said "immigration and especially border security are beginning to lose steam as one of the top-three issues facing the country. Republicans still rate them fairly highly, but Democrats and independents, who had kind of joined the chorus in 2024, have moved on and in particular moved back to the economy as a focal point."

Pointing to Trump, Shaw added that "when you have success on an issue, it tends to move to the back burner."

Contributing to the slide over the past couple of months in Trump's overall approval ratings was his performance on the economy and, in particular, inflation, which were pressing issues that kept former President Joe Biden’s approval ratings well below water for most of his presidency.

Trump's blockbuster tariff announcement in early April sparked a trade war with some of the nation's top trading partners and triggered a massive sell-off in the financial markets and increased concerns about a recession.

But the markets have rebounded, thanks in part to a truce between the U.S. and China in their tariff standoff as Trump tapped the brakes on his controversial tariff implementation.

Trump stood at 37% approval on tariffs and 34% on inflation/cost of living in the Marquette Law School poll. And he stood at 39% on the economy and 33% on cost of living in the Reuters/Ipsos poll, which was conducted May 16-18.

Doug Heye, a longtime GOP strategist and former RNC and Bush administration official, pointed to last year’s election, saying, "The main reason Trump won was to lower prices. Prices haven’t lowered, and polls are reflecting that."

"With the exception of gas prices, there hasn’t been much of a reduction in prices," Shaw said.

"Prices haven’t come down, and it’s not clear that people will say the absence of inflation is an economic victory. They still feel that an appreciable portion of their money is going to pay for basic things," he added. "What Trump is realizing is that prices have to come down for him to be able to declare success."

FIRST ON FOX: Most of the nation's Republican governors on Tuesday signed on to a letter of support for the massive GOP-crafted budget bill advancing President Donald Trump's second-term agenda on tax cuts, immigration, defense, energy and the debt limit. 

The letter was sent to the White House as the massive measure, known as Trump's "one big, beautiful bill," is slowly making its way through numerous votes and hurdles in the House of Representatives.

And the letter, shared first with Fox News by the Republican Governors Association (RGA), came as Trump made a rare visit Tuesday morning to Capitol Hill to rally Republicans in support of the legislation.

INSIDE TRUMP'S URGENT MEETING WITH HOUSE REPUBLICANS

"As Republican Governors, we stand UNITED in strong support of your One, Big, Beautiful Bill. This landmark piece of legislation embodies your powerful vision to bring about the next great American revival. It truly delivers on the bold promises all Republicans made to the American people to restore the security, prosperity, and fiscal sanity for our nation," stated the letter, which was signed by 20 of the nation's 27 GOP governors.

And the governors argued that "after four long years of tremendous hardship under President Joe Biden and Kamala Harris, the American people cannot wait any longer for Congress to enact the One, Big, Beautiful Bill."

"The American people have witnessed the tireless work undertaken by you and your administration to reverse the disastrous consequences of President Biden’s failed and often illegal policies," the governors claimed. "You have demonstrated a commitment to using every ounce of Executive authority available to reinstitute fiscal sanity, fight the deep state, secure our borders, and achieve energy dominance." 

With a fragile, razor-thin majority in the House, GOP leaders in the chamber cannot afford more than a couple of Republicans to hold out against the bill in order to pass it and send it to the Senate. No Democrats in the House are expected to vote for the measure.

Upon arriving on Capitol Hill, Trump suggested that any GOP lawmaker who votes against the bill would be "knocked out so fast," as he mentioned a couple of "grandstanders." 

He urged House Republicans must get his "one big, beautiful bill" done, and added that the GOP is a "very unified party."

While Trump's meeting with the House Republicans was kept behind closed doors, two people in the room told Fox News Digital that the president warned House Republicans to not "f--- around" with Medicaid and state and local tax (SALT) deduction caps, two significant points of contention for warring conservative and moderate GOP factions.

The Republican governors, in their letter to Trump, said that "we agree with you; Republicans must UNIFY around this unprecedented piece of conservative legislation."

"We stand by your side and will support you in any way to ensure this necessary piece of legislation is enacted," they added.

The letter was signed by Govs. Kay Ivey of Alabama, Mike Dunleavy of Alaska, Sarah Sanders of Arkansas, Brian Kemp of Georgia (the chair of the RGA), Brad Little of Idaho, Mike Braun of Indiana, Kim Reynolds of Iowa, Jeff Laundry of Louisiana, Tate Reeves of Mississippi, Mike Kehoe of Missouri, Greg Gianforte of Montana, Jim Pillen of Nebraska, Kelly Armstrong of North Dakota, Henry McMaster of South Carolina, Bill Lee of Tennessee, Greg Abbott of Texas, Spencer Cox of Utah, Glenn Youngkin of Virginia, Patrick Morrisey of West Virginia, and Mark Gordon of Wyoming.

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

A vote to force the Trump administration to produce a report on El Salvador’s human rights practices, spearheaded by Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., failed by a roll call vote of 45-50 on Thursday.

Kaine, along with co-sponsors Sens. Chuck Schumer of New York, Chris Van Hollen of Maryland and Alex Padilla of California, all Democrats, cited powers granted by the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 to put forward a privileged resolution – which required a vote regardless of GOP opposition – to compel the administration to provide such details.

Speaking to reporters when he announced the vote, Kaine said that if passed, it would freeze foreign assistance to the Salvadoran government if the Trump administration were to balk.

"I also send a message to the government of El Salvador," Kaine said during his remarks, breaking into Spanish midway.

NOT A MARYLAND MAN: GOP BLASTS DEMOCRAT SENATOR FIGHTING FOR RETURN OF SALVADORAN NATIONAL

"You might think it's cute right now to grab attention by a bromance with President Donald Trump. He's going to be a president for poco más (a short time) – tres años más (three more years)."

Continuing in Spanish, Kaine said the two countries will always have relations, before transitioning back to English to say that the U.S. will not soon forget "you violating the human rights of American citizens – you're wrong."

On the Senate floor Thursday, Sen. John Barrasso, R-Wyo., said Senate Democrats are "voting once again to defend illegal immigrant criminals. They seem to like to do that. It’s hard to believe, but it’s true."

"They’re going to come to this floor today, and they’re going to line up to express their blind loyalty and belligerent support for illegal immigrant criminals," said Barrasso, who, as majority whip, is the second-most-senior Republican.

KAINE BREAKS INTO SPANISH AS DEMS FORCE VOTE TARGETING TRUMP-BUKELE ALLIANCE OVER DEPORTATIONS

"No Democrats are going to be able to answer the question – How does allowing MS-13 gang members to roam free in our communities make America safer?"

Kaine's office did provide a copy of the resolution. along with a statement from the Virginia Democrat:

"If President Trump is going to cut secret deals to send people to foreign prisons without due process, every Senator—and the public—needs to understand the details about those deportations, including the human rights record of the nation putting American residents behind bars," Kaine said.

"This information is critical at a time when the Trump Administration has admitted to wrongfully deporting people to El Salvador, and after Trump has said he’s also looking for ways to deport American citizens to the same terrible prisons. Today, we will force a vote on our legislation to put all Senators on record on requiring some accountability from this lawless Administration."

Van Hollen, who took a junket to El Salvador to attempt to bring deported suspected gang member Kilmar Garcia to Maryland – where his family lives – said Trump has failed to comply with the order to facilitate his return.

"We will use this resolution to force accountability," said Rep. Joaquin Castro, D-Texas, a House supporter of the resolution, although Kaine said it does not require their blessing.

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Van Hollen, who took a junket to El Salvador to attempt to bring Garcia to Maryland – where his family lives – said Trump has failed to comply with the order to facilitate his return.

Both Trump and Bukele appeared to agree in an Oval Office meeting last month that returning Garcia would be "preposterous" and that the court order did not quite say what critics said it did.

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy sparred with Democrats at a House Appropriations Subcommittee hearing on Wednesday, slamming Biden-era climate and social justice projects while also pushing back against claims 400 air traffic controllers have been let go.

Duffy said such initiatives sucked money from other projects, and he pointed to the 2023 Harvard Supreme Court decision that effectively ended affirmative action in college admissions as justification for scrapping them. He said such Biden-era policies inflated project costs without contributing to safety or infrastructure quality.

"Our department, over the course of the last hundred days, has saved taxpayers roughly $9.5 billion," Duffy said in his opening statement. "Those savings include monies pulled from projects tied to social justice to climate requirements, also boondoggle projects, as well as bringing efficiencies to the department."

TRANSPORTATION SECRETARY SAYS AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL SYSTEM UPDATES WILL TAKE TIME, BUT NOT 'JEOPARDIZE SAFETY'

Rep. Jim Clyburn, D-S.C., took issue with the move and drew on personal experience to justify it.

"My late wife... had to walk two and a half miles to school every morning right past the White school, where the White kids had buses. That was social injustice," Clyburn said. "Now all of a sudden we see this as wasteful government spending? I don't think so. I think this is a wise investment in a country that has challenges that we need all people involved in."

Duffy, while praising Clyburn’s history and work as an elected official, clarified that he wasn’t attacking the broader concept of social justice, but rather specific policy conditions under the Biden administration.

"What I see with the climate and the social justice requirements in the projects that you so dearly want built, that it's adding costs on," Duffy said. "It's costing more money. If we take out 5 to 10% climate or social justice, that’s money we don’t have for additional projects. And that’s my concern."

CONGRESS MOVES TO ADDRESS AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLER CRISIS AS NEWARK MELTDOWN SPARKS ALARM

Duffy also clashed with Rep. Norma Torres, D-Calif., who claimed that 400 air traffic controllers have been let go, accusing the Trump administration of eroding national air travel safety and delaying infrastructure projects.

"The administration undermined [safety efforts] by offering deferred resignation to controllers, and at least 400 of them… were fired, resulting in delays to much-needed upgrades," Torres said. 

Duffy sharply pushed back, calling her statement a "falsehood" and flatly denying the claim.

"We have not fired – haven’t let go – anyone," Duffy said. "Air traffic controllers? You said we let 400 go. No one in air traffic control has been allowed to take a deferred resignation offer. Not one. Not 400. Zero."

The hearing focused on reviewing the Transportation Department’s FY 2026 discretionary budget request of $26.7 billion, a 5.8% increase from FY 2025. He promised to reduce bureaucracy, eliminate inefficiencies and reallocate savings to infrastructure.

"Our budget carefully focuses taxpayer resources on items critical to our most fundamental mission of safety and investing in transportation infrastructure," Duffy said.

In terms of the recent outages at Newark Airport, he blamed them on missteps by the previous administration, citing an ill-planned transfer of airspace control from New York to Philadelphia.

"They didn’t test and make sure the lines were hardened… and they didn’t move the STARS system, which helps interpret radar," Duffy said.

"We’re working at lightning speed and pace to get this resolved," he said. 

To ease pressure on the system, the FAA is also working with airlines to reduce flight volumes, he said.

A Democratic National Committee (DNC) vice chairman fired up a crowd outside Philadelphia on Saturday after calling President Donald Trump a "punk" and accusing his administration of modern-day book burning for adjusting content on government websites.

"There is a strategy of authoritarians and would-be dictators and punks like Donald Trump," Malcolm Kenyatta said at a town hall in Levittown that was officially targeting swing-district Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick, R-Pa.

As part of that "strategy," Kenyatta said, "one of the first things they go after is history."

"We know that before, they used to take the books, put them in a little pile and burn them. Now they try to delete stuff off of our federal websites. But the effect is the same. They want us to forget what we are made of," he went on, in a clip circulated by the left-leaning outlet "The Keystone."

OBAMA SLAMS PRO-TRUMP MEN AT PHILADELPHIA RALLY WHILE SPRINGSTEEN WARNS GOP NOMINEE IS ‘AN AMERICAN TYRANT’

Since taking office, Trump has overseen agencies that have altered or removed content relating to DEI, climate change and gender ideology.

"Donald Trump is not the first bully or would-be authoritarian that Americans have taken on. We know it here in Pennsylvania. We don't have a good relationship with kings," he said, as Penn’s Woods was founded by Quakers and other religious exiles fed up with European authoritarians. "I'm not bowing to a king."

Kenyatta is also the state representative for the Temple University area of North Philadelphia, and the first openly gay person of color to serve in Harrisburg.

WHO IS THE DEMOCRATIC GUBERNATORIAL CANDIDATE ARRESTED FOR TRESPASSING AT ICE DETENTION CENTER?

He added that "people like Fitzpatrick" lack the "guts" to stand up to Trump.

At another recent appearance in Berks County – which includes Reading and Hamburg – Kenyatta railed against the arrest of Newark, New Jersey, Mayor Ras Baraka at an ICE detention facility there.

"He was peacefully protesting and speaking up for his constituents and his neighbors. He wasn't inciting an insurrection… because if he was doing that, they might have offered him a position in the Cabinet," Kenyatta said.

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Kenyatta notably finished third in the 2022 Pennsylvania Senate primary won by Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., and unsuccessfully ran for auditor general in 2024 against GOP incumbent Timothy DeFoor.

White House spokesperson Harrison Fields responded Monday, telling Fox News Digital that Kenyatta is a "no-name state representative who was trounced in the Pennsylvania Senate primary due to his radical and unserious positions."

"The prominence the Democrat Party affords him reflects the party's disarray and desire to satisfy its radical base," Fields said.

Fox News Digital reached out to Fitzpatrick for comment.

President Donald Trump is touting that Thursday's announcement of a trade deal with the United Kingdom – which is the first since the president a month ago announced massive tariffs on nations across the globe – will be "the first of many."

Pushing back against descriptions that the agreement hammered out between the two historic allies was just an initial deal with much more to be negotiated, Trump argued "this is a very big deal…this is a maxed-out deal that we're going to make bigger."

The financial sector appeared to embrace the deal, with the stock markets rising on news of the agreement. However, for a president aiming to pass a sweeping agenda through Congress, it is the political reaction that may be of upmost importance.

Trump's approval ratings have been sliding since he returned to power in the White House three and a half months ago and are now underwater in most national polling.

HEAD HERE FOR THE LATEST FOX NEWS COVERAGE OF DONALD TRUMP'S PRESIDENCY

Fueling the drop in Trump's poll numbers are increased concerns by Americans over the economy and inflation, which were pressing issues that kept former President Joe Biden's approval ratings well below water for most of his presidency.  

Front and center is Trump's blockbuster tariff announcement a month ago, which sparked a trade war with some of the nation's top trading partners and triggered a massive sell-off in the financial markets and increased concerns about a recession.

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

WHERE TRUMP STANDS IN THE LATEST FOX NEWS NATIONAL POLL

Trump stood at 44% approval and 55% disapproval in the most recent Fox News national poll, which was conducted April 18-21.

Additionally, the president's approval registered at 38% on the economy and just 33% on inflation and tariffs.

However, veteran Republican strategist and communicator Ryan Williams, when asked about the political impact of Thursday's trade deal, described it as a "positive first step."

Williams also noted that Trump’s approval ratings are "tied directly to the performance of the economy."

POLL POSITION: WHERE TRUMP STANDS 15 WEEKS INTO HIS SECOND PRESIDENCY

In discussing his tariffs soon after he announced them on what he called "Liberation Day," the president touted that "these countries are calling us up, kissing my a--."

"They are dying to make a deal. ‘Please, please, sir, make a deal. I’ll do anything. I’ll do anything, sir!’" Trump highlighted.

A month later, Trump finally got a chance to showcase a trade agreement.

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"President Trump has argued that his agenda requires time for an adjustment and deal making. He’ll be given a period of time to execute deals to prove that his plans are working and the first major trade deal with a nation like the UK is at least a sign that some of the work has been going on behind the scenes thus and is starting to bear fruit," Williams said.

He added that the president will "have to back it up with more, but it is a positive first step for him in securing other deals."

China is eager to hash out a trade deal with the U.S., according to President Donald Trump. 

Trump’s remarks come as Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent is poised to launch trade negotiations with China in Switzerland on Saturday amid a steep tariff battle between Washington and Beijing.  

"Scott's going to be going to Switzerland, meeting with China," Trump told reporters Thursday at the White House. "And you know, they very much want to make a deal. We can all play games. Who made the first call, who didn't make them? It doesn't matter. Only matters what happens in that room. But I will tell you that China very much wants to make a deal. We'll see how that works out."

US HAS YET TO LAUNCH TRADE NEGOTIATIONS WITH CHINA, TREASURY SECRETARY SAYS

The Trump administration announced widespread tariffs for multiple countries on April 2, following criticism that other countries' trade practices are unfair toward the U.S.

The administration later adjusted its initial proposal and announced on April 9 it would immediately impose a 145% tariff on Chinese goods, while reducing reciprocal tariffs on other countries for 90 days to a baseline of 10%. China responded by raising tariffs on U.S. goods to 125%.

Bessent said Tuesday that negotiations between the U.S. and China had not started, after China said Friday that Beijing was open to holding talks if the tariffs were rescinded. 

Trump told reporters on Air Force One Sunday he wants a "fair" trade deal with China, claiming discussions with Beijing were in the works on multiple issues.  

Trump has voiced support for tariffs for decades. The White House has called for tariffs to address the nation’s 2024 record $1.2 trillion trade deficit, and said the tariffs will bring back U.S. manufacturing jobs. 

HERE'S A CLOSER LOOK AT TRUMP'S TARIFF PLAN: WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT THE NEW DUTIES

Bessent cautioned in April that the tariffs could cost China up to 10 million jobs, and said it’s incumbent upon Beijing to remove current tariffs on U.S. imports. 

"I think that over time we will see that the Chinese tariffs are unsustainable for China. I've seen some very large numbers over the past few days that show if these numbers stay on, Chinese could lose 10 million jobs very quickly," Bessent told reporters at the White House on April 29. "And even if there is a drop in the tariffs that they could lose 5 million jobs."

"So remember that we are the deficit country," Bessent said. "They sell almost five times more goods to us than we sell to them. So the onus will be on them to take off these tariffs. They're unsustainable for them."

Bessent also told lawmakers Tuesday that the U.S. has launched discussions with various countries, and indicated that major trade deals could be announced "as early as this week." 

As former President Joe Biden faces incoming fire not only from President Donald Trump but also fellow Democrats, the former president is bringing on board a veteran strategist and communicator to help refurbish his reputation and legacy.

The former president has hired Chris Maegher, a Biden administration veteran, to help him now that the first 100 days of Trump's second tour of duty in the White House has passed, sources confirm to Fox News.

Former presidents have traditionally refrained from criticizing their successors during the first 100-day period of the new administration.

However, in a sign that Biden is looking to re-engage publicly, he will make a live appearance on "The View" talk show on Thursday, and sources confirm that Meagher had a hand in arranging the segment.

HEAD HERE FOR THE LATEST FOX NEWS COVERAGE OF FORMER PRESIDENT BIDEN

Earlier this week, in his first interview since Trump's inauguration three and a half months ago, Biden sat down with the BBC.

Biden's re-entering into the political and media spotlight may not sit well with many Democrats, who thank the former president for the plethora of policies passed during his single term in the White House but who continue to blame him for last November's election setbacks and who want fresh faces to lead the party as it aims to exit the political wilderness.

The media appearances by Biden come as his White House successor continues to blast and belittle the former president over several issues.

TRUMP'S APPROVAL RATINGS SLIDE, BUT DEMOCRATS POLL NUMBERS HIT ALL-TIME LOWS

It comes as the Trump administration, according to a Politico report, is working to release audio of Biden's interview with then-special counsel Robert Hur, who investigated Biden's handling of classified documents and raised questions about Biden's mental acuity in a February 2024 report.

Biden made history in his 2020 White House defeat of Trump as the oldest person ever elected U.S. president. Hur's report amplified questions about whether the then-81-year-old, who at the time was running for re-election, had the physical and mental stamina to serve another four years in the White House.

Biden's disastrous debate performance against Trump last June further exacerbated his problems and fueled a chorus of calls from fellow Democrats for him to step down as the Democrats' 2024 standard-bearer.

Biden eventually succumbed to the pressure and dropped his re-election bid in late July, with then-Vice President Kamala Harris succeeding him as the Democratic Party's presidential nominee.

Biden continues to face criticism from fellow Democrats for staying too long in the 2024 White House race.

When asked in the BBC interview if he should have dropped his re-election bid earlier than he did, the former president said, "I don’t think it would have mattered."

"It was a hard decision," Biden said. "I think it was the right decision."

The former president also used the interview to blast Trump for single-handily renaming the Gulf of Mexico as the Gulf of America, for his repeated comments about acquiring Greenland or taking control of the Panama Canal, and for continuously saying Canada should become America's 51st state.

"What the hell’s going on here? What president ever talks like that? That’s not who we are," Biden said. "We’re about freedom, democracy, opportunity, not about confiscation." 

He also pilloried Trump's efforts to end the Russia-Ukraine war as "modern-day appeasement."

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Meagher is a longtime operative and strategist with both political and private sector experience on his resume. He's a veteran of the Democratic National Committee, former Sen. John Tester of Montana's successful 2018 reflection, and Pete Buttigieg's 2020 presidential campaign, when the long shot for the Democratic nomination soared to major contender status.

During the Biden administration, Meagher briefly served under then-Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg before moving to the White House as a deputy press secretary and later to the Pentagon as Defense Department spokesperson.

President Donald Trump has some polling problems with his approval ratings sliding into negative territory since he reentered the White House three and a half months ago. But he's far from alone when it comes to taking a political punch in public opinion.

The opposing Democratic Party's favorable ratings keep sinking to new lows.

Democratic National Committee Chair Ken Martin said this past weekend in a "Fox News Sunday" interview that the party's focus right now is "squarely on making sure that we stand up for hardworking Americans who are being left behind in this Trump economy."

But many Americans apparently don't believe that Democrats are up to the task.

KAMALA HARRIS TAKES NEXT STEP IN RETURN TO POLITICAL SPOTLIGHT

The Democrats' ratings stood underwater in the latest Fox News national poll at 41% favorable and 56% unfavorable in a survey conducted April 18-21.

That's an all-time low for the Democrats in Fox News polling. And for the first time in a decade, the party's standing was lower than that of the GOP, which stood at 44% favorable and 54% unfavorable.

The figures were reversed last summer, when Fox News last asked the party favorability question in one of its surveys.

HEAD HERE FOR THE LATEST FOX NEWS POLLING

The Fox News poll is far from an outlier.

The Democratic Party's favorable ratings were well in negative territory in a Pew Research national survey - 38% favorable, 60% unfavorable - conducted in early April and at 36% favorable, 60% unfavorable in a Wall Street Journal poll in the field a couple of weeks earlier.

And national polls conducted in February by Quinnipiac University and March by CNN and by NBC News also indicated the favorable ratings for the Democratic Party sinking to all-time lows.

But there's more.

Confidence in the Democratic Party's congressional leadership sunk to an all-time low, according to a Gallup poll conducted early last month.

The confidence rating for Democrats' leadership in Congress stood at 25% in the survey, which was nine points below the previous low of 34% recorded in 2023.

The semi-annual Harvard Youth Poll, which was released late last month, indicated that approval ratings for Democrats in Congress among Americans aged 18-29 nosedived.

POLL POSITION: WHERE TRUMP STANDS 15 MONTHS INTO HIS SECOND PRESIDENCY

An ABC News/Washington Post/Ipsos poll conducted in mid-April indicated that more respondents trusted Trump (40%) than Democrats in Congress (32%) to handle the nation's main problems.

And a Reuters/Ipsos poll conducted late last month suggested Republicans hold a significant advantage over Democrats on two top issues: the economy and immigration.

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

Since Trump's return to power, an increasingly angry and energized base of Democrats is pushing for party leaders to take a stronger stand in pushing back against the president's sweeping and controversial agenda during the opening months of his second administration.

"What we've seen over the last few months is some Democrats taking it upon themselves to tackle what has been a larger brand problem over the past decade and a half," a Democrat strategist and communicator who's a veteran of presidential campaigns told Fox News.

The anger not only at Trump and Republicans but also at fellow Democrats appears to be a factor in the party's polling woes, with the drop in positivity toward the Democrats in the Fox News poll partially being a self-inflicted wound. Party favorability among self-identified Democrats plunged 10 points from last summer (87%) to last month (77%) in the survey.

At the same time, the Republican Party saw a slight improvement among their party faithful: 83% of self-identified Republicans had a favorable view in 2024 vs. 85% in April.

But there's a silver lining for the Democrats.

"The higher favorable rating for the Republican Party is entirely due to Democrats feeling less favorable toward their party than Republicans do toward theirs," said Democrat pollster Chris Anderson, who conducts the Fox News surveys with Republican Daron Shaw. "This in and of itself is unlikely to translate into midterm success for the GOP as Democrats say they will almost universally vote for their party and independents favor the Democrats as well."

The Fox News poll indicates that if the 2026 midterm elections were held today, 49% of voters would back a generic Democrat in their congressional district, with 42% supporting the generic Republican candidate.

Fox News' Victoria Balara contributed to this report.

President Donald Trump is facing a legal challenge to another one of his executive orders, this time over his temporary withdrawal of offshore wind energy leases and review of wind power permitting practices.

The District of Columbia and 17 states are suing Trump, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, Interior Secretary Doug Burgum and a slew of other officials over the administration’s move to do what they describe as halting progress to undertake an "amorphous, redundant, extra-statutory, and multi-agency review of unknown duration."

"Citing unspecified ‘legal deficiencies’ and ‘inadequacies’ in past federal wind energy reviews, the Wind Directive orders the heads of relevant federal agencies to relinquish their congressionally imposed responsibilities," the suit alleged. 

"It orders that agency defendants instead ‘shall not issue new or renewed approvals, rights of way, permits, leases, or loans for onshore or offshore wind projects pending the completion of a comprehensive assessment and review of federal wind leasing and permitting practices’ — a review, grounded in no statute and duplicative of already required reviews…," the suit said.

TRUMP EXECUTIVE ORDER FORCES NJ TO CANCEL ITS FIRST OFFSHORE WIND FARM

The plaintiff states go on to warn against job loss, economic effects and a roadblock to the source of 10% of the U.S.'s energy generation.

Filed in Boston federal court Monday, the suit seeks to allow states like Massachusetts to continue their projects after hundreds of millions of dollars have already been invested in offshore wind and "well-paying green jobs," according to a statement from Bay State Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell.

"The president’s attempts to stop homegrown wind energy development directly contradict his claims that there is a growing need for reliable domestic energy," Campbell said.

"My colleagues and I will continue to challenge this administration’s unlawful actions to chill investment and growth of this critical industry." 

TRUMP HITS BIDEN ON LAST-MINUTE ENERGY CRACKDOWN, PROMISES DAY 1 REVERSAL

The White House pushed back, with spokesperson Taylor Rogers telling Fox News Digital that instead of working with Trump to "unleash American energy and lower prices for American families, Democrat attorneys general are using lawfare to stop the president’s popular energy agenda."

"The American people voted for the President to restore America’s energy dominance, and Americans in blue states should not have to pay the price of the Democrats’ radical climate agenda," Rogers said.

Meanwhile, California Attorney General Rob Bonta added separately that Trump’s directive is "reckless" and will "not only reverse America’s progress in clean energy initiatives, but our communities will also suffer the economic consequences of the president’s misguided lawlessness."

Bonta claimed Trump’s order and similar actions billed as aiming to lower energy costs will only do the opposite.

New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy added in a statement that his state will continue to move toward its goal of 100% clean energy by 2035, and that wind power plays a key role in it.

"We are committed to reversing this disruptive action and will take every step necessary to get these projects back on track," he said.

Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Neronha said the Ocean State will also continue to work toward its climate goals.

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"Despite its affinity for hot air, this administration’s attack on wind is not unexpected," Neronha said in statement. "Mere hours after taking office, this president issued an executive order reaffirming his commitment to dismantling substantial clean energy progress in this country."

Sen. Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, told Fox News Digital this week that he remains confident there will be a sunset to the trend of nationwide injunctions by federal judges whose rulings reverberate far beyond their judicial districts.

"Universal injunctions are an unconstitutional abuse of judicial power," Grassley, chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, told Fox News Digital.

"Just this past week, a D.C. district judge issued a universal injunction blocking the president’s executive order requiring voter ID or proof-of-citizenship prior to voting in national elections."

That ruling ignores the idea that "judges are not policymakers," he said.

NUMBER OF INJUNCTIONS HALTING TRUMP POLICIES TROUNCES PREDECESSORS BY DOUBLE

"Allowing them to assume this role is very dangerous."

With the Supreme Court primed to hear a case on May 15 regarding nationwide injunctions on President Donald Trump's order reinterpreting birthright citizenship, Grassley noted the high bench "could and should take action."

"In the meantime, I'm continuing to work with my colleagues to advance my critical Judicial Relief Clarification Act (JRCA) and put an end to universal injunctions," he said.

TRUMP ADMINISTRATION ASKS SUPREME COURT TO REVIEW EL SALVADOR DEPORTATION FLIGHT CASE

While some proponents had suggested using the reconciliation process to force through Grassley’s bill in a closely divided Senate, that would be prohibited because of the so-called "Byrd Rule" barring non-financial bills from going through the process, according to a person familiar with the reconciliation process.

The May 15 case challenges precedent from the 1898 ruling in U.S. v. Wong Kim Ark – which defined birthright citizenship in a broad context after Wong, a child of Chinese immigrants, was denied entry to San Francisco after returning from China.

Judges in Massachusetts, Maryland and Washington state issued nationwide injunctions blocking Trump’s birthright citizenship order, while the president defended his move, saying the 14th Amendment section outlining the idea was clearly directed at former slaves.

In March, Grassley first spoke against what he called the promotion of unchecked judicial power after Senate Minority Whip Richard Durbin, D-Ill., requested passage of a resolution ordering Trump to comply with all federal court rulings.

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"The President of the United States shouldn’t have to ask permission from more than 600 different district judges to manage the executive branch he was elected to lead," Grassley responded.

"I happen to agree with some Democrats that in previous years have said some judges have gone way beyond what a judge should do on national injunctions. I hope to find a solution for that, and I hope that you and I could work on that together," he added.

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., blasted the Trump administration on issues ranging from free speech, DOGE spending cuts and immigration at a Friday night town hall in Jackson Heights, Queens. At one point, the four-term congresswoman called out border czar Tom Homan by name, challenging him to "come for me."

After speaking at a May Day protest in New York City on Thursday, rejecting Trump's agenda and warning protesters that Republicans "are going after Medicaid next," Ocasio-Cortez continued that message in New York's 14th Congressional District Friday night. 

After a May Day protest in New York City where she warned Republicans were "going after Medicaid next," Ocasio-Cortez's constituent town hall kept a decidedly progressive bent but ranged in focus from local to national concerns. Even so, President Donald Trump and his aggressive border security push remained a key focus.

In particular, Ocasio-Cortez attacked the Trump administration's approach to border security and immigration, referring to its deportation of Venezuelan gang members as "sanctioned kidnappings."

POLLSTER NATE SILVER CALLS OCASIO-CORTEZ MOST LIKELY TO BE 2028 DEMOCRATIC PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE

"I don't even want to call them deportations. They are sanctioned kidnappings in many circumstances," the congresswoman told attendees. "They do not have carte blanche to enter. If they do want to knock on your door, or knock on anyone's door — including your workplace — you can tell them, ‘Show me a warrant. Show me a judicial warrant.’ And if they don't show you a warrant, you can say they can come back with a warrant. You have the right to turn them away."

Trump's border czar, Tom Homan, has said Ocasio-Cortez should be investigated for providing tips on how to evade federal immigration authorities. On Friday, after the congresswoman did so again, she mentioned Homan. 

"When we first did one of these seminars, Tom Homan, then-acting director of ICE, said that he was going to threaten to refer me to the DOJ because I'm using my free speech rights in order to advise people of their constitutionally guaranteed protections," Ocasio-Cortez said. "And he may want to do it again today, and to that I say, come for me."

WATCH: AOC LEAVES DOOR OPEN FOR 2028 PRESIDENTIAL BID AS CAMPAIGN BUZZ SOARS 

Ocasio-Cortez also slammed the Trump administration for "attacks on free speech" and cuts to government spending on programs the congresswoman considers "essential."

"Anything that has to do with the environment is bad and should be cut, and I don't even think they understood the extent to which this is compromising and hurting people," Ocasio-Cortez told attendees. "They don't believe climate change is real."

The event was mostly uneventful except for an early disruption by a protester who began shouting at Ocasio-Cortez about the "genocide" in Gaza.   

"I am a healthcare worker and I want to know what you're doing about the genocide in Gaza," the protester started shouting at the congresswoman.

"Shame! Shame! Shame!" the audience began shouting at the disruptor. Audible "boos" could be heard as well.

HYSTERICAL TOWN HALL ATTENDEE INTERRUPTS AOC, YELLS ABOUT ‘GENOCIDE’ IN GAZA: ‘YOU’RE A LIAR!'

Ocasio-Cortez attempted to appease the disruptor, but nothing she could say calmed the person down. Staff at the event allowed the disruptor to continue yelling until she approached Ocasio-Cortez, and they eventually led her out.

"Shame on you. You're a liar. You're a liar," the woman screamed as others began to boo at her. "

Shame on you, I used to support you," the woman shouted as she exited. "You're a war criminal! War criminal! War criminal!"

Despite the protester's unfavorable opinion of Ocasio-Cortez, others have been hopeful about her potential candidacy for the presidency in 2028. Speculation about her potential run has been swirling during the congresswoman's frequent Fighting Oligarchy rallies with Sen. Bernie Sanders, a Vermont independent who caucuses with Democrats.

AOC CLAIMS 'WE ARE ONE' IN CAMPAIGN-STYLE VIDEO DESPITE YEARS OF INVOKING RACE, GENDER IN POLITICS

Sanders held a rally Friday night in Pennsylvania, during which attendees snapped photos of "AOC 2028" merchandise sold outside the event. 

As rumors swirl over Ocasio-Cortez's ambition for higher office, the congresswoman raked in $9.6 million over the past three months. The record-breaking fundraising haul was one of the biggest ever for any House lawmaker. Ocasio-Cortez's team highlighted that the money came from 266,000 individual donors with an average contribution of $21.

"I cannot convey enough how grateful I am to the millions of people supporting us with your time, resources, & energy. Your support has allowed us to rally people together at record scale to organize their communities," Ocasio-Cortez emphasized in a social media post.

EXCLUSIVE: Interior Secretary Doug Burgum on Friday will update a Biden-era federal rule regarding energy development as a major cost-saving measure to private firms, one day after taking a visit to a liquefied natural gas (LNG) export facility on the Gulf Coast.

A source familiar with the workings of the rule said it essentially will "massively deregulate" a rule passed between the two Trump administrations and should further bolster Gulf Coast oil and gas production by providing lower startup costs for energy firms.

The rule outlines criteria that producers and grantholders must provide as financial assurance, with a 2024 Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) estimate that $6.9 billion in new supplemental assurance would be required to protect against oil lessees' default.

The Interior Department said that $6.9 billion added up to the $665 million in estimated additional insurance premiums for energy companies, which stifled how much they could spend to expand their operations and pursue what President Donald Trump has called "American energy dominance."

BURGUM SAYS INTERIOR DEPARTMENT COMPLETELY EMBRACING DOGE EFFORT

Burgum told Fox News Digital that the rule revision will "enable our nation’s energy producers to redirect their capital toward future leasing, exploration, and production all while financially protecting the American taxpayer.

"Cutting red tape will level the playing field and allow American companies to make investments that strengthen domestic energy security and benefit Gulf of America states and their communities," he said.

DAKOTAS PRIMED FOR NEWFOUND POLITICAL PROMINENCE AS SENATE, TRUMP ADMINISTRATION LEADERS PICKED FROM HEARTLAND CROP

BOEM will continue to require lessees on the outer continental shelf to provide financial assurances, while the Trump administration writ large works toward more balanced regulations, the department said in an exclusive statement.

During Burgum’s visit to the Gulf, he met with energy workers at the LNG facility and discussed how the department under his leadership wants to better support the industry.

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The Gulf of America currently produces approximately 1.8 million barrels of crude oil daily and 2 billion cubic feet of natural gas per day. 

Top Democrats announced an effort Thursday to force the Trump administration to provide a report on how it is specifically complying with a court order to facilitate the return of wrongfully deported U.S. residents to El Salvador.

The resolution to do so from Sens. Tim Kaine of Virginia, Charles Schumer of New York, Alex Padilla of California and Chris Van Hollen of Maryland is "privileged," – meaning it will require a full Senate vote. Kaine cited the specific code under a 1961 foreign assistance law that allowed such.

If passed, and the White House fails to abide by it, U.S. security assistance to El Salvador would be immediately frozen, Schumer, Kaine and Van Hollen said.

NOT A MARYLAND MAN: GOP BLASTS DEMOCRAT SENATOR FIGHTING FOR RETURN OF SALVADORAN NATIONAL

At a press conference outside the Capitol, the three men laid out how the vote would work, and one lawmaker later disclosed a separate effort to schedule a vote on sanctions against El Salvador over President Nayib Bukele's work with Trump.

"I also send a message to the government of El Salvador," Kaine said during his remarks, breaking into Spanish midway.

"You might think it's cute right now to grab attention by a bromance with President Donald Trump. He's going to be a president for poco mas (a short time) – tres anos mas (three years more)."

Continuing in Spanish, Kaine said the two countries will always have relations, before transitioning back to English to say that the U.S. will not soon forget "you violating the human rights of American citizens, you're wrong."

"We will remember this forever," Kaine pledged. "And there will be significant and challenging downstream consequences for any nation that violates the rights of Americans."

KILMAR GARCIA NOW GETS 5 TOTAL DEM PROPONENTS IN EL SALVADOR

The move was spurred by the case of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a suspected MS-13 gang member who was deported from Maryland to his home country last month.

Van Hollen later said the privileged resolution was not expressly about Garcia, but instead the greater idea that such people could be deported and/or treated without due process.

Echoing Kaine on repercussions for San Salvador’s government from Washington, Van Hollen spoke of plans to also seek a sanctions vote against Bukele "and all those who are part of his government conspiring with Donald Trump to deprive residents of the United States of their constitutional rights."

Returning again to speaking bilingually, Kaine responded to a reporter’s question by summing up the privileged resolution in Spanish.

"We have a guarantee of a vote after ten days on El Salvador and we are sending a message to President Trump that he needs to follow the law. And we are also sending a message to President Bukele that we are not going to forget if the government of El Salvador is violating American human rights," he said.

In a statement in English aside from the conference, Kaine said Bukele "has rounded up tens of thousands of Salvadorans without due process and jammed them indefinitely into overpopulated torture centers. And now he’s trying to do the same to people living in the United States," Kaine said in a statement obtained by Fox News Digital prior to the conference.

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"We will use this resolution to force accountability," said Rep. Joaquin Castro, D-Texas, a House supporter of the resolution – though Kaine said it does not require their blessing.

Van Hollen, who took a junket to El Salvador to attempt to bring Garcia to Maryland – where his family lives – said Trump has failed to comply with the order to facilitate his return.

Both Trump and Bukele appeared to agree in an Oval Office meeting last month that returning Garcia would be "preposterous" and that the court order didn’t quite say what critics said it did.

Senate Majority Whip John Barrasso, R-Wyo., on Thursday devoted his floor speech to the overall subject of immigration and touched on the El Salvador matter.

"President Trump is off to a strong start. His strategic and historic deportation campaign, the largest in our history, is making our streets safer. The criminals President Trump is expelling are the worst of the worst. They are murderers, drug dealers, gang members, and human traffickers. They’re gone. In 100 days, 66,000 deportations have been carried out. Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrests of illegal immigrant criminals have already outpaced all of 2024 under Joe Biden," Barrasso said.

"Americans are thrilled that President Trump is enforcing the law and restoring order. The Democrats on the other hand are furious," he said.

He cited Van Hollen's El Salvador trip, and riffed that the media dubbed Garcia "a Maryland man."

"A member of this body (Van Hollen) – led that charge. In 2023, that member’s constituent Rachel Morin – a mother of five – was brutally murdered by an illegal immigrant. Did he speak out? No. Did he meet with her family? No. He refused. Yet he rushed to El Salvador to fight for a gang member."

Fox News Digital reached out to the White House for comment.

President Donald Trump tapped former National Security Advisor Mike Waltz for his administration's ambassador to the United Nations after Waltz was ousted from the National Security Council office earlier Thursday. 

"I am pleased to announce that I will be nominating Mike Waltz to be the next United States Ambassador to the United Nations," Trump posted to Truth Social Thursday. 

"From his time in uniform on the battlefield, in Congress and, as my National Security Advisor, Mike Waltz has worked hard to put our Nation’s Interests first. I know he will do the same in his new role. In the interim, Secretary of State Marco Rubio will serve as National Security Advisor, while continuing his strong leadership at the State Department. Together, we will continue to fight tirelessly to Make America, and the World, SAFE AGAIN. Thank you for your attention to this matter!"

UN WATCHDOG PROJECT CALLS ON DOGE CAUCUS TO ‘AUDIT’ THE INTERNATIONAL ORG

Trump added that Secretary of State Marco Rubio will simultaneously serve as his interim national security advisor after Waltz left the role on Thursday. In 1973, then-President Richard Nixon made a similar move when he named then-National Security Advisor Henry Kissinger to also serve as secretary of state, State Department records show. 

Waltz and other National Security Council staffers were ousted from their office Thursday, in the most high-profile executive office exits of the second Trump administration. Trump's announcement on naming Waltz as UN ambassador unfolded just hours after the news began circulating. 

The former national security advisor had been at the heart of the Signal chat leak debacle that unfolded in March, when the editor-in-chief of the Atlantic magazine was inadvertently added to a group chat with high-profile Trump officials such as Waltz, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and CIA Director John Ratcliffe discussing military strikes on Houthi rebels in Yemen.

Speculation had mounted for weeks that Waltz would be removed from his position amid the fallout of the chat leak, though the administration has maintained that no classified material was shared in the group chat and that the president had confidence in his National Security Council team. 

Ahead of Trump tapping Waltz for the new administration role, a handful of names had been floated for U.N. ambassador after Rep. Elise Stefanik withdrew her nomination in March, including former U.S. ambassador to Israel David Friedman, former deputy special envoy to monitor and combat antisemitism at the State Department under the first Trump administration Ellie Cohanim and special presidential envoy Richard Grenell. Grenell said he was a "hard no" on serving in the U.N. ambassador role ahead of Trump's announcement. 

Trump announced Stefanik as his original choice for the role back in November 2024, just days after his successful election against former Vice President Kamala Harris. The New York congresswoman, however, pulled her nomination last month as concerns mounted in Trump's orbit that the GOP's slim majority in the House would grow smaller in her absence. 

TRUMP URGED TO REVIEW UN IMMUNITY, LAX VISA RULES AMID NATIONAL SECURITY CONCERNS

Concerns grew ahead of two special House elections in Florida April 2, which ultimately saw both Republican victorious, but with significantly slimmer margins than their GOP predecessors in their previous elections. 

Stefank told Fox News' Sean Hannity in March that she bowed out of the confirmation process to serve as U.N. ambassador due to both the GOP's margin in the House combined with the need for her to help combat Democratic "corruption" in her home state of New York. 

"It was a combination of the New York corruption that we're seeing under Kathy Hochul, special elections and the House margin," Stefanik said on "Hannity" in March. "I've been in the House. It's tough to count these votes every day. And we are going to continue to defy the political prognosticators and deliver, deliver victory on behalf of President Trump and, importantly, the voters across this country."

"The president knows that. He and I had multiple conversations today, and we are committed to delivering results on behalf of the American people. And as always, I'm committed to delivering results on behalf of my constituents," she added. 

Trump announced on Truth Social that Stefanik withdrew her nomination to "remain in Congress to help me deliver Historic Tax Cuts, GREAT Jobs, Record Economic Growth, a Secure Border, Energy Dominance, Peace Through Strength."

REPUBLICANS SEEK TO BLOCK THE REAPPOINTMENT OF UN OFFICIAL ACCUSED OF ANTISEMITISM

"With a very tight Majority, I don’t want to take a chance on anyone else running for Elise’s seat. The people love Elise and, with her, we have nothing to worry about come Election Day. There are others that can do a good job at the United Nations," he added. 

Under Trump's first administration, former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley and former diplomat Kelly Craft served as U.N. ambassadors. 

'BLINDSIDED': HOW STEFANIK'S TRUMP NOMINATION AS UN AMBASSADOR IMPLODED

Upon taking office, the 47th president made cuts to the U.S.' involvement with programs under U.N.'s umbrella, including ending the U.S.' engagement with the U.N. Human Rights Council and banning funding for the U.N. relief agency for Gaza. 

"I've always felt that the U.N. has tremendous potential," Trump said in February while signing the executive order that made cuts to U.S. involvement with U.N. groups. "It's not being well-run."

 "A lot of these conflicts that we're working on should be settled, or at least we should have some help in settling them. But we never seem to get help. That should be the primary purpose of the U.N.," Trump continued. 

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

President Donald Trump tapped former National Security Advisor Mike Waltz for his administration's ambassador to the United Nations after New York Rep. Elise Stefanik withdrew her nomination so she could hold onto her House seat amid concerns over the GOP's slim majority in the lower chamber. 

"I am pleased to announce that I will be nominating Mike Waltz to be the next United States Ambassador to the United Nations," Trump posted to Truth Social Thursday. 

"From his time in uniform on the battlefield, in Congress and, as my National Security Advisor, Mike Waltz has worked hard to put our Nation’s Interests first. I know he will do the same in his new role. In the interim, Secretary of State Marco Rubio will serve as National Security Advisor, while continuing his strong leadership at the State Department. Together, we will continue to fight tirelessly to Make America, and the World, SAFE AGAIN. Thank you for your attention to this matter!"

UN WATCHDOG PROJECT CALLS ON DOGE CAUCUS TO ‘AUDIT’ THE INTERNATIONAL ORG

The announcement comes after news broke on Thursday morning that Waltz was no longer serving as the administration's national security advisor. 

A handful of names had been floated for the role after Stefanik withdrew her nomination in March, including former U.S. ambassador to Israel David Friedman, former deputy special envoy to monitor and combat anti-semitism at the State Department under the first Trump administration, Ellie Cohanim and special presidential envoy Richard Grenell. Grenell said he was a "hard no" on serving in the U.N. ambassador role ahead of Trump's announcement. 

Trump announced Stefanik as his original choice for the role back in November 2024, just days after his successful election against former Vice President Kamala Harris. The New York congresswoman, however, pulled her nomination last month as concerns mounted in Trump's orbit that the GOP's slim majority in the House would grow smaller in her absence. 

TRUMP URGED TO REVIEW UN IMMUNITY, LAX VISA RULES AMID NATIONAL SECURITY CONCERNS

Concerns grew ahead of two special House elections in Florida on April 2, which ultimately saw both Republican victorious, but with significantly slimmer margins than their GOP predecessors in their previous elections. 

Stefank told Fox News' Sean Hannity in March that she bowed out of the confirmation process to serve as U.N. ambassador due to both the GOP's margin in the House, combined with the need for her to help combat Democratic "corruption" in her home state of New York. 

"It was a combination of the New York corruption that we're seeing under Kathy Hochul, special elections and the House margin," Stefanik said on "Hannity." "I've been in the House. It's tough to count these votes every day. And we are going to continue to defy the political prognosticators and deliver, deliver victory on behalf of President Trump and, importantly, the voters across this country."

"The president knows that. He and I had multiple conversations today, and we are committed to delivering results on behalf of the American people. And as always, I'm committed to delivering results on behalf of my constituents," she added. 

Trump announced on Truth Social that Stefanik withdrew her nomination to "remain in Congress to help me deliver Historic Tax Cuts, GREAT Jobs, Record Economic Growth, a Secure Border, Energy Dominance, Peace Through Strength."

REPUBLICANS SEEK TO BLOCK THE REAPPOINTMENT OF UN OFFICIAL ACCUSED OF ANTISEMITISM

"With a very tight Majority, I don’t want to take a chance on anyone else running for Elise’s seat. The people love Elise and, with her, we have nothing to worry about come Election Day. There are others that can do a good job at the United Nations," he added. 

Under Trump's first administration, former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley and former diplomat Kelly Craft served as U.N. ambassadors. 

'BLINDSIDED': HOW STEFANIK'S TRUMP NOMINATION AS UN AMBASSADOR IMPLODED

Upon taking office, the 47th president made cuts to the U.S.' involvement with programs under U.N.'s umbrella, including ending the U.S.' engagement with the U.N. Human Rights Council and banning funding for the U.N. relief agency for Gaza. 

"I've always felt that the U.N. has tremendous potential," Trump said in February while signing the executive order that made cuts to U.S. involvement with U.N. groups. "It's not being well-run."

 "A lot of these conflicts that we're working on should be settled, or at least we should have some help in settling them. But we never seem to get help. That should be the primary purpose of the U.N.," Trump continued. 

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

President Donald Trump is poised to sign an executive order establishing a presidential commission on religious liberty. 

Trump unveiled plans for the new commission Thursday during a National Day of Prayer event at the White House and said it would be signed that day. 

Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick will serve as the chairman of the commission, Trump said. 

"The last administration attacked people of faith for four years," Patrick said in the Rose Garden at the White House Thursday. "There's a saying that no one should get between a doctor and a patient. I think we would say no one should get between God and a believer. No one should get between God and those seeking him."

This is a breaking news story and will be updated. 

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, D-Mich., said the United States is in a "constitutional crisis" after appearing alongside President Donald Trump in Michigan on his 100th day as president. 

Jon Favreau, former President Barack Obama's speechwriter turned "Pod Save America" host, asked Whitmer in a social media clip posted Wednesday if the U.S. is in a "constitutional crisis" – just one day after she greeted Trump on the tarmac in Michigan before his speech to National Guard members. 

"We are," Whitmer said. "I think that no one is above the law. The thought that we've got an administration that is just blatantly violating court orders should, I think, scare everybody. This is a very serious moment."

Democrats have consistently described the country's current political moment as a "constitutional crisis" since Trump returned to the White House about 100 days ago. While Whitmer has warned of the "peril" Trump's tariffs will have on Michigan's auto industry and urged him to deliver disaster relief to her constituents impacted by ice storms, the Democratic governor and potential 2028 presidential candidate has struck a more diplomatic tone than her colleagues in the past 100 days. 

WHITMER EXPLAINS HER OVAL OFFICE FOLDER FIASCO

"Trump is currently investigating Michigan colleges and universities for their diversity policies. He's already tried to kick dozens of Michigan foreign students out of the country. He's threatening to unlawfully freeze federal funding for Michigan public schools, as he's already doing that in Maine, because Governor Mills spoke up in a meeting. Have you asked the president to stop targeting people and institutions in your state?" Favreau challenged Whitmer in a subsequent social media clip posted Wednesday. 

GOV. GRETCHEN WHITMER DIVIDES DEMOCRATS AFTER APPEARANCES WITH TRUMP IN MICHIGAN AND AT WHITE HOUSE

"I have not had that direct conversation on this subject yet, but I'm not afraid to do that," Whitmer said. 

"Isn't it worth speaking up for the rights and the freedoms of those people when you're at an event with him, or you are in a meeting with him?" Favreau asked, articulating the criticism Whitmer has faced within the Democratic Party for her treatment of Trump. 

"Whenever I get the opportunity, I use every minute of that to cover a lot of different issues. So this is, I think, a very important one that you're raising. There's no question. And I will continue whenever I have opportunities to make sure that I'm covering as much as I can. No question," Whitmer said. 

BLUE STATE GOVERNOR MAKES ANOTHER APPEARANCE WITH TRUMP BEFORE HIS 100-DAY SPEECH: 'HAPPY WE'RE HERE'

Returning to the question of a "constitutional crisis," Whitmer said, "Many of us are fighting the fights we can," but it's the court of law that should "have the last word."

"I hope that we finally see some backbone out of some of the Republicans in Congress to stand up to the courts to enforce their orders. There are a lot of people that aren't doing their jobs to protect the foundations of this country," Whitmer added, shifting blame onto congressional Republicans for not standing up to Trump. 

The clips were posted one day after Whitmer appeared alongside Trump ahead of his 100th day rally in Michigan. Whitmer successfully lobbied Trump to retire an A-10 Warthog aircraft based out of Selfridge Air National Guard Base in Michigan with 21 brand-new F-15EX Eagle II fighter jets.

Trump thanked Whitmer for bringing the issue to his attention and once again applauded her job as governor. Whitmer's diplomatic moves seemed to put her out of step with her party on Tuesday as Democratic governors, many similarly rumored to harbor 2028 presidential ambitions, instead hosted a counter-programming event to Trump's speech slamming his first 100 days in office. 

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Earlier this month, Whitmer hid behind a folder in the Oval Office in an image that went viral and earned her the ire of Democrats discontent with her diplomacy. The Michigan governor found herself in the corner of the Oval Office for a press conference where Trump praised her, after consistently ridiculing her on the 2024 campaign trail. 

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The Michigan governor's trip to Washington last month brought her 2028 presidential ambitions into the national conversation as she directly engaged with Trump. Whitmer's office explained that she was meeting with Trump to discuss recovery aid for the northern Michigan ice storm, investing in Michigan's defense assets and building the American economy for everyday Michiganders. 

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

Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Scott Turner sat down with Fox News Digital to discuss the agency's biggest wins during the Trump administration's first 100 days, and shared HUD's top priorities for the next 100.

Some of those wins, according to Scott, include rescinding Biden and Obama-era regulations to spur innovation and creativity in the housing market. Other actions have included reforms focused on ensuring American citizens are the primary beneficiaries of HUD's resources, and ensuring HUD's resources can be accessed in a fair and safe manner. Looking to the future, Turner said implementing work requirements for those in HUD-funded housing programs will be a priority, among others.    

"We are very focused, we're very detailed, and we're very deliberate about what we do here," Turner said. "Progress and success doesn't just happen. You have to be very intentional about it. You have to be very focused about it. One thing we did on the first day when we came in here is we said we're going to restore the mission-minded focus of HUD… We're called to a specific mission to serve the most vulnerable people of our country, as it pertains to housing, as it pertains to homelessness, as it pertains to disaster recovery, the development of communities, forming public-private partnerships."

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Part of restoring that "mission-minded focus," according to Turner, has been to tear down "burdensome regulations," such as the Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing rule established under the Obama administration and revived by the Biden administration. 

"We took this rule down in order to restore flexibility and restore the power back to localities. Because every city, every community, is unique," Turner said, noting that under the now-rescinded rule, bureaucrats in Washington had the power to pick "winners and losers" in local communities.

Turner also highlighted a new partnership between HUD and the Department of Homeland Security, aimed at ensuring noncitizens do not take away much-needed HUD resources from American citizens.  

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"We are ensuring that American people live in HUD-funded housing," Turner said. "Also with this partnership, it's a data collection emphasis to understand who's living in housing that's funded by HUD and our FHA insurance, our FHA-backed mortgages, which is also backed by American taxpayers. We took out the non-permanent residence category out of the FHA, which the Biden administration turned a blind eye to."

Turner also touted one of his first actions as HUD secretary, which rescinded the Obama-era equal access rule, requiring HUD-funded programs and shelters to determine eligibility based on a person's self-identified gender. "We wanted to take this rule down to protect the women of America and ensure that when people enter into a HUD-funded facility, they are entering in after sex at birth," Turner said of the reform. 

Looking to the future, Turner said efforts aimed at helping those receiving public assistance become more self-sufficient, such as through work requirements for those in HUD-funded housing, will be a priority for the agency over the next 100 days. 

"Social safety nets were never meant to be a hammock or a resting place. Social safety nets were meant to be a trampoline, if you will, a tool to project people into a life of self-sustainability and longevity, and so that's something that we will be concentrating on going here forward these next 100 days, if you will," Turner said. "Our heart here at HUD is not to grow the amount of people on subsidies, but it is to reduce the number of people on subsidies and help people to live a life of self sustainability, really, to change the trajectory of people's lives."

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"We don't want to grow the size of government," Turner added. "We want to shrink the size of government."

Turner also said the agency will focus on increasing public-private partnerships to help improve housing affordability and the homelessness epidemic, noting local entities on the ground doing the actual work to affect change are pivotal to HUD completing its mission.

When asked about any pushback Turner has received over his slew of policy changes during the Trump administration's first 100 days, the secretary said part of being a strong "servant leader" is to make hard decisions that everybody may not agree with.

"But, I consider them to be healthy decisions for our country," Turner said. "At the end of the day, our job is one, to be stewards over taxpayer dollars, but also to be stewards over the lives of Americans as it pertains to entering in HUD-funded facilities."