NationalWatch

Disgraced Democratic lawyer Michael Avenatti has been moved from federal prison to a halfway house in California, according to Bureau of Prisons records, but remains in federal custody with a projected release date of September 2028.

Avenatti is best known for representing porn star Stormy Daniels in her failed 2018 defamation lawsuit against President Donald Trump. Once a media darling with presidential ambitions, he was later convicted in multiple fraud cases and sentenced to years in federal prison.

An official with the Bureau of Prisons confirmed to Fox News Digital that Avenatti was transferred from the Metropolitan Detention Center (MDC) Los Angeles to community confinement overseen by the BOP Long Beach Residential Reentry Management (RRM) Office. He has a projected release date of September 8, 2028.

In 2022, Avenatti was convicted and sentenced to 48 months in prison for stealing close to $300,000 in proceeds from Daniels. At the time of his sentencing, Avenatti was already serving a 30-month sentence for threatening to extort $25 million from Nike. Avenatti was also sentenced in December 2022 to 14 years in prison for stealing from four of his clients. One of those clients was a paraplegic.

DISGRACED LAWYER MICHAEL AVENATTI LANDS REDUCED PRISON TERM AFTER RESENTENCING HEARING

A copy of the probation order signed by U.S. District Judge James Selna stated that Avenatti must pay $5,937,725.58 in restitution to his victims, and he is ordered to participate in a mental health treatment program. Following his release from federal custody in 2028, Avenatti will be under supervised release for three years.

TRUMP CONTINUES TO PUSH FOR RELEASE OF TINA PETERS AS COLORADO GOVERNOR WEIGHS CLEMENCY

Avenatti’s early release comes after a federal judge in June 2025 reduced his collective prison sentence to eight years, allowing credit for some of the sentences running concurrently. Avenatti’s resentencing came after the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals vacated his 14-year sentence in October 2024. He was disbarred in California in February 2025.

As Daniels’ defamation lawyer, Avenatti became a household name after regularly appearing on network TV shows. Fox News Digital previously reported that between 2018 and 2019, before his legal troubles began, he appeared on CNN 121 times and MSNBC 108 times.

Read the probation order below. App users: Click here

Avenatti was a staunch critic of Trump, saying in an interview with NPR’s All Things Considered in 2018 that Trump is “either going to resign… be removed from office by impeachment, or I’m going to beat him in 2020.”

“But one way or the other, he’s not going to serve a second term,” Avenatti said.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

However, the disgraced lawyer has since changed his tone, claiming in an April 2024 New York Post that he is “bothered that the Justice Department has been “weaponized” against Trump.

“There’s no question [the trial] is politically motivated because they’re concerned that he may be reelected,” Avenatti told the Post. “If the defendant was anyone other than Donald Trump, this case would not have been brought at this time, and for the government to attempt to bring this case and convict him in an effort to prevent tens of millions of people from voting for him, I think it’s just flat out wrong, and atrocious.”

A lawyer for Avenatti declined to comment.

Fox News’ Lee Ross contributed to this report.

A U.S. judge in Maryland rejected the Trump administration’s attempt to deport Kilmar Abrego Garcia to Liberia, using an otherwise procedural order Tuesday to scold the Justice Department for its conduct and for attempting, in the judge’s view, to “dictate” the actions of the court.

U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis took umbrage at the government’s demand that she rule by mid-April on their request for her to dissolve her injunction keeping Abrego Garcia in the U.S. for now, and allowing them to deport him to Liberia.

She sharply disputed the Justice Department’s assertion that the court “must” rule by that date, at risk of having the injunction ignored. 

“Respondents cannot dictate the Court’s schedule or the outcome of the motion,” Xinis said. “Nor can they appeal a judicial order that does not exist.”

ABREGO GARCIA REMAINS IN US FOR NOW AS JUDGE TAKES CASE UNDER ADVISEMENT

Ultimately, Xinis said Tuesday, the request was “not ripe” for the court to rule on the government’s removal of Abrego Garcia, and set new briefing dates for both parties.

She also set a new briefing schedule, with filings due on April 20, and a new hearing date, scheduled for April 28.

Lawyers for the Trump administration told the court during a hearing hours earlier that they still intend to deport Abrego Garcia to the African country of Liberia, despite a new agreement between the U.S. and Costa Rica that would allow him to be sent there. 

Acting ICE director Todd Lyons argued that allowing Abrego Garcia to be sent to Costa Rica, his preferred country of removal, would be “prejudicial” to the U.S., citing what Lyons described as the “significant” government resources and capital the U.S. has invested in negotiating his removal and the removal of certain other migrants to Liberia.

Another official suggested Abrego Garcia could “remove himself” to Costa Rica, should he choose to live there, which the judge noted was a “fantasy.”

ABREGO GARCIA LAWYERS ASK US JUDGE TO ORDER RETURN TO MARYLAND AMID ONGOING CRIMINAL CASE

Abrego Garcia’s status has been at the center of a legal and political maelstrom since March 2025, when he was deported to his home country of El Salvador, despite a 2019 order from an immigration judge. He was returned by the Trump administration to the U.S. late last spring. 

Xinis, who has presided over Abrego Garcia’s civil cases for the last 13 months, has developed a reputation for her careful, methodological style of questioning — a process she previously likened to “eating an elephant, one bite at a time.” But the laborious review process has sparked criticism from Trump allies and Justice Department lawyers alike, who have expressed frustration with the lengthy timeline and what they argue are undue delays to removal efforts.

ABREGO GARCIA REMAINS IN US FOR NOW AS JUDGE TAKES CASE UNDER ADVISEMENT

The Justice Department has bitterly disputed Abrego Garcia’s current status in the U.S. for months, as well as the injunction keeping him in the country, for now.

His case has been further complicated by several details, including the November 2025 determination that Abrego Garcia had not been issued a final notice of removal needed to deport him to a third country.

Still, Xinis’ unusually pointed order lays out what the judge described as a “careful recapitulation” of the case history, before concluding that “if anyone, Respondents bear the responsibility for substantial delay.”

Trump administration officials have for months sparred over the final notice of removal in question, as well as whether the court should consider a retroactive removal order that an immigration judge issued in December. Other hearings have focused on what, if any, assurances the four African nations previously identified for Abrego Garcia’s removal had provided, should he be deported there. 

Lawyers for the Trump administration have suggested on multiple occasions that Xinis lacks jurisdiction to review Abrego Garcia’s case, citing matters involving diplomacy and foreign sovereigns, an area where presidential powers are at their strongest. 

Senior Trump administration officials have assailed Xinis and other district judges as “activist” judges whom they say have overstepped their powers in halting or pausing some of the president’s biggest policy priorities, including on immigration issues and enforcement.

Xinis, for her part, has proceeded unfazed. She said in February that the government had failed to provide the court with any “good reason to believe” that they plan to remove Abrego Garcia to a third country in the “reasonably foreseeable future.” 

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP 

Instead, she said, the government “made one empty threat after another to remove him to countries in Africa with no real chance of success.”

Sen. Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill., is demanding that the Transportation Security Administration reintroduce its controversial policy requiring travelers to take off their shoes before going through airport security checkpoints.

Duckworth called on the TSA to immediately reverse its move to end the “shoes-off” policy, calling former Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem’s decision last summer to scrap the policy a “reckless act” that may put travelers at risk.

“Secretary Noem’s decision to implement a shoes on policy on July 8, 2025, likely without meaningful consultation with TSA, was a reckless act,” Duckworth wrote in a letter to Acting TSA Administrator Ha Nguyen McNeill.

“Allowing a potentially catastrophic security deficiency to remain in place for seven months and counting betrays TSA’s mission,” she added. “At a minimum, TSA’s failure to swiftly implement corrective action warrants the immediate withdrawal of Secretary Noem’s reckless and dangerous policy that increases the risk of a terrorist smuggling a dangerous item onto a flight.”

NEARLY 20-YEAR SHOE-OFF AIRPORT SECURITY POLICE IS ENDED BY TRUMP ADMINISTRATION

This comes after a classified watchdog report found that TSA scanners cannot effectively screen shoes, according to CBS News. Duckworth said the inspector general flagged the issue as urgent to Noem but that no action was taken.

Duckworth said that the inspector general found that Noem’s policy shift had “inadvertently created a new security vulnerability in the system.”

The former secretary’s failure to take corrective action after the report’s findings was “outrageous, unacceptable and dangerous to the flying public,” Duckworth said.

The senator argues that TSA’s lack of response may violate federal law, writing that the agency missed a legally required 90-day deadline to outline corrective actions after receiving the watchdog’s report.

“Such inaction violates Federal law, Office of Management and Budget (OMB) guidance and DHS’s own directives,” Duckworth wrote.

FLIGHT PASSENGERS SLAM AIRLINES FOR PUSHING EARLY BAG CHECKS EVEN WITH EMPTY BINS ON BOARD

The previous policy requiring passengers to take off their shoes during TSA screening was implemented in 2006.

The senator wrote that Noem’s policy change reflected a “willingness to gamble the American people’s security,” calling it a “stunning failure of leadership.”

“We expect this change will drastically decrease passenger wait times at our TSA checkpoints, leading to a more pleasant and efficient passenger experience,” she said at the time. “As always, security remains our top priority. Thanks to our cutting-edge technological advancements and multi-layered security approach, we are confident we can implement this change while maintaining the highest security standards.”

Duckworth accused Noem, who was removed by President Donald Trump last month and replaced by current DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin, of prioritizing politics over security.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

The senator wrote that Noem’s policy change reflected a “willingness to gamble the American people’s security,” calling it a “stunning failure of leadership.”

“Secretary Noem’s willingness to gamble the American people’s security in an unsuccessful attempt to boost her popularity was, and remains, a stunning failure of leadership—particularly following President Trump’s decision to launch an unconstitutional war of choice against Iran that DHS has determined, “is causing a heightened threat environment in the United States,” she wrote.

A federal judge declined to block the Trump administration’s Medicaid funding deferral to Minnesota, finding the state’s challenge was premature and giving the White House a temporary legal win as it expands its anti-fraud push.

Judge Eric Tostrud, an appointee of President Donald Trump, concluded this week that the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services could, for now, withhold more than $259 million in Medicaid funds from Minnesota and require the state to provide piecemeal evidence that Medicaid reimbursements were legitimate before receiving them. 

The order was a boon to the Trump administration’s new, aggressive anti-fraud campaign that was largely spurred by a recent multimillion-dollar welfare fraud scandal in Minnesota.

Tostrud said in a 42-page order that Minnesota’s lawsuit challenging the deferral was premature and that a preliminary injunction was unwarranted for numerous reasons.

VANCE ANTI-FRAUD TASK FORCE SUSPENDS 221 CALIFORNIA HOSPICE AND HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS SO FAR

“Some of the legal theories Minnesota asserts are novel, and the law does not support them,” Tostrud said.

The White House announced an anti-fraud task force in March, saying in an executive order that “staggering fraud and waste in Minnesota alone is a case in point.” Trump tapped Vice President JD Vance as the fraud czar, and the task force has taken a multi-agency approach to its crackdown.

CMS, led by Administrator Mehmet Oz, was enlisted to be more proactive with Medicaid by temporarily withholding reimbursements to states over potential instances of fraud rather than proven fraud. In addition to Minnesota, CMS is also eyeing Medicaid deferrals in California, New York and Maine, meaning more litigation could arise and lead to federal judges across the country weighing in and a potential escalation to higher courts.

Minnesota’s notorious $250 million Feeding Our Future fraud scandal first broke onto the national radar in 2022 and drew renewed national attention in 2025 as convictions piled up and the state became a flashpoint in the broader fight over public-benefits fraud.

A state-commissioned review of Minnesota’s Medicaid program report became a major flashpoint this year in the Trump administration’s broader “war on fraud.” The report highlighted vulnerabilities in 14 “high-risk” Medicaid services during a four-year period and flagged that $1.7 billion could have been “potentially improper.”

NEW AUDIT EXPOSES FLAWED SYSTEM CRITICS SAY LET MINNESOTA FRAUD TO SLIP THROUGH CRACKS: ‘DIDN’T ACT FOR YEARS’

In the state’s lawsuit against the Trump administration and CMS, Democratic Attorney General Keith Ellison alleged that “the federal government has … weaponized Medicaid against Minnesota as political punishment” in violation of the Administrative Procedures Act and due process under the Constitution.

“Deferral has never been used to categorically deny funds to a state across entire service areas, as is being done here,” Ellison’s complaint read.

Citing the 2019 Supreme Court case Department of Commerce v. New York, Tostrud said that even if the Trump administration’s motives were, in part, political, that would not necessarily deem the Medicaid deferral unlawful.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

“A court may not set aside an agency’s policymaking decision solely because it might have been influenced by political considerations or prompted by an Administration’s priorities,” Tostrud wrote, quoting a concurring opinion in the case. “Agency policymaking is not a rarified technocratic process, unaffected by political considerations or the presence of Presidential power.”

Ellison’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said that President Donald Trump’s threat to destroy Iranian civilization was not a bluff during Wednesday’s press briefing.

A two-week ceasefire agreement was reached between the Iranian government and the United States and its allies on Tuesday, just before the 8 p.m. deadline Trump previously set in a Truth Social post.

“It was a very, very strong threat from the president of the United States that led to the Iranian regime to cave to their knees and ask for a ceasefire and agree to re-opening the Strait of Hormuz,” Leavitt said. “So it was a very strong threat that led to results. As the Secretary of War stated at the Pentagon this morning, it was not an empty threat by any means.”

TRUMP’S THREAT TO END IRANIAN ‘CIVILIZATION’ SPARKS UPROAR ON CAPITOL HILL

Leavitt said that the Department of War had a targeted list ready to go if Iran did not meet Trump’s deadline to open the Strait of Hormuz.

Trump first threatened Iran on Easter Sunday in a Truth Social post. He claimed that the Iranians would be “living in Hell,” if the Strait of Hormuz was not opened.

On Tuesday, Trump posted that “a whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again.”

“I don’t want that to happen, but it probably will,” Trump wrote.

TRUMP AGREES TO 2-WEEK CEASEFIRE IF IRAN OPENS STRAIT OF HORMUZ

A reporter asked Leavitt if the United States could be seen as a “moral leader” in the world given that Trump threatened the eradication of an entire nation.

“The insinuation by anyone in this room that Iran somehow has the moral high ground is insulting considering the atrocities that they have committed against our people and our military over the past five decades,” Leavitt said.

While Trump celebrated Iran’s ten-point peace agreement proposal on Truth Social, he garnered staunch criticism from Pope Leo. The leader of the Catholic Church called Trump’s threat to destroy Iran “truly unacceptable.” 

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., posted a video on X Tuesday, pushing to invoke the 25th amendment to remove Trump from office. 

“He is threatening the entire destruction of a civilization,” Khanna said. “This is a moral crime. It is a war crime.”

Sen. Ruben Gallego, D-Ariz., is facing heat for attempting to discredit a user on X who said sexual misconduct allegations against Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., who is running for governor, will end up “kick[ing] his a–.”

Gallego, who has been friends with Swalwell for many years, also defended Swalwell for being “targeted” in a separate post on social media, arguing he is the subject of sexual misconduct allegations because he is “in first place.”

Swalwell has fiercely denied the allegations being elevated on social media by Democratically-aligned politicos, including Cheyenne Hunt, a former Capitol Hill staffer who is currently a nonprofit director at the group Gen-Z for Change, and Arielle Fodor, a “political content creator,” teacher and mother who dubs herself “Mrs. Frazzled” online.

“This false, outrageous rumor is being spread 27 days before an election begins by flailing opponents who have sadly teamed up with MAGA conspiracy theorists because they know Eric Swalwell is the frontrunner in this race,” Micah Beasley, a spokesperson for Swalwell, said on Tuesday.

SWALWELL THREATENS FBI WITH LEGAL ACTION AS PATEL REPORTEDLY WEIGHS ‘FANG FANG’ FILES RELEASE

“Yeah I’m gonna be so real with you…Swalwell is a wrap. I’ve seen what I needed to see,” Fodor wrote on X under her pseudonym. “He isn’t going to sue ANYBODY over talking about this because discovery would kick his a–. Why this man ran for governor is BEYOND ME.”

In direct response, replying to an X post quoting her comment, Gallego shot back: “This person started to posting for the first time 3 days ago…” 

Gallego’s post came in the early hours of the morning Tuesday, and was subsequently followed up with another post defending Swalwell: “When you are in first place, is when they target you,” Gallego said in the second tweet several hours later. “Eric is a fighter and he will win the Governors race.”

“WHOA this is a very very bad look by Gallego. There is no reason for him to proactively smear Dem women and advocates when 1) he should just wait for the reporting to come out, and 2) the race isn’t even in AZ,” Democratic campaign strategist Bhavik Lathia said in a reply to Gallego’s initial remark. 

“Hey, I just got off the phone with a trusted friend. This is real. Take it seriously. Eric Swallwell cannot be our nominee. There is going to be a lot more coming out soon. I can’t say more right now, but stay tuned,” Lathia wrote in a separate X post earlier this week.

‘USEFUL PUPPET’: ERIC SWALWELL IN THE HOT SEAT AFTER TRAVELING TO DOHA ON SEVERAL QATAR-SPONSORED TRIPS

When reached for comment, Gallego and Swalwell did not respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment, which included questions about whether they wanted to respond to critics who have suggested Gallego is trying to discredit women raising the allegations, as opposed to speaking to them directly. 

Gallego and Swalwell have been House colleagues and friends dating back at least a decade, and were paling around in Qatar in 2021 during a now-infamous Qatari Business Council-funded trip to the Middle East nation. They were infamously pictured taking a camel excursion along the Persian Gulf together with their spouses during the trip, which included a stay at a luxury Four Seasons hotel in Qatar and other activities and meetings. 

Gallego also served as the national campaign chair of Swalwell’s failed presidential campaign in 2019. A press release announcing Gallego as the campaign chair quoted Swalwell saying, “As two young dads, we babysit for each other’s kids, and share ideas on how to make child care and health care more affordable. Ruben is a dear friend, and I’m honored to have his support in this campaign,” referring to Gallego.

“‘Believe all women until it’s politically inconvenient,'” conservative political strategist Alec Sears also said in response to Gallego.  

“Ah yes the recency of someone’s social media posts are definitely indicative of whether something’s true or false,” added Curtis Houck, who is the managing editor at the Media Research Center’s Newsbusters.

A Substack website tied to Fodor, aka Mrs. Frazzled, says she has an entire subscriber base and runs a newsletter called “Frazzled About Education.”

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

“If I were you, I’d be more worried about my own skeletons instead of trying to discredit women. And the for the record, Mrs. Frazzled has a storied internet platform, and dedication to amplifying Democratic organizations such as Defense of Democracy. You could’ve googled her,” Democrat political strategist, Simone Kathleen Rossi, said in response to Gallego’s post about how Fodor cannot be trusted.

“In 13 years, no one in Eric Swalwell’s Congressional office has ever been asked to sign an NDA. Ever. In 13 years, not a single ethics complaint by any staff in his office or any other office has ever been lodged. Ever,” Beasley told media outlets Tuesday.

FIRST ON FOX: One of the largest school districts in the country is facing allegations that it lets teachers decide if parents are sufficiently “supportive” enough to tell them about their child’s desire to switch genders.

Trump-aligned America First Legal (AFL) filed a formal complaint against Montgomery County Public Schools, which is in the suburbs of Washington, D.C., with the Departments of Justice and Education, alleging it has been violating the constitution and other federal law through its “Gender Identity in Montgomery County Public Schools” handbook. AFL goes on to allege the school district repeatedly instructs staff to condition parental involvement on whether a parent is deemed “supportive” enough. 

Under a section of the plan titled “Communication with Families,” the handbook instructs that faculty should talk with a student to “ascertain the level of support” they receive at home to help make decisions on whether to share with parents that their child requested to change their pronouns, be called by a different name, or even sleep with the opposite biological sex during overnight field trips. 

Part of the “system” AFL also describes in its complaint guidance from the handbook that instructs educators to leave such gender-related information out of documents federal law allows parents access to.

GOP LAWMAKER VOWS TO GIVE PARENTS MORE POWER AS SCHOOLS ‘BLATANTLY’ VIOLATE STUDENTS’ RIGHTS

The watchdog claims Montgomery County Public Schools is violating the Free Exercise, Free Speech and Due Process Clauses in the Constitution, as well as the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), with their policies that keep parents in the dark. The district did not immediately comment on the complaint, citing policy not to comment on pending litigation.

The non-grade specific, 14-page “Gender Identity” handbook, aimed at ensuring “a culture of respect and equity,” sets forth policies for any student wishing to identify as “transgender” or “gender nonconforming.” The handbook includes a section about developing a “Gender Support Plan” for students to ensure they have “equal access and equal opportunity to participate in all programs and activities at school” and to ensure they are protected from “gender-based discrimination at school.”

An element of creating that plan includes filling out an intake form, called Form 560-80.

“The completed form must be maintained in a secure location and may not be placed in the student’s cumulative or confidential files,” the plan states. “While the plan should be consistently implemented by all school staff, the form itself is not intended to be used or accessed by other school staff members.” AFL alleges in their complaint that the district “does not explain this directive,” but notes “the only apparent purpose is to prevent the form from being placed in records that parents are entitled to access under FERPA.”

TRUMP ADMIN SQUASHES CONTROVERSIAL BIDEN RULE FORCING FOSTER HOMES TO AFFIRM CHILDREN’S LGBTQ+ STATUS

There is also a section in the handbook on students’ permanent records, which parents have a right to access under FERPA.

“All students have the right to be referred to by their identified name and/or pronoun” the plan asserts. However, it also notes, that “students are not required to change their permanent student records … as a prerequisite to being addressed by the name and pronoun that corresponds to their identified name.”

“The school must protect the student’s previous identity once a change to a student’s gender and/or legal name has occurred,” the section continues.

The plan cites students’ privacy directly after the section about communicating with families. “All students have a right to privacy. This includes the right to keep private one’s transgender status or gender nonconforming presentation at school,” the plan states.

The handbook goes on to say that information about a student’s transgender status constitutes “confidential medical information,” and it argues that sharing such information with parents or guardians is a FERPA violation in and of itself. 

Meanwhile, in a different section of the handbook titled “Communication with Families,” educators are explicitly instructed that “prior to contacting a student’s parent/guardian,” they “should speak with the student to ascertain the level of support the student either receives or anticipates receiving from home.”

“In some cases, transgender and gender nonconforming students may not openly express their gender identity at home because of safety concerns or lack of acceptance,” the section continues. 

“Matters of gender identity can be complex and may involve familial conflict. If this is the case, and support is required, Department of Student Conduct and Appeals (DSCA) should be contacted. In such cases, staff will support the development of a student-led plan that works toward inclusion of the family, if possible, taking safety concerns into consideration as well as student privacy, and recognizing that providing support for a student is critical, even when the family is nonsupportive.”

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

In addition to communication, the plan also extends these parental notification policies to the use of intimate spaces typically reserved for the same gender, including sleeping arrangements for overnight trips. The plan effectively states, according to AFL, that students can both pick which facilities they want to use, including for overnight field trips, and teachers are not allowed to tell parents about it.

“Montgomery County Public Schools has constructed an elaborate system designed to keep parents in the dark about some of the most consequential decisions affecting their own children,” said America First Legal’s Ian Prior. “Federal law and the Constitution are unambiguous: parents have the fundamental right to direct the upbringing of their children and to access their children’s education records. MCPS’s policies turn both of those principles on their head.”

With the deadline to file taxes a week away, a record number of voters say their taxes are too high, according to the latest Fox News Poll. They are also bothered by the rich not paying their fair share and how the government uses their money. In addition, three-quarters feel government spending is wasteful — up almost 20 points since last year.

Last year, 57% said a great deal (44%) or almost all (13%) of government spending was inefficient; now that’s up 18 points, with 75% feeling that way (53% a great deal, 22% almost all).

 FOX NEWS POLL: BROAD ANXIETY ABOUT AI DOESN’T EXTEND TO JOBS

The increase in those thinking spending is wasteful is seen among most demographics, with the biggest bumps among Democrats and independents. Three-quarters of Republicans think government spending is wasteful, down from more than 8 in 10 in March 2025.

Voters are also down on how the Trump administration has handled identifying and cutting wasteful government spending, with nearly two-thirds, 64%, calling their efforts only fair (20%) or poor (44%), up from 56% last March (13% only fair, 43% poor).

While there is broad bipartisan agreement that a significant share of government spending is wasteful and inefficient — with roughly three-quarters of Democrats, Republicans, and independents saying so — a sharp partisan divide emerges on the Trump administration’s handling of identifying and cutting that waste: nearly all Democrats (90%) and a large majority of independents (80%) say it is not doing a good job, while 7-in-10 Republicans (69%) give it a positive rating.

A record 70% of voters think the taxes they pay are too high — up 11 points from last March and surpassing the previous high of 64% in March 2024. It also marks the largest year-over-year increase since the question was first asked in 2004, when 51% felt taxes were too high. A majority of voters have consistently said their tax burden is too much.

 FOX NEWS POLL: SOUR VOTERS SAY WASHINGTON IS OUT OF TOUCH

Compared to last year, groups showing the highest increase in concern over how much they are paying include voters with graduate degrees (+24 points since 2025), very liberal voters (+20), Democratic men (+19), moderates (+19), rural voters (+17), White voters without a college degree (+16), and women ages 45+ (+16).

What bothers people most about federal income taxes is the wealthy are not paying enough (38%), although that figure has dipped slightly from last year’s record high of 45%. Close behind is concern about how the government spends their tax dollars, up 3 points from a year ago to 29%.

Other irritations are the amount of taxes paid (14%), feeling too many people don’t pay enough (10%), and the complexity of the system (9%).

Democrats (57%) and independents (40%) are the most concerned about the rich not paying enough, while Republicans’ biggest issue is the amount the government uses (39%).

“The data show why Democrats persistently frame budget, spending, and tax policy questions as a matter of the rich paying their fair share,” says Republican Daron Shaw, who conducts the Fox News survey with Democrat Chris Anderson. “It’s one of the only ways the party is competitive on these issues given public skepticism about government performance.”

Disapproval of how President Trump is handling taxes has reached a record high of 64%, up 11 points from a year ago.

CLICK HERE FOR CROSSTABS AND TOPLINE

Dissatisfaction is up across the board, including among Democrats (+9 points disapproving since April 2025), independents (+14) and Republicans (+9).

One more thing…

AI use is on the rise, but not for tax prep.

Nearly 9 in 10 voters (87%) say they are not using AI to help with their taxes this year, while roughly 1 in 10 (13%) say they will or already have. Those most likely to say they will use AI are Republicans under age 45 (29%), voters under 30 (23%), Hispanic voters (21%), Black voters (20%), and employed voters (19%).

Conducted March 20-23, 2026, under the direction of Beacon Research (D) and Shaw & Company Research (R), this Fox News survey includes interviews with a sample of 1,001 registered voters randomly selected from a national voter file. Respondents spoke with live interviewers on landlines (104) and cellphones (641) or completed the survey online after receiving a text (256). Results based on the full sample have a margin of sampling error of ±3 percentage points. Sampling error for results among subgroups is higher. In addition to sampling error, question wording and order can influence results. Weights are generally applied to age, race, education and area variables to ensure the demographics are representative of the registered voter population. Sources for developing weight targets include the most recent American Community Survey, Fox News Voter Analysis and voter file data.

The top Senate Democrat argued that President Donald Trump’s war in Iran has left the U.S. worse off, and plans to force another vote to handcuff the president’s war powers as a fragile ceasefire begins.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., announced that Senate Democrats will again force a vote on a war powers resolution to rein in Trump’s use of the military in Iran when the upper chamber returns. The Senate is slated to return Monday, but the exact day when Democrats will pull the trigger next week is still in the air.

Schumer argued the war was “one of the very worst military and foreign policy actions that the United States has ever taken,” at a Wednesday press conference in New York City, and contended that the conflict has left the U.S. worse off in global credibility, left Iran’s nuclear ambitions unchecked, increased gas prices and hampered control of the Strait of Hormuz.

TRUMP’S IRAN THREAT RATTLES GOP AS SOME REPUBLICANS BREAK RANKS

His decision to again try to curtail Trump’s war authorities comes as the U.S. and Iran have entered a two-week ceasefire — a deal brokered just before Trump’s apocalyptic deadline Tuesday night.

“Trump must end the war now,” Schumer said. “The only viable solution is a lasting diplomatic one. A two-week ceasefire, especially one as fragile as this, is not a strategy. It’s not a diplomatic solution. It’s not a plan.”

Republicans lauded the ceasefire, however. Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., contended on X that it would be “Iran’s chance to do the right thing.”

“Excellent news,” Scott said Tuesday night. “This is a strong first step toward holding Iran accountable and what happens when you have a leader who puts peace through strength over chaos and weak appeasement policies.”

As the newly minted ceasefire enters its first day, Iran already has presented a 10-point plan for a broader peace agreement. The proposal includes demands to retain control of the Strait of Hormuz and continue a uranium enrichment program — conditions Trump swiftly rejected.

TRUMP IRAN THREAT SPARKS CALLS FOR HIS OUSTER, BUT ONE DEM SAYS EFFORT ‘NOT REALISTIC’

“There is only one group of meaningful ‘POINTS’ that are acceptable to the United States, and we will be discussing them behind closed doors during these negotiations,” Trump said on Truth Social. “These are the POINTS that are the basis on which we agreed to a CEASEFIRE.”

Vice President JD Vance, Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff, and Jared Kushner are slated to negotiate a broader peace deal in person in Islamabad over the weekend.

But Schumer and Senate Democrats are calling for an immediate end to the conflict.

IRAN REVEALS 10-POINT PLAN FOR PEACE WITH THE US – HERE’S WHAT’S IN IT

“Congress must reassert its authority, especially at this dangerous moment,” Schumer said. “No president, Democrat or Republican, should take this country to war alone — not now, not ever. Republicans will once again have the opportunity to join Democrats and end this reckless war of choice.”

His plan to again force a vote on a war powers resolution would mark the fourth such attempt in the upper chamber since the conflict began in late February.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

Senate Democrats had initially teed up five war powers resolutions to force Trump to withdraw forces from the region in a bid to grind the Senate to a halt and compel Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Secretary of War Pete Hegseth to testify on Operation Epic Fury.

The previous attempts have all been blocked by Republicans, despite growing unease within the GOP over Trump’s recent threats to bomb power plants and bridges, as well as his warning that a “whole civilization will die tonight.”

One of the Iran war’s strongest backers in the Senate said there were “troubling aspects” to the ceasefire deal announced hours ahead of President Donald Trump’s deadline.

Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., has long supported going after the Iranian regime and gave a full-throated endorsement of Trump’s military action in the region when it began. For now, the conflict has paused after both sides agreed to a two-week ceasefire.

Graham said a “diplomatic solution” is the preferred outcome, but he is not sold on the ceasefire deal brokered Tuesday night.

TRUMP’S IRAN THREAT RATTLES GOP AS SOME REPUBLICANS BREAK RANKS

“The supposed negotiating document, in my view, has some troubling aspects, but time will tell,” Graham said on X Wednesday.

Graham also is calling on Vice President JD Vance and other administration officials to explain the deal to Congress. The request echoes demands by congressional Democrats for Trump officials, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, to testify about the war before Congress.

“I look forward to the architects of this proposal, the vice president and others, coming before Congress and explaining how a negotiated deal meets our national security objectives in Iran,” Graham said.

VANCE WARNS IRAN WILL ‘FIND OUT’ TRUMP IS ‘NOT ONE TO MESS AROUND’ IF CEASEFIRE DEAL FALLS APART

Whether administration officials will come to Capitol Hill to break down the deal remains unclear. A spokesperson for Vance referred Fox News Digital to the White House for comment.

White House Press Secretary Anna Kelly told Fox News Digital that Trump has “been transparent with the Hill since before Operation Epic Fury began, and administration officials provided more than 20 bipartisan briefings for members of Congress to keep them apprised of military updates.”

“As the president said, many points have already been agreed to during the diplomatic process, and we are far along on a definitive agreement to deliver long-term peace in Iran and across the region,” Kelly said in a statement.

Vance, along with Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, are set to negotiate in-person in Islamabad for a broader peace agreement, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said Wednesday.

DEMOCRATS THREATEN TO GRIND SENATE TO A HALT TO FORCE PUBLIC IRAN HEARINGS

“The first round of those talks will take place on Saturday morning local time, and we know we look forward to those in-person meetings,” Leavitt said.

For now, Trump’s threat to bomb bridges and power plants in Iran is on hold while the broader peace agreement is negotiated.

Iran publicly presented a 10-point plan to end hostilities that includes repayment for war damage, the ability to continue enriching uranium, full control of the Strait of Hormuz, and an end to all sanctions against the country, among other demands, in exchange for an agreement not to develop a nuclear weapon.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

Graham argued Iran should not be allowed to “save face” by maintaining even a small nuclear enrichment program. He said the only outcome he supports is “a deal that will stop their maniacal drive to a nuclear weapon, among other things.”

Trump has already criticized that proposal on Truth Social.

“There is only one group of meaningful ‘POINTS’ that are acceptable to the United States, and we will be discussing them behind closed doors during these negotiations,” Trump said. “These are the POINTS that are the basis on which we agreed to a CEASEFIRE.”

The U.S. Navy is requesting $3 billion in additional funding to replenish its stores of Tomahawk missiles after depleting its stores in the war against Iran.

The Navy made the order as part of the Pentagon’s wider $1.5 trillion budget request for 2027 released this week. The Tomahawk missile request represents a 1,200% increase in production compared to last year.

Last year, Congress approved the Navy to purchase 58 of the missiles at a total price of $257 million. This year’s request is enough to finance 785 missiles.

According to a report from the Washington Post last month, the U.S. had launched at least 850 Tomahawk missiles since the war against Iran began on Feb. 28.

IRAN CONFLICT COULD BE PUSH GOP NEEDS FOR 2ND ‘BIG, BEAUTIFUL BILL’

The Pentagon says its wider $1.5 trillion budget request is needed to address growing threats from China, Russia and other adversaries.

The request includes about $1.1 trillion in base discretionary funding for the Department of War, along with an additional $350 billion in mandatory funding to support priorities such as munitions production and expansion of the defense industrial base.

If enacted, the plan would represent one of the largest increases in U.S. defense spending in decades, though the total includes a mix of discretionary funding and mandatory resources that are not typically combined in standard Pentagon budget comparisons.

A-10 WARTHOG GIVEN NEW MARITIME ROLE TARGETING BOATS IN IRAN AFTER EFFORTS TO RETIRE AIRCRAFT

The budget places heavy emphasis on rebuilding weapons stockpiles and strengthening domestic manufacturing capacity, areas that defense officials have identified as key vulnerabilities in recent years.

Shipbuilding is another major focus, with $65.8 billion requested to procure 18 Navy battle force ships and 16 non-battle force vessels as part of a broader effort to expand maritime capacity.

The proposal also continues funding for the “Golden Dome” missile defense system, which aims to develop a layered homeland defense using space-based sensors and interceptors.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

The budget also highlights investments in artificial intelligence, drones and counter-drone systems, and next-generation aircraft, including continued development of the F-47 — a sixth-generation fighter designed to operate alongside autonomous systems — with the program targeting a first flight as early as 2028.

Rep. Summer Lee, D-Pa., suggested that higher-earning Americans were the real “enemy” during a campaign rally headlined by a far-left social media influencer on Tuesday.

“I see other people who are fighting like hell to make you feel like your enemy is sitting next to you,” Lee said in a video posted by The Washington Free Beacon. “That your enemy is somebody who worships differently than you are, or looks differently than you are, comes from a different socioeconomic background than you, unless they are the upper class.”

“They only have the politics of fear and division and destruction and disruption. They need us to keep our focus away from the people who have participated in the biggest sex trafficking ring in our country,” Lee continued, appearing to reference the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. “I need you to instead lead and learn and live in your power.”

Lee, a left-wing lawmaker affiliated with “the Squad,” made the remarks during a campaign event she participated in to boost Michigan Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed. Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., another “Squad” member who is supporting El-Sayed, was in attendance.

ILLINOIS DEMOCRAT CONDEMNS PARTY MEMBERS RALLYING WITH FAR-LEFT STREAMER HASAN PIKER

El-Sayed, who is running with the backing of Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., is viewed as the most progressive candidate in the state’s three-way Democratic primary.

Twitch streamer Hasan Piker, who once said “America deserved 9/11,” headlined the rally. Piker has also drawn backlash from both parties over his comments on the Oct. 7 attacks on Israel, the Israeli government and the Chinese Communist Party, which critics have called antisemitic and anti-American.

Lee, who has repeatedly advocated for pro-Palestinian causes, doubled down on her decision to appear at the campaign event with Piker in a statement obtained by the outlet City & State Pennsylvania.

“At a moment when Donald Trump is threatening catastrophic violence against Iran and saying ‘a whole civilization will die tonight,’ our priorities are deeply out of step if this is what some choose to focus on,” Lee said in a statement, referring to the president’s comments on Truth Social on Tuesday. “We need to invite young people in, take them seriously, and recognize that our politics are strongest when everyday people have a real hand in shaping them.”

“If reporters have questions about Hasan Piker’s statements, they should ask Hasan Piker,” Lee added.

El-Sayed also sought to distance himself from Piker’s statements during an interview on “Fox & Friends” on Tuesday.

WHO IS HASAN PIKER? MEET THE FAR-LEFT STREAMER WHO IS STIRRING UP CONTROVERSY ONLINE AND DIVIDING DEMOCRATS

 “Of course I oppose rape. Of course I don’t think 9/11 was justified,” El-Sayed said. “[Just] because you appear with somebody doesn’t mean you agree with them on everything.”

El-Sayed also floated Lee as a potential leftist challenger to Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., if he decides to seek reelection in 2028. Fetterman has faced criticism from some Pennsylvania Democrats for voting with Republicans to support Department of Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin’s confirmation, among other instances where he has crossed party lines.

Rep. Haley Stevens, D-Mich., and State Sen. Mallory McMorrow, D-Mich., El-Sayed’s primary opponents, sharply criticized his decision to campaign with Piker.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

“It is unacceptable for a candidate wanting to represent all Michiganders to campaign with Hasan Piker, a person who is unapologetic about a career of making hurtful and anti-Semitic comments,” Stevens said in a statement. “With all that’s at stake in this election, we should be focused on the challenges Michiganders are facing and how to fight for them.”

Fox News Digital reached out to Lee’s office for comment.

The Democratic nominee for a Senate seat in Arkansas is trying to distance herself from messaging ties to the mainstream Democratic Party, including former Vice President Kamala Harris, as she wages an uphill bid to flip a Republican Senate seat.

“Arkansas is a very independent state. In fact, if you look at our voting history, we are often split-ticket voters,” Hallie Shoffner told Fox News Digital.

“I feel that both of the parties just walked away from rural America — Democrats included,” Shoffner, who is pushing back on claims that she invited Harris to campaign with her, added.

Her comments come as Harris plans to deliver keynote remarks at the Arkansas Shackelford Dinner in Little Rock later this month — the first campaign event she has headlined since she lost the 2024 presidential election.

STEVE DAINES’ HANDPICKED SENATE SUCCESSOR KURT ALME VOWS TO KEEP MONTANA IN REPUBLICAN HANDS IN 2026

Shoffner strongly denied she had any intention of campaigning with Harris at her upcoming appearance.

“We had nothing to do with bringing the former vice president here. She’s speaking at a Democratic Party of Arkansas event, an event I will not be attending,” Shoffner said.

“This woman is coming, and she’s going to be here for all of two hours,” she said.

Shoffner believes the party should focus on its future, rather than highlighting high-profile names of the past. She blasted Republican attempts to link Harris’ appearance to her Senate bid.

“The Republican Party of Arkansas is talking like I’m the one who’s responsible. Why? Tom Cotton and the Republican Party, why are we relitigating the 2024 election right now?” Shoffner said, referring to her political opponent, Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark.

Instead, Shoffner said she is trying to emulate different Democrats who have used middle-of-the-road platforms to attract rural voters.

“If I were Hallie Shoffner, I’d pretend like I didn’t know Kamala Harris either,” Joseph Wood, the chairman of the Republican Party of Arkansas, said in a fiery response to Shoffner’s comments. “But Shoffner can’t hide two very important things: her 25 donations to Harris, or that Harris is coming to Arkansas to raise money that will be used to try and help her failing campaign.” 

10 SENATE RACES THAT COULD DECIDE CONTROL OF THE CHAMBER IN THE 2026 MIDTERMS

SUSAN COLLINS SHRUGS OFF ATTACKS BY DEMOCRATS AND TRUMP, SAYS MAINE VOTERS ‘DON’T VOTE PARTY LINE’

She mentioned former Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont., who was defeated in 2024, as one such example.

“One of the things I really like about Senator Tester is he takes the same approach when he’s going into diverse political communities in Montana,” Shoffner said.

“We’re all Arkansans. We’re all Montanans. You know, we want to be able to buy our groceries. We want to put gas in our car. We want to know that our job is going to be there the next day,” Shoffner said.

Tester represented Montana as a senator from 2007 to 2025. He lost his reelection bid to newcomer Sen. Tim Sheehy, R-Mont.

Despite asserting confidence in charting her own course, Shoffner faces an uphill race against incumbent Sen. Cotton, the current chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence.

Cotton, who was originally hand-picked by former Senate Majority Leader Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., to run for the Senate in 2014, has come to the defense of President Donald Trump’s military engagement against Iran.

REPUBLICAN MAJORITY AT RISK? A LOOK AT THE 6 GOP SENATE SEATS MOST IN JEOPARDY IN MIDTERM ELECTIONS

Shoffner believes that’s a weakness she can exploit.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

“Does it work for the people of Arkansas? That’s the point of Congress. That there should have been an Arkansan up there in D.C. who said, ‘Now, wait a minute, they need diesel and fertilizer prices to be low.’ That is when a senator or a representative from a state is supposed to step in and say, ‘My people at home will be affected,’” Shoffner said.

Shoffner will face off against Cotton in the state’s general election on Nov. 3.

For voters feeling the sting of rising gas prices, a trip to the gas pump is becoming a daily flash point as midterm elections loom.

President Donald Trump touted low gas prices during his February State of the Union address, saying they had fallen “below $2.30 a gallon in most states and in some places, $1.99.”

Now, an escalating conflict with Iran is sending prices sharply higher — particularly in battleground states like Virginia, Pennsylvania, Georgia and Ohio. That surge is undercutting a central economic message that helped power Trump’s return to office and could reshape the political landscape as fuel costs rise in key states.

“I used to put $30 worth of gas in my car for the week — now it’s $45,” said Zafar, an Uber driver who typically fills up in Virginia, where gas prices are more than $1 higher than a year ago.

WHERE GAS PRICES ARE RISING THE FASTEST AS TRUMP’S IRAN DEADLINE LOOMS

“I have no choice — I have to support my family,” he said, adding that he can’t afford to cut back on driving despite rising gas prices.

Just weeks ago, the outlook looked very different.

The national average has climbed to $4.16 per gallon, up about 91 cents from a year ago, according to AAA, with prices rising across nearly every region.

West Coast drivers are seeing the highest costs, with prices reaching $5.93 per gallon in California and $5.39 in Washington. Meanwhile, on the East Coast, gas prices have surpassed $4 in several areas, including $4.29 in Washington, D.C., and $4.18 in Pennsylvania. 

Meanwhile, in the Midwest, Illinois stands out at $4.36 per gallon, while much of the region remains in the mid-$3 range. While Southern states remain comparatively cheaper, prices are climbing there as well, with Georgia at $3.73, Texas and Alabama at $3.84, and Florida higher at $4.18.

Oklahoma and Kansas have the lowest gas prices in the nation, at $3.34 and $3.39, respectively.

Beyond gasoline, other fuel costs are rising even faster. Diesel has climbed to $5.66, up about $1.15 over the past month. As a key fuel for freight, shipping and public transportation, it is especially sensitive to supply disruptions — and its rising cost can quickly ripple through the broader economy, pushing up prices on everything from groceries to goods.

DEMS WHO RAN ON AFFORDABILITY NOW FACE BACKLASH AS COSTS CLIMB IN NY, VIRGINIA

That kind of pocketbook pressure is exactly what Democrats have been eager to exploit. Last fall, Democrats leaned heavily on affordability themes in state and local elections, and it paid off.

In places like Virginia, New York and New Jersey, where voters have been squeezed by high housing costs and utility bills, Democratic candidates seized on Trump’s early economic moves, including his trade policy, to argue that the Republican agenda was worsening the affordability crisis rather than easing it.

That same playbook is now reemerging on a national scale, as rising fuel costs tied to the Iran war give Democrats a fresh opening to hammer Republicans on kitchen-table costs.

OIL, GAS PRICES JUMP AS TRUMP FLIRTS WITH STRIKING IRANIAN OIL INFRASTRUCTURE

Campaigns are leaning in, tying higher fuel costs to Republican policies in ads, speeches and appearances across key battleground states.

In central Pennsylvania, Janelle Stelson, a Democrat challenging Rep. Scott Perry, R-Pa., campaigned Monday at a Mobil gas station where prices were $4.24 for regular unleaded and more than $6 for diesel. She argued Perry, a Trump ally, bears some responsibility for worsening the cost-of-living crisis, according to The Washington Post.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

In Iowa, the left-leaning veterans group VoteVets is running a new $825,000 ad campaign backing state Rep. Joshua Turek’s Senate bid that highlights rising gas prices.

The message is also playing out in Michigan, where Abdul El-Sayed, a liberal Democrat in a competitive Senate primary, is airing ads focused on rising gas prices. “You know why gas is so expensive? Donald Trump’s $200 billion war with Iran,” he says in one ad.

With prices rising, the cost of gas is quickly becoming a central political battleground — and a potential liability for Trump and his allies in the months leading up to the midterms.

A former top official in the Biden administration slammed Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger as wrongly following Joe Biden’s playbook, squandering “goodwill” and allowing the GOP to define her, demanding she “come out of her Biden bunker.”

The swipe comes as former Gov. George Allen offered to debate her virtually on the subject of redistricting if timing was an issue in her original rejection, and Spanberger briskly avoided a Fox News Digital reporter who confronted the tight-lipped governor in Richmond this week.

Michael LaRosa, former first lady Jill Biden’s longtime top aide and spokesperson, slammed Spanberger on Tuesday, unfavorably comparing her to former President Joe Biden and calling a Washington Post poll showing her as the governor with the highest unfavorables dating back to Allen’s era “entirely self-inflicted and avoidable.”

LaRosa called Spanberger’s fall from a landslide-winning candidate to a controversial chief executive “a classic, but all too familiar tale.”

WHO IS ABIGAIL SPANBERGER, AND WHY DID DEMOCRATS CHOOSE HER FOR TO THEIR STATE OF THE UNION RESPONSE?

“[She] came in with a mandate and genuine goodwill, and within months, the GOP succeeded in branding her a wolf in sheep’s clothing,” he said.

“Instead of confronting it, the governor defaulted to the old 1990s ‘don’t give it oxygen’ playbook prescribed for Biden throughout his four years: duck and cover.”

Biden remained out of public view during some controversial points in his tenure, leading pundits to claim he was hiding or stowed away in a “bunker.”

LaRosa added on X that ignoring “attacks, smears and misinformation” doesn’t make them disappear but instead creates a vacuum for Spanberger and allows her opponents to define her.

“What started as silly right-wing noise is now a mainstream narrative, and it’s reflected in her first report card. She needs to channel the badass, confrontational Abby Spanberger from that Nov[ember] 2020 caucus call — spicy, direct and pragmatic.”

‘GIVE ME LIBERTY’ FOUNDING FATHER’S DESCENDANT BLASTS SPANBERGER’S REDISTRICTING PUSH

He suggested she hold regular pressers, get combative with reporters and accept interviews with mainstream media.

“She has to show and tell and climb out of the Biden bunker,” LaRosa said, before borrowing a line President Donald Trump used toward African American voters unsure of whether to break with Hillary Clinton and Democratic Party orthodoxy in 2016:

“What the hell does she have to lose?”

Spanberger’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment, and neither did representatives for Biden.

After she declined Allen’s invitation to an in-person debate on the merits of the redistricting effort — what some call gerrymandering — being put in front of voters, the Republican said Monday he would re-up his offer with even more favorable terms for Spanberger.

“All of this is a bit confusing; it’s unusual, and it helps the people to hear both sides of it,” Allen said of the redistricting referendum while speaking with Rich Herrera on Richmond’s WRVA radio.

NEW DEM STAR’S QUICK HARD-LEFT TURN AFTER ‘MODERATE’ CAMPAIGN WON HER COVETED RESPONSE TO TRUMP: LAWMAKER

Allen, son of Washington Redskins icon George H. Allen, said Spanberger declined his invitation, citing her busy schedule and a pile of bills to review.

He told Herrera that he responded in a letter telling her he fully understands that experience and instead would like to debate virtually, but televised, for one hour, at a time and date and with a moderator of her choosing before the April 21 election.

The last time Democrats held this much power in Virginia, the “Byrd Organization,” led by segregationist former Gov. Harry F. Byrd, maintained it for decades. The Post’s poll shows Spanberger similarly swept Republicans out of Richmond but has already lost much of her political capital just four months in.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

Forty-six percent of Virginians disapproved of her job performance, while 47% approved, only four months into her term.

In contrast, predecessor Gov. Glenn Youngkin saw a 54-39 job approval at this point in his term, with the highest favorability going to Democrat Mark Warner – now Virginia’s senior senator — with a 78-20 rating.

President Donald Trump will meet with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte Wednesday at the White House, just as transatlantic relations within the alliance have frayed during U.S. operations in Iran. 

Trump has repeatedly threatened to withdraw the U.S. from NATO and slammed European nations for blocking base access and providing limited help to the Iran offensive known as Operation Epic Fury. 

Despite a good relationship with the head of NATO, who once called him “daddy” of the alliance, Trump has said he views NATO as a “one-way street.” 

“You’ll have to start learning how to fight for yourself, the U.S.A. won’t be there to help you anymore, just like you weren’t there for us,” he said to the alliance in a Truth Social post March 31.

TRUMP PRESSES NATO PARTNERS ON SUPPORT AS HEGSETH BLASTS HESITATION

Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who also meets with Rutte on Wednesday, told Fox News recently: “After this conflict is concluded, we are going to have to reexamine that relationship. We’re going to have reexamined the value of NATO in that alliance for our country.” 

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez closed Spanish airspace to any aircraft — including U.S. bombers departing from the U.K. — involved in strikes against Iran and denied the U.S. use of its in-country bases, the Rota Naval Station and Morón Air Base for any combat, refueling or staging missions related to the Iran conflict.

EX-NATO AMBASSADOR WARNS US AND ALLIES MUST ‘STOP THE SNIPING’ AND UNITE TO END IRAN CONFLICT

President Emmanuel Macron blocked Israeli aircraft from using French airspace to transport U.S.-made munitions intended for the war in Iran, Fox News Digital previously reported. 

Meanwhile, Finnish President Alexander Stubb told Trump in a phone call a “more European NATO” is taking shape.  

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

European nations have felt the brunt of the closing of the Strait of Hormuz, a key waterway for its natural gas supply and expressed frustration that they were not consulted prior to the start of the Iranian conflict. 

“I am not the commentator on an operation that the Americans decided on with the Israelis alone. They can later regret not being supported in an operation they decided on by themselves. This is not our operation,” Macron told reporters April 2.

War Secretary Pete Hegseth declared a “decisive military victory” in Iran on Wednesday after President Donald Trump agreed to a two-week truce.

Hegseth made the comments during a press conference at the Pentagon, telling reporters that the War Department had succeeded in decimating Iran’s military capabilities.

“This morning, a big day for world peace. Iran wants it to happen. They’ve had enough. Operation Epic Fury was a historic and overwhelming victory on the battlefield. A capital V,” Hegseth said.

“In less than 40 days, one of our combatant commands… CENTCOM, using less than 10% of America’s total combat power, dismantled one of the world’s largest militaries,” he continued. “The world’s leading state sponsor of terrorism proved utterly incapable of defending itself, its people or its territory.

IRAN’S TALLEST BRIDGE COLLAPSES AFTER REPORTED US AIRSTRIKES, IRAN THREATENS AMERICAN ALLIES IN RETALIATION

“We utilized just a fraction of our strength, and Iran suffered a devastating military defeat. Together with our Israeli partners. America’s military achieved every single objective on plan, on schedule, exactly as laid out from day one,” he said.

Trump agreed to a two-week truce with Iran on Tuesday night, saying Iran had agreed to open the Strait of Hormuz while wider negotiations continue.

In a Truth Social post early Wednesday, Trump suggested Iran was ready to reach a peace agreement and said the U.S. would help manage traffic in the Strait of Hormuz.

TRUMP REVEALS IRAN MADE ‘SIGNIFICANT PROPOSAL’ AFTER ULTIMATUM, BUT ‘NOT GOOD ENOUGH’

“A big day for World Peace! Iran wants it to happen, they’ve had enough! Likewise, so has everyone else! The United States of America will be helping with the traffic buildup in the Strait of Hormuz,” Trump wrote. “There will be lots of positive action! Big money will be made. Iran can start the reconstruction process.”

Trump said the U.S. will be “loading up with supplies of all kinds, and just ‘hangin’ around’ in order to make sure that everything goes well.” He added, “I feel confident that it will.”

“Just like we are experiencing in the U.S., this could be the Golden Age of the Middle East!!!” Trump added.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

Trump later referenced a 15-point peace agreement the U.S. is negotiating for. Iran has previously proposed a 10-point plan.

Fox News’ Michael Sinkewicz contributed to this report.

Vice President JD Vance says the current ceasefire with Iran is “fragile” but could hold if Tehran negotiates in good faith.

Vance made the comments during a conference in Hungary on Wednesday, saying President Donald Trump won’t hesitate to use drastic tools if Iran breaks the truce. Trump has agreed to a two-week ceasefire predicated on Iran reopening the Strait of Hormuz.

“This is why I say this is a fragile truce,” Vance said. “You have people who clearly want to come to the negotiating table and work with us to find a good deal, and then you have people who are lying about even the fragile truce that we’ve already struck.”

“If the Iranians are willing in good faith to work with us, I think we can make an agreement,” Vance continued. “If they’re going to lie, if they’re going to cheat, if they’re going to try to prevent even the fragile truce that we’ve set up from taking place, that they’re not going to be happy.”

TRUMP TO ADDRESS NATION ABOUT IRAN AS HE SIGNALS WAR COULD END WITHIN WEEKS

“What the president has also shown is that we still have clear military, diplomatic and, maybe most importantly, we have extraordinary economic leverage,” he added. “So the President has told us not to use those tools. He’s told us to come to the negotiating table. But if the Iranians don’t do the exact same thing, they’re going to find out that the president of the United States is not one to mess around. He’s impatient. He’s impatient to make progress.”

News of the truce came Tuesday night, barely an hour before Trump’s 8 p.m. ET deadline, at which he had threatened to begin targeting Iranian energy infrastructure.

The president said the postponement is subject to the Islamic Republic of Iran agreeing to “the COMPLETE, IMMEDIATE, and SAFE OPENING of the Strait of Hormuz.”

VANCE SAYS IRAN HAS ‘2 PATHWAYS’ AS 12-HOUR DEADLINE LOOMS, PRAYS US ON ‘GOD’S SIDE’ IN NIXING NUCLEAR THREAT

The administration also received a 10-point proposal from Iran for a wider peace deal, and officials “believe it is a workable basis on which to negotiate.”

The Supreme National Security Council of the Islamic Republic of Iran responded in a statement, thanking Pakistani mediators for their “tireless efforts” to end the war in the region, and agreeing to cease defensive operations if attacks against Iran are halted.

For a period of two weeks, Iran said safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz “will be possible via coordination with Iran’s Armed Forces” and with “due consideration of technical limitations.”

MARCO RUBIO WARNS IRAN WANTED TO BE THE ‘NEXT NORTH KOREA’ AS HE SEES ‘FINISH LINE’ IN CONFLICT

Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif wrote in a statement the ceasefire will apply “everywhere,” including Lebanon, effective immediately.

“I warmly welcome the sagacious gesture and extend deepest gratitude to the leadership of both the countries and invite their delegations to Islamabad on Friday, 10th April 2026, to further negotiate for a conclusive agreement to settle all disputes,” Sharif said. “Both parties have displayed remarkable wisdom and understanding and have remained constructively engaged in furthering the cause of peace and stability. We earnestly hope, that the ‘Islamabad Talks’ succeed in achieving sustainable peace and wish to share more good news in coming days!”

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

Further talks between the U.S. and Iran are set to begin on Friday.

Fox News’ Alexandra Koch contributed to this report.

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., continued calling for President Donald Trump’s ouster on Tuesday even after the president announced a two-week ceasefire with Iran.

“This statement changes nothing,” she asserted in a post on X, referring to the president’s Tuesday evening ceasefire announcement. “Whether by his Cabinet or Congress, the President must be removed from office.”

Prior to the ceasefire announcement, Trump, who had been threatening to unleash a devastating attack against Iranian power plants and bridges, sent the following warning in a Tuesday morning Truth Social post: “A whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again. I don’t want that to happen, but it probably will. However, now that we have Complete and Total Regime Change, where different, smarter, and less radicalized minds prevail, maybe something revolutionarily wonderful can happen, WHO KNOWS?”

Ocasio-Cortez, a member of the progressive cadre of lawmakers known as “The Squad,” responded by declaring in a post on X, “This is a threat of genocide and merits removal from office. The President’s mental faculties are collapsing and cannot be trusted. To every individual in the President’s chain of command: You have a duty to refuse illegal orders. That includes carrying out this threat.”

But then on Tuesday night, Trump announced a two-week ceasefire.

TRUMP AGREES TO 2-WEEK CEASEFIRE IF IRAN OPENS STRAIT OF HORMUZ

“Based on conversations with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Field Marshal Asim Munir, of Pakistan, and wherein they requested that I hold off the destructive force being sent tonight to Iran, and subject to the Islamic Republic of Iran agreeing to the COMPLETE, IMMEDIATE, and SAFE OPENING of the Strait of Hormuz, I agree to suspend the bombing and attack of Iran for a period of two weeks. This will be a double sided CEASEFIRE!” the president wrote in part of a Truth Social post. “Almost all of the various points of past contention have been agreed to between the United States and Iran, but a two week period will allow the Agreement to be finalized and consummated.”

Iranian Minister of Foreign Affairs Seyed Abbas Araghchi said in part of a statement, “If attacks against Iran are halted, our Powerful Armed Forces will cease their defensive operations. For a period of two weeks, safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz will be possible via coordination with Iran’s Armed Forces and with due consideration of technical limitations.”

But even in light of Trump’s ceasefire announcement, Ocasio-Cortez asserted that the president’s “statement changes nothing.”

“The President has threatened a genocide against the Iranian people, and is continuing to leverage that threat. He has launched a massive war of enormous risk and of catastrophic consequence without reason, rationale, nor Congressional authorization – which is as clear a violation of the Constitution as any. Each day this goes on, the risk and criminality of these actions escalate for our nation and the world,” she wrote in the post on X.

EX-TRUMP ALLY MARJORIE TAYLOR GREENE JOINS LEFT-WING CALLS FOR THE 25TH AMENDMENT AS IRAN DEADLINE NEARS

“Moreover, this administration’s self enrichment, insider trading, and pure corruption off this chaos – from crypto currencies to predictive trading markets to bribe ‘settlements’ – has placed the Trump administration’s pursuit of personal wealth squarely against the wellbeing of our nation and its people. All of these incidents, and plenty more, have clearly driven our country past the threshold for impeachment or invocation of the 25th amendment,” she continued.

“We cannot risk the world nor the wellbeing of our nation any longer. None of these considerations should be partisan, but shared in good faith by Americans of all backgrounds who care for the safety and stability of the United States. Whether by his Cabinet or Congress, the President must be removed from office. We are playing with the brink,” she wrote.

AOC TELLS TROOPS TO REFUSE ‘ILLEGAL’ ORDERS AHEAD OF TRUMP’S LOOMING IRAN DEADLINE

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

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

President Donald Trump’s support for his war with Iran began to publicly fray within his own party, as some in the GOP bucked the president’s threat Tuesday morning.

Trump has for several days suggested he would order the military to destroy much of Iran’s civilian infrastructure, including energy sites and bridges, if the country does not reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

Trump planted that flag again Tuesday morning, declaring that a “whole civilization will die tonight” if Iran does not act before his 8 p.m. Eastern deadline. While the threat was reversed shortly before the deadline in a Truth Social post revealing a two-week ceasefire after talks with Pakistani leaders, Trump’s strategy is unpredictable.

“Almost all of the various points of past contention have been agreed to between the United States and Iran, but a two week period will allow the Agreement to be finalized and consummated,” Trump wrote. “On behalf of the United States of America, as President, and also representing the Countries of the Middle East, it is an Honor to have this Longterm problem close to resolution.”

EX-TRUMP ALLY MARJORIE TAYLOR GREENE JOINS LEFT-WING CALLS FOR THE 25TH AMENDMENT AS IRAN DEADLINE NEARS

He added the administration received a 10-point proposal from Iran, and officials “believe it is a workable basis on which to negotiate.”

While Republicans have largely kept quiet about the war, many are refusing to use the term despite Trump referring to it as such on several occasions. But his latest threat has rattled some in the GOP, who view it as a betrayal of how America operates in wartime.

Still, they aren’t calling for Congress to reassert itself as Operation Epic Fury continues in the Middle East. 

“So, let me be clear: I do not support the destruction of a ‘whole civilization,’” Rep. Nathaniel Moran, R-Texas, wrote on social media Tuesday afternoon. “That is not who we are, and it is not consistent with the principles that have long guided America.”

“I have and will continue to support a strong national defense—one that is focused, disciplined, and firmly rooted in protecting the safety and security of the American people,” the Texas Republican added. “But, how we protect the lives of the innocent is just as important as how we engage the enemy.”

And Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, who has bucked Trump on Venezuela but largely toed the party-line on Iran, called for the saber-rattling to end. 

She charged that his threat “cannot be excused away as an attempt to gain leverage in negotiations with Iran.”

“This type of rhetoric is an affront to the ideals our nation has sought to uphold and promote around the world for nearly 250 years,” Murkowski said on X. “It undermines our long-standing role as a global beacon of freedom and directly endangers Americans both abroad and at home.”

DEMOCRATS THREATEN TO GRIND SENATE TO A HALT TO FORCE PUBLIC IRAN HEARINGS

Others, like Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., a close ally of the president’s, hoped that Trump’s threat was “bluster.” 

“I do not want to see that we are not at war with the Iranian people. We are trying to liberate them,” Johnson said. 

Though they are publicly breaking with the latest threat, none have called for legislative action. Both Murkowski and Johnson have repeatedly voted against war powers resolutions pushed by Senate Democrats seeking to block Trump’s authority in Iran.

Still, Sen. John Curtis, R-Utah, has vowed to oppose more funding for the president’s Iran campaign until Congress votes to authorize the war, and former Republican-turned independent Rep. Kevin Kiley, I-Calif., wants Congress to conduct oversight of the president’s Iran campaign. 

Neither chamber has conducted an oversight hearing so far. 

“The United States does not destroy civilizations. Nor do we threaten to do so as some sort of negotiating tactic,” Rep. Kevin Kiley, I-Calif., who recently left the Republican Party ahead of a potentially bruising reelection bid, wrote on social media.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

Congressional Democrats erupted against Trump’s threat Tuesday with many lawmakers calling for the president’s impeachment or removal via the 25th Amendment. Some Democrats, including Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I., have said those proposals are “unrealistic” in the face of widespread GOP opposition.

The House and Senate are not scheduled to return to Washington until the week of April 13.