NationalWatch

The Department of Homeland Security blamed Democrats for travelers facing long security lines amid a DHS funding lapse.

“Americans are now enduring the severe fallout from the Democrat shutdown of DHS. Today, travelers are facing TSA lines of up to nearly 3 hours long at some major airports causing missed flights and massive delays during peak travel,” DHS deputy assistant secretary for public affairs Lauren Bis said in a statement, according to Transportation Security Administration posts Sunday on X.

“This chaos is a direct result of Democrats and their refusal to fund DHS. These political stunts force patriotic TSA officers, who protect our skies from serious threats, to work without pay,” the statement asserted. “These frontline heroes received only partial paychecks earlier this month and now face their first full missed paycheck, leading to financial hardship, absences, and crippling staffing shortages.”

Bis called upon Democrats to fund the department.

“Democrats are shamelessly playing politics with national security, punishing hardworking TSA workers and their families. Enough is enough: stop holding national security and everyday Americans hostage. Democrats must fund DHS now,” she declared.

NOEM THANKS TRUMP FOR NEW SHIELD OF THE AMERICAS SPECIAL ENVOY ROLE AFTER DHS OUSTER

DHS hammered Democrats over the issue on X.

“SPRING BREAK UNDER SIEGE,” a post declared. “The Democrats’ DHS shutdown has led to HOURS long security lines at airports across the country, leading Americans to miss their spring break flights.”

“There is ZERO reason for spring break travel to be held hostage for political points — Democrats must end this DHS shutdown NOW,” the post added. 

KRISTI NOEM OUSTED FROM HOMELAND SECURITY POST AMID RECENT TURMOIL

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President Donald Trump announced last week that he is tapping Sen. Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla., for the role of Homeland Security secretary, and that current DHS Secretary Kristi Noem will instead serve as special envoy for an initiative called “Shield of the Americas.”

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Airfares could rise in the weeks ahead as the Iran conflict disrupts energy markets and squeezes jet-fuel supplies, increasing costs for airlines and passengers.

Fuel traders are watching the Strait of Hormuz closely, because disruptions from U.S.-Israeli strikes and retaliatory Iranian drone and missile attacks could quickly ripple through global oil and gas flows.

Just about 21 miles wide at its narrowest, the Strait of Hormuz, between Iran and Oman, is a global energy choke point. Roughly 20 million barrels of oil move through the waterway each day, along with about one-fifth of global liquefied natural gas (LNG), making it a high value target when regional tensions flare.

When that energy bottleneck tightens, crude and refined fuel markets can jump. Jet fuel is typically one of airlines’ biggest operating costs, so even a modest spike can ripple into ticket prices and fees.

Jaime Brito, an energy market analyst, said distributors and airlines value supply security enough to pay a premium, so jet fuel is typically bought in advance through long-term contracts. 

Jet fuel can be especially vulnerable to disruptions since inventories are typically thinner and storage requires specialized tanks. Unlike gasoline or diesel, there’s very little spot buying in jet fuel markets, which can amplify price swings when supply gets tight.

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That vulnerability is especially relevant now because a sizable share of global jet fuel supply comes from the Middle East.

“According to our estimates, the Middle East exports a total of around 1.1 million barrels per day of aviation jet fuel, about 17% of what the world consumes,” explained Brito, executive director of refining and oil products at OPIS.

In the U.S., the Argus U.S. Jet Fuel Index, a daily benchmark averaging prices in Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles and New York, climbed to $3.88 a gallon on Friday, after hovering mostly in the low-to-mid $2 range for weeks.

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Brito said that some airports have proportionately higher jet fuel consumption, pointing to Singapore and Frankfurt, so concentration and distance from suppliers create an additional layer of market jitters that is reflected in current prices.

Market anxiety is already showing up in Singapore, Asia’s key trading hub, where jet fuel surged 72% to a record $225.44 a barrel on Wednesday as traders worried about future supplies tied to the Strait of Hormuz.

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But even if tensions ease in the coming weeks and shipping lanes remain open, fuel contracts, shipping schedules and inventory constraints can keep the disruption, and its price impact, embedded in the supply chain.

How much passengers pay will depend on how long the disruption lasts and how much fuel carriers have already locked in through hedging.

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The Pentagon on Sunday announced that U.S. forces have carried out a lethal strike on a vessel allegedly carrying suspected narco-traffickers in the Eastern Pacific, killing six people on board.

The U.S. Southern Command said it conducted “a lethal kinetic strike on a vessel operated by Designated Terrorist Organizations” at the direction of the new leader of the Southern Command, Gen. Francis L. Donovan of the Marine Corps, who took over in January.

“Intelligence confirmed the vessel was transiting along known narco-trafficking routes in the Eastern Pacific and was engaged in narco-trafficking operations,” the Southern Command said in a press release.

Six men on the ship were killed but no U.S. forces died in the attack on the vessel, according to the Southern Command.

The latest strike brings the death toll in the Trump administration’s attacks on ships carrying people it accuses of drug smuggling to at least 156, according to The New York Times.

This was the 45th strike since the U.S. began targeting boats in the Caribbean and the Eastern Pacific in early September and comes amid a recent increase in the pace of strikes, the newspaper reported.

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The attack on Sunday was one of the deadliest boat strikes the military has conducted in recent weeks.

“Going on offense with Operation Southern Spear has restored deterrence against the narco-terrorist cartels that profited from poisoning Americans,” Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth said last week. “Last month, we went a few weeks without targeting a single boat. Why? Well, because we couldn’t find a whole lot of boats to sink, and that’s the whole point is to establish deterrence from narco-terrorists who have been able to traffic almost unfettered.”

The Pentagon has refused to release the identities of those killed in the strikes since last fall or provide evidence of drugs on board.

The administration has been scrutinized in recent months over the strikes, including by Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., who has raised concerns about killing people without due process and the possibility of killing innocent people.

“I look at my colleagues who say they’re pro-life, and they value God’s inspiration in life, but they don’t give a s‑‑- about these people in the boats,” Paul said in January. “Are they terrible people in the boats? I don’t know. They’re probably poor people in Venezuela and Colombia.”

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The senator previously cited Coast Guard statistics that show a significant percentage of boats boarded on suspicion of drug trafficking are innocent.

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Fresh satellite images give a rare aerial view of the damage across Iran after U.S.-Israeli strikes and what Tehran’s retaliation left behind across the region.

Planet Labs satellite imagery captured burning ships and damaged facilities at the Konarak base in southern Iran, as well as significant destruction at Iran’s naval headquarters in Bandar Abbas on the Persian Gulf, reflecting the scale of the strikes on military infrastructure.

Imagery from Vantor shows damage to facilities and vessels located in Iran’s Bushehr port in the Persian Gulf.

In addition to naval assets, satellite photos show a bunker at Bushehr air base hit by a strike, leaving a large crater and destroying several nearby small buildings.

More strikes targeted the Choqa Balk drone facility in western Iran.

Radar systems at the Zahedan air base in eastern Iran — near the country’s borders with Pakistan and Afghanistan — were also struck.

The two facilities are about 800 to 900 miles apart, underscoring the broad reach of the coordinated strikes.

Satellite imagery also reveals damage to aircraft on the tarmac at Shiraz air base, including scorch marks and debris around several parking areas.

Satellite imagery from Planet Labs shows thick smoke plumes rising above Tehran, signaling explosions and fires inside the Iranian capital.

The smoke underscores how the conflict has moved beyond isolated military sites and into the heart of Iran’s political center.

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Iran has since responded with missile and drone strikes of its own, expanding the conflict across the region. 

Satellite images reveal damage to the port city of Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates. Sharjah is the third most populous after Dubai and Abu Dhabi.

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The Jebel Ali Port, the region’s largest maritime hub, was also targeted, underscoring how the retaliation extended beyond military sites to key infrastructure.

The new satellite imagery comes on the heels of U.S.-Israeli strikes that killed Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and several top members of the regime, triggering a succession crisis.

President Donald Trump warned on Sunday that Iran’s new leader is “not going to last long” without U.S. approval as Operation Epic Fury marches into a third week. 

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The new battleground in the Gulf isn’t just on the water — it’s in the insurance market, where war-risk coverage can determine which oil tankers sail and which stay put.

With the conflict driving gasoline prices higher, the White House is weighing steps to keep oil flowing through the Strait of Hormuz and to keep prices from climbing further.

The Strait of Hormuz, a narrow passage between Iran and Oman, carries roughly 20 million barrels of oil a day and about one-fifth of global supply of liquefied natural gas. When conflict flares in the region, even the threat of disruption can rattle markets because so much of the world’s energy moves through that single corridor.

And with so much at stake, the White House is turning to an unlikely tool: insurance.

President Donald Trump said the U.S. could use a government-backed insurance program to lower war-risk premiums for vessels in the region. Under a backstop, the government would absorb part of any major losses, easing pressure on private insurers and shipowners.

Because when danger rises, the bill rises.

Insurers charge more to cover ships and cargo, shippers add “war-risk” surcharges and some vessels slow down, detour or pause altogether. Those delays can tighten supply and push crude prices higher even if oil production hasn’t changed.

Against that backdrop, the latest disruption, sparked by U.S.-Israeli strikes starting on Feb. 27 and retaliatory Iranian drone and missile attacks across the region, is forcing shippers and insurers to rethink whether it’s safe to transit the waterway. 

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Some global insurers are already tightening terms. Maritime insurance titans Gard, Skuld, NorthStandard, the London P&I Club and the American Club, have already canceled war-risk coverage, leaving voyages through Iranian and nearby waters without insurance.

Not all coverage is disappearing though. Lloyd’s of London, an insurance marketplace that brings together multiple insurers to cover large, high-risk voyages, said its vessels operating in the Gulf region have a combined hull value exceeding $25 billion. It added that coverage is still in place.

A Lloyd’s spokesperson told Reuters the market is in talks with U.S. officials about possible options. Separately, global insurance broker Marsh said it met with Trump administration representatives to discuss the idea.

Matt Smith, an analyst at Kpler, said coverage is a baseline requirement for ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz, but it doesn’t eliminate the risk. 

“It’s essential for all of these tankers to have insurance. You simply cannot pass through the Strait of Hormuz if you don’t have the insurance, given the high possibility of getting struck by a missile,” Smith told Fox News Digital.

“But even with that insurance in place, it’s little comfort for those on the ship if there’s a chance the vessel is going to be attacked,” he added.

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With that calculus in mind, Maersk, widely regarded as a bellwether for global ocean freight, said it will suspend all vessel crossings through the Strait of Hormuz until further notice and warned service to Arabian Gulf ports could be delayed.

When big shippers hit the brakes, the ripple effects can be felt fast. If oil becomes more expensive or slower to reach buyers, those increases can move through the supply chain and show up for Americans at the pump.

How much Americans feel at the pump will depend on how long the disruption lasts and whether shipping and insurance markets stabilize. Until then, the world’s most important energy chokepoint is likely to keep traders and drivers on edge.

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President Donald Trump said Sunday that Iran’s new leader is “not going to last long” without U.S. approval as Operation Epic Fury continues into its second week.

“He’s going to have to get approval from us,” Trump told ABC News in an interview. “If he doesn’t get approval from us he’s not going to last long. We want to make sure that we don’t have to go back every 10 years, when you don’t have a president like me that’s not going to do it.”

“I don’t want people to have to go back in five years and have to do the same thing again or worse let them have a nuclear weapon,” the president continued.

Trump’s comments come after Iranian state media reported that a majority consensus had been reached on a new supreme leader following the Feb. 28 assassination of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Mohammadmehdi Mirbaqeri, who serves on Iran’s Assembly of Experts, the clerical body tasked with selecting the supreme leader, did not offer any names but acknowledged to the Mehr News Agency that there are still “some obstacles.”

ABC News reported that Trump said it’s possible he would be in favor of someone with ties to the old regime.

“I would, in order to choose a good leader I would, yeah, I would. There are numerous people that could qualify,” he said.

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The Associated Press reported that several figures are being viewed as potential successors to Iran’s supreme leadership. They include:

• Mojtaba Khamenei — Son of late Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei
• Ali Reza Arafi — Senior Shiite cleric

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• Hassan Rouhani — Former president of Iran
• Hassan Khomeini — Grandson of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, founder of the Islamic Republic
• Mohammed Mehdi Mirbagheri — Head of the Islamic Cultural Center in Qom

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Israel’s Defense Minister Israel Katz warned Iranian leadership in a post on X last week that any successor who tries to “destroy Israel, to threaten the United States and the free world and the countries of the region, and to suppress the Iranian people” will be an “unequivocal target for elimination.”

“It does not matter what his name is or the place where he hides,” Katz said.

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President Donald Trump is vowing to reject signing any new bills into law until the SAVE America Act is passed by the Senate, a tall order with just 53 Republicans seated and the 60-vote filibuster threshold a high hurdle.

“Great Job by hard working Scott Pressler on Fox & Friends talking about using the Filibuster, or Talking Filibuster, in order to pass THE SAVE AMERICA ACT, an 88% issue with ALL VOTERS,” Trump wrote Sunday morning on Truth Social. “It must be done immediately.”

“It supersedes everything else,” Trump added. “MUST GO TO THE FRONT OF THE LINE.”

The vow to halt all new law signings is a new one coming from the White House and notable because of the Senate hesitation to follow the urgings of Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, to force the Senate to bring the bill forward through the talking filibuster.

“I, as President, will not sign other Bills until this is passed,” Trump’s post continued, “AND NOT THE WATERED DOWN VERSION – GO FOR THE GOLD: MUST SHOW VOTER I.D. & PROOF OF CITIZENSHIP: NO MAIL-IN BALLOTS EXCEPT FOR MILITARY – ILLNESS, DISABILITY, TRAVEL: NO MEN IN WOMEN’S SPORTS: NO TRANSGENDER MUTILIZATION FOR CHILDREN! DO NOT FAIL!!!”

While Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., has publicly acknowledged a willingness to bring a vote on the SAVE America Act before the upper chamber, there is hesitation within the Republican Party about forcing the talking filibuster under the current Senate rules.

The talking filibuster would force Democrats to speak on the Senate floor to argue against a voter identification position widely supported by Americans, as Trump noted, but it would also force Republicans to sit in attendance with a quorum. That has been rebuked by longtime Senate GOP veterans as something that would “waste time.”

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Former Senate GOP Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., has been publicly opposed to forcing a talking filibuster because of the time constraints it would force on the Senate GOP, and he remains one of the few Senate Republicans not signing on to support the SAVE America Act.

Another development that clouds the SAVE America Act filibuster is the recent appointment of Sen. Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla., to serve as the next Department of Homeland Security secretary, perhaps resigning from the Senate by the end of March.

Fox News Digital reached out to Mullin’s office for comment. McConnell’s office declined to comment on Trump’s Truth Social vow to block all new law signings amid the standoff on the DHS funding that has the government in a partial shutdown and the Senate sitting on the House-passed SAVE America Act.

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“We’re going to have a vote on this, but in terms of what the president is willing to sign, Maria, we need to get the Department of Homeland Security funded,” Senate Majority Whip John Barrasso, R-Wy., told Maria Bartiromo on “Sunday Morning Futures.”

“The Democrats have blocked that right now. And the greatest threat to the American people today is terrorism. So I want to make sure that the Democrats work with us to pass and fund the Department of Homeland Security, because I’m worried about the lone wolf, the sleeper cells and the cyber terrorism that’s coming our way because of what Iran is telling people around the world to do to continue this reign of terror,” Barrasso said.

Getting to 60 votes in the Senate is unlikely with just Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., as the lone potential Democrat vote to side with the Senate GOP on the SAVE America Act.

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“The Democrats are against so many of the things that I think help this country,” Barrasso added to Bartiromo. “They’d rather stand with illegal immigrant criminals than with the safety and security of the American people. I want to get the Save act to the floor. I want to have a vote.”

“That’s the next step on this need to get the Department of Homeland Security open and funded,” he continued. “The Democrats are bowing to the liberal left: The people that want to eliminate ICE, the people that want open borders again, and the people that really aren’t looking out for the best interest of the American people.

“As the president said in the State of the Union, it is the first duty of the American government to protect American citizens, not illegal aliens. But that’s what not one single Democrat stood up for that when every Republican stood and cheered loudly.”

Barrasso, the Senate GOP member whipping up support, considers the SAVE America Act “common sense.”

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“You want to make sure that only citizens can vote,” he concluded to Bartiromo. “You want to make sure that when people show up, they have a photo ID to prove they are who they say they are. You need a you need a photo ID to buy a beer, to board a plane, all of those things. And it’s 90% popular with the American people. The only people against this are the Democrats because they want to make it easier to cheat.”

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FIRST ON FOX: Nearly 28,000 Americans have returned from the Middle East, according to the State Department, which outlined a large-scale evacuation effort as Senate Democrats escalated criticism over the conflict in Iran.

A top State Department official, in a letter to Senate Democrats first obtained by Fox News Digital, noted that since fighting in Iran escalated following Operation Epic Fury, the agency has “taken proactive, rapid action to support Americans in the region.”

That has included chartered flights, ground transport from closed-airspace areas and round-the-clock crisis staffing.

Paul Guaglianone, the State Department’s senior bureau official of legislative affairs, wrote in a letter to several Senate Democrats on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee that before the strikes, the agency “planned immediate measures to protect and evacuate U.S. citizens.”

The letter comes as diplomats and officials have faced “multiple direct strikes from the Iranian regime.“

“The professionalism and competence of America’s diplomatic corps are inspiring,” Guaglianone wrote. “The Department has taken all necessary steps to protect its safety, both in the region and at posts worldwide.”

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“Despite ongoing threats, our diplomats remain active and focused,” he continued. “They continue to communicate with our allies and partners and advance American diplomatic interests.”

His letter responds directly to criticism from Senate Democrats, led by Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., who argued that Secretary of State Marco Rubio and the Trump administration have “not prioritized getting experienced ambassadors in place in the Middle East,” leading to a breakdown in evacuating diplomats and Americans since the strikes began.

The lawmakers noted that three ambassadors were dismissed in Qatar, Kuwait and Egypt “without explanation,” and that the administration is behind in finding replacements and filling vacancies.

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“Of the 14 countries where the Department urged Americans to urgently leave last Monday, only six have confirmed ambassadors,” the lawmakers wrote. “There are currently no pending nominees before the Senate for ambassadorships in the Middle East. As a result, many key posts are without experienced senior leadership at a time of crisis.”

“Simply put, abrupt decision-making and lack of planning by State Department leadership to ensure the safety and security of its own staff left our personnel and their families unnecessarily at risk,” they continued. “Days into the conflict, the Department still appears caught off-guard and lacks a clear, comprehensive plan to safeguard American personnel, their families or other Americans in the region.”

Guaglianone noted that the agency is providing frequent updates to more than 106,000 Americans enrolled in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program, operating a 24/7 call center with no wait times and responding quickly to congressional inquiries while coordinating closely with lawmakers to assist constituents.

He also wrote that the agency is chartering additional planes for Americans as more commercial flights become available in Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Jordan and Oman, and that ground transportation is being offered to expand relocation options for Americans in places with closed airspace.

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Americans in Oman, Kuwait, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Israel who complete the Crisis Intake form receive direct outreach about upcoming charter aviation and ground transportation options from the agency.

“At this time, nearly one in three American citizens who requested help departing turn down U.S. government-provided transportation options when contacted,” Guaglianone wrote. “Some American citizens wish to remain in-country, while others prefer an alternative departure option.”

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FIRST ON FOX: The nation’s history is akin to someone who has faced adversity in life, suggested North Carolina Rep. Addison McDowell’s Chief of Staff, Alex Vargo, 34, who almost lost his life in a roll-over car crash at age 16.

Sunday marks the 18th anniversary of the car crash that nearly killed Vargo and helped shape his life after facing several hurdles in the aftermath of the accident.

Rep. McDowell, R-N.C., himself also faced adversity in his life after losing his brother to a fentanyl overdose, something that the North Carolina congressman has indicated drives him and his policymaking. During an interview with Fox News Digital, Vargo pointed out how the story of adversity, such as the events that he and the congressman have faced, is very similar to the story of America. 

“Our country is not an old country, but I think in our history we’ve gone through periods of real trial – civil wars, massive pandemics that shut down our life – but I think we’re not defined by those tragedies,” Vargo told Fox News Digital. “We’re not defined by wars, we’re defined by how we came back after, how our country stuck together … The whole story of America is one of triumph. It’s one of going through hard times and coming out on the other side.”

Vargo, who grew up in Pittsburgh, was driving home in the snow one day, when, just four days before his 17th birthday, he lost control of his car going down a hill before it slid off the road, went into a hillside, flipped and ultimately “imploded inward,” the chief of staff recounted. Half of his left hand ended up being severed and required 8-hours of emergency surgery to put back together. 

“People say they’re in shock – that’s the first time I’ve been in real shock,” Vargo said. “There are events in your life, not many but a handful that really shape how you view the world, what your purpose is, and that was definitely one.”

Vargo said his purpose became more defined after the incident. He underwent months of painful therapy, where he re-learned how to use his hand for things like typing and dribbling a basketball. According to Vargo, he was given a second chance at life and wanted to make good use of it. It was through those life experiences that drove the decision for him to enter into “the battle of ideas,” and be part of the conservative movement. 

The now-chief of staff has been working in Congress as far back as 2014. Starting as an intern on Capitol Hill, Vargo quickly rose in rank, leading him to serve alongside McDowell in now-Sen. Ted Budd, R-N.C. office, while he was in the House. Vargo has worked in the halls of Congress for the better part of a decade, but he feels the most consequential mission he’s been part of was his time in the Florida legislature where he worked for former House Speaker Paul Renner during the time when Florida had the “Session of the Century.” 

“Alex was a pivotal member of our team as we enacted transformational reforms in Florida. He was a strong advocate during my time as Speaker,” Renner told Fox News Digital. “Together, we protected life, strengthened Florida’s gun laws, and passed the largest expansion of school choice in the nation. He’s turned personal trials into triumphs, and I’m grateful for his friendship.” 

“Together, we protected life, strengthened Florida’s gun laws, and passed the largest expansion of school choice in the nation. He’s turned personal trials into triumphs, and I’m grateful for his friendship,” Renner continued, referring to Vargo. 

Vargo also has spent time with multiple grassroots organizations, such as Heritage Action For America and was the 2024 Campaign Manager for Rep. Neal Dunn, R-Fla. 

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“Going through trials is not unique to me or to the congressman. People go through trials, whether it’s in the three-mile radius we’re in right now, or throughout the country. I think it’s kind of the story of our country,” added Vargo. “As a country, we’ve gone through trials. But we’re not really defined by our imperfections. We’re defined by our principles and our values.”

When asked whether Vargo’s tragic incident led him to focus on certain policy areas, he responded in the affirmative, pointing to healthcare affordability. Vargo said that through his accident he saw how “awesome” American healthcare is on one hand, but he also recalled how his experience opened his eyes to “how messed up of a system we have in terms of financing” healthcare. 

Meanwhile, when asked about specific policy solutions, Vargo pointed to the integration between insurance companies, hospital systems, pharmacy benefit managers and pharmaceutical companies. 

“They all play a role, but I think there’s not enough time when people are advocating for the consumer,” Vargo said.

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McDowell, who Vargo admitted has been through much more tragedy losing his brother than he did through his car crash, told Fox News Digital that from the first time he met Vargo he could tell he was “driven by a cause,” like himself, which McDowell described to Fox News Digital as “something bigger than himself.” 

“When I got President Trump’s endorsement, I called my wife, my political consultant and then Alex to tell him he was going to be my chief when I won,” McDowell recalled.

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The House voted Thursday on a Democrat-led Iran War Powers Resolution, aimed at limiting President Donald Trump’s military authority in Tehran — bringing to the fore a sharp debate over executive powers, and reviving fresh questions as to what level of consultation, if any, presidents must seek from Congress before proceeding with future military strikes. 

If passed, the Democrat-led Iran War Powers Resolution would have required Trump to terminate the use of any U.S. armed forces against Iran unless it was “explicitly authorized” by Congress. House lawmakers are largely split on the issue along party lines. 

Speaking to Fox News Digital in an interview after the House vote, Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., defended her support for the new Iran War Powers Resolution. She said that, in her view, Trump had exceeded his authority and impinged upon Article I of the Constitution. “It’s about our Article I power,” she said. 

Congress alone “has the power to declare war, and we cannot be putting our troops at risk based on the ‘opinion’ of any President unilaterally,” Jayapal said in a statement. 

The vote came amid escalating tensions in the Middle East following the U.S. strike on Iran days earlier— and as some Democrats have accused the Trump administration of racing to involve the U.S. in yet another long-running conflict in the Middle East without first consulting Congress. 

Republicans, meanwhile, maintain that the White House is acting within its authority in the best interests of the country.

Jayapal told Fox News Digital that she has long been a critic of other presidents who failed to consult Congress before taking military action — including under former President Joe Biden, after he ordered a U.S. airstrike on an Iran-backed militia in Syria.

“I spoke out against Biden as well,” Jayapal said of Biden’s 2021 airstrike in Syria.

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“I spoke out against every Democratic and Republican president who tried to go to war without authorization, because I don’t think it should be partisan,” she continued, adding: “It’s about our Article I power.”

Her remarks come as the Democrat-led measure has sparked fierce opposition from nearly all GOP House members, and a small group of Democrats in the chamber, who noted that the commander-in-chief must retain some level of flexibility to respond to foreign threats and protect U.S. personnel and interests abroad.

They also criticized Democrats who supported the Iran War Powers Resolution for taking a posture of second-guessing military decisions during a sensitive moment overseas. 

Earlier this week, a group of Democrats urged House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., to keep the House of Representatives in D.C. next week, citing the “rapidly evolving” situation in Iran.

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Backers argue that restricting a president’s authority— and doing so in the middle of a volatile national security situation— could embolden foreign adversaries and undermine the U.S. ability to respond. 

Democrats, meanwhile, have continued to cite concerns that Trump has failed to demonstrate an “imminent” threat that would justify unilateral military action under his Article II powers.

The vote underscores a broader, long-running bipartisan debate over the scope of executive war powers and Congress’ role in authorizing the use of force — a tension that has spanned multiple administrations and conflicts.

Jayapal, for her part, appeared unfazed by the GOP pushback. 

She noted that, in her view, the U.S. action in Iran could be long-lasting, and is likely to have “much bigger consequences” than the U.S. involvement in Syria.

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“There are real troops on the ground here in a way that wasn’t the case in Syria,” Jayapal said. “And I think it’s a much, much, much bigger war with no imminent threat.”

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Former NFL quarterback Tim Tebow appeared on Capitol Hill this past week to urge lawmakers on the Senate Judiciary Committee to pass legislation to better combat child exploitation, trafficking, and abuse — describing the effort as a fight “for people who cannot fight for themselves” and in their “darkest hour of need.” 

Tebow, the founder and chair of his eponymous Tim Tebow Foundation, used the impassioned testimony before the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee to shore up support for the Renewed Hope Act of 2026, or bipartisan legislation that seeks to increase federal resources to fight child exploitation and abuse. 

Framing the crisis as a “fight for people who cannot fight for themselves in their darkest hour of need,” Tebow said his foundation is working “imperfectly, but in every way that we can” to support the fight against child exploitation, including by providing additional support to law enforcement, and funding long-term restoration efforts to support victims.

His foundation currently provides support for some 52 safe homes, and is in the process of expanding the support to an additional 19 homes.

“It is a thin line between tortured and treasured,” Tebow told lawmakers Tuesday. “And you are that thin line,” he said, urging the chamber to take swift action to approve the bill.

“I spent way too much of my life chasing a much less important MVP,” Tebow added. “I want to spend the rest of my life chasing the most vulnerable people.”

The Renewed Hope Act of 2026, which cleared House committee markup earlier this year, seeks to establish a dedicated workforce of more than 200 analysts, investigators, and forensic specialists working within DHS’s Homeland Security Investigations, or HSI, to “deconflict, coordinate, and synchronize child sexual exploitation investigations.” 

The bill would equip and specially train officers on victim identification, location, and rescue operations for unknown children or children identified in sexual abuse databases.

Support for the legislation comes as the number of unidentified child victims in exploitation databases has surged in recent years. According to the Tim Tebow Foundation, there are an estimated 57,000 unidentified victims of child trafficking. The foundation emphasizes that these children remain hidden from official statistics and protection systems — as echoed by others who testified in Tuesday’s emotional hearing.  

HOUSE VOTES TO LET TRUMP’S OPERATION EPIC FURY CONTINUE IN IRAN

In the last six months alone, Tebow noted that more than 338,000 unique IP addresses based in the U.S. have been identified trading child sexual abuse images across so-called “peer-to-peer” networks.

“Every day, [these children] are praying that we are going to respond,” Tebow said in his testimony. “But how are we going to respond?”

“I am deeply grateful to the members of Congress on both sides of the aisle who are coming together to support the Renewed Hope Act of 2026. This legislation gives our nation the opportunity to build a stronger rescue team of analysts and investigators so that children who are suffering can be identified and protected. This is a problem we can solve.”

Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., who chairs the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime and Counterterrorism, has long prioritized issues of child trafficking, which he assailed as a “scourge” on our society.

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“I am convening this subcommittee hearing to expose how our youth are groomed, exploited, and overlooked by the existing system,” he said this week. “Congress must dismantle the criminal networks that profit from exploiting the most vulnerable among us and put an end to child trafficking.”

Fox News Digital’s Scott Thompson contributed to this report. 

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President Donald Trump on Saturday said that U.S. and Israeli forces have “wiped out” Iran’s navy, air force and much of its missile capability in just one week of war, declaring the regime’s military “almost non-existent” as he continues to press Tehran to surrender for “a much safer world.”

Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, the president said the sweeping offensive has exceeded expectations, noting Iran’s navy “is now at the bottom of the sea.”

“We’ve wiped out their Navy — 44 ships. We’ve wiped out their air force — every plane. We’ve wiped out most of their missiles — you see their missiles aren’t coming much anymore,” Trump said. 

He added military strikes have hit missile manufacturing areas “very hard,” and the country’s drone capacity is “way down.”

The president said he is seeking an “unconditional surrender” from Iran, explaining the term means “they cry uncle, or when they can’t fight any longer.”

“Or there’s nobody around to cry uncle to, because we wiped out their leadership numerous times already,” he continued. “It’s if they surrender, or if there is nobody around to surrender, but they’re rendered useless in terms of military [capabilities].”

Discussing atrocities allegedly carried out by the regime, Trump said the war was 47 years coming and “no president had the guts to do it.”

GOP SENATORS SAYS TRUMP’S STRIKES ‘SIGNIFICANTLY DEGRADED’ IRAN BUT EMPHASIZE ATTACKS NOT ‘FOREVER WARS’

“They are about the most evil people ever on Earth,” he said. “They cut babies’ heads off. They chop women in half. Take a look at October 7th, take a look at what they’ve done over the last 47 years. … When this ends, we’re going to have a much safer world.”

Despite concerns about rising gas prices on the home front, Trump said he is not worried.

TRUMP AND FIRST LADY ATTEND DIGNIFIED TRANSFER FOR 6 US TROOPS KILLED IN KUWAIT

“They’ll come down very fast, and we will have gotten rid of a major, major cancer on the face of the earth,” the president said. “We’ll have taken out a cancer. … What we’re doing is a great thing, not only for our country, not only for Israel, not only for the Middle East, but for the world.”

It is unclear if ground troops will be sent to secure the enriched uranium at Iranian nuclear sites targeted by joint forces, though the president described the attacks as “a total obliteration.”

“They haven’t been able to get to it, and at some point, maybe we will be,” he said. “It would be a great thing, but right now, we’re just decimating them. We haven’t gone after it, but [it’s] something we could do later.”

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Trump concluded by calling the war “a minor excursion” that in the end will make the world a safer place. 

“When this ends, we’re going to have a much safer world, you know, so, you know, this is a minor excursion,” he said. “And we will have gotten rid of a lot of sick and demented people, the leadership. So we got rid of one leadership. We got rid of the second level of leadership. Now they’re on that third or fourth level of leadership. And they have leaders right now that nobody even knows who they are.”

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President Donald Trump on Saturday slammed British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, saying he was joining the war in Iran after the U.S. has “already won.”

“The United Kingdom, our once Great Ally, maybe the Greatest of them all, is finally giving serious thought to sending two aircraft carriers to the Middle East,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “That’s OK, Prime Minister Starmer, we don’t need them any longer — But we will remember. We don’t need people that join Wars after we’ve already won!”

Trump’s statement came after the U.K. Ministry of Defense said that one of the country’s two aircraft carriers had been placed on advanced readiness in Portsmouth, England, for a possible mobilization to the Middle East, according to the BBC.

A British destroyer, HMS Dragon, is also in Portsmouth, waiting to leave for Cyprus after delays.

Starmer said that while the U.K. wasn’t involved in the strikes, they are “operating defensively in the region.”

In an address to the British people on Sunday, Starmer condemned “indiscriminate” attacks by Iran following the U.S. strikes, adding, “the only way to stop the threat is to destroy the missiles at source.”

TRUMP SLAMS STARMER AS ‘NOT WINSTON CHURCHILL’ FOR REFUSAL TO BACK IRAN STRIKES

He added that Britain has agreed to the United States’ request to use British bases for that “limited” purpose.

After the strikes, Trump told the Telegraph in the U.K. that he was “very disappointed” in Starmer, claiming it “took far too long” for the prime minister to allow the U.S. to use British bases in the region. 

British fighter jets are also flying over Jordan, Cyprus and Qatar to strengthen defense in the region, and a Merlin helicopter is on the way for additional airborne surveillance, according to the Ministry of Defense.

“While the region has been plunged into chaos, my focus is providing calm, levelheaded leadership in the national interest,” Starmer said this week. “That means deploying our military and diplomatic strength to protect our people. And it means having the strength to stand firm by our values and our principles, no matter the pressure to do otherwise. The longstanding British position is that the best way forward for the regime and world is a negotiated settlement with Iran where they give up their nuclear ambitions.”

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He said that’s why he made the decision that the U.K. would not join the initial coordinated strikes launched by the U.S. and Israel on Feb. 28.

In Parliament this week, Starmer added, “We all remember the mistakes of Iraq, and we have learned those lessons. Any U.K. ‌actions must ⁠always have a lawful basis, and a viable, thought-through plan,” Starmer said. “This government does not believe in regime change from the skies.”

Former British Prime Minister Liz Truss reposted Trump’s Saturday Truth Social comments on X, writing, “Justified and damning.”

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

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During the Shield of the Americas summit in Florida on Saturday, outgoing Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem thanked President Donald Trump for appointing her to a newly created role after she was ousted from overseeing the agency.

Noem, who is moving to the newly created position of special envoy for the Shield of the Americas, showed no ill feelings toward the president and said she was proud of her work at DHS, arguing the department had secured the border and eliminated public safety threats.

“I do want to thank the president for creating this and for giving me the honor and the opportunity to serve as a special envoy to this region, to the Western Hemisphere,” Noem said during the summit at Trump National Doral outside Miami. 

“This Shield of the Americas will be a powerful example to the rest of the world about what’s possible.”

Trump announced this week that Noem would shift into the new role after cutting short her tenure at DHS. 

Noem was removed as the nation’s immigration chief after a turbulent stretch marked by internal clashes and two contentious congressional hearings where even some Republicans pressed her over leadership missteps, including the ad campaign, which she claimed the president had signed off on.

Noem framed the initiative as an effort to expand border security cooperation beyond the United States.

“The way that we cooperate on our shared ideals of freedom and of democracy and safety and security will be a shining light to all of those who wish to be more like all of us,” she said.

WHAT’S NEXT FOR KRISTI NOEM? 2026 SENATE CHATTER GROWS AFTER DHS EXIT

Noem, who previously served in Congress and as South Dakota governor before leading DHS, defended her record overseeing immigration enforcement during the past year.

“In the last year, as secretary of Homeland Security, we have focused on securing our border,” she said. “We have transformed our country from one that was being invaded by enemies, millions of them that were coming in unvetted, that we didn’t know who was there and who wished to harm us.”

“We’ve secured that border,” she continued. “We’ve focused on removing public safety threats, and over 3 million people have been deported or removed from our country in the last year.”

Noem argued that stronger border enforcement has allowed the administration to pivot toward economic and diplomatic engagement with neighboring nations.

“Secure borders has changed everything for our country,” she said. “Now that America is secure and our borders are secure, we want to focus on our neighbors and to help our neighbors with their borders and challenges that they have so that they may have the security that we enjoy.”

Trump announced on Truth Social that Sen. Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla., will replace her effective March 31, while Noem shifts to the newly created envoy role.

Members of Trump’s Cabinet, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick and United States Trade Representative Jamieson Greer attended Saturday’s summit. 

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Leaders from other nations included Argentina’s Javier Milei, El Salvador’s Nayib Bukele Ortez, Bolivia’s Rodrigo Paz Pereira, Costa Rica’s Rodrigo Chaves Robles, Panama’s José Raúl Mulino Quintero, and Trinidad and Tobago’s Kamla Persad-Bissessar, Chile’s Jose Antonio Kast, the Dominican Republic’s Luis Rodolfo Abinader Corona, Ecuador’s Daniel Roy Gilchrist Noboa Azín, Guyana’s Mohamed Irfaan Ali, Honduras’ Nasry “Tito” Asfura and Paraguay’s Santiago Peña.

Notably missing were the leaders of Venezuela, Delcy Rodríguez, and Mexico, Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo.

Fox News Digital’s Alec Schemmel contributed to this report.

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SpaceX and Tesla CEO Elon Musk gave a two-word retort after Anthropic leader Dario Amodei claimed in an interview that he isn’t sure if his company’s AI models have gained consciousness.

“Anthropic CEO says Claude may or may not have gained consciousness, as the model has begun showing symptoms of anxiety,” read a post on X by cryptocurrency-based prediction market Polymarket, to which Musk replied, “He’s projecting.” 

The comment from Musk, who is also the founder of xAI, comes as Anthropic is at odds with the Pentagon over its use in a separate matter.  

In an interview with The New York Times, Amodei, when asked about AI and consciousness, said, “We’ve taken a generally precautionary approach here,” and, “We don’t know if the models are conscious.”

“We are not even sure that we know what it would mean for a model to be conscious or whether a model can be conscious. But we’re open to the idea that it could be,” he continued. 

“We’re putting a lot of work into this field called interpretability, which is looking inside the brains of the models to try to understand what they’re thinking. And you find things that are evocative, where there are activations that light up in the models that we see as being associated with the concept of anxiety or something like that. When characters experience anxiety in the text, and then when the model itself is in a situation that a human might associate with anxiety, that same anxiety neuron shows up,” Amodei also told the Times. 

The interview comes as the Trump administration is moving federal agencies away from Anthropic after the tech company pushed back against the War Department’s usage of its tools.

The Pentagon has called for Anthropic to allow the Department of War to utilize the company’s artificial intelligence product for “all lawful purposes,” but Amodei has suggested the government could potentially use their product for “mass domestic surveillance” or “fully autonomous weapons,” and that the company would not be willing to allow such use cases.

PENTAGON’S AI BATTLE WILL HELP DECIDE WHO CONTROLS OUR MOST POWERFUL MILITARY TECH

President Donald Trump said last Friday, “The Leftwing nut jobs at Anthropic have made a DISASTROUS MISTAKE trying to STRONG-ARM the Department of War, and force them to obey their Terms of Service instead of our Constitution. Their selfishness is putting AMERICAN LIVES at risk, our Troops in danger, and our National Security in JEOPARDY.” 

“Therefore, I am directing EVERY Federal Agency in the United States Government to IMMEDIATELY CEASE all use of Anthropic’s technology. We don’t need it, we don’t want it, and will not do business with them again! There will be a Six Month phase out period for Agencies like the Department of War who are using Anthropic’s products, at various levels,” Trump added on Truth Social.

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Secretary of War Pete Hegseth later wrote on X, “In conjunction with the President’s directive for the Federal Government to cease all use of Anthropic’s technology, I am directing the Department of War to designate Anthropic a Supply-Chain Risk to National Security. Effective immediately, no contractor, supplier, or partner that does business with the United States military may conduct any commercial activity with Anthropic. Anthropic will continue to provide the Department of War its services for a period of no more than six months to allow for a seamless transition to a better and more patriotic service.” 

Fox News Digital’s Alex Nitzberg contributed to this report. 

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PALM BEACH, FLA – British opposition leader Nigel Farage is taking aim at his country’s prime minister for not supporting the U.S. in its military strikes against Iran.

“I think not to support America when it asks for support is a pretty extraordinary thing to have done.,” Farage, the leader of the right-wing Reform UK party, said in an exclusive interview Saturday with Fox News Digital.

President Donald Trump has blasted Labor Prime Minister Keir Starmer for initially blocking the U.S. from using British military bases, specifically Diego Garcia — a strategic base located on an Indian Ocean island — for strikes against Iran during Operation Epic Fury. Starmer later permitted the use of the bases for “defensive strikes” after Trump’s complaints. 

Starmer hasn’t spoken to Trump since they connected on a call last weekend, after the U.S. and Israel launched their strikes on Iran. The British prime minister has made clear his country would not be joining the U.S. in attacking Iran, emphasizing he didn’t believe in “regime change from the skies.”

Trump, taking a jab at Starmer, said earlier this week, “This is not Winston Churchill we are dealing with.”

Farage criticized Starmer for not changing his stance, “even now, despite the fact that we’ve got an RAF base in Cyprus that’s been under attack, we’ve got allies of ours in the Gulf that are under attack.”

“I think there’s been less than wholehearted support has come for the Americans in this endeavor. And I think the British Prime Minister on the world stage, he’s upset the Americans,” Farage said. “He’s upset the Cypriots. He’s upset the Gulf states. And he’s pretty friendless at the moment.”

THEY WANT TO DESTROY AMERICA: REPUBLICAN SENATORS WEIGH IN ON IRAN ATTACK

Farage, who seven years ago founded the populist Brexit Party, which later transformed into the Reform UK party, was interviewed ahead of an appearance at an annual economic conference in Florida hosted by the Club for Growth, an influential and politically potent political group that pushes for fiscal responsibility.

Starmer has been feeling Trump’s wrath not only for their differences over the attack on Iran, but also over the British deal to hand sovereignty of the Chagos Islands, the Indian Ocean archipelago where Diego Garcia is located, to Mauritius. Starmer has argued his lease-back deal is the only way to secure the British-U.S. military base on Diego Garcia.

Farage, who has been vocal in his opposition to the deal, told Fox News Digital that “outside of America itself,” Diego Garcia “is the most important base you’ve got in the whole world. Now it’s there as part of British sovereignty. We have a treaty between us that goes back to 1966 and Keir Starmer is on the verge of giving away the sovereignty of the Chagos islands and Diego Garcia to Mauritius.”

“If Trump initially had problems with the Brits over using the base, just think what it will be like with the heavily Chinese-influenced Mauritians. They already have said they believe that America should not have struck Iran, that it was against international law, then are calling for a ceasefire,” Farage said.

NATO CHIEF PRAISES TRUMP’S IRAN STRIKES, SAYS KEY ALLIES ‘ALL FOR ONE, ONE FOR ALL’

Farage, who said his opposition to the deal was a key factor in his weekend trip to the U.S., said, “I would just urge the president, this administration, stay firm. Tell the British government you will not accept giving away of sovereignty to Mauritius, and let’s ensure a future for Diego Garcia. I think it’s really important.”

Farage, who’s hoping to become Britain’s next prime minister, argued that Starmer’s relationship with Trump is beyond repair.

“I think the personal relationship between Keir Starmer and Donald Trump has gone. I mean, Trump can be forgiving, but, you know, that would take a long time. So I think that breakdown is there,” he said.

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But as for the longstanding bonds between the two countries, known as the ‘special relationship,’ Farage was more optimistic.

“The special relationship went through bad times in the past. We had a massive fallout 70 years ago over Suez, but we got back together again. I’m convinced it can, and it will, be mended,” he predicted.

President Donald Trump said Saturday that the “hatred” between Russia and Ukraine is getting in the way of reaching a peace deal in that conflict, where the death toll is getting worse. 

Trump, speaking at the Shield of the Americas Summit in Doral, Fla., told world leaders assembled there that, “The hatred between Putin and his counterpart is so great.” 

“It’s so great that, you know, Ukraine, Russia, you’d think there would be a little bit of camaraderie, [but] there’s not. And the hatred is so great. It’s very hard for them to get there. It’s very, very hard to get there. So we’ll see what happens,” Trump said. “But we’ve been close a lot of times and one or the other would back out.” 

“But we’re losing, you know, they’re losing, you know, doesn’t really affect us very much because we’ve got an ocean separating. I’m doing it as a favor to Europe, and I’m doing it as a favor to life because they’re losing 25,000 souls,” Trump added. “Think of that every month. 25,000. Last month, 31,000.  Both sides, 31,000 people died, mostly soldiers.” 

UKRAINE’S ZELENSKYY: RUSSIA TRYING ‘TO PLAY’ GAME WITH TRUMP, STALL PEACE TALKS 

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told Fox News in late February that Russia is trying “to play with the president of the United States” and stalling U.S.-brokered efforts to end the war. 

Zelenskyy said Ukraine is ready to freeze the conflict along its current lines, proposing a ceasefire followed by negotiations. But he said he would not accept a Russian demand for Ukraine to surrender territory the Russian army has not been able to capture in four years of fighting. 

RUSSIA LOSING ‘MASSIVE’ 25,000 TROOPS MONTHLY IN UKRAINE AS WAR GRINDS ON, NATO CHIEF SAYS 

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said in January that Russia is losing between 20,000 and 25,000 troops each month in its war against Ukraine as fighting drags on into a fourth year. 

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Rutte told the Renew Europe Global Europe Forum in Brussels at the time that the staggering number of casualties reflects the intensity of Ukraine’s defense but warned that Russia remains NATO’s most significant long-term threat. 

Fox News’ Simon Owen, Greg Palkot and Ashley Carnahan contributed to this report. 

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President Donald Trump declared Saturday that the U.S. is “taking out tremendous amounts of oil” from Venezuela while vowing to “take care” of Cuba’s regime following America’s focus on Iran. 

The president, speaking at the Shield of the Americas Summit in Florida, prefaced his remarks by saying that since the January operation to capture former Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro, the administration has “been working closely with the new president of Venezuela, Delcy Rodriguez,” and, “she’s doing a great job working with us.” 

“And we’re taking out tremendous amounts of oil. They’re making more money now than they’ve ever made, ever made. We have the big oil companies in. They are making more money, we’re getting some,” Trump said. “They’re getting a lot. They’re making more money now than they’ve ever made in the history of their country.” 

“And I’m pleased to say that this week we have formally recognized the Venezuelan government. We’ve actually legally recognized them. We have also just reached a historic gold deal that’s called the gold deal with Venezuela, to allow our two countries to work together to facilitate the sale of Venezuelan gold and other minerals,” Trump continued, describing a license issued by the Treasury Department Friday that prohibits people and companies from Iran, North Korea, Russia and Cuba from doing business with Minerven – Venezuela’s state-owned gold mining company – among other measures.

“As we achieve a historic transformation in Venezuela, we’re also looking forward to the great change that will soon be coming to Cuba. Cuba’s at the end of the line,” Trump also said. “They’re very much at the end of the line. They have no money, they have no oil. They have a bad philosophy. They have a bad regime that’s been bad for a long time. And they used to get the money from Venezuela. They get the oil from Venezuela, but they don’t have any money from Venezuela. They don’t have any oil,” Trump added. 

Trump in January had declared a national emergency via an executive order over Cuba, accusing the communist regime of aligning with hostile foreign powers and terrorist groups while moving to punish countries that supply the island nation with oil. 

MILLONS LOSE POWER ACROSS CUBA AS TRUMP SANCTIONS CONTINUE TO FUEL ONGOING ENERGY CRISIS

Trump said Saturday that Cuba is “negotiating with [Secretary of State] Marco [Rubio] and myself and some others. And I would think a deal would be made very easily with Cuba.”

“But Cuba is in its last moments of life as it was. It’ll have a great new life, but it’s in its last moments of life, the way it is,” the president added. 

The State Department described the Shield of the Americas Summit in Doral as a gathering of the “strongest likeminded allies in our hemisphere to promote freedom, security, and prosperity in our region.” 

Trump said America’s “focus right now is on Iran,” but “many of you have come today, and they say, ‘I hope you can take care of Cuba because you’ve had problems with Cuba, right? You mentioned.”

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“I was surprised, but, four of you said, actually, ‘could you do us a favor? Take care of Cuba.’ I’ll take care of it, okay?” Trump said, garnering applause.  

Fox News Digital’s Jasmine Baehr contributed to this report. 

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PALM BEACH, FLA. – One week into the U.S. and Israeli attacks on Iran, two Republican senators on the Senate Armed Services Committee say the military operation has “degraded” Tehran’s ability to strike back.

But in exclusive interviews with Fox News Digital, Sens. Rick Scott of Florida and Ted Budd of North Carolina emphasized that the fighting will not lead to U.S. involvement in “forever wars” in the volatile Middle East.

“Our military is doing a great job,” Scott said. And pointing to Iran, he said, “They want to destroy America. We’ve got to stop them.”

Budd highlighted that “we have significantly degraded Iran’s ability to shoot back at us… their capacities are degraded. We’ve had great success.”

Budd and Scott were interviewed as they attended an economic conference in Florida hosted by the Club for Growth, an influential and politically potent conservative group that pushes for fiscal responsibility.

President Donald Trump, who called for Iran’s “unconditional surrender,” said on Saturday that Tehran will be “hit very hard” and warned the U.S. is considering “areas and groups” not previously considered to target.

Over the past week, “Operation Epic Fury” has widened in scope as Iran has retaliated against a growing number of nations in the region. This week, the Republican-controlled House and Senate, in separate votes nearly entirely along party lines, rejected moves by Democrats to restrict the president’s ability to steer the fighting.

WHAT COULD COME NEXT IN THE ATTACKS ON IRAN

The president said on Thursday, in an interview with Axios, that he should be involved in choosing Iran’s next leader. Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed in the initial strikes against Iran a week ago.

And there are concerns among many on the right that the strikes against Iran could lead to prolonged American military involvement in the region, which Trump has repeatedly campaigned against during his three runs for the presidency.

“Trump doesn’t want to be in forever wars. Every time I’ve talked to him, he doesn’t want that,” Scott said. “But I think what we do want to make sure we don’t have another Ayatollah that wants to… chant Death to America and death to our allies and try to destroy us.”

Budd added that “we’re not up for forever wars. We want to get in, get this thing done, get out and have peace for our country and the rest of the region.”

The latest Fox News national poll indicated that American voters are divided on the U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran, even as a majority sees the country as a security risk. 

Sixty-one percent of those questioned viewed Iran as a danger to the U.S., according to the survey conducted Feb. 28-March 2. But that concern did not translate into majority support for the current U.S. military action, as 50% approved and 50% disapproved.

Support for the attacks was lower in national polling from other news organizations.

But the Fox News poll and the other surveys indicated widespread support among Republicans.

“Trump’s doing the right thing. He’s saving American lives by making sure that Iran does not have a nuclear weapon or ballistic missile. So he’s doing the right thing,” Scott emphasized.

Budd added, “I’m very excited [about] what President Trump’s done… The goal is American prosperity and American safety, and that’s what President Trump wants.”

Oil prices have shot up since the start of the fighting, instantly resulting in higher costs for gasoline across America. That’s a major concern for Republicans as they aim to keep control of the House and Senate majorities in this year’s midterm elections.

“Hopefully it’s all going to be short term. Hopefully… the demolition of the Iranian military will happen quickly and actually will get lower oil prices,” Scott said.

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Budd acknowledged that “we are going to have some short-term disruptions.”

But the senator was optimistic that “very soon we’ll have gas prices much cheaper than ever before. We were already on that pathway. President Trump is all about stability. He’s all about the price of oil.”

California Gov. Gavin Newsom ripped outgoing Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem over her controversial ad campaign and demanded the agency immediately release more than $500 million in stalled FEMA funding for Los Angeles wildfire recovery.

Newsom, in a statement, labeled Noem “Kosplay Barbie” and accused her of prioritizing a $220 million taxpayer-funded ad campaign featuring herself over disaster relief for fire-ravaged communities.

“While Kristi Noem poured $220 million of taxpayer money into a political ad campaign featuring herself on horseback, more than $500 million in FEMA funding for LA fire recovery sat stalled on her desk,” Newsom said in a statement alongside a still photo of Noem riding a horse from the widely publicized ad.

“Families in Los Angeles shouldn’t have to wait while she and Donald Trump play politics. Release the funding now and redirect those dollars to help communities rebuild.”

The Los Angeles wildfires burned for weeks in early 2025, destroying thousands of homes across areas including Pacific Palisades and Altadena and causing tens of billions of dollars in estimated damage.

Newsom’s office said DHS under Noem required her personal sign-off on every department contract, grant or disaster award exceeding $100,000, including FEMA public assistance and hazard mitigation grants. The governor said the policy created a backlog of awards that had already been vetted, awaiting final approval.

According to Newsom’s office, more than $500 million tied to Los Angeles fire recovery remains stalled, along with roughly $94 million in hazard mitigation funding for the region. Those funds typically support rebuilding schools, repairing roads and strengthening infrastructure against future disasters.

KRISTI NOEM’S FIRING FAILS TO SWAY DEMOCRATS AS DHS SHUTDOWN DRAGS ON

The delays are affecting rebuilding efforts in canyon and foothill neighborhoods, including areas above Pasadena and Altadena, where damaged park facilities, fenced-off trailheads and temporary road repairs remain in place while local agencies await federal reimbursement, his office said.

President Donald Trump cut short Noem’s tenure at the Department of Homeland Security after weeks of internal turmoil and named her “Special Envoy for the Shield of the Americas,” a newly created role he described as part of a broader Western Hemisphere security initiative. The White House has not yet detailed the scope of the position.

Noem was removed as the nation’s immigration chief after a turbulent stretch marked by internal clashes and two contentious congressional hearings where even some Republicans pressed her over alleged leadership missteps, including the ad campaign, which she said the president had signed off on.

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Trump announced on Truth Social that Sen. Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla., will replace her effective March 31, while Noem shifts to the newly created envoy role, which the president said he will detail this weekend.

Fox News’ Charles Creitz and Paul Steinhauser contributed to this report.

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