NationalWatch

The U.S. Department of Education announced on Wednesday that a California policy allowing school districts to keep students’ gender transition from their parents violates federal law.

Secretary of Education Linda McMahon said a federal investigation found that California education officials “egregiously abused” their authority by pressuring school districts to withhold information about students’ gender transitions from their parents.

“Under Gavin Newsom’s failed leadership, school personnel have even bragged about facilitating ‘gender transitions,’ and shared strategies to target minors and conceal information about children from their own families,” she said in a statement. “While the Biden Administration turned a blind eye to this deprivation of parental rights and endorsed the irreversible harms done to children in the name of radical transgender ideology, the Trump Administration will fight relentlessly to end it.”

“Children do not belong to the State—they belong to families. We will use every available mechanism to hold California accountable for these practices and restore parental rights,” the secretary added.

CATHOLIC GROUP ASKS SCOTUS TO BLOCK CALIFORNIA LAW AGAINST REVEALING STUDENTS’ GENDER IDENTITIES TO PARENTS

California Department of Education spokesperson Liz Sanders said in a statement to Politico that the department was reviewing the letter sent by McMahon but that “we do believe that we have addressed the essence of this letter in previous communications.”

State education officials told school districts in October that the state’s policy “does not mandate nondisclosure.”

The findings of the federal investigation could put at risk the nearly $8 billion in education funding the federal government gives the state each year if state officials do not work with the Trump administration to resolve the violations.

To resolve the violations, the federal government said California can take several actions, including issuing a notice to all superintendents and administrators that “gender support plans” or other related documentation directly related to a student are considered education records and are subject to parental inspection upon request and notifying superintendents and administrators that state laws should not be interpreted to undermine or contradict federal law.

School districts would need to affirm that they are complying with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, a federal law that gives parents the right to inspect their children’s records, while the state must add content approved by the federal government to its LGBTQ+ cultural competency training.

The state policy, AB 1955, signed into law by Gov. Gavin Newsom in 2024, banned the parental notification of transgender and gay students’ gender identity or sexual orientation without the student’s consent.

Last spring, the federal government opened an investigation into the state’s Department of Education, arguing state officials were helping “socially transition children at school while hiding minors’ ‘gender identity’ from parents.” 

The federal agency also claimed the state was violating the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act.

“AB 1955 does not prohibit LEA staff from sharing any information with parents,” state officials wrote to school districts in October, according to Politico. “Based on the plain language of both laws, there is no conflict between AB 1955 and FERPA, which both permit parental access to their student’s education records upon request.”

Newsom’s office said last year that “parents continue to have full, guaranteed access to their student’s education records as required by federal law,” according to Politico.

The Golden State’s policies are also facing scrutiny in the courts.

TRUMP ADMIN DETERMINES SJSU VIOLATED TITLE IX WITH HANDLING OF TRANS VOLLEYBALL PLAYER BLAIRE FLEMING

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

A federal judge ruled last month that schools cannot prevent teachers from sharing information about a student’s gender identity with their parents, but an appeals court blocked that ruling earlier this month. A group of California parents who brought the case are asking the U.S. Supreme Court to reinstate the earlier decision.

The Trump administration is also pursuing legal action against California and threatening to withhold funding over a policy allowing biological males to compete in girls’ sports.

President Donald Trump’s campaign blitz to help Republicans in the 2026 midterm elections will bring him back to Iowa just a few months before the November races, a Republican gubernatorial hopeful there said.

Rep. Randy Feenstra, R-Iowa, was one of several House Republicans traveling with the president during his latest stop in the Hawkeye State Tuesday, which Trump capped off with a rally-style speech in Clive in the late afternoon. 

The conservative Republican is also the frontrunner in the Republican gubernatorial primary there and is expected to face off against Democrat state official Rob Sand in November.

SEN TIM SCOTT: REPUBLICANS JUST GETTING STARTED, BUT NEED TIME TO STOP RADICAL LEFTISTS

“He’s coming back. So, we have the 250th anniversary. That’s going to be at the state fair. He’s come down for that. We’re going to have a big bash. It’s going to be exciting. That’s gonna be a big deal,” Feenstra told Fox News Digital Wednesday. “Hopefully, he comes back a few more times.”

The Iowa State Fair will take place in Des Moines from Aug. 13-23, according to the event’s website.

That’s roughly three months ahead of what’s expected to be a tough midterm season for Republicans across the country. History dictates that the president’s party normally suffers political setbacks during the election cycle two years after power changes hands.

Meanwhile, Democrats across the country have fallen back into positioning Trump as a divisive political boogeyman. But Feenstra argued the opposite, saying Trump’s effort to stay active during the election cycle will “absolutely” benefit Republicans.

TRUMP SAYS DEMOCRATS ARE ‘MEANER’ THAN REPUBLICANS, WARNS OF IMPEACHMENT IF GOP LOSES MIDTERMS

“He carried Iowa by 13 points, and him engaging and stimulating the base — I mean, he turns out voters like nobody else. He had 77 million Americans that voted for him in the last election talking about making America great again. Now, he’s talking about lowering prices, making things more affordable,” Feenstra said.

“He’s lowered the price on gas. He lowered the price on eggs. He’s lowered the price on a lot of pharmaceuticals. He’s lowered the price on healthcare. I mean, people are going to get the biggest refund they’ve ever had through … the Working Families Tax Cuts Act. These are all things that are really relatable to people. I think that will help turn people out.”

Other House Republicans who traveled with Trump Tuesday were Reps. Zach Nunn, R-Iowa, and Ashley Hinson, R-Iowa, the latter of whom is running for U.S. Senate.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

Before the speech, they and Trump traveled to the Machine Shed, a restaurant near the rally venue, where they met with everyday Iowa voters.

“They wanted their hats signed. They want their napkins signed. They wanted to talk to him about, you know, how things were, and what he has done over the last year has truly benefited them,” Feenstra said. 

“We had one gentleman pray with him, which I found very interesting. He just said, ‘Hey, Mr. President, will you pray with me?’ And they prayed together. So, it was just the Iowa way of life.”

Conservative icon and academic Thomas Sowell unleashed on the current state of the education system, warning it has become a massive arm of “propaganda” with little incentive to improve as union power and friendly Democratic politics shield schools from accountability.

“It’s failing to teach students how to think,” the 95-year-old economist and historian said in a podcast interview published Tuesday. “It’s failing to give them a background of knowledge of history. And it’s failing to allow them to express views that are different from what is being propagandized.” 

“These have become propaganda agencies, more so than educational institutions,” he added. 

Sowell joined the Hoover Institution’s podcast “Uncommon Knowledge with Peter Robinson” in a more than hourlong interview that notably did not focus on Sowell’s economic expertise. Instead, it offered a sharp critique of the current education system, including reflecting on his own struggles as a youth in New York City schools before becoming one of the nation’s most treasured conservative minds. 

NEA INSIDER BLOWS WHISTLE ON ‘TOXIC’ CULTURE AND FAR-LEFT POLITICS INSIDE TEACHERS UNION: ‘IT’S A CULT’

Sowell’s core argument was that the education system is insulated from the kind of consequences that force correction in other arenas, such as private businesses facing punishment for poor performance with monetary losses. 

“Public school education, you have the almost inexhaustible amount of money from the taxpayers,” he said as to why school systems have failed students. “Private schools are becoming private more in name than in reality. They’re getting billions of dollars of taxpayers’ money and there’s very little following of what happens. So that they can keep on doing things that are wrong for generation after generation.” 

Basic math and reading scores among American students have been on a downward trajectory for years, with the COVID-19 pandemic and remote learning worsening the trends.

Nearly half of high school seniors, for example, scored below basic in math and reading, according to the Nation’s Report Card data published in 2025. An EdChoice’s 2025 Schooling in America Survey found that 68% of Americans and 60% of parents believe K–12 education was on the wrong path. 

HOUSTON SCHOOL DISTRICT TRYING TO WOO PARENTS WHILE LOSING STUDENTS AMID SCHOOL CHOICE COMPETITION

Sowell pointed to teachers’ unions as a major player keeping families trapped in a cycle of a failing education system. 

“Teachers’ unions collect billions of dollars in dues and then invest millions of dollars around the country to politicians who will protect the teachers’ unions from competition,” he said, agreeing with Robinson that the set-up is a “straightforward racket.”

“We think of (schools) as noble places. Their goals are noble, but it’s amazing how many people will sell that down the river,” he said of unions. 

In Sowell’s 2020 book “Charter Schools and Their Enemies,” he found that charter schools are the clearest proof that the same kids, from the same neighborhoods, who are even taught in the same building, can post dramatically better results than students from traditional public schools. A charter school is a publicly funded institution that operates under a performance contract, giving it more independence over curricula and operations than traditional schools.

Some Democrats, however, have stood in the way of promoting charter schools, which he said continues the cycle of promoting a failing U.S. school sytem beholden to the teachers’ unions. 

Sowell cited California as an example, pointing to a law he described as limiting charter schools’ ability to suspend or expel disruptive students. 

JOHNNY CAN’T READ — EVEN IN COLLEGE. I LEAD A UNIVERSITY AND IT’S TERRIFYING

“That law can’t even offer a pretense of doing something that is educationally worthwhile,” he said. “It is doing something worthwhile to keep the charter schools from attracting more people out of the teachers’ union.”

Democrats who oppose charter expansion often say charters pull students and funding from traditional district schools, weaken unionized teacher protections and raise alarms that they can operate with uneven oversight. 

Sowell’s critiques come as the nation celebrates National School Choice week. 

MAJOR CITY SCHOOL DISTRICTS LOSING STUDENTS AS PARENTS SEEK BETTER OPTIONS

The Trump administration is currently pushing states to “opt in” to a new federal K-12 scholarship tax credit created under the Working Families Tax Cut Act, otherwise known as the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, warning families could miss out if their governors don’t take action. The tax credit is set to begin at the start of 2027. 

Taxpayers can get up to $1,700 back as a federal tax credit by donating that money to approved Scholarship Granting Organizations (SGOs) instead of sending it to Washington in income taxes. Those SGOs then turn the donations into K-12 scholarships and other education help families can use for a broad range of costs tied to public, private or charter schools.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

The Department of Education celebrated Monday that 23 states have so far opted in to a program the department called the “largest national expansion of education freedom in history and provides families with more affordable education options.”

Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., held a press conference alongside her fellow “Squad” lawmaker Rep. Ayanna Pressley, D-Mass., during which she continued to demand retribution against federal law enforcement in the wake of two agitators in Minneapolis being fatally shot by federal immigration officials.

The press conference was held one day after Omar was sprayed with an unknown substance at a town hall event she held Tuesday evening, garnering widespread news attention. 

In addition to calling for Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem to be impeached and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to be abolished, Omar also demanded the federal immigration agents involved in the recent Minneapolis shootings be prosecuted and Democrats “vote no” on a bill to fund the Department of Homeland Security and ICE.

ILHAN OMAR HIT WITH UNKNOWN SPRAY AND OTHER KEY MOMENTS FROM CHAOTIC MINNEAPOLIS TOWN HALL

“Voting no on the funding bill is the bare minimum. Backing the resolution to impeach Kristi Noem is the bare minimum. Holding law-breaking ICE agents legally accountable is the bare minimum,” Omar told those in attendance at her presser held outside Karmel Mall in Minneapolis, where there are several Somali-owned businesses. “We must abolish ICE. This moment demands it.”

Omar’s signal that she is digging in on the DHS funding bill, illustrates a broader coalition of Democrats who are largely unified in their opposition to the legislation in the wake of the federal officer-involved shootings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti. 

If an agreement is not made by Saturday at midnight, a lapse in appropriations would incur, but because the date falls on a weekend, Congress will have some time to rectify any differences before the major impact of the appropriations lapse is truly felt. 

The White House invited Senate Democrats to discuss the various government funding options, Fox News learned, but instead of taking them up on the offer, Senate Democrat leadership unveiled a list of demands to rein in ICE agents in exchange for their votes to avert a shutdown.

SENATE REPUBLICANS TEE UP KEY SHUTDOWN TEST VOTE AS DEMOCRATS DIG IN ON DHS FUNDING  

During Omar’s Wednesday press conference, the progressive lawmaker described the federal government’s deportation enforcement as a “federal occupation” and “state-sanctioned violence and political retribution.”

“We know this is not about public safety or immigration enforcement. It is state-sanctioned violence and political retribution,” Omar said to a crowd of supporters. “What is unfolding in our state is not accidental. It is part of a coordinated effort to target black and brown immigrant and Muslim communities through fear, racial profiling and intimidation from this administration’s immigration agenda is not about law enforcement.”

During the press conference, Pressley praised Omar for her “steadfast leadership” and echoed some of Omar’s phrasing.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

“We have an occupant in the Oval Office who traffics in hate, is hellbent on inflicting hurt and harm and trauma on everyone who calls this country home with a laser focus on our most vulnerable,” Pressley said when given the microphone at the press conference. “He has governed with malice and used Ice agents to terrorize our cities for families apart, operating with impunity. Rogue masked agents who violate people’s rights in the name of so-called law and order. Yet they detain, deport and kill our neighbors in cold blood without due process.”

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

President Donald Trump on Wednesday nominated federal prosecutor Colin McDonald to serve in the newly formed role of assistant attorney general for national fraud enforcement.

McDonald is currently serving as an associate deputy attorney general at the Department of Justice.

“I am pleased to nominate Colin McDonald to serve as the first ever Assistant Attorney General for National FRAUD Enforcement, a new Division at the Department of Justice, which I created to catch and stop FRAUDSTERS that have been STEALING from the American People,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.

MINNESOTA FRAUD WHISTLE-BLOWER SAYS ‘LACK OF GUARDRAILS WAS PRETTY SHOCKING’

“My Administration has uncovered Fraud schemes in States like Minnesota and California, where these thieves have stolen Hundreds of Billions of Taxpayer Dollars,” he continued.

Trump praised McDonald as a “very smart, tough and highly respected America First federal prosecutor who has successfully delivered justice in some of the most difficult and high-stakes cases our country has ever seen.”

“Together, we will END THE FRAUD, and RESTORE INTEGRITY to our Federal Programs. Congratulations Colin — STOP THE SCAMS!” the president wrote.

McDonald has been serving in the office of Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, who said McDonald was “instrumental” in the federal government’s efforts to curb crime across the country.

“Colin is a rockstar, who was instrumental in our team’s mission of Making America Safe Again,” Blanche wrote on X. “He is a consummate prosecutor who loves God, family, and country and will serve the President and the American people well.”

HOUSE OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE WIDENS INVESTIGATION INTO ALLEGED MINNESOTA FRAUD

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

Vice President JD Vance announced the new role and the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division at the Department of Justice during a White House press briefing earlier this month, as the administration seeks to pursue a crackdown on alleged systemic fraud in federal programs, including in Minnesota and California.

“Colin McDonald is widely regarded as a thorough and highly competent attorney. He has an exceptional prosecutorial track record, which we look forward to seeing him put to use in his new role as Assistant Attorney General,” Vance said at the time ahead of McDonald’s formal nomination.

Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., on Wednesday blamed President Donald Trump for an attack in which she was sprayed with a substance by a man during a news conference, saying the commander in chief was “obsessed” with her.

Speaking at the Karmel Mall in Minneapolis, Omar reiterated calls to abolish U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement the day after 55-year-old Anthony James Kazmierczak allegedly attacked the congresswoman with an unknown chemical spray.

“I think my presence here should tell you that the fear and intimidation doesn’t work on me,” Omar told reporters and her supporters during a news conference. 

“What the facts have shown since I’ve gotten into elected office is that every time the president of the United States has chosen to use hateful rhetoric to talk about me and the community that I represent, my death threats skyrocket.”

MAN ACCUSED OF SPRAYING OMAR HAS CRIMINAL RECORD AS CONGRESSWOMAN VOWS ‘A–HOLES’ WON’T WIN

The progressive lawmaker said the attacks from Trump began almost immediately upon her taking office in 2019 during his first term in the White House. 

“I became a freshman who nobody should have actually known I existed because I wielded no power to having the most death threats of any member of Congress,” she said. “To the point where I had to have six Capitol Police officers providing 24-hour detail to me and my family. And then Biden got elected, and for four years it almost plummeted. Then he came back into office, and he resumed his vitriol.

“And now my death threats are the highest of the members of Congress.” 

ABBY PHILLIP SAYS TRUMP IS ‘RESPONSIBLE FOR THE VITRIOL’ BEHIND ILHAN OMAR TOWN HALL ATTACKSHO

Trump has repeatedly criticized Omar and other progressive lawmakers over a number of their policy positions and their opposition to his agenda. 

Omar then recalled Tuesday’s incident in which Kazmierczak used a syringe to squirt liquid on Omar after she called for the abolition of ICE and the impeachment of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem after the fatal shootings of Renee Nicole Good and Alex Pretti in Minneapolis by federal agents conducting immigration enforcement operations. 

Kazmierczak was immediately tackled by security and remains jailed on a preliminary third-degree assault charge, authorities said. 

When asked about the attack on Omar, Trump suggested it may have been staged. 

“No. I don’t think about her,” he reportedly told ABC News. “I think she’s a fraud. I really don’t think about that. She probably had herself sprayed, knowing her.”

Omar said her alleged attacker was “upset that Trump’s order to deport Somalis was not yielding enough deportations of Somalis.”

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

“I wouldn’t be where I am at today, having to pay for security, having the government to think about providing me security if Donald Trump wasn’t in office and if he wasn’t so obsessed with me,” she said. 

“It is ironic that just last night he was on stage moments before I was attacked talking about me, and then when asked about my attack, he said, ‘I don’t think about her.'”

Fox News Digital has reached out to the White House. 

Turning Point USA and another nonprofit founded by Charlie Kirk will match the federal government’s $1,000 contribution to Trump Accounts, a program created with the intention of giving newborns a financial head start in life, for its employees. 

Erika Kirk, the CEO who leads the nonprofit that advocates for conservative causes, said Wednesday that TPUSA and Turning Point Action, a political advocacy group, would honor her late husband “through a company-sponsored dollar-for-dollar” match of the federal government’s $1,000 contribution established for every eligible employee’s newborn baby. 

“Charlie spoke so often about the importance of young families and having children, and his face would light up every time he learned about a Turning Point employee welcoming a newborn into their family,” she wrote on X. “We’re proud to stand with @POTUS in supporting families and investing in the future of America.”

DELL FOUNDER SAYS $6.25B ‘TRUMP ACCOUNTS’ DONATION IS ‘SMARTEST INVESTMENT’ IN CHILDREN’S FUTURES

Trump Accounts included in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) are slated to launch on July 4. Under the terms of the program, every American child born between Jan. 1, 2025, and Dec. 31, 2028, will receive $1,000 from the U.S. Treasury. 

That money is then invested in the stock market by private firms, and the child can access the funds when they turn 18.

“For the first time ever, we’re going to give every newborn American child a financial stake in the future, a head start in life and a fair shot at the American dream,” President Donald Trump said Wednesday at a Treasury Department event. 

TRUMP SAYS TARIFF-FUNDED DIVIDEND PAYMENTS FOR AMERICANS WILL BEGIN NEXT YEAR

The accounts can be established by an authorized adult, who can be a parent, guardian, adult sibling or grandparent, as long as they have a valid Social Security number. However, a Social Security number is not required to make contributions of up to $5,000 annually.

“Business leaders and philanthropists across the country are answering the President’s call to action by investing in America’s children via Trump Accounts. TPUSA, led by the wonderful Erika Kirk, continues to do what’s right for America by helping the next generation of Americans build wealth and realize the American Dream,” White House spokesperson Kush Desai told Fox News Digital. 

The accounts are an opportunity to give the next generation of Americans a nest egg and the proper financial footing once they grow into adulthood. 

He also called on employers to match Trump Account contributions. 

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

“Every president in modern history has left our children with nothing but debt,” Trump said. “But under this administration, we’re going to leave every child with real assets and a shot at financial freedom.”

Fox News Digital has reached out to the White House. 

New year, same take. 

Voters say the economy is in bad shape, that President Donald Trump’s policies haven’t helped, that he isn’t spending enough time on the economy and that things are unlikely to get better this year. That’s according to a new Fox News survey released Wednesday.

The poll finds a 54% majority thinks the country is worse off today than it was a year ago compared to 31% who say it is better off. That 23 percentage-point deficit comes from most Democrats (84%) and independents (71%) saying the U.S. is worse off and a smaller majority of Republicans saying the country is better off (61%).

FOX NEWS POLL: VOTERS SAY GO SLOW ON AI DEVELOPMENT — BUT DON’T KNOW WHO SHOULD STEER

On a personal level, only one quarter of voters say they are better off financially than they were a year ago, and more than 4 in 10 say the administration’s economic policies have hurt them, about twice the share who say they’ve been helped. Another 4 in 10 think the policies have had no effect. 

While the number who say they’ve been hurt by Trump’s policies is down 3 points since November, it’s up 22 points compared to his first term (in December 2018).

Three in 10 give the economy positive ratings, but most, 7 in 10, say it is in bad shape. This is exactly how voters rated the economy last January.

To top it off, more voters think the economy will get worse this year rather than better by a 13-point margin (45% worse vs. 32% better). That contrasts with views from a year ago when they were more likely to see the economy getting better by 2 points. Part of the shift is driven by fewer Republicans feeling optimistic now (58% vs. 63% a year ago).

“The president faces two difficult obstacles — the virtually unanimous and intractable opposition of Democrats and the stubbornness of high prices,” says Republican pollster Daron Shaw, who helps conduct Fox News polls with Democrat Chris Anderson. “Republican officeholders think the economic benefits of the One Big Beautiful Bill will kick in later this year, which will be critical for GOP prospects in the midterm elections.”

Approval of Trump’s overall job performance stands at 44%, unchanged since December. He receives 85% approval among all Republicans and 97% among Republicans who identify as MAGA supporters. Disapproval of the president is at or near all-time highs among White voters (54%), moderates (70%), and independents (78%). Trump’s current approval rating is the same as former President George W. Bush’s at this point in his second term (44%) and two points higher than former President Barack Obama’s (42%).

Part of voter dissatisfaction comes from thinking the president is focused on the wrong things. About 4 in 10 say Trump is spending too much time on foreign policy and almost half feel the same about immigration and border security. By contrast, 7 in 10 think he is not spending enough time on the economy, including nearly half of Republicans and most Democrats and independents.

 FOX NEWS POLL: VIEWS ON THE YEAR ENDING ARE MERRIEST SINCE 2020

When asked to say in their own words what Trump’s top priority should be as president, voters are most likely to say the economy or prices. “Resigning” also comes in near the top, as that’s what the largest share of Democrats and many independents say should be his No. 1 task. Still, Democrats, Republicans and independents agree they want Trump to prioritize the economy over immigration and foreign policy.

That contributes to the president’s ratings remaining low on inflation (35% approve), tariffs (37% approve) and the economy (40% approve). His marks are also underwater on healthcare (37% approve-62% disapprove) and immigration (45-55%), as well as foreign policy (39-61%), Greenland (31-67%), Russia (38-61%), Ukraine (40-59%), Iran (41-57%) and Venezuela (42-57%).

Border security continues to be Trump’s only net positive job rating, as a majority of 52% approves. That’s about the same as it was in November (53%) and December (51%). However, it’s down from a high of 57% approval in September.

Poll-pourri

— Majorities oppose U.S. military intervention to affect regime change in Iran (59%) and Cuba (64%), and also oppose acquiring Greenland, whether by purchase (65%) or takeover (72%).

— Opinion divided on using military force to bring Venezuelan President Maduro to the U.S. to face drug charges; 51% of voters approve vs. 48% disapprove. Approval stands at 72% among those who have served in the military.

— Voters have a clear preference for checks and balances regarding military engagement, as 62% think the U.S. Congress should have the final say in authorizing any action, while 36% say that power should be with the president. Views among those who have served in the military are more closely divided: 52% say Congress should have the final say vs. 47% the president.

— Military veterans have positive views of Trump’s foreign policy as a whole (+16 net approve), as well as on his handling of Venezuela (+21), Iran (+15), Ukraine (+10) and Russia (+2).

— Fifty-five percent of voters say the U.S. position in the world is worse than it was a year ago, 30% think it’s better now, while 15% say it’s the same. Republicans (59% better), Trump voters (58%), and conservatives (54%) are the only groups with more than half saying the country’s position is better.

CLICK HERE FOR CROSSTABS AND TOPLINE

Conducted January 23-26, 2026, under the direction of Beacon Research (D) and Shaw & Company Research (R), this Fox News survey includes interviews with a sample of 1,005 registered voters randomly selected from a national voter file. Respondents spoke with live interviewers on landlines (106) and cellphones (645) or completed the survey online after receiving a text (254). 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.

Fox News’ Victoria Balara contributed to this report.

While more than half of voters approve of the job President Donald Trump is doing on border security, a new Fox News survey finds a majority disapproves of how he is handling immigration and a growing number view the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency’s tactics as “too aggressive” — including significant portions of the president’s coalition.

In addition, there is disagreement about how well ICE is carrying out its core mission. Twenty-nine percent of voters say ICE’s enforcement practices “almost always” reflect Trump’s pledge to focus on illegal immigrants with criminal records, 25% think that happens “most of the time,” 19% say “sometimes,” and 27% “not very often.” More Republicans (45%) than Democrats (17%) and independents (15%) think ICE is “almost always” keeping the pledge.

At the same time, there is a backlash against the agency’s methods. Fifty-nine percent of voters characterize ICE as “too aggressive,” a 10-point increase since July 2025. This sentiment is increasingly defined by a shift in the center: the perception of ICE as too aggressive is up 14 points among Whites without a college degree, 19 points among moderates, and 22 points among independents. A similar shift is seen among right-leaning groups, including Trump voters (+9 more aggressive), Republican women (+14), and non-MAGA Republicans (+23).

FOX NEWS POLL: VOTERS SAY GO SLOW ON AI DEVELOPMENT — BUT DON’T KNOW WHO SHOULD STEER

When those saying ICE is too aggressive are asked to specify their concerns, they are more likely to point to tactics rather than targets: 44% say “using too much force,” while 23% say the agency is “targeting the wrong people.”  Another 29% volunteer it’s both.

FOX NEWS POLL: VIEWS ON THE YEAR ENDING ARE MERRIEST SINCE 2020

The survey was conducted from Friday through Monday (January 23-26); on Saturday, during a Minneapolis protest, federal agents fired shots that killed Alex Pretti.

Border security remains Trump’s best issue, and currently the only one where he receives a net positive job rating: 52% of voters approve. That’s up 1 point from 51% in December, but down from a record high of 57% approval in September. Some 17% of Democrats approve of Trump on border security compared to 9% on immigration. Among Republicans, it’s 89% and 85% approval respectively.

Forty-five percent of voters approve of the president’s job performance on immigration, while 55% disapprove. That’s unchanged since last month. His highest immigration approval was 48% in July 2025. In trends going back to early in Trump’s first term, only once has his disapproval rating on immigration been below 50% and that was 48% in April 2025.

“This poll demonstrates something we’ve noted for a long time — border security and immigration are often distinct issues,” says Republican pollster Daron Shaw, who conducts the Fox News Poll with Democratic counterpart Chris Anderson. “Republicans in general, and the president in particular, are seen as effective when it comes to border security. But public sentiment is more complicated when it comes to handling immigrants in the U.S. illegally.”

Currently, 44% approve of Trump’s overall job performance, while 56% disapprove — the same marks he received in December.

Support for abolishing ICE has doubled since 2018, rising from 18% to 36%. Much of the increase comes from White voters (+20 points), women (+21), independents (+22), and Democrats (+34). Opposition to abolishing the agency held steady at 42%, while the share saying they are unsure dropped from 39% to 22%.

Views are split on whether local governments should be required to collaborate with ICE: 49% favor requiring cooperation, 50% oppose it. The level of support for cooperation among Republicans (85%) is matched by opposition among Democrats (83%). Independents are against cooperation by a 30-point margin (34% favor, 64% oppose).

Conducted January 23-26, 2026, under the direction of Beacon Research (D) and Shaw & Company Research (R), this Fox News survey includes interviews with a sample of 1,005 registered voters randomly selected from a national voter file. Respondents spoke with live interviewers on landlines (106) and cellphones (645) or completed the survey online after receiving a text (254). 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.

Fox News’ Victoria Balara contributed to this report.

One marker to often watch to divine the possible length of any government shutdown is the schedule on which federal workers are scheduled to be paid.

For instance, this potential partial shutdown, covering six areas of the government and addressing 78 percent of all federal spending, is set to begin at 12:00:01 am et on Saturday, January 31.

That’s where there would be a “lapse in appropriations” over the weekend.

DEMS RELENT, SENATE SENDS $174B SPENDING PACKAGE TO TRUMP’S DESK AS SHUTDOWN LOOMS OVER DHS FUNDING

For starters, that technically of a “lapse in appropriations” gives lawmakers some wiggle room to resolve the issue before 9 am et on Monday, February 2, when most federal workers return to the job.

But another important barometer to gauge is when federal workers miss paychecks.

Federal workers were last paid on January 21, one day later than usual because of the Martin Luther King federal holiday.

However, the next batch of checks is due to go out until Monday, February 2. They technically cover the work period which runs through Thursday, February 5. The checks are actually cut on February 2.

CONGRESS ROLLS OUT $80B SPENDING BILL AS DEMS THREATEN DHS FUNDING AMID SHUTDOWN FEARS

But Fox is told that workers would at least receive a partial paycheck, through work completed on Friday, January 30. That’s the last day that the government was funded. Those checks still go out on February 2.

Any money covering expenditures beginning on January 31 is illegal. It’s a violation of the Antideficiency Act where the executive branch is spending money not appropriated by Congress.

So the weekend gives lawmakers a bit of a breather to figure things out. And the next day to cut checks is Tuesday, February 17. That is one day later than usual because of President’s Day on Monday, February 16.

SENATE DEMS REVOLT AGAINST DHS FUNDING BILL AMID MINNEAPOLIS CHAOS, HIKING GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN RISK

In short, Congress and the executive branch have nearly three weeks to solve this before most federal workers would miss an ENTIRE paycheck.

However, there are some anomalies.

The FAA (which includes air traffic controllers but not TSA) are scheduled to be paid on Tuesday, February 3. Fox is told that FAA workers will receive a full paycheck. That’s because the FAA pay period ended on Saturday, February 24. Thus, that work was completed before the shutdown deadline, and Congress appropriated money for that pay. Therefore, payment on February 3 is NOT a violation of the Antideficiency Act. That said, the next FAA pay period ends on February 7 with paychecks due to be sent on February 17. FAA and air traffic controllers would receive a PARTIAL paycheck at that point. That’s because some work was performed before the shutdown. This scenario mirrors what happened during the fall shutdown. Air traffic controllers received a portion of their paycheck because of the staggered pay schedule.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

Lawmakers will watch these calendars closely if this gets to be a drawn-out fight. However, a minimal “partial” shutdown over the weekend gives lawmakers a bit of cushion to come to a resolution.

The U.S. will “very quickly” reopen its embassy in Venezuela and establish a diplomatic presence on the ground, according to Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

“We have a team on the ground there assessing it, and we think very quickly we’ll be able to open a U.S. diplomatic presence on the ground,” Rubio told members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee Wednesday. 

The goal, he said, would be not just to interact with officials on the ground but also “civil society and the opposition.”

Such a move would mean restoring diplomatic relations with Venezuela, which were broken off in 2019 when the U.S. embassy’s doors shuttered.

VENEZUELA’S DELCY RODRÍGUEZ SNAPS AT WASHINGTON, DECLARES ‘ENOUGH’ OF US INFLUENCE

The Trump administration has been in dialogue with Delcy Rodríguez, Nicolás Maduro’s former vice president whom U.S. officials describe as an interim leader, since the capture of the wanted Venezuelan dictator.

Reopening the embassy would require the U.S. to acknowledge a governing authority in Caracas, Venezuela, capable of receiving diplomats — a step that would mark a clear shift from Washington’s long-standing refusal to engage Venezuela’s executive. 

The current Venezuelan leadership has “been very cooperative on that front,” Rubio said. “Obviously there’s been some hard asks along the way.”

Rubio said the administration is not seeking further military action in Venezuela but stressed that force has not been taken off the table. 

“The president never rules out his options as commander in chief to protect the national interest of the United States,” Rubio told lawmakers, while emphasizing that the U.S. is “not postured to, nor do we intend or expect to have to take any military action in Venezuela at any time.”

Rubio also offered details about the first $500 million of the U.S.-brokered sale of Venezuelan oil, saying $300 million went back to Venezuela to pay for public services, while $200 million remains in a U.S.-run account.

CIA DIRECTOR WAS IN VENEZUELA TO MEET WITH ACTING PRESIDENT DELCY RODRIGUEZ, OFFICIAL SAYS

He declined to share details on how long Rodríguez would remain in power, but said a diplomatic presence would help keep a check on the new government. 

“I can’t give you a timeline of how long it takes. It can’t take forever,” Rubio said. “But it’s not even been four weeks.”

His comments come amid mixed signals from Venezuela’s interim leadership. In recent days, Rodríguez has struck a defiant tone toward Washington, declaring she had “enough” of U.S. influence in Venezuelan politics during a speech to oil workers broadcast on state television.

The remarks appeared aimed largely at a domestic audience, even as Venezuela remains constrained by U.S. sanctions and dependent on American decisions over oil licenses and revenue controls.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

Rubio said the administration’s goal is to push Venezuela toward a democratic transition, describing the Maduro regime as “a base of operation for virtually every competitor, adversary and enemy in the world.” 

He said the U.S. is aiming for a “friendly, stable, prosperous Venezuela and democratic … with free and fair elections,” while acknowledging the process will take time.

Pressed on corruption concerns, Rubio said an audit mechanism is being established. 

“The audit will be on,” he told senators, stressing that spending would be restricted to approved public needs.

An Ecuadorian man was released by immigration authorities on Tuesday, one day after a federal judge said U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) had failed to comply with a court order requiring a bond hearing.

Graham Ojala-Barbour, an attorney for Juan Hugo Tobay Robles, told Fox News Digital that Robles was released from detention in Texas.

Chief U.S. District Judge Patrick Schiltz said in a three-page ruling on Monday that ICE had failed to comply with a Jan. 14 court order requiring a bond hearing for Robles within seven days.

The order also stated that Robles must be immediately released if ICE failed to provide the hearing.

FEDERAL JUDGE BLOCKS DEPORTATION OF 5-YEAR-OLD BOY AND FATHER TAKEN IN MINNESOTA IMMIGRATION OPERATION

Schiltz wrote that the failure was part of a broader pattern, saying the agency had disregarded dozens of court orders in recent weeks, causing significant hardship for detainees, including prolonged detention and forced transfers.

He said the court’s patience was “at an end,” and ordered Todd Lyons, the acting ICE director, to appear in person and explain why he should not be held in contempt.

ICE LEADERSHIP SHAKEUP EXPOSES GROWING DHS FRICTION OVER DEPORTATION TACTICS, PRIORITIES

“The Court acknowledges that ordering the head of a federal agency to personally appear is an extraordinary step, but the extent of ICE’s violation of court orders is likewise extraordinary, and lesser measures have been tried and failed,” the judge wrote.

CHICAGO TEACHER PLACED ON LEAVE AFTER FACEBOOK POST SUPPORTING ICE SPARKS OUTRAGE FROM ACTIVISTS

Because Robles has since been released, the court said Lyons will no longer be required to appear.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

Schiltz said the court had been “extremely patient” with the Trump administration, despite its decision to send thousands of immigration agents to Minnesota without putting adequate systems in place to handle the “hundreds of habeas petitions and other lawsuits that were sure to result.”

NBC News reported that Robles is a citizen of Ecuador who entered the United States “without inspection as a minor, in or around 1999,” according to court filings.

President Donald Trump celebrated the launch of Trump Accounts and issued a challenge to employers across the country to help their workers’ children’s accounts grow.

The event on Wednesday featured a star-studded lineup that included Shark Tank’s Kevin O’Leary and rapper Nicki Minaj, as well as several CEOs.

While speaking at an event celebrating Trump Accounts on Wednesday, the president invited Invest America founder Brad Gerstner and Dell CEO Michael Dell on stage to highlight their contributions to the program. He also gave shoutouts to several other CEOs whose companies invested in Trump Accounts.

DELL FOUNDER SAYS $6.25B ‘TRUMP ACCOUNTS’ DONATION IS ‘SMARTEST INVESTMENT’ IN CHILDREN’S FUTURES

To underscore the importance of investing in American children, Trump issued a call to U.S. employers to make matching contributions to their workers’ kids’ accounts.

“I’m officially calling on all employers all across America to follow the lead of many of these amazing companies and make matching Trump Account contributions to benefit for the American worker, and they’re going to benefit the American worker so much,” the president said at an event on Wednesday.

Trump Accounts were included in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) last year and are set to launch on July 4, 2026. Under the program, every American child born between Jan. 1, 2025, and Dec. 31, 2028, and will be funded with $1,000 from the U.S. Treasury. The accounts can be established by an authorized adult, including a parent, guardian, adult sibling or grandparent, as long as they have a valid Social Security number. However, a Social Security number is not required to make contributions of up to $5,000 annually.

BANK OF AMERICA TO MATCH $1,000 GOVERNMENT DEPOSITS FOR TRUMP ACCOUNTS

Several companies have already agreed to match contributions. On Wednesday, Bank of America announced that it will match the government’s $1,000 contribution to the newly established accounts for children born between Jan. 1, 2025, and Dec. 31, 2028 for all 165,000 U.S. employees.

There are also companies that are trying to encourage customers to make contributions, such as Visa, which is building a platform that will allow credit card holders to deposit their cash back rewards directly into Trump Accounts.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

The president painted the accounts as an opportunity for the next generation of Americans, saying that it would “ensure that Americans don’t just end their lives with a nest egg, but instead, all Americans will begin their lives with a beautiful nest egg.”

“For the first time ever, we’re going to give every newborn American child a financial stake in the future, a head start in life and a fair shot at the American dream,” Trump said on Wednesday.

Fox News Digital’s Michael Sinkewicz contributed to this report.

The U.S. is not preparing to utilize additional military force in Venezuela, but won’t hesitate to employ such force in the event of an “imminent threat,” according to Secretary of State Marco Rubio. 

“The president never rules out his options as commander-in-chief to protect the national interest of the United States,” Rubio told lawmakers on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee Wednesday. “I can tell you right now with full certainty, we are not postured to, nor do we intend or expect to have to take any military action in Venezuela at any time. The only military presence you will see in Venezuela is our Marine guards at an embassy.” 

That said, Rubio said that certain events could warrant military actions — pointing to a hypothetical scenario where an Iranian drone factory emerged in the region and threatened U.S. presence or allies there. 

“The president does reserve the option in self-defense to eliminate that threat,” Rubio said. “We don’t see that, we don’t anticipate that, but it could happen. We hope not … But I think it would require the emergence of an imminent threat of the kind that we do not anticipate at this time.” 

Rubio’s remarks came in response to questions about his prepared statement, which said that the U.S. is prepared to exert military force to ensure cooperation from Venezuela’s interim government if it defies Washington following the ouster of dictator Nicolás Maduro. 

“We are prepared to use force to ensure maximum cooperation if other methods fail,” Rubio’s prepared testimony had said, which he ultimately did not end up using. “It is our hope that this will not prove necessary, but we will never shy away from our duty to the American people and our mission in this hemisphere.”

Rubio’s prepared testimony also maintained that there are no U.S. troops in Venezuela, and that the operation did not amount to waging a war in Caracas.

POST TRUMP MEETING, VENEZUELAN OPPOSITION LEADER SAYS COUNTRY WILL HOLD ‘FREE AND FAIR’ ELECTIONS ‘EVENTUALLY’

“There is no war against Venezuela, and we did not occupy a country,” Rubio said in his prepared remarks. “There are no U.S. troops on the ground. This was an operation to aid law enforcement.”

The move to ouster Maduro has attracted scrutiny, mostly from Democrats, who have called into question the legality of the operation in Venezuela, which was conducted without Congress’ approval. 

But efforts in Congress to pass a war powers resolution that would have limited the Trump administration from conducting additional military action in Venezuela failed to pass earlier in January. Rubio previously has claimed Congressional approval wasn’t required because the operation was not an “invasion.”

On Wednesday, Rubio said that should U.S. military forces be involved in Venezuela in a “sustained” way, Congress would receive notification 48-hours after the fact, and would be required to receive Congressional approval if the engagement lasted longer than 60 days. 

Rubio also told lawmakers that Congress wasn’t consulted about the potential raid due to concerns from the Department of War about leaks, and because it wasn’t even a possibility to execute such a mission until late December 2025 after all negotiation efforts with Maduro had failed. 

“It was also a trigger-based operation. It may never have happened,” Rubio said. “It required a number of factors to all align at the right place, at the right time, in a very limited window, and it wasn’t even clear if it was ever going to be possible.” 

SEN TIM KAINE: TRUMP’S VENEZUELA STRIKE TRAMPLED CONGRESS’ WAR POWERS. CONGRESS MUST STOP IT

On Jan. 3, President Donald Trump announced that U.S. special forces had executed a “large-scale strike” against Caracas, Venezuela, and seized Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores. The two were transported to New York and appeared in a Manhattan federal court Jan. 5 on drug charges, where they each pleaded not guilty.

The raid followed months of pressure on Venezuela to squeeze out Maduro amid more than two dozen strikes in Latin American waters against alleged drug traffickers — which the Trump administration claimed aligned with Trump’s effort to curb the influx of drugs into the U.S.

Since Maduro’s capture, the U.S. has conducted at least one additional strike against alleged drug trafficking vessels in the region. 

The Trump administration had previously asserted that it did not recognize Maduro as a legitimate head of state and instead, claimed he was the leader of a drug cartel. Additionally, Trump said in December 2025, shortly before the operation, that he believed it would be “smart” for Maduro to step down.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

The Trump administration has so far backed Maduro’s vice president, Delcy Rodríguez, to lead Venezuela’s interim government. 

FIRST ON FOX: The White House unveiled a new website page and map of the U.S. showing which states have not opted into a federal school choice tax credit set to begin in 2027 — singling out a handful of Democrat governors labeled “failures” for resisting the new program. 

“President Trump is lowering the cost of education for American families, but children in your state will not benefit unless your governor takes action,” the new website states. “Thanks to the Working Families Tax Cut Act, parents choosing the private, charter, or public school that best meets the needs of their child will soon have financial help.” 

The Trump administration is pushing states to “opt in” to a new federal K-12 scholarship tax credit created under the “big, beautiful bill,” warning families could miss out if their governors don’t take action. The Department of Education celebrated Monday that 23 states have so far opted in to a program the department called the “largest national expansion of education freedom in history and provides families with more affordable education options.”

HOUSTON SCHOOL DISTRICT TRYING TO WOO PARENTS WHILE LOSING STUDENTS AMID SCHOOL CHOICE COMPETITION

Under the Education Freedom Tax Credit, taxpayers can get up to $1,700 back as a federal tax credit by donating that money to approved Scholarship Granting Organizations (SGOs) instead of sending it to Washington in income taxes. Those SGOs then turn the donations into K-12 scholarships and other education help families can use for a broad range of costs tied to public, private or charter schools.

“Beginning January 1, 2027, Americans can reduce their tax burden by contributing to an approved Scholarship Granting Organization,” the new website explains. “While anyone in America can take advantage of this tax credit next year, families cannot receive a scholarship if their governor blocks their state’s participation. Your voice is critical to ensure governors know about their responsibility to ensure that every family has affordable access to the best education for their child’s individual needs.”

Among the governors highlighted on the page as resisting include: Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek, North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein, New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham and Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers.

“Urge Your Governor to Opt-In to Your Child’s Future,” the new website continues, before listing a handful of Democratic state leaders branded with the label “failure.”

Colorado Gov. Jared Polis became the first Democrat to opt into the program in December 2025, telling local media he “would be crazy not to” while citing that “it’ll empower more parents to be able to afford that after-school program or the summer program that they want for their kid.”

Democrats have often resisted school-choice expansions, arguing they can siphon money from public schools and weaken accountability — concerns amplified by teachers unions and some education advocates. 

MAJOR CITY SCHOOL DISTRICTS LOSING STUDENTS AS PARENTS SEEK BETTER OPTIONS

The new website page also includes a map of the U.S. showing which 23 states have opted-in and which 27 have not. It was released amid National School Choice Week, which runs from Jan. 25 through Jan. 31. 

The Education Department said, as part of its celebrations for the week, that it’s making an aggressive school-choice push in Trump’s second term — including touting a record $500 million charter school investment, backing the Education Freedom Tax Credit, and nudging states to use federal funds and waivers to expand parent options and turn around low-performing schools.

TRUMP ADMIN CUTS RED TAPE AS IOWA JOINS EFFORT TO RETURN EDUCATION TO STATES

Trump has framed school choice and parental rights as a central priority of his second-term education agenda, which has worked to decentralize the federal government’s control of public education and shift power back to the states and parents. 

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP 

“I want every parent in America to be empowered to send their child to public, private, charter, or faith-based school of their choice,” Trump said in 2025. “The time for universal school choice has come. As we return education to the states, I will use every power I have to give parents this right.” 

A Democratic candidate for attorney general in Ohio sparked immediate backlash over a Facebook post explaining his plan to “kill Donald Trump.”

“I want to tell you what I mean when I say that I am going to kill Donald Trump,” Elliot Forhan, Democratic candidate for Ohio attorney general and a former state representative, posted on Facebook Monday. 

Forhan continued, “I mean I’m going to obtain a conviction rendered by a jury of his peers at a standard of proof beyond a reasonable doubt based on evidence presented at a trial conducted in accordance with the requirements of due process resulting in a sentence duly executed of capital punishment.”

“That is what I mean when I say I am going to kill Donald Trump.”

WEST VIRGINIA LIBRARIAN ARRESTED FOR ALLEGEDLY RECRUITING PEOPLE ON SOCIAL MEDIA TO ASSASSINATE TRUMP

Forhan’s comment quickly sparked strong pushback on social media.

“Absolutely psychopath, aka moderate Democrat,” conservative commentator Dave Rubin posted on X.

“Democrat candidate for Ohio AG who said he’s going to kiII President Trump also posted this when Charlie was ass*ssinated,” conservative influencer account LibsofTikTok posted on X. “He’s an evil deranged psycho.”

“People with TDS are a lot like drug addicts,” conservative commentator Robby Starbuck posted on X. “The high of impeachment declarations and jail just don’t give them the same high anymore. Now we have Democrats running on killing the President. This guy belongs in an insane asylum.”

Some called for Ohio Democrats to disavow Forhan and others highlighted Democratic attorney general Jay Jones being recently elected in Virginia despite calling for the murder of his political opponent.

‘ASSASSINATION CULTURE’ IS ON THE RISE, ESPECIALLY AMONG WOMEN, STUDY WARNS

“Democrats, your silence is telling,” Ohio Republican treasurer candidate Jay Edwards posted on X, calling the comment “unhinged.”

“Dr. Amy Acton and Sherrod Brown—disavow this extremist now, or admit you’re okay with this violent hate in your party.”

“That is normalizing political murder,” Ohio Republican attorney Mehek Cooke posted on X. “We will never vote for death.”

Ohio State Auditor Keith Faber, running for attorney general as well, called the post “vile.”

Faber posted on X, “I’m calling on @amyactonoh to renounce Democrat candidate AG Elliot Forhan’s VILE comment that he’s going to ‘kill Donald Trump.’ (months after celebrating Charlie Kirk’s assassination). Turn down the rhetoric.”

Fox News Digital reached out to Acton’s campaign for Ohio governor and Brown’s campaign for Senate but did not immediately receive a response.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

Forhan previously faced criticism last year over a social media post where he said “F— Charlie Kirk” shortly after the conservative activist was murdered on a college campus.

In a statement to Fox News Digital, Forhan did not withdraw the comment and said he is running for attorney general to “apply the law equally to everyone” including the president. 

“If Donald Trump tries again to end American democracy, then as Ohio attorney general I will hold him accountable to the fullest extent of the law,” Forhan said.

Forhan continued, “On the other hand, the views expressed by my Republican opponent in a recent op-ed are no more than those of a simple Trump thug. He does not believe in the truth or the rule of law. He asks Ohioans to disbelieve what they saw with their own eyes, that an ICE officer killed Renee Good without justification, shooting her twice in the face after he was clear of her vehicle. Keith Faber wrote, ‘In Minneapolis, ICE agents were doing their jobs.’ Was the ICE officer who shot Alex Pretti 10 times doing his job? No. ICE is not enforcing the law. They are breaking the law. Mr. Faber is telling Ohioans that, if elected, he will let Trump get away with murder. Ohio voters should take Mr. Faber at his word.”

A prominent medical watchdog group is pushing back against a widely cited study claiming racially diverse medical facilities improve outcomes for Black patients, arguing the research is being used to justify race-based Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) policies despite failing to prove its central claim.

Do No Harm, a nonprofit organization focused on opposing ideological influence in medicine, released a report Tuesday disputing a recent study by economists Michael Frakes and Jonathan Gruber that suggests increasing the share of Black physicians in military medical facilities leads to better outcomes for Black patients.

The Do No Harm study takes issue with the findings by alleging several flaws, including that Frakes and Gruber’s “The Effect of Provider Diversity on Racial Health Disparities: Evidence from the Military” measures changes in health outcomes when patients are transferred to bases with different proportions of Black doctors, but argues it never directly measures whether Black patients treated by Black doctors fare better than those treated by non-Black doctors.

The report stresses that the authors’ design looks at facility-level shares of Black physicians rather than one-to-one patient-doctor racial matching. 

WATCHDOG FINDS DEI, CRT BAKED INTO ACCREDITATION RULES FOR HUNDREDS OF UNIVERSITY SOCIAL WORK PROGRAMS

In a press release, Do No Harm summarizes their critique into three core problems with the study: it never actually tests whether Black patients fare better when treated by Black doctors, it downplays findings showing Black patients achieve their best outcomes when treated by non-Black doctors at facilities with more Black physicians, and it relies on speculative explanations for those results while failing to rule out non-racial factors that could account for the outcomes.

“We cannot allow politically motivated activists to push debunked racial theories that have no positive impact on patient care,” Jay Greene, Director of Research for Do No Harm, said in the press release.

 “Studies like this are designed to codify DEI doctrine to pave the way for re-establishing affirmative action and enshrining race-based hiring. The report ignores the very question it purports to answer: whether black patients actually fare better with black doctors. Our report systematically exposes the study’s shoddy methodology and baseless conclusions. Americans of all races and backgrounds deserve high-quality medical research, not political ideology disguised as science.”

BLUE-STATE UNIVERSITY SPARKS OUTRAGE WITH ‘DECOLONIZING MEDICINE’ COURSE CHALLENGING THE ‘WHITE BODY’ STANDARD

Do No Harm argues that the new study appears designed to influence judicial and policy debates, noting that Frakes and Gruber themselves say their findings could shape discussions about affirmative action in medical school admissions amid pending court decisions.

The Do No Harm critique concludes that, on the basis of the evidence presented by Frakes and Gruber, there is not a scientifically supported case for using racial concordance as a rationale for maintaining racial preferences in medical education and hiring. 

“Advocacy groups wishing to maintain racial preferences in medical hiring will almost certainly cite the Frakes and Gruber study in future court cases and legislative debates about the issue,” the report’s conclusion reads.  

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

“Frakes and Gruber consciously produced their study with this use in mind. But as is often the case with advocacy-oriented research, this study is not a reliable basis for making policy decisions. The Frakes and Gruber study appears scientifically rigorous and is authored by economists from high-status universities, but a closer examination of its methods, results, and motivation reveal it to be scientifically unsound and an abuse of academic authority.”

Fox News Digital reached out to Frakes and Gruber but did not receive a response.

Amid the headlines about transgender athletes participating in women’s sports and whether athletics should be separated by biological gender, there is a hidden battle brewing behind the scenes that could interrupt efforts to maintain biological differences in sports.

School districts and athletic institutions have already faced hurdles regarding how to verify biological sex. While much of the focus has been on overturning the Biden administration’s Title IX definition of sex interpretation, once that happens, liberal school districts or leaders hoping to keep athletic eligibility by gender identity can dig their heels in with legal arguments about privacy, questions about verification mechanics, claims of discrimination, and, in some cases, doctors have refused to verify gender for the sake of athletic eligibility arguing the scope of the duties went beyond their purview. 

“I anticipate we are going to see this more in the future,” Title IX attorney and expert Sarah Perry told Fox News Digital. 

Meanwhile, John Bursch, from the Christian legal foundation Alliance Defending Freedom, told Fox News Digital that the looming concern over sex-verification for sports is “overblown.”

TRUMP CALLS OUT SUPREME COURT JUSTICES AFTER TRANS ATHLETE HEARING: ‘SHOULD LOSE A LOT OF CREDIBILITY’

“Trans activists continually bring up made-up concerns like this so that they can continue justifying allowing males in girls’ and women’s sports,” Bursch said.

As Bursch noted, the conundrum has reared its head recently in a handful of the 27 states that have imposed sex-separated athletics mandates.

In Idaho, one of the earliest states to adopt a sex-separation sports mandate, the courts struck down a law requiring athletes to verify their gender if questioned by someone else, arguing it targets women for invasive and intrusive medical procedures that males would not be subject to.

A similar issue in Florida played out in 2024 after a parent was investigated by county officials for allegedly sneaking their transgender child onto a female sports team. Even though the state’s law does not have a sex dispute provision for individuals, school district enforcement investigations still can.

In that case, the courts argued that Florida’s law requiring verification was not discriminatory, however. The case was eventually dismissed. 

Meanwhile, pressure on the Sunshine State’s high school athletic association has also led to it removing questions from its physical evaluation forms that had been there for decades, according to local reporting.

TRUMP DECLARES ‘WE GOT MEN OUT OF WOMEN’S SPORTS’ AS SUPREME COURT DELIBERATES LANDMARK CASES      

In Arizona, a dispute over the legitimacy of a birth certificate has led a school to suggest expensive chromosome testing to verify their gender. The mother told a local Arizona news outlet that it was a misprint they didn’t notice until registering their son for school, noting that for a busy mom, it was not her top priority. Her son was physically removed from the middle of his high school basketball tryouts.

The family ultimately got an amended birth certificate and a doctor’s sign-off clarifying the legal change and the boy’s eligibility to play on the boy’s basketball team. But school officials stood firm and ruled he was still ineligible to play. The family was told they could undergo chromosomal testing that would cost thousands of dollars.      

Doctors were less willing to be helpful in Nevada, where the state’s interscholastic athletics association began requiring physicians to identify and sign-off on an athlete’s gender. A group of doctors subsequently argued that the information they were being asked to provide went beyond “the purpose of a sports medical clearance” and should come from “the students or families directly.”

“Additionally, it is imperative that patients are able to consult with their physicians confidentially to address all aspects of their physical, emotional, sexual, and mental health,” a letter the group of 18 doctors sent to the Nevada state high school athletic association added. “This confidentiality is crucial to ensure that students feel safe and supported in discussing sensitive health issues without concern that this information will be s hared with non-medical institutions or individuals. Breaching this confidentiality could undermine the trust between patients and their healthcare providers ultimately impacting the quality of care they receive.”

But, despite the potential tripwires, both Perry and Bursch pointed to the Constitution’s supremacy clause barring any change in the Biden-era Title IX interpretation which still remains amid various ongoing legal battles. Perry also noted that there is no requirement forcing school districts or education institutions to take federal dollars, but said that once they do “it is very clear that representations of contrary legal obligation are not sufficient to violate federal civil rights law.” 

The Supreme Court heard oral arguments earlier this month that analysts have suggested show that the court is open to upholding state-level mandates requiring athletic eligibility be determined by biological sex.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

“We are going to see these questions ultimately, I believe, in the end, reach the Supreme Court before the Trump administration’s last day,” Perry said. “These are questions about preemption, about the Supremacy Clause, about the operation of states’ rights versus federal civil rights obligations, and they’re going to take a while to litigate.” 

Perry pointed to deadlocks in Maine and California where trans-rights advocates are standing behind state law in order to defend allowing sports to remain separated by gender identity and not biological sex.           

A group that organized two nationwide “No Kings” protests last year is planning its next large-scale national demonstration on March 28, with a particular focus on Minnesota, which has emerged as ground zero for anti-immigration enforcement demonstrations over the last few months.

The anti-Trump protest is being organized by Indivisible, a liberal grassroots group, that said demonstrations are expected across the country that day.

The group said the upcoming event — referred to as “No Kings 3” — will include coordinated protests nationwide, with a flagship march planned in the Twin Cities.

ANTI-ICE AGITATORS ARRESTED OUTSIDE MINNESOTA HOTEL AS POLICE DECLARE UNLAWFUL ASSEMBLY: ‘NO LONGER PEACEFUL’

“We expect this to be the largest protest in American history,” Ezra Levin, co-executive director of the nonprofit Indivisible, told The Associated Press ahead of Wednesday’s announcement. He predicted that as many as 9 million people could turn out.

“This is in large part a response to a combination of the heinous attacks on our democracy and communities coming from the regime, and a sense that nobody’s coming to save us,” Levin said.

Minnesota has emerged as a flashpoint in the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown following the deployment of roughly 3,000 federal agents to the state, which organizers described as the largest single immigration enforcement operation of the president’s second term.

Organizers said plans for the spring demonstrations were already underway before recent immigration enforcement operations in Minnesota, but the fatal shootings of Alex Pretti and Renee Good during encounters with federal agents in recent weeks reshaped the event’s focus.

MINNESOTA SHAKEUP SHIFTS LEADERSHIP NOT STRATEGY, WHITE HOUSE SAYS, PUSHING BACK ON ‘RETREAT’ CLAIM

The protests have been a focal point for outrage over what organizers describe as President Donald Trump’s attempts to consolidate and expand his power.

Last year’s protests unfolded in two nationwide rounds. Organizers said more than 7 million people demonstrated during a second round on Oct. 18, with protests held in about 2,700 cities and towns across all 50 states.

The first major “No Kings” protests took place on June 14, 2025, with demonstrations organized in nearly 2,000 locations nationwide, following unrest tied to federal immigration raids and the deployment of National Guard and Marine units to Los Angeles.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

Levin said Indivisible and allied groups plan to continue organizing beyond major protest days, including nationwide training sessions aimed at monitoring immigration enforcement activity.

“This isn’t about Democrats versus Republicans,” Levin said. “This is about whether we have a democracy at all.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

President Donald Trump has endorsed Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy’s son-in-law, Michael Alfonso, for Congress.

“Michael is the son-in-law of our GREAT Secretary of Transportation, Sean Duffy, and the wonderful Rachel Campos-Duffy, of FoxNews, one of the most popular (and talented!) anchors in all of Television,” the president declared in a Tuesday night Truth Social post.

“Michael Alfonso has been a WINNER all of his life, comes from a truly spectacular family, and has my Complete and Total Endorsement to be the next Representative from Wisconsin’s 7th Congressional District — HE WILL NEVER LET YOU DOWN!” Trump asserted.

SCOOP: PRO-TRUMP CONSERVATIVE GRANDSON OF CUBAN REFUGEES LAUNCHES BID FOR CONGRESS IN WISCONSIN

Alfonoso noted in a post on X, “It is my greatest honor to accept this endorsement from President Donald J. Trump. He is truly the greatest president of all time, and I pledge to be a steadfast MAGA warrior for the people of Wisconsin’s 7th District.”

Trump also endorsed GOP Rep. Tom Tiffany, who currently represents Wisconsin’s 7th Congressional District, but is running for governor.

HOUSE REPUBLICAN JUMPS INTO SWING STATE’S OPEN GOVERNOR’S RACE: ‘I KNOW HOW TO CLEAN UP THE BULL’

“Tom Tiffany has my Complete and Total Endorsement to be the next Governor of Wisconsin — HE WILL NEVER LET YOU DOWN!” Trump declared in a Monday night Truth Social post issued minutes after the post backing Alfonso for Congress.

WISCONSIN ‘REFUSING TO LEARN THE LESSON’ OF MINNESOTA AFTER FRAUD SCANDAL, GOP GUBERNATORIAL HOPEFUL WARNS

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

“I’m honored to earn President Trump’s endorsement,” Tiffany noted in a post on X. “Just one year into his second term, wages are rising, gas prices are down, our economy is growing, and our border is secure. It’s time to restore common-sense leadership to Madison.”