NationalWatch

Lawyers for the Trump administration are seeking to shut down a revived contempt inquiry led by U.S. District Judge James Boasberg, arguing in new filings that the court should cancel two scheduled witness examinations next week or allow the administration to block testimony on grounds of “executive privilege.”

In filings earlier this week, Justice Department lawyers argued the court is exceeding its authority. “At the outset, the Court’s inquiry exceeds its authority and is now intruding on the prerogatives of a co-equal branch,” they wrote, adding that criminal contempt falls within the executive branch’s power.

“Criminal contempt is a criminal offense, and the investigation and prosecution of crimes is [a] core executive power reserved to the Executive Branch,” they added. 

The filings are part of a revived contempt inquiry that will bring to the fore longtime tensions between the Trump administration and the chief judge for the U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C., who sparked Trump’s ire earlier this year after he attempted to temporarily block the administration’s use of the Alien Enemies Act to deport hundreds of Venezuelan migrants to El Salvador in March.

NOEM GREENLIT DEPORTATION FLIGHTS AFTER JUDGE’S EMERGENCY ORDER, DOJ REVEALS — FUELING CONTEMPT FIGHT

Boasberg this week requested testimony from two current and former Justice Department officials who played a key role in the Trump administration’s use of the 18th century wartime law to quickly deport the migrants to El Salvador in March, despite his temporary restraining order and subsequent oral order that attempted to block — for 14 days — the administration’s use of the Alien Enemies Act to immediately deport the migrants. 

He is now weighing whether senior Trump officials willfully defied that order. To wit, he ordered Drew Ensign, the Justice Department’s deputy assistant attorney general, to appear in court Monday for questioning and for cross-examination from lawyers representing the class of deported Venezuelan migrants. 

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

He also ordered testimony and cross-examination the following day from former Justice Department lawyer Erez Reuveni, who since parting ways with the Justice Department has publicly accused the administration of ignoring court orders — including in this case.

“The Court thus believes that it is necessary to hear witness testimony to better understand the basis of the decision to transfer the deportees out of United States custody in the context of the hearing on March 15, 2025,” Boasberg wrote in scheduling the appearances.

“The events surrounding this decision should shed light on this question,” he said.

The inquiry was revived after the D.C. Circuit, sitting en banc, vacated an earlier ruling and returned the matter to Boasberg. New details about the government’s handling of the March flights have already emerged, with additional disclosures expected in the coming days.

Still, court filings revealed that the Trump administration plans to fight those efforts at every turn. 

“If the Court does proceed with testimony, it should grant a protective order with respect to privileged information or provide Defendants with an opportunity to seek appellate relief in advance of any testimony; and the Court should also limit the scope of the testimony and preclude Plaintiffs from participating,” they told Boasberg.

TRUMP FOE BOASBERG ORDERS DOJ TO DETAIL STATUS OF CECOT MIGRANTS SENT TO VENEZUELA

Last month, DOJ officials identified DHS Secretary Kristi Noem as the official who authorized the transfer of the Venezuelan migrants after being briefed on Boasberg’s emergency order by lawyers for the Justice Department and acting general counsel for DHS.

Boasberg said earlier this week that it would be “premature” to refer anyone for prosecution under the revived contempt probe, and declined to immediately compel testimony from Noem at this stage in the process.

Noem said in a declaration of her own that she made that call based on legal advice from lawyers for the Justice Department, as well as the acting general counsel for DHS.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP 

The fresh action on the contempt issue is almost certain to spark the ire of some Republicans in Congress and from Trump himself, who has repeatedly excoriated Boasberg as an “activist judge” for his role in the Alien Enemies Act case and resulting inquiry.

Boasberg, for his part, has appeared unfazed. 

“This has been sitting for a long time,” Boasberg said late last month of the contempt inquiry, “and I believe justice requires me to move promptly on this.”

The government, he added, “can assist me to whatever degree it wishes.”

There is still a desire to solve the looming healthcare cliff after dueling votes in the Senate on partisan Obamacare fixes crashed and burned Thursday, but both sides of the aisle are still miles apart from finding a middle ground.

The enhanced Obamacare subsidies are set to expire by the end of the year, and Congress is gearing up to leave Washington, D.C., at the end of next week until the new year. There are several options on the table, including numerous Senate Republican proposals or just moving ahead with a short-term extension of the subsidies.

But lawmakers have to land on what exactly they want to do, and what could pass the 60-vote filibuster threshold, first.

SENATE DEMS’ OBAMACARE FIX FAILS AS SENATE LOOKS FOR OFF-RAMP FROM HEALTHCARE CLIFF

“I think the question is, do the Democrats, after they got their messaging vote done, actually want to engage in a real conversation about this,” Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., said. “Because it didn’t seem like they had a real high level of interest in reforms, but there are some who do. I don’t know if there are enough, but I think we’re going to get a sense of that here very soon.”

Thune echoed what many Republicans in the upper chamber believed: Senate Democrats’ three-year extension of the subsidies was never meant to succeed, but only served as a political messaging exercise.

Still, four Senate Republicans crossed the aisle to vote for Democrats’ plan. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, argued that she voted for both proposals not because both were exactly what she wanted, but because she wanted to get the ball rolling toward a solution.

“Sometimes around the Senate, we have to demonstrate what we can’t do first before we can get to what we need to do,” she said. “Today was the first step in that process of demonstrating what we can’t do now. Let’s get on with it and fix it.”

SENATE DEMS BLOCK REPUBLICANS’ HSA PLAN AS OBAMACARE DEADLINE NEARS

Conversely, the GOP’s first attempt wasn’t going to pass muster with Senate Democrats, either. Some in the upper chamber are mulling a short-term extension to the subsidies, be it six months to a year, but that idea doesn’t tackle the several reforms Senate Republicans have demanded for their support.

“Discussions will continue,” Senate Majority Whip John Barrasso, R-Wyo., told Fox News Digital. “Both parties are going to find a solution to actually lower the cost of care and put patients in charge and get rid of the waste and the fraud and the abuse and the corruption that has run rampant in Obamacare.”

Whatever happens next will likely be the product of rank-and-file negotiations, not top-level decisions between Thune and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y.

But there is a growing sense that President Donald Trump should get more involved and dictate exactly what he wants to be done. Trump previously signaled that he wants to move ahead with health savings accounts (HSAs) but in recent weeks has largely stayed an arms’ length away from the Obamacare turmoil in the Senate.

When asked how lawmakers get out of the healthcare jam, Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., told Fox News Digital, “We don’t.”

“Not until Donald Trump decides we get out of it,” Murphy said. “He’s the President of the United States, his party controls the House and the Senate, so the only way we save people from healthcare disasters for Donald Trump, the leader of the Republican Party, is to decide to fix this.”

GOP ACCUSES DEMOCRATS OF MANUFACTURING AFFORDABILITY CRISIS AS OBAMACARE SUBSIDY FIGHT NEARS DEADLINE

Republicans still have several options on the table, including a plan from Sen. Roger Marshall, R-Kan., that marries an extension of the subsidies with HSAs and reforms, and a plan from Sens. Susan Collins, R-Maine, and Bernie Moreno, R-Ohio, that would extend the credits for two years, among others.

There’s also the possibility that the healthcare fight continues on into the next year and goes through the partisan budget reconciliation process, which Republicans used earlier this year to ram through Trump’s agenda.

While that’s an option, many in the upper chamber acknowledge that the best way forward is working with the other side of the aisle.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

“I would rather do it on a bipartisan basis, because that’s the way that Congress is supposed to work,” Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., told Fox News Digital. “But if Democrats are intent upon sticking people with either higher premiums and/or $6,000 deductible, we got to do something. So it’s not good for the American people.”

While there are lawmakers that hope the failed votes were the springboard forward, and not a dead end, toward tackling the Obamacare issue, Schumer signaled that it was Republicans’ fault that the subsidies would likely expire.

“This is their crisis now, and they’re going to have to answer for it,” he said.

Bobby Pulido, an award-winning musician-turned-congressional candidate, has a digital footprint of references to explicit material that lingers on his social media as he pursues a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives.

From 2013 to as recently as 2024, Pulido has posted a range of links, images and references to pornographic material.

In 2013, Pulido told viewers to visit pornographic website YouPorn if bored and reposted links to porn sites featuring the music of fellow musicians, asking them if they’re receiving royalties for being featured. 

Later that same year, he posted a link to XVideos with the caption “homemade porn while sleep-deprived?” 

LATINO TEXAS DEM CONGRESSIONAL CANDIDATE CALLS OUT AOC FOR HER USE OF TERM ‘LATINX’

In 2015, he posted a link to YouPorn but later deleted it, claiming his account had been hacked. 

“It’s impossible to have Twitter and not watch porn,” Pulido said in a 2014 post on X, formerly known as Twitter.

“To everyone crying over the shutdown of XVideos, I’m telling you there are other free sites. I mean, that’s what they’ve told me. #you’rewelcome,” Pulido wrote in a 2016 post on X.

TEXAS DEMOCRAT — A LATIN GRAMMY WINNER AND PARTY RECRUIT — CAUGHT DEFACING TRUMP’S HOLLYWOOD STAR

Pulido’s online history follows him in his bid to unseat Rep. Monica De La Cruz, R-Texas. His race, which is expected to be one of the more competitive opportunities for Democrats in Texas after a redistricting effort in the state looks to squeeze five Democrats out of office, will turn on whether he can attract support from across the aisle. A two-term incumbent, De La Cruz last won election to the district in 2024 in a 57.1%–42.9% victory over Democratic nominee Michelle Vallejo. Redistricting changes will still favor Republicans but are expected to put the seat more in reach for Democrats.

Democrats had heavily recruited Pulido to run, according to reporting from Politico.

Reacting to the slew of posts, the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) blasted Pulido’s record, calling them disqualifying.

“Radical Bobby Pulido is unhinged and unfit to serve in Congress,” NRCC spokesperson Reilley Richardson told Fox News Digital.

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) did not respond to a request for comment.

Pulido is best known for Tejano, or Mexican-Spanish folk-style songs like “Desvelado” and “Se Murió de Amor,” and he received five nominations for a Latin Grammy Award, winning Best Tejano Album in 2022 and 2025.

Since announcing his bid, Pulido has attempted to reframe himself as a bipartisan candidate with a strong emphasis on family. He has scrubbed his social media of more references to his political stances — like a photo of himself urinating on Trump’s Hollywood Walk of Fame star.

“You may know me as Bobby Pulido the singer,” Pulido said in his campaign launch video. “I am José Roberto Pulido Jr., the son of a migrant farmworker and 100% South Texas Tejano. Let me tell you. I won’t stand by and watch the South Texas that raised me be torn down and divided.” 

Despite his profile’s scrubbing, many of his posts referencing porn remain in place. A few explicit images have also escaped removal. 

Although Pulido himself has denied participating in any adult material, he has reposted fans noting his music’s use in explicit productions. As recently as 2024, he posted a picture of a fan in a compromising position at one of his concerts.

TOP GOP SENATOR SAYS CROCKETT ANNOUNCEMENT EXPOSES HOW ‘RADICAL’ DEMS ARE NATIONWIDE

At the time, he received backlash for the post but initially kept the image up. 

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

Pulido’s campaign did not respond to Fox News Digital’s multiple requests for comment.

FIRST ON FOX: An extreme sports star and entrepreneur is endorsing Republican, pro-law enforcement candidate Chad Bianco for California governor after he says Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom killed the California “dream.”

“People used to come to California to try to build their business and chase that dream. And now, people are moving out of California to chase the same dream,” said Motocross star and “Metal Mulisha” founder Brian Deegan.

In an interview with Fox News Digital, Deegan, who is a Motocross pioneer, champion off-road racer, and icon of the action sports X Games, said he felt compelled to throw his support behind Bianco because of the damage he said has been done to California by politicians such as Newsom.

He explained that he came to California “to chase my dreams, to be a supercross action sports star [and] built a great empire within the action sport community.” But under Newsom, Deegan said he has seen that dream “decline.”

NEWSOM CALLS HOMELESSNESS AND POVERTY ‘POSTER CHILD’ OF CALIFORNIA’S FAILURES AS A STATE  

Deegan said that besides what he described as rampant overregulation, one of the things he has found most alarming is the decline in safety in California neighborhoods because of laws not being enforced.

“A lot of places that I’ve lived in California have really gone the wrong way. And I’m like, man, I’m scared to even have my kids really roam the streets nowadays because how loose they are on the laws and letting criminals get away with almost everything,” said Deegan.

And then there is Newsom’s handling of the COVID pandemic, in which Deegan said California “led the charge on the most extreme lockdowns.”

“Now we look back on it, kind of going, ‘Man, what happened?” he said. “Newsom was way overbearing while he’s out partying, still living the high life, while everyone’s on lockdowns.”

HOLLYWOOD STAR REVEALS WHAT HE THINKS OF POTENTIAL NEWSOM PRESIDENCY WITH TWO-WORD RESPONSE

With Newsom term limited and rumors growing of a possible presidential run in 2028, Deegan said, “Bring it on.”

“I think that’s going to make it that much easier for the Republicans to keep that spot,” he remarked, adding, “That’d be a tough road, Newsom running for president.”

Whichever direction Newsom goes, Deegan said, “It’s time for a man like Chad Bianco to take control of California.”

“I always kind of wonder how guys that are in power, such as Newsom, like how do they even get in power? Because they don’t really represent the common people that really are the majority of California,” he said. “There’s been so much damage done. But it’s going to take someone that understands the law, that is not going to bend, has good family values, that could get the state back on track.”

NEWSOM’S SANCTUARY POLICIES UNDER FIRE AFTER DRUNK ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT KILLS ELDERLY MAN

“I’d like to see it get back to how it was. I thought it was a land of opportunity. You came to California to make dreams happen, and I feel like that has gotten very narrow,” Deegan added.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

“I mean, you have everything here, and I feel like we’ve just let it go as far as how it’s been run. And I think the majority of the people in California want it back.”

A spokesperson for Newsom dismissed Deegan’s critiques, sending a one-word response to Fox News Digital asking, “Who?”

Salvadorean migrant Kilmar Abrego Garcia vowed Friday to “continue to fight and stand firm against all of the injustices this government has done upon me,” in his first appearance since being released from federal immigration custody.

Garcia spoke as he appeared for a check-in at a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility in Baltimore, Maryland, as part of the terms of his release.

“I want to tell everybody who is also suffering family separation. God is with you. This is a process. Keep fighting,” Garcia said through a translator.

“I stand before you as a free man. And I want you to remember me this way. With my head held up high,” he also said, noting that, “Yesterday I spent time and celebrated and enjoyed my family, who is everything for me, especially so close to Christmas and being in this holiday season.”

FEDERAL JUDGE ORDERS KILMAR ABREGO GARCIA RELEASED FROM ICE CUSTODY

U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis ordered Abrego Garcia released from the ICE Moshannon Valley Processing Center in Philipsburg, Pa., on Thursday on the grounds that the Trump administration had not obtained the final notice of removal order that is needed to deport him to a third country, including a list of African nations they had previously identified for his removal.

“Since Abrego Garcia’s return from wrongful detention in El Salvador, he has been re-detained, again without lawful authority,” Xinis said in her order on Thursday.

The Justice Department is expected to challenge the order.

“This is naked judicial activism by an Obama appointed judge,” Department of Homeland Security spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin said in a social media post. “This order lacks any valid legal basis and we will continue to fight this tooth and nail in the courts.”

KILMAR ABREGO GARCIA RELEASED AFTER JUDGE RULES TRUMP ADMINISTRATION LACKED VALID REMOVAL ORDER

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters Thursday afternoon that the Trump administration would “absolutely” be appealing Xinis’ order, which she described as another instance of “activism” from a federal judge.

Abrego Garcia had been living in Maryland with his wife and children when he was initially arrested.

Abrego Garcia’s case epitomized the political firestorm that has ensued since March, when he was deported to El Salvador and housed in the country’s CECOT mega-prison, in violation of a 2019 court order and in what Trump officials acknowledge was an “administrative error.” Xinis ordered then that Abrego Garcia be “immediately” returned to the U.S.

Upon his return to the United Sates, Abrego Garcia was immediately taken into federal custody and detained on human smuggling charges that stemmed from a 2022 traffic stop.

The Trump administration has claimed he is a member of MS-13, which Abrego Garcia denies.

“The facts are he is an illegal alien from El Salvador, a MS-13 gang member, and has a history of violence,” the Department of Homeland Security said in April.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP 

Meanwhile, the Trump administration previously tried and failed to deport him to the African nations of Liberia, Eswatini, Uganda and Ghana.

Over 10,000 illegal immigrants, including murderers, kidnappers and sexual predators, have been arrested in Los Angeles since June, despite anti-ICE riots and pushback from sanctuary politicians, the Department of Homeland Security said.

The agency told Fox News that its enforcement operations, which began in June, were a “success” despite “violent rioters who assaulted our law enforcement, threw rocks and Molotov cocktails at them, and attempted to obstruct lawful arrests of criminal illegal aliens.”

The operations were carried out despite Los Angeles and California being sanctuary jurisdictions with laws inhibiting local and state authorities from cooperating with ICE.

The agency also received significant pushback from Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass. The California legislature passed measures attempting to restrict federal agents from carrying out immigration enforcement arrests at schools, hospitals and courthouses and another banning agents from wearing masks, both of which were signed by Newsom.

DHS BLASTS NEWSOM OVER TAXPAYER-FUNDED HEALTHCARE FOR ILLEGALS AS CALIFORNIA AMBULANCE COSTS MAY SOAR 382%

Federal officials were also faced with large anti-ICE demonstrations in Los Angeles, which at times broke into violent confrontations and riots. The worst of these erupted in June, with mobs blocking streets, vandalizing businesses and clashing with police. The chaos prompted a massive federal deployment and sharp pushback from California leaders, underscoring the escalating national showdown over immigration enforcement.

Despite this, DHS said that arrests continued in full force in Los Angeles.

Among those arrested was Mohamed Chekchekani, a criminal illegal alien from Kenya, who has been convicted of facilitating interstate commerce in aid of a racketeering enterprise, larceny and stolen property.

Also arrested was Cuban illegal Rene Reyes-Miranda, who has a long criminal history including convictions for a sex offense against a child, sex offender registration violation, harassment, cocaine possession and robbery.

Another illegal arrested in Los Angeles was Iranian national Alireza Hashemi, who has convictions of rape, aggravated assault, domestic violence, burglary, and driving under the influence. 

ICE ACCUSES DEM LAWMAKER OF JOINING ‘RIOTING CROWD’ IN ARIZONA, INTERFERING IN MASS ARREST

DHS also arrested another illegal, Mexican national Juan Carlos Tamayo, who has convictions of homicide, conspiracy to commit homicide, and multiple counts of attempted murder, was also arrested. Another illegal alien from Mexico, Yonic Telles-Sosa, was arrested in Los Angeles. He had been previously removed from the United States five times and has convictions for robbery and aggravated sexual assault of a child. 

Two illegal aliens from Armenia, Ambartsoum Pogosium and Akop Jack Kantrozyan, were also arrested in Los Angeles. Pogosium has convictions of kidnapping, homicide and fraud, while Kantrozyan has convictions of identity theft, multiple counts of conspiracy to commit a crime and shooting at an inhabited dwelling/vehicle.

“In the face of violence from rioters and demonization by sanctuary politicians, DHS law enforcement has made over 10,000 arrests in Los Angeles since operations began in June. Some of the most heinous criminal illegal aliens arrested include murderers, kidnappers, sexual predators, and armed carjackers,” said DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin. 

WALZ URGES NOEM TO ‘REASSESS’ IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT STRATEGY IN MINNESOTA AFTER ALLEGED CITIZEN ARRESTS

McLaughlin called out Newsom and Bass, saying they “failed the people of California.”

“They let these criminals roam free. Thanks to our brave law enforcement, California is safer with these thugs off their streets,” she said, adding, “Instead of thanking our law enforcement for removing criminals from their communities, Gavin Newsom and Karen Bass repeatedly demonized our brave law enforcement during these operations.” 

Diana Crofts-Pelayo, a spokesperson for Newsom, shot back, telling Fox News Digital that “this is all part of this sick game of cruelty and chaos that President and [Homeland Security Advisor] Stephen Miller are playing.”

“The reality is that their obsession with mass arrests, detention and deportations is spurring indiscriminate and racially-motivated immigration raids with serious societal and economic consequences,” said Crofts-Pelayo, adding, “They are arresting American citizens, hardworking parents and contributors to our economy, while also wasting taxpayer money to go after those who are legitimately going through the legal immigration process, like the spouses of U.S. citizens.” 

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

Crofts-Pelayo said that “California is on record to help ensure bad criminals have no place in our society, including coordinating with ICE when these people get out of our prisons,” saying, “We support public safety, while the Trump agenda is all for inflating headlines.”

A spokesperson for Bass also challenged DHS, saying in a statement to Fox News Digital, “Is this the same DHS Secretary that deports Veterans?” 

The spokesperson’s comment referenced a Dec. 11 House Homeland Security Committee hearing in which Rep. Seth Magaziner, D-R.I., claimed DHS deported Sae Joon Park, a veteran and Purple Heart recipient, to Korea. According to NPR, though a decorated veteran, Park was not a citizen. The outlet reported he was arrested on drug-related charges and self-deported facing a removal order. 

President Donald Trump touted the U.S. economy on Thursday, asking when he will be awarded credit for creating “perhaps the Greatest Economy” ever in the nation’s history.

“I inherited a MESS from the Biden Administration — The Worst Inflation in History, and the Highest Prices our Country has ever seen. In other words, Affordability, just 13 months ago, was a DISASTER for the American People, but now, it’s totally different! Prices are coming down FAST, Energy, Oil and Gasoline, are hitting five year lows, and the Stock Market today just hit an All Time High. Tariffs are bringing in Hundreds of Billions of Dollars, and we are respected as a Nation again,” Trump asserted in a Truth Social post.

President Trump took office for his second term less than a year ago on January 20, 2025.

TRUMP COMPARES REAL WAGES UNDER HIS ADMIN VERSUS BIDEN’S DURING SPEECH CALLING OUT DEM AFFORDABILITY ‘HOAX’

“When will I get credit for having created, with No Inflation, perhaps the Greatest Economy in the History of our Country? When will people understand what is happening? When will Polls reflect the Greatness of America at this point in time, and how bad it was just one year ago?” he asked in the post.

In a prior Truth Social post on Thursday, the president conveyed similar thoughts. 

TRUMP INSISTS PRICES ARE ‘COMING DOWN,’ BLAMES BIDEN — BUT VOTERS SAY THEY’RE STILL GETTING SQUEEZED

“STOCK MARKET JUST HIT AN ALL-TIME HIGH!!! When will the Fake Polls show that I am doing a great job on the Economy, and much more??? Thank you!” he declared in the post.

During a recent interview with Politico’s Dasha Burns, the president indicated that he would rate the economy as “A+++++.”

MTG DEFENDS HERSELF AS ‘AMERICA FIRST’ AFTER TRUMP SLAMS HER ON TRUTH SOCIAL

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

But GOP Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia said during an interview with CBS News that she thinks “the president needs to be aware that he’s a billionaire, president of the United States. And you can’t gaslight people and tell them that their bills are affordable. And you can’t tell them that the economy is an A+++. You just can’t do that. And I think it’s insulting to people’s intelligence.”

In an exclusive interview with Fox News Digital, Liz Truss pulls back the curtain on what really happened during her 49-day reign as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom in 2022.

The free speech advocate served just 49 days as British prime minister in 2022 before resigning amid market turmoil over her administration’s dramatic attempt to implement a pro-growth economic agenda. Now that the dust has settled, Truss has launched a private club for “pro-growth leaders,” the Leconfield, and a YouTube show, “The Liz Truss Show.”

“My new show will tell the truth about what happened in 2022,” Truss told Fox News Digital. “The fact that I was sabotaged by the Bank of England, who announced the sale of gilts the day before my mini-budget and then failed to properly regulate the pension market. That was actually the cause of the crisis in 2022.”

While Truss is now recasting the narrative on the Bank of England, the financial institution has blamed Truss for the British market crash of 2022, concluding that her mini-budget triggered a sudden plunge in gilt prices, driving up the government’s borrowing costs. The spike rippled across financial markets, pushing pension funds to offload gilts and forcing the Bank of England to intervene to stabilize the market.

TRUMP CALLS OUT POLITICO AS ‘EXTREMELY UNFRIENDLY’ WHEN PRESSED ON AGGRESSIVE ACTION AGAINST VENEZUELA

The Bank of England declined to comment when reached by Fox News Digital. 

“I will be talking about that. I’ll also be talking about the conservatives in name only who undermined me while I was in power,” Truss said of her show, eliciting President Donald Trump‘s “RINO” nickname for Republicans in name only who thwart his agenda. 

BBC CHAIR TELLS STAFFERS IT’S DETERMINED TO FIGHT TRUMP LAWSUIT OFF, NO BASIS FOR DEFAMATION CLAIM

It’s not Truss’ only commonality with Trump.

“I’m very frustrated by the mainstream media,” Truss said. “I share President Trump’s annoyance with the BBC. He is currently suing them for propagating fake news about him, but they do fake news the whole time.”

Trump has announced plans to file a $5 billion lawsuit against the British Broadcasting Corporation over an edit of his Jan. 6, 2021, remarks that appeared in a BBC investigative series. The BBC did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.

Truss said she wants her YouTube show to “help change the economic and political debate in Britain.”

“I know the truth wasn’t told about my time as prime minister,” Truss said. “That’s very frustrating, but I know about other issues, whether it’s free speech or migration, people are not hearing about what’s actually happening in Britain, so I want my show to tell the truth and to hear from the people that are the victims of these problems.”

Truss’ early guests included Trump-ally Steve Bannon and British political commentator Matt Goodwin. The former prime minister spoke to Fox News Digital in Washington, D.C., ahead of its inaugural episode.

“I want America, first of all, to understand what happens when you lose things like free speech, and you lose the battle on mass migration, and you lose the battle on the economy,” Truss said. “It’s a warning for America, but I also want to get inspiration from what’s happened here at fighting back against these forces, and that’s what the show is about. I want to encourage people. It’s not just doom and gloom. It is about what do we actually do? How do we get a Trump-style revolution in Britain and Europe to make our countries great again?”

At the core of the cultural battles dominating popular culture, Truss said, “All of these people hate Western civilization.”

“They hate the nation state,” Truss continued. “They want to undermine the family, and that is why I’m so passionate about fighting back against them, because I believe in our country. I believe in the Christian values that formed Britain and America. I believe in free speech, and I think we’re just in real danger of losing them to these forces.”

Truss has applauded Trump’s leadership on the world stage, calling him “very forward-leaning” in negotiating peace in the Middle East.

Truss said she wants a solution in Ukraine, but not one that makes President Vladimir Putin appear to walk away from the conflict on his own terms. She urged Europe to “step up” and “spend more of our own money on defense” — reflecting many congressional Republicans’ message as the war in Ukraine has waged on. 

Congress has voted to send more than $175 billion to Ukraine since the war began, according to The Council on Foreign Relations. And while the U.S. has committed more aid to Ukraine than any other country, European countries have collectively committed more than the U.S.

“We need to grow our economies to be in a position to be able to stand up to Putin ourselves,” Truss said.

While Trump continues to pursue peace negotiations in the Middle East and between Russia and Ukraine, Truss applauded the president for taking action against suspected drug traffickers from Venezuela.

“There’s definitely very, very serious issues with Venezuela, and it’s sadly a country that used to be successful and rich and has now been ruined essentially by a communist regime,” Truss said. “I understand the United States needs to take action because the cartels that come out of countries like Venezuela are a direct security threat to the United States.”

The Trump administration deployed two fighter jets over the Gulf of Venezuela on Tuesday and has faced scrutiny in recent days for allegedly authorizing a second strike on suspected drug trafficking boats in Venezuela.

The White House told Fox News Digital last week that as commander in chief, Trump has “full authority to use every element of American power to stop drugs from flooding into our country.”

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

“As President Trump has said, all options are on the table as he works to combat the scourge of narcoterrorism that has resulted in the needless deaths of thousands of innocent Americans,” White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly said in a statement to Fox News Digital. “All of these decisive strikes have been in international waters against designated narcoterrorists bringing deadly poison to our shores.”

Fox News Digital’s Diana Stacy contributed to this report.

A House Homeland Security hearing quickly descended into explosive exchanges, complaints and divisive claims when DHS Secretary Kristi Noem appeared before Congress Thursday. 

Lawmakers from both sides of the aisle questioned Noem at the House Homeland Security’s “Worldwide Threats to the Homeland” hearing, raising topics on everything from Noem’s efforts to stop illegal immigration to the threat of weaponized domestic drones.

Although Noem had to exit the hearing ahead of schedule due to a meeting with FEMA, the hearings still had plenty of notable moments.

Top Dem starts hearing with call for Noem to step aside

The meeting got off to a heated start Thursday when Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., called on Noem to resign just minutes in, citing a long list of what he called violations of U.S. law. 

WHITE HOUSE CALLS REPORT ABOUT TRUMP CONSIDERING FIRING NOEM ‘TOTAL FAKE NEWS’ 

“Rather than sitting here and wasting your time and ours with more corruption, lies and lawlessness, I call on you to resign. Do a real service to the country and just resign,” Thompson said.

Thompson pointed to the administration’s efforts to deport illegals to El Salvador against the requirement of a court order, the withholding of federal grants to put pressure on American cities to assist with immigration enforcement efforts and the detainment of American citizens as evidence of Noem’s wrongdoing.

Many of the examples Thompson pointed to are being adjudicated in court. 

Noem says the US can’t keep up with drone threats 

When asked about DHS’s efforts to monitor and deter potential drone-related security threats, Noem said the U.S. is behind the curve.

“Frankly, our authorities haven’t kept up with it,” Noem said. 

Noem said DHS would begin new collaborations with state and local authorities through new enabling language contained in this year’s National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA).

“We are going to be investing upwards of $1.5 billion into drone technology and counter-drone technology and mitigation measures that we can deploy to partner with cities and states for celebrations and different things that they may hold as well,” Noem said.

Noem noted that drone threats are especially front of mind as the U.S. prepares to host the FIFA World Cup in 2026 and the Olympics, among other public events.

“We’re working with the FAA as well to get what we need to be able to operate. And we don’t just want to detect; we don’t want to just monitor. We need to mitigate. We need to take these drones down,” Noem said.

Face to face with deportation questions

One of the repeated concerns Democrats brought up Thursday centered on whether the Trump administration is doing enough to make sure the right people are being deported.

Rep. Seth Magaziner, D-R.I., asked Noem to answer one such question.

“Madam Secretary, we are joined on Zoom by a gentleman named Sae Joon Park. He is a United States Army combat veteran who was shot twice while serving our country in Panama in 1989,” Magaziner said.

Magaziner described how Park, a green card holder, had struggled with substance abuse in the years after his service. Park had accrued a drug possession charge and then failed to appear in court.

Fourteen years later, Park self-deported to Korea when he received a removal order earlier this year despite having received leniency in years past.

Confronted with Park’s story, Noem promised to review the details of what changed and why Park had been asked to leave the country, but she added that “every one of [our laws] needs to be enforced.” 

She thanked Park for his service.

CHAOS ERUPTS AT NOEM HEARING AS ANTI-ICE PROTESTERS INTERRUPT TESTIMONY

‘The power of Christ compels you’

Moments after Secretary Noem started her opening remarks, a pair of protesters interrupted the DHS secretary, demanding that she suspend deportation efforts. 

“End deportations!” yelled a protester dressed like a priest and carrying a crucifix. “The power of Christ compels you!”

Two men with signs were escorted from the room. It is a federal crime to interrupt or delay a meeting of Congress.

Noem, unfazed by the outburst, continued with her opening statement.

TRUMP ADMIN REPORTS 2 MILLION ILLEGAL ALIENS ‘REMOVED OR SELF-DEPORTED’ FROM US IN FIRST 8 MONTHS

‘That’s your job’: Noem dares Congress to change immigration laws

In response to several Democrat lawmakers who raised concerns about deportations, Noem said Congress had the power to change things if it wanted to.

“I think it’s shameful to see the defense of individuals who break our laws,” Noem said. “And that is what we are doing every day. If you guys don’t like the law, go change it. That’s your job. You don’t complain.”

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP 

According to figures released by the DHS on Wednesday, the United States has deported 2.5 million illegal immigrants under Noem’s leadership. 

FIRST ON FOX: The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced $1 billion in Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) funding to Georgia for recovery projects and efforts related to 2024’s Hurricane Helene and Tropical Storm Debby, as well as healthcare facilities and “emergency protective measures” the state took during the pandemic.

Acting FEMA Administrator Karen Evans said Thursday the significant amount of federal funding will help Georgia communities “rebuild stronger” and will ensure accountability.

“This investment will repair and restore critical public infrastructure across Georgia, including schools, public safety facilities, utilities, and community services,” Evans told Fox News Digital in a statement. “Georgia communities are rebuilding stronger, and today’s approvals show this Administration’s commitment to streamlining assistance and ensuring accountability.”

The move comes as the Trump administration, under the leadership of DHS Secretary Kristi Noem, overhauls FEMA amid scrutiny the agency faced before the president took office.

Specifically, $671 million for emergency protective measures taken by Georgia healthcare facilities, including the employment of nurses and clinical care staff, sanitization efforts, personal protective equipment, and testing supplies during the COVID-19 pandemic.

TRUMP ADMINISTRATION’S TEXAS FLOOD DISASTER RESPONSE ‘FUNDAMENTALLY DIFFERENT’ FROM BIDEN’S APPROACH: NOEM  

Among other funds: $350 million for more than 140 recovery projects related to Hurricane Helene and Tropical Storm Debby, including $140 million to remove debris across more than 20 local jurisdictions; $179 million for emergency protective measures taken by local governments, electrical cooperatives and universities; and $17 million to repair roads, bridges and culverts across more than 20 municipalities. 

The remaining amount of funding is designated to support repairing public buildings and utilities across multiple communities, and investments in hazard-mitigation projects like eliminating repetitive flood risks in Richmond Hill, and providing generators statewide.

ACTING FEMA CHIEF DAVID RICHARDSON STEPS DOWN AS TRUMP ADMIN CONTINUES RESHAPING AGENCY OPERATIONS 

White House officials rescheduled what was supposed to be a critical meeting to set the course for FEMA’s future on Thursday, leaving the restructuring of the agency up in the air.

Sources close to the meeting tell Fox News Digital that Noem didn’t find out the meeting was canceled until 12:26pm on Thursday. 

Noem has expressed to Fox in previous reporting her desire to “get rid” of the federal emergency relief agency “the way it exists today.”

Hurricane Helene made landfall on Sept. 26, 2024, as a devastating Category 4 Atlantic hurricane that reached winds of up to 140 mph.

NOEM RIPS CNN REPORT CLAIMING SHE DELAYED DHS RESPONSE TO TEXAS FLOOD AS ‘ABSOLUTELY TRASH’ 

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) estimated that the storm caused roughly $79 billion in total damages, a historic amount that ranks among the most costly storms in U.S. history. 

Roughly 250 people were killed in the U.S., the most lives that have been taken by a storm in the country since Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP 

At the time, FEMA was heavily criticized under the Biden administration for the pace of effort and the scope of aid, prompting congressional hearings examining FEMA’s preparedness, response, and recovery tactics and efforts. 

FEMA’s role in the recovery efforts was a key talking point for GOP officials on why the agency would be in need of an overhaul.

Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar’s second husband has emerged online, referring to himself as a “dirty dandy” on Instagram while showing off a fun-loving lifestyle in South Africa, according to reports.

Ahmed Nur Said Elmi, 40, who spent time abroad after leaving the U.S., is now believed to be in Johannesburg, where he has been chronicling his time there, the New York Post reported.

The outlet revealed social media posts showing him wearing a visitor’s badge at the University of the Witwatersrand and enjoying upscale venues as he documents his day-to-day life.

ILHAN OMAR SAYS SHE’S FRUSTRATED SINCE SOMALIS ARE ALSO VICTIMS IN ‘FEEDING OUR FUTURE’ SCAM

Elmi’s reappearance also coincided with President Trump pushing his allegation the Minnesota politician had supposedly married her brother to avoid U.S. immigration laws.

At a Pennsylvania rally Tuesday, Trump repeated his accusation that Omar married her brother for immigration purposes,

“She married her brother in order to get in, right?” he told supporters. “She married her brother. Can you imagine if Donald Trump married his sister? Beautiful. She’s a beautiful person.

“If I married my sister to get my citizenship, do you think I’d last for about two hours or something less than that? She married her brother to get in. Therefore, she’s here illegally. She should get the hell out.”

OMAR ALLIES TIED TO MASSIVE MINNESOTA COVID MEAL FRAUD SCHEME INVOLVING SOMALI COMMUNITY

Trump also expanded on the allegation in an interview with Politico, saying he didn’t “want to see a woman that, you know, marries her brother to get in and then becomes a congressman and does nothing but complain. All she does is complain, complain, complain, and yet her country’s a mess.”

Omar has always denied the accusation while her marital history, particularly her 2009 civil marriage to Elmi, has fueled debate since she entered public office.

ILHAN OMAR SAYS THERE ARE FEW UNDOCUMENTED SOMALI MIGRANTS IN THE COUNTRY

Born in Somalia and naturalized as a U.S. citizen in 2000, Omar entered a religious marriage with Ahmed Abdisalan Hirsi in 2002.

In 2009, she legally married Elmi, a British citizen, despite maintaining her religious union with Hirsi and continuing to have children with him.

Omar and Elmi separated in 2011 and did not legally divorce until 2017, according to reports.

ILHAN OMAR PRESSED TO EXPLAIN HOW FRAUD IN MINNESOTA GOT ‘SO OUT OF CONTROL’

She married Hirsi in a civil ceremony before divorcing him and marrying political aide Tim Mynett in 2020.

Meanwhile, Elmi has pursued an academic career in recent years.

According to the University of Bristol’s research directory, he earned a Ph.D. and has served as a research assistant focused on gender studies, queer theory, decolonization and international development.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

Fox News Digital has reached out to Ilhan Omar and Ahmed Nur Said Elmi for comment.

FIRST ON FOX: As Minnesota continues to reel from a massive fraud scheme involving the state’s Somali community, Homeland Security Assistant Secretary McLaughlin gave a scathing response to Minnesota Democratic Gov. Tim Walz’s request for the agency to “reassess” its immigration enforcement strategy.

In a letter to Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, Walz said he was writing with “serious concern” regarding arrests of U.S. citizens made by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents in Minneapolis. 

McLaughlin told Fox News Digital that “instead of trying to spread misinformation, Tim Walz should focus on protecting American lives and thanking the brave men and women of DHS law enforcement who are risking their lives to make communities in his state safer.”

“Yes, U.S. citizens who assault and obstruct law enforcement have been arrested,” she went on, adding, “There is a growing and disturbing trend of agitators and rioters obstructing the arrest of illegal aliens and assaulting our brave law enforcement. Our officers are facing a more than 1050% increase in assaults and an 8000% increase in death threats.”

‘HE HAD YEARS TO STOP THIS’: GOP LAWMAKERS BLAST WALZ OVER MASSIVE MINNESOTA FRAUD SCHEME

“Obstructing law enforcement is not protesting; it is a crime,” said McLaughlin.  

In response to Walz raising concerns about the arrest of a U.S. citizen named “Sue,” McLaughlin said the woman assaulted a federal law enforcement officer during a “targeted enforcement operation” in Minneapolis to arrest an Ecuadoran criminal illegal named Quiquintuna Capuz.

According to McLaughlin, Capuz has a previous conviction for felony assault on a police officer. She said that despite the illegal’s record, a “violent group of rioters formed and began assaulting and obstructing law enforcement as they were arresting this dangerous criminal.”

U.S. citizen Susan Tincher was arrested after she “assaulted a federal agent, tried to break through a security perimeter set up for public safety, ignored lawful commands, and became violent,” per McLaughlin.

“Secretary Noem has been clear: if you lay a hand on a law enforcement you will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law,” said McLaughlin.

In his letter, Walz urged Noem to review recent arrests made by federal agents to ensure they have a judicial warrant authorizing detention or seizure and to clarify the legal standard under which a citizen may exercise his rights to document and witness “aggressive law enforcement actions.”

MINNESOTA’S FRAUD SCANDAL WAS ‘SHOCKINGLY EASY’ TO PULL OFF, IS LIKELY WORSE THAN REPORTED: EX PROSECUTOR

“Reports indicate that some citizens were documenting federal activity, while others were going about their daily lives,” he wrote. “This troubling pattern raised serious questions, not only about due process and the rights of U.S. citizens, but also about trust between Minnesota communities and federal authorities.”

“This series of incidents raises serious concerns about civil liberties and trust between Minnesota communities and federal authorities,” Walz said in a statement regarding his letter. 

“Minnesotans have long valued civic engagement, and detaining citizens for lawfully exercising those rights or going about their daily lives sends a deeply disturbing message. I am urging Secretary Noem to respect the constitution and for her administration to ensure that federal operations are conducted lawfully and with respect for the rights of all individuals.”

He stated that the “forcefulness, lack of communication and unlawful practices” displayed by federal agents won’t be tolerated in Minnesota. He urged Noem to reassess the broader enforcement strategy.

Walz referenced another person named “Mubashir,” who he said was chased, tackled and handcuffed before being detained despite stating his citizenship status, he said. 

The governor said those who document law enforcement activity “play an essential role in transparency, accountability and safeguarding civil liberties in Minnesota.”

Immigration officials have said that individuals are free to watch and film law enforcement operations, but anyone obstructing authorities from doing their jobs could face arrest.  

In a statement later on Wednesday night, Walz said, “It’s clear the feds are intent on stoking fear and provoking Minnesotans. Trump wants a show. Don’t give it to him. Stay safe and remain peaceful if you’re interacting with ICE.”

MINNESOTA LAWMAKERS VOW NEW CRACKDOWN AFTER $1B FRAUD MELTDOWN THEY SAY WALZ LET SPIRAL

DHS shot back in an X post that “for the past 6 years, Minnesotans have lived in fear for their lives, their families, and their property as you’ve let criminal illegal aliens run wild in your state.”

“Governor, do you stand with the illegal aliens we’re taking off YOUR streets or with Americans?” DHS wrote.

Minneapolis has been at the center of controversy in recent weeks over a massive fraud scheme dating back to at least 2020 that permeated several departments and several nonprofits, ranging from childcare services to COVID-19 relief, to autism care, and is believed by many to eventually eclipse $1 billion in wasted state and federal taxpayer funds. 

Republican lawmakers in the state have told Fox News Digital they believe that Walz deserves much of the blame.

State Rep. Mark Koran said, “You have to look at who’s been solely in charge of that process, which has been Governor Walz.”

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

“The executive body controls every agency. And I think what to understand is how they are either extraordinarily incompetent or willfully complicit. There are no alternatives to it. And I think they’re actually both,” said Koran.

Fox News Digital reached out to Walz for comment, but did not receive a response by the time of publication.

Fox News Digital’s Andrew Mark Miller and Louis Casiano contributed to this report.

The new “Trump Gold Card” will include the same vetting process any typical visa applicant must go through, except it’s going to cost a hefty fee. 

Under the new pay-to-play immigration framework launched Wednesday, individuals will be allowed to obtain lawful entry into the United States, assuming they can pay — and pass — the $15,000 vetting process and have an extra $1 million to fork over. 

Businesses will also be allowed to participate, costing them $2 million per person. 

At an economic roundtable at the White House Wednesday, President Donald Trump and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick previewed the new Trump Gold Card program ahead of its launch later that same day. 

EXCLUSIVE: MILLIONS OF ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS LEAVE US IN RECORD-BREAKING YEAR UNDER TRUMP POLICIES, DHS SAYS

“So, for an individual it’s $1 million. And for a corporation it’s $2 million,” Lutnick said. 

“And, as the president said, for a corporation, they spend $2 million, they can then have an employee — fully vetted, the best vetting the government has ever done — $15,000 vetting to make sure these people absolutely qualify to be in America, absolutely qualify. And then the company can keep them here, and they have a path to citizenship.

“Obviously, they have to be perfect people in America and, having passed the vetting after five years, they’ll be available to become citizens. And then the corporation can put someone else on the card. So, for a company that can keep putting people on the card, one person per card, and for an individual, it’s $1 million, and it’s a gift to the United States of America to … help America be great again under Donald Trump.”

Trump followed up, saying “it’s really two gifts,” noting that not only will it bring “billions” in revenue to the United States, but it will also help the country retain “some tremendous people” that would otherwise be forced to leave the United States.

Just the $15,000 vetting cost of the Trump Gold Card for individuals dwarfs the typical application and administrative fees for a visa or green card.

DETAINED ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS WILL FACE $5K ‘APPREHENSION FEE’: BORDER PATROL CHIEF

For most temporary visas, the State Department’s fees are typically a couple hundred dollars, with potentially a few extra hundred dollars in fees owed to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) depending upon the person and the type of visa needed. 

Green cards typically require a couple thousands dollars, sometimes as much as $3,000, according to the State Department’s fee schedule.

On one hand, Trump has promised the toughest border security in history. On the other, his new Gold Card invites wealthy foreigners to cut to the front of the line if they can afford a seven-figure “gift” to Washington, representing a stark shift that seemingly turns U.S. immigration into a luxury product.

Among the concerns swirling around the president’s new Gold Card program is it could be taken advantage of by cartel bosses and Russian oligarchs.

“President Trump can’t help trying to act like a king. From new ballrooms and gilded Oval Office decor to over-the-top foreign trips filled with pomp and circumstance to a lavish Qatari plane, his grift knows no limit,” Senate Minority Whip Dick Durbin said in September ahead of Wednesday’s official launch. 

“He’s bringing that same ego-driven approach to our immigration system with an illegal pay-to-play scheme that undermines our values and rewards wealth over hard work, talent and a love for America,

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP 

“We need a fair and orderly immigration system that preserves our safety and national security, attracts the best and brightest and maintains our status as a beacon of hope for the most vulnerable. Instead of creating policies that help American businesses and families, President Trump is rolling out the welcome mat for Russian oligarchs and cartel bosses.” 

Trump allies have praised the program. 

“This landmark program fulfills President Trump’s promise to attract the world’s most successful entrepreneurs and investors to America while guaranteeing they have skin in the game,” Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said of the new program. 

“The Department of Homeland Security is working closely with the Department of Commerce to facilitate the rollout of President Trump’s Gold Card program.”

The White House did not return Fox News Digital’s request for comment in time for publication.

The Trump administration is offering a $5 million reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the leader of Los Choneros, a gang the State Department designated a foreign terrorist organization (FTO) in September.

The State Department’s Narcotics Reward Program announced the reward Thursday for Ecuadorian fugitive Francisco Manuel Bermúdez Cagua, also known as “Churron,” because the gang he belongs to is allegedly responsible for trafficking drugs and guns into the U.S. and carrying out extreme acts of violence.

The 29-year-old was charged with international cocaine distribution conspiracy, international cocaine distribution and using firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking, according to a superseding indictment filed in the Eastern District of New York.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York brought the charges, and the superseding indictment was unsealed in June.

TRUMP WARNS US MAY LAUNCH LAND OPERATIONS INSIDE VENEZUELA ‘VERY SOON,’ SAYS REGIME SENT ‘KILLERS’ TO AMERICA

“As alleged, Bermúdez Cagua is a top lieutenant within the leadership of Los Choneros, an extremely violent foreign terrorist organization responsible for pumping drugs into the United States, causing harm to our communities and wreaking havoc in his homeland of Ecuador,” U.S. Attorney Joseph Nocella Jr. of the Eastern District of New York said. 

“The significant reward being offered by the State Department underscores our resolve to bring Los Choneros’ leadership to justice in a U.S. courthouse and eradicate such organizations.”

Alleged co-conspirator José Adolfo Macías Villamar, also known as “Fito,” 46, was extradited to New York in July 2025. The Department of Justice said he is an Ecuadorian citizen who also faces international drug trafficking and firearms charges.

Darío Javier Peñafiel Nieto, also known as “Topo,” 35, is an alleged co-conspirator in the superseding indictment and is in custody in Ecuador.

COAST GUARD HELICOPTER SNIPER TAKES OUT NARCO-BOAT ENGINES IN STUNNING EXCLUSIVE VIDEO

“We will use every tool in our arsenal to stop the brutal criminals who are trafficking deadly drugs into our country,” Chris Landberg of the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs said. 

“We are offering a reward of up to $5 million under the Narcotics Rewards Program for information leading to the arrest and/or conviction of Bermúdez Cagua.”

The indictment alleges that Los Choneros was one of the most violent transnational criminal organizations operating out of Ecuador.

The group’s network moved multi-ton quantities of cocaine from South America, funneling shipments through Central America, Mexico and the U.S., among other locations, the indictment alleges.

MODEL, DJ LINKED TO VIOLENT TREN DE ARAGUA GANG LEADER SANCTIONED BY TRUMP ADMINISTRATION

The alleged co-conspirators are accused of directing and ordering acts of violence to advance the organization’s goals.

The State Department designated Los Choneros as an FTO in September 2025.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

“Bermúdez Cagua is a high-ranking narco-terrorist whose actions have fueled the flow of cocaine into the United States and sown chaos in Ecuador,” U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration Administrator Terrance Cole said. “The DEA is resolute in its mission to turn up the pressure and bring this dangerous individual to justice.”

The DEA encourages anyone with information about Bermúdez Cagua’s whereabouts to contact the agency at Ecuadortips@dea.gov or +593-988-292-235. All information will be kept confidential.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom, a Democrat, argued that President Donald Trump is one of the “most destructive” presidents in his lifetime and that the country is becoming “unrecognizable.”

The governor made the comments on Wednesday during an appearance on New York Times columnist Ezra Klein’s podcast.

“I think Trump is one of the most destructive presidents and human beings in my lifetime,” Newsom said. “I think this republic is at real risk, this country being unrecognizable. And I have no patience for people that want to indulge it.”

GAVIN NEWSOM WINNING EARLY ENTHUSIASM FROM LIBERAL HOLLYWOOD DONORS AHEAD OF 2028: REPORT

Newsom also criticized financial, educational and political entities for “bending the knee to this president.”

“I can’t stand the crony capitalism,” the California Democrat continued. “I can’t stand the universities have done that, the law firms that have done that, individual corporate leaders that have done that, other governors, maybe Democrats and Republicans, that have been complicit at this moment.”

Several elite universities, banking companies and law firms amended policies this year in the face of threats from the Trump administration, including potential loss of federal funding for the educational institutions.

Newsom, who has been floated as a potential top Democrat candidate for the 2028 presidential election, has been a vocal critic of Trump dating back to his first term in the White House. He said he had “softened” on the threat of Trump ignoring constitutional restrictions and attempting to run for a third term.

“This guy is reckless,” Newsom said. “We’ll not have a fair and free election if we don’t continue to fight. I’m the future ex-governor. Who the hell knows what happens the rest of my life? Except one thing I know that matters in the rest of my life is I have to look at my kids in the goddamn eye. I mean that seriously.”

The governor’s critique of Trump this year has included social media rants mimicking the president’s writing style, such as using all capital letters and nicknames.

Newsom has also mocked Trump with AI-generated videos, including one depicting the president, Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth and White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller in handcuffs crying.

NEWSOM HAS STRONG FEAR THAT ‘SON OF A B—-’ TRUMP WILL SUSPEND 2028 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

The jabs at Trump are just one side of the back and forth between the two politicians, as the president has also repeatedly attacked Newsom, including blaming him for the wildfires that swept through Southern California in January and supporting White House border czar Toman Homan’s threat to arrest the governor amid federal immigration raids in Los Angeles over the summer.

A former Colorado clerk who was convicted of attempting to breach voting systems in hopes of proving President Donald Trump’s claims of election malfeasance in 2020 will receive a pardon.

Trump announced his pardon for Tina Peters on Truth Social, saying she has been sitting in prison for the “crime” of demanding honest elections.

“Democrats have been relentless in their targeting of TINA PETERS, a Patriot who simply wanted to make sure that our elections were fair and honest,” he wrote. “Today I am granting Tina a full pardon for her attempts to expose voter fraud in the rigged 2020 presidential election!”

TRUMP ISSUES SWEEPING PARDONS FOR 2020 ELECTION ALLIES — WHAT THE MOVE REALLY MEANS

Earlier this week, a federal judge refused to release Peters, 70, from prison.

She has been serving a nine-year sentence after a state jury convicted her of participating in a scheme to breach the Mesa County voting systems. She filed a lawsuit seeking her release earlier this year, arguing that her free speech rights had been violated, but Judge Scott Varholak rejected the motion on Monday.

“Ms. Peters raises important constitutional questions concerning whether the trial court improperly punished her more severely because of her protected First Amendment speech,” Varholak wrote. “But because this question remains pending before Colorado courts, this Court must abstain from answering that question until after the Colorado courts have decided the issue.”

Peter Ticktin, Peters’ attorney, said he was formally notified of the pardon Thursday.

TRUMP ISSUES FRESH PARDONS FOR JAN 6 DEFENDANTS, INCLUDING WOMAN ACCUSED OF THREATENING FBI ON SOCIAL MEDIA

“Tina Peters deserves justice,” he wrote on X. “I have formally notified President Trump urging a presidential pardon and outlining why Tina is a necessary witness in exposing election misconduct. What happened to her was a travesty, and it’s time to set it right.”

In a Dec. 7 letter to Trump, Ticktin said Peters’s trial was a “travesty” where she was not permitted to raise her defense.

Trump said Peters was languishing in prison despite Democrats pushing soft-on-crime policies that allowed criminals to walk free, saying they had been “relentless” in their targeting of her.

“For years, Democrats ignored violent and vicious crime of all shapes, sizes, colors, and types. Violent criminals who should have been locked up were allowed to attack again,” he wrote. “Democrats were also far too happy to let in the worst from the worst countries so they could rip off American taxpayers. Democrats only think there is one crime – not voting for them!”

“Instead of protecting Americans and their tax dollars, Democrats chose instead to prosecute anyone they can find who wanted safe and secure elections,” he added.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

Colorado Gov. Jared Polis previously vowed not to pardon Peters as part of any deal with Trump, saying she needed to be held accountable.

Fox News Digital has reached out to the Colorado Democratic and Republican parties, as well as the governor’s office.

This December on Capitol Hill appears to follow a familiar script.

There’s a deadline for Congress to act on (insert issue here). And if lawmakers don’t move by January 1, then (insert consequence here). So, everyone on Capitol Hill clamors over pathways to finish (given issue). Lawmakers and staff are at the end of their wits. Everyone is worried about Congress successfully fixing the problem and getting everyone home for the holidays.

There’s always the concern that Congress will emerge as The Grinch, pilfering Whoville of Christmas toys.

But lawmakers often wind up toiling with the diligence and efficiency of Santa’s elves, plowing through late night, overnight and weekend sessions – usually finishing (insert issue here) in the St. Nick of time.

THE HITCHHIKER’S GUIDE TO THURSDAY’S BIG SENATE VOTES ON HEALTHCARE

This pattern is always the same. With few variations.

This parliamentary dance of the sugar plum fairies frequently centers on deadlines for government funding, the debt ceiling and tax policy. Such was the case when the Senate passed the first version of Obamacare on Christmas Eve morning, 2009. Republicans skated on thin ice to finish their tax reform package in December 2017.

Lawmakers moved expeditiously to approve a defense policy bill in late 2020. Then made sure they had just enough time on the calendar to override President Trump’s veto of the legislation before the very end of the 116th Congress in early January 2021.

The deadlines sometimes veer into the political. There was a crush to finish articles of impeachment on the House floor for both Presidents Clinton and Trump in December 1998 and December 2019, respectively.

And so after everyone got this fall’s government shutdown worked out of their systems, lawmakers were far from prepared to address its root cause. Democrats refused to fund the government unless Congress addressed spiking healthcare premiums. Those premiums shoot up on January 1. And no one has built enough consensus to pass a bill before the end of the year.

Yet.

But it’s only mid-December. And everyone knows that the Congressional Christmas legislative spirit can be slow to take hold. Some of that holiday magic may have officially arrived Thursday afternoon after the Senate incinerated competing Republican and Democratic healthcare plans.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., pushed a three-year extension of the current Obamacare subsidies – with no built-in reforms.

“This is going to require that Democrats come off a position they know is an untenable one and sit down in a serious way and work with Republicans,” said Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., of the Democratic proposal.

Thune characterized the Democrats’ gambit as “a political messaging exercise.”

MODERATE REPUBLICANS STAGE OBAMACARE REBELLION AS HEALTH COST FRUSTRATIONS ERUPT IN HOUSE

Republicans even mulled not putting forth a healthcare plan at all. It was the group of Senate Democrats who ultimately helped break a filibuster to re-open the government last month that demanded a healthcare-related vote (not a fix, but a vote) in December. So that’s all Thune would commit to.

“If Republicans just vote no on a Democrat proposal, we’ll let the premiums go up and Republicans don’t offer anything, what message is that going to send?” asked Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo. “I know what people in Missouri will think. They’ll look at that and they’ll say, ‘Well, you guys don’t do anything. You’ve just let my premiums go up.’”

It may yet come to that.

So there’s a holiday healthcare affordability crisis.

“People are looking now at exactly what’s ahead for them and they’re very, very frightened,” said Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., the top Democrat on the Senate Finance Committee.

But most Senate Republicans coalesced around a plan drafted by Senate Finance Committee Chairman Michael Crapo, R-Idaho, and Senate Health Committee Chairman Bill Cassidy, R-La. The bill would not renew Obamacare subsidies. Instead, it would allow people to deposit money into a healthcare savings account – shop around for coverage.

“Our plan will reduce premiums by 1 percent and save taxpayers money,” boasted Crapo. “In contrast, the Democrats’ temporary COVID bonuses do not lower costs or premiums at all.”

With skyrocketing prices, Republicans are desperate to do something – even if it’s a figgy pudding leaf – as they face competitive races next year.

COLLINS, MORENO UNVEIL OBAMACARE PLAN AS REPUBLICANS SEARCH FOR SOLUTION TO EXPIRING SUBSIDIES

“It has nothing to do with me. It has everything to do with people in Ohio and across America who need to be able to afford access to healthcare,” said Sen. Jon Husted, R-Ohio.

Gov. Mike DeWine, R-Ohio, appointed Husted to succeed Vice President Vance after he left the Senate. So 2026 will be Husted’s first time on the ballot for the Senate.

There was some chatter that Republicans might allow for a limited extension of the Obamacare aid – so long as Democrats agreed to abortion restrictions in exchange.

“Off the table. They know it damn well,” thundered Schumer.

So the competing plans needed 60 yeas to clear a procedural hurdle. But that also meant that both plans were destined to fail – without solving the problem before the end of the year.

“We have to have something viable to vote on before we get out of here,” lamented Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C.

That’s why some Christmas congressional calendar magic often compels lawmakers to find a last-minute solution.

“Every legislator up here would like to be home for Christmas,” said Sen. Roger Marshall, R-Kan. “That pressure is what forces us to come together.”

CONGRESS FACES HOLIDAY CRUNCH AS HEALTH CARE FIX COLLIDES WITH SHRINKING CALENDAR

We’ll know soon if everyone buckles down to harness soaring premiums after days of political posturing.

“This should have been done in July or August. So we are up against a deadline,” said Hawley.

And procrastination by lawmakers may yet do them in.

“Healthcare is unbelievably complicated,” said Rep. Dusty Johnson, R-S.D. “You’re not going to reform it and bring down costs overnight.”

House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., is now promising a separate, still unwritten healthcare bill for the floor in the coming days.

“You’re going to see a package come together that will be on the floor next week that will actually reduce premiums for 100% of Americans,” said Johnson.

But it’s unclear if Congress can pass anything.

“I think there’s a fear of working with Democrats. There’s a fear to taking action without the blessing of the President,” said Rep. Susie Lee, D-Nev.

GOP WRESTLES WITH OBAMACARE FIX AS TRUMP LOOMS OVER SUBSIDY FIGHT

That’s why it’s possible Congress could skip town for the holidays without solving the problem.

“It will be used like a sledgehammer on us a year from now,” said Rep. Don Bacon, R-Neb.

Not a great message for Republicans – especially on affordability – before the midterms.

“If there’s no vote, that’ll run contrary to what the majority of the House wants and what the vast majority of the American people want,” said Rep. Kevin Kiley, R-Calif.

That political concern may be just enough to force the sides to find some Christmas magic and address the issue before the holidays.

That’s one Yuletide script in Congress.

But there’s a script to not fixing things, too.

If Congress leaves town, every communications director on Capitol Hill will author a press release accusing the other side of channeling Ebenezer Scrooge, declaring “Bah humbug!,” or dumping a lump of coal in the stockings of voters on Christmas.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

That’s the script.

And every year, it sleighs me.

Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., said the military’s actions in the Caribbean on Sept. 2 were “entirely appropriate” after getting a classified video about the two strikes on an alleged Venezuelan drug boat.

“The individuals on that vessel were not helpless castaways, they were drug runners on a capsized drug boat and by all indications attempting to recover it so they could continue pushing drugs to kill Americans,” Johnson told reporters.

“What the video shows is that these individuals were there, they were able-bodied, they were not injured, and they were attempting to recover the contents of the boat, which was full of narcotics.”

He said there was “another vessel” in close proximity that the two survivors were “waving their arms” toward so that they could continue onward with “their mission.”

HEGSETH ERUPTS OVER WAPO ‘FAKE STORIES’ SMEAR, VOWS TO STOP ‘POISONING OF THE AMERICAN PEOPLE’

“This is a great threat to us. Every one of these boats that is capsized saves tens of thousands of American lives. This is what the president has prioritized. I think he’s done it with the expectation and the consent of the American people,” Johnson argued. 

“I’m satisfied with the intelligence, with the way that this was conducted. I think it was entirely appropriate. I think Admiral Bradley is one of the most honorable men serving in the U.S. military. His credentials are exceptional. He’s a man of great integrity, and they followed the law very carefully and closely here.”

He said of the second strike specifically, “It followed the law, it followed protocol, it followed our previous missions like this…I’m fully confident that it was done the right way.”

TOM COTTON CALLS ON WASHINGTON POST TO APOLOGIZE TO HEGSETH, BRADLEY FOR ‘SLANDER’

The White House confirmed earlier this month that two strikes were fired at a boat allegedly ferrying drugs from Venezuela. A second strike was conducted after the initial hit left two survivors.

Secretary of War Pete Hegseth told reporters earlier this month that he watched the first strike live but did not learn of the second strike until later, having left for a meeting in between.

The White House said the strike was ordered by Admiral Frank M. Bradley, commander of the United States Special Operations Command.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

Republicans and Democrats have had vastly different reactions to the strikes, with President Donald Trump’s critics on the left accusing his administration of possibly committing a war crime.

Republicans, meanwhile, have largely said the military acted within its rightful scope.

House Armed Services Committee Chairman Mike Rogers, R-Ala., has signaled he was satisfied with the information he’s received so far while the top Democrat on the panel, Rep. Adam Smith, D-Wash., said Thursday that the probe was “far from over.”

The Senate Armed Services Committee is conducting its own probe into the matter.

FIRST ON FOX: Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent scrapped Biden-era coin designs intended to celebrate the 250th anniversary of America’s founding after the Trump administration discovered they did not feature a single Founding Father but instead emphasized diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) themes. 

“The new Semiquincentennial Quarter designs will celebrate American history and the founding of our great nation,” U.S. Treasurer Brandon Beach told Fox News Digital Thursday. “While the Biden administration and Secretary Yellen remained focused on DEI and Critical Race Theory policies, the Trump administration is dedicated to fostering prosperity and patriotism. We have no doubt these new designs will be wildly popular with the American people.”

The U.S. Mint did not publicly release designs of the Biden-era quarter coins ahead of Bessent axing their planned rollout, with Fox News Digital obtaining exclusive images of all the quarters. 

Trump signed a law at the end of his first term authorizing the creation of up to five new quarters and a dollar coin to honor the 250th anniversary of America’s founding in July 2026, wj was spearheaded by the Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee, The Wall Street Journal reported. 

TRUMP REVEALS ARC DE TRIOMPHE-STYLE MONUMENT FOR AMERICA’S 250TH ANNIVERSARY

 The committee approved five themes for the coins, including the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, abolition, suffrage and civil rights, the Journal reported, which included some photos of the Biden-era coins, but not all five. 

The Treasury secretary has final sign-off on the coin designs. Former Secretary Janet Yellen approved the coins’ designs for 2026 before leaving office, according to the outlet. 

AMERICAN HISTORY WON’T BE DISPLAYED ‘IN A WOKE MANNER’ AT SMITHSONIAN, TRUMP SAYS

Fox News Digital obtained images of the now-scrapped quarters, and found the one remembering the abolition of slavery showed arms locked in handcuffs while breaking the chains; while another quarter focused on women’s suffrage showed arms holding up a what appeared to be a concrete slab with the inscription “Liberty Equality Justice for Women” and “SUFFRAGE;” while the civil rights coin showed depictions of people linking arms with the inscription, “We shall overcome.” 

The quarter aimed to honor the Declaration of Independence showed the Liberty Bell, while the quarter honoring the Constitution depicted an allegorical Lady Liberty. 

LIBERTY AND UNITY: WHAT AMERICA’S 250TH ANNIVERSARY ASKS OF US TODAY

None of the coins from the Biden-era depicted a Founding Father, though one side of the abolition coin depicted 19th century civil rights leader Frederick Douglass. 

Fox News Digital reached out to Biden’s office for comment on the coin change on Thursday evening. 

“We’re trying to be very sensitive to how people will interpret the themes and designs of the coins,” one of the members of the coin advisory panel told the Wall Street Journal of the previous designs. “They’re much more than just money. They’re things that kids are going to be looking at and grown-ups are going to be looking at.”

The 2021 law establishing the creation of the coins noted that the designs “must be emblematic of a woman’s or women’s contribution to the birth of the nation or the Declaration of Independence or any other monumental moments in American history.”

The Trump administration unveiled its version of the quarters Wednesday evening at the U.S. Mint in Philadelphia, which included a much more patriotic tone. 

One coin celebrated the Mayflower Compact showing a pilgrim couple embracing, one honoring the Revolutionary War with the depiction of a U.S. soldier, a coin celebrating the Declaration with a characterization of the Liberty Bell, and one honoring the U.S. Constitution with a depiction of Independence Hall in Philadelphia. The Treasury also created a coin remembering the end of slavery, focusing on Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address with the inscription “A new nation, conceived in liberty” over a depiction of a person pulling another person from the arm. 

The new designs come after Trump systematically moved to remove DEI programs across the federal government, signing executive orders that directed federal agencies to identify and shut down DEI offices. Trump and conservatives have argued DEI practices promote group-based preferences and ideological conformity over individual merit, free speech and equal treatment. 

The coin change-up also comes as Democrat lawmakers work to thwart the Trump administration from rolling out $1 Trump coins depicting the president, which are also part of the administration widespread efforts to celebrate the nation’s semiquincentennial. 

DEMOCRATIC SENATORS MOVE TO BLOCK TRUMP $1 COINS FROM TREASURY DEPARTMENT MINT

Sens. Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., and Catherine Cortez Masto, D-Nev., introduced legislation earlier in December that would prohibit the federal government from minting currency that bears “the likeness of a living or sitting president.”

“While monarchs put their faces on coins, America has never had and never will have a king,” Cortez Masto said in a press release of the legislation. “Our legislation would codify this country’s long-standing tradition of not putting living Presidents on American coins. Congress must pass it without delay.”

The Treasury Department pointed to a law, USC 31 § 5112(y), which grants authority to redesign circulating coins for the semiquincentennial during 2026. 

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

“Senate Democrats are so triggered by the proposed coin celebrating our nation’s 250th anniversary that they are trying to recklessly change law to block it,” Beach said of the legislation. “The American people deserve a commemorative coin celebrating our great nation. While Senate Democrats continue to maintain self-serving motives, the Trump Administration is delivering prosperity and patriotism.”

Fox News Digital’s Anders Hagstrom contributed to this report. 

Twenty House Republicans joined Democrats to pass a bill reversing President Donald Trump’s executive order blocking most federal unions on Thursday.

The bill was led by Rep. Jared Golden, D-Maine, who got a vote on his measure by filing a discharge petition. It’s designed to force a vote on legislation over the wishes of leadership provided it gets support from a majority of House lawmakers.

The bill, called the Protect America’s Workforce Act, is aimed at repealing a March 2025 executive order by Trump. 

The final vote passed 231 to 195, with all the “no” votes coming from Republicans.

6 HOUSE DEMOCRATS EXPLAIN BREAKING WITH PARTY TO END SHUTDOWN

Trump’s order blocked collective bargaining with unions at an array of federal agencies, including parts of the departments of Defense, State, Veterans Affairs, Justice and Energy.

It also affected workers at the departments of Homeland Security (DHS), Treasury, Health and Human Services (HHS), Interior and Agriculture.

During debate on the bill Thursday afternoon, House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., said undoing Trump’s executive order was akin to encouraging “more work-from-home policies for our federal employees,” which he said Americans voted against when they elected Trump and Republicans to lead in Washington.

“It is important to remember that public sector unions are fundamentally different from their private sector counterparts,” Comer also argued. “In fact, none other than Franklin Delano Roosevelt, a major champion of private sector unions, believed that public sector unions made no sense.”

“In the private sector, unions represent workers and sit across the bargaining table from representatives of business owners. However, federal unions are not negotiating with a profit-seeking corporation. They are negotiating with the public’s elected representatives.”

Rep. Brandon Gill, R-Texas, said, “Union bosses love this bill for one reason, and that’s because it protects their telework perks, it shields them from accountability, and gives them effective veto power over a duly elected president with a mandate to clean up a bloated federal bureaucracy.”

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., argued, “Collective bargaining is essentially the freedom to negotiate the best possible work environment.”

“I’m thankful for this bipartisan effort to restore collective bargaining rights for more than 1 million public servants that are part of our federal government,” Jeffries said.

Rep. Rob Bresnahan, R-Pa., who said his district was home to thousands of federal workers, argued that restoring collective bargaining rights for those workers is “a lifeline that ensures fair wages, safe workplaces, and the basic dignity that every worker deserves,” including corrections officers and people who work with veterans and seniors.

Rep. Mike Lawler, R-N.Y., also appeared on the House floor to debate in favor of the bill, arguing, “These are career public servants, many of them veterans who show up every single day to serve our country. Every American deserves a voice in the workplace, and that includes the people who keep our government running and open.”

Discharge petitions are rarely successful in the House but have been used more frequently this year as Republicans grapple with a razor-thin majority. 

58 HOUSE DEMS VOTE AGAINST RESOLUTION HONORING ‘LIFE AND LEGACY’ OF CHARLIE KIRK

In Golden’s case, five House Republicans had signed onto the petition along with 213 Democrats — Reps. Brian Fitzpatrick, R-Pa., Bresnahan, Don Bacon, R-Neb., Lawler and Nick LaLota, R-N.Y.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

A vote to advance the bill won support from 13 Republicans on Wednesday night, setting it up for the Thursday vote.

That number grew early on Thursday afternoon during another procedural vote to set up final passage, with 22 Republicans voting to push the bill to its final step.

To be successful, however, the measure would still have to be taken up successfully in the Senate and get signed into law by Trump.