NationalWatch

Expect the House of Representatives to make “technical corrections” to President Donald Trump’s “big, beautiful bill” Wednesday.

But if you blink, you might miss it.

Senate Republicans are now in the middle of the “Byrd Bath” with Senate Parliamentarian Elizabeth MacDonough. This is a process, named after late Senate Majority Leader Robert Byrd, D-W.Va., to exclude provisions from budget reconciliation packages that don’t comport with special Senate budget rules. 

The Senate must use this special process to avoid a filibuster.

TRUMP’S SPENDING BILL HEADS TO SENATE WHERE REPUBLICANS PLAN STRATEGIC ADJUSTMENTS TO KEY PROVISIONS 

Some items in the House bill don’t fit into the bill under those special budget rules. So, they are tossing them out. But the House must essentially alter the bill and send it back to the Senate.

The House will embed those changes into a “rule” Wednesday to tee up the spending cancellations bill to trim money for USAID and public broadcasting for debate and a vote on Friday.

POWER PLAYERS OR BASEBALL PLAYERS? THE HISTORY BEHIND THE CONGRESSIONAL BASEBALL GAME

So, the “altered” bill, with the technical corrections, goes back to the Senate.

“I think it’s going to be nothing that was unexpected. I don’t think it’s going to be a problem,” House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., said.

“I’m trying to defend my product that was sent over there. As you all know, it took a long time to get that balance.”

President Donald Trump issued a word of caution for anyone who attempts to protest the military parade he is putting on to commemorate the U.S. Army’s 250th birthday in Washington. 

“If there’s any protest once they come out, they will be met with very big force,” Trump told reporters Tuesday. “I haven’t even heard about a protest. But people that hate our country … they will be met with very heavy force.” 

TRUMP TO HOST MILITARY PARADE TO CELEBRATE ARMY’S 250TH BIRTHDAY

The event will be held Saturday, and will feature flyovers, historical reenactments, military vehicles and other “moving tributes” honoring service members, according to America250, a nonpartisan initiative working to engage Americans in the U.S.’ 250th anniversary. 

“It’s going to be an amazing day,” Trump said Tuesday. We have planes. We have all sorts of things. And I think it’s going to be great. We’re going to celebrate our country for a change.”

FIRST LADY MELANIA TRUMP WELCOMES MILITARY MOMS TO WHITE HOUSE FOR MOTHER’S DAY

“The event is designed not only to showcase the Army’s modern capabilities but also to inspire a new generation to embrace the spirit of service, resilience, and leadership that defines the United States,” the America250 site says.

Trump’s comments coincide with massive protests and riots in Los Angeles stemming from recent arrests in the city by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. In response, Trump has deployed thousands of National Guard troops and 700 Marines to halt the riots and claimed that their presence will prevent the destruction of the city. 

However, Democrat California Gov. Gavin Newsom has criticized the Trump administration’s use of troops, and claimed that the move undermines California’s sovereignty. 

ICE SWEEPS THROUGH LA BUSINESSES AS LOCAL DEMOCRATS CRY FOUL OVER TRUMP ADMINISTRATION’S ENFORCEMENT ACTIONS

While state governors usually oversee National Guard troops, Trump invoked a law to place the troops under federal command. 

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“I have formally requested the Trump Administration rescind their unlawful deployment of troops in Los Angeles county and return them to my command,” Newsom wrote on X Sunday. “We didn’t have a problem until Trump got involved. This is a serious breach of state sovereignty — inflaming tensions while pulling resources from where they’re actually needed.”

New York City Mayor Eric Adams took a harsh tone against any possibility of anti-ICE riots at a news conference on Monday, as cities around the country gear up for potential unrest.

Riots have occurred in Los Angeles in opposition to federal immigration authorities, in addition to demonstrations nationwide.

“I believe we must build a system based on trust not fear, but two wrongs do not make it right. I understand that some New Yorkers may be angry, afraid and ready to express that. New York City will always be a place to peacefully protest, we will not allow violence and lawlessness,” Adams said. There have been protests throughout the city in recent days, Fox 5 New York reported.

ERIC ADAMS UNFAZED BY RULING AGAINST HIS PLAN TO COMBAT MIGRANT CRIME: ‘ALL PART OF THE PROCESS’

“The escalation of protests in Los Angeles over the last couple of days is unacceptable and would not be tolerated if attempted in our city,” he continued.

New York Police Department Commissioner Jessica Tisch said that if New York does “experience civil unrest of the sort that we have been witnessing in California, the full resources of the New York City Police Department are available and prepared to respond.”

“We will maintain public order and we will do it consistent with the law,” she added.

Tisch said the city does not “engage in civil immigration enforcement” but said they have “no tolerance for violence,” “no tolerance for property damage” and “no tolerance” for blockade-style demonstrations.

Adams has exhibited a degree of cooperation with the Trump administration on federal immigration law, as a legal battle is underway to allow ICE to have an office on Riker’s Island – a request that Adams supports, but the city council has sued him over in opposition.

In February, border czar Tom Homan and Adams said they plan to work together.

NYC MAYOR ADAMS, TRUMP BORDER CZAR HOMAN ANNOUNCE ‘GAME CHANGER’ FOR ICE ENFORCEMENT

“Getting back in Rikers Island is a game changer. Not only do we get the bad guys really hitting the streets, the intelligence of how [Tren de Aragua] operates, where they’re operating, all this intelligence they gather at Rikers Island, we have access to,” Homan said in a joint interview with Adams on “Fox & Friends” at the time.

“The far left has hijacked this narrative [that] ICE is running in our schools, ICE is running in our churches, and they are creating this frenzy. They’re not in the business of just grabbing children. We need to just stop all this noise,” Adams said in the interview.  

CLICK HERE FOR MORE IMMIGRATION COVERAGE

Meanwhile, the Los Angeles area continues to face riots, which has created a standoff between President Donald Trump, who’s ordered troops to the area, and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass and Gov. Gavin Newsom. Over 100 people have been arrested, according to USA Today.

While there have been anti-ICE demonstrations during the day in Los Angeles and throughout the nation, the cause for concern has largely centered around property damage from agitators and looting businesses, according to Fox 11 LA.

NYC MAYOR ERIC ADAMS PROMISES TO REOPEN ICE OFFICE ON RIKERS ISLAND AFTER MEETING WITH TRUMP BORDER CZAR

“If I didn’t ‘SEND IN THE TROOPS’ to Los Angeles the last three nights, that once beautiful and great City would be burning to the ground right now, much like 25,000 houses burned to the ground in L.A. due to an incompetent Governor and Mayor – Incidentally, the much more difficult, time consuming, and stringent FEDERAL PERMITTING PROCESS is virtually complete on these houses, while the easy and simple City and State Permits are disastrously bungled up and WAY BEHIND SCHEDULE!” Trump posted to Truth Social on Tuesday morning.

“They are a total mess, and will be for a long time. People want to rebuild their houses. Call your incompetent Governor and Mayor, the Federal permitting is DONE!!!” he continued.

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Newsom has said the violence has been instigated by the president.

“Have no doubt – Violent criminals who take advantage of Trump’s chaos WILL be held accountable. Our number one priority has been and will be keeping LA safe. If you’re protesting peacefully. Stay calm. Look out for one another,” Newsom posted to X on Monday night.

The ICE backlash comes as the agency has a goal to arrest a minimum of 3,000 illegal immigrants daily, including those with additional criminal charges or convictions.

FIRST ON FOX – Republican attorneys general from at least 27 states want to coordinate a “game plan” with the FBI and the Department of Justice to “root out antisemitic domestic terrorism.” 

Fox News Digital first obtained a copy of their letter to FBI Director Kash Patel and Attorney General Pam Bondi on Tuesday requesting “assistance in the fight against antisemitic domestic terrorism in the United States.” 

“We hope to meet with you personally to discuss ways that the states can support the excellent work of the FBI and partner with the Department of Justice to ensure those who are committing these egregious acts are held accountable to the fullest extent of the law,” the letter, spearheaded by South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson, says. 

“Like you, we were horrified by the Hamas terrorist attacks against the people of Israel on October 7, 2023, and we are concerned with the increase in antisemitism that has unfolded since that fateful day,” the state attorneys general wrote. “Domestic terrorists have become more emboldened to commit horrific crimes against Jews and supporters of Israel since October 7, and our collective response will impact the trajectory of that development.” 

TRUMP SAYS BOULDER TERROR ATTACK ‘WILL NOT BE TOLERATED,’ DEPORTATIONS MUST CONTINUE

The letter references how two staff members of the Israeli Embassy in Washington, D.C., were shot and killed outside the Lillian & Albert Small Capital Jewish Museum on May 21. The victims – 30-year-old Yaron Lischinsky and 26-year-old Sarah Milgrim – were leaving an event hosted by the American Jewish Committee when they were attacked. The couple was reportedly set to be engaged. 

The alleged gunman, 31-year-old Elias Rodriguez of Chicago, shouted, “I did it for Palestine, I did it for Gaza,” when he was taken into custody, according to authorities. 

Wilson – along with the attorneys general for Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Wyoming and West Virginia – say the attack is a “sobering reminder of the persistence and growth of antisemitism in the United States.” 

Their letter also references how Mohamed Sabry Soliman, an illegal immigrant from Egypt, is accused of setting victims on fire in Boulder, Colorado, on June 1, “while they peacefully rallied on behalf of Israeli hostages still being held by Hamas in Gaza.” The suspect was reportedly heard yelling, “Free Palestine,” and other anti-Israel slogans. The victims range from ages 52 to 88. The letter cites how one of the burning victims is reportedly a Holocaust survivor.

“We applaud the FBI for wasting no time in investigating both of these recent incidences of antisemitic domestic terrorism,” the letter says. “Senseless violence and the incitement of such violence is also becoming rampant on college campuses. Those who revel in the October 7 attacks show public hostility to the point where many Jewish students do not feel safe living everyday lives. Standing up to antisemitism on college campuses is something the states care about as well.” 

PATEL SOUNDS ALARM AS CHINESE NATIONALS CHARGED WITH SMUGGLING ‘AGROTERRORISM AGENT’ INTO US: ‘DIRECT THREAT’

The letter commends the work of the FBI and the DOJ’s creation of “Joint Task Force October 7” to investigate antisemitism as “recent evidence of the Trump Administration’s resolve to be a force for good in the fight against hate-inspired criminal activity.” 

President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Jan. 29 establishing the mandate for his administration “to combat anti-Semitism vigorously, using all available and appropriate legal tools, to prosecute, remove, or otherwise hold to account the perpetrators of unlawful anti-Semitic harassment and violence.”

He has also sought to empower state and local law enforcement by instructing “appropriate heads of executive departments” to “take all appropriate action to maximize the use of federal resources” to increase the “collection, distribution and uniformity of crime data across jurisdictions,” the letter says. “After all, ‘preparedness is most effectively owned and managed at the State, local and even individual levels, supported by a competent, accessible, and efficient federal government.’” 

“As our states’ chief legal officers, we see firsthand how effective use of investigative tools aid in the prosecution and prevention of criminal activity,” the letter says. “And we want to work with the FBI and the Department of Justice to be part of the solution to the growing wave of antisemitic domestic terrorism. That’s why we write to encourage further cooperation between federal law enforcement and the states, and for a chance to discuss what such a partnership could look like.”

The letter says the “tips and leads amassed by the FBI could be shared with state and local law enforcement to stop domestic terrorism in its tracks.” 

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP 

The attorneys general went on to say that the “FBI is world-renowned for its investigative expertise, and the states appreciate the FBI’s current efforts to disseminate threat intelligence to state and local law enforcement.” 

“At the same time, increased partnership between state, local and federal law enforcement to share intelligence on antisemitic threats could help stem the tide of domestic terrorism,” the letter says. “We would welcome the chance to meet with you in the coming weeks to discuss a potential partnership between the FBI, the Department of Justice and the states. Together we can create a game plan to root out antisemitic domestic terrorism.” 

Both Republicans and Democrats have used analysis from the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office as a political cudgel when it suits them, but with unfavorable reviews of President Donald Trump‘s “one big, beautiful bill” coming out, some in the GOP are questioning the relevancy of the agency.

The CBO’s latest analysis of the gargantuan tax cut and spending package found that the House Republican-authored super bill would add $2.4 trillion to the national deficit over the next decade and boot millions off of health insurance.

‘HE’S NOT A BIG FACTOR’: TRUMP’S SENATE ALLIES DISMISS ELON MUSK’S CALLS TO ‘KILL THE BILL’

Senate Republicans will now get their chance to tweak and change the legislation, and have vowed to do so, despite warnings from Trump to reshape the bill as little as possible.

Congressional Republicans have largely scoffed at the agency’s findings, arguing that the CBO doesn’t include expected economic growth or other factors into its scoring of the bill.

“I don’t care what the CBO says,” Sen. Jim Banks, R-Ind., told Fox News Digital. “They’re irrelevant to me. They were biased before. They’ve been biased in other things, but all the numbers speak for themselves.”

‘GONE TOO FAR’: GOP LAWMAKERS RALLY AROUND TRUMP AFTER MUSK RAISES EPSTEIN ALLEGATIONS

The agency’s latest score found that the House’s reconciliation offering would cut $1.2 trillion over a decade, add $2.4 trillion to the deficit and decrease revenues by $3.6 trillion. It also found that if the GOP’s proposals to slash Medicaid stay as is, nearly 11 million people would be booted from their health care.

That number cranks up to about 16 million Americans removed from the benefit rolls when factoring in Affordable Care Act provisions that are set to expire. 

However, the White House declared the CBO scores inaccurate, and argued that the package achieved, through a combination of spending cuts, reversing regulations ushered in by the Biden administration and tariffs – which are not part of the bill – roughly $6.6 trillion in savings over the next decade.  

Many raised issues with the agency’s accuracy, arguing that they got the score wrong for Trump’s 2017 tax package.

“I mean, I heard the numbers are always wrong,” said Rep. Troy Nehls, R-Texas. “What’s the purpose?”

GOP SENATORS EXPRESS ‘CONCERNS,’ ‘SKEPTICISM’ OVER TRUMP’S SPENDING BILL AFTER MUSK RANT

Rep. Pat Fallon, R-Texas, agreed, and contended that it was “time to discuss the CBO being more damn accurate.” 

Still, some Republicans believe the CBO serves a purpose.

Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, said she didn’t believe the agency should be done away with, adding “we need to have a source for scores.”

“We kind of go back and forth in terms of condemning CBO because we hate their score, or praising CBO because we like the outcome,” she said. “And I think that’s what we’re seeing a lot of right now, is looking at that CBO score and saying, ‘That’s not real.’”

Other lawmakers questioned what the alternative would be. Sen. Roger Marshall, R-Kan., told Fox News Digital, “We need something,” but acknowledged that he felt the agency was biased, and that both parties used scores “to our manipulation.”

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP 

Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., believes that the agency’s score was wildly incorrect. Still, he is one of the main antagonists of the current bill because it does not go far enough to achieve deep spending cuts.

The lawmaker told Fox News Digital that he believed the 50-year-old agency would soon be a relic of the past.

“I think just AI is gonna replace them,” he said. “I’m using AI all the time to do the sensitivity analysis. I don’t need CBO to do these sensitivity analyses anymore, I can do it myself.” 

A federal judge has restricted the Department of Government Efficiency’s access to federal databases, citing a “breach of law and trust.” 

Led by the American Federation of Government Employees, a group of current and former federal government employees and their unions in February sued the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) and DOGE for alleged “breach of privacy.”

U.S. District Judge Denise Cote of the Southern District of New York granted the plaintiffs’ April 25 motion for a preliminary injunction Monday, but said the scope of the injunction would be addressed in a separate order. 

“Following President Trump’s inauguration, OPM granted broad access to many of those systems to a group of individuals associated with the Department of Government Efficiency (‘DOGE’), even though no credible need for this access had been demonstrated. In doing so, OPM violated the law and bypassed its established cybersecurity practices,” Cote wrote in a 99-page opinion on Monday. 

SUPREME COURT RULES DOGE CAN ACCESS SOCIAL SECURITY INFORMATION

“In brief, the OPM records at issue concern the plaintiffs’ most sensitive private affairs,” the opinion says. “They include social security numbers, health care information, banking information, and information about family members. For some people, disclosure of information in OPM systems could subject them to danger.” 

An appointee of President Bill Clinton, Cotes said plaintiffs “have shown they are entitled to” a preliminary injunction, which “would stop disclosure of OPM records to individuals associated with DOGE and require the destruction of any copies of personal information that have been obtained through such disclosure.” 

“The plaintiffs have shown that the defendants disclosed OPM records to individuals who had no legal right of access to those records,” Cotes wrote. “In doing so, the defendants violated the Privacy Act and departed from cybersecurity standards that they are obligated to follow. This was a breach of law and of trust. Tens of millions of Americans depend on the Government to safeguard records that reveal their most private and sensitive affairs.” 

The judge further criticized the Trump administration’s handling of OPM records. 

“The Government could have acknowledged that in its rush to accomplish a new President’s agenda mistakes were made and established, important protocols were overlooked. It has not,” Cote wrote. “The Government has defended this lawsuit by repeatedly invoking a mantra that it adhered to all established procedures and safeguards. It did not. Without a full-throated recognition that the law and established cybersecurity procedures must be followed, the risk of irreparable harm will continue to exist.” 

In a May hearing, Justice Department lawyers reportedly argued that any preliminary injunction granted should include exceptions for high-level OPM officials and cited how a separate judge had walked back initial restrictions placed on DOGE access to Treasury Department records in February so long as DOGE staffers have the appropriate training and vetting, according to the Federal News Network.

Justice Department lawyers filed a separate motion in the case on Friday, citing the Supreme Court’s latest decision related to DOGE access to Social Security Administration (SSA) records. 

DOGE’s future remains uncertain amid a rocky public fallout between its former leader, tech billionaire Elon Musk, and President Donald Trump, though both men previously said they want the waste-cutting entity’s work to continue. 

The Supreme Court handed the Trump administration two victories on Friday in cases involving DOGE, including giving it access to Social Security systems containing personal data on millions of Americans. The three liberal justices dissented in both cases.

FEDERAL JUDGE DISMISSES CALIFORNIA’S LAWSUIT OVER TRUMP TARIFFS, CITING JURISDICTION ISSUE

The justices also separately reined in orders seeking transparency at DOGE. 

In one case, the high court halted an order from a judge in Maryland that had restricted the team’s access to the SSA under federal privacy laws.

The Trump administration says DOGE needs access to carry out its mission of targeting waste in the federal government. Musk had been focused on Social Security as an alleged hotbed of fraud. The entrepreneur has described it as a “Ponzi scheme” and insisted that reducing waste in the program is an important way to cut government spending.

But U.S. District Judge Ellen Hollander in Maryland found that DOGE’s efforts at Social Security amounted to a “fishing expedition” based on “little more than suspicion” of fraud, and allowing unfettered access puts Americans’ private information at risk.

Her ruling did allow access to anonymous data for staffers who have undergone training and background checks, or wider access for those who have detailed a specific need.

The Trump administration has said DOGE cannot work effectively with those restrictions.

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U.S. Solicitor General D. John Sauer also argued that the ruling is an example of federal judges overstepping their authority and trying to micromanage executive branch agencies.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

FIRST ON FOX: Sen. Tom Cotton is renewing his hard-line stance on civil unrest, this time targeting riots tied to immigration enforcement protests in Los Angeles.

The Arkansas Republican, who drew widespread criticism for urging military intervention during the 2020 racial justice riots, is now introducing two new bills designed to impose strict penalties on violent protesters – particularly those who target federal agents or are in the country illegally.

“Rioters who assault ICE officers and engage in acts of violence should face stiff consequences,” Cotton said in a statement. “My bill makes clear that Americans will not tolerate lawless rioting and is a guardrail from pro-crime prosecutors that fail to enforce the law.”

One of Cotton’s proposed measures, the No Visas for Violent Criminals Act, would automatically revoke visas and trigger deportation for any foreign national convicted of a crime during a protest. That includes offenses like blocking traffic or defacing public property.

POSSE COMITATUS ACT AT CENTER OF TRUMP-NEWSOM NATIONAL GUARD DISPUTE IN LA

Another, the Mitigating Extreme Lawlessness and Threats Act, would increase the maximum punishment for participation in a riot from five years to 10 years and establish a mandatory minimum of one year in prison for participating in any riot-related act of violence and or assaulting a member of federal law enforcement. 

Appearing on Fox News Monday, Cotton argued it was not the deployment of federal resources or deportation efforts that were “provocative,” but rather the behavior of protesters.

“It’s not provocative to enforce federal law. It’s not provocative to do what President Trump campaigned on,” he said.

“What’s provocative is to have all of these illegal aliens setting cars on fire while waving foreign flags – and now being joined by professional agitators from Antifa and pro-Hamas sympathizers.”

Critics have claimed President Donald Trump broke federal law by sending in some 2,000 National Guard troops to Los Angeles without approval from California Gov. Gavin Newsom. However, Cotton claimed the law was on the president’s side.

MUSK DOES IMMEDIATE 180 ON TRUMP AS SOON AS LA RIOTS RAGE

“The law is entirely clear,” he said. “The National Guard, traditionally operating under governors’ authorities, can be federalized and can be used by the president to restore basic order and to enforce federal law.”

In 2020, Cotton penned a now-infamous op-ed in The New York Times titled “Send in the Troops,” advocating for an “overwhelming show of force” to quell the unrest following George Floyd’s death. The Times initially stood by the piece, citing free speech and diverse viewpoints, but later reversed course, claiming the essay “fell short of our standards and should not have been published.”

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This past weekend, Trump also hinted at the potential use of the Insurrection Act, saying he might deploy active-duty Marines to suppress ongoing demonstrations.

“The Insurrection Act was also a backstop for the National Guard to provide the president for use of active duty troops. President Trump has said we’re not there yet, but he does stand by ready to do so if necessary. That’s what I said,” Cotton said. 

A federal judge in California ruled on Monday that the Trump administration cannot enforce executive orders that require groups to halt programs that promote diversity, equity and inclusion or acknowledge the existence of transgender people to receive grant funding.

U.S. District Judge Jon Tigar wrote in his order that a group of pro-LGBTQ nonprofits “demonstrated that they likely have standing to challenge” several provisions in President Donald Trump’s executive orders, which the groups argue violate the Constitution.

“These three funding provisions reflect an effort to censor constitutionally protected speech and services promoting DEI and recognizing the existence of transgender individuals,” the judge wrote in his order. 

Tigar said that while the executive branch “requires some degree of freedom to implement its political agenda, it is still bound by the Constitution,” and “cannot weaponize Congressionally appropriated funds to single out protected communities for disfavored treatment or suppress ideas that it does not like or has deemed dangerous.”

NPR SUES TRUMP WHITE HOUSE OVER EXECUTIVE ORDER TARGETING PUBLIC MEDIA

Lawyers for the government say that the president is permitted to “align government funding and enforcement strategies” with his policies.

Plaintiffs say that Congress — and not the president — has the power to condition how federal funds are used, and that the executive orders restrict free speech rights.

FEDERAL JUDGE RULES AGAINST TRUMP ORDER HALTING SEX CHANGE PROCEDURES IN PRISONS

The plaintiffs include health centers, LGBTQ+ services groups, the Gay Lesbian Bisexual Transgender Historical Society and the San Francisco AIDS Foundation. The groups are all recipients of federal funding and say that following the executive orders will prevent them from completing their missions.

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The judge’s order will remain in effect while the legal case continues, although government lawyers will likely appeal.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Today is primary day in New Jersey, one of only two states in the nation, along with Virginia, that hold elections for governor this year.

And in the spotlight in the races for both the Republican and Democrat gubernatorial nominations is the nation’s most powerful and polarizing figure: President Donald Trump.

In the GOP primary showdown, which for months has been a battle for Trump’s support, frontrunner Jack Ciattarelli landed the president’s endorsement a couple of weeks ago.

“I’m asking you to get out and vote for a true champion for the people of your state: Jack Ciattarelli. He’s been a friend of mine, and he’s been a real success story,” Trump told supporters a week ago as he dialed into a tele-rally on the eve of the kickoff of early voting in New Jersey.

NEW JERSEY PRIMARY EARLY TEST OF TRUMP’S SECOND TERM AS PRESIDENT

Ciattarelli told Fox News Digital after meeting with local GOP leaders at Trump National Golf Club-Philadelphia that the president’s endorsement was “a really big deal” and “The president’s doing very, very well in New Jersey.”

Ciattarelli, a former state lawmaker, is making his third bid for governor. He ran unsuccessfully for the GOP nomination in 2017. Four years later, in 2021, Ciattarelli overperformed as the Republican nominee and came close to ousting the Democrat incumbent, Gov. Phil Murphy, losing by just three points.

WATCH: WHAT BILL SPADEA TOLD FOX NEWS DIGITAL

In the contest to succeed Murphy, who is term-limited, surveys suggest Ciattarelli is the frontrunner in a five-person Republican field that includes two other prominent candidates: former businessman and popular conservative talk radio host Bill Spadea and state Sen. Jon Bramnick, a lawyer who served for a decade as state Assembly GOP leader.

Ciattarelli and Spadea spent months trading fire over which of them was a bigger Trump supporter.

“It was certainly disappointing,” Spadea said of Trump’s endorsement of Ciattarelli. “I mean, we made no bones about this. We absolutely wanted the president’s endorsement. Unfortunately, the president endorsed a poll and not a plan.”

Spadea highlighted in a Fox News Digital interview last week that “I have been a supporter of President Trump since he came down the escalator,” in reference to Trump’s announcement of his first presidential campaign in 2015.

“There is no question that I am the commonsense conservative. I am the actual Republican in this primary,” Spadea said.

And Spadea questioned Ciattarelli’s support for Trump, arguing that his rival “has disrespected him (Trump) for the better part of the last eight years. … We thought that that endorsement would have been better served with me.”

After he won the GOP gubernatorial nomination four years ago, Ciattarelli said when asked if he was seeking the then-former president’s endorsement, “There’s only one endorsement I seek, and that’s the endorsement of the voters of New Jersey. That’s the only one that matters.”

WHAT JACK CIATTARELLI TOLD FOX NEWS DIGITAL

Fast-forward to 2025, and Ciattarelli said “people really appreciate what he (Trump) is doing for New Jerseyans. He’s put a temporary hold on the wind farms off the Jersey Shore. He’s beating up on the New York Democrats over congestion pricing. He supports a quadrupling of the SALT [state and local tax] deduction on our federal tax returns. Those are big deals to New Jersey, and that’s why he’s got so much great support here. And I’m honored to have his endorsement.”

While he lost out on Trump’s endorsement, Spadea said there’s been a silver lining.

“Our supporters are galvanized. Matter of fact, the Tuesday and Wednesday after Trump endorsed Jack, we had a surge, our two best days ever in low-dollar fundraising,” Spadea said. “So it actually has had the opposite effect – our low-dollar surge, our volunteer surge. We’re now knocking on more than 3,000 doors a week, and we’re getting an unbelievable response from the grassroots.”

Spadea said “almost every Trump supporter that we’ve talked to face-to-face on the ground thinks that Donald Trump made a huge mistake” in endorsing Ciattarelli.

Asked why Trump endorsed him rather than Spadea, Ciattarelli said “the president wants to win. He knows that I provide the best opportunity to win in November.”

“He knows we’re going to raise the necessary money. We’ve raised more money than the other five Republican gubernatorial candidates combined.” 

Ciattarelli is a certified public accountant who started a medical publishing company before getting into politics. His fundraising has allowed him to dominate the GOP primary ad wars.

But Spadea, pointing to his media career, said he would be the more electable Republican candidate in November in blue-leaning New Jersey.

REPUBLICAN GOVERNORS CHAIR, POINTING TO CAMPAIGN BATTLES AHEAD, TOUTS ‘OUR POLICIES ARE BETTER’

“I built the largest audience in the state: a third Democrat, a third independent, a third Republican. So my appeal is not just that conservative base in the Republican Party. I’m the only candidate running for the Republican nomination that can pull in Democrats and independents,” he said.

The Democratic Governors Association, pointing to the rush by the top two candidates to embrace Trump, has long described the 2025 Republican showdown as a “MAGA battle” and that there’s “extremism in the GOP primary.”

The Democrats have their own primary battle, with six major contenders facing off for the nomination.

They are Reps. Mikie Sherrill and Josh Gottheimer, Newark Mayor Ras Baraka, Jersey City Mayor Steve Fulop, New Jersey Education Association President Sean Spiller and former state Senate President Steve Sweeney.

The primary is one of the first ballot-box opportunities for Democrats to weigh in as the party aims to rebound after last November’s election setbacks, when Republicans won the White House, the Senate majority and successfully defended their fragile control of the House.

Pundits see Tuesday’s primary as a “bellwether” for how the party should push back against Trump’s sweeping and controversial moves since returning to the White House in January.

Like Murphy, who they’re aiming to succeed, the Democrat candidates have heavily criticized some of Trump’s crackdowns on illegal immigration and federal workforce cuts by the recently created Department of Government Efficiency.

But the candidates have also carefully walked a fine line between building on Murphy’s legacy as governor while also calling for change to the status quo at the state capitol in Trenton.

The Republican Governors Association, taking aim at Murphy and his party, has argued that “Democrat rule in Trenton has been a disaster, leading to skyrocketing costs, failed schools, and New Jersey families getting the short end of the stick.”

While New Jersey has long leaned toward the Democrats, Republicans have had success in gubernatorial elections.

“It’s not a blue state when it comes to governor races. Republicans have won six of the last 11. That’s better than 50%,” Ciattarelli said.

Trump, who for years has spent summer weekends at his golf club in Bedminster, held a large campaign rally last year in Wildwood. And he improved from a 16-point loss in the state in the 2020 election to a six-point deficit last November. 

Ciattarelli, looking ahead to the general election campaign, said he’s “really looking forward” to Trump’s “active participation … I think New Jerseyans are anxious to have him on the campaign trail with me and help deliver a win for us in November.”

Meanwhile, the Garden State has frequently made national headlines this year. Newark Liberty International Airport saw multiple FAA system outages this spring, causing travel delays.

Meanwhile, a New Jersey transit strike created more travel mayhem when commuter trains briefly sat sidelined.

And protests by prominent Democrat politicians at an Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility in Newark also put the state in the spotlight. Among those arrested was one of the candidates: Newark’s Baraka.

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In-person early voting ran from June 3 through Sunday. And vote-by-mail ballots must be postmarked by Election Day and received by the county Board of Elections on or before the sixth day after the close of the polls.

Polls open for in-person voting on primary day at 6 a.m. and close at 8 p.m.

Fox News’ Remy Numa contributed to this report.

Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., spoke out against the “anarchy and true chaos” in Los Angeles, declaring that Democrats forfeit “moral high ground” if they do not decry the violence.

“I unapologetically stand for free speech, peaceful demonstrations, and immigration—but this is not that. This is anarchy and true chaos. My party loses the moral high ground when we refuse to condemn setting cars on fire, destroying buildings, and assaulting law enforcement,” Fetterman declared in a post on X.

Elon Musk replied to Fetterman’s post with an American flag emoji.

MARINES BEING DEPLOYED TO LOS ANGELES AMID RIOTS AS CALIFORNIA MOVES TO SUE TRUMP OVER RESPONSE

Ohio gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy noted, “It’s hard to preach hard truths to your own side. I respect this.”

Deputy White House chief of staff and Cabinet secretary Taylor Budowich responded to Fetterman in a post, writing: “This is a wake up call for many Democrats: there is no room for you in the party of @GavinNewsom and @KamalaHarris. Their self-obsessed pursuits of power are blind to you and your concerns. They defend chaos, reject biology, and are unbothered by the invasion of our nation.”

FETTERMAN DISSES DEMS FOR SUDDENLY EMBRACING MUSK AMID TRUMP FALLOUT

President Donald Trump has deployed National Guard troops in response to the unrest in LA.

“We made a great decision in sending the National Guard to deal with the violent, instigated riots in California. If we had not done so, Los Angeles would have been completely obliterated,” the president asserted on Monday in a Truth Social post.

FETTERMAN DEFIES ‘PUNITIVE’ PUNISHMENT FOR BREAKING WITH DEMOCRATIC PARTY DURING BIPARTISAN DISCUSSION

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Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth noted in a tweet on Monday evening that U.S. Marines were being deployed to the city “to restore order.” 

Donald Trump is relishing all this, flaming every target in sight – or trying to put out fires in Los Angeles – as a president who loves being at war. 

Elon Musk, clearly missing the spotlight, is using X as a weapon, calling for his former pal’s impeachment – but deleting his tweet tying Trump to Jeffrey Epstein in what might be viewed as an apology. 

Gavin Newsom is all fired up, daring Trump’s border czar to arrest him and accusing the president of inflaming the situation by dispatching the National Guard over his objections. 

TRUMP BORDER CZAR RESPONDS TO NEWSOM’S ‘ARREST ME’ CHALLENGE AS CALIFORNIA RIOTS OVER ICE RAIDS

The media are eagerly drinking from the Trump fire hose in the greatest, most entertaining breakup since Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni were denouncing each other. But several journalists were injured covering the violent L.A. protests, even as they reported that the vast majority of demonstrators are peaceful. 

And for me, it meant a crazy hour of television. 

We made lots of last-minute changes on “Media Buzz,” but the biggest one involved ABC correspondent and anchor Terry Moran. I was tapping out the script on my phone during commercial breaks. 

For reasons I’ll never be able to fathom, Moran posted a scathing attack on White House domestic policy chief Stephen Miller, calling him a “world-class hater.” He also put Trump in the same category. 

LIBERALS, ANTI-TRUMP FIGURES BASH ABC FOR SUSPENDING TERRY MORAN OVER SOCIAL MEDIA RANT

On Maria Bartiromo’s show, which airs before mine, Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said Moran should be suspended or fired. Shortly after we went off the air, ABC suspended Moran, saying he had violated company standards. I’ll never fathom why he blew up his career.  

You can’t overcover a public meltdown like this – Trump now saying Musk had “worn thin” and he’d asked him to leave – but journalists have a high-minded justification for the low-rent sniping. The president’s entire agenda is wrapped up in the not-so-beautiful bill, including border funding, tax cuts, food stamps and trimming the Medicaid rolls. 

The measure passed the House by a single vote because a number of hard-line Republicans agree with Musk that it’s a “disgusting abomination” which, at a minimum, would boost the deficit by $2.4 billion over 10 years. 

But Trump is like a movie studio mogul who simultaneously moves from one sound stage to the next. And that is a challenge to journalists who race to keep up–but also boosts ratings as he constantly taking questions from the reporters and producers he also denigrates. It’s a love-hate relationship, but lately, mostly hate.

BOLD MOVE TO KEEP AMERICANS SAFE FROM ‘TERRORISTS’ IS BASIS FOR US TRAVEL BAN FOR SOME AFRICAN NATIONS

Trump issued a travel ban on 12 countries, mostly in the Middle East and Africa. Big story.

Trump brought Kilmar Abrego Garcia back to the U.S., after saying it couldn’t be done, and the mistakenly deported Salvadoran will face charges of human trafficking of illegal migrants – months after the Supreme Court ordered his return.

Trump is battling elite law firms, many of which are caving and agreeing to provide up to $125 million in free services rather than lose access to classified material that would cause an exodus of clients. Big story.

Trump backed off on criticizing Vladimir Putin after that incredible Ukrainian drone strike decimated a third of the Russian fleet, thousands of miles away. Now he says he may walk away from a war in which Putin has no conceivable interest in peace. Big story.

ZELENSKYY DISMISSES TRUMP’S CLAIM THAT RUSSIA WANTS PEACE, SAYS HE KNOWS PUTIN ‘MUCH BETTER’

Trump issued a wave of controversial pardons, especially one for a man who committed fraud by stealing from his employees, which came after his mother, a big-time GOP donor, paid $1 million to get face time with the president at a Mar-a-Lago fundraising dinner. Now he avoids a jail term and having to make over $4 million in restitution to his victims. Big story.

Trump is freezing funds for Harvard and investigating the Harvard Law Review. Big stories.

SUBSCRIBE TO HOWIE’S MEDIA BUZZMETER PODCAST, A RIFF ON THE DAY’S HOTTEST STORIES

Trump has ordered an investigation of Joe Biden and the undisputed coverup of his mental decline, arguing that his actions could be overturned if top aides were making the decisions. Huge story. But the coverage has been muted, in part because the press doesn’t take it seriously and Democrats don’t want to fuel any story that involves more visibility for Biden.

This nonstop gusher may deflect criticism that Trump is profiting from the presidency by selling meme coins and other items that once would have prompted an uproar. 

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By the time you read this, the president may have made news on several other controversial subjects. It’s a strategy that helps him and, in many ways, the media that are always scrambling to keep up.

House Homeland Security Committee Chairman Mark Green, R-Tenn., is departing Capitol Hill early, he announced on Monday.

Green said he is leaving Congress for the private sector after the House votes again on President Donald Trump’s “big, beautiful bill” in the coming weeks, in a statement first obtained by Fox News Digital.

“It is with a heavy heart that I announce my retirement from Congress. Recently, I was offered an opportunity in the private sector that was too exciting to pass up. As a result, today I notified the Speaker and the House of Representatives that I will resign from Congress as soon as the House votes once again on the reconciliation package,” Green said.

HOUSE GOP TARGETS ANOTHER DEM OFFICIAL ACCUSED OF BLOCKING ICE AMID DELANEY HALL FALLOUT

He called serving Tennessee’s 7th Congressional District “the honor of a lifetime.”

“They asked me to deliver on the conservative values and principles we all hold dear, and I did my level best to do so. Along the way, we passed historic tax cuts, worked with President Trump to secure the border, and defended innocent life. I am extremely proud of my work as Chairman of the Homeland Security Committee, and want to thank my staff, both in my seventh district office, as well as the professional staff on that committee,” Green said.

Green acknowledged in his statement that he had previously geared up to retire in the last Congress, but reversed course.

MEET THE TRUMP-PICKED LAWMAKERS GIVING SPEAKER JOHNSON A FULL HOUSE GOP CONFERENCE

“Though I planned to retire at the end of the previous Congress, I stayed to ensure that President Trump’s border security measures and priorities make it through Congress,” he said.

“By overseeing the border security portion of the reconciliation package, I have done that. After that, I will retire, and there will be a special election to replace me.”

Green is an Army veteran who has served in Congress since 2019.

As House Homeland Security Committee chairman, he oversaw Republicans’ impeachment of former Biden administration DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas.

It’s not clear where in the private sector Green will go, but it’s a safe bet to assume his House seat will stay in Republican hands.

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The district voted for President Donald Trump by more than 20 percentage points over former Vice President Kamala Harris last year.

Republican leaders are hoping to complete consideration of Trump’s massive agenda bill by the Fourth of July or shortly thereafter.

The bill passed the House in a narrow 215-214 vote, and it is now being considered by the Senate. If the Senate changes the bill, as expected, the House will have to approve that version before it hits Trump’s desk.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation said on Monday that it will look into any organized effort to create chaos in Los Angeles, as anti-ICE riots occurred over the weekend.

“We’re investigating anyone who crosses the line from first-amendment protected activity to violence and are prepared to prosecute anyone who assaults a federal officer or causes damage to government property,” Laura Eimiller, media coordinator for the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office, told Fox News Digital in an email.

“LAPD, as you know, is also making arrests for unlawful assembly.  Obviously, any evidence of a criminal conspiracy will be investigated,” she continued.

HOUSE DEMS TRY TO BLAME TRUMP FOR LOS ANGELES VIOLENCE DESPITE MONTHS OF ANTI-ICE RHETORIC

Dozens have been arrested in Los Angeles as cars have been burned and tensions between rioters and law enforcement tended to escalate later in the day over the weekend, and more unrest could occur on Monday night. 

President Donald Trump has sent in National Guard troops to reign in the riots, which the state of California is suing over, as Democratic leaders argue it’s only instigating.

Andy Ngo of The Post Millennial reported that Antifa and others are likely playing a role in the riots, as Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, R-Fla., said that she’ll be introducing legislation to “designate ANTIFA as a terrorist organization.”

FBI SEARCHING FOR SUSPECT WHO ALLEGEDLY ASSAULTED FEDERAL OFFICER DURING ANTI-ICE RIOTS IN LOS ANGELES

On Monday during a press conference announcing a lawsuit against the Trump administration for deploying the National Guard to Los Angeles, California Attorney General Rob Bonta told Fox News Digital he acknowledged that “outside folks” will “sometimes embed themselves or use the protest as cover.”

“If you don’t follow the law, we will find you, and we will come for you, and we will hold you accountable,” Bonta said.

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As for non-violent protests, many of the demonstrations stem from left-wing groups, including the Service Employees International Union, the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles, and the Party for Socialism and Liberation.

The SEIU has organized anti-ICE rallies across the country following the arrest of the union’s California president, David Huerta, as he is facing federal charges for allegedly getting in the way of an ICE crackdown. Huerta was released Monday from federal custody.

“ICE’s brutal, military-style tactics have no place in our communities. We demand safety. We demand respect. We demand David’s release,” SEIU posted to X on Monday.

FEDERAL OFFICIALS SLAM DEMOCRATS FOR ‘DANGEROUS’ RHETORIC AS ICE AGENTS FACE VIOLENT MOBS IN LA, NYC

The group had a public plan to pour $200 million to support candidates across the country in 2024, including Vice President Kamala Harris in her presidential bid.

CHRILA told the New York Post that they have “not participated, coordinated, or been part of the protests being registered in Los Angeles other than the press conference and rally.”

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The Post reported that CHIRLA won $450,000 in grants from the Biden-era DHS, but $100,936 of “remaining, unobligated federal funding” for the award given to the group was scrapped by the Trump administration in March, DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin posted to X on Sunday. 

The organization received millions in grants while President Joe Biden was in office, according to the outlet. The Post further reported that the PSL has ties to the Chinese Communist Party because of its backing from tech billionaire Neville Singham.

Fox News Digital has reached out to SEIU, the PSL, and CHIRLA for comment.

More than 100 Democrats voted against a House GOP-led resolution to condemn the accused terror attack in Boulder, Colorado.

It passed 280-113, with 75 Democrats joining Republicans to vote for the bill. Six lawmakers, five Democrats and one Republican, voted “present.” 

The legislation was introduced by Rep. Gabe Evans, R-Colo., last week in response to the attack. But Democrat lawmakers made clear they were opposed to language in the resolution that they felt was politically charged.

In addition to condemning the attack, Evans’ resolution also appeared to rebuke blue-leaning sanctuary jurisdictions that were at odds with federal immigration authorities, and he condemned illegal immigrants who overstay their visas as well.

A second bill, led by Reps. Jeff Van Drew, R-N.J., and Joe Neguse, D-Colo., more broadly condemned the rise in antisemitic attacks in the U.S. That legislation netted much wider bipartisan support, passing 400-0, with just two lawmakers voting “present.”

HOUSE GOP TARGETS ANOTHER DEM OFFICIAL ACCUSED OF BLOCKING ICE AMID DELANEY HALL FALLOUT

But Evans’ resolution more specifically noted that the case of terror suspect Mohammed Sabry Soliman, who overstayed a tourist visa and a subsequent work authorization, “demonstrates the dangers of not removing from the country aliens who fail to comply with the terms of their visas.”

The Egyptian national is facing federal charges after allegedly attempting to set fire to peaceful demonstrators who were protesting Hamas’ continued possession of Israeli hostages in Gaza.

The Trump administration has vowed that he and his family will be deported from the U.S.

Evans’ resolution also “affirms that free and open communication between State and local law enforcement and their Federal counterparts remains the bedrock of public safety and is necessary in preventing terrorist attacks” and it “expresses gratitude to law enforcement officers, including U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement personnel, for protecting the homeland.”

It comes as Democrat-controlled cities like Los Angeles and Nashville, Tennessee, have seen their leaders criticize the Trump administration’s ICE crackdown.

The Trump administration’s handling of anti-ICE riots in Los Angeles has spurred an outpouring of scorn from Democrat officials, particularly the decision to send National Guard troops in to break up the demonstrations.

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., criticized Evans’ resolution in comments to reporters on Monday.

“Who is this guy? He’s not seriously concerned with combating antisemitism in America. This is not a serious effort,” Jeffries said. “Antisemitism is a scourge on America. It shouldn’t be weaponized politically.”

Jeffries also called Evans “a joke.”

Evans responded on X, “I served our nation in uniform in the Middle East, as a cop in Colorado, & now as a Congressman. This wildly offensive sentiment from Democrat’s Leader is why antisemitism persists. The Left is unserious about finding real solutions.”

Rep. Dan Goldman, D-N.Y., who is Jewish, also criticized Evans’ resolution.

MEET THE TRUMP-PICKED LAWMAKERS GIVING SPEAKER JOHNSON A FULL HOUSE GOP CONFERENCE

“You weren’t here, Mr. Evans, last term, but there were about 10 antisemitism resolutions that effectively said the same thing solely to score political points. We Jews are sick and tired of being used as pawns,” Goldman said during debate on the bill.

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But Van Drew, who is leading a bipartisan resolution that similarly condemns antisemitism but does not discuss immigration, defended Evans’ measure.

“Yes, it is different than mine. Mine focused purely on antisemitism here in the world. But he brings up a valid point not only for Jews, but for many innocent victims. Whether it was Laken Riley, whether it was the women that were raped, the women and men that were killed, those that were beaten, those that were hurt, who were in law enforcement. Illegal immigration is not a good thing,” Van Drew said.

The two lawmakers who voted “present” on Van Drew’s resolution were Reps. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., and Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga.

Greene wrote on X after the vote, “Antisemitic hate crimes are wrong, but so are all hate crimes. Yet Congress never votes on hate crimes committed against white people, Christians, men, the homeless, or countless others. Tonight, the House passed two more antisemitism-related resolutions, the 20th and 21st I’ve voted on since taking office. Meanwhile, Americans from every background are being murdered — even in the womb — and Congress stays silent.”

The Department of Health and Human Services dismissed all the members of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) on Monday.

The committee’s job was to decide and “make recommendations” related to the necessity and use of vaccines, according to an HHS news release.

All the current members of the committee were brought in under the Biden administration, and 13 of them were put on the committee last year. HHS said it would take until 2028 for most of the members to be replaced if they served their full term.

RFK JR’S HHS TO END ROUTINE COVID VACCINE GUIDANCE FOR CHILDREN, PREGNANT WOMEN: REPORT

Public debate about vaccines, especially whether government or workplaces should mandate them, escalated during the COVID-19 pandemic. Much of the criticism and skepticism fell on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which ACIP advises.

“Today we are prioritizing the restoration of public trust above any specific pro- or anti-vaccine agenda,” Secretary Robert F. Kennedy said in a statement on Monday. “The public must know that unbiased science—evaluated through a transparent process and insulated from conflicts of interest—guides the recommendations of our health agencies.”

The HHS release noted that the next meeting for the committee will be June 25-27 in Atlanta, and the committee will have new people that are “currently under consideration.”

CDC EYES NARROWER COVID-19 VACCINE GUIDANCE AHEAD OF 2025-2026 SEASON

“A clean sweep is necessary to reestablish public confidence in vaccine science,” Kennedy continued. “ACIP’s new members will prioritize public health and evidence-based medicine. The Committee will no longer function as a rubber stamp for industry profit-taking agendas. The entire world once looked to American health regulators for guidance, inspiration, scientific impartiality, and unimpeachable integrity. Public trust has eroded. Only through radical transparency and gold standard science, will we earn it back.”

HHS cited an executive order from President Donald Trump saying that changes were needed in how the federal government plays a role in science and health.

“Unfortunately, the Federal Government has contributed to this loss of trust. In several notable cases, executive departments and agencies (agencies) have used or promoted scientific information in a highly misleading manner,” the order stated.

MILLIONS SPENT BY BIDEN ON COVID ‘VACCINE HESITANCY’ CAMPAIGN SLASHED BY TRUMP NIH: REPORT

“For example, under the prior Administration, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued COVID-19 guidance on reopening schools that incorporated edits by the American Federation of Teachers and was understood to discourage in-person learning,” the order, signed on May 23, continued.  

“This guidance’s restrictive and burdensome reopening conditions led many schools to remain at least partially closed, resulting in substantial negative effects on educational outcomes — even though the best available scientific evidence showed that children were unlikely to transmit or suffer serious illness or death from the virus, and that opening schools with reasonable mitigation measures would have only minor effects on transmission,” it added.

Kennedy was confirmed by the Senate to lead the department in February after Trump nominated him.

Washington is stocked with power players. The president. White House officials. Cabinet secretaries. U.S. Representatives. Senators. Powerful aides. Lobbyists. Journalists.

But how about baseball players?

Democrats and Republicans convene Wednesday night at Nats Park just blocks from the Capitol for the annual Congressional game.

REPORTER’S NOTEBOOK: LAWMAKERS TAKE TO THE FIELD IN STRANGE SPECTACLE OF ANNUAL CONGRESSIONAL BASEBALL GAME

Since 1909, Democrats and Republicans have traded in conference committees for mound visits.

The Congressional Record for scorecards.

And parliamentarians for umpires.

Rep. Roger Williams, R-Texas, is a former Atlanta Braves farmhand. He gets his squad out on the practice diamond nearly every morning when lawmakers are in session at 5:45.

“We’ve been working out since March 1,” said Williams. “I think we’re as good as we were last year.”

However, he noted that springtime rain limited practice time. And, an injury might beset the GOP squad.

House Republican Conference Vice Chairman Blake Moore, R-Utah, started in center field for Republicans last year. Moore is one of the best overall athletes for either team. Moore won the high school Heisman Trophy in 1997. However, Moore injured his collar bone diving to make a save as a goalie in the Congressional soccer game a few weeks ago.

Yes, there’s a Congressional soccer game, too. And flag football game. And basketball game. And hockey game.

And voters sometimes wonder why nothing ever gets done in Washington?

UNDER THE DOME AND ON THE DIAMOND

Anyway, Moore says his clavicle has healed. Ironically, he can golf. But can’t play baseball. And can’t reach up to put away the dishes in the cupboard after dinner.

“That goes over really well with my wife,” said Moore.

A penalty for playing soccer?

“I fined him $500,” said Williams – we believe jokingly.

Rep. Jake Ellzey, R-Texas, played right field last year. He moves to center field in place of Moore Wednesday night. Rep. Marlin Stutzman, R-Ind., patrols right field for Republicans.

Stutzman returned to Congress this year after an eight-year hiatus. Stutzman played in six games before, hitting .083. Stutzman used to pitch for the GOP. But his services out of the bullpen probably aren’t necessary. After all, Stutzman might not match up to other Hoosier State hurlers like Tommy John and Don Larsen. On the mound, Stutzman sports an 0-2 record with a 14.44 ERA in the Congressional contest.

That said, Williams does have a potential newcomer who can throw: Freshman Rep. Pat Harrigan, R-N.C., is a rookie and a fireballer. 

“He’s my Ryne Duren,” said Williams of Harrigan.

To the uninitiated, Duren was a flamethrowing all-star in the 1950s and ‘60s – mostly with the New York Yankees and Cincinnati Reds. Duren wore Coke-bottle glasses. The line “Oh say can you see” during “The Star-Spangled Banner” took on a little more meaning for opposing hitters when Duren was on the mound with his fastball.

Williams says Harrigan can bring it. But his control needs work.

THE TRAGEDY OF PETER EDWARD ROSE

Rep. Linda Sanchez, D-Calif., enters her third year as the Democrats’ skipper. She’s the first woman to manage the team.

Women first played in the game in 1993. Former Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, R-Fla., along with former Sen. Blanche Lincoln, D-Ark., and current Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., broke the gender barrier. Both Lincoln and Cantwell played as House Members. Sanchez appeared in 11 games and is one of the best women to suit up. She hit .455, going 5-11 with two walks.

Sanchez bleeds Dodger blue. She historically wears a Fernando Valenzuela jersey while managing. Valenzuela was one of the most iconic Dodgers of all time, capturing the 1981 Cy Young Award with his screwball as “Fernandomania” seized southern California. Valenzuela died last fall.

But Sanchez used to pull for the “California” Angels – now the Los Angeles Angels. Sanchez switched her allegiance from the Halos to the Dodgers after the Angels let Nolan Ryan escape to the Houston Astros in late 1979.

One wonders how Sanchez would have felt if she were a New York Mets fan back when they traded Ryan to the Angels?

TRUMP’S SPENDING BILL HEADS TO SENATE WHERE REPUBLICANS PLAN STRATEGIC ADJUSTMENTS TO KEY PROVISIONS

Sanchez’s success at the plate hasn’t followed her into the Democrats’ dugout. Republicans have captured the last four contests – including the two which Sanchez managed. Republicans pounded the Democrats last year, 31-11. The GOP topped the Democrats 16-6 in 2023. There was no game in 2020 due to the pandemic. So the Democrats haven’t won since 2019. Republicans hold a 38-23 advantage in the “modern” era of the game. They began playing the Congressional game in 1909. But late House Speaker Sam Rayburn, D-Texas, halted the game because it became too violent.

There was a legendary collision at home plate in the 1956 game. Late Rep. Charles Curtis, R-Mo., was catching for the GOP. Rep. Olin “Tiger” Teague, D-Texas, steamrolled Curtis at the plate. Teague is buried at Arlington National Cemetery. But Teague buried Curtis at home in that game. Orderlies hauled Curtis off the old Griffith Stadium field on a stretcher.

Lawmakers resumed the game in 1962.

Sanchez is buoyed by at least four new freshmen – or rookies – on her club. Reps. Dave Min, D-Calif., Derek Tran, D-Calif., John Mannion, D-N.Y., and Johnny Olszewski, D-Md.

“Our principal weakness has been not a lot of depth to our bullpen. And this year we’ve got a couple of freshmen that can throw. So we’re hoping that with those additions, we can do a lot better this year,” said Sanchez.

Expect Mannion to work in relief.

REPUBLICAN LAWMAKERS STAND FIRM AGAINST MUSK’S ‘KILL THE BILL’ ASSAULT ON TRUMP’S AGENDA

Like most Major League clubs, the Democrats need pitching.

“We had a great run for a little while when Cedric Richmond was on the mound,” said House Democratic Caucus Chairman Pete Aguilar, D-Calif., who pitches, catches and plays infield for the Democrats.

Former Rep. Cedric Richmond, D-La., is one of the greatest players in Congressional Baseball Game history. He pitched in college. He threw 80-mph-plus to stymie fellow lawmakers. Richmond boasted an 8-0 record and a miniscule 2.64 ERA.

But Richmond left Congress to work for former President Biden in 2021. The Democrats haven’t been formidable since.

Heading into Wednesday’s contest, Sanchez teased that her goal with the Republicans in the game is “making them cry.”

“But we come together and do something good for the area,” added Sanchez, noting the $2 million the game raises for children’s charities in the DC area.

But she concedes, “there’s always trash talk.”

HOUSE REPUBLICANS PUSH FOR SPENDING CANCELLATIONS AS ELON MUSK AND CONSERVATIVES DEMAND DEEPER BUDGET CUTS

So Democrats try to escape from their slump. The Democrats haven’t won under Sanchez. But they’re oh-fer since House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., took over in 2023.

“It’s my expectation that the Democratic comeback is going to begin in 2025 at the Congressional Baseball Game,” said Jeffries last week.

But the Brooklyn Democrat said the same thing two years ago.

“I think this is the year for the big, Democratic comeback,” said Jeffries in June 2023.

So, I questioned Jeffries in the Capitol corridors late last week.

“You realize since you’ve been the Minority Leader that the Republicans have defeated the Democrats by a combined score of 47 to 1?” asked yours truly.

“I also realize that my record as an active member of the Congressional Baseball Game team, I believe, was 9-1,” replied Jeffries.

But is that because of Jeffries? Or Cedric Richmond?

Statistics are paramount in baseball. Whether you’re scoring at home. Or using the Congressional Budget Office. Jeffries is 1-6 hitting in his nine games on the Democratic squad. That’s good for a .167 average. Well below the Mendoza Line. But he did swipe seven bases.

And this year, Democrats will again try to steal a win against a talented Republican club.

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Gametime at 7pm ET on FS1 Wednesday. Yours truly will be on the call alongside colleague Kevin Corke.

President Trump’s relationship with Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, which appeared to publicly blow up last week as the two feuded in public, took a softer tone on Monday when Musk responded to a clip of the president on X. 

“We had a great relationship and I wish him well — very well, actually,” Trump said on Monday in a clip that was posted by conservative influencer ALX. 

Musk responded to that post with a heart emoji on Monday evening.

Earlier in the day, Fox News Digital reported that the public spat between the two billionaires appeared to be losing steam after Musk seemingly issued support from Trump’s handling of the anti-ICE riots in Los Angeles.

TIMELINE: INSIDE THE EVOLVING RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN TRUMP AND MUSK FROM FIRST TERM TO THIS WEEK’S FALLOUT

“Governor Gavin Newscum and ‘Mayor’ Bass should apologize to the people of Los Angeles for the absolutely horrible job that they’ve done, and this now includes the ongoing L.A. riots,” Trump said late Sunday in the post Musk shared. “These are not protesters, they are troublemakers and insurrectionists.”

Additionally, Musk also re-posted one of Vice President JD Vance’s posts on X about the riots.

“This moment calls for decisive leadership,” Vance said, sharing a screenshot of a post from Trump about how his administration would address the riots. “The president will not tolerate rioting and violence.” 

Musk also appeared to post a self-deprecating joke about himself on X on Sunday which many interpreted to be a veiled reference to the fallout with Trump.

“It’s outrageous how much character assassination has been directed at me, especially by me!” Musk posted.

While speaking with reporters in the Oval Office on Thursday, Trump said that he was “very disappointed” by Musk’s vocal criticisms of the bill. The president claimed that Musk knew what was in the bill and “had no problem” with it until the EV incentives had to be cut.

On X, Musk called that assessment “false.”

Trump turned to social media to criticize Musk, who he appointed to find ways to cut $2 trillion after forming the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).

TRUMP WARNS OF ‘SERIOUS CONSEQUENCES’ IF ELON MUSK FUNDS DEMOCRATS

“Elon was ‘wearing thin,’ I asked him to leave, I took away his EV Mandate that forced everyone to buy Electric Cars that nobody else wanted (that he knew for months I was going to do!), and he just went CRAZY!” Trump said in one post.

In another post, Trump said, “I don’t mind Elon turning against me, but he should have done so months ago. This is one of the Greatest Bills ever presented to Congress. It’s a Record Cut in Expenses, $1.6 Trillion Dollars, and the Biggest Tax Cut ever given.”

“If this Bill doesn’t pass, there will be a 68% tax increase, and things far worse than that. I didn’t create this mess, I’m just here to FIX IT. This puts our Country on a Path of Greatness. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!”

At one point, Musk referenced late pedophile Jeffrey Epstein in relation to Trump as part of the larger tirade in a comment that several Republicans told Fox News Digital went “too far.”

Musk deleted that post days later. 

Other posts from Musk included a claim that Trump would not have won the election without his help while accusing Trump of “ingratitude.” In another post, Musk suggested that Trump should be impeached and replaced by Vice President Vance. 

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Trump told Fox News on Friday that he isn’t interested in talking to Musk, adding that “Elon’s totally lost it.”

Trump also said to Fox News’ Bret Baier that he isn’t worried about Musk’s suggestion to form a new political party, citing favorable polls and strong support from Republicans on Capitol Hill.

Fox News Digital’s Diana Stancy contributed to this report

Welcome to the Fox News Politics newsletter, with the latest updates on the Trump administration, Capitol Hill and more Fox News politics content.

Here’s what’s happening…

• Harris ripped for ‘appalling’ LA ICE raids statement placing blame on Trump: ‘The country dodged a bullet’
• Trump’s ICE launches bold courthouse migrant arrest strategy to fast-track deportations Biden avoided
•  Abrego Garcia return to US prompts new questions for other immigrants deported by Trump

Trump’s Blunt Response to Newsom’s ‘Arrest Me’ Dare

President Donald Trump suggested he would be willing to arrest California Gov. Gavin Newsom if his administration obstructs ICE operations amid riots in Los Angeles on Monday.

Trump made the statement in a brief exchange with reporters after disembarking from Marine One outside the White House. Fox News White House correspondent Peter Doocy asked Trump whether he thought Border Czar Tom Homan should take up Newsom on his dare to come arrest him.

“He’s daring Tom Homan to come and arrest him. Should he do it?” Doocy asked…READ MORE

White House

RIOT CRACKDOWN: Trump huddles with military brass at Camp David amid violent immigration protests in Los Angeles

WELCOME, CITIZEN!: Trump to urge newly naturalized US citizens to defend American way of life in video

‘VILLIFICATION’: DHS fires back at Democrats for ‘beyond the pale’ rhetoric as ICE agents face wave of violent threats

TUNE CHANGE: Musk does immediate 180 on Trump as soon as LA riots rage

World Stage

WARHEAD WARNING: UN’s nuclear watchdog warns its unable to confirm Iran’s program is ‘entirely peaceful’

Capitol Hill

DODGING THE DAMAGE: House Dems try to blame Trump for Los Angeles violence despite months of anti-ICE rhetoric

Across America 

POWER GRAB: California to sue Trump over National Guard deployment amid anti-ICE riots

‘I NEED TO GET IN’: Maxine Waters taunts armed agents after feds slam door on her during LA riots: ‘You better shoot straight’

‘PREVENTABLE’ UNREST: LA immigration riots ‘preventable’ if Sacramento Dems had acted, GOP says: ‘Failed policies caused chaos’

‘STATE OF REBELLION’: Expert weighs in on Newsom challenge to Trump deploying National Guard

‘DIDN’T COVER’: Border czar Tom Homan says media ignoring of facts about ICE raids fueled LA riots

RIOT-RACKED CITY: US Marines to deploy to Los Angeles to help quell anti-immigration riots

CREDIBILITY CONCERNS: DNC chair ripped David Hogg over party infighting in leaked meeting audio: ‘Really frustrating’

BENCHED: Boston judge accused of helping illegal alien evade ICE agent, escape courthouse faces hearing

Get the latest updates on the Trump administration and Congress, exclusive interviews and more on FoxNews.com.

FIRST ON FOX: Veterans Affairs Secretary Doug Collins announced Monday afternoon that a VA clinic in Los Angeles had to be suddenly shuttered as the City of Angels was ablaze in violence following ICE deportation raids.

“To the violent mobs in Los Angeles rioting in support of illegal immigrants and against the rule of law – your actions are interfering with veterans’ health care,” Collins said.

The secretary, formerly a Republican congressman from Georgia, said his agency had to make the “difficult decision” to temporarily close the LA Ambulatory Care Center.

Collins told Fox News Digital that California leaders “repeatedly put the interests of illegal immigrants and criminals above those of hard-working citizens.”

MAXINE WATERS TAUNTS ARMED AGENTS AFTER FEDS SLAM DOOR ON HER DURING LA RIOTS: ‘YOU BETTER SHOOT STRAIGHT’

“[N]ow, Los Angeles veterans are paying the price,” he said.

“We are thankful President Donald Trump has the courage to bring order and safety back to the citizens of Los Angeles – something California leaders have failed to do.”

Collins assured that the clinic would reopen as soon as it is safe to do so, and that veterans needing care there can reschedule or pursue telehealth options.

DOZENS OF PROMINENT VETERANS SIGN ONTO LETTER SUPPORTING ‘OUTSTANDING’ HEGSETH NOMINATION AMID CONTROVERSIES

The center is located between Skid Row and Union Station, and is just off the US-101 freeway, which was one of the highways rioters converged on over the weekend.

California Highway Patrol officers were stranded in their vehicles at one point on that stretch of road, according to KABC, which reported they were subjected to projectiles being thrown by rioters during the asphalt incursion.

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During a recent television interview, Collins said he remains laser-focused on his agency’s mission.

“The president told me to do one thing and that’s take care of our veterans.”

Fox News Digital reached out to the offices of Gov. Gavin Newsom and Mayor Karen Bass for purposes of this story.

A battalion of 500 U.S. Marines are mobilizing to Los Angeles to respond to anti-immigration enforcement riots, Fox News has learned. 

The Marines will be tasked with protecting federal property and federal personnel, according to a senior defense official, and the deployment is open-ended. 

The Marines will not be carrying out a law enforcement role, but it’s unclear what their use of force rules are if protesters throw things or spit at them. 

DOZENS OF ANTI-ICE RIOTERS ARRESTED IN LA AS TRUMP SENDS IN NATIONAL GUARD TO QUELL VIOLENCE

The new deployment comes after President Donald Trump sent some 2,000 National Guardsmen to the riot-racked city over the weekend. 

The Marines are from the 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines at Twentynine Palms, California. 

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Moments before the deployment, Trump expressed optimism that the situation in Los Angeles is improving. 

“I mean, I think we have it very well under control,” he told reporters. “I think it would have been a very bad situation. It was heading in the wrong direction. It’s now heading in the right direction.”