NationalWatch

A new report by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) revealed that there were fewer apprehensions at the southern border in the entire month of March than there were in the first two days of the month in 2024 under the Biden administration.

The agency said in an X post that the latest report reveals continued “record low numbers” of illegal crossings at the southern border.

The report said that, aided by support from the Department of Defense, CBP has “dramatically increased active patrols of our international borders.”

This comes after CBP recorded the lowest southwest border crossings in history in March, which the agency said marked a “pivotal achievement in our nation’s border security efforts” and evidence that “operational control [of the border] is becoming a reality.”

TOM HOMAN: MIGRANTS DEPORTED TO EL SALVADOR WERE ‘SIGNIFICANT PUBLIC SAFETY THREATS’

“Aliens are receiving the [Trump] administration’s message: if you cross the border illegally, you will be deported,” CBP said in its latest report.

According to the report, this is the second consecutive month in which U.S. Border Patrol averaged its lowest daily nationwide apprehensions in history.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE IMMIGRATION COVERAGE

Border Patrol apprehended a total of 7,181 illegal aliens attempting to cross the southern border between ports of entry in March. This constitutes a 14% decrease from February when Border Patrol apprehended 8,346 aliens, and more dramatically, a 95% decrease from the 137,473 aliens apprehended under the Biden administration in the same period in 2024.

Meanwhile, CBP’s Office of Field Operations, which manages immigration enforcement at the country’s 328 ports of entry, reported that nationwide encounters averaged approximately 673 per day in March. This is 3% lower than the office’s 693 daily average encounters in February and 81% lower than the 3,464 per day average from March 2024.

DEM SENATOR BACKS TRUMP’S FENTANYL CRACKDOWN PLAN: WE HAVE TO DESTROY THE CARTELS

As illegal border crossings continue to plummet, CBP said that illicit drug seizures are rising.

CBP said in its report that it seized 760 pounds of fentanyl in March, an increase of 24% from February. Nationwide in March, seizures of cocaine, methamphetamine, heroin, fentanyl, and marijuana combined increased 47% from February.

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Acting CBP Commissioner Pete Flores said the record-low numbers are due to the agency’s dedicated agents.

“U.S. Border Patrol’s apprehensions along the southwest border for the entire month of March 2025 were lower than the first two days of March 2024,” he said. “This is a testament to the tireless dedication and vigilant service of the men and women of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, who work every day to keep our country safe. Their commitment on the front lines plays a vital role in securing our borders and protecting American communities.”

Democratic New York Congressman Tom Suozzi said claims that illegal aliens are voting in his state’s elections are a “myth” and “completely inaccurate,” pointing specifically to an argument from Elon Musk several weeks ago claiming Democrats in states like New York and California have engaged in a strategy of “turning” illegal aliens into registered voters.    

“I don’t want [noncitizens to vote in U.S. elections]. That’s actually a myth that Elon Musk [said] on a show where he was talking about noncitizens voting in New York — it’s just not true,” Suozzi told a reporter on Capitol Hill, who asked him why he “wants noncitizens to vote in U.S. elections.” 

The question came shortly before Suozzi voted against the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act, which ultimately passed with enough congressional support and restricts federal voting to only fully legal U.S. residents. Suozzi, during the last legislative session, voted in favor of a congressional measure that banned noncitizen voting in local D.C. elections.

SCOOP: ARIZONA TO BEGIN REMOVING AS MANY AS 50K NONCITIZENS FROM VOTER ROLLS FOLLOWING LAWSUIT

“It’s an actual lie,” Suozzi said about Musk’s claim of noncitizen voting in New York, before walking into the Capitol building.

Liberal localities, including New York City, have become flash points in the debate over noncitizen voting. 

In January 2022, an ordinance passed by New York City’s city council sought to allow green card holders, DACA recipients and other non-U.S. citizens residing in New York to vote in municipal elections. However, the controversial measure only lasted for roughly six months before the courts shot it down, and then, last month, the state’s appeals court affirmed the move, which would have added roughly 800,000 noncitizens to the city’s voter rolls, according to the New York Times.

DEMS FIGHT BILL TO STOP ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT VOTING DESPITE POLLS SHOWING VOTER SUPPORT

“Why is the Democrat propaganda machine so fired up to destroy me? The main reason is that entitlements fraud… for illegal aliens is what is serving as a gigantic magnetic force to pull people in from all around the world and keep them here,” Musk said during a Feb. 28 episode of “The Joe Rogan Experience” podcast. “If you end the illegal alien fraud, if you turn off that magnet, then they leave… and if that happens a massive — they will lose a massive number of Democratic voters.”

Musk’s argument on Rogan’s podcast sought to underscore a view from many Republicans more broadly about an effort by Democrats to increase the number of Democrat-friendly voters on the nation’s voter roles by enticing illegal aliens, who historically vote largely for Democrats, into the country with generous public assistance programs, and then permitting them to engage in elections. 

“They’re already turning them — so in New York State illegal aliens can already vote in state and city elections. A lot of people don’t know that,” Musk added. “They’re trying to stop that, but currently, I think it’s 600,000 are registered to vote — illegal aliens — in New York.”

Musk also cited California, where in San Francisco and Oakland noncitizens can vote in local school board elections. According to Ballotpedia, in addition to California, only Maryland and Vermont also have jurisdictions where noncitizens can vote.

 STATE CONSERVATIVES DEMAND ACTION ON NONCITIZEN VOTING: ‘TIME FOR CONGRESS TO LISTEN’

“I won’t accuse him of lying — I’ll just say he’s just completely inaccurate, as he is on many things,” Suozzi told Fox News Digital. “He’s spreading it like a gospel and pissing all these people off behind a complete fabrication.”

Suozzi pointed out how Musk is a high-profile figure that many Americans look to for guidance, noting that this makes it important for people to understand the facts of the matter when it comes to noncitizen voting. 

The need to remain vigilant and educated on the topic was echoed by Musk during his appearance with Rogan as well. 

“I invite people to do their research,” Musk told Rogan when he remarked how fascinating it was that people were not aware of the scenario which Musk was discussing. “The more they do their research, the more they will see that what I’m saying is absolutely true.”

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When reached for comment on Suozzi’s remarks about Musk’s claim on noncitizen voting in New York and other areas, White House spokeswoman Liz Huston remarked that noncitizen voting “is a very real problem,” and added that “anyone who says otherwise is delusional and lying.” 

“He’s choosing to ignore the facts and pander to his far-left base at the expense of the truth,” National Republican Congressional Committee spokesman Mike Marinella added.

EXCLUSIVE: Liberal Gov. Gavin Newsom is making it clear in a new campaign that Canadian tourists are welcome in the Golden State, as he looks to boost international travel following a sharp decline in U.S. tourism sparked by President Donald Trump’s tariff policies.

“We get it. The White House isn’t exactly laying out the welcome mat, but Canadians should know that California will continue to welcome them and that we remain grateful for their partnership,” a Newsom administration official told Fox News Digital on Monday.

The campaign, in partnership with the nonprofit tourist organization Visit California, will roll out the campaign internationally, similar to Newsom’s call asking nations not to place retaliatory tariffs on California products this month. 

NEWSOM SIGNS $2.8B BAILOUT FOR HEALTHCARE PROGRAM OVERRUN BY ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS

Newsom’s office said that since Trump took office, tourism has dropped significantly to levels not seen since the COVID-19 pandemic. Tourism from Canada, which brought in 1.8 million tourists last year and $3.72 billion in revenue, dropped 12% in February compared to last year, with that percentage expected to rise as tariffs remain in place.

The $5.2 million campaign is part of Visit California’s annual marketing investment in Canada, according to Newsom’s office.

Newsom, who has been rumored to be eyeing a 2028 presidential bid, also met with British Columbia Premier David Eby Monday to discuss opportunities for expanding California’s partnership with Canada. The two politicians discussed ways to partner in the lumber industry, national transportation corridors and housing, a Newsom official said.

NEWSOM’S ‘UNFAIR’ REMARK ON GIRLS’ SPORTS BELIES RECORD AS GOVERNOR: ‘ABSOLUTE BULLS—‘

While Trump has quipped that Canada could become the “51st state,” the U.S. remains Canada’s largest trading partner, supplying nearly two-thirds of its imports and buying over 70% of its exports. Under Trump’s new tariff rates, 25% has been levied on Canadian goods. 

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Vancouver-based Travel Group reported a 90% drop in future bookings, according to a report from Politico this week. Ottawa’s Travac Tours canceled all U.S. trips through July, while Maple Leaf Tours, based in Kingston, Ontario, has seen its business dip 70% to 80%.

In mid-March, Canada issued reciprocal tariffs on $30 billion worth of U.S. goods.

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…

-Police arrested a 25-year-old man for allegedly sending threatening messages to director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard. 

United for Peace

Governors across the country who are rumored as fellow potential 2028 presidential candidates united behind Gov. Josh Shapiro, D-Penn., after an arsonist set fire to the governor’s mansion in Harrisburg early Sunday morning.

Cody Balmer, 38, was arrested after allegedly setting fire to the residence while Shapiro and his family slept inside. Shapiro, who is Jewish, said he and his family were forced to evacuate their home after celebrating the first night of Passover.

Gov. J.B. Pritzker, D-Ill., who is rumored to be mulling a 2028 presidential run along with Shapiro, thanked first responders and said it must have been disturbing for the governor to wake up to such a scene on the first night of Passover. 

Another potential presidential candidate, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, D-Mich., added that no one “should ever be targeted for doing their job or standing up for what they believe in.” …Read More

 

White House

‘MEN ABUSING WOMEN’ Trump, Bukele find common cause on trans sports ban and border crackdown

IMMIGRATION BATTLE ‘Up to El Salvador’: Trump admin punts on return of wrongfully deported Maryland resident

‘EAGER TO HELP’ Bukele says Trump has 350 million Americans to ‘liberate’ by ending crime, terrorism

Capitol Hill

SQUAD GOALS Ilhan Omar quashes Senate bid rumors with re-election announcement

DOGE ‘DODGERS’ ‘Rules for thee’: Senate DOGE leader seeks crackdown on tax-dodging government workers

JUMPING IN First on Fox: Republican launches second straight bid to flip Democrat-held Senate seat in key battleground

Across America 

‘POLITICS OVER PATIENTS’ Top US hospital hit with scathing ad campaign over ‘extreme woke’ agenda

‘URGENCY AND SPEED’ Freshman GOP senator rips predecessor while reflecting on ‘whirlwind’ first 100 days

NEW TWIST Florida’s largest Venezuelan stronghold poised to join forces with ICE: report

EXCLUSIVE: A man charged with making threats to murder President Donald Trump was also found to have threatened Rep. Nance Mace, R-S.C., a source with knowledge of the matter told Fox News Digital.

Mace’s office was informed by U.S. Capitol Police that Shawn Monper of Butler, Pennsylvania, made threats against her on social media in January, the source said.

The man allegedly wrote of Mace on YouTube, “If I ever see her unprotected in public I would live to be the one to put a bullet in her skull. What a disgusting peice [sic] of trash.”

FLORIDA CHARGES TRUMP ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT SUSPECT WITH ATTEMPTED MURDER, TERRORISM 

Mace appears to be the only member of Congress targeted by the suspect for now, the source told Fox News Digital.

It’s not immediately clear why Mace, an outspoken Trump ally, was threatened.

But it comes amid concerns about escalating threats against elected officials on both sides of the aisle.

Trump, who was subject to two failed assassination attempts during the 2024 election, was targeted by Monper in a series of threats on YouTube, according to a release by the Department of Justice (DOJ).

STATE-CONTROLLED IRANIAN NEWSPAPER CALLS FOR FIRING BULLETS INTO TRUMP’S ‘EMPTY’ SKULL

The FBI “received an emergency disclosure regarding threats posted to YouTube by user ‘Mr Satan'” between Jan. 15 and April 5, according to the release.

Monper also got a firearms permit “shortly following” Trump’s inauguration, and posted in Februrary under the aforementioned username, “I have bought several guns and been stocking up on ammo since Trump got in office,” the DOJ said.

Posts in March showed Monper threatening a mass shooting.

Further posts uncovered by federal authorities show him targeting Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials and Elon Musk, the release showed.

The U.S. Secret Service was alerted to the suspect’s threats against Mace as well, the source told Fox News Digital.

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U.S. Capitol Police said it would not comment on potential investigations when reached for confirmation.

Mace’s office did not immediately return a request for comment.

During remarks in Vice President JD Vance’s home state, Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., contrasted his vision for America’s “new economic patriotism” with the future of the Republican Party with Vance at the helm. 

Considered a 2028 presidential contender in an already crowded field, Khanna’s remarks at the City Club of Cleveland seemed to frame an early rivalry between the rising political leaders from opposite ends of the ideological spectrum. 

While Democratic leaders, who are likely mulling their own presidential runs, have seized opportunities to contrast President Donald Trump’s agenda, Khanna took aim at Trump’s likely successor during remarks on Monday. 

“Vance and Musk want to completely get government out of the way to usher in a new Gilded Age, so that corporate elites, particularly tech titans, can take the wheel,” Khanna said. “I say it’s time to turn the tables. It’s time to put Silicon Valley in the service of America, not America in the service of Silicon Valley. That’s why today I’m calling for a new economic patriotism. What we need in this country is a new economic patriotism, not a second Gilded Age.”

VANCE DOUBLES DOWN AFTER TRUMP ADMIN ADMITS ‘ERROR’ SENDING MAN TO SALVADORAN PRISON

Khanna, who was born in Philadelphia, touted his ties to Ohio during remarks in Cleveland, where his wife was born and raised. Khanna said Trump and Vance campaigned on restoring economic prosperity to industrial American cities but have presented “no hopeful vision, no real solutions” for manufacturing cities in the Rust Belt like Johnstown, Pennsylvania, and Warren, Ohio. Now representing California’s Silicon Valley, Khanna called for “fusing Silicon Valley’s ingenuity with Ohio’s industrial might.”

CONGRESSMAN CALLS FOR ZUCKERBERG TO ANSWER ON CHINA DEALINGS

Ohio GOP Chairman Alex Triantafilou responded to Khanna’s remarks in a statement to Fox News Digital: “Ro Khanna is a far-left socialist from one of the wealthiest and wokest congressional districts in America. He served as an official surrogate for both Joe Biden and Kamala Harris. This speech is nothing but another desperate plea for attention from another elitist politician wholly out-of-touch with Middle Class voters like those in Ohio.”

“His remarks remind Americans that California extremist liberals like Ro Khanna are responsible for enabling open borders, mass illegal immigration, and the out-of-control government spending of the Biden regime. He should’ve stayed in California.”

While Khanna did attack Trump’s tariffs and “propaganda,” Khanna was careful to target the joint “Trump and Vance” agenda, critique Vance individually and increasingly connect Vance to Elon Musk and the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). Khanna tied Vance to anti-democracy ideology, his “old” ideas for the United States and his tax breaks for Silicon Valley, which Khanna said they don’t need. 

With the U.S. House of Representatives on recess this week, Khanna is crisscrossing the country and visiting communities tied to his potential political opponent. Khanna visited the manufacturing town of Warren, Ohio, on Sunday, which is across the state from where Vance was born and raised in Middletown. 

Khanna will continue his Democratic rebuttal of the future of the Republican Party at Yale Law School on Tuesday, where both Khanna and Vance are graduates. 

“I’m going actually to Yale tomorrow, where JD and I both went to law school, to talk about freedom of speech because he’s been lecturing Europe about freedom of speech while sitting silently while students are snatched off campus and deported without due process.”

During the Munich Security Conference in February, Vance said free speech “is in retreat” across Europe. On Monday, Khanna called for Americans to stand up and speak out against “deportations without due process” – referring to anti-Israel protesters and illegal immigrants who have been targeted by the Trump administration. 

Khanna and Vance have already had their fair share of sparring on social media. Earlier this year, Vance accused the California congressman of acting like a “whiny” child after Khanna said a former DOGE employee should apologize for racially charged social media posts. Khanna told Vance the now-resigned staffer should apologize “for the sake of both of our kids,” who are both of Indian dissent. 

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Vance’s office did not provide a comment when requested by Fox News Digital. 

Former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo is showcasing the backing of two powerful labor unions as he runs for mayor of the nation’s most populous city.

The former three-term Democratic governor, who resigned amid multiple scandals in 2021, was endorsed on Monday by the labor groups 32BJ SEIU and Hotel and Gaming Trades Council, which represent building service workers and hotel and casino employees.

The endorsements, which are highly coveted in heavily unionized New York City, will likely further cement Cuomo’s frontrunner status in June’s Democratic Party mayoral primary, as he runs to oust embattled Mayor Eric Adams from City Hall.

“The members of @32BJSEIU and @NYHTC are the backbone of NY. They clean our buildings, run our hotels, care for our communities, and keep this city moving. Without a strong middle class, no city can survive – let alone thrive – and right now, we are dangerously close to losing them,” Cuomo warned in a statement on social media.

CUOMO SHOWCASES EYE-POPPING HAUL IN NYC MAYORAL RACE 

And he highlighted that “I have fought for and alongside the men and women of 32BJ and HTC for years – their faith in me is a tremendous boost for our campaign and I am proud to have their endorsement.”

The two unions, which combined have over 120,000 workers in their ranks, are the latest organized labor groups to back Cuomo.

WHO’S THE FRONT-RUNNER IN NEW YORK CITY’S MAYORAL RACE 

Cuomo’s March 1 campaign launch, into an already crowded field of contenders, rocked the race. With over two months to go until the June 24 primary, Cuomo is the clear polling and fundraising frontrunner in the race for the Democratic mayoral nomination. And the winner of the Democratic primary will be considered the overwhelming frontrunner in November’s mayoral election in solidly blue New York City.

But now that the 2025 mayoral race is Cuomo’s to lose, his rivals are zeroing in on the former governor’s immense political baggage.

Cuomo has spent the past four years fighting to clear his name after 11 sexual harassment accusations – which he has repeatedly denied – forced his resignation as governor in August 2021. He was also under investigation for his handling of the COVID pandemic amid allegations his administration vastly understated COVID-related deaths at state nursing homes.

The former governor has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing.

CLICK HERE FOR THE LATEST FOX NEWS REPORTING, ANALYSIS, ON ANDREW CUOMO

Adams’ poll numbers were sinking even before he was indicted last year on five counts, which accused the mayor of bribery and fraud as part of an alleged “long-running” scheme to personally profit from contacts with foreign officials.

The mayor made repeated overtures to now-President Donald Trump, and in February the Justice Department moved to dismiss the corruption charges, so he could seemingly work with the Trump administration on its illegal immigration crackdown.

The top federal prosecutor in New York City resigned rather than comply, and argued that the mayor had agreed to a quid pro quo with the Justice Department.

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In a final move, a federal judge earlier this month dismissed the Justice Department case against the mayor, but argued that the Trump administration’s grounds for having the case dropped “smacks of a bargain”.

A few days later, Adams announced that he would forgo the Democratic primary and run for re-election as an independent.

Police arrested a 25-year-old man for allegedly sending threatening messages to director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard and her husband.

The DOJ announced the arrest of Aliakbar Mohammed Amin on Monday, saying he had sent threatening text messages to Gabbard between March 29 and April 1.

The threats included Amin allegedly writing, “You and your family are going to die soon” and “I will personally do the job if necessary.”

“Death to America means death to America literally, Tulsi is living on borrowed time,” another text read.

TRUMP CAUTIONS ‘BAD THINGS’ IN STORE IF IRAN WON’T NEGOTIATE AS ISLAMIC REPUBLIC TOUTS ‘MISSILE CITY’

“The home you two own in Texas is a legitimate target and will be hit at a time and place of our choosing,” another said.

“Prepare to die, you, Tulsi, and everyone you hold dear. America will burn,” Amin allegedly wrote in another text.

TRUMP THREATENS TO BOMB IRAN UNLESS THEY END NUCLEAR WEAPONS PROGRAM AND BEGIN TALKS ON NEW DEAL

“Threatening to harm public officials is a criminal act that cannot be excused as political discourse,” Acting U.S. Attorney Richard S. Moultrie, Jr. said in a statement regarding the arrest.  “Our Office, in coordination with our law enforcement partners, will vigorously prosecute individuals who commit these acts of violence.”

Police apprehended Amin in Lilburn, Georgia, on April 11. He faces charges of transmitting interstate threats to injure Gabbard.

“The FBI sees all threatening communications as a serious federal offense. We will employ every investigative tool and resource available to identify those responsible and ensure they are prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law,” said Paul Brown, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “Let this arrest serve as a clear warning: if you engage in this kind of criminal behavior, you will be caught and you will go to prison.”

Federal agents say they also discovered similar threats allegedly made by Amin in social media posts, including an image depicting a firearm pointed at a photograph of Gabbard, and a second image of a firearm pointed at a photograph of Gabbard and her husband.

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Federal agents recovered a firearm while executing a warrant to search Amin’s home.

Read the full criminal complaint below

High-profile “Squad” member Rep. Ilhan Omar effectively closed the door on rumors she would seek Minnesota’s open Senate seat in 2026, with an announcement launching a House re-election bid.

“At a time when our rights are under attack, it is more important than ever to fight back against the chaos, corruption, and callousness of the Trump Administration,” the Minneapolis Democrat told Minnesota Public Radio.

“In Minnesota, we know that organized people will always beat organized money. Our campaign is ready to build on our successful grassroots organizing efforts to have a record turnout for the midterms and help win back the majority,” she said.

She won her last race for the 5th Congressional District seat handily, defeating Iraq-born Republican journalist Dalia al-Aqidi by about 50 points.

OMAR SLAMS TRUMP, MUSK FOR CHANGES AT USAID, ACCUSES PRESIDENT OF RUNNING A DICTATORSHIP

Omar had been one of several names bandied about as potential successors to Sen. Tina Smith, D-Minn., who announced last month she would not seek re-election.

Almost immediately, fellow Democrat Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan threw her hat in the ring, while Omar and other top potential candidates remained silent.

One of Omar’s fellow “Squad” members, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., has been rumored as a potential 2028 primary opponent to Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer.

In February, Smith – who was originally appointed by then-Gov. Mark Dayton to succeed Sen. Al Franken after his resignation over sexual misconduct allegations – said in February that she was ready to spend more time with her family.

“This decision is not political, it is entirely personal, but it’s not lost on me that our country is in need of strong progressive leadership right now, maybe more than ever,” Smith said.

REP ILHAN OMAR CRITICIZES NETANYAHU’S GAZA ACTION

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz also declined to seek Smith’s seat, leaving his deputy – Flanagan – as the highest-profile Democrat in the race to date.

“At this point in time, I don’t want to have my thumb on the scale in any way,” Walz said in February.

“I just know we’ve got a deep bench. We’ve got good folks,” said Walz, who may instead consider a third term in St. Paul.

If elected, Flanagan – who is Ojibwe – would be only the fifth U.S. senator of Native American heritage and the second currently in office, alongside Oklahoma Republican Markwayne Mullin.

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On the Republican side, retired Marine and Navy SEAL Adam Schwarze announced a bid and called it his “most important mission of them all.”

Additionally, former Sacramento Kings player Royce White announced his own bid. White previously lost the 2024 GOP Senate primary.

The race to succeed Smith will be the Land of 10,000 Lakes’ first open Senate race since 2006 – when Dayton declined to run for re-election and Sen. Amy Klobuchar defeated then-Rep. Mark Kennedy, R-Minn., by about 19 points.

Franken has endorsed Flanagan.

Fox News Digital reached out to Omar’s campaign for further comment but did not immediately hear back.

El Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele told President Donald Trump in the Oval Office on Monday that he has 350 million Americans to “liberate” by ending crime and terrorism in the United States. 

Trump also referenced how the left has pushed for biological men to compete in women’s sports. 

“Do you allow your men in women’s sports? Do you allow men to box women?” Trump asked Bukele. 

The president of El Salvador remarked, “That’s violence.” 

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.

While a court ordered the U.S. government to pursue “steps to facilitate the return” of a Salvadoran man removed from the U.S. last month, the Justice Department asserted that federal courts do not have the authority to dictate to the executive branch how to handle foreign relations and that the order only requires removal of “domestic obstacles” that would hinder the man’s ability to return to the U.S.

The legal wranglings concern Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia, who had been living in Maryland, but was removed from the U.S. last month.

“Defendants understand ‘facilitate’ to mean what that term has long meant in the immigration context, namely actions allowing an alien to enter the United States. Taking ‘all available steps to facilitate’ the return of Abrego Garcia is thus best read as taking all available steps to remove any domestic obstacles that would otherwise impede the alien’s ability to return here,” a DOJ court filing declared.

“On the flipside, reading ‘facilitate’ as requiring something more than domestic measures would not only flout the Supreme Court’s order, but also violate the separation of powers. The federal courts have no authority to direct the Executive Branch to conduct foreign relations in a particular way, or engage with a foreign sovereign in a given manner.”

FEDERAL JUDGE HAMMERS DOJ ON WHEREABOUTS OF ALLEGED MS-13 GANG MEMBER FOLLOWING SCOTUS ORDER

Abrego Garcia has been accused of being an MS-13 gang member, but his legal challenge has denied that allegation.

“On March 15, although ICE was aware of his protection from removal to El Salvador, Abrego Garcia was removed to El Salvador because of an administrative error,” according to a DOJ court filing.

Evan Katz, who identified himself as “Assistant Director for the Removal Division, within the Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO),” addressed the issue in a court filing.

“Although Abrego-Garcia has an order of removal issued by an immigration judge, I understand that he should not have been removed to El Salvador because the immigration judge had also granted Abrego-Garcia withholding of removal to El Salvador. However, I also understand that Abrego Garcia is no longer eligible for withholding of removal because of his membership in MS-13 which is now a designated foreign terrorist organization,” Katz declared. 

FEDERAL JUDGE CALLS DEPORTATION OF SALVADORAN MAN IN MARYLAND ‘WHOLLY LAWLESS’

After the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland ordered the U.S. “to facilitate and effectuate” Abrego Garcia’s return to the U.S., the Supreme Court called for the lower court to clarify the instruction.

“The order properly requires the Government to ‘facilitate’ Abrego Garcia’s release from custody in El Salvador and to ensure that his case is handled as it would have been had he not been improperly sent to El Salvador. The intended scope of the term ‘effectuate’ in the District Court’s order is, however, unclear, and may exceed the District Court’s authority. The District Court should clarify its directive, with due regard for the deference owed to the Executive Branch in the conduct of foreign affairs,” the Supreme Court noted.

The lower court then called for defendants to “take all available steps to facilitate the return of Abrego Garcia to the United States as soon as possible.”

TRUMP INVITES EL SALVADOR’S BUKELE TO WHITE HOUSE FOR ‘WORKING VISIT’

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Abrego Garcia, whose wife is a U.S. citizen, is being held in El Salvador’s Terrorism Confinement Center.

“It is my understanding based on official reporting from our Embassy in San Salvador that Abrego Garcia is currently being held in the Terrorism Confinement Center in El Salvador. He is alive and secure in that facility. He is detained pursuant to the sovereign, domestic authority of El Salvador,” Michael Kozak, senior bureau official in the bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs of the State Department, noted in a filing.

Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele is visiting President Donald Trump at the White House on Monday.

EXCLUSIVE: As Tax Day approaches, the Senate’s DOGE leader announced a new effort Monday aimed at cracking down on federal bureaucrats who have racked up billions in unpaid taxes.

Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, is introducing the Tax Delinquencies and Overdue Debts are Government Employees’ Responsibility (Tax DODGER) Act in response to reports of tax scofflaws within the bureaucracy the taxes themselves are supposed to bankroll.

The Tax DODGER Act would require the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to publish an annual report on tax delinquencies of current and retired federal employees, including those who failed to file a 1040 or other tax return.

“It is outrageous that while hardworking Americans fork over their money to Uncle Sam, nearly 150,000 bureaucrats refuse to pay their own taxes,” Ernst told Fox News Digital.

LAWMAKERS TAKE ACTION AFTER REPORT SHOWS BIDEN-ERA SBA FAILED TO PROBE 2 MILLION ALLEGED COVID AID FRAUDSTERS

The bill also establishes a new section in the law that could consider a federal job applicant ineligible for hire if they have “seriously delinquent” tax debt, unless already granted a hardship exemption.

“If you don’t pay taxes, you should not work for the federal government,” Ernst said. 

“I am ending the ‘rules for thee, but not for me’ mentality in Washington.”

Ernst highlighted a recent Treasury Inspector General report showing that while 96% of IRS employees were found to be tax-compliant, more than 2,000 employees had past-due balances totaling more than $12 million as of the end of last year.

Meanwhile, a 2023 IRS report found 149,000 total federal employees owed $1.5 billion in tax liabilities for fiscal year 2021.

SENATE DOGE LEADER SAYS TRUMP ‘ALREADY RACKING UP WINS’

She wrote to Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent in March that Americans and many lawmakers had “lost confidence in the IRS” and that he had an opportunity as the agency’s new ultimate boss to address several issues that don’t need congressional approval.

The lawmaker referenced past political weaponization of the agency – such as when Obama-era staffer Lois Lerner allegedly targeted conservative groups – as well as upgrading the IRS’ reportedly outdated technology.

As part of her initial effort last fall to forge a working relationship with DOGE leader Elon Musk, Ernst similarly launched a call for an audit of the IRS.

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If passed, the bill would require that reports on tax-scofflaw bureaucrats be sent on an annual basis to the Office of Personnel Management, Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee, and House Oversight Committee.

Additionally, any agency leader may take personnel action up to and including the firing of a federal employee if there is administrative or judicial determination they understated their tax liability or failed to file a return.

As President Donald Trump reshapes American foreign policy around hard-nosed deals and national self-interest, a new report warns the UK must rethink its strategy to preserve its “special relationship” – or risk being sidelined in Washington.

Darren Spinck, a fellow at the Henry Jackson Society, cautions that there will be no “business as usual” under Trump and that the “special relationship” between the U.S. and UK can no longer be taken for granted. To remain a key ally, Spinck argues in a new report, Britain must embrace Trump’s “transactional” approach to foreign policy.  

“Choosing not to retaliate” against Trump-era steel and aluminum tariffs may signal a “strategic patience that may facilitate bilateral negotiations,” the report states. It outlines steps that Prime Minister Keir Starmer could take to align with the Trump administration and pursue a U.S.-UK free trade deal, including deeper security cooperation and a tougher stance on China.

Trump recently imposed 10% across-the-board tariffs on foreign nations and paused harsher levies he earlier proposed on every nation except China. 

CHINESE OFFICIALS CLAIMED BEHIND CLOSED DOORS PRC PLAYED ROLE IN US CYBERATTACKS: REPORT

Another path, the report suggests, could involve the UK seeking accession to the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), the North American trade bloc, as a way to deepen economic ties with the United States.

The report also urges the UK Labour Party leadership to “reduce commercial dependency on the PRC rather than deepening it,” warning that closer economic ties with Beijing could strain U.S.-UK relations under Trump.

Spinck contrasted the Trump administration’s focus on “bilateralism, economic nationalism, and Indo-Pacific security” with the Starmer government’s preference for “multilateral diplomacy, progressive trade policies, and European security commitments.”

“This policy gap threatens transatlantic cohesion, weakening their collective ability to act against common adversaries, particularly China,” he warned. 

Divergent policies on China, NATO commitments and Indo-Pacific strategy could erode Five Eyes intelligence sharing, which is key to UK national security.

Spinck called on the British government to strike a deal with the U.S. that addresses the White House’s digital privacy concerns – particularly after the UK ordered Apple to grant security agencies access to encrypted cloud data – and to launch a mineral mining partnership to bolster critical supply chains.

Whereas the previous conservative UK government deemed China its “greatest state-based threat,” the current liberal leadership has “reversed the course of the previous three Conservative Party Governments and has sought to strengthen economic ties with Beijing,” according to Spink. 

He said the UK had recently advanced Beijing’s access to Western capital markets and re-established bilateral frameworks on industrial, trade and energy policy with China. 

“​​One must wonder why London appears eager to expand economic ties with China – a country widely criticized for its human rights record – while the UK’s development finance institution has been less inclined to support international infrastructure development or mining projects in other regions.”

UK PRIME MINISTER TO ADMIT ‘GLOBALIZATION IS OVER’ IN RESPONSE TO TRUMP TARIFFS: REPORT

“As the Trump Administration seeks to further accelerate America’s decoupling from targeted CCP economic and technology sectors, the US feels that the Labour Government’s apparent rapprochement with Beijing, after years of cautious relations following the PRC’s 2020 breach of the Sino–British Joint Declaration, could unnecessarily complicate the “Special Relationship,” Spink wrote. 

He said that critical issues “requiring transatlantic cooperation,” such as a peace agreement between Russia and Ukraine, are “at risk” if the U.S. and the UK are not aligned on China policy.

The UK must also set aside its disagreements over U.S. domestic policy, according to Spinck, due to the more urgent need for security cooperation. 

“As the Labour Government works with President Trump’s Administration, it should realize its views on a wide range of policies, including immigration, climate policy, digital privacy and welfare benefits, are vastly different,” he wrote. 

READ THE REPORT BELOW. APP USERS: CLICK HERE

He said such “fractures” like the UK government’s demand for backdoor access to Apple’s encrypted cloud storage “have begun to define the overall relationship between the two allies, impacting the potential for foreign policy alignment.”

“Overcoming these cultural differences requires a shift to a more transactional model of foreign policy cooperation. Britain needs to take an active role in re-setting this agenda, pushing questions of domestic ideology to the margins in favor of solid, mutually beneficial measures.”

The UK could also signal goodwill by taking a tougher diplomatic stance on Iran. Spinck urged London to help close the “transatlantic divide” on Iran policy, which he said has “disrupted attempts to forge a coherent approach to stopping Iran’s nuclear progress.”

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While the U.S. withdrew from the 2015 Iran nuclear deal and imposed sweeping sanctions, the UK remained a party and declined to trigger snapback sanctions – even amid reports that Iran had violated the agreement and was enriching uranium to near-weapons-grade levels.

Spink also urged the UK to join the U.S. in designating Iran’s elite Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a terrorist organization. Such moves, he argued, “would also be seen as a victory for the long-established Trump policy on Iran – one that would cost the UK nothing and would generate much goodwill in Washington, D.C.”

EXCLUSIVE: On Monday, Mississippi state auditor Shad White will release a compilation of audits conducted by his office that tabulated a collective $400 million in waste over the course of his tenure.

“In the last few weeks, we’ve jokingly started calling ourselves MOGE, the Mississippi Office of Government Efficiency, like Elon Musk’s DOGE,” White told Fox News Digital, referring to Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency under the Trump administration.

“We approach our work with the same attention to every penny as DOGE, and I’m happy to be Mississippi’s Musk,” White said.

While the auditor’s office cannot cut any of the wasteful spending, it alerts state lawmakers to what it discovers.

COST CUTTING: 2 STATES AIM TO ELIMINATE PERSONAL INCOME TAXES

“We’ve been working on this project really for the last couple of years. And what’s encouraging right now is that President Trump and Elon Musk are doing DOGE, which has raised public awareness about the amount of fraud, waste and abuse in government,” White said in his exclusive interview.

“So, people are starting to look closely at what we’ve uncovered. In our time in the state auditor’s office, my team and I have uncovered about $400 million worth of waste.”

That figure will be broken down in an 800-page report, which White will make public later Monday.

He said that Medicaid is a major issue, in that tens of millions of dollars in subsidies are going to income-ineligible Mississippians.

One state agency was spending nearly $6,000 each on televisions, which the similarly bloated feds pay about $2,000 for similar tech, he said.

REEVES RALLIES AROUND PROPOSAL TO CUT MS INCOME TAX

“So, if you think the federal government is inefficient, I promise you, your state governments around the country are likely even less efficient,” he said.

Asked about slashing wasteful spending in DEI and elsewhere, White said that even in a red state like the Magnolia State, there is a lot to be discovered and trimmed down.

“[W]hen you dig into what they’re doing with all of this staff time and all of these resources, they were doing things like holding microaggression training sessions for engineers — I don’t know why we need to do that. They were handing out grants for social justice yoga for preschoolers. Just crazy stuff,” he said, as $11 million in taxpayer funding has gone to DEI at colleges alone.

In the Magnolia State, 20% of people live below the poverty line, so efficient spending of federal and other public funds is paramount, White said.

Millions of misspent dollars came from welfare appropriations, including approved community gardens that were never built, or nonprofits who pledged to use funding to help the poor but instead padded executive salaries.

“We found dollars supposed to be going to poor folks going to pay for sponsorship of beauty pageants,” he added.

“Really, I think the big-picture point here is, this kind of waste happens at every level of government. And now that DOJ is taking the lead and showing the country how much fraud, waste and abuse there is, it’s really incumbent on every single state government to take a look at their own house and make sure that that fraud, waste, and abuse isn’t happening in state government, too.”

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State auditor roles vary statutorily from state-to-state. 

When asked whether White has worked with neighboring officials or if other Deep South states have collaborated on regional DOGE-type initiatives, White said that some states like Alabama have auditor roles with more limited statutory powers than his in Jackson.

But he said that Oklahoma auditor Cindy Byrd is working on a similar endeavor to uncover government waste in the Sooner State.

“We [state auditors] are in conversation with one another — and whether it’s your state auditor or a key state legislator or the governor, really, every state needs to be starting a DOGE.”

Fox News Digital reached out to Reeves for comment on White’s past work in identifying waste, fraud and abuse.

EXCLUSIVE – Former Rep. Mike Rogers, who was the GOP Senate nominee in Michigan in last year’s election, is launching a second straight Republican run for the Senate in the crucial Great Lakes battleground state.

Rogers, a former FBI special agent who later served as chair of the House Intelligence Committee during his tenure in Congress, announced his candidacy in the 2026 Senate race to succeed retiring Democratic Sen. Gary Peters in a video that was shared nationally first with Fox News.

“As your next senator, I won’t just represent Michigan, I’ll fight for it,” Rogers emphasizes in his video announcement.

Highlighting his long career in the military, the FBI, and as an elected state and federal lawmaker, Rogers says that he is “running to serve as your next senator because service is what I’ve always done. Michigan, let’s get to work.”

A LIKELY BRUISING SENATE BATTLE IN BATTLEGROUND MICHIGAN HEATS UP AS THIS CANDIDATE ENTERS THE RACE

And in his video, Rogers also spotlights his support for President Donald Trump, saying “I’ll stand with President Trump, and we will deliver on the mandate given to him by the American people….for me it will always be America and Michigan first.”

Rogers won the 2024 GOP Senate nomination in Michigan but narrowly lost to Rep. Elissa Slotkin, the Democrats’ nominee, in last November’s election in the race to succeed longtime Democratic Sen. Debbie Stabenow, who retired. Slotkin, who vastly outspent Rogers, edged him by roughly 19,000 votes, or a third of a percentage point.

WILL THIS BLUE STATE REPUBLICAN END THE GOP’S 20-YEAR LOSING STREAK IN HIS STATE?

The Senate seat in Michigan is one of three held by the Democrats that the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) is planning to heavily target as it aims to expand the GOP’s current 53-47 majority in the chamber. The other two are in New Hampshire, where longtime Democratic Sen. Jeanne Shaheen is retiring rather than running for re-election in 2026, and Georgia, where the GOP considers a first-term Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff vulnerable.

While Rogers is the first major Republican to enter the Senate race in Michigan, he may not have the field to himself.

Longtime Republican Rep. Bill Huizenga told Fox News last week that as soon as Peters announced earlier this year that he wouldn’t seek re-election, “my phone started to ring and it hasn’t stopped ringing.”

LONGTIME HOUSE REPUBLICAN WEIGHS SENATE BID IN KEY BATTLEGROUND

Huizenga, who was first elected to the House in 2010 and represents Michigan’s 4th Congressional District, which covers parts of the southwestern part of the state, highlighted that he’s getting “encouragement” to seek the Senate from “grassroots folks,” as well as donors.

As for his timetable, Huizenga said: “I’m still going to do my evaluation here, and need to kind of push through on the fundraising and need to make sure that I’m able to get the support that I really need to have to be able to do this kind of run.”

ONLY ON FOX NEWS: SENATE REPUBLICAN CAMPAIGN CHAIR REVEALS HOW MANY SEATS HE’S AIMING FOR IN 2026

An endorsement by Trump, whose sway over the GOP is stronger than ever, is expected to play a significant role if there’s a contested Republican Senate primary in Michigan.

And while Trump has yet to weigh in on the race, Rogers earlier this year hired veteran Republican strategist and 2024 Trump co-campaign manager Chris LaCivita as a senior advisor. LaCivita remains close to the president and his political team in the White House.

Rogers in 2022 and early 2023 mulled a 2024 Republican presidential nomination run of his own, and had a few critical comments of Trump at the time. But Rogers later became a strong supporter of the then-former president and Trump endorsed Rogers in the 2024 Michigan Senate race in March of last year, after clinching the GOP presidential nomination.

WHY PETE BUTTIGIEG SAID NO TO RUNNING FOR THE SENATE NEXT YEAR IN MICHIGAN

Besides Rogers and Huizenga, business executive, conservative commentator and 2022 Republican gubernatorial nominee Tudor Dixon has said she’s seriously mulling another run for governor, or for the Senate, in 2026.

And Republican businessman and auto dealership executive Kevin Rinke, who ran for governor in 2022, is also thought to be considering another statewide run next year.

Earlier this month, Michigan state Sen. Mallory McMorrow launched a campaign for the Democratic Senate nomination.

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Reps. Kristen McDonald Rivet and Haley Stevens are considering a run, as is Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel. 

Last month, Pete Buttigieg, a 2020 Democratic presidential candidate who later served as Transportation Secretary in former President Joe Biden’s administration, ruled out a campaign after seriously considering a bid.

EXCLUSIVE: A panel of bicameral Democrats will release a report Monday that seeks to claim substantive cuts to Medicaid could lead to more than 100,000 beneficiaries immediately losing access to subsidized medication treatment for opioid use amid the fentanyl crisis.

Sen. Maggie Hassan, D-N.H., the top Democrat on the Congressional Joint Economic Committee, told Fox News Digital both the Trump administration and Congress agree that addiction treatment is crucial in combating the fentanyl crisis. 

“[A]s this new report highlights, Medicaid is what enables one million people to get medication-assisted treatment for opioid addiction, the gold standard of addiction care,” Hassan said of the minority panel’s findings.

“President Trump and Congressional Republicans have proposed gutting Medicaid— in order to pay for tax breaks for corporate special interests and billionaires — which would jeopardize addiction care just as our country is finally starting to see progress in addressing the fentanyl crisis.”

DEMOCRATIC SEN. HASSAN SPOTLIGHTS DIFFERENCES WITH BIDEN BUT SAYS PRESIDENT ‘ALWAYS WELCOME’ IN NH

Several states have laws that would go into effect and immediately halt certain Medicaid expansion subsidies if federal Medicaid funding to those states is cut.

In the report, Hassan’s caucus provided footnoted figures for several states, including her home state, where Medicaid expansion would be curtailed under any Medicaid appropriation cut.

Eight states would automatically terminate Medicaid expansion if its federal funding share falls below 90%. Arizona, as one other example, reportedly has a trigger law set at 80%.

“President Trump and Congressional Republicans have proposed gutting Medicaid— in order to pay for tax breaks for corporate special interests and billionaires,” Hassan claimed.

ZOMBIE DRUG SMUGGLED ACROSS SOUTHERN BORDER A GROWING THREAT TO AMERICANS, DOCTOR WARNS

“[That] would jeopardize addiction care just as our country is finally starting to see progress in addressing the fentanyl crisis.” 

The report also found the CDC recently announced an estimated 24% drop in overdose deaths from 2023 to 2024 – the lowest since COVID. CDC reportedly pointed to addiction patients’ access to medication and “evidence-based treatment” contributing to the decline.

Besides its high-profile immigration and trafficking enforcement endeavors, the White House last week released a dossier focusing on its drug policy priorities.

One priority includes efforts to provide “treatment that leads to long-term recovery.”

According to the policy outline, the Trump administration will seek to “increase the number of individuals receiving evidence-based treatment and achieving long-term recovery from addiction and substance-use disorders.”

“Effective treatment and robust community-based recovery support services are key to ensuring that individuals struggling with addiction and substance-use disorders can find recovery and lead productive, healthy lives,” the White House said in the document.

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“The Administration will ensure effective, timely, and evidence-based treatment is available to all Americans who need it.”

The administration will also bolster overdose prevention education and meds like Naloxone (Narcan). 

“We will encourage state and local efforts facilitating law-enforcement-assisted diversion to connect people who use drugs with supportive services that divert them from incarceration and reduce recidivism,” the White House said in its proposal.

But, Hassan’s panel warned Trump’s well-intended plans to expand access to medication-assisted opioid treatment could face a roadblock if state trigger laws nix Medicaid coverage.

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, a potential 2028 Democratic presidential candidate, was ribbed online for seeming to hide her face during a meeting with President Donald Trump in the Oval Office. 

Whitmer was seen temporarily shielding her face from cameras in the Oval Office by holding up a folder, according to a photo by the New York Times. 

She later lowered the folder, as the president spoke to the press and encouraged Whitmer to comment as well. The Democratic governor, who clashed with Trump during his first term regarding her COVID-19 lockdown policies, met with the president to discuss recovery from an ice storm that impacted thousands of Michiganders, funding for the Selfridge Air National Guard base near Detroit, protections for the Great Lakes and the automobile industry. 

WHITMER DITCHES DEM PLAYBOOK ON TRUMP’S TARIFFS AMID 2028 SPECULATION

Whitmer, joined by Michigan State House Speaker Matt Hall and several Cabinet secretaries, stood steps away from Trump while he signed executive orders Wednesday. 

“We’re honored to have Gretchen Whitmer from Michigan, great state of Michigan. And, she’s been — she’s really done an excellent job. And a very good person,” Trump said. 

Whitmer told reporters afterward that she thought she was coming into the Oval Office for a one-on-one meeting with the president and was taken by surprise by the press conference. 

Her face-shielding was derided online. 

“Whitmer covering her face is the perfect metaphor for the Democratic Party,” one user wrote. 

Another X user said, “Gretchen Whitmer hiding behind her files in the White House is one of the funniest things I’ve ever seen. This is what my 2 year old does.”

DEM GOVERNORS REVOLT AGAINST TRUMP’S ‘LIBERATION DAY’ TARIFFS

“Was this the nail in the coffin of Gretchen Whitmer’s political aspirations?” a third user wrote.

Some users joked that Whitmer was “embarrassed” to be photographed with Trump but had no shame in placing a Dorito in the mouth of a podcaster in a 2024 social media post that critics said mocked a Christian sacrament. 

The photo showed Whitmer hiding her face while standing in between Trump aide Natalie Harpe and Deputy Assistant to the President and White House Director of the Office of Intergovernmental Affairs Alex Myer. 

Myer shared the photo on X, writing: “#NewProfilePic.” 

Whitmer was in Washington to deliver a “Build, America, Build” address in which she called for bipartisan cooperation to strengthen American manufacturing. She was at the White House for her second meeting with Trump in less than a month, this time to talk about tariffs that were expected to disproportionately affect Michigan, whose economy is closely tied to an auto industry reliant on trade with Canada, Mexico and other countries.

In her speech Wednesday, which came before Trump announced he was pausing tariffs in most nations except for China, Whitmer highlighted areas of agreement with Trump on tariffs but criticized how they had been implemented.

“I understand the motivation behind the tariffs, and I can tell you, here’s where President Trump and I do agree. We do need to make more stuff in America,” said Whitmer, before adding, “I’m not against tariffs outright, but it is a blunt tool. You can’t just pull out the tariff hammer to swing at every problem without a clear defined end-goal.”

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Whitmer’s approach stands in stark contrast to that of other high-profile Democratic governors, many of whom are also seen as potential contenders for the party’s 2028 presidential nomination. But Whitmer faces a more challenging political landscape than leaders such as Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker or California Gov. Gavin Newsom as she represents a state with a divided state legislature and that went for Trump in two of the last three elections.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

President Donald Trump issued a stern warning to the Houthis by saying it was time for them to hide now that he has removed “dangerous red tape” from the Biden administration, allowing U.S. troops to protect Somalia against terrorists.

“Time for the terrorists to hide, but it won’t do them any good. Our Warfighters, the Greatest the World has ever seen, will find them, and bring them to a swift Justice,” Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social. “I just got rid of Joe Biden’s dangerous red tape, and empowered our Warfighters, once again, just like I did against our fight with ISIS, who were completely obliterated in three weeks under General Daniel Caine, our new Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. 

“We will support the Somali People, who should not allow the Houthis to embed (which they are trying to do!), to end terrorism, and bring prosperity to their Country,” the president added.

Fox News Digital has reached out to the State Department on the matter and is waiting to hear back.

TRUMP TOUTS AIRSTRIKE ON HOUTHIS, SHOWING VIDEO: WILL ‘NEVER SINK OUR SHIPS AGAIN’

For years, the U.S. has helped Somali forces with airstrikes and other support against the al-Shabab extremist group and an affiliate of the Islamic State, or ISIS.

Last month, Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud drafted a letter to Trump offering the U.S. exclusive access to air bases and seaports, which reignited tensions between the government of Somalia and the breakaway region of Somaliland, the Associated Press reported.

In the letter, Somalia offered “exclusive operational control” over the Berbera and Baledogle air bases and the ports of Berbera and Bosaso to “bolster American engagement in the region.”

LEADER OF SOMALIA’S BREAKAWAY SOMALILAND SAYS DEAL WITH ETHIOPIA WILL ALLOW IT TO BUILD A NAVAL BASE

The letter was dated March 16 and leaked on social media during the last week of March. In it, the Somali leader spoke of “ensuring uninterrupted military and logistical access while preventing external competitors from establishing a presence in this critical corridor.”

The letter was confirmed as “an authentic draft” by a senior official in Somalia’s foreign ministry, who spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to give press interviews.

US FORCES CARRY OUT AIRSTRIKE IN SOUTHERN SOMALIA, KILLING 3 AL-SHABAAB TERRORISTS

The official was not sure if the final letter, which made the same offer, was sent.

One of the ports, Berbera, is in a key city located in Somaliland, whose long assertion as an independent state has not received international recognition.

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Somaliland, a former British protectorate, declared independence from Somalia in 1991 after the collapse of the central government. It maintains its own government, security forces and currency and has held elections.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

President Donald Trump issued a Palm Sunday message at the start of Holy Week renewing his administration’s promise “to defend the Christian faith in our schools, military, workplaces, hospitals, and halls of government.” 

“We will never waver in safeguarding the right to religious liberty, upholding the dignity of life, and protecting God in our public square,” Trump wrote in his 2025 Holy Week presidential message released by the White House.

“As we focus on Christ’s redeeming sacrifice, we look to His love, humility, and obedience—even in life’s most difficult and uncertain moments,” Trump said. “This week, we pray for an outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon our beloved Nation. We pray that America will remain a beacon of faith, hope, and freedom for the entire world, and we pray to achieve a future that reflects the truth, beauty, and goodness of Christ’s eternal kingdom in Heaven.” 

WHITE HOUSE PLANS ‘EXTRAORDINARY’ HOLY WEEK AS TRUMP HONORS EASTER WITH ‘THE OBSERVANCE IT DESERVES’

“May God bless you and your family during this special time of year and may He continue to bless the United States of America,” Trump wrote. 

Trump said he and first lady Melania Trump “join in prayer with Christians celebrating the crucifixion and resurrection of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ – the living Son of God who conquered death, freed us from sin, and unlocked the gates of Heaven for all of humanity.” The presidential message reiterated how Holy Week begins “with Christ’s triumphal entry into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday” and culminates “in the Paschal Triduum, which begins on Holy Thursday with the Mass of the Lord’s Supper, followed by Good Friday.” The week reaches its “pinnacle in the Easter Vigil on Holy Saturday night.” 

“This week is a time of reflection for Christians to memorialize Jesus’ crucifixion – and to prepare their hearts, minds, and souls for His miraculous Resurrection from the dead,” Trump wrote. 

“During this sacred week, we acknowledge that the glory of Easter Sunday cannot come without the sacrifice Jesus Christ made on the cross,” the president said. “In His final hours on Earth, Christ willingly endured excruciating pain, torture, and execution on the cross out of a deep and abiding love for all His creation. Through His suffering, we have redemption. Through His death, we are forgiven of our sins.  Through His Resurrection, we have hope of eternal life.” 

TRUMP TO SIGN EXECUTIVE ORDER ESTABLISHING WHITE HOUSE FAITH OFFICE

“On Easter morning, the stone is rolled away, the tomb is empty, and light prevails over darkness—signaling that death does not have the final word,” Trump said. 

Since surviving a July 2024 assassination attempt during a rally in Butler, Penn., Trump has acknowledged his faith on the campaign trail and months into his second term by repeatedly affirming that he was “saved by God to Make America Great Again.” On Friday, the White House hung a painting depicting a bloodied Trump pumping his first in the air during that attempt on his life last summer, replacing a portrait of former President Barack Obama. 

The Holy Week proclamation on Sunday is first on the docket of a series of roll-outs and events expected before Easter organized by the newly established White House Faith Office. 

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told Fox News Digital that Trump delivered on his promise to millions of Christians in creating the office. She drew a “sharp contrast” with the Biden administration, which marked Easter Sunday, which fell on March 31, 2024, the most important holiday on the Christian Church calendar, as Transgender Day of Visibility.

Jennifer Korn, faith director of the White House Faith Office, told Fox News Digital the administration is gearing up for “extraordinary” celebrations during Holy Week to treat the Easter season “with the observance it deserves.” 

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On Monday, Trump is expected to release a Holy Week video and will host an Easter dinner on Wednesday evening. On Holy Thursday, the president is expected to host a staff worship service at the White House, where Pastor Paula White, the senior advisor to the White House Faith Office, the Rev. Franklin Graham, Pastor Greg Laurie and Pastor Jentezen Franklin will participate in prayer, scripture, service and communion. 

Fox News’ Brooke Singman contributed to this report.

President Donald Trump vowed on Sunday that nobody was getting “off the hook” for unfair trade balances and tariff barriers, which other countries have used against the U.S.

The Trump administration announced Friday that it was exempting imported smartphones, laptops and other electronics from reciprocal tariffs, but the president wanted to clear a few things up.

“There was no Tariff ‘exception’ announced on Friday,” Trump said in a post on X on Sunday. “These products are subject to the existing 20% Fentanyl Tariffs, and they are just moving to a different Tariff ‘bucket.’  The Fake News knows this, but refuses to report it. We are taking a look at Semiconductors and the WHOLE ELECTRONICS SUPPLY CHAIN in the upcoming National Security Tariff Investigations.

“What has been exposed is that we need to make products in the United States, and that we will not be held hostage by other Countries, especially hostile trading Nations like China, which will do everything within its power to disrespect the American People,” he continued. “We also cannot let them continue to abuse us on Trade, like they have for decades, THOSE DAYS ARE OVER!”

TRUMP’S TARIFF BLITZ NOW EXEMPTING ELECTRICAL GOODS LIKE PHONES, LAPTOPS

Trump closed out his post by saying the Golden Age of America will mean “more and better paying jobs” as well as making products in the U.S. and treating other countries as they have treated America.

“The bottom line is that our Country will be bigger, better, and stronger than ever before,” he said. “We will MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!”

Customs and Border Protection issued new guidance on reciprocal tariff negotiations late Friday, noting the exemption of those goods from Trump’s April 2 executive order that declared a national emergency due to non-reciprocal trade practices and structural imbalances in the global trading system. Subsequent executive orders ramped up tariffs on China to 125%.

‘DEAL-MAKER-IN-CHIEF’: BEHIND THE SCENES OF TRUMP’S TARIFF PAUSE, WHERE HE HAS FINAL SAY OVER NEGOTIATIONS

The updated guidance, which cites a presidential memorandum issued Friday, excluded the products from Trump’s 125% China tariff and his baseline 10% global tariff on some countries. They apply to goods that left a warehouse as of April 5.

The new move will likely ease the blow for consumers while giving a boost to electronics giants such as Apple, Samsung and Dell.

A White House official confirmed to Fox News that the exemptions were put in place.

CHINA REFUSES TO BACK DOWN ON TARIFFS AFTER TRUMP THREATENED TOUGHER MEASURES

Products included in the exemption are things like hard drives, computer processors, solar cells, semiconductor manufacturing equipment, flat-panel TV displays and memory chips.

But in light of the easing of tariffs on electronics, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said Sunday the exemption would be temporary.

“They’re exempt from the reciprocal tariffs, but they’re included in the semiconductor tariffs, which are coming in probably a month or two,” Lutnick told ABC’s “This Week” on Sunday.

Lutnick’s comments Sunday made clear that more changes were on the horizon.

Trump told reporters on Air Force One on Saturday night that he would get into more specifics on exemptions on Monday.

“We’ve been making a lot of money,” he said. “It’s been the other way around. Other countries, in particular China, was making a lot of money.”

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In a statement issued Saturday, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt did not specifically address the exemptions but indicated the administration still plans to push for tech companies to move manufacturing to the U.S.

She said the administration has secured U.S. investments from tech companies, including Apple, TSMC and Nvidia, that are “hustling to onshore their manufacturing in the United States as soon as possible.”

Fox News Digital’s Michael Dorgan, Brie Stimson and Sarah Tobianski, as well as the Associated Press, contributed to this report.