NationalWatch

Secretary of War Pete Hegseth said Friday that two West Virginia National Guard members — Army Spc. Sarah Beckstrom and Air Force Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe — who were shot in an ambush-style attack near the White House late last year, will receive the Purple Heart.

Calling the Nov. 26 incident “a terrible thing” and saying the troops were “attacked by a radical,” Hegseth made the announcement while speaking at a National Guard reenlistment ceremony at the Washington Monument, where he administered the oath of enlistment to more than 100 Guardsmen from nine states serving in Washington, D.C.

“And we had a terrible thing happen a number of months ago,” Hegseth said. “Andrew Wolfe, Sarah Beckstrom, one lost, one recovered, thank God, in miraculous ways. Both soon to be Purple Heart recipients because they were attacked by a radical.”

The remarks mark the first public confirmation from Hegseth that the service members will receive the Purple Heart, one of the nation’s oldest military decorations, awarded to those killed or wounded by enemy action.

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The Purple Heart traces its origins to the American Revolution, when George Washington established the Badge of Military Merit in 1782, to recognize enlisted soldiers wounded or killed in service. The modern Purple Heart was revived in 1932, and is awarded in the name of the president to U.S. service members wounded or killed by enemy action.

Beckstrom, 20, and Wolfe, 24, were shot just blocks from the White House in what officials described as an ambush-style attack.

Beckstrom died a day after the shooting. Wolfe was seriously wounded and continues to recover.

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The accused gunman, Rahmanullah Lakanwal, 29, faces nine charges related to the shooting, including first-degree murder while armed and assault with intent to kill while armed. He has pleaded not guilty.

In a statement posted on X, West Virginia Gov. Patrick Morrisey thanked Hegseth for the announcement and said the recognition was long overdue.

“I thank Secretary @PeteHegseth for announcing that U.S. Army Specialist Sarah Beckstrom and Air Force Staff Sergeant Andrew Wolfe will soon receive the Purple Heart, an honor that reflects their courage and sacrifice in defense of our nation,” Morrisey wrote.

Morrisey said he formally requested the Purple Heart awards Dec. 19, adding that the announcement “brings long-overdue honor to their service, offers meaning and reassurance to their families, and stands as a solemn reminder that West Virginia will never forget those who sacrifice in defense of others.”

Hegseth’s remarks Friday came during a ceremony honoring the National Guard’s ongoing security mission in the nation’s capital. 

According to a War Department news release, more than 100 Guardsmen from Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Indiana, Mississippi, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina and West Virginia reenlisted Friday as part of the mission.

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Those troops are among more than 2,600 National Guard members currently deployed in Washington at the direction of President Donald Trump in support of the D.C. Safe and Beautiful Task Force, which was established in August 2025 after the president declared a crime emergency in the city.

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Addressing the Guardsmen, Hegseth described their service in Washington as “front lines” duty.

“This is not an easy assignment. It’s the real deal. It’s front lines,” he said. “You’ve done it, and you’ve done well.”

The Army could not immediately provide comment after being reached by Fox News Digital.

Fox News Digital’s Rachel Wolf and Fox News’ Jake Gibson contributed to this story.

Democrats evaded questions on Friday about whether there could be a link between their past heated rhetoric towards Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director Russ Vought and news that a man had been charged with attempting to kill him.

Authorities arrested Colin Demarco, 26, for arriving at Vought’s residence with a firearm after stating an intent to murder him last year.

The offices of Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., Rep. Rosa DeLauro, D-Conn., and other high-ranking Democrats who have described Vought as a threat to the country did not respond to inquiries from Fox News Digital.

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One Democrat, Rep. Brendan Boyle, D-Pa., did not address the questions about rhetoric but reacted to the arrest.

“I am deeply alarmed by the news that a man allegedly planned to murder OMB Director Vought. I am relieved the suspect was caught before any violence occurred,” Boyle said in a statement.

“Political violence is unacceptable and represents an attack not only on an individual but on our democracy itself. There is no place for political violence in the United States of America.”

However, in the past, many Democrats — including Boyle — have characterized Vought as a threat to the country.

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“Make no mistake — his nomination is as dangerous as it gets. His views aren’t just extreme; they are a direct threat to our democracy, the rule of law and the basic principles of our government,” Boyle said last year when Trump announced Vought as the pick to lead OMB.

Similarly, Schumer called Vought “a danger to working people, a danger to America’s beliefs and ideals” in a speech delivered on the Senate floor.

According to authorities, Demarco approached Vought’s residence in Arlington, Va., on Aug. 10 while wearing a surgical mask and rubber gloves, carrying a backpack and concealing a weapon under his shirt.

Authorities arrived on the scene in time to deter Demarco’s alleged plans.

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Police said a search of Demarco’s communications revealed he expressed intent to kill his target in online messages.

Demarco faces four charges: attempted murder, criminal solicitation to commit murder, wearing a mask in public to conceal identity and carrying a concealed weapon.

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Vought, who was among the first Cabinet members nominated by Trump, has had a high level of influence on the administration even ahead of the election.

Vought was one of the chief architects behind Project 2025, a policy platform published by the conservative-leaning think tank, the Heritage Foundation, that the administration has mirrored on issues like immigration, the federal workforce and public funding.

At the time of his confirmation, Vought’s calls to shrink the government’s footprint brought fierce condemnation from critics like Warren.

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“You can absolutely bet on Russ Vought pulling out the rug from working people over and over again. We don’t know where he will stop,” Warren said in remarks on the Senate floor.

“We don’t know how far Russ Vought’s extremism will go, but we can’t afford to wait and find out,” she added.

Other Democrats followed up on her calls.

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“Vought is an extremist who believes the president is all-powerful. He has a radical plan to destroy and dismantle Congress’ investments in our families’ health, safety, and prosperity,” DeLauro, a top Democrat in the House, said of his plans to cut government programs.

Demarco is due in court on Feb. 23 for a preliminary hearing, according to the Arlington General District Court.

The Small Business Administration (SBA) announced Friday that it suspended more than 100,000 California borrowers amid suspected fraud, with the alleged abuse totaling nearly $9 billion.

SBA Administrator Kelly Loeffler said the agency suspended 111,620 California borrowers tied to suspected fraudulent activity across SBA pandemic-era loan programs. Those borrowers received 118,489 Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) loans totaling more than $8.6 billion.

“Once again, the Trump SBA is taking decisive action to deliver accountability in a state whose unaccountable welfare policies have created a culture of fraud and abuse at the expense of law-abiding taxpayers and small business owners,” Loeffler said in a statement.

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“Today, we announced we have suspended nearly 112,000 borrowers tied to at least $9 billion in suspected fraud,” she said. “This staggering number represents the most significant crack-down on those who defrauded pandemic programs, and it illuminates the scale of corruption that the Biden Administration tolerated for years.”

Loeffler referenced the Trump administration’s fraud crackdown in another blue state, saying, “As we did in Minnesota, we are actively working with federal law enforcement to identify the criminals who defrauded American taxpayers, hold them to account, and recoup the stolen funds.”

She added that, “As we continue our state-by-state work, our message is clear: pandemic-era fraudsters will not get a pass under this Administration.”

GOP SENATORS LAUNCH TASK FORCE TO CRACK DOWN ON FRAUD TIED TO MINNESOTA SCANDAL

The announcement comes after the SBA said last month that it suspended 6,900 Minnesota borrowers after uncovering what it said was widespread suspected fraud.

The agency previously reviewed thousands of PPP and EIDL loans approved in Minnesota, identifying nearly $400 million in potentially fraudulent loans tied to borrowers.

That suspected activity included 7,900 PPP and EIDL loans approved during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to Loeffler.

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The SBA previously said that at least $2.5 million in PPP and EIDL funds issued during the pandemic era were connected to a Somali-linked fraud scheme based in Minneapolis.

Rep. Tony Gonzales, R-Texas, is calling on lawmakers to strengthen protections for U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) personnel when assisting local and state law enforcement.

In January, Gonzales introduced the Homeland Threat Response Act, which would amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to authorize the deployment and assistance of CBP for investigations of certain violent acts, shootings, and mass killings, and for other purposes, including big events. 

He cited BORTAC (Border Patrol Tactical Unit) and BORSTAR (Border Patrol Search, Trauma, and Rescue), elite units within the U.S. Border Patrol’s Special Operations Group (SOG) which are often called upon to assist local authorities in matters not related to immigration enforcement. 

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“They’re doing so at a risk,” Gonzales told Fox News Digital, saying the CBP personnel currently aren’t afforded the same level of protection as other law enforcement officers while working in matters apart from their jurisdiction. “They’re called upon and asked to operate in other spaces that aren’t their necessarily primary duty.” 

“This creates a level playing field when it comes to protection,” he added. 

The legislation came as the United States is poised to host several big sporting events in which CBP may be called upon to assist, Gonzales said. On Sunday, Super Bowl LX will be played in Santa Clara, California.

In addition, several American cities will host games for the FIFA World Cup in July and Los Angeles will be the site of the 2028 Summer Olympics. 

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“It’s going to be this group that’s going to keep us safe,” Gonzales said.

Border Patrol SOG teams have supported or directly participated in several major domestic incidents, including mass shootings, the capture of criminal illegal immigrants and prisoners.

Gonzales noted that the SOG personnel are some of the best trained officers in law enforcement amid talks by some Democrats who want to defund the Department of Homeland Security because of the Trump administration’s crackdown on illegal immigration, particularly in Minnesota. 

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“I’m seeing Democrats cave to the liberal left that want to defund and want to make it harder for law enforcement to do its job,” he said. “Let’s make sure that a federal officer in this space isn’t thinking about ‘what if…’ they are focused solely on their mission and completing the mission like they’re trained to do.”

Fox News Digital has reached out to the CBP. 

Anti-ICE protesters have surrounded federal agents, Democratic leaders have denounced enforcement operations and tensions in Minneapolis have boiled over, but legal experts say none of it yet crosses the line into a constitutional breakdown or would justify the use of federal emergency powers by President Donald Trump.

Legal analysts say the unrest, while volatile, does not inhibit the federal government’s constitutional authority to enforce immigration law. That threshold would only be crossed if state officials themselves moved to block or materially obstruct federal agents, raising Supremacy Clause concerns.

Ilya Somin, a George Mason University law professor, told Fox News Digital that hindering federal agents’ work, even aggressively, does not rise to that level.

“There is no general principle of law which says that anything that makes the work of federal agents more difficult in any way somehow violates the Constitution,” Somin said.

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Protesters have taken to the streets of Minneapolis in recent weeks to confront immigration officers during Operation Metro Surge, a federal enforcement effort that has deployed thousands of ICE and Customs and Border Protection agents to Minnesota. During enforcement actions, protesters have at times surrounded ICE agents with shouting, whistles, filming and unruly crowds, creating a tense mix of peaceful demonstrators and coordinated agitators that has occasionally escalated into blockades or violence.

The dynamics at play have centered on two legal principles. On one hand, the anti-commandeering doctrine prevents the federal government from forcing state and local officials to enforce federal law. On the other, obstruction of federal law enforcement is unlawful and could violate the supremacy clause, which says federal law trumps state law when the two are in conflict.

If the state were to pass laws that obstruct federal law enforcement from performing its job duties, that would trigger supremacy clause concerns, Somin said, but he noted that such conditions are not present in Minnesota. 

Operation Metro Surge began in December, sending 3,000 immigration agents to Minneapolis and St. Paul. The effort has led to thousands of arrests, but it has spurred resistance from residents and resulted in two high-profile deaths of U.S. citizens at the hands of immigration agents, which fueled further public outrage. The FBI is now investigating those incidents.

Democratic state leaders, meanwhile, have widely criticized the operation and drawn blame from Republicans for exacerbating tension with their rhetoric. At one point, Democratic Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz compared ICE’s presence to the Civil War.

“I mean, is this a Fort Sumter?” Walz told The Atlantic. “It’s a physical assault. It’s an armed force that’s assaulting, that’s killing my constituents, my citizens.”

Asked whether the resistant nature of Minnesota’s Democratic leaders could amount to “nullification,” Somin rejected the idea.

“Nullification is when the state officials themselves resist the enforcement of federal law. If they merely fail to help the feds against private parties, that is something that’s protected by the anti-commandeering principles of the Tenth Amendment,” Somin said.

That hands-off approach has extended beyond rhetoric. Walz has welcomed a reduction in federal personnel but urged a faster drawdown, while Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey has said the city would not assist with immigration enforcement.

“We were never going to agree, and we have not agreed, to enforce federal immigration law. Why? It’s not our job,” Frey said in a New York Times interview.

As state and local leaders have declined to intervene, opposition to the ICE operation has increasingly taken shape on the ground. Networks of activists have mobilized to confront and monitor federal immigration agents, activity that legal experts distinguish from unlawful, state-led obstruction.

Central to that resistance is Defend the 612, a network of private citizens that has coordinated what activists describe as “ICE watching,” using encrypted messaging apps to track enforcement activity and share information about agents’ movements, according to reporting by the conservative City Journal.

In addition to street confrontations, activists have staged protests at sensitive locations, including a disruption of a church service in St. Paul, where the pastor is also an ICE field director. Several participants, including former CNN anchor Don Lemon, were arrested and charged under a federal statute typically used to protect abortion clinics and pregnancy counseling centers.

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Federal authorities have moved to arrest individuals accused of directly impeding immigration enforcement. Attorney General Pam Bondi announced charges against 16 agitators accused of blocking agents, assaulting officers or interfering with enforcement actions, while the Justice Department also charged a Minneapolis man, a self-described Antifa member, with cyberstalking after he allegedly called for attacks on ICE and doxxed a pro-ICE individual.

Even so, legal experts stress that, so far, all the anti-ICE activity falls short of a collapse of federal authority. Hans von Spakovsky, a senior legal fellow at Advancing American Freedom, said existing laws already prohibit mob violence and obstruction, adding that Minnesota’s hands-off approach has been “irresponsible” but not illegal.

The DOJ in January subpoenaed Walz, Frey and three others for information on whether they, too, conspired to interfere with ICE’s work. A DOJ spokesman did not respond to a request for comment on the status of that probe.

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Should unrest intensify, the Trump administration has floated the Insurrection Act, a rarely used provision that allows the president to respond to unlawful obstructions of federal authority. The president has said that while it remains an option, it is not currently necessary. Trump’s border czar, Tom Homan, who is leading immigration operations in Minneapolis, likewise downplayed the impact of anti-ICE agitators. 

“You’re not going to stop ICE. You’re not going to stop Border Patrol,” Homan said. “These roadblocks they’re putting up? It’s a joke. It’s not going to work, and it’s only going to get you arrested.”

Ilan Wurman, a Minnesota law professor, said in a podcast that while Trump “probably” could invoke the Insurrection Act, by constitutional standards a president should only call upon the military to enforce federal law as a “last resort.” 

Fox News contributor Jonathan Turley spelled out when the Insurrection Act could be appropriate, noting it was deferential to the president.

“The establishment of roadblocks and direct interference with the enforcement of federal laws can support such an invocation,” Turley said. “During the Civil Rights period, opposition to and obstruction of civil rights laws justified the use of military force.”

Still, Turley and others emphasize that the Minnesota protests, as intense and at times chaotic as they’ve been, do not yet meet the criteria for such drastic federal action.

“The promise of some Democratic leaders to arrest and prosecute ICE agents is likely to fail. Roadblocks to bar federal agents would also constitute obstruction and, if supported by the state, would violate the constitutional authority of the federal government,” Turley said.

Eddie Speir is not afraid of a fight with the Florida GOP establishment. In 2024, he took on 10-term incumbent Rep. Vern Buchanan, R-Fla., and won just under 40% of the vote, positioning himself as a constitutional conservative outsider against an entrenched moderate Republican.

Now, with Buchanan’s Jan. 27 announcement that he would be retiring after a nearly two-decade stint in D.C., Speir is launching another grassroots, outsider candidacy to challenge the “RINO Republicans” that he frequently derides.

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“This is just a continuation of what I did in ’24, which was run against Vern Buchanan to expose the RINOs [Republicans In Name Only] that are not representing the district…and the taxpayers of Florida. So we need somebody that’s gonna step up and actually represent and go to Washington D.C. with a bold agenda and not compromise to the elite social circles that are up there in D.C.”

Speir said he believes that his messaging and grassroots support will carry him through to victory in the Aug. 18 primary.

“We were the largest grassroots movement in this district’s history…Nobody else had even come close to earning 40% in the entire state of Florida. … So, it’s hard to push against an incumbent here in Florida. But now there’s not even an incumbent, so we’re just gonna continue the same momentum that we had and get the message out.”

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Florida political observers have batted about several possible contenders that might join Speir in the GOP primary. Chief among these is close Trump ally Joe Gruters, who cut his political teeth working on Buchanan’s campaign and would be the establishment heir apparent.

However, Gruters’ potential candidacy is complicated by the three high-level positions he currently holds. He is a sitting Florida state senator, the RNC chairman, as well as the current candidate for Florida Chief Financial Officer in 2026.

Gruters is seen as the most likely establishment opponent to Speir, and some believe he may abandon his Florida CFO candidacy to run in Florida’s 16th district.

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New College of Florida President Richard Corcoran has also been discussed as a potential candidate. Speir was appointed to the New College of Florida board of trustees by Gov. Ron DeSantis in January 2023, but the Florida Senate refused to confirm his appointment.

Speir’s controversial tenure at New College, and the subsequent rejection of his confirmation by the Florida Senate, catapulted Speir onto the national stage at a time when the Florida GOP was conspicuously seeking to rebrand the school as the “Hillsdale of the South.”

Additional candidates who may join the field include former state Rep. Mike Beltran, developer Carlos Beruff, former state Senate President Bill Galvano, and Manatee County Commissioner Mike Rahn.

Speir said he realizes he is likely to be facing off not merely against the local GOP establishment, but against President Donald Trump as well:

“In the ’24 primary, Vern Buchanan had one of the worst records possible, and Donald Trump endorsed him with a number of other horrific candidates. So we’ve got to be able to separate Trump’s priorities and his constitutional conservative push, versus the political machine that he’s working with, because that political machine is not doing any favors to the Republican Party,” Speir said.

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“So I think the endorsements mean a little bit less. Now, that doesn’t mean that I won’t try to get Trump’s endorsement, but we already gained [a] historic vote, and as a challenger in 2024.”

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Mark Amodei, R-Nev., announced Friday he will retire from Congress at the end of his term, saying after 15 years of service, “it is the right time for Nevada and myself to pass the torch.”

Amodei said he will complete his current term, which runs through January 2027, and framed the decision as a personal milestone rather than a political one.

“Serving the people of Nevada has been the honor of my lifetime,” Amodei said in a statement released via X. “Nobody is prouder of our Nevada Congressional District than me. Thank you for the honor.”

Amodei said he entered Congress “to solve problems” and to ensure that “our State and Nation have strong voice in the federal policy and oversight processes,” adding, “I look forward to finishing my term.”

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The veteran lawmaker represents Nevada’s 2nd Congressional District, which covers the northern half of the state and includes Reno, the district’s largest city. The seat leans Republican and, prior to Friday’s announcement, was rated Solid Republican by the nonpartisan Cook Political Report. 

Nevada’s other three congressional districts are held by Democrats and are considered more competitive.

Amodei has consistently won re-election by wide margins. He defeated his Democrat challenger by 19 points in 2024 and won the 2022 midterm election by 22 points. President Donald Trump carried the district by 14 points in 2024.

On Capitol Hill, Amodei chairs the Homeland Security Appropriations Subcommittee, a role that places him at the center of funding decisions for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). His retirement announcement comes as DHS faces another looming funding deadline, with current funding set to expire in just over a week.

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Amodei is the latest House Republican to announce plans to leave Congress ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.

In his statement, Amodei did not reference the political landscape or the upcoming election cycle, instead emphasizing gratitude and continuity through the remainder of his term.

“Every achievement worth doing began with listening to Nevadans and fighting for our values,” he said. “After 15 years of service, I believe it is the right time for Nevada and myself to pass the torch.”

Amodei was first elected to Congress in 2011 and has served continuously since, building a reputation as a reliable conservative vote in the lower House.

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His announcement sets the stage for an open-seat contest in Nevada’s 2nd District in the upcoming midterm elections.

Fox News’ Chad Pergram and Fox News Digital’s Paul Steinhauser contributed to this reporting.

A federal judge dealt the Trump administration a blow on Thursday by blocking the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) from providing residential addresses to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani — who was nominated by former President Barack Obama — argued that the sharing of data could violate a section of the Tax Act of 1976, which includes privacy protections for taxpayers. The judge’s order blocks ICE and the IRS from sharing data while also prohibiting the use of data that had already been transferred pending a court review.

“Defendants DHS, Secretary Noem, ICE, Acting Director Lyons, and their agents, are enjoined from inspecting, viewing, using, copying, distributing, relying on, or otherwise acting upon any return information that had been obtained from or disclosed by the IRS Defendants pursuant to the information sharing arrangements, including the information received August 7, 2025,” Talwani’s order reads.

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In addition to concerns about taxpayers’ privacy, Talwani addressed the chilling effect this could have on tax filings by immigrants, as well as the possibility that people could be wrongfully arrested due to mistaken identity. She said that the plaintiffs had “demonstrated that a significant portion of immigrant communities not only share common last names… but also live in shared homes or in the same apartment complexes,” adding to concerns about mistaken identities.

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The plaintiffs in the case were four community groups: Community Economic Development Center of Southeastern Massachusetts (CEDC), National Parents Union (NPU), National Korean American Service and Education Consortium (NAKASEC) and UndocuBlack Network, Inc. (UBN).

The order states that on April 7, 2025, the IRS and ICE established a Memorandum of Understanding to share taxpayer data, supporting a federal crackdown on illegal immigration. ICE subsequently issued three data requests, including an initial June 5 query for 7.6 million individuals, a June 24 request for 7.3 million records and a final June 27 submission for 1.2 million people. While the IRS rejected the first two for legal deficiencies, it approved the third and ultimately transferred over 47,000 addresses to ICE in August 2025. However, now that information is being frozen and cannot be used.

“We disagree with this activist judge’s ruling. Under President Trump’s leadership, the government is finally doing what it should have all along — sharing information across the federal government to solve problems. Biden not only allowed millions of illegal aliens to flood into our country, but he lost them through incompetence and improper processing,” a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) spokesperson told Fox News Digital.

“Information sharing across agencies is essential to identify who is in our country, including violent criminals, determine what public safety and terror threats may exist so we can neutralize them, scrub these individuals from voter rolls, and identify what public benefits these aliens are using at taxpayer expense. With the IRS information specifically, DHS plans to focus on enforcing long-neglected criminal laws that apply to illegal aliens but which the Biden Administration ignored,” the spokesperson added.

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Talwani is the second judge to block the IRS-ICE information sharing agreement. The first was U.S. District Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly, who said it violated a taxpayer confidentiality law, Politico noted. The outlet added that Kollar-Kotelly had also blocked Treasury Secretary and acting IRS commissioner Scott Bessent from disclosing taxpayer information to DHS unless it was being transferred to someone working on a non-tax criminal probe. Kollar-Kotelly was nominated by former President Bill Clinton.

The White House said a video “erroneously” posted to President Donald Trump’s social media account on Friday that depicted former President Barack Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama as apes in a jungle has been taken down.

The video focused on voting fraud claims from the 2020 presidential election. In the final moments, the Obamas’ heads are seen superimposed on primates’ bodies as “The Lion Sleeps Tonight” plays in the background.

Other elected officials were also portrayed superimposed over the bodies of various animals. The White House told Fox News Digital that a staffer had “erroneously” posted the video before it was taken down. 

Democrats immediately criticized the video as racist. Some Republicans also spoke out against it. 

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“Praying it was fake because it’s the most racist thing I’ve seen out of this White House. The President should remove it,” said Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C.

Rep. Mike Lawler, R-N.Y., called the video “wrong” and “incredibly offensive.”

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He said “whether intentional or a mistake,” the video “should be deleted immediately with an apology offered.”

California Gov. Gavin Newsom, a frequent Trump critic, urged Republicans to condemn Trump over the video, calling his behavior “disgusting.”

Last year, Trump shared an AI-generated video depicting Obama sitting in the Oval Office before being arrested by agents as the song “YMCA” plays. 

An AI-generated version of Trump grins as Obama is apprehended and eventually thrown in a jail cell. The AI-generated Obama is also seen wearing an orange jumpsuit behind bars.

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Fox News Digital has reached out to Barack and Michelle Obama’s office for comment. 

House Oversight Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., announced Friday that he’s investigating companies linked to Ilhan Omar’s, D-Minn., husband, citing a dramatic increase in value in a short time and raising questions about whether their success could be tied to widespread fraud schemes uncovered in Minnesota. 

In a letter published Friday morning, Comer said the Oversight Committee would conduct a closer look at the ventures of Tim Mynett, who married Omar in March 2020.

“We want to know: who’s funding this? And who’s buying access?” Comer said.

In his letter, Comer described how two of Mynett’s companies, eStCru LL. and Rose Lake Capital LL., went from being worth $51,000 in 2023 to up to $30 million in 2024.

“Given that these companies do not publicly list their investors or where their money comes from, this sudden jump in values raises concerns that unknown individuals may be investing to gain influence with your wife,” Comer wrote in his letter to Mynett, citing congressional financial disclosures.

The Oversight Committee is asking Mynett to produce communications regarding the companies’ latest audits, communications with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), correspondence with any other federal agencies and travel records to or from the United Arab Emirates, Somalia or Kenya.

Comer did not explain how the committee is approaching the investigation but hinted that lawmakers were on guard for possible connections to the fraud schemes in Minnesota.

“The Committee on Oversight and Government Reform is investigating widespread fraud in Minnesota’s social service programs,” Comer told Mynett in his letter.

EMMER WARNS WALZ COULD END UP ‘IN CUFFS’ AMID MINNESOTA FRAUD CLAIMS

Mynett and Omar have come under public scrutiny in recent months as financial reports revealed that the pair’s wealth has grown exponentially since Omar arrived in Congress in 2019.

Those concerns overlap with ongoing federal, state and congressional probes into as much as $9 billion in state funding that Minnesota may have lost to fraud. Through scores of schemes, fraudsters allegedly siphoned funding from government programs like daycare centers and health clinics while returning no benefits, greatly exaggerating their services and pocketing government funding.

Rep. Tom Emmer, R-Minn., the House whip and No. 2 Republican in the chamber, said he expects the public will soon secure answers through the Oversight Committee’s demands for additional details.

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“As President Trump said last month: Time will tell all. I’m confident that Rep. Comer’s investigation into Ilhan Omar’s suspiciously exploding wealth will reveal the truth. The truth sets some people free, but it may send Ilhan packing.”

The committee has asked to see its requested information no later than Feb. 19.

Rep. Omar’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Senate Democrats are accusing President Donald Trump of trying to meddle in the upcoming election cycle, and Senate Republicans are calling them out. 

The topic of election integrity was again thrust back into the forefront by House Republicans last week, who demanded that voter ID legislation be included in a deal struck by Trump and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., to fund the government. 

While that ultimately never came to fruition, the talking point and legislative push has remained. 

THUNE REJECTS TRUMP’S CALL TO NATIONALIZE ELECTIONS, WARNS DEMS TRIED THE SAME

Trump has called on Republicans to nationalize elections throughout the week; the FBI conducted a raid on an election hub in Fulton County, Ga.; and a cohort from the Senate GOP are pushing for the SAVE America Act to get a shot in the upper chamber. 

Senate Democrats see the moves as laying the groundwork for election interference during the 2026 midterm election cycle — a point that they railed against Trump and Republicans for years. 

“I think as Trump gets more desperate, he’s looking at ways that he can rig the election anytime a Republican doesn’t win,” Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., told Fox News Digital. “He thinks it’s unfair, and so he wants to tilt the rules to make sure the Democrats don’t win.” 

“So yeah, I think we ultimately have to be really vigilant about this,” he continued. “The Constitution is crystal clear, the federal government can’t run state elections, but that doesn’t mean he won’t try.”

REPUBLICANS, TRUMP RUN INTO SENATE ROADBLOCK ON VOTER ID BILL

The accusation has made Senate Republicans balk, particularly after congressional Democrats raged against the GOP for questions of election integrity following the 2020 election and after Democrats pushed for their own, sweeping election reform packages under former President Joe Biden. 

Sen. Eric Schmitt, R-Mo., told Fox News Digital that Democrats’ charge was “ridiculous.” 

“Sounds like a conspiracy theory,” Schmitt said. 

“I think President Trump cares very deeply about the integrity of our elections,” he continued. “If you ask the American people, they support voter ID by overwhelming numbers. So look, they’ve got some outrage of the week every week.”

Trump’s comments to nationalize elections came first during an interview with former FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino on his podcast, where the president said, “The Republicans should say, ‘We want to take over, we should take over the voting in at least many — 15 places.’” 

Sen. Elissa Slotkin, D-Mich., shot back that a Democratic politician didn’t need to weigh in on the issue because Trump “said it with his own mouth.”

“You can take the president at his own words and believe what he says,” Slotkin told Fox News Digital. “And he’s had an obsession with this issue, certainly an obsession with Fulton County, since he lost the 2020 election, and he’s now weaponizing the federal government because of his obsession.”

SCHUMER NUKES GOP PUSH FOR ‘JIM CROW-ERA’ VOTER ID LAWS IN TRUMP-BACKED SHUTDOWN PACKAGE

But some Senate Republicans have pushed back on Trump’s desire to implement more federal control over elections. 

They argue that it’s a request that runs headfirst into the Constitution, which dictates that elections are run at the state and local levels with little impact from the federal government. Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., has also thrown cold water on the notion. 

“Distributed, decentralized elections held at state-level, in my view, are a protection against hacking and other things, so it’s a lot harder to hack 50 systems than it is one,” Thune said. “So, if that’s the issue, I’m a believer in keeping most of those administered — most issues, at least administered by the state. The issue of citizenship, when it comes to voting, would be an exception to that.”

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And while there is a push to pass the SAVE America Act, which would include voter ID, proof of citizenship to register to vote, and other reforms, it’s unlikely to survive in the Senate. 

That’s because of the 60-vote filibuster threshold and Senate Democrats’ near-unanimous disdain of the legislation, which Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., has called “Jim Crow 2.0.”

Still, Sens. Mike Lee, R-Utah, Ron Johnson, R-Wis., and Rick Scott, R-Fla., the three most vocal supporters of the bill, met with Trump to discuss a path forward on Thursday. 

“It is Democrats bending over backwards to prevent voter ID and proof of citizenship for American elections,” Lee told Fox News Digital in a statement. “It is Democrats demanding that nobody ask questions about election security and irregularities. The projection is jaw-dropping.”

EXCLUSIVE: Federal transportation officials nabbed hundreds of truckers found not to be proficient in English, as otherwise routine stops at weigh stations led to thousands of violations amid a three-day national crackdown.

The latest iteration of Operation SafeDRIVE (Distracted, Reckless, Impaired, Visibility Enforcement) ran from Jan. 13–15 on trucking corridors in 26 states and the District of Columbia and removed nearly 2,000 unqualified truckers and other drivers from the road, USDOT’s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) told Fox News Digital.

The news comes just days after a Kyrgyz national caused a deadly wreck after he failed to brake for stopped traffic on a state road in Jay County, Indiana, crossed the median and slammed into oncoming traffic.

Bekzhan Beishekeev illegally used the Mayorkas-era CBP-1 app to enter the U.S. in 2023 and was later issued a CDL by PennDOT – leading DHS officials to lambast Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, who in turn blamed Secretary Kristi Noem’s federal database management.

DUFFY EXPOSES 54% OF NORTH CAROLINA TRUCK LICENSES ISSUED ILLEGALLY TO ‘DANGEROUS DRIVERS’

USDOT Secretary Sean Duffy told Fox News Digital that Operation SafeDRIVE saw the FMCSA partner with state law enforcement in a high-visibility enforcement and education effort, addressing unsafe drivers of all types on the nation’s highways.

Operation SafeDRIVE conducted more than 8,200 inspections that led to 704 drivers being taken off the road and out of service.

About 500 of those truckers were penalized for violating English proficiency standards.

CALIFORNIA FATHER SAYS NEWSOM IGNORED HIM AFTER ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT TRUCKER LEFT DAUGHTER UNABLE TO WALK

There were 1,231 total vehicles stripped of their roadworthiness and 56 people were arrested, including several for DUI/DWI and illegal presence in the United States.

“Operation SafeDRIVE shows what happens when we work together with our law enforcement partners to pull unqualified drivers and vehicles off American roads,” Duffy told Fox News Digital.

“We need a whole-of-government approach to ensure the Trump Administration’s strong standards of safety are in place to protect American families and reduce road accidents.”

ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT ACCUSED IN DEATHS OF COLLEGE SOCCER PLAYER, GIRLFRIEND HAD PRIOR DWI DISMISSED: RECORDS

FMCSA Administrator Derek Barrs added that the operation’s main goal was public safety.

“When drivers ignore the rules, operate without proper qualifications, or get behind the wheel impaired, they put all of our lives at risk,” Barrs said.

“Operation SafeDRIVE demonstrates the value of focused enforcement and strong partnerships in removing these drivers and vehicles from our roads.”

GRIEVING FATHER SAYS DAUGHTER’S DEATH BY ILLEGAL ALIEN SHOWS COST OF SANCTUARY POLICIES

In other recent cases of illegally-present or English-nonproficient drivers causing deadly or dangerous situations, an Indian national was arrested after passing through a weigh station in Oklahoma and found to be illegally present in the country.

His commercial driver’s license, issued by New York State, listed him as “NO NAME.” His identity was later confirmed to be Anmol Anmol, and he had illegally entered the U.S. in 2023 and was handed over to federal authorities under Oklahoma’s 287(g) cooperation agreement with I.C.E.

DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said Anmol is indicative of the kind of people issued licenses under Albany’s widescale noncooperation with federal immigration enforcement.

NOEM DIGS AT AGITATORS, SANCTUARY POLITICIANS IN TOUTING ICE MISSION CONTINUES 1 YEAR INTO TRUMP’S SECOND TERM

“New York is not only failing to check if applicants applying to drive 18-wheelers are U.S. citizens but even failing to obtain the full legal names of individuals they are issuing commercial drivers’ licenses to,” she said.

After an Uzbek national wanted in Tashkent on terrorism charges was nabbed in Oklahoma — also wielding a PennDOT driver’s license — a similar dynamic ensued between Harrisburg and Washington, with both Shapiro and Noem blaming each other for the problem.

Fox News Digital obtained a letter from Shapiro cabinet officials to Pennsylvania legislative leaders — as Democrats hold the House and Republicans the Senate — rejecting some of the claims about the situation.

The letter, written by PennDOT Secretary Mike Carroll, a Luzerne Democrat, and Secretary of the Commonwealth Al Schmidt, a Philadelphia Republican, called out “misstatements and ill-informed speculation” from critics. Schmidt and Carroll said the administration’s policy is not to allow illegal immigrants to receive licenses.

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“All non-citizens who apply for driver’s licenses… must provide PennDOT with proof of identity and must have their legal presence in this country verified through the federal Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements (SAVE) database,” they said, citing the DHS database flagged by Shapiro and PennDOT spokeswoman Alexis Campbell in prior communications with Fox News Digital.

A Noem spokesperson said at the time that the Uzbek illegal immigrant — Akhror Bozorov — was unwisely issued a work authorization by the Biden administration, but that did not mean Harrisburg should have let him drive a bobtail — with the spokesperson dubbing Shapiro a “sanctuary politician.”

The situation first came to prominence after Indian national Harjinder Singh made an illegal U-turn on Florida’s Turnpike in St. Lucie County and a sedan slammed into the rig, killing all occupants.

Singh had been given a CDL by California.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent was grilled by Democratic lawmakers on Capitol Hill in back-to-back hearings this week that repeatedly erupted into shouting. Bessent was on the Hill to discuss the nation’s economic health but faced sharp questioning that at times derailed the proceedings.

The confrontations reflected broader Democratic frustrations over President Donald Trump’s trade agenda and renewed pressure on the Federal Reserve, sharpening concerns about inflation, borrowing costs and the administration’s economic direction.

Against that backdrop, cost-of-living pressures dominated the hearings, with Democratic lawmakers demanding clearer answers as Bessent defended the administration’s policies.

Here are the top contentious moments from Bessent’s hearings.

‘Can you shut him up?’

On Wednesday, Rep. Maxine Waters, D-Calif., was among the first to clash with Bessent over Trump’s economic agenda, with the irate congresswoman asking at one point if someone could “shut him up.”

The exchange took place during Bessent’s testimony before the House Financial Services Committee. Waters, the panel’s ranking member, pressed Bessent on the potential inflationary effects of Trump’s tariffs on U.S. consumers, repeatedly calling for a yes-or-no answer.

Waters: So I ask you, Secretary Bessent, will you be the voice of reason in this administration and urge President Trump to stop waging a war on American consumers, harming housing affordability, and putting the economy at risk? Yes or no. You don’t have to explain.

Bessent: Representative—

Waters: Will you be the voice of reason? Will you be the voice of reason?

Bessent: A study from Wharton University has shown—

Waters: Reclaiming my time. Reclaiming my time. Mr. Chair, will you let him know when I ask to reclaim my time—

Rep. French Hill, R-Ariz., House Financial Services Committee chairman: The time does belong to the gentlewoman from California.

Bessent: Ten to twenty million immigrants—

Waters: Can you shut him up?

Bessent: What about the housing stock for working Americans? And can you maintain some level of dignity?

Hill: The gentlewoman’s time has expired.

Waters: No, my time has not expired.

Hill: Your time has expired. The gentleman—

Waters: The gentleman took up my time. I think you should recognize that, Mr. Chair.

Hill: The gentlewoman’s time has expired.

‘Stop covering for the president’

Following the contentious exchange with Waters, Rep. Gregory Meeks (D-NY) asked Bessent to commit to pausing and fully scrutinizing any Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) licensing tied to World Liberty Financial, a Trump-linked crypto firm.

He cited concerns about conflicts of interest and foreign influence that he said should be reviewed and shared with Congress. Bessent cited the OCC’s independence and declined to give a direct yes-or-no answer.

Meeks : All I need to know is will you halt it and do a complete investigation and scrutiny of this licensing application? Yes or no? 

Bessent: No, congressman. The OCC is an independent entity and I would note congressman—

Meeks: All you have to say is yes or no.

Bessent: In 2006, you traveled to Venezuela—

Meeks: I take that as a no.

Bessent: On behalf of your donors—

Meeks: I take that as a no. You do not want to answer that question.

Bessent: 110 years—

Meeks: I take that as a no.

CAN YOU SHUT HIM UP?: WATERS AND TREASURY’S BESSENT CLASH OVER TRUMP’S ECONOMIC AGENDA

Bessent: For 7 billion—

Meeks: I’m asking you to do your responsibility as Secretary of the Treasury.

Hill: Mr. Meeks. Your time has expired.

Meeks: He went past your time, Mr. Chairman. He did not answer my question and he went past the time.

Hill: He had six seconds left to try to answer your question.

Meeks: And it was a yes or no.

Hill: Gentleman, the chair recognizes the gentleman—

Meeks: Stop covering for the president. Stop being his flunky.

Hill: Gentlemen, gentlemen—

Meeks: Stop covering for the president, work for the American people.

Bessent: To make a trip to Venezuela—

Meeks: Don’t be a cover-up for a mob.

Hill: Mr. Meeks. Mr. Bessent please—

‘You’re plundering US tax dollars’

Sen. Ruben Gallego, D-Ariz., sparred with Bessent during a contentious Senate Banking Committee hearing on Thursday, pressing him on President Trump’s $10 billion lawsuit against the IRS over the alleged leak of his tax records. 

When Bessent said any payout would come from the U.S. Treasury, Gallego pushed back, arguing the cost would ultimately be borne by U.S. taxpayers.

Bessent tried to interject but Gallego continued, “I’m controlling the time here. You’re not obeying the law. You’re plundering U.S. taxpayer dollars.”

‘This one should be an easy one, Mr. Secretary’

In the same hearing, Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., pressed Bessent to explain a joke Trump made about Federal Reserve nominee Kevin Warsh.

Warren, the panel’s ranking member, asked Bessent about comments Trump made over the weekend, when he joked — or appeared to joke — about suing Warsh if he failed to lower the national interest rate. The question triggered a shouting match between the two.

WARREN AND BESSENT ERUPT INTO SHOUTING MATCH OVER TRUMP’S WARSH JOKE

Warren: This one should be an easy one. Mr. Secretary, can you commit right here and now that Trump’s Fed nominee, Kevin Warsh, will not be sued, will not be investigated by the Department of Justice, if he doesn’t cut interest rates exactly the way Donald Trump wants?

Bessent: That’s up to the president. Can you commit that you will— 

Warren: I’m sorry? You can’t say that he won’t be sued if he doesn’t drop interest rates?

Bessent: Can you commit that you will not hold up— 

Warren: And he won’t be criminally investigated? 

Bessent: The president also made a joke about you — one I won’t repeat.

Warren: That was supposed to be a softball. That was the easy one. If this was a joke, why not just say so?

Bessent: It was a joke, and he made a joke about you, too, Senator Warren. It got a lot of laughs, it got a lot of laughs. I don’t know if you want to respond to that. 

Warren: I do want to respond, I think the American people are laughing, they are the ones that are struggling.

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Last week, Trump nominated Warsh to lead the world’s most powerful central bank. If confirmed by the Senate, Warsh would assume one of the most powerful positions in U.S. economic policymaking, with direct influence over interest rate decisions and the central bank’s battle against inflation. 

Kiera McDonald and Hannah Brennan contributed to this report.

Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi took a jab at President Donald Trump during a speech on Wednesday, saying that he “crowned himself king.”

During her remarks at the Washington Press Club Foundation’s annual congressional dinner, Pelosi claimed that the nation “is in a crisis of conscience.”

She said the country’s president “has crowned himself king,” the nation’s Congress has “abolished itself” and the U.S. Supreme Court “has gone rogue.”

NANCY PELOSI FACES SOCIAL MEDIA BACKLASH OVER BEHAVIOR AT BOB WEIR TRIBUTE EVENT

Fox News Digital reached out to the White House for comment on Thursday.

Pelosi, a California Democrat, has served in the U.S. House of Representatives since mid-1987.

PELOSI SAYS TRUMP’S ‘MENTAL INCAPACITY’ WAS ON DISPLAY DURING ADDRESS TO NATION

She announced in November that she would not seek re-election.

Trump reacted to that news last year by lambasting the congresswoman.

DON LEMON SAYS NANCY PELOSI TOLD HIM HE’D BE ‘FACE OF THE FIRST AMENDMENT’ AFTER ARREST

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“Nancy Pelosi, the old and broken political hack who Impeached me twice and lost, is finally calling it ‘quits.’ She illegally made a fortune in the Stock Market, ripped off the American Public, and was a disaster for America. I’m glad to see the stench of Nancy Pelosi go!!!” the president said in a November Truth Social post.

FIRST ON FOX: The Republican National Committee is upping its social media presence and following President Donald Trump’s lead by officially launching a TikTok account, marking a strategic shift for the party as it continues to look to connect with younger voters.

The RNC’s plan to make an impact on the digital front lines involves the official launch of @Republicans on TikTok, which is designed to engage a critical demographic, voters under 30 who may not follow traditional political news but rely heavily on social media for information.

The move comes at the same time polling from Pew Research shows that 63% of Americans aged 18-29 use TikTok. The platform has become an essential battleground for reaching the next generation of voters.

Trump has credited TikTok with being a key part of his election victory in 2024.

TIKTOK AFTER THE US SALE: WHAT CHANGED AND HOW TO USE IT SAFELY

“I wasn’t a fan of TikTok, and then I got to use it,” Trump said last fall. “And I became a fan, and it helped me win the election in a landslide.”

The data shows that TikTok was a valuable tool for Trump and his administration. Reuters reported he amassed roughly 3 million followers in just 24 hours after joining the platform and quickly began drawing tens of millions of views. 

In 2025, the White House joined TikTok and quickly gained traction, racking up 5 million followers and 80 million-plus likes as of early January. In addition to launching its own account, the RNC is encouraging Republican candidates across the country to follow its lead and join the platform to engage with voters and level the playing field in a space where Democrats have historically dominated. 

11 DEMOCRATS RUNNING TO KEEP BLUE-LEANING SEAT IN PARTY HANDS AS GOP HOUSE MAJORITY ON THE BRINK

“President Trump proved how powerful TikTok can be and took decisive action to secure this platform for American users,” RNC Chair Joe Gruters told Fox News Digital. 

“Our new account will deliver America First content directly to younger voters who get their news online, and we’re encouraging Republican candidates nationwide to do the same now that the platform is safe.”

Earlier this year, TikTok announced it reached a historic deal to launch a majority American-owned joint venture, a move guided by Trump and aimed at averting a potential U.S. ban on the popular social media app and hoping to alleviate concerns about China’s ability to influence Americans on the app.

“I am so happy to have helped in saving TikTok! It will now be owned by a group of Great American Patriots and Investors, the Biggest in the World, and will be an important Voice,” Trump said in a post on Truth Social.

Gains by Trump and Republicans in courting younger voters helped the GOP win back the White House and the Senate and hold their House majority in last year’s elections.

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Republicans will be hoping to repeat that success in the upcoming midterms as they attempt to hold onto a razor-thin majority in the House of Representatives and a three-seat majority in the Senate despite historical trends suggesting Democrats have the advantage.

“I think the President of the United States is our secret weapon. … He’s laser focused,” Gruters said in a national digital exclusive sit-down interview with Fox News last month.

Pointing to Trump’s unprecedented agenda during his first year back in the White House, Gruters argued, “I think it’s going to pay huge dividends across the board, whether you’re running for governor, Senate, House or whether you’re running for a local seat.”

Fox News Digital’s Paul Steinhauser contributed to this report.

A far-left candidate backed by progressive champions Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y, is close to pulling off an upset victory with votes still being counted in a Democratic congressional primary for a blue-leaning seat in New Jersey.

Analilia Mejia, a progressive organizer, has a slight lead – 486 votes out of more than 61,000 counted – over former Democratic Rep. Tom Malinowski in the battle for their party’s nomination in New Jersey’s 11th Congressional District.

Mejia and Malinowski are the leaders among a field of 11 Democratic candidates in the race to fill the seat left vacant after now-Gov. Mikie Sherrill stepped down after winning November’s gubernatorial election in the Garden State.

HOUSE GOP MAJORITY SHRINKS TO JUST ONE VOTE AS JOHNSON SWEARS IN NEW HOUSE DEMOCRAT

But Malinowski, an assistant Secretary of State in former President Barack Obama’s administration who later represented a neighboring congressional district in northern New Jersey from 2018 to 2022 before losing re-election, was considered the front-runner in the race heading into primary day.

The winner will face off with Randolph Mayor Joe Hathaway, the only Republican to file for the special election, which will be held on April 16.

The special election comes as Republicans cling to a razor-thin 218-214 majority in the House of Representatives.

Hathaway will be considered the underdog in the race.

Sherrill won re-election in the district in 2024 by 15 points, the same margin by which she carried the district in November’s gubernatorial showdown.

But then-Vice President Kamala Harris won the district by just eight points in the 2024 presidential election, giving the GOP some hopes of possibly flipping the seat.

The GOP may land a reinforcement in the House before the general election for the open seat in New Jersey is held.

JOHNSON WARNS HOUSE REPUBLICANS TO ‘STAY HEALTHY’ AS GOP MAJORITY SHRINKS TO THE EDGE

That’s because a special election is scheduled on March 10 in Georgia’s solidly red 14th Congressional District, in the race to succeed former GOP Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene. The MAGA firebrand and one-time top Trump House ally in early January stepped away from Congress a year before her term ended.

A whopping 22 candidates, including 17 Republicans, are running in the Georgia showdown.

According to Georgia state law, all the candidates will run on the same ballot. If no contender tops 50% of the vote, a runoff election between the top two finishers will take place on April 7.

WHO TRUJMP IS BACKING IN RACE TO REPLACE MARJORIE TAYLOR GREENE

Trump on Wednesday endorsed Lookout Mountain Judicial Circuit District Attorney Clay Fuller, a Republican, in the race.

Greene won re-election in 2024 to the seat by nearly 30 points and Trump carried the district, which is located in northwest Georgia, by 37 points.

There’s one more vacant seat in Congress, in California’s 1st Congressional District, following the recent unexpected death of Republican Rep. Doug LaMalfa.

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A primary in the race to fill LaMalfa’s seat will be held on June 2, which is primary day in California. And the special general election will be held on Aug. 4.

The district, in northeastern California, is solidly Republican.

War Secretary Pete Hegseth said Thursday that some cartel drug traffickers operating in the U.S. Southern Command area of responsibility have halted narcotics activity following recent U.S. military strikes in the Caribbean.

“WINNING: Some top cartel drug-traffickers in the @SOUTHCOM AOR have decided to cease all narcotics operations INDEFINITELY due to recent (highly effective) kinetic strikes in the Caribbean,” Hegsth wrote in a post on X.

Hegseth credited President Donald Trump with directing the military actions, calling the effort a lifesaving deterrent.

HEGSETH SAYS DEPARTMENT OF WAR ‘WILL BE PREPARED TO DELIVER’ WHATEVER TRUMP WANTS FOLLOWING IRAN WARNING

“This is deterrence through strength. @POTUS is SAVING American lives,” he wrote.

Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina praised the military action, writing on X, “Well done @SecWar and to all under your command. We must continue to verify and monitor. We can’t trust drug cartels.”

PENTAGON WATCHDOG WARNS DRONE INCURSIONS REQUIRE ‘IMMEDIATE ATTENTION’ AT US MILITARY BASES

The Trump administration has been pursuing a policy of conducting deadly attacks against vessels of alleged “narco-terrorists.”

SOUTHCOM announced a strike that killed two on Thursday.

US FORCES KILL TWO SUSPECTED NARCO-TERRORISTS IN EASTERN PACIFIC LETHAL STRIKE OPERATION

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“On Feb. 5, at the direction of #SOUTHCOM Commander Gen. Francis L. Donovan, Joint Task Force Southern Spear conducted a lethal kinetic strike on a vessel operated by Designated Terrorist Organizations. Intelligence confirmed the vessel was transiting along known narco-trafficking routes in the Eastern Pacific and was engaged in narco-trafficking operations. Two narco-terrorists were killed during this action. No U.S. military forces were harmed,” Southern Command noted in a post on X.

Editor’s note: This story includes graphic images of the remains of an animal that some readers may find disturbing.

EXCLUSIVE: The University of Minnesota is facing a proposed penalty of over $14,000 after it was discovered that a green energy initiative funded by a grant from the Obama administration was responsible for the gruesome death of an American bald eagle.

The incident occurred at the University of Minnesota’s Eolos Wind Energy Research Field Station in Dakota County, Minnesota.

Photos obtained by Fox News Digital show the moment a University of Minnesota wind turbine struck the bald eagle, dismembering it into three pieces and leaving a bloodied carcass on the floor below.

A violation notice says the university violated the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act by killing the eagles without what is called an “incidental take permit.” As such, the university is facing a proposed civil penalty of $14,536 for illegally killing what one Department of the Interior official called a “national treasure.”

HOUSE REPUBLICANS SOUND ALARM OVER CCP-LINKED FAKE RESEARCH THREATENING US TAXPAYER-FUNDED SCIENCE

According to a Department of the Interior violation notice reviewed by Fox News Digital, the university was aware that bird collisions were a danger and was in the process of testing its collision detection sensors when the incident occurred.

The eagle’s remains were discovered in pieces. The lower torso and tail were found by technicians first, while the head and wings were not found until over a month later.  

Following the incident, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service sent the university a letter, urging the institution to reassess the turbine’s danger to eagles and to consider applying for a long-term permit for incidental take of eagles. However, the January notice of violation issued by the DOI does not indicate that the university has since obtained any such permit.

SNOWSTORM COULD’VE SPARKED GRID CATASTROPHE IF BIDEN CLIMATE POLICIES WEREN’T REVERSED: ENERGY DEPT

The Minnesota turbine is a part of the university’s Eolos Wind Energy Research Consortium, a wind-energy research collaboration. The construction of the turbine was funded by a $7.9 million grant from the Obama Department of Energy awarded in 2010, according to local outlet the Minnesota Daily.

One of former President Barack Obama’s first major legislative achievements was the passage of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA), which according to a report by the Center for Climate and Energy Solutions, appropriated an “unprecedented $90 billion to ‘lay the foundation for a clean energy economy of the future,’ of which the U.S. Department of Energy received $35.2 billion.”

The Minnesota incident is not the only such killing to have occurred in recent years.

In November, Fox News Digital reported on FWS proposing hefty fines on renewable energy company Ørsted Onshore North America for two bald eagle kills by wind turbines in Nebraska and Illinois. In January, FWS issued notice of finalized fines of a total of $32,340 for the two eagles killed by Ørsted turbines.

TRUMP ADMIN PAUSING ALL OFF SHORE WIND PROJECT CONSTRUCTION DUE TO NATIONAL SECURITY CONCERNS

U.S. Secretary of Interior Doug Burgum has previously criticized solar and wind projects, saying they are “destabilizing our grid and driving up prices.” 

“When you think about the green new scam, it was pro-China, and it’s anti-American, and it’s also unaffordable and unreliable,” Burgum said on Jesse Watters Primetime in June.

Matthew Middleton, a spokesperson for DOI, commented on the killings, telling Fox News Digital that under President Donald Trump and Secretary Doug Burgum, the department “is enforcing the law to protect these iconic birds and demand accountability from an industry that has jeopardized these protected species.”

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“America’s bald eagles are a national treasure, not collateral damage for costly wind experiments,” said Middleton, adding, “Wind companies will no longer get a free pass as this administration safeguards bald eagles and advances energy policies that prioritize affordability and strengthen America’s economy.”

A spokesperson for the University of Minnesota confirmed to Fox News Digital that the university had received DOI’s notice and said it is “currently under review.”

Ørsted did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment. 

House GOP leaders are forging ahead on legislation aimed at imposing new federal guardrails to ensure only U.S. citizens vote in national elections.

House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La., confirmed to Fox News Digital that the chamber would vote on the SAVE America Act introduced by Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, next week.

It comes after conservatives threatened to extend the partial government shutdown earlier this week if the legislation was not included in Congress’ bipartisan funding bills. But those lawmakers backed off their demands after getting assurances from the White House that the Senate would give the bill serious consideration.

SENATE REPUBLICANS PUSH TO DEPORT, DENATURALIZE FRAUDSTERS AMID MINNESOTA SCANDAL

The House’s vote next week hikes the growing pressure on the Senate to take up the bill, where it will face long odds of passing. Its backers are hoping a little-known maneuver called a “standing filibuster” will be key to breaking through Democratic opposition, however. 

“These are common-sense measures that protect American voters,” Scalise explained to Fox News Digital on Thursday.

“Only Democrats in Congress could oppose these basic requirements that prevent voter fraud, and that’s because they want illegal aliens to vote in our elections. Why else would they support open borders, oppose deporting illegal aliens, and oppose election security like picture ID?”

The SAVE America Act is an updated version of Roy’s Safeguarding American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act, which passed the House in April 2025 but was never taken up in the Senate.

Whereas the SAVE Act would create a new federal proof of citizenship mandate in the voter registration process and impose requirements for states to keep their rolls clear of ineligible voters, the updated bill would also require photo ID to vote in any federal elections.

“It’s all the same concept, right? I mean, you want citizenship, and then you want to guarantee that the person voting is the person voting. Photo ID is, I think, a critically important element to that, and we want to require that for federal elections,” Roy told Fox News Digital on Thursday.

SCHUMER FACES BACKLASH AFTER CALLING SAVE ACT ‘JIM CROW’ DESPITE PREVIOUS ALLEGATION FALLING FLAT

The bill is expected to easily pass the House — the original SAVE Act got support from all Republicans and four Democrats — but its survival in the Senate is more complicated.

Most legislation needs 60 votes to break through a filibuster, meaning at least seven Democrats will need to vote with Republicans to advance the bill. 

Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, R-Fla., led a small coalition of conservatives threatening to extend the most recent government shutdown if the SAVE America Act was not attached to the funding bill that President Donald Trump signed into law on Tuesday.

Luna told reporters she spoke with the White House on Monday night where she got assurances that Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., is looking at using a maneuver called a “standing filibuster” to ensure a vote on the bill.

It would restore antiquated filibuster rules in the Senate that require opponents of a bill to be physically present in the chamber and speaking continuously to delay its consideration. 

The move would also eliminate the need for 60 votes to break a filibuster, which currently does not require lawmakers to be present in the chamber until a vote — rather, it would end when opponents were done speaking. Each senator can give a maximum of two speeches, though without any time constraints.

The downside of such a move is that it would grind Senate proceedings to a halt until the filibuster was over. But Roy argued that any such delay in the upper chamber’s duties would fall squarely on Democrats’ shoulders.

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“What we’re trying to say is that for something as important as sovereignty in our elections, we should force that question,” Roy said. “If Democrats want … a long, drawn-out, talking filibuster, then let them explain that to the American people.”

Scalise told Fox News Digital, “Once House Republicans pass this bill — and we will — I urge the Senate to quickly put it on the floor so we can send it to President Trump’s desk. The American people are demanding action — Congress must answer their call and pass this critical legislation.”