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President Donald Trump celebrated on Sunday after German conservative opposition leader Friedrich Merz claimed victory in a national election, ousting Social Democrat incumbent Chancellor Olaf Scholz.

“LOOKS LIKE THE CONSERVATIVE PARTY IN GERMANY HAS WON THE VERY BIG AND HIGHLY ANTICIPATED ELECTION,” Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social. “MUCH LIKE THE USA, THE PEOPLE OF GERMANY GOT TIRED OF THE NO COMMON SENSE AGENDA, ESPECIALLY ON ENERGY AND IMMIGRATION, THAT HAS PREVAILED FOR SO MANY YEARS.

“THIS IS A GREAT DAY FOR GERMANY, AND FOR THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF A GENTLEMAN NAMED DONALD J. TRUMP,” he added. “CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL — MANY MORE VICTORIES TO FOLLOW!!!”

Germany’s center-right Christian Democratic Union (CDU) won Sunday’s national election, with the right-wing Alternative for Germany (AfD) finishing a strong second, according to exit polls.

TRUMP SET TO MEET WITH WORLD LEADERS IN DC DURING BUSY WEEK AS RUSSIA-UKRAINE PEACE TALKS CONTINUE

President Donald Trump praised conservative opposition leader Friedrich Merz’s victory to become Germany’s next chancellor. (AP)

The snap election came as the European nation grapples with illegal immigration and a souring economy. CDU leader Merz is expected to take a harder line than Scholz on immigration, though not as much as AfD supporters have called for.

Merz, whose party got about 29% of the vote, must form a coalition with one or more of the other parties, but has said he will not do so with AfD.

ECONOMY, IMMIGRATION, ELON MUSK AT CENTER OF GERMAN ELECTION; CONSERVATIVE CANDIDATE FAVORED TO WIN

Friedrich Merz, leader of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), casts his vote at a polling station Arnsberg-Niedereimer, Germany, on Feb. 23, 2025, during the national election. (Oliver Berg/dpa via AP)

Merz has said he will execute a 15-point plan to tackle immigration, including tightening the borders and deporting rejected asylum seekers. AfD wants to deport migrants en masse.

While the AfD may be frozen out of the incoming coalition, it doubled its vote total from the last election.

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Endorsed by Trump and Elon Musk, and led by Alice Weidel and Tino Chrupalla, the party believes it has built momentum for the next election, expected in 2029.

Popular TV host Mike Rowe believes that President Donald Trump’s policies will be better for the country in the long run.

Asked by Fox News Digital how he feels about Trump’s first few weeks back in office, Rowe indicated that he is “happy” with what he has seen so far and optimistic about the future outlook.

“I’m a one-issue guy, I got a foundation, we’re trying to close the skills gap, he wants to bring manufacturing back, and I am all for it,” Rowe said of Trump from the Conservative Political Action Conference on Saturday. “But right now we got 7.2 million men, able-bodied, who are not looking for work. They’re just sitting out of the workforce. And we’ve got giant shortages already in dozens of skilled trades, so I think part of what has to happen is a PR campaign to reinvigorate the trades as we bring back the manufacturing.”

THE AGE OF RELYING ON CREDENTIALS IS NEARING AN END, MIKE ROWE SAYS

Mike Rowe (Getty      )

Rowe noted that he is willing to put his money where his mouth is to assist the effort and indicated he was available to help Trump with the issue as well.

“I got a million bucks I am giving away this month to microworks.org to help train the next generation of skilled workers. If I could be of use in any other capacity in that regard, I am at his disposal,” Rowe said.

Mike Rowe warned about the sharp decline in young men in the workforce in an interview with CBS. (CBS/screenshot)

MIKE ROWE WARNS ABOUT STIGMA ‘GUNK’ AROUND TRADES THAT KEEPS KIDS FROM EXPLORING INDUSTRY

Touching on Trump’s tariff and trade policies, Rowe acknowledged the possibility of some short-term pain for American industries but argued the payoff would be worth it in the end.

“Yes, they will hurt short term. Is it worth it long term?” Rowe said. “Look, do you want to be dependent on China? Do you want to be reliant on other countries? These are really simple, fundamental questions. If the answer is we want to be more independent, there’s going to be some short-term pain.”

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“I think it will be worth it to be less reliant on countries who hate us,” Rowe added. “I think it will be worth it to be less dependent on countries that aren’t terribly concerned with what’s best for us. I am all for an equal playing field, and I am all for every kind of independence we can muster, whether it’s energy independence, economic independence, workforce independence, all of it.”

The downtown Washington, D.C., Ronald Reagan building will undergo a dramatic shift as U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) takes over the longtime headquarters of the Agency for International Development (USAID), Fox News Digital has confirmed.

“CBP has signed a license agreement to occupy approximately 390,000 usable square feet in the USAID tower,” a CBP spokesperson told Fox News Digital.

The news, which was originally reported by Politico, comes after a federal judge on Friday declined to keep in place a temporary block that was preventing President Donald Trump from removing all but a small number of USAID staffers, clearing the way for the administration to continue its dramatic cuts to federal departments, according to a report from the Associated Press.

USAID WORKERS SEND MESSAGE TO TRUMP ON BOXES WHILE LEAVING OFFICE FOR LAST TIME

Flowers and a sign are placed outside the headquarters of the U.S. Agency for International Development, Feb. 7, 2025, in Washington, D.C. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)

USAID, a decades-old foreign assistance agency, was one of the first targets for cuts by the new administration, sparking a lawsuit filed by unions representing federal workers in an attempt to block the layoffs.

The suit accused the Trump administration of stalling medical evacuations for USAID staffers and family members overseas and cutting off contractors from emergency communications while also challenging the constitutionality of the administration’s sudden cuts, which the suit argues requires congressional approval.

“At present, the agency is still standing,” U.S. District Judge Carl Nichols wrote in the ruling. “And so the alleged injuries on which plaintiffs rely in seeking injunctive relief flow essentially from their members’ existing employment relationships with USAID.”

The U.S. Agency for International Development headquarters after workers removed its sign on Feb. 7, 2025, in Washington, D.C. (Kayla Bartkowski/Getty Images)

‘WASTEFUL AND DANGEROUS’: DOGE’S TOP FIVE MOST SHOCKING REVELATIONS

With the drastic reduction in staffing and the loss of its longtime headquarters, questions remain about the future of USAID and its mission. Earlier this month, the State Department announced that Secretary of State Marco Rubio had been appointed as acting administrator for the agency with an eye toward possible reorganization of its activities under the State Department.

Protesters gather in front of the USAID building on Feb. 3, 2025, in Washington, D.C. (Pete Kiehart for The Washington Post via Getty Images)

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“The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has long strayed from its original mission of responsibly advancing American interests abroad, and it is now abundantly clear that significant portions of USAID funding are not aligned with the core national interests of the United States,” the State Department said in a statement. “As we evaluate USAID and ensure it is in alignment with an America First agenda and the efforts of the State Department, we will continue to protect the American people’s interests and ensure their tax dollars are not wasted.”

President Donald Trump’s envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, said Sunday that he would aim to negotiate an “extension” of Phase One of the Israel-Hamas hostage release and ceasefire deal when he returns to the region this week. 

“We have to get an extension of Phase One. And, so I’ll be going into the region this week, probably Wednesday, to negotiate that,” Witkoff said during an appearance on CNN’s “State of the Union.” “And we’re hoping you have the proper time to finish off to begin Phase Two and finish it off and get more hostages released. And move this – move the discussion forward.” 

Israeli Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer, a close confidante of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, reportedly met with Witkoff in Washington, D.C., last week. 

In regard to the meeting, CNN’s Jake Tapper asked Witkoff if he believes Netanyahu “wants to move forward with the ceasefire, or does he want to resume the war to try to eliminate Hamas?”

ISRAEL DELAYS PALESTINIAN PRISONER RELEASE AFTER HAMAS’ ‘HUMILIATING’ TREATMENT OF HOSTAGES, NETANYAHU SAYS 

U.S. special envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff speaks during the FII Priority Summit on Feb. 20, 2025, in Miami Beach, Florida. (Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

Witkoff said he believes the prime minister “is well-motivated” and wants to see “the hostages released,” as well “to protect the state of Israel.” 

“And so he’s got a red line,” Witkoff said. “And he said what the red line is, and that is that Hamas cannot be involved in a governing body when this thing is resolved.” 

“They can’t be any part of governance in Gaza,” the U.S. envoy said of Hamas. “And, you know, as to existing, I’d leave that – that detail to the prime minister.” 

In another Sunday show appearance on CBS’ “Face the Nation,” Witkoff said he would arrive “probably Wednesday evening” in the Middle East and would visit various countries, including Qatar, Egypt, Israel, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia. He added that the last remaining living American hostage, Edan Alexander, remains a top priority in negotiations.

“He’s front and center for us,” Witkoff said. “I know his parents. We talk all the time. He’s critical. It’s one of President Trump’s most important objectives is to get all Americans home. And we’re going to be successful in getting Edan home, I believe.” 

 A woman holds an image of hostage Edan Alexander. (Yuri Cortez/AFP via Getty Images)

REMAINS OF SHIRI BIBAS, MOM OF TWO KILLED, ALLEGEDLY RETURNED TO ISRAEL FOLLOWING HAMAS’ BROKEN PROMISE

According to the May 27 protocol agreement, Witkoff explained that Phase Two involves both “a permanent ceasefire, a cessation of all violence,” as well as “the fact that Hamas cannot be allowed to come back into the government” in Gaza. 

“And I think the way you square that circle is that Hamas has to go. They’ve got to leave,” Witkoff said, adding, “I would say physically, that’s correct.” The envoy said he was not at liberty to say which countries might take in people from Gaza during ongoing negotiations, but stressed that Gaza would not be a safe living environment for another 15 to 20 years following the war and requires an extension reconstruction plan.

The Israeli Prime Minister’s Office announced Saturday night that “in light of Hamas’s repeated violations, including the ceremonies that humiliate our hostages and the cynical exploitation of our hostages for propaganda purposes, it has been decided to delay the release of terrorists that was planned for yesterday until the release of the next hostages has been assured, and without the humiliating ceremonies.” 

Hamas terrorists display Israeli hostages before handing them over to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in Gaza on Feb. 22, 2025. (Ashraf Amra/Anadolu via Getty Images)

In a video message Friday, Netanyahu condemned how Hamas “brutally murdered” two young Israeli boys, whose bodies were initially returned to Israel without the remains of their mother, Shiri Bibas. In what Netanyahu decried as a “brazen violation of their agreement,” Hamas initially handed over the wrong body for Bibas, whose actual remains were later returned and identified Saturday following an intense standoff with the terrorist group. 

Hamas handed over another six Israelis on Saturday in the latest scheduled release of living hostages.

As part of Phase One of the ceasefire deal, Israel agreed to release nearly 2,000 prisoners and detainees in exchange for the remaining hostages. About 1,200 people were killed, and about 250 others were taken in to Gaza as hostages during Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attacks on southern Israel. About 60 hostages remain held by Hamas, approximately half of whom Israel has declared to be dead. 

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“I will not rest until the savages who executed our hostages are brought to justice,” Netanyahu said Friday. “They do not deserve to walk this Earth. Nothing will stop me.” 

President Donald Trump fired the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Air Force Gen. C.Q. Brown, and a number of other top military officers over the weekend in a dramatic shakeup of Pentagon leadership.

Trump announced on social media Friday that he was replacing Brown and planned on nominating retired Lt. Gen. Dan “Razin” Caine to fill his role as the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, making him the military’s top officer.

A report from Reuters noted Trump’s move was “unprecedented,” becoming the first time a president has pulled a military officer out of retirement to head the Joint Chiefs. 

The move was just one of many changes Trump announced to top military brass in recent days, including plans to replace the U.S. Navy’s top officer, Adm. Lisa Franchetti, the first woman to lead one of the military branches. Trump is also removing the Air Force vice chief of staff, Gen. Jim Slife, and the judge advocates general of the Army, Navy and Air Force.

OBAMA FIRED TOP MILITARY OFFICERS TO ALIGN PENTAGON WITH HIS POLICY VISION, NOW TRUMP SET TO DO THE SAME

President Donald Trump arrives at an election night watch party, Nov. 6, 2024, in West Palm Beach, Florida. (Evan Vucci/AP)

“I want to thank General Charles ‘CQ’ Brown for his over 40 years of service to our country, including as our current Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. He is a fine gentleman and an outstanding leader, and I wish a great future for him and his family,” Trump wrote in a social media post.

Trump campaigned heavily on the idea of removing “woke” generals from the top of the military, especially those he believed were responsible for botching the U.S. exit from Afghanistan in 2021.

Trump’s defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, has also made it a point to root out Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives in the military, going so far as to question whether Brown was given the nod as the nation’s top military officer as a result of his race.

“Was it because of his skin color? Or his skill? We’ll never know, but always doubt – which on its face seems unfair to CQ. But since he has made the race card one of his biggest calling cards, it doesn’t really much matter,” Hegseth wrote in his 2024 book.

Air Force Gen. C.Q. Brown (Joint Chiefs of Staff)

OFFICIALS PUSH BACK ON CLAIMS OF ‘LIST’ OF GENERALS HEGSETH PLANS TO FIRE AT PENTAGON

The decision to move on from Franchetti also reverses a 2023 decision by former President Joe Biden, who surprised Pentagon leaders by tapping Franchetti over Adm. Samuel Paparo, who at the time led the Navy’s Pacific Command and was widely expected to be in line for the service’s top job.

But Trump’s decision has also caused “upheaval” at the Pentagon, according to the Reuters report, where the Defense Department was already bracing for mass cuts to its civilian staff.

The moves were also condemned by the top Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee, Sen. Jack Reed, of Rhode Island, who called the firings “political.”

Adm. Lisa Franchetti (U.S. Navy)

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“Firing uniformed leaders as a type of political loyalty test, or for reasons relating to diversity and gender that have nothing to do with performance, erodes the trust and professionalism that our service members require to achieve their missions,” Reed told Reuters.

The White House did not immediately respond to a Fox News Digital request for comment.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) will release parts of Prince Harry’s immigration records with some redaction, in the ongoing lawsuit over the royal’s move to the United States.

The move comes after federal Judge Carl Nichols ordered the agency to provide the court with a redacted version of Harry’s file for review with the ultimate goal of making the records public, according to a New York Post report Friday.

At issue is whether the British royal lied on immigration documents or was given preferential treatment when he moved to the U.S. in 2020, with Harry later revealing in his memoir “Spare,” which was released in 2023, that he had used illegal drugs.

PRINCE HARRY SEES COURT SETBACK ON IMMIGRATION RECORDS CASE IN FIRST HEARING SINCE TRUMP TOOK OFFICE

Prince Harry (Wiktor Szymanowicz/Anadolu Agency)

The Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank, sued DHS in an attempt to get Harry’s record released, hoping to find out if the 40-year-old royal failed to disclose his former drug use on his immigration application.

In a DHS filing to the court, the agency said it could turn over “items 1-3” of Harry’s records with some redactions, but would not release “item 4.”

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry (Getty Images)

PRINCE HARRY, MEGHAN MARKLE SLAMMED BY JUSTINE BATEMAN FOR BEING ‘DISASTER TOURISTS’ AMID CALIFORNIA FIRES

It is unclear what information the items DHS is set to release will contain, though Nichols said at the hearing earlier this month that he wanted the records to be disclosed “in stages” in order to prevent violating U.S. privacy laws.

DHS will have until March 6 to provide the redacted version of the records for the judge’s review, the report notes.

Nile Gardiner, the director of the Heritage Foundation’s Margaret Thatcher Center for Freedom, has argued that “transparency” is important when it comes to how immigration cases are handled.

At issue is whether the British royal lied on immigration documents or was given preferential treatment when he moved to the U.S. in 2020. (Random House)

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“It’s important because this is an issue of the rule of law, transparency and accountability. No one should be above the law,” Gardiner said earlier this month. “Donald Trump is ushering in a new era of strict border control enforcement, and you know, Prince Harry should be held fully to account as he has admitted to extensive illegal drug use.”

DHS did not immediately respond to a Fox News Digital request for comment.

President Donald Trump’s White House is looking to sell two prominent federal buildings in San Francisco, including the recently dubbed Nancy Pelosi Federal Building, according to local reports.

The Nancy Pelosi Federal Building, a two-decade-old, 18-story tower known as the San Francisco Federal Building until its formal dedication to the former House speaker in December, sits on Mission and 7th streets in an area that has been for years plagued by open-air drug dealing, illegal markets reselling stolen goods and other crime. 

In addition to Pelosi’s namesake building, the Trump administration is reportedly also considering selling the 1930s-era federal building at 50 United Nations Plaza, which currently serves as the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) regional headquarters. The potential sales were reported by KGO-TV, as well as the San Francisco Chronicle, which cited a GSA document earmarking both federal properties in San Francisco as “non-core” assets to possibly be sold off. 

In 2023, hundreds of federal employees at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) assigned to the building were instructed to work from home amid worsening safety concerns, the San Francisco Chronicle reported. At the time, Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, demanded its closure due to the drug dealing at the building’s doorstep. 

‘GREEN’ FEDERAL BUILDING ONCE RIDICULED BY TRUMP BEING DEDICATED TO NANCY PELOSI

The Nancy Pelosi Federal Building (Google Maps)

“It’s another example of how he is coming after Democrats. He’s coming after California, and it’s all about payback,” former Democratic Rep. Jackie Speier told KGO, referring to Trump. “The lease will keep going up and you will end up paying the property taxes of the lessor, whereas you don’t pay federal taxes when you are a federal government.” 

PELOSI HOPES SHE CAN REPAIR RELATIONSHIP WITH BIDENS, ADMITS SHE STILL HASN’T SPOKEN TO THEM

Former Speaker Nancy Pelosi speaks during a roundtable at the SF-Marin Food Bank in San Francisco, on Thursday, Feb. 20, 2025. (Carlos Avila Gonzalez/San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images)

In a 2020 executive order, Trump described the 7th Street federal building – an energy-efficient “green” structure opened in 2007 at a cost of $144 million – as being considered by San Franciscans as “one of the ugliest structures in their city.” 

Andy Ball, a developer who worked as a concrete subcontractor on the building two decades ago, told the Chronicle the project was a “waste of taxpayer money from day one.” 

“No investor would have built this building,” Ball said, estimating the costs were about “50% greater” than if the project had been funded by the private sector. “In this market, it will represent the greatest difference between cost to build and its sale value.” 

A newly constructed X sign is seen on the roof of the headquarters of the social media platform previously known as Twitter, in San Francisco, on July 29, 2023. (Josh Edelson/AFP via Getty Images)

The potential building sales come as the Trump administration, through Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), continues efforts to downside federal government bureaucracy. Though the lease remains active for the 800,000-square-foot former Twitter headquarters in San Francisco, Musk moved his tech company, rebranded as X Corp., to Texas last year. 

Last year, the overall vacancy for downtown San Francisco reached 37%, with the vacancy rate specifically in the Mid-Market area sitting at 55%, according to the Chronicle. 

As of December, the Federal Protective Service ramped up security at the corner since the 7th Street federal building was formally named after Pelosi, who has represented San Francisco for more than 37 years in Congress. Residents who spoke to KGO-TV lamented that the problems just seemed to have been moved a block over, as federal employees would now enjoy the benefit of armed security, while everyday citizens do not. The building, which can accommodate roughly 2,000 workers, currently houses offices for Pelosi, HHS, as well as the Social Security Administration, the Department of Transportation, the Department of Labor, the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Housing and Urban Development. 

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Fox News Digital reached out to Pelosi’s office, as well as the GSA and the White House, for comment Sunday but did not immediately hear back. 

A group of veterans and lawmakers is urging President Donald Trump to award an 87-year-old Marine Corps “legend” and war hero the Medal of Honor after he was snubbed by former President Joe Biden. 

The veteran, Maj. James Capers, served in the Vietnam War and saved seven fellow Marines when his recon group was ambushed and outnumbered by North Vietnamese troops in Phú Lộc in 1967. 

According to the sworn testimony of the surviving Marines, then-Lt. Capers’ unit was ambushed in the jungle, with blasts from claymore mines inflicting devastating injuries on him and his men. Despite the blasts ripping open his stomach and breaking his leg, a heavily bleeding Capers kept command of his Marines and led two in holding off the enemy long enough for the medevac flight to arrive. 

When the overloaded aircraft struggled to take off, Capers attempted to sacrifice himself by jumping from the helicopter and insisting he be left behind until he was pulled back on board by the medevac crew chief. 

NATIONAL VIETNAM WAR VETERANS DAY: HISTORY, FACTS AND HOW TO COMMEMORATE

Two American soldiers watch as combat helicopters of the 1st Air Cavalry Division fly over during a search-and-destroy mission on the Bong Son Plain and An Lao Valley of South Vietnam. (Patrick Christain/Getty Images)

Capers received multiple gunfire wounds and 19 pieces of shrapnel in the firefight. He continues to suffer from the wounds to this day. But due to his heroic actions, Capers and all of his Marines survived. 

For his heroism, Capers was awarded the Bronze Star, which was later upgraded to the Silver Star. However, many believe that Capers rightfully should have received the nation’s highest military honor, the Medal of Honor, for his actions at Phú Lộc. 

Unconcerned about his own recognition, Capers continued to serve in the Marines after the war and became a central figure in the “Ask a Marine” program, where he shared his experiences and inspired countless young Americans to serve their country. 

For years now, a collection of Marine and other military veterans has been advocating for Capers to finally receive the recognition they believe he deserves. But despite their efforts, Capers, who happens to have also been the first African American to serve in a recon battalion in Vietnam, continued to be ignored by the Biden administration. 

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Maj. James Capers became the face of the “Ask a Marine” recruiting program.

With his advanced age and frail health, friends of Capers are worried he may never get the recognition they feel he deserves. 

But with Trump in the Oval Office, Bill Cortese, one of Capers’ supporters, feels confident it will finally happen. 

Cortese, who is also a Marine Corps vet, told Fox News Digital that he believes Capers could be an inspiring and unifying force in the country. 

“When you are overseas, when those bullets start flying, no one’s a Democrat or a Republican. No one’s a conservative or a progressive. And I think Maj. Capers is sort of the example of someone who just did what had to be done,” he explained. “This is someone who led the way, who grew up in Jim Crow South Carolina, overcame incredible racism and incredible obstacles to join the Marine Corps and serve his country, and not once did he ever look for anyone to give him anything based on the color of his skin. It was entirely on his merit and his actions. And so that’s something that we can rally around.” 

SHOULD WOMEN SERVE IN COMBAT? MILITARY EXPERTS WEIGH IN

Marines stand in formation. (iStock)

Despite this, Cortese said he found it “mind-boggling” how the previous administration “found every reason why not to upgrade this award to the Medal of Honor.”

“It’s strange, but it seems we received every excuse under the sun.” he explained.  

He suspects Biden snubbed Capers because he does not fit into the left’s political box and narrative. 

“Anyone who knows Maj. Capers knows that he is not someone who bought into any of the woke ideology the last administration was pushing,” he explained. “He wouldn’t, I think, sing the song that they wanted, and so, I think they just decided to sit on their hands and not do anything, which is sad and unfortunate.”  

“That’s why we’re just trying to do the right thing,” he continued. “And we know this administration knows how to do the right thing when it comes to veterans.” 

“We know President Trump cares about our veterans. We know he cares about recognizing their heroic actions. And so, we feel very positive about this new administration that they’re going to recognize the value in this both for the veteran community itself, but also for the country as a whole.” 

HOMELESS MAN TURNS NIGHT IN JAIL INTO LIFE OF SERVICE AFTER RUN-IN WITH DEPUTY AND MARINE RECRUITER

Maj. James Capers serving in the U.S. Marines.

The push recently gained even more momentum when 47 members of the U.S. House and Senate formally signed a letter asking Trump to give Capers the recognition he deserves. 

“We firmly believe that Major James Capers, Jr., has met the stringent criteria for the Medal of Honor,” the lawmakers wrote. “His selfless actions, leadership, courage, and initiative uphold the highest traditions of the United States Armed Forces. The exceptional valor displayed by Major Capers during his missions in the Republic of Vietnam from March 31 to April 3, 1967, serves as a shining example for all servicemen and women, and it is deserving of the highest recognition.”

Cortese said he is very grateful for the lawmakers and that he is thankful just to be a part of the movement to finally give Capers the honor he deserves. 

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Recently, 47 members of the U.S. House and Senate asked Trump to give Maj. James Capers the recognition he deserves.

“We stand on the shoulders of people like Maj. Capers,” he said. “So, we think it’s very important to make sure that we honor those who have come before us, honor those who have served, put their lives on the line like Maj. Capers.” 

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“As a Marine Corps veteran myself, I think it’s important to recognize tradition, and it’s important to recognize those who have paved the way before you,” he explained. “I think that’s something that is instilled in us as Marines to always remember that, to keep those traditions alive and to recognize those like Maj. Capers who are Marine Corps legends.” 

Truckers are “very hopeful” about the trajectory of the auto industry under President Donald Trump after years of feeling like the Biden administration “completely fell asleep behind the wheel,” a trucking executive told Fox News Digital.

“We’re excited, hopeful, because the new administration will help with the issues that we’re having,” Mike Kucharski, co-owner and vice president of JKC Trucking, told Fox News Digital as the Trump administration walks back on Biden-era regulations mandating the sale of more electric vehicles (EVs).

Former President Joe Biden granted California a waiver allowing them to enforce emissions standards that are more stringent than other states, including the Advanced Clean Trucks regulation, which mandates that truck manufacturers sell more zero-emission heavy-duty trucks. However, in February, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) sent the previously granted waiver to the Republican-controlled Congress for review.

If Congress decides to strike down the waiver, California could lose its ability to enforce the independent emissions standards, which truckers believe would be “a huge win for the industry,” according to Kucharski.

EPA ADMINISTRATOR ZELDIN DEMANDS RETURN OF $20B IN TAXPAYER MONEY WASTED BY BIDEN ADMINISTRATION

Mike Kucharski is the co-owner and vice president of JKC Trucking. (Fox News Digital)

“California doesn’t dictate the nation,” the trucking executive told Fox. “And the frustrating part is, we’re in Illinois, we’re not in a much better state than California. But we need a technology that we can use across the whole U.S., not one state demanding that they do it.”

Kucharski says that truckers are in support of green energy alternatives, but that the industry does not have the infrastructure for such strict mandates, citing the 2023 California heatwave when residents were told to avoid charging their electric vehicles due to the heat. 

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The big-rig executive also raised concerns over the ability to charge a large quantity of electric big-rig trucks in California if the emissions standards remain in place.

Lee Zeldin, a former Republican House member, is serving as administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency. (Al Drago)

“Where’s that power going to come from? We would need a miracle or some super-alien technology to make that work,” he told Fox News Digital.

California’s standards, which are the strictest in the country, also “cost truckers money,” he said.

“Right now, we don’t have the money, we’re still dealing with aftershocks of COVID,” Kucharski told Fox. “We hope that this administration can pull us out of this black hole.”

Truckers are “hopeful” about the Trump administration’s walking back of Biden-era climate regulations affecting the auto industry. (Getty Images)

“Truckers are seeing a light at the end of the tunnel. I’m very hopeful,” Kucharski said. “This administration, they’re at least looking out for the good of the American people and for the truckers. And I hope they can get this economy roaring again, as they did in the first administration.”

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As the EPA pulls back on the green energy push, Kucharski said there are three issues truckers hope to see addressed under the Trump administration: overregulation, the cost of diesel and achieving energy independence.

A climate group linked to high-profile Democrat Stacey Abrams was granted $2 billion by the Biden administration in a “scheme” of “wasteful” spending, the Trump administration’s leading environmental agency has revealed.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently made a revelation that the Biden administration was allowing just eight entities to distribute $20 billion of taxpayer dollars “at their discretion.” 

Included in the funds was a $2 billion grant to Power Forward Communities, a nonprofit with ties to former Democratic gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams that seeks to “reduce our impact on the climate” by financing the replacement of household appliances in lower-income communities with green alternatives.

Abrams, who lost the Georgia gubernatorial race in the 2022 midterms, reportedly “played a pivotal role” in establishing the group, according to a LinkedIn post by Ian Magruder, who works at one of the coalition’s partners, Rewiring America.

‘WASTEFUL AND DANGEROUS’: DOGE’S TOP FIVE MOST SHOCKING REVELATIONS

Stacey Abrams lost the 2022 gubernatorial race in Georgia. (Dustin Chambers)

“If you care about clean air, land and water, if you think there are some communities that have been left behind, then why aren’t you spending a dollar actually remediating that issue instead of paying off your friend,” EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin told Fox News’ Laura Ingraham.

The $2 billion was used for the “decarbonization of homes” in low-income communities and paid for new household appliances, such as water heaters, induction stoves, solar panels, EV chargers, and weatherization, according to an April 2024 press release from Power Forward Communities.

Zeldin told Fox News that in 2023, Power Forward Communities reported just $100 in revenue but was later granted $2 billion by the Biden-era EPA in 2024.

TRUMP TO SIGN EXECUTIVE ORDER INSTRUCTING AGENCIES TO HUNT DOWN REGULATIONS THAT VIOLATE CONSTITUTION

Then-Republican gubernatorial candidate Lee Zeldin addresses supporters at his election night party in New York on Nov. 9, 2022.  (AP Images)

The climate group was given only 21 days to distribute the $2 billion, and another 90 days to complete a training session called “How to develop a budget,” Zeldin said.

“I would say that if an organization needs to take a training on how to develop a budget, one, they should be taking the training before they are spending a dollar, but they definitely shouldn’t be getting two billion [dollars],” the administrator told Fox News.

“The entire scheme as set up is fraud, it’s wasteful, it’s abuse,” he said.

Stacey Abrams is linked to a climate group that was granted $2 billion by the Biden administration. (Getty Images)

Zeldin also noted the EPA found a potential “conflict of interest” payment of $5 billion to the former director of the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund under Biden.

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“All this money was put up front,” Zeldin said. “It was ‘here is $20 billion.’ And it was going to their friends on the left.”

The news that the Biden administration gave $2 billion to a climate group linked to Abrams was first reported by the Washington Free Beacon.

Fox News Digital reached out to Rewiring America, Power Forward Communities and Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund for comment.

Republican Gov. Brian Kemp of Georgia is well aware that plenty of people are waiting for his decision on whether to run for the Senate next year.

The popular term-limited conservative governor is the GOP’s dream candidate to take on Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff, who is considered vulnerable, in the key southeastern battleground state, as Republicans aim to expand their 53-47 Senate majority in the 2026 midterm elections.

“We need to flip that seat. We should have a Republican in that seat, and I believe we’ll have one after the ’26 election,” Kemp said in a Fox News Digital interview this past week.

Kemp isn’t ready to make an announcement, emphasizing that he’s “really got a lot on my plate right now.”

THIS KEY REPUBILCAN GOVERNOR SPOTLIGHTS TRUMP’S FRENETIC PACE

Republican Gov. Brian Kemp of Georgia is interviewed by Fox News Digital, on Sept. 27, 2022 in Alpharetta, Georgia (Fox News )

“I’m in the middle of my legislative session. We’ve got a big tort reform fight going on. I’m chairing the Republican Governors Association. I made a commitment on that,” he added.

But the governor acknowledged that “I know I can’t keep holding out forever, so we’ll have something to say on that down the road.”

Georgia’s legislative session is scheduled to adjourn on April 4.

THERE WILL BE ANOTHER OPEN DEMOCRATIC-HELD SENATE SEAT IN NEXT YEAR’S MIDTERMS

Sen. Tim Scott, chair of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, which is the Senate GOP’s campaign arm, has said that Kemp is a top recruit, and he hopes the governor will run.

Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina, the chair of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, is interviewed by Fox News on Capitol Hill, on Feb. 19, 2025 in Washington D.C.  (Fox News – Paul Steinhauser)

And recent partisan polling in Georgia indicated Kemp topping Ossoff in a hypothetical matchup.

But the NRSC is confident of flipping the seat in Georgia even if Kemp decides to take a pass on a 2026 run.

Among the Republicans who’ve expressed interest in a run for the Senate seat in Georgia if Kemp opts out are Reps. Buddy Carter, Rich McCormick, Mike Collins, and Marjorie Taylor Greene, a top ally of President Donald Trump and a political rockstar on the far right with a very large national profile, along with state Insurance Commissioner John King.

Kemp was interviewed as he chaired the Republican Governors Association’s (RGA) winter meeting in Washington D.C.

The governor, who has been steering the RGA for three months, emphasized his frenetic schedule to fundraise and recruit candidates. 

“Doing a lot of stuff in Florida, Texas, been to California, will be traveling to help other governors, but also just in DC, you know, continuing to work hard to raise money, really, all across the board,” he said.

And Kemp said he’s aiming to “really grow the organization, grow the donor base, and make people understand why it’s so important to have Republican governors, because we are the incubators of democracy. We’re the ones that are implementing a lot of these new and efficient things that we’re doing that then may filter out to another state and then another state after that.”

THIS REPUBLICAN SHERIFF JUST JUMPED INTO THE GOVERNOR’S RACE IN THIS KEY BLUE STATE

Republicans held onto their 27-23 gubernatorial advantage in the 2024 elections, thanks in part to the efforts of the RGA.

Looking ahead, New Jersey and Virginia are the only two states to hold gubernatorial elections this year, giving them outsized national attention and making them key barometers for the mood of Americans during the start of a new presidential term.

A competitive GOP primary is underway in blue-state New Jersey, where Republicans hope to win a gubernatorial election for the first time in a dozen years.

REPUBLICAN GOVERNORS SAY WITH TRUMP ELECTION, ‘WE’VE GOT A FRIEND IN THE WHITE HOUSE’

And in Virginia, GOP Lt. Gov. Winsome Sears is aiming to succeed term-limited Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin [Virginia governors can only serve one consecutive four-year term] and make history as the state’s first woman governor and the nation’s first Black female governor.

President-elect Donald Trump speaks during a meeting with Republican governors at Mar-a-Lago, Thursday, Jan. 9, 2025, in Palm Beach, Fla., as Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp, Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin, Lousiana Gov. Jeff Landry, South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster and Susie Wiles listen. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

Next year, 36 states will hold gubernatorial elections.

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Pointing to the two-year cycle, Kemp said, “There’s a lot of work to do, but we are right on the ideas, and we just got to have the money and the fundamentals to be able to have a playbook and a plan and all these races to make sure we continue to have great Republican governors that are elected around the country.”

The Senate GOP has been working in overdrive to confirm key officials for President Donald Trump’s administration faster than his predecessors.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., and Republicans in the upper chamber have successfully approved 18 of the 22 Cabinet positions. 

The most recent was former Sen. Kelly Loeffler, who was confirmed to lead Trump’s Small Business Administration (SBA). 

SCOOP: REPUBLICAN DANIEL CAMERON BLASTED BY LIKELY GOP OPPONENT AS MCCONNELL SUCCESSOR FIGHT BEGINS

The Republican Senate has worked to push through Trump’s picks.  (Getty Images)

With the successful confirmation of Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick last week, the 17th official put in place, Republicans and Trump officially outpaced former President Joe Biden, who had just seven nominees confirmed at the same point in 2021. 

Senate Majority Whip John Barrasso’s office pointed out that former President Barack Obama had only 16 Cabinet officials confirmed by February 18, 2009, during his first term, meaning that Trump outpaced him as well with Lutnick’s confirmation. 

His office noted that 17 Cabinet nominees were not confirmed for Obama in 2009 until he had been in office for 36 days, citing official congressional records. Biden did not see 17 Cabinet nominees confirmed for 56 days. 

KASH PATEL’S CONFIRMATION AS TRUMP FBI PICK ‘WILL HAUNT YOU,’ SENATE DEMS WARN GOP AHEAD OF VOTE

Obama and Biden did not confirm their cabinets as quickly in 2009 and 2021. (Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images)

The GOP-led Senate confirmed Kash Patel as FBI director last week, giving Trump another win, even though Patel is not a member of the president’s Cabinet.

“By the end of today, we will have confirmed 18 of President Trump’s nominees. These nominees are bold and well-qualified,” Barrasso said on the Senate floor before Patel’s vote. 

“That is more nominees than President Obama had in 2009. It is more than President Biden had in 2021. More than twice as many,” he said. 

“Americans voted for a bold, new direction in Washington. Senate Republicans are delivering it,” he said.

FETTERMAN LOSES TWO TOP STAFFERS AS HE MAKES WAVES BY BUCKING DEMOCRATIC PARTY

Patel was confirmed in a party-line vote, with some Republican defectors.  (AP Photo/Ben Curtis)

While they still have a handful of Cabinet nominees left to confirm, the approval of Patel marked a crucial accomplishment for the party, as they officially put in place each of the president’s most controversial picks. 

Trump nominated Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Director of National Intelligence (DNI) Tulsi Gabbard and Patel, each of whom managed to lose the support of at least one Republican. 

SCOOP: TOP GOP SEN. COTTON TO MEET WITH EMBATTLED TRUMP DEFENSE NOMINEE AS DOUBTS SWIRL

Gabbard relied on help from JD Vance and Tom Cotton to get key votes. (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)

And while their confirmations were at some points uphill battles for the administration, each of them successfully got past the finish line. 

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Those still left to be confirmed to Trump’s Cabinet are Lori Chavez-DeRemer for Secretary, of Labor Linda McMahon for Secretary of Education, U.S. Trade Representative nominee Jamieson Greer and Elise Stefanik to be ambassador to the United Nations.

Billionaire Elon Musk said Saturday that “the bar is very low” after announcing that all federal employees must report their productivity if they wish to keep their jobs.

Musk, a senior advisor to President Donald Trump, said earlier on Saturday that employees will receive an email giving them a chance to explain how productive they were the previous week. If an employee fails to respond to the email, Musk said the government will interpret that as a resignation.

“Consistent with President @realDonaldTrump’s instructions, all federal employees will shortly receive an email requesting to understand what they got done last week,” Musk wrote on X. “Failure to respond will be taken as a resignation.”

Later on Saturday, Musk said the report should take under five minutes for employees to write. The deadline to respond to the email is 11:59 p.m. Monday.

ELON MUSK SAYS FEDERAL EMPLOYEES MUST FILL OUT PRODUCTIVITY REPORTS OR RESIGN

Elon Musk speaks during an event in the Oval Office with President Donald Trump at the White House, Tuesday, Feb. 11, 2025, in Washington. (AP Images)

“To be clear, the bar is very low here. An email with some bullet points that make any sense at all is acceptable! Should take less than 5 mins to write,” Musk wrote on X.

In another post, Musk responded to the White House’s Rapid Response account in which it laid out what the administration has done in the last week, which included Trump signing executive orders to expand access to in vitro fertilization (IVF) and to end benefits for illegal immigrants.

“That would be a very impressive and long list indeed for you!” Musk responded.

“However, the passing grade is literally just ‘Can you send an email with words that make any sense at all?'” he continued. “It’s a low bar.”

A spokesperson from the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) confirmed Musk’s plans.

Elon Musk listens as President Donald Trump meets with India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the Oval Office of the White House, on Thursday, Feb. 13. (AP/Alex Brandon)

“As part of the Trump Administration’s commitment to an efficient and accountable federal workforce, OPM is asking employees to provide a brief summary of what they did last week by the end of Monday, CC’ing their manager,” the spokesperson said in a statement to Fox News Digital. “Agencies will determine any next steps.”

New FBI Director Kash Patel, however, has instructed agency employees not to respond yet to the OPM email, according to ABC News.

“FBI personnel may have received an email from OPM requesting information,” Patel told employees. “The FBI, through the Office of the Director, is in charge of all of our review processes, and will conduct reviews in accordance with FBI procedures. When and if further information is required, we will coordinate the responses. For now, please pause any responses. Thank you, Kash Patel.”

WHITE HOUSE OUTLINES WHERE DOGE SAVINGS COULD GO AFTER TRUMP FLOATS RETURNING 20% TO AMERICANS

Elon Musk, Co-Chair of the newly announced Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), arrives on Capitol Hill on December 5, 2024, in Washington, D.C. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

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The American Federation of Government Employees labor union said it plans to “challenge any unlawful terminations of our members and federal employees across the country.”

“It is cruel and disrespectful for federal employees to be forced to justify their job duties to this out-of-touch, privileged, unelected billionaire who has never performed one single hour of honest public service in his life,” the union wrote on X.

The productivity reports came as the Musk-led Department of Government Efficiency continues efforts to cut suspected waste across the federal government.

Fox News’ Andrea Margolis and Patrick Ward contributed to this report.

Elon Musk’s remarks at the Conservative Political Action Conference on Thursday drew praise from those who were pleased with the cuts being made by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).

“I wasn’t really that interested in being political. It’s just like there was at a certain point no choice,” Musk said at the event in Maryland while wearing a black MAGA hat and sunglasses. “The actions that we’re taking, with the support of the president and the support of the agencies, is what will save Medicare, what will save Social Security.”

“That’s the reason I’m doing this,” he added. “Because I was looking at the big picture here, and it’s like, man, it’s getting out of control.” 

ELON MUSK MAKES SURPRISE APPEARANCE AT CPAC

Elon Musk listens as President Donald Trump speaks with reporters in the Oval Office at the White House, Tuesday, Feb. 11, 2025, in Washington. (Photo/Alex Brandon) (AP)

“A country is no different from a person,” he continued. “[A] country overspends, a country goes bankrupt in the same way as a person who overspends usually goes bankrupt. So, it’s not optional to solve these things, it’s essential.”

Matthew Kochman, a New York Real Estate broker, said that DOGE cuts “probably saved the country from financial collapse.” 

“I thought it was all just common sense,” Kochman said of Musk’s comments.

When attendees were asked about the proposal to use 20% of the money from the cuts across the board to go toward a stimulus check for American taxpayers, some raised questions about whether the funds should help pay down over $36 trillion in national debt. 

DOGE STIMULUS CHECKS: JOHNSON SIDE-STEPS QUESTION ON TRUMP PLAN, SAYS US HAS ‘GIANT DEFICIT’

FILE – Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, R-La., talks with reporters at the Capitol in Washington, Jan. 7, 2025. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File)

“I’m not sure I agree with the sending money back. I would just assume money going to pay down our debt, because it is an existential threat,” Angie Carrai, of Vienna, Virginia, said, adding that Musk’s comments have “tapped into what a lot of people feel” about taxes being wasted on “ridiculous” programs.

However, Kochman said he believes that taxpayers should get some of their money back but thinks it should also help pay off the debt.

Speaker Mike Johnson has also raised concerns about the pitch from Musk and Trump, saying that the United States needs to “pay down the credit card” with the $2 trillion objective amount to be slashed through DOGE. 

Pat Dennis, President of the left-wing American Bridge 21st Century opposition research firm, told Fox News Digital after watching Musk’s remarks that he’s concerned about cuts to programs that benefit Americans.

“He was talking about cutting programs that everyday Americans rely on, things like Medicaid,” Dennis said. “The implication that massive percentages of these programs just can be unilaterally cut because they’re fraud is not real.”

Demonstrators rally in support of federal workers outside of the Department of Health and Human Services, Friday, Feb. 14, in Washington.  (AP/Mark Schiefelbein)

“People rely on these, voters rely on these, families rely on these, people in Republican districts rely on these,” he added.

DOGE made headlines in recent weeks for taking aim at spending through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) as well as grants doled out through various cabinet agencies. 

Fox News’ Peter Pinedo and Liz Elkind contributed to this report. 

Conservative voters believe Vice President JD Vance will become the Republican Party’s presidential nominee in the 2028 election cycle, a straw poll conducted at the 2025 Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) found. 

“You guys are the conservative movement, you guys are the thought leaders, the opinion leaders. We asked folks who they thought would be the Republican nominee, who they preferred for the Republican for president in 2028. And who is it?,” Jim McLaughlin, president of McLaughlin & Associates Polls, said Friday from the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center in Oxon Hill, Maryland, on Saturday. 

“JD Vance. And why? Because he’s viewed as the closest thing to Donald Trump,” McLaughlin added, he did not provide additional data on Vance’s support among CPAC attendees. 

Steve Bannon, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and others were also viewed by the attendees as the potential Republican nominee behind Vance, the full CPAC straw poll results posted to X found. 

The straw poll was conducted among more than 1,000 attendees of the conservative conference, which kicked off on Wednesday and wraps up on Saturday following President Donald Trump’s planned speech. 

‘SAVED THE COUNTRY’: CPAC ATTENDEES SEE SILVER LINING AFTER ELON MUSK’S DOGE SPEECH

Trump greets Vance at an election night watch party in Palm Beach, Fla.  (AP/Evan Vucci)

McLaughlin noted that the straw poll has accurately predicted conservatives’ views and voting trends in previous years, including that Trump would win the 2024 primary and general election. 

“You know how I knew Donald Trump was going to win the people in this room? Because when we did the CPAC polls over the years, and you had the mainstream media saying, you know, ‘Donald Trump couldn’t win again.’ Donald Trump was winning overwhelmingly, not by a little bit, overwhelmingly in every single CPAC poll. You guys knew he was going to win the primary. You all knew that he was going to win the general election, no matter what the Democrats threw at us,” he said. 

This year’s straw poll overwhelmingly focused on Trump’s approval ratings since taking office, with a handful of results finding Trump’s approval sitting at 99% on various issues. 

“The first few weeks of Donald Trump’s presidency have been the best for the modern conservative movement in my lifetime. What do you think about that?” McLaughlin said of one of the poll questions. “Well, 99% agreed with that. Think about that. We don’t see 99% numbers.”

KAROLINE LEAVITT OFFERS WORDS OF WISDOM TO YOUNG WOMEN AT CPAC: ‘JUST BELIEVE IN YOURSELF’

“But 99% say this is the best … in modern conservative history,” McLaughlin, who was joined on stage by CPAC chair Matt Schlapp on stage to announce the results, added. 

Donald Trump waves to supporters in West Palm Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

Ninety-nine percent of respondents also reported in the poll that Congress rapidly passing Trump’s agenda is important to them, while another 99% reported that Trump is doing a better job now than his first administration. All in, Trump’s job approval rating sits at 99%, according to the poll. 

VP JD VANCE SPEAKS ON ‘FUNDAMENTAL GOAL’ OF TRUMP ADMINISTRATION AT CPAC ADDRESS

“It’s amazing. I’ve been working as a pollster now … going on four decades. . . . We’ve never seen numbers like this. We’ve never seen anybody unite the conservative movement the way Donald Trump has done this,” McLaughlin added of Trump’s high marks. 

Trump also earned support for his comments regarding the U.S. potentially establishing a national security and an economic alliance with Greenland. 

Republican vice presidential nominee Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio, speaks during a campaign rally Sept. 28, 2024, in Newtown, Pa. (AP Photo/Laurence Kesterson)

“Ninety-three percent of you approve of that, because it just makes sense for economic reasons, for national security reasons,” McLaughlin said of Trump’s support for establishing an alliance with Greenland. “And by the way, we do a little bit of work over in Europe and whatnot. They also think it’s a very good idea. Donald Trump again, being a visionary.”

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The straw poll comes just roughly one month into Trump’s second administration, which has been working at a break-neck pace as administration officials work to gut the federal government over overspending, while also stamping out potential fraud and mismanagement. 

Maine Democratic Gov. Janet Mills’ public dust-up with President Donald Trump during a White House meeting with most of America’s state leaders didn’t live up to governors’ collective goal of “disagree[ing] better,” the National Governors Association chairman said Saturday.

Colorado Democratic Gov. Jared Polis was asked about the exchange – in which Trump challenged Maine to comply with his executive order on transgender athletes in school sports, and Mills told Trump “see you in court.” The president remarked that any state that does not align its scholastic athletics with biological sexes will not receive federal funding.

“As governors, we have our prior initiative that we continue to work on is to disagree better,” Chairman Polis said.

“We always hope that people can disagree in a way that elevates the discourse and tries to come to a common solution around . . . what the issue is. I don’t think that that disagreement is necessarily a model of that,” he continued, adding that some governors may not have known the origins of the fiery exchange at the time.

SLASHING ENERGY DEVELOPMENT RED TAPE, BEATING CHINA IN ‘AI ARMS RACE’ TOP PRIORITIES FOR NATION’S GOVERNORS

OK Gov. Kevin Stitt speaks as Gov. Jared Polis listens at the NGA in Washington (Fox News/Charlie Creitz)

Polis said governors do have the right to sue the federal government but that there are also other ways to understand where respective parties are coming from.

“It was a little uncomfortable in the room,” added NGA Vice Chairman Kevin Stitt, Oklahoma’s GOP governor.

“But like, like Governor Polis said, I wasn’t sure exactly what the backstory was behind the conflict there. Apparently, there had been some things that both sides have said.”

Stitt remarked that the exchange may have been “good politics” for both Mills and Trump with their respective bases.

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He added that he personally agrees with Trump’s stance and noted that he led a push in 2022 to ensure that scholastic athletes are competing against people of their own biological sex in Oklahoma.

“The NCAA has followed that, I think the Olympics have. And then you have a governor saying that they’re not going to follow that. So, I don’t know what legal background she has, but they talked about seeing each other in court. And we’ll we’ll see what happens on it.”

Polis added that Mills maintained that she is following current federal law under her current stance.

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Later, Stitt said that Trump had invited all governors to give him a call, and had quipped that if a Democrat and a Republican call at the same time, he will take the Democrat’s call first.

“He is a businessman. He is not ideological. He wants to get things done,” Stitt said.

At the White House meeting, Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey successfully asked cabinet officials to share their direct lines, to better facilitate cooperation between states and the Trump administration. 

That nugget was revealed by South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster, who quipped that the president had also offered governors an open line – but did not explicitly publicize his number.

“I’ve got it, but I’m going to hold onto it,” McMaster joked.

EXCLUSIVE: ‘King Coal’ still reigns as one of the most affordable, reliable and transportable sources of energy – and the U.S. still has a lot of it, West Virginia Gov. Patrick Morrisey told Fox News Digital in an interview at the National Governors Association’s winter meeting.

Morrisey acknowledged America’s ongoing race with China to be the most powerful nation in terms of both energy development and AI technology. West Virginia, he said Saturday, seeks to lead the way.

“I’m still very hopeful that there’s a future for coal,” Morrisey said. “Let me explain why: We’re right now about to embark on an information technology arms race with China.”

MOUNTAIN STATE CRACKDOWN: WV GOV’S ORDER LEADS TO 60 SUSPECTED ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT CRIMINAL DETENTIONS

Travelers are greeted by a West Virginia welcome sign after crossing the East River Mountain Tunnel on I-77 in Princeton. (Charles Creitz)

“And we have to catch up to what they’re doing in terms of the Chinese use of coal and many, many different types of fuel sources, because we can’t let them get ahead of us as they’re building capacity in AI, superintelligence, robotics and advanced manufacturing.”

While both nations are likely to rely on advances in nuclear energy and hydraulic fracturing for natural gas, there remain the “resiliency, availability and affordability of coal,” he said.

“I think there’s an opportunity … to increase the capacity of some of the coal-fired power plants that have been slowed down in recent years. Because if we don’t do that, we’re not going to compete with the Chinese.”

The governor said that one of his top priorities is to bring the Mountain State’s coal infrastructure and industry back to a higher capacity.

“I think that it’s sorely needed from a national security perspective.”

West Virginia produced 89 million tons of coal in 2021, according to the latest data recorded by the state miners’ office. That figure is down sharply from the 1940s through the late 1990s, when the state averaged upwards of 130 million tons per year.

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Wyoming remains tops in U.S. coal production, followed by West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Kentucky and Illinois.

“West Virginia is America’s energy state. We’re so rich in resources: coal and natural gas and water. And we have a lot of opportunities in front of us,” Morrisey went on, adding that he was heartened by the substantive bipartisan discussions at the NGA in regard to speeding up the energy-permitting process at the state and federal levels.

“So when you’re thinking about how to take advantage of those opportunities, you think of transmission, you think of permitting,” he said, echoing Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro of neighboring energy powerhouse Pennsylvania, who pledged Friday to refund applicants if there are delays or if things go awry.

In terms of the Mountain State’s role in what Morrisey and other governors at the NGA called the “AI arms race” with China, the state is predicted to build on Morrisey’s predecessor, now-Sen. Jim Justice’s efforts to grow the state’s tech industry.

“I’ve said over and over that we need to do everything possible to add these kinds of high-tech companies and jobs in West Virginia,” Justice said in 2019. “We have so many people in this state who are gifted beyond belief and who will be able to fill these spots and do incredible work. It’s truly a pipeline of talent.”

On Saturday, Morrisey also reflected on his group meeting with President Donald Trump, Cabinet secretaries and his fellow governors at the White House.

“They understand that you can’t move energy at the speed of slow. And so we’re eager to partner with them,” he said, adding that Trump pledged to the governors that he would seek to eliminate 10 regulations for every one that his administration adds.

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Trump rallies in Charleston (Reuters)

“I think states like West Virginia and Pennsylvania and many other states have a chance to work closely with the Trump administration. It’s going to be a lot easier, because they know how important it is to reassert American energy dominance – if you get the permitting right.”

Morrisey also spoke about his response to the Trump administration’s crackdown on illegal immigration and the flow of illegal drugs across the southern border.

Last month, Morrisey issued an executive order aimed at illegal immigrants in his state, which led to five dozen people being detained pending immigration status verification in the state’s regional jail system.

The governor noted West Virginia’s unfortunate spot as the state with the most drug overdose deaths per capita and said that both his and Trump’s immigration policies are needed to fix that systemic crisis.

“We’re working hand in hand with ice to identify illegal aliens and make sure that they can get deported. And this is really important to do, because, as President Trump said yesterday, when you actually remove a lot of these illegal aliens from the system, you’re going to see a reduction in crime.”

“It takes states working with the federal government to make sure that we’re kind of reasserting our position and stopping all the horrific consequences of what happened with the illegal immigrants coming in. I know in West Virginia we really felt the impact of that through the massive amount of death that flowed from fentanyl flood[ing] in from China [via] the Mexican drug cartels.”

Fox News Digital’s Sophia Compton contributed to this report.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) on Saturday announced it was launching a compliance review of the University of Maine “following the State of Maine’s blatant disregard for President Trump’s Executive Order (EO) 14201, ‘Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports.’” 

The review follows investigations launched by the Department of Education and the Department of Health and Human Services in the last 24 hours after a tense exchange between President Trump and Democratic Maine Gov. Janet Mills over transgender student-athletes playing in women’s sports. 

“President Trump has made it abundantly clear: taxpayers’ hard-earned dollars will not support institutions that discriminate against women,” U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins said in a statement shared with Fox News Digital Saturday. 

TRUMP’S DECISIVE RESPONSE TO MAINE’S GOVERNOR ON TRANSGENDER ATHLETES IS HOW IT SHOULD BE: RILEY GAINES

“USDA is committed to upholding the president’s executive order, meaning any institution that chooses to disregard it can count on losing future funding.”

The University of Maine receives more than $100 million in USDA funding, according to the USDA. 

Maine Gov. Janet Mills and President Donald Trump at the White House Friday. (Getty Images)

Trump and Mills clashed Thursday at the White House during a bipartisan meeting of governors when the president told her she must follow his executive order or “you’re not going to get any federal funding.” 

“We’ll see you in court,” Mills replied.

The blue state is one of several defying Trump’s Feb. 5 executive order prohibiting transgender athletes from competing in girls and women’s sports. Trump threatened Thursday to cut off federal funding to Maine before clashing with Mills at the bipartisan meeting of governors. 

“Are you not going to comply with that?” Trump asked Mills.

“I’m complying with state and federal laws,” she responded.

“Well, we are the federal law,” Trump said. “You better do it. You better do it because you’re not going to get any federal funding at all if you don’t.”

TRUMP VOWS TO CUT OFF FEDERAL FUNDING TO MAINE OVER REFUSAL TO COMPLY WITH ‘NO MEN IN WOMEN’S SPORTS’ ORDER 

Democratic Gov. Janet Mills at the State House in Augusta, Maine. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)

“And, by the way, your population, even though it’s somewhat liberal, although I did very well there, your population doesn’t want men playing in women’s sports. So, you better comply because otherwise you’re not getting any federal funding,” Trump added.

“We’ll see you in court,” Mills snapped. 

“Good, I’ll see you in court. I look forward to that. That should be a real easy one,” Trump replied. “And enjoy your life after governor because I don’t think you’ll be in elected politics.”

Mills released a statement Friday, saying, “The State of Maine will not be intimidated by the President’s threats.

“If the President attempts to unilaterally deprive Maine school children of the benefit of Federal funding, my Administration and the Attorney General will take all appropriate and necessary legal action to restore that funding and the academic opportunity it provides.” 

After the exchange on Friday, the Department of Education launched an investigation into Maine schools. 

University of Maine campus in Orono. (Denis Tangney Jr. via Getty Images)

“Today the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) sent a letter to the Maine Department of Education Commissioner Pender Makin announcing that OCR is initiating a directed investigation of the Maine Department of Education (MDOE) amid allegations that it continues to allow male athletes to compete in girls’ interscholastic athletics and that it has denied female athletes female-only intimate facilities, thereby violating federal anti-discrimination law,” the Department of Education said in a news release Friday. 

Trump reiterated his plan to cut off federal funding to the state at a meeting with Republican governors Thursday. 

“I heard men are still playing in Maine,” Trump said to a gathering of Republican governors in Washington Thursday. 

“I hate to tell you this, but we’re not going to give them any federal money. They are still saying, ‘We want men to play in women’s sports,’ and I cannot believe that they’re doing that. … So, we’re not going to give them any federal funding, none whatsoever, until they clean that up.”

Trump also continued his criticism of Maine on Saturday while speaking at the Conservative Political Action Conference. 

“The governor of Maine. She’s fighting to keep men in women’s sports. You ever see what happens to a woman when a woman boxes? A man who transitioned to womanhood? Did you ever see what happens? … It’s not pretty. It’s not pretty,” Trump said. 

“Let her do that fight. Let them all do that fight. Because I think that’s about a 90/10 issue, and I can’t figure out who the 10% are. Nobody can.”

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“The University of Maine System appreciates the media making us aware of the USDA’s letter, which recognizes our flagship’s record of success in securing funding from that agency but notably makes no allegations of any wrongdoing,” the university told Fox News Digital in a statement Saturday. “Maine’s public universities will continue to comply with all relevant State and Federal laws and cooperate with any compliance reviews to ensure postsecondary educational opportunities and high-impact research continue to benefit our students, the state and this nation.”

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

FBI Director Kash Patel will be tapped to run the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), two sources confirmed to Fox News Digital Saturday. 

The news comes a day after Patel was sworn in as the ninth FBI director in a narrow Senate vote. 

Former FBI Director Christopher Wray resigned at the end of former President Joe Biden’s term, and Attorney General Pam Bondi fired the ATF general counsel, Pamela Hicks, Thursday. 

FBI NOMINEE KASH PATEL CONFIRMED IN NARROW SENATE VOTE

Kash Patel, director of the FBI, speaks during a swearing-in ceremony in Washington, D.C., Friday.  (Will Oliver/EPA/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

“Earlier today, I was served official notice from the Attorney General of the United States that I was being removed from my position as the Chief Counsel of ATF and my employment with the Department of Justice terminated,” Hicks posted on her LinkedIn page Thursday, confirming her termination. 

Hicks had served as ATF’s chief counsel since 2021 during the Biden administration and served as deputy chief counsel for ATF during President Donald Trump’s first administration. She spent 23 years overall as an attorney within the Department of Justice (DOJ), she posted to LinkedIn. 

AG Pam Bondi, right, and former ATF official Pamela Hicks. (ATF/Getty Images)

VP JD VANCE SPEAKS ON ‘FUNDAMENTAL GOAL’ OF TRUMP ADMINISTRATION AT CPAC ADDRESS

“Serving as ATF Chief Counsel has been the highest honor of my career and working with the people at ATF and throughout the Department has been a pleasure,” Hicks continued in her post. “I thank my colleagues for their friendship and partnership over the years.” 

Kash Patel is sworn in as FBI director by U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi in the Indian Treaty Room in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building Friday. (Reuters/Leah Millis)

“These people were targeting gun owners,” Bondi told Fox News Thursday of the ATF. “Not gonna happen under this administration.” 

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Both the FBI and ATF are part of the DOJ. 

President Donald Trump spoke with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau Saturday about a variety of issues, ranging from the war in Ukraine to U.S. border security.

In a statement released Saturday evening, the White House said Trump and Trudeau began the call by discussing the 4 Nations Face-Off hockey tournament that Canada won, and both leaders “expressed pride in the excellence of both nations’ teams that faced off in a hard-fought hockey championship.”

“The discussion turned to Monday’s G7 call that will mark the third anniversary of the invasion and war in Ukraine,” the statement added. “Prime Minister Trudeau echoed President Trump’s desire to see an end to the war and acknowledged that President Trump is the only world leader who can push through a just and lasting peace.

“President Trump reminded the prime minister that the war should never have started and would not have had he been president at the time.”

TRUMP IMPOSES TARIFFS ON IMPORTS FROM CANADA, MEXICO AND CHINA: ‘NATIONAL EMERGENCY’

Justin Trudeau and Donald Trump had a recent phone call, according to the White House. (Getty Images)

The leaders also discussed U.S. border security, a sensitive subject for Canadian officials since Trump imposed tariffs in response to drug trafficking at the U.S.-Canadian border. Trump agreed Feb. 3 to pause the tariffs for 30 days, meaning the tariffs are expected in early March.

During the call, Trudeau claimed Canada has achieved a 90% reduction in fentanyl crossing into the U.S. from Canada and said his country’s border czar will be in Washington next week for meetings with U.S. border chief Tom Homan.

Trump and Trudeau have had a strained relationship in recent weeks, due to both the tariffs and Trump’s stated interest in securing Canada as a U.S. territory. Earlier in February, Trudeau said he believes Trump is serious about turning Canada into the 51st U.S. state.

CANADA WILL NOT BE ’51ST STATE,’ AMBASSADOR PROTESTS AMID TRUMP TARIFF THREAT

President Donald Trump speaks at Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Fla., Feb. 18, 2025. (AP)

“I suggest that not only does the Trump administration know how many critical minerals we have, but that may be even why they keep talking about absorbing us and making us the 51st state,” Trudeau said, according to CBC. “They’re very aware of our resources, of what we have, and they very much want to be able to benefit from those.”

Trump previously complained about the trade deficit the U.S. has with Canada, claiming “there is no reason” for such an imbalance.

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“We don’t need anything they have,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “We have unlimited Energy, should make our own Cars, and have more Lumber than we can ever use. Without this massive subsidy, Canada ceases to exist as a viable Country. Harsh but true!

“Therefore, Canada should become our Cherished 51st State,” Trump added. “Much lower taxes, and far better military protection for the people of Canada – AND NO TARIFFS!” 

On Thursday, Trudeau posted a cheeky retort after Canada won the 4 Nations Face-Off.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau participates in a cabinet swearing-in ceremony at Rideau Hall Dec. 20, 2024, in Ottawa. (Dave Chan/AFP via Getty Images)

“You can’t take our country – and you can’t take our game,” Trudeau wrote on X.

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