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FIRST ON FOX: Linda McMahon, the former CEO of World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) and President Donald Trump’s pick to head the Department of Education, will testify before the Senate on Thursday, centering her opening remarks around creating “a better future for every American learner.”

The Trump nominee, who was tapped in November, will kick off her confirmation process during a hearing before the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee on Thursday morning. Republican Sens. Tim Scott of South Carolina and Katie Britt of Alabama will introduce McMahon before the hearing, Fox News has learned.

McMahon will focus her remarks on enacting Trump’s vision with the idea that “education is the issue that determines our national success and prepares American workers to win the future,” according to an excerpt of her opening remarks, shared first with Fox News Digital.

“I would like to thank President Trump for his confidence in me to lead a Department whose mission and authority were a special focus of his campaign. He pledged to make American education the best in the world, return education to the states where it belongs, and free American students from the education bureaucracy through school choice,” McMahon will say in her opening remarks.

TRUMP EDUCATION DEPT LAUNCHES PROBE INTO ‘EXPLOSION OF ANTISEMITISM’ AT 5 UNIVERSITIES

McMahon is being boosted to head the department that Trump has suggested he wants to dismantle during his term, recently saying that if McMahon is confirmed, he wants her to “put herself out of a job.”

Trump said Wednesday just hours ahead of McMahon’s hearing that he wanted to close the Education Department “immediately.”

“It’s a big con job,” he said. “They ranked the top countries in the world. We’re ranked No. 40, but we’re ranked No. 1 in one department: cost per pupil. So, we spend more per pupil than any other country in the world, but we’re ranked No. 40.”

His comments came as Trump’s executive agency, the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) run by Elon Musk, continues its financial audit of the federal government.

TRUMP’S KEY TO CABINET CONFIRMATIONS: SENATOR-TURNED-VP VANCE’S GIFT OF GAB

McMahon previously served as the administrator of the Small Business Administration during Trump’s first term before stepping down in 2019 to “return to the private sector.” 

She plans to say during her opening remarks Thursday, “My experience as a business owner and leader of the Small Business Administration, as a public servant in the state of Connecticut, and more than a decade of service as a college trustee has taught me to put parents, teachers, and students, not bureaucracy, first.”

“Outstanding teachers are tired of political ideology in their curriculum and red tape on their desks. This is why school choice is a growing movement across the nation: it offers teachers and parents an alternative to classrooms that are micromanaged from Washington, D.C.” 

The Trump nominee also plans to highlight antisemitism in schools and the issue of biological males competing in women’s and girls’ sports.

“If I am confirmed, the department will not stand idly by while Jewish students are attacked and discriminated against,” her remarks read. “It will stop forcing schools to let boys and men into female sports and spaces. And it will protect the rights of parents to direct the moral education of their children.”

In her opening remarks, McMahon will note that “many Americans today are experiencing a system in decline” but that “the opportunity before us these next four years is momentous.”

“It is my great honor to announce that Linda McMahon, former Administrator of the Small Business Administration, will be the United States Secretary of Education,” Trump said in his nomination announcement in November.

Before being tapped to head the Education Department, McMahon founded WWE with her husband in 1980, which has grown into a global wrestling entertainment network. 

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“As Secretary of Education, Linda will fight tirelessly to expand ‘Choice’ to every State in America, and empower parents to make the best Education decisions for their families,” the press release added. “Linda served for two years on the Connecticut Board of Education, where she was one of fifteen members overseeing all Public Education in the State, including its Technical High School system.”

After McMahon’s confirmation hearing, the committee will schedule a vote on whether to advance her nomination to a full floor vote.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) administrator Lee Zeldin said Wednesday that his team has located $20 billion in tax dollars that the Biden administration purposely wasted.

“An extremely disturbing video circulated two months ago, featuring a Biden EPA political appointee talking about how they were ‘tossing gold bars off the Titanic,’ rushing to get billions of your tax dollars out the door before Inauguration Day,” Zeldin said in a video posted to X, citing another video from December. “The ‘gold bars’ were tax dollars and ‘tossing them off the Titanic’ meant the Biden administration knew they were wasting it.”

Zeldin said the EPA has plans to recover the “gold bars” that were found “parked at an outside financial institution,” which he does not mention by name.

He said that “this scheme was the first of its kind in EPA history, and it was purposefully designed to obligate all the money in a rush job with reduced oversight” before Inauguration Day.

TRUMP TAPS FORMER NEW YORK REP LEE ZELDIN TO LEAD EPA

Zeldin said “there is zero reason to suspect any wrongdoing by the bank,” but he thinks agreement with the institution “needs to be instantly terminated” and all the money should be immediately returned.

He also said the EPA needs to reassume responsibility for all of these funds, adding that his team will “review every penny that has gone out the door.”

THROUGH THE EPA, WE CAN PURSUE ENERGY DOMINANCE, LEE ZELDIN SAYS | FOX NEWS VIDEO

“The days of irresponsibly shoveling boatloads of cash to far-left activist groups in the name of environmental justice and climate equity are over,” Zeldin said. “The American public deserves a more transparent and accountable government than what transpired these past four years.”

He also said that he would be referring this matter to the inspector general’s office and that he would work with the Department of Justice to assist President Donald Trump in regaining control.

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“Now we will get them back inside of control of government as we pursue next steps. As President Trump has vowed, we’re going to usher in a new Golden Age of American success for the citizens of every race, religion, color and creed,” Zeldin said at the end of the video.

Elon Musk also commended Zeldin on X for an “awesome job” saving taxpayer money.

The Trump administration simultaneously views Russian President Vladimir Putin as a “great competitor” and “adversary” as it hashes out negotiations regarding the war in Ukraine, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said during a Wednesday press conference. 

“I believe this nation views Putin and Russia as a great competitor in the region, at times an adversary,” Leavitt said when asked how President Donald Trump views Russia and Putin. “But as the president has said, as well, he enjoys having good diplomatic relations with leaders around the world. Finding that common ground, also calling them out when they are wrong. Leading from a position of peace through strength. That’s the president’s greatest strength.” 

Just ahead of the Wednesday afternoon press conference, Trump announced on Truth Social that he had spoken to Putin on the phone and the two had agreed to begin negotiations over ending the war in Ukraine. 

“We agreed to work together, very closely, including visiting each other’s Nations,” Trump posted to Truth Social. “We have also agreed to have our respective teams start negotiations immediately, and we will begin by calling President Zelenskyy, of Ukraine, to inform him of the conversation, something which I will be doing right now. I have asked Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Director of the CIA John Ratcliffe, National Security Advisor Michael Waltz, and Ambassador and Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, to lead the negotiations which, I feel strongly, will be successful.” 

TRUMP SAYS RUSSIA AGREES TO ‘IMMEDIATELY’ BEGIN NEGOTIATIONS TO END WAR IN UKRAINE

Russia and Ukraine have been at war since February 2022, when Russia first invaded its neighboring nation. Trump has said while on the 2024 campaign trail that he would end the war if re-elected, while claiming it would never have begun if he had been in the Oval Office at the time. 

Leavitt was peppered with a handful of questions surrounding the negotiations, including why the Trump administration’s special envoy for Ukraine and Russia, retired Army Lt. Gen. Keith Kellogg was not included on Trump’s list of U.S. officials leading the negotiations. 

Kellogg “remains a critical part of this team in this effort,” Leavitt said. “He’s played a tremendous role in getting the negotiations to this point, and he’s very much still part of the Trump administration.” 

“The president, in his Truth following the phone call with Vladimir Putin, said that he has asked Secretary of State Rubio, the Director of the CIA John Ratcliffe, our national security advisor here at the White House, Michael Waltz and Steve Witkoff, to lead the negotiations,” she said. 

FREED AMERICAN HOSTAGE MARC FOGEL LANDS IN US AFTER YEARS IN RUSSIAN CAPTIVITY

The Kremlin posted a Russian language readout of the phone call with Trump on Wednesday, which was translated into English, and it reported Putin invited Trump to Moscow. Leavitt said she did not have any details to share on a potential visit to the country. 

Trump posted a follow-up Truth Social post on Wednesday that he also spoke with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, remarking the conversation “went very well.”

AMERICAN MARC FOGEL RELEASED FROM RUSSIAN CUSTODY

“He, like President Putin, wants to make PEACE,” Trump wrote. “We discussed a variety of topics having to do with the War, but mostly, the meeting that is being set up on Friday in Munich, where Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio will lead the Delegation. I am hopeful that the results of that meeting will be positive. It is time to stop this ridiculous War, where there has been massive, and totally unnecessary, DEATH and DESTRUCTION. God bless the people of Russia and Ukraine!” 

The announcement of the initiation of peace negotiations follows the return of Marc Fogel to the U.S. on Tuesday. Fogel is a grade school teacher from Pennsylvania who was arrested in Russia in 2021 for possession of marijuana in an airport. He was sentenced to 14 years in prison before the U.S. secured his release. 

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“I want to thank President Putin for his time and effort with respect to this call, and for the release, yesterday, of Marc Fogel, a wonderful man that I personally greeted last night at the White House,” Trump added of the release in his Truth Social post earlier Wednesday. “I believe this effort will lead to a successful conclusion, hopefully soon!”

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

Here’s what’s happening…

–DOGE exposes millions more in canceled ‘nonsense’ contracts across several federal agencies

-RFK Jr nomination to serve as Trump’s health secretary clears key hurdle in Senate

-GOP bill takes aim at visa lottery allowing ‘faceless computer code’ to dish out green cards

Key Confirmation 

President Donald Trump continued his successful Cabinet confirmation roll on Wednesday, with Tulsi Gabbard officially being approved by the Senate to become his director of national intelligence (DNI). 

She became his 14th Cabinet confirmation following the 52-48 vote on Wednesday. The vote was party-line, except for former GOP Senate leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., who opposed Gabbard. 

After an uphill battle during her confirmation hearing before the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, the former Democratic representative managed to come back and get key Republicans to support her in her bid to oversee the nation’s intelligence agencies…Read more

White House

‘LENGTHY AND HIGHLY PRODUCTIVE’: Trump says Russia agrees on call to ‘immediately’ begin negotiations to end war in Ukraine…Read more

JUDICIAL SUPREMACY: 6 times judges blocked Trump executive orders…Read more

LOVE AND HATE: Which Trump policies Americans love and hate…Read more

‘LAMENTING’: Obama bros on DOGE: ‘some of this is stuff we should have done’…Read more

‘LIVING IN FEAR’: Dozens of religious groups sue to stop Trump admin from arresting migrants in places of worship…Read more

LAWSUIT BLITZ: New resistance battling Trump’s second term through onslaught of lawsuits taking aim at EOs…Read more

World Stage

KYIV ATTACKED: Russian missiles rained down on Ukraine just ahead of Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent’s visit…Read more

STEP UP EUROPE: Hegseth warns Europeans ‘realities’ of China and border threats prevent US from guaranteeing their security…Read more

‘WELCOME THE STRANGER’: Pope blasts Trump admin over mass deportation plan, directs ire at Vance’s religious defense for policies…Read more

‘TOUGH TO WITNESS’: Ex-NY Giants player is helping deported migrants in Guatemala, blames Biden for the problem…Read more

Capitol Hill

ZOMBIE DRUG: Democrat looks to codify new AG Bondi’s crackdown on ‘zombie drug’ xylazine…Read more

GREER ADVANCES: Trump US trade rep pick Jamieson Greer advances out of Senate Finance Committee…Read more

SPENDING WARS: House, Senate Republicans clash over mammoth Trump budget bill seeking $1.5T in cuts…Read more

FIRST ON FOX: Patel camp derides Durbin accusations as ‘politically motivated’ attempt to derail FBI confirmation…Read more

‘SAVE FACE’: Officials at Liz Warren’s pet project agency dismissed despite telling media they resigned…Read more

‘MEDICAL INCIDENT’: Complex partial seizure ruled as cause of pausing episode during House floor speech, Dem congressman says…Read more

GET OUT: DRAIN THE SWAMP Act seeks to move DC bureaucracy ‘out of Crazy Town,’ House DOGE leader says…Read more

Across America

DEFYING TRUMP: Maine sports governing body says trans athletes can still compete in women’s sports despite Trump order…Read more

‘COMMON SENSE’: Republican AGs praise Trump SEC move to reverse Biden climate rule they fought in court…Read more

FIRST ON FOX: Key government agency pushes back against media reporting of DOGE chaos: ‘Categorically untrue’…Read more

MINE CRAFT: Elon Musk describes limestone mine used for processing federal workers’ retirement papers: ‘Like a time warp’…Read more

STAFFING UP: RNC brings on new senior leadership to ‘work around the clock’ to support Trump agenda, elect Republicans…Read more

‘I WILL NOT REST’: Border state gubernatorial showdown expected as Trump-backed candidate enters race…Read more

‘SHOCKING WORDS’: Top hospital hit with blistering ad exposing ‘political agenda’…Read more

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

California’s top Republican leaders are asking the Trump administration “to intervene” against their own state’s push to get rid of traditional energy sources, especially gas, with one lawmaker telling Fox News Digital the push to ban gas appliances was particularly “sick” of the state’s liberal leadership.

In a letter sent to the Department of Energy Secretary Christopher Wright, California Assembly Republican Leader James Gallagher and state Senate Minority Leader Brian Jones urged the DOE to look at California’s efforts to “ban natural gas and gas appliances” and “evaluate these actions and their impact on issues of energy sufficiency, energy independence, and national security.”

“It’s a sick philosophy that tells fire victims we’re going to control how you build your home, we’re going to tell you all the things that you can and cannot have,” Gallagher told Fox News Digital in an exclusive interview. 

“This also has a lot of huge implications for the cost of living in California,” Gallagher said. “Let’s once and for all decide that you cannot ban gas appliances. People need these. They like having these. They’re more affordable. Let’s make sure that this is not going to get any further down the road.”

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California has intensified efforts to phase out natural gas appliances in recent years for what lawmakers claim will cut greenhouse gas emissions and improve indoor air quality. In 2022, the California Air Resources Board (CARB) approved a plan to ban the sale of new gas-powered space and water heaters by 2030, requiring homes and businesses to transition to zero-emission alternatives like electric heat pumps. The state’s 2023 energy code also encourages all-electric construction, making it more costly for developers to install gas appliances.

“I hope the federal government weighs in and restores consumer choice in California,” Gallagher said. “We should be able to choose whether or not we want electric or gas, and we especially need to make those choices so we can ensure that we can afford to live in this state, because right now, electricity, because of [Gov.] Gavin Newsom and the Democrats policies, has exploded the prices through the roof.”

The Republicans are also requesting that the DOE “engage legally with any California jurisdiction violating EPCA [Energy Policy and Conservation Act of 1975] in order to enforce the federal preemption of any state or local gas bans.”

“In light of these actions by a number of California state agencies, local governments, and regulatory bodies, we ask the Department of Energy to intervene where appropriate to overturn these overreaching policies,” the letter stated.

PRESIDENT TRUMP’S PRO-ENERGY AGENDA WILL UNLEASH AMERICAN JOBS AND ENERGY SECURITY

Meanwhile, President Donald Trump has directed the DOE to implement policies to bolster natural gas production and exports. Late last month, he signed an executive order declaring a national energy emergency, which includes measures to enhance domestic energy production.

“Expanding consumer choice and removing burdensome restrictions on household appliances is a key component of President Trump’s agenda for reducing costs for the American people,” DOE spokesperson Ben Dietderich told Fox News Digital on Wednesday. 

While California — which has been a beacon of progressive environmental policies for other liberal states — participates in the federal government’s Appliance Standards Program, in some cases, the state’s stringent standards exceed federal requirements. Dietderich said the department is “conducting a comprehensive review and is working to advance a commonsense approach that prioritizes affordability and choice for all Americans” when asked about the California Republicans’ letter. 

“Any standards should include a cost-benefit analysis considering the upfront cost of purchasing new products and reflecting actual cost savings for American families,” Wright said in a statement last week while announcing his first secretarial order. 

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More than 70 cities in the Golden State, starting with Berkeley in 2019, enacted local ordinances prohibiting natural gas hookups in new buildings. However, a 2024 federal court ruling overturned Berkeley’s ban, prompting some municipalities to reconsider their policies. Meanwhile, the state legislature passed a bill requiring warning labels on gas stoves, citing health risks linked to indoor emissions. If signed into law, California would become the first state to ban gas appliances.

And California’s Democratic majority has the backing of Gov. Gavin Newsom. In recent years, Newsom signed laws restricting new oil and gas wells near certain sites and signed off on neighborhoods to transition to all-electric systems. Additionally, in December 2024, state regulators approved a plan to reduce reliance on a major natural gas storage facility.

In a recent interview with CNN’s Pamela Brown earlier this month, Newsom said homeowners who lost their homes in the Los Angeles wildfires “can’t rebuild the same, so we have to rebuild with science, we have to rebuild with a climate reality in mind […].”

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Fox News Digital did not hear back from Newsom’s office by time of publication.

President Donald Trump on Wednesday signed an executive order reinforcing a “unified” voice for U.S. foreign policy that prioritizes his “America First” agenda. 

The executive order emphasizes the State Department’s responsibility to uphold the Trump administration’s foreign policy priorities, and that the agency has the proper channels to ensure that “officers and employees faithfully implement the President’s policies,” according to a White House fact sheet. 

Additionally, the executive order instructs Secretary of State Marco Rubio to execute reforms to recruitment, evaluation, performance and retention standards to ensure that the State Department employs the most qualified individuals to represent the U.S., according to the fact sheet. 

Likewise, Rubio has the authority under the order to update the Foreign Affairs Manual or other procedural documents pertaining to foreign service. 

TRUMP MEETS WITH JORDAN’S KING AMID TENSE TALKS ABOUT RESETTLING PALESTINIANS 

“President Trump is committed to safeguarding the integrity of U.S. foreign policy by ensuring that America’s interests are prioritized through a unified diplomatic voice, with related personnel held accountable to the President’s vision,” the White House said in the fact sheet. 

“No longer will America be taken advantage of by foreign nations or by rogue actors who undermine our sovereignty or security.” 

The executive order expands upon Trump’s America First policy directive that he signed after his inauguration, which states that “the foreign policy of the United States shall champion core American interests.” 

The Trump administration has put forward some bold foreign policy proposals during his second term, including unveiling an effort to shutter the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), a group that works to deliver aid to impoverished countries and development assistance. 

Rubio, now acting director of the independent agency, said on Feb. 3 that USAID was not “functioning” and that the organization isn’t a “global charity.” 

TRUMP NOT COMMITTING TO PUTTING US TROOPS ON THE GROUND IN GAZA, WHITE HOUSE SAYS

“It needs to be aligned with the national interest of the U.S.,” Rubio said. “They’re not a global charity, these are taxpayer dollars. People are asking simple questions. What are they doing with the money? We are spending taxpayers’ money. We owe the taxpayers assurances that it furthers our national interest.”

Likewise, Trump also announced plans on Feb. 4 to “take over” the Gaza Strip in a “long-term ownership position” to deliver stability to the region during a joint press conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

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The proposal prompted swift backlash from Arab countries, including Jordan, and Egypt announced plans on Sunday for an emergency Arab Summit to discuss “new and dangerous developments” regarding the resettling of Palestinians on Feb. 27. 

Trump met with Jordan’s King Abdullah II on Tuesday, who said he would wait for the Egyptians to take the lead on a proposal moving forward as they negotiate with the U.S. on plans to take over Gaza. However, Abdullah did reveal plans to accept 2,000 sick Palestinian children to Jordan.

“I think let’s wait until the Egyptians can come and present it to the president and not get ahead of us,” Abdullah said. 

The Trump administration has filed a lawsuit against the state of New York and its governor, Kathy Hochul, and Attorney General Letitia James, alleging a failure to comply with federal law by shielding illegal immigrants, newly sworn-in Attorney General Pam Bondi announced Wednesday. 

“This is a new DOJ,” Bondi announced at a news conference. “New York has chosen to prioritize illegal aliens over American citizens. It stops. It stops today.”

Also charged is Mark Schroeder, commissioner of the New York Department of Motor Vehicles. Bondi cited New York’s Green Light laws, also known as the Driver’s License Act, which allows illegal immigrants to get a driver’s license. 

TOM HOMAN BELIEVES ICE RAID LEAKS ARE ‘COMING FROM INSIDE’ AS AURORA LEAKER CLOSER TO BEING IDENTIFIED

The law also prevents certain federal agencies from accessing New York State’s driver’s license information.

“They have green light laws, meaning they’re giving a green light to any illegal alien in New York, where law enforcement officers cannot check their identity if they pull them over,” Bondi said. “And law enforcement officers do not have access to their background. And if these great men and women pull over someone and don’t have access to their background, they have no idea who they’re dealing with, and it puts their lives on the line every single day.

“If you don’t comply with federal law, we will hold you accountable,” Bondi said. “We did it to Illinois, strike one. Strike two is New York. And if you are a state not complying with federal law, you’re next. Get ready.”

The Justice Department last week asked a federal judge to strike down sanctuary policies in Illinois and Chicago. 

Bondi was joined by “angel mom” Tammy Nobles of Maryland, whose 20-year-old daughter, Kayla Hamilton, was raped and murdered by an illegal immigrant and MS-13 member in 2022.

FEDERAL COURT BLOCKS TRUMP ADMIN FROM SENDING DETAINED VENEZUELAN IMMIGRANTS TO GUANTÁNAMO BAY

The Department of Homeland Security “did not do their jobs,” Nobles said Wednesday, at times choking back tears while sharing her family’s story. 

“They did not check his background,” she said. “I’m so thankful for Pam for having me here today, and I’m so thankful for the opportunities I got from Trump and and any other platform — and for the people (allowing) me to share her story, because this is going to end.”

The suspect, Walter Martinez, an MS-13 gang member from El Salvador who was in the United States illegally, entered the country through Texas as an unaccompanied minor in March 2022. He was apprehended by the U.S. Border Patrol and eventually sent to Maryland to live with a sponsor.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE IMMIGRATION COVERAGE

Four months later, Martinez moved to a mobile home in Aberdeen, where he was accused of killing Hamilton.

During the news conference, Bondi urged states with sanctuary policies to comply with federal law. 

“We don’t want to sue you. We don’t want to prosecute people. We want people to comply with the law,” she said. “This is very simple. An MS-13 member murdered her daughter. That’s happening throughout this country.

“One angel mom is too many,” she added. “And we have angel moms throughout this country who should not be going through this. Comply with the law. This is the last thing we want to be doing.”

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Fox News Digital has reached out to the offices of Hochul, James and Schroeder.

President Donald Trump called the Department of Education a “con job,” saying he saw a report that the nation ranks 40th in the world in education but is No. 1 in cost per pupil.

Trump spoke with reporters Wednesday afternoon from the Oval Office and was asked how soon he wanted the Department of Education (DOE) closed.

“Oh, I’d like it to be closed immediately. Look at the Department of Education. It’s a big con job,” he answered. “They ranked the top countries in the world. We’re ranked No. 40, but we’re ranked No. 1 in one department: cost per pupil. So, we spend more per pupil than any other country in the world, but we’re ranked No. 40.”

Trump said the last time he looked at where the U.S. ranked in education, it was 38th, but then he looked two days ago, and the country had fallen to No. 40.

DOGE SLASHES OVER $100M IN DEI FUNDING AT EDUCATION DEPARTMENT: ‘WIN FOR EVERY STUDENT’

He even noted that China had ranked in the top five.

“As big as it is, it’s ranked in the top five, and that’s our … primary competitor,” Trump said. “So, if we’re ranked No. 40, that means something’s really wrong.”

The president has ordered the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), the department led by Elon Musk, to find ways to slash wasteful spending, and the DOE made the chopping block this week.

TRUMP PUTS HIGHER EDUCATION ON NOTICE FOR ‘DANGEROUS, DEMEANING, AND IMMORAL’ DEI TEACHINGS

DOGE announced Monday that $881 million related to 89 DOE contracts was being cut.

Of that $881 million, DOGE identified $101 million that was being used for DEI training, including teaching educators to “help students understand/interrogate the complex histories involved in oppression, and help students recognize areas of privilege and power on an individual and collective basis.”

“Your tax dollars were spent on this,” Musk wrote of the DOE spending.

Last month, Trump signed two executive orders on education, one to remove federal funding from K-12 schools that teach critical race theory (CRT), and another to support school choice.

TRUMP EDUCATION DEPT LAUNCHES PROBE INTO ‘EXPLOSION OF ANTISEMITISM’ AT 5 UNIVERSITIES

The teaching of CRT and other controversial content in schools has sparked backlash from parents at school board meetings across the nation over the past several years. During his presidential campaign, Trump pledged to cut federal funding for schools that promote CRT, transgender ideology and “any other inappropriate racial, sexual or political content on our children.”

Trump has signed a flurry of executive orders targeting federal funding for schools as test scores continue to drop, according to the Nation’s Report Card.

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Trump administration officials are also reportedly weighing a plan to dismantle the U.S. Department of Education, according to a Wall Street Journal report published last week.

Fox News Digital’s Kristine Parks contributed to this report.

A man with a lengthy criminal history who was previously on a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) hold is on the run after being accused of groping a 7-year-old Texas girl as she walked home from school. 

Carlos Jose Ayala Morales, 43, has been charged with felony attempted indecency with a child, the Houston Police Department said. He is accused of grabbing the girl Jan. 27 while she was on her way home from her elementary school, Fox Houston reported.

The girl and her mother told the news outlet she was walking behind her older sister and a friend. They said the man ran up, groped her and ran away. The girl didn’t scream because she was in shock and told her older sister when they got home. 

TOM HOMAN BELIEVES ICE RAID LEAKS ARE ‘COMING FROM INSIDE’ AS AURORA LEAKER CLOSER TO BEING IDENTIFIED

“A man came behind me, and he touched my private parts,” the girl told the station.

“I hope he’s caught and put away much longer, so he can’t hurt other children,” her mother said. 

Morales has a lengthy criminal history. In 2017, he was charged with four counts of indecency with a child and evading arrest. 

At the time, police believed Morales, who they called Ayala, was linked to “at least 10 sexual assault incidents in the northeast Houston and Harris County areas.” 

Authorities were investigating a string of “sexual assaults of school-aged juvenile females, 7-15 years of age, as they traveled to and from school,” according to the news outlet. 

FEDERAL COURT BLOCKS TRUMP ADMIN FROM SENDING DETAINED VENEZUELAN IMMIGRANTS TO GUANTÁNAMO BAY

“Ayala would come up behind the victims and inappropriately touch them through their clothing,” a police news release states.  

In one incident, Ayala attempted to abduct one of the victims, a 7 year-old female, as she walked home from school with her 9-year-old brother,” police said. 

“Reading that made me so scared, because that could have been [my child],” the victim’s mother said. 

When he was arrested in 2017, ICE filed a detainer request for Morales, a Honduran citizen, which was lifted when he was convicted. 

The Texas Department of Criminal Justice told FOX 26 Ayala was transferred to prison to serve concurrent seven-year sentences for indecency with a child by exposure, three counts of indecency with a child, evading arrest, detention with a vehicle and burglary.

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In February 2024, he was released into ICE custody.

Fox News Digital has reached out to ICE.

The City of Chicago recently shared a video of its “gift room” after a watchdog group accused Mayor Brandon Johnson of improperly accepting valuable gifts.

On Wednesday, the city also announced new protocols for receiving gifts, along with a log and video of items currently inside its “gift room.”

The transparency attempt comes after the Office of the Inspector General (OIG) accused Johnson of accepting valuable gifts and failing to report them.

Alleged unreported gifts included jewelry, alcohol, AirPods, designer handbags and size 14 men’s shoes, prompting ethical concerns.

CHICAGO RESIDENTS SLAM THE ‘STUPIDITY’ OF MAYOR BRANDON JOHNSON’S LIBERAL POLICIES DURING CITY COUNCIL MEETING

The new protocols, which went into effect on Tuesday, note that officials must report and properly log gifts within 10 days; store gifts in a designated area that can be viewed publicly via video recording quarterly; and donate excess gifts.

The first video log was sent out on Wednesday and featured artwork, clothing, hats and shoes.

The footage attempts to combat OIG claims that Johnson denied internal investigators access to the room where the items were stored during an unannounced inspection in November.

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A written log contains 18 pages of items, along with their location and the organization that donated the gifts.

“These procedures reaffirm the Mayor’s commitment to ethical governance and transparency and ensure prompt disclosure of all gifts received on behalf of the City,” according to a statement from the mayor’s office.

Johnson previously accused the inspector general of a “mischaracterization,” while insisting he never personally benefited from any gifts.

The OIG report listed Hugo Boss cuff links, a personalized Montblanc pen, a 2023 U.S. National Soccer Team jersey, a Gucci tote bag, a Kate Spade red purse and Carrucci size 14 shoes from Feb. 2, 2022, through March 20, 2024.

While spotted in the video log, dated Feb. 11, the online log does not account for the tote bag, purse or shoes, as of Wednesday. 

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Other items like the cuff links and pen, while accounted for in the log, do not list the organization or person who donated the gift.

Fox News’ Patrick McGovern, Greg Wehner and Alexis McAdams contributed to this report.

A federal judge restored President Donald Trump’s deferred resignation program for federal workers in a decision on Wednesday.

The deferred resignation program, also known as the administration’s “fork in the road” offer, involved asking government workers to either stay or leave after Trump mandated them to return to their offices shortly after his inauguration. The legal group Democracy Forward had filed a lawsuit over the program on behalf of labor unions that represent thousands of employees. 

U.S. District Judge George O’Toole of Massachusetts made the ruling in favor of the White House on Wednesday evening. In his decision, who wrote that the plaintiffs in the case “are not directly impacted by the directive,” and denied their case on that basis.

“[T]hey allege that the directive subjects them to upstream effects including a diversion of resources to answer members’ questions about the directive, a potential loss of membership, and possible reputational harm,” O’Toole wrote. 

TRUMP TO SIGN MEMO LIFTING BIDEN’S LAST-MINUTE COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENTS

“The unions do not have the required direct stake in the Fork Directive, but are challenging a policy that affects others, specifically executive branch employees. This is not sufficient.”

Additionally, the judge wrote that his court “lacks subject matter jurisdiction to consider the plaintiffs’ pleaded claims,” and noted similar cases where courts were found to have lacked authority.

“Aggrieved employees can bring claims through the administrative process,” O’Toole said. “That the unions themselves may be foreclosed from this administrative process does not mean that adequate judicial review is lacking.”

In a statement to Fox News, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt called the decision “the first of many legal wins for the President.”

“The Court dissolved the injunction due to a lack of standing,” Leavitt said. “This goes to show that lawfare will not ultimately prevail over the will of 77 million Americans who supported President Trump and his priorities.”

‘GET BACK TO WORK’: HOUSE OVERSIGHT TO TAKE ON GOVERNMENT TELEWORK IN 1ST HEARING OF NEW CONGRESS

The U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) began emailing more than 2 million federal civilian employees offering them buyouts to leave their jobs shortly after Trump’s inauguration. The offers quickly outraged labor leaders, with the president of the National Federation of Federal Employees (NFFE) calling the offers “shady” and claiming that the deals “should not be taken seriously.”

“The offer is not bound by existing law or policy, nor is it funded by Congress,” NFFE National President Randy Erwin said. “There is nothing to hold OPM or the White House accountable to the terms of their agreement.” 

“Federal employees will not give in to this shady tactic pressuring them to quit. Civil servants care way too much about their jobs, their agency missions, and their country to be swayed by this phony ploy. To all federal employees: Do not resign.”

Republican attorneys general previously signaled support for Trump’s program, writing in an amicus curiae brief on Sunday that a challenge to the constitutionality of the order “would inevitably fail.”

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“Courts should refrain from intruding into the President’s well-settled Article II authority to supervise and manage the federal workforce,” the filing said. “Plaintiffs seek to inject this Court into federal workforce decisions made by the President and his team. The Court can avoid raising any separation of powers concerns by denying Plaintiffs’ relief and allowing the President and his team to manage the federal workforce.” 

Fox News Digital’s Louis Casiano and Danielle Wallace contributed to this report.

It is said that talk is cheap. 

And that’s why House Republicans have done so much of it as they attempted to forge an internal agreement on a budget plan to slash taxes and cut spending. 

It is now the middle of February. House Republicans struggled to finalize plans for what President Donald Trump terms a “big beautiful bill.” Especially when you consider all of the talking Republicans did – among themselves – since the start of the year.

MARJORIE TAYLOR GREENE SHARES WHAT’S NEXT FOR HOUSE DOGE PANEL, WHETHER ELON MUSK WOULD TESTIFY

House Republicans cloistered themselves for not one but two daylong sessions on Saturday, Jan. 4, and Sunday, Jan. 5, at Fort McNair in Washington, D.C. That’s where House Budget Committee Chair Jodey Arrington, R-Texas, and Ways and Means Committee Chair Jason Smith, R-Mo., presented their ideas to slash spending and engineer a budget reconciliation package.

Keep that term in mind. Budget reconciliation. More on that in a moment.

Back on Capitol Hill, House Republicans convened multiple large and small meetings to lay out details on their package. That included a three-day session at President Trump’s golf club in Doral, Florida. 

Republicans returned to Washington with claims of “unity.” But still no agreement.

THE CONFIRMATION JUGGERNAUT: HOW TRUMP IS GETTING EVERYTHING HE WANTS IN BUILDING HIS CABINET

Arrington hoped to prepare the budget plan in his committee last week. Such a meeting would produce a “budget reconciliation” package. Budget reconciliation is a process where the Senate can bypass a filibuster and approve a bill with a simple majority. But the package must be fiscal in nature, such as addressing spending cuts and taxes. Thus, this plan likely qualifies for reconciliation. Senate Republicans must lean on budget reconciliation because they only have 53 GOP members. Not 60, which are required to break a conventional filibuster. But reconciliation is part of the annual budget process. And the reconciliation option isn’t available unless a budget blueprint is in place. No budget? No reconciliation.

House Republicans grappled last week to reach a deal. So the House GOP brass set off for the White House for a meeting with the president.

“He’s going to have to make some decisions,” said one senior House Republican of President Trump, noting he’s the only one who could help the party coalesce around an idea.

The session lasted for nearly five hours, although President Trump wasn’t in the session the entire time. Meantime, House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., was supposed to meet at the Capitol with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. But Netanyahu was left cooling his heels on Capitol Hill as Republicans debated plans and scribbled figures on whiteboards. 

“[President Trump] set the tone for us to push through some things that we were stuck on,” said Arrington when he returned to the Capitol. 

“We made serious progress and have narrowed the gap to where we’re very close to getting ready to bring this to Budget Committee,” said Senate Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La. 

Johnson even predicted the plan may be ready later that evening. Hence, a group of Republicans retreated for another set of meetings until well after midnight.

“I’d like to see their plan,” complained Rep. Tim Burchett, R-Tenn. “They’re not going to force me into something.” 

HOUSE AND SENATE REPUBLICANS CLASH OVER MAMMOTH TRUMP BUDGET BILL SEEKING $1.5T IN CUTS 

By Friday morning, Johnson was again diminishing expectations.

“It may not be today,” said Johnson. 

However, the speaker hinted that the details could be ready later that weekend. 

“We’ve got a few more people we’ve got to talk with and a couple more boxes to check,” said Johnson. “The expectation is it we’ll be marking up a budget next week, potentially as early as Tuesday.”

But the weekend optimism died when the speaker appeared on “Fox News Sunday.”

“We were going to do a Budget Committee markup next week. We might push it a little bit further because the details really matter,” said Johnson on Sunday. “But we’re getting very, very close.”

Johnson attended the Super Bowl in New Orleans later that day with President Trump. So could there have been a breakthrough amid the confetti, étouffée and Cooper DeJean madness of the Super Bowl?

“Are we going to have this bill this week, yes or no?” yours truly asked the speaker as he entered the Capitol on Monday afternoon.

Johnson deployed his favorite verbal placeholder.

“Stay tuned,” said the speaker, who uses this line as frequently as a 1950s radio announcer.

“You said last week we were going to have it,” I countered.

“I know,” said Johnson. “I’ve got 220 people that have shared their opinions on this.”

“Did you overpromise?” I followed up.

“No. No,” responded Johnson. “The hard work of the negotiation has to be done on the front end so that we can deliver a product that we know everybody will support.”

Senate Budget Committee Chair Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., tired of the House GOP’s dithering last week, wrote his own budget package, which significantly differs from what the House intends to do. While the House blueprint will focus on taxes and government cuts, Graham’s measure would boost energy production and also call for spending money to tighten the border. The South Carolina Republican has long observed that people voted for border security in the election. He argues that provision should come first.

SENATE DOGE CHAIR SAYS SHE SPEAKS WITH ELON MUSK ‘EVERY FEW DAYS’ AS TRUMP ADMIN SLASHES SPENDING

Johnson said he talked with Graham at the Super Bowl and “he and I are on the same page.”

When asked by CNN’s Manu Raju whether Graham’s gambit was “complicating this,” Johnson answered, “Not much.” 

But when yours truly asked if the Senate moving first would help “increase the sense of urgency” in the House, the speaker responded differently.

“I wouldn’t say it’s helpful,” said Johnson. 

An hour later, reporters again peppered Johnson for timing details.

“I’m not going to give a projected date yet because then you’ll tell me that I overshot,” said Johnson. “So just wait. Everybody relax.”

This entire imbroglio boils down to one factor: the math. 

House Republicans currently boast 218 votes in the 433-member House. There are two vacancies. They can barely lose a vote on their side. Getting any bill across the floor is a monster. 

A major snowstorm was in the forecast for Washington, D.C., on Tuesday afternoon and into the day on Wednesday. House Republican leaders huddled in the Radio/TV Gallery in the Capitol Visitor Center for their weekly press conference Tuesday morning.

“Ready for snowmageddon?” House Republican Conference Chair Lisa McClain, R-Mich., asked the press corps. “And the question is: Are we going to get it today or not?”

“Well, you were supposed to get a budget last week, and we didn’t,” observed your trusty reporter, drawing laughter from scribes and lawmakers alike.

At the press conference, Johnson insisted that the budget was on track. He announced that the Budget Committee would meet Thursday on the package. 

But what unfolded in the news conference wasn’t nearly as interesting as what happened afterward. 

Arrington hustled over to the Radio/TV Gallery to privately meet Johnson and other GOP leaders in an adjacent anteroom. Johnson and Arrington had not been on the same page with the budget. Fox is told that Arrington and Johnson had to make sure they were aligned. Arrington had pushed for deeper cuts than Johnson.

By Wednesday morning, Arrington delivered a budget blueprint. It called for $2 trillion in cuts from what’s called “mandatory spending,” like entitlements. It features $4.5 trillion in tax reductions. And it lifts the debt ceiling by $4 trillion.

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The question now is whether House Republicans can pry a bill out of committee, let alone pass it on the floor.

But after weeks of jawboning, House Republicans finally had a budget.

And, for the record, Washington, D.C., also got snow.

About 7 inches.

A tough-on-crime Republican sheriff in southern California who was a supporter of President Trump in last year’s election will launch a campaign for Golden State governor, a source familiar confirms to Fox News.

Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco is expected to announce his candidacy at a scheduled event Monday in Riverside, California, about 50 miles southeast of downtown Los Angeles, in the 2026 race to succeed term-limited Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom.

Bianco, a vocal critic of Newsom and other state Democratic leaders when it comes to the issues of crime and punishment, was one of the leaders who helped push California’s Proposition 36 ballot measure to a landslide victory in last November’s elections.

WHAT SHERIFF CHAD BIANCO TOLD FOX NEWS

The measure, which took effect in December, mandates stiffer penalties and longer sentences in California for certain drug and theft crimes.

MAJOR CALIFORNIA DEMOCRAT PREEDICTS FORMER VICE PRESIDENT KAMALA HARRIS WOULD CLEAR GUBERNATORIAL FIELD

Bianco, who has worked in law enforcement for more than three decades, was first elected sheriff in 2018. He’s been openly flirting with a 2026 gubernatorial run since at least last spring.

When asked late last year in a Fox News interview if he knew of anyone who might be capable of producing change in Sacramento – California’s capital city – Bianco responded, “I might, I might know someone that would go there with nothing but common sense and the betterment of the citizens of California rather than some crazy ideological agenda that truly makes absolutely no sense to any of us.”

It’s been nearly two decades since a Republican won statewide office in heavily blue California. You have to go all the way back to former Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s 2006 re-election victory.

There has been plenty of speculation since former Vice President Kamala Harris’ election defeat last November to Trump regarding her next political move, with the two potential options likely being launching a 2026 gubernatorial run in her home state of California or seeking the presidency again in 2028.

Harris served as San Francisco district attorney and California attorney general and U.S. senator before becoming vice president.

Sources in the former vice president’s political orbit say no decisions have been made about any next steps.

The Democrats’ field for governor in the heavily blue-leaning state is already crowded.

Among the more than half-dozen candidates already running for governor are Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis, a Harris ally, and former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa.

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Former Rep. Katie Porter, who unsuccessfully ran for the Democratic Senate nomination last year, has expressed interest in launching a campaign.

Additionally, former Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra, who served in Congress and as California attorney general before joining the Biden administration, is also seen as a potential contender.

Former Fox News Channel host and conservative commentator Steve Hilton is considering a Republican run for California governor.

In California, unlike most other states, the top two finishers in a primary, regardless of party affiliation, advance to the general election.

President Donald Trump’s new Director of National Intelligence (DNI), Tulsi Gabbard, was sworn in at the White House on Wednesday, just hours after being confirmed by the Senate. 

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters during her briefing, “Senate Republicans continued to confirm President Trump’s exceptionally qualified nominees, most recently Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, who will be joining us later at the White House for her swearing-in ceremony.”

DEM LOOKS TO CODIFY NEW AG BONDI’S DESIRED CRACKDOWN ON ‘ZOMBIE DRUG’ XYLAZINE

“It’s imperative that the remainder of the president’s Cabinet nominees are confirmed as quickly as possible,” she added. 

The Senate confirmed Gabbard in a 52-48 vote. The divide was along party lines, with the exception of former GOP Senate leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., who opposed her. 

“In my assessment, Tulsi Gabbard failed to demonstrate that she is prepared to assume this tremendous national trust,” McConnell said in a lengthy statement on his vote. 

TRUMP LANDS KEY TULSI GABBARD CONFIRMATION FOLLOWING UPHILL SENATE BATTLE

“The nation should not have to worry that the intelligence assessments the president receives are tainted by a Director of National Intelligence with a history of alarming lapses in judgment.” 

Gabbard notably faced scrutiny over her past meeting with former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, her previous FISA Section 702 stance and her past support for NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden. 

SENATE DOGE CHAIR SAYS SHE SPEAKS WITH ELON MUSK ‘EVERY FEW DAYS’ AS TRUMP ADMIN SLASHES SPENDING

But those  concerns were mostly quelled by Gabbard herself, in coordination with the significant efforts of Chairman Tom Cotton, R-Ark., and Vice President JD Vance, who worked behind the scenes to get party members on board. 

She is the 14th Cabinet official to be confirmed in Trump’s second term. 

DEMOCRAT SENATOR BACKS TRUMP’S ‘COMMON SENSE MOVE’ TO FIRE THE PENNY

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Next up will be Trump’s similarly controversial pick Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who is nominated to be secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS). He will get a vote early Thursday morning after clearing his last procedural hurdle Wednesday afternoon. 

The Department of Homeland Security says it has taken back $59 million in FEMA funds earmarked for hotels housing migrants in New York City, a day after it fired those involved in making the payment.

“Secretary Noem has clawed back the full payment that FEMA deep state activists unilaterally gave to NYC migrant hotels,” a DHS spokesperson told Fox News Digital. 

“There will not be a single penny spent that goes against the interest and safety of the American people,” they said.

FEDERAL AGENCY IN DOGE’S CROSSHAIRS PLAYED KEY ROLE IN HARRIS’ STRATEGY TO CURB MIGRANT CRISIS

The announcement came after the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) said it had uncovered $59 million in payments for luxury hotels for migrants who had flooded into the sanctuary city during the recent crisis at the southern border. Elon Musk said the payments had been sent in the last week.

DHS announced Tuesday that it had fired four employees “for circumventing leadership” and making the payments unilaterally. The firings included FEMA’s CFO, two analysts and a grant specialist.

The use of FEMA to make payments related to immigration has been a topic of controversy in recent months. The funding comes via the Shelter and Services Program (SSP). It is congressionally appropriated and requires FEMA to use funding shifted over from Customs and Border Protection (CBP). The Biden administration pushed back last year over claims that disaster funding was being diverted, noting that the funding is appropriated to CBP and administered by FEMA.

A New York City Hall spokesperson confirmed to Fox News on Tuesday that the city had received funds “through the past week” that were allocated by the Biden administration for the purpose of housing and supporting illegal immigrants. 

TRUMP’S ICE LIMITS ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT RELEASES AMID MOVES TO SHAKE OFF BIDEN ‘HANGOVER’ 

Of the $59.3 million, $19 million was for direct hotel costs, while the balance funded other services such as food and security. According to NY City Hall, the funds were not part of a disaster relief grant. 

“The previous administration left New York City largely on its own to manage an international humanitarian crisis. At its height, we took swift emergency action to house thousands of migrants arriving in our city every week – including in completely vacant hotels – ensuring that no family slept on our streets and that the public safety of longtime New Yorkers was not compromised,” a spokesperson said. “Thanks to our smart management of the crisis, we have helped over 184,000 migrants leave the city’s shelter system since the spring of 2022. But, we are not out of the woods yet.”

A spokesperson said that it never paid luxury hotel rates, that the city applied for funding in April and FEMA allocated the funding last year.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE IMMIGRATION COVERAGE

On Wednesday, NYC Comptroller Brad Lander responded to the revocation of funds by saying that NYC “cannot take this lying down.”

“I call on the Mayor to immediately pursue legal action to ensure the tens of millions of dollars stolen by Trump and DOGE are rightfully returned. If instead Mayor Adams continues to be President Trump’s pawn, my Office will request to work in partnership with the New York City Law Department to pursue aggressive legal action,” he said, according to the New York Post.

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Mayor Eric Adams later said on X that his office “learned about the federal government clawing back more than $80 million in FEMA grants applied for and awarded under the last administration, but not disbursed until last week.”

“While we conduct an internal investigation into how this occurred, our office has already engaged with the White House about recouping these funds and we’ve requested an emergency meeting with FEMA to try and resolve the matter as quickly as possible. The Corporation Counsel is already exploring various litigation options,” he said.

 

FIRST ON FOX: Current and former state attorneys general are praising the Trump administration’s U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) for its “common sense” decision to roll back a Biden-era climate rule requiring companies to disclose their carbon emissions.

“We’ve led multiple common letters over the years against this radical Biden climate fiasco, and we’ve taken multiple steps to try to ensure that all of the federal agencies act consistent with the law,” West Virginia Gov. Patrick Morrisey told Fox News Digital on Wednesday. “So we’ve always had deep concerns about the legality of what the SEC was trying to do and the burdens that would it would impose on public companies. So this is a great day for the rule of law and against federal overreach, and I think it shows again, what happens when you have people in leadership positions that are willing to do the right things and not fall prey to the radical climate agenda.”

As the then-West Virginia attorney general, Morrisey led a coalition of more than a dozen states — including Iowa, Georgia, Alabama and Alaska — in a lawsuit challenging the climate rule last year. Within 10 days of its passage, the rule faced over nine legal petitions. Among the challengers were Liberty Energy and Nomad Proppant Services.

Liberty Energy was founded by Chris Wright, who now serves as President Donald Trump’s Secretary of Energy.

TRUMP REVERSES BIDEN CRACKDOWN ON LIGHTBULBS AND DISHWASHERS, RETURNING TO ‘COMMON SENSE STANDARDS’

The SEC acting chairman, Mark Uyeda, issued a statement Tuesday calling the Enhancement and Standardization of Climate-Related Disclosures for Investors rule – which was implemented in March 2024 but immediately racked up multiple lawsuits that were eventually consolidated into Iowa v. SEC – “deeply flawed and could inflict significant harm on the capital markets and our economy.”

Uyeda added that the “the proposed rules overstepped the SEC’s regulatory authority” and that the SEC’s filings “previously submitted in the cases consolidated in the Eighth Circuit do not reflect my views.” Because of recent changes in the SEC’s leadership and President Donald Trump’s directive to freeze new regulations, Uyeda instructed SEC staff to inform the court of these developments and request a delay in the case while the agency reconsiders its stance. 

However, Uyeda’s commissioner, Caroline A. Crenshaw, issued a scathing statement in opposition to his request to delay the scheduling for oral arguments in the Appeals Court, arguing he acted “without the input of the full Commission.”

ENERGY EXPERTS BLAST FAILED BILLION-DOLLAR DOE PROJECT AS ‘FINANCIAL BOONDOGGLE,’ ‘DISASTER’

“I agree wholeheartedly with the acting Chairman that agencies and those who lead them must act within the boundaries of constitutional and statutory authority,” Crenshaw said in a statement. “Nonetheless, I dispute with equal vigor the notion that the agency acted outside of its remit. It did not. The only things that have changed since the Rule was passed have been matters of politics and not substance. As such, I disagree with the position unilaterally taken today by the acting Chairman.”

Under then-Chairman Gary Gensler, appointed by former President Joe Biden in 2021, the climate rule mandated that publicly traded companies include detailed information about climate-related risks, greenhouse gas emissions and the potential financial impacts of climate change in their annual reports and registration statements. 

Several attorneys general who were part of the group lawsuit last year told Fox News Digital the move was a win for “common sense” returning to the federal government that would save companies from extreme financial burdens. 

PRESIDENT TRUMP’S PRO-ENERGY AGENDA WILL UNLEASH AMERICAN JOBS AND ENERGY SECURITY

“Finally, common sense is prevailing,” Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr told Fox News Digital on Wednesday. “But cost of compliance, cost of missed opportunities, again, cost to rectify if the SEC had found a violation of what these companies were going to have to do – those are jobs and investment that would have been missed by these companies just because the federal government didn’t like the way somebody was doing it, and just because they turned client the climate agenda into their own religion.”

Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita, who was also a co-signer on the lawsuit led by Morrisey, told Fox News Digital in a statement that Uyeda’s push to roll back the climate rule “is another sign that common sense has returned to our nation.” He added in part that it was a “huge win” for taxpayers who “rightfully expect the SEC to be focused on protecting investors and financial markets rather than radical environmentalism.”

NEW YORK ‘POLLUTERS PAY’ LAW BACKCHARGING OIL, GAS COMPANIES FACES REPUBLICAN AGS’ LAWSUIT: ‘DEVASTATING’

Morrisey and Carr both expect similar actions against the climate change agenda to occur under the current Trump administration, citing several executive orders issued last month dramatically reversing previous international climate commitments and promoting traditional energy sources, including withdrawing from the Paris Agreement for the second time. 

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In a statement to Fox News Digital, White House spokesman Kush Desai said Trump “has vocally and consistently championed dismantling ideological chokeholds over America’s institutions, entrepreneurs, and consumers to unleash our country’s unparalleled potential.”

“The Trump administration will continue to prioritize merit, competence, and innovation over ESG and DEI activism,” he said. 

Russian missiles struck Kyiv in the early hours of Wednesday, killing at least one civilian, Ukrainian officials said. 

The barrage of ballistic missiles hit hours before Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent visited the Ukrainian capital, the first Cabinet-level Trump official to do so, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy aide Andriy Yermak wrote on Telegram. 

Bessent is visiting the city to meet with Zelenskyy and discuss President Donald Trump‘s demand for access to $500 billion worth of rare Earth minerals as payment for U.S. military aid to Ukraine. He is also expected to talk about energy, having promised to ramp up sanctions on Russia’s oil sector. 

JD VANCE, TREASURY SEC SCOTT BESSENT TO MEET WITH ZELENSKYY AS TRUMP TEAM SETS SIGHTS ON RUSSIA-UKRAINE WAR

Zelenskyy said the recent attack proved Russian President Vladimir Putin is not interested in pursuing peace. 

Reporters from the French newswire AFP heard explosions ring out early Wednesday before discovering the body of one person killed, covered with a black plastic sheet. Zelenskyy said at least one person was killed, and four others were wounded – including a child. He said the attack damaged apartments and office buildings.

Russia’s defense ministry claimed it had conducted a “group missile strike” on Ukrainian sites producing drones and added that all targets were hit. 

Trump’s special envoy to Ukraine, Keith Kellogg, is expected to visit Kyiv next week as he hashes out a plan for peace with Russia. 

‘LET’S DO A DEAL’: ZELENSKYY CALLS TRUMP’S TERMS ACCEPTABLE FOR SECURITY PARTNERSHIP

Kellogg, Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth are all traveling to Europe for the Munich Security Conference this week, when they will discuss peace options with Ukrainian and European officials.

In the region north of Kyiv, Chernihiv, local Gov. Vyacheslav Chaus said Russians had targeted critical infrastructure and at least two were wounded. 

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The Ukrainian air force said it shot down six missiles and 71 of 123 drones, which included Iranian-designed Shahed attack vehicles.

President Donald Trump continued his successful Cabinet confirmation roll on Wednesday, with Tulsi Gabbard officially being approved by the Senate to become his director of national intelligence (DNI). 

She became his 14th Cabinet confirmation following the 52-48 Wednesday vote. The vote was party-line, with the exception of former GOP Senate leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., who opposed Gabbard. 

Despite an uphill battle before her first hurdle in the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, the former Democratic Rep. managed to come back and get key Republicans to support her in her bid to oversee the nation’s intelligence agencies. 

SENATE DOGE CHAIR SAYS SHE SPEAKS WITH ELON MUSK ‘EVERY FEW DAYS’ AS TRUMP ADMIN SLASHES SPENDING

With the coordinated and persuasive assistance of Chairman Tom Cotton, R-Ark., and Vice President JD Vance, crucial senators who had lingering concerns about Gabbard were convinced to back her in the crucial committee vote last week, including Sens. Susan Collins, R-Maine, and Todd Young, R-Ind.

Her success came despite the impassioned plea of Vice Chairman Mark Warner, D-Va., and Democrats, who all opposed Trump’s DNI pick. 

DEMOCRAT SENATOR BACKS TRUMP’S ‘COMMON SENSE MOVE’ TO FIRE THE PENNY

“We need leaders in the Intelligence Community and throughout government who are prepared to stand up to short-sighted attempts to attack our workforce at the expense of our national security. Unfortunately, I do not believe Ms. Gabbard is such a leader. Nor is she well-suited, by dint of experience or judgment, to serve as Director of National Intelligence,” he explained on the chamber floor on Monday. 

But Warner failed to persuade any Republicans, and Gabbard’s nomination advanced past its last obstacle on Monday evening. The vote passed by a party-line margin of 52-46. 

SCOOP: TRUMP BUDGET CHIEF VOUGHT TELLS GOP SENATORS $175B NEEDED ‘IMMEDIATELY’ FOR BORDER SECURITY

Gabbard’s Senate comeback was achieved despite concerns regarding her past meeting with former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, her previous FISA Section 702 stance and her past support for NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden. 

Trump announced his selection of Gabbard for DNI in November shortly after being elected. “I am pleased to announce that former Congresswoman, Lieutenant Colonel Tulsi Gabbard, will serve as Director of National Intelligence (DNI),” he said in a statement at the time. 

NOEM, HEGSETH, BONDI PLEAD WITH CONGRESS FOR MORE BORDER FUNDING AMID LARGE-SCALE DEPORTATIONS

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“For over two decades, Tulsi has fought for our Country and the Freedoms of all Americans. As a former Candidate for the Democrat Presidential Nomination, she has broad support in both Parties – She is now a proud Republican! I know Tulsi will bring the fearless spirit that has defined her illustrious career to our Intelligence Community, championing our Constitutional Rights, and securing Peace through Strength. Tulsi will make us all proud!”

Gabbard notably left the Democratic Party and subsequently endorsed Trump in the 2024 election. 

EXCLUSIVE: The Republican National Committee has staffed up with new senior leadership to support President Trump’s agenda and work to elect Republican candidates “who will fight to Make America Great Again,” Fox News Digital has learned. 

RNC Chairman Michael Whatley brought on a slate of new senior staff at the GOP—all bringing campaign expertise stemming from several election cycles and experience in the private sector. 

RNC CHAIR WHATLEY VOWS TO BE ‘TIP OF THE SPEAR’ TO PROTECT TRUMP AFTER COASTING TO RE-ELECTION VICTORY

“After a historic victory in 2024, taking back the White House and securing majorities in both chambers of Congress, Republicans are just getting started delivering on promises made,” Whatley told Fox News Digital. 

“As America enters the new golden age under President Donald J. Trump’s leadership, I am thrilled to announce our extraordinary RNC team, who will work around the clock to support President Trump’s agenda and elect Republican candidates who will fight to Make America Great Again,” he said. 

The RNC has brought on Mike Ambrosini to serve as chief of staff. Ambrosini previously served as the director of the RNC’s State Party Strategies. He also served in the first Trump administration and held roles in Congress, the private sector, and served as the executive director of the Michigan Republican Party. 

RNC officials told Fox News Digital that Ambrosini is “the perfect person to bring everyone to the table, navigate challenges, and implement a winning strategy.” 

Whatley has also brought on Rob Secaur as the new RNC political director. Secaur served as deputy political director for the 2024 Trump campaign, after serving as an RNC regional political director. 

SENATE REPUBLICAN CAMPAIGN COMMITTEE CHAIR SPELLS OUT HIS 2026 MISSION

To run messaging, Whatley tapped Zach Parkinson as RNC communications director. Parkinson served as the RNC’s research director and deputy communications director overseeing the GOP’s opposition research and rapid response efforts. 

Parkinson also provided research to the Trump 2024 campaign; served as deputy communications director for the Trump 2020 campaign; and worked in communications and research roles at the Trump White House from 2017 to 2019. 

Meanwhile, to run GOP finance, Mallory Gerndt has been elevated to finance director from her current role on the RNC finance team, where she has served since 2017. 

Gerndt was the deputy finance director for the RNC throughout the 2024 election cycle. 

RNC officials told Fox News Digital that Gerndt has a reputation for “setting and meeting fundraising goals to help deliver for President Trump’s America First agenda.” 

HOUSE GOP CAMPAIGN COMMITTEE CHAIR MAKES 2026 PREDICTION

Whatley also announced Zach Imel as RNC data director. Imel served as director of external data & voter contact for Team Trump during the 2024 campaign. Previously, Imel oversaw RNC data efforts during the 2022 and 2020 cycles. 

Whatley also brought on Brent Brooks to serve as digital director. Brooks, according to GOP officials, has played “a key role” in raising millions of dollars and developing “VotePro,” which the RNC billed as a “crucial app that empowered millions of Republican voters to get involved, take action, cast their ballots, and win in 2024.” 

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As for RNC efforts across the nation, Whatley has tapped Tom Smithfield to serve as State Party Strategies Director. 

Smithfield served as State Party Strategies deputy director during the 2024 cycle and as deputy national field director in 2022. Smithfield also served as deputy state director for Trump Victory in Pennsylvania in 2020 and for the Pennsylvania GOP in 2018. 

Whatley told Fox News Digital that as Trump “delivers on his promises,” Republicans plan to also “look to the future.” 

“The RNC will play a pivotal role,” Whatley said. “Our team will continue to grow the party, get out the vote, secure our elections and keep on winning.” 
 

EXCLUSIVE: President Donald Trump’s FBI director nominee, Kash Patel, pushed back Wednesday on allegations that he played a role in the firings of bureau personnel just hours after swearing not to do so during his confirmation hearing late last month – dismissing accusations from the panel’s top Democrat as a politically motivated effort to derail his confirmation. 

Speaking to Fox News Digital Wednesday morning, a senior transition team official for Patel refuted the allegations made by the ranking Senate Judiciary Committee Democrat, Dick Durbin, that Patel had orchestrated the firings after his confirmation hearing. 

This person told Fox News that Patel had left Washington the night of his confirmation hearing to fly home to Las Vegas, where he has “been sitting there waiting for the process to play out.”

This person also refuted the notion that Patel has had anything to do with the firings of bureau personnel, as alleged by Durbin in Senate floor remarks the previous day. 

FBI AGENTS SUE TRUMP DOJ TO BLOCK ANY PUBLIC IDENTIFICATION OF EMPLOYEES WHO WORKED ON JAN. 6 INVESTIGATIONS

“Mr. Patel has been going through the confirmation process, and everything he has done since his nomination has been above board,” this person said in an interview with Fox News Digital. “And any insinuation otherwise is false.”

In addition to his trip home to Vegas, Patel has also spent time hunting away from Washington, this person said, providing photographed evidence of Patel’s activities. 

The news comes one day after Durbin’s team cited “highly credible” whistleblower reports his office had received in recent days, which they said indicated that Patel had been “personally directing the ongoing purge of FBI employees prior to his Senate confirmation for the role.”

Durbin’s staff also sent a letter Tuesday to the Justice Department’s inspector general, Michael Horowitz, requesting an investigation into these allegations. 

“I have received highly credible information from multiple sources that Kash Patel has been personally directing the ongoing purge of career civil servants at the Federal Bureau of Investigation,” Durbin said in the letter to Horowitz. 

“Although Mr. Patel is President Trump’s nominee to be FBI Director, he is still a private citizen with no role in government.”

If true, Durbin has alleged that Patel’s reported actions could put him on the hook for perjury. 

Patel claimed during his Senate confirmation hearing late last month that he would use his role to protect agents against efforts to weaponize the bureau. 

“All FBI employees will be protected against political retribution,” Patel told Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., during that hearing. 

Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee have sought to discredit Patel’s confirmation in the days and weeks ahead of his confirmation – which they reiterated last week in a press conference, after announcing they would delay his committee confirmation vote by a full week. 

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Durbin told Fox News last week that their aim in delaying the hearing is to raise more public awareness about Patel’s previous actions, in hopes that doing so will shore up new opposition from some Republicans in the chamber.

Ultimately, lawmakers noted they can only delay Patel’s committee vote through next week. Beyond that, they said, it is up to Republicans.

This is a breaking news story. Check back shortly for updates.