Donald Trump Poll News

FIRST ON FOX: In President Donald Trump’s first 100 days, the Department of Energy says it has saved taxpayers more than $700 million by cutting programs the administration labeled as “wasteful.”

The immediate savings are resulting from the cancellation of ongoing contracts at the DOE relating to topics such as diversity equity and inclusion (DEI) and progressive climate change goals linked to the Democrats’ Green New Deal proposals. They are part of a broader $3 billion in savings that the Trump administration has projected will occur as a result of the cancellation of additional contracts that were not yet finalized. 

“In the first 100 days of the Trump Administration, the Department of Energy has saved the American taxpayer more than $3 billion in projected savings – and this is just the beginning,” DOE spokesperson Ben Dietderich told Fox News Digital in a statement. 

TRUMP PRAISES ELON MUSK AS ‘PATRIOT, A BRILLIANT GUY, AND A FRIEND OF MINE’ AMID DOGE EXIT

The Department of Energy headquarters in Washington, D.C., on Feb. 14, 2020. (Andrew Harrer/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

Dietderich said to date, the DOE has suspended contracts supporting DEI initiatives and Green New Deal priorities, as well as other “wasteful” programs, “generating more than $700 million in immediate savings for the American taxpayers.” 

“President Trump and Secretary Wright are fully committed to making government more accountable, efficient, and effective stewards of the American taxpayers’ dollars,” he said.

During Trump’s first 100 days in office, according to Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), the administration’s efforts have saved the government at least $160 billion. That amounts to $993.79 per taxpayer, according to DOGE. 

An “Agency Efficiency Leaderboard,” tracking which departments have received the most savings, shows the Department of Health and Human Services ranked number one. 

DOGE SLASHES ‘WASTEFUL’ ‘PROBLEM-SOLVING’ CONTRACT WORTH $50K IN LATEST ROUND OF ELIMINATIONS 

Elon Musk’s time as a “special government employee” with the Trump administration’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) is expected to come to a close over the next several weeks.  (Thomas Fuller/SOPA Images/LightRocket)

HHS is followed by the General Services Administration at number two, the Department of Education at number three, the Labor Department at number four, and the Office of Personnel Management rounds out the top five.

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The Department of Justice is ranked last, just before the Department of Veterans Affairs. The DOE, according to DOGE, is ranked as the agency with the third least savings.

The savings reportedly stemmed from a combination of asset sales, contract and lease cancellations or re-negotiations, fraud and improper payment deletion, grant cancellations, interest savings, programmatic changes, regulatory savings and workforce reductions.  

Trump’s border czar Tom Homan issued a word of caution to illegal immigrants remaining in the U.S.: The Department of Homeland Security’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement is on the hunt for you. 

“If you’re an illegal alien in the United States, this message is for you: You cannot hide from ICE,” Homan told reporters Monday. “We’re actively looking for you.” 

Homan addressed reporters at the White House to share details on the Trump administration’s mass deportation agenda, just ahead of Trump’s 100th day in office Tuesday. In honor of the event, the White House placed 100 posters of the “worst illegal immigrants arrested” during the first 100 days of the term on the White House lawn. 

“Make no mistake, if you’re in the country illegally and you fail to do what the law requires, we will prosecute you,” Homan said. “You will go to jail, then we deport you.”

Specifically, Homan said that there are roughly 1.4 million illegal immigrants in the U.S. who’ve been instructed to leave, but remain in the U.S. Homan issued caution to them and said that they could expect to face prosecution for failing to follow orders. 

“We will aggressively prosecute, consistent with long-standing law, those aliens for failing or refusing to depart, or who take other related actions aimed at hindering the removal,” Homan said. 

This is a breaking news story and will be updated. 

FIRST ON FOX: A nonprofit patient’s rights advocacy group has placed a billboard in New York City’s Times Square praising President Donald Trump for “delivering” on a major healthcare promise within his first 100 days in office. 

The billboard, placed by PatientsRightsAdvocate.org, (PRA) will run from April 28 to May 4 and touts Trump’s executive order signed in February directing the departments of the Treasury, Labor, and Health and Human Services to make healthcare prices transparent.

“President Trump delivers healthcare price transparency,” the billboard, along with a picture of Trump resembling Superman says. “First 100 Days!”

Trump’s order directed the departments to “rapidly implement and enforce” the Trump healthcare price transparency regulations, which he claims were slowed by the Biden administration.

TRUMP AND A HEALTHIER AMERICA WELCOMED BY DOCTORS: ‘NEW GOLDEN AGE’

President Donald Trump smiles as he meets with President Nayib Bukele of El Salvador in the Oval Office of the White House on April 14, 2025 in Washington, D.C. (Win McNamee/Getty Images)

The departments will ensure hospitals and insurers disclose actual prices, not estimates, and take action to make prices comparable across hospitals and insurers, including prescription drug prices.

PRA says that more than 1 in 3 Americans postponed or avoided care due to “fear of unknown costs” and that 100 million Americans are in medical debt, which represents the country’s largest cause of personal bankruptcy. 

 “The magnitude of President Trump’s delivering ‘radical’ price transparency in healthcare is historic,” Cynthia Fisher, founder and chairman of PatientRightsAdvocate.org, said in a statement. 

SOARING MEDICARE PRESCRIPTION DRUG PRICES TARGETED IN TRUMP’S NEW EXECUTIVE ORDER

President Donald Trump speaks at the White House on Tuesday, April 22. (AP/Alex Brandon)

“Patients soon will have access to actual prices, not estimates, before they receive care. Prices create a functional market where the consumer benefits from competition and choice to lower costs,” Fisher continued. “Soon, patients will be able to shop for the best quality of care at the best price. Prices protect patients with remedy and recourse from overcharges, errors, and fraud. We are closer than ever to shifting the power to the consumer to live healthier and longer lives at a far lower cost.”  

Andrew Bremberg, former assistant to President Donald Trump and director of the Domestic Policy Council at the first Trump White House, also touted Trump’s executive order, saying that the president “built on his first term healthcare legacy and signed an even stronger price transparency executive order. 

“His efforts to deliver real prices, not estimates, underscore his unwavering commitment to the American people. President Trump has a bold vision to transform the American healthcare system with price transparency as the catalyst.” 

The executive order notes a number of concerns with current healthcare pricing, including that prices vary between hospitals in the same region.

“One patient in Wisconsin saved $1,095 by shopping for two tests between two hospitals located within 30 minutes of one another,” according to the statement.

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Billboard touting President Donald Trump’s healthcare executive order set to run in Times Square. (Fox News Digital)

The White House claims one economic analysis found Trump’s original price transparency rules, if fully implemented, could deliver savings of $80 billion for consumers, employers and insurers by 2025.

“The hospital wanted me to pay $3,700 up front for a simple fibroid removal surgery,” Arizona patient Theresa Schmotzer said in a statement at the time of the billboard’s placement. “Because that seemed high, I went looking for what it should cost. I found the actual price online and saw that my share was only $700 not $3,700. Because I had access to real prices, not estimates, I saved $3,000. President Trump’s executive order on healthcare price transparency will allow more people to find real prices and save.”  

States across the country have been pushing similar measures in the form of legislation to ensure that patients are given more transparency about the healthcare costs they are assuming, including in Ohio, where legislation was recently signed into law requiring hospitals to post exact prices in dollars and cents for all available services. 

“They’ll be able to check them, compare them, go to different locations, so they can shop for the highest-quality care at the lowest cost,” Trump wrote in a statement when he signed the executive order. “And this is about high-quality care. You’re also looking at that. You’re looking at comparisons between talents, which is very important. And, then, you’re also looking at cost. And, in some cases, you get the best doctor for the lowest cost. That’s a good thing.”

Fox News Digital’s Alexandra Koch contributed to this report.

The White House lawn is lined with posters of 100 of the “worst illegal immigrant criminals” arrested in the first 100 days of President Donald Trump’s second term.

“Good Morning from The White House!” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt wrote on X on Monday morning, sharing video of the posters, which say “arrested” at the top and appear to have a mugshot or other photo of the person followed by the label “illegal alien.” 

The bottom of the poster lists a crime the person is accused of committing, including rape, murder, sexual assault of a child, lewd acts in front of a child, and distribution of fentanyl and illegal guns. 

OVER 100 ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS ARRESTED IN COLORADO SPRINGS MASSIVE UNDERGROUND NIGHTCLUB RAID

The White House shared a photo of the “illegal alien” posters displayed outside. (White House)

“We will hunt you down. You will face justice. You will be deported — and you will never set foot on American soil again,” the White House wrote in a separate X post. “Oh, and your mugshot may just end up on a yard sign at the White House.” 

Leavitt and Border Czar Tom Homan have an early morning press briefing scheduled for 8:30 a.m. Monday.

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Fox News’ Patrick Ward contributed to this report.

President Donald Trump said that some people’s income taxes will be lowered or perhaps even completely eliminated due to tariffs.

“When Tariffs cut in, many people’s Income Taxes will be substantially reduced, maybe even completely eliminated. Focus will be on people making less than $200,000 a year,” he declared in a post on Truth Social.

“Also, massive numbers of jobs are already being created, with new plants and factories currently being built or planned. It will be a BONANZA FOR AMERICA!!! THE EXTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE IS HAPPENING!!!” the president added.

TRUMP SAYS THERE’S A ‘REAL CHANCE’ TARIFFS COULD REPLACE INCOME TAX

President Donald Trump looks on as he hosts the annual Easter Egg Roll on the South Lawn of the White House on April 21, 2025, in Washington, D.C. (BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP via Getty Images)

The president discussed income tax and tariffs while speaking to reporters on Sunday.

“And eventually we’ll be reducing taxes very substantially for the people of our country, because the money is so great coming in from tariffs that I’ll be able to reduce taxes … to a very large extent, and maybe almost completely,” he said.

TRUMP PROPOSES ABOLISHMENT OF FEDERAL INCOME TAX, BRINGING US BACK TO ‘RICHEST PERIOD’ IN HISTORY

“And it’s possible we’ll do a complete tax cut, because I think the tariffs will be enough to cut all of the income tax,” he noted. 

The president indicated Americans will be given “a tremendous tax cut,” starting “with people making less than $200,000 dollars a year.”

TRUMP KICKS OFF WHIRLWIND WEEK MARKING HIS 100TH DAY BACK IN THE OVAL OFFICE

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Trump, who will mark the 100-day milestone of his second term in office this week, is slated to hold a rally in Michigan on Tuesday.

A Kentucky lawmaker is urging the federal government to delay its forthcoming REAL ID deadline as his state and others face a whirlwind of logistical issues.

“Kentucky wants to comply with REAL ID, but we’re simply not ready. And we’re not alone. At least 17 other states are still below 50% compliance, and 30 states are below 70% compliance,” Republican Kentucky state Sen. Jimmy Higdon told Fox News Digital.

“If we flip the switch now, millions of Americans could be denied access to air travel and federal buildings. We need more time, and that’s a reasonable request.”

REAL ID was first created by law in 2005, but the federal government has delayed its implementation multiple times – most recently in 2022. But the Trump administration has made clear that the current May 7 deadline is final.

NO ‘REAL ID’ APPOINTMENTS OPEN IN NEW JERSEY AS RESIDENTS SOUND OFF: ‘GET WITH THE TIMES, NJ’

An image of a REAL ID example card imposed over lines at an airport. (Reuters/DC DMV)

Higdon and his colleagues in the Kentucky state Senate wrote to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Secretary Kristi Noem last week seeking an extension. 

“I can tell you for a fact, I’m hearing from constituents and my fellow legislators, ‘Hey, this is a problem. This is a real problem,’” he told Fox News Digital.

The Kentucky Republican called on other state officials to reach out to Noem and ask for a delay as well.

“We’re not alone here in Kentucky. We’re not the lone ranger when it comes to non-compliance. We’re at 40%,” he said. “We’re simply not ready.”

Indeed, a recent CBS News analysis found that Pennsylvania, Maine and Washington were among the states that came in under 40% compliance. New Jersey’s compliance rate was just 17% as of April 18, according to the study.

The Trump administration has argued that finally acting on REAL ID helps the White House’s crackdown on illegal immigrants, millions of whom have entered the country since President Donald Trump was last in office.

Higdon is urging other states to petition Secretary Kristi Noem, pictured here, for a delay. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack, File)

But Higdon said there was confusion over what REAL ID is. He described long lines and a dearth of appointments as Kentuckians have scrambled to meet the deadline.

“It’s almost a panic of sorts trying to get the REAL ID, a lot of people don’t understand it,” Higdon said. “The media’s done a good job of letting people know the deadline’s approaching. But a lot think they need a real ID, and they don’t if there’s other means of real ID – a passport, passport card, military ID – all those things work.”

“And if you don’t plan to travel, if you’re not going to get on a commercial airline flight or visit a military base or federal courthouse, you really don’t need that REAL ID-compliant ID” 

‘MASS SURVEILLANCE’: CONSERVATIVES SOUND ALARM OVER TRUMP ADMIN’S REAL ID ROLLOUT

Starting May 7, a REAL ID will be needed for domestic airline travel – rather than a normal state-issued license – as well as in areas where federal identification is required, but having a REAL ID itself is not required.

Higdon suggested giving Americans another year to catch up, noting that people had grown used to the government delaying the deadline over the last two decades.

“I think we’ve trained people to ignore that deadline,” he said. “So, if we’re going forward in a year to get the word out, ‘Hey, this is it. We’re either going to do away with REAL ID or we’re gonna make it mandatory this time next year,’ I think that would definitely help.”

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But it appears the Trump administration is not budging.

In response to Kentucky legislators’ request, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) told Fox News Digital, “Beginning on May 7, passengers will need a REAL ID or another acceptable form of identification to fly, like a passport or military ID. TSA is committed to enforcing the law, as directed by Congress.”

“Non-compliant passengers may expect wait times or additional measures at airports. If you are an illegal alien without a REAL ID, the only way you will be permitted to fly is if you are self-deporting,” TSA said.

President Donald Trump on Sunday called on Republicans to respond to “disruptors and troublemakers” at town halls by having them “immediately ejected,” after protests and heated exchanges at some of these events hosted by GOP lawmakers.

Trump alleged that “Radical Left Democrats” are “paying a fortune to have people infiltrate” the town halls held by Republicans in Congress.

“These Great Patriot Politicians should not treat them nicely,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “Have them immediately ejected from the room – They are disruptors and troublemakers.”

The president said GOP lawmakers need to quell the idea that the event disruptors are Republican dissidents unhappy with the actions and policies pushed by his administration and the party.

REP. BYRON DONALDS SAYS HE WON’T BE INTIMIDATED AFTER PROTESTERS DISRUPT TOWN HALL

President Donald Trump urged Republicans to respond to “disruptors and troublemakers” at town halls by having them “immediately ejected.” (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

“You must allow your audience to know what you are up against, or else they will think they are Republicans, and that there is dissension in the Party,” Trump wrote.

“There is not, there is only LOVE and UNITY. Republicans are happy with what is taking place in our Country. We all love America!” he continued.

This comes as several Republican lawmakers in recent months have faced intense criticism by attendees at their town halls over some of Trump’s policies.

Some Republican leaders have urged members to avoid holding in-person town halls and instead hold phone and livestreamed events due to concerns that “paid protesters” and Democratic activists may hijack the in-person events.

Trump alleged that “Radical Left Democrats” are “paying a fortune to have people infiltrate” the town halls held by Republicans in Congress. (AP/Alex Brandon)

“We’ve been encouraging our members to communicate directly with their constituents, and they’re anxious to do that,” House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., said at a press conference last month. “There’s lots of different ways and forums to do it. You can do it in telephone town halls. You can have small subgroups of people from different industries and segments of the community. We find that to be very, very productive, and more productive than if you just go to an open forum right now. Why? Because we’ve seen this movie before. George Soros-funded groups and others literally pay protesters.”

But some Republican lawmakers continue to hold in-person town halls with their constituents.

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., hosted a town hall earlier this month in which at least six people were removed. Three of the people escorted out of the event were arrested, including two whom police used stun guns to apprehend.

CHAOS ERUPTS AT GOP LAWMAKER’S TOWN HALL AFTER LEFT-WING GROUPS PROMOTE PROTESTS

Trump said GOP lawmakers need to push back on the idea that disruptors are Republican dissidents unhappy with his administration’s policies. (REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein/File Photo/File Photo)

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“I’m not intimidated by the Democrats who tried to shut down my town hall tonight,” Greene said after the event on April 15. “I refused to tolerate their selfish attempts to disrupt an event that was for all of my constituents, not just the ones who could make the most noise. This is the type of business that should be handled at the voting booth.”

Other Republican lawmakers, including Florida Rep. Byron Donalds and Iowa Sen. Chuck Grassley, were involved in heated exchanges this month at town hall events while attempting to defend moves taken by the Trump administration.

President Donald Trump said Sunday that he was disappointed with Russia for launching missiles while trying to reach a peace deal between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Trump spoke with reporters before boarding Air Force One on Sunday evening, where he was asked about everything from the peace talks between Russia and Ukraine, and Iranian peace talks to the suicide of Jeffrey Epstein accuser Virginia Giuffre.

During the gaggle, the president said his meeting on Saturday with Zelenskyy went very well.

“We’ll see what happens over the next few days,” Trump said. “I was very disappointed that missiles were flying, by Russia…very disappointed.”

TRUMP AND ZELENSKYY HAVE ‘VERY PRODUCTIVE’ TALK AS THEY ATTEND POPE FRANCIS’ FUNERAL

President Donald Trump meets face-to-face with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for the first time since their Oval Office spat in February. (Vatican and Ukraine Ambassador to Holy See)

Trump and Zelenskyy met face-to-face for the first time since their infamous Oval Office spat in February, as both were attending Pope Francis’ funeral in Rome.

After the meeting, the Ukrainian president posted on X that the meeting was “very symbolic” and could potentially be “historic.”

The meeting came as peace talks between Russia and Ukraine appeared to be at a standstill with Zelenskyy and Putin making competing demands.

TRUMP INSISTS UKRAINE-RUSSIA PEACE DEAL IS CLOSE, BUT MISTRUST IN PUTIN LEAVES EXPERTS SKEPTICAL

President Donald Trump (center), Ukrainian President Volodomyr Zelenskyy (left) and Russian President Vladimir Putin (right). (Alessandro Bremec/NurPhoto via Getty Images | Contributor/Getty Images | Scott Olson/Getty Images)

Trump called the meeting with Zelenskyy on Saturday “beautiful.”

“Look, we have a tough road ahead, okay?” Trump said. “He told me that he needs more weapons, but he’s been saying that for three years. He needs more weapons, and we’re going to see what happens.

“I want to see what happens with respect to Russia,” Trump added.

He explained that he was very disappointed with Russia for conducting bombings in Kyiv after the discussions with both countries.

NIKKI HALEY ON RUSSIA AND UKRAINE SAYS US SHOULD ‘WANT TO BE ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF HISTORY’

An explosion of a drone is seen in the sky over the city during a Russian drone strike, amid Russia’s attack on Ukraine, in Kyiv, Ukraine April 24, 2025.  (REUTERS/Gleb Garanich)

Trump said Zelenskyy spoke to him about Crimea, which has been a sticking point for the Ukrainian president.

American officials have apparently floated the idea of recognizing Russia’s control of Crimea, a territory that Russia seized in 2014, as part of a ceasefire proposal. This would also involve the freezing of current frontlines.

But Zelenskyy has drawn a red line about Crimea.

In 2022, Zelenskyy said the Russian war against Ukraine and against the entire free Europe “began with Crimea and must end with Crimea – and its liberation,” according to a report from Axios.

VANCE ISSUES ULTIMATUM TO RUSSIA, UKRAINE ON PEACE NEGOTIATIONS

Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks at a concert marking his victory in a presidential election and the 10-year anniversary of Crimea’s annexation by Russia on Red Square in Moscow, Russia, Monday, March 18, 2024. President Vladimir Putin seized Crimea from Ukraine a decade ago, a move that sent his popularity soaring but was widely denounced as illegal. (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko)

On Tuesday, Zelenskyy reiterated his stance, shutting down the idea that Ukraine would recognize Russian control of Crimea.

Trump blamed the state of Crimea on former U.S. presidents.

“Crimea was given away by Barack Hussein Obama, and by Biden, like 11 or 12 years ago. That’s a long time ago,” Trump told reporters. “I don’t know how he could bring up Crimea, because that’s been a long time. Nobody brought it up for 12 years, and now they’re bringing it up now. So, I told them, I told him, he should maybe go back to Obama, ask him why they gave it up. They gave it without a shot being fired by him.”

As far as current negotiations about reaching peace, Trump said he wanted Putin to “stop shooting, sit down and sign a deal.”

“We have the confines of a deal, I believe, and I want him to sign it and be done with it,” the president said.

TRUMP SAYS ‘INFLAMMATORY’ ZELENSKYY STATEMENT ON CRIMEA PROLONGS WAR WITH RUSSIA

Shipping containers are seen at the container terminal of the port of Oakland, California, U.S., October 28, 2021. (REUTERS/Carlos Barria)

Since his return to the Oval Office, Trump said the U.S. has been more respected than ever before. He also noted that with that strength, there are actions he can take against Russia, though he is not looking to act.

“There’s no more games,” he said before taking another dig at former President Biden. “We have somebody that knows what he’s doing, not like the previous person who didn’t have a clue.”

Trump touted that since implementing tariffs, costs are dropping “way down.”

For instance, he said groceries, eggs and gasoline are coming down. He also said the U.S. is collecting “a lot” of money from the tariffs.

“Eventually, we’ll be reducing taxes very substantially to the people of our country because the money is so great coming in from tariffs, that I’ll be able to reduce taxes to a very large extent, and maybe almost completely,” Trump said.

Along with tariffs, the president addressed peace negotiations in Iran, saying he thinks the deal is going to be made without “having to start dropping bombs all over the place.”

VIRGINIA GIUFFRE, JEFFREY EPSTEIN AND PRINCE ANDREW ACCUSER, DEAD AT 41 BY SUICIDE: REPORT

On a more somber note, Trump was asked for his reaction to Virginia Giuffre’s suicide in Australia.

Prince Andrew allegedly appears in this photograph with his arm around the waist of then-17-year-old Virginia Giuffre. Ghislaine Maxwell is standing to the right. (U.S. Second Circuit Court of Appeals)

Giuffre, 41, one of Epstein’s and Prince Andrew’s most prominent accusers, filed a lawsuit against the English royal in New York in 2021. In the lawsuit, Giuffre claimed she was forced to have sex with him three times between 1999 and 2002, when she was underage.

She died in Neergabby, Australia over the weekend, where she had been living, according to an NBC report.

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“Well, it’s a very sad situation, the whole thing,” Trump said. “That whole situation is very sad, her and others. And so certainly that’s a horrible thing, horrible.”

Fox News Digital’s Brie Stimson, Bradford Betz and Rachel Wolf contributed to this report.

President Donald Trump vowed Sunday to bring back Columbus Day “from the ashes,” while calling out Democrats for doing everything possible to destroy Christopher Columbus’ reputation.

“I’m bringing Columbus Day back from the ashes,” the president wrote in a post on Truth Social. “The Democrats did everything possible to destroy Christopher Columbus, his reputation, and all of the Italians that love him so much.

“They tore down his Statues, and put up nothing but ‘WOKE,’ or even worse, nothing at all! Well, you’ll be happy to know, Christopher is going to make a major comeback,” Trump added. “I am hereby reinstating Columbus Day under the same rules, dates, and locations, as it has had for all of the many decades before!”

Columbus is commonly credited with discovering the “New World.” This after journeying across the Atlantic Ocean from Spain to find a direct route from Europe to Asia without traveling around the massive African continent. This inadvertently bridged the divide between Europe and what would eventually become North and South America.

DEFACED COLUMBUS STATUE THAT WAS THROWN INTO A VIRGINIA POND FINDS MORE WELCOMING HOME IN NYC SUBURB

Columbus’ ships – the Niña, the Pinta and the Santa Maria – most likely landed on San Salvador, one of the Bahamian islands, before moving to different locations in search of valuable resources.

The controversial part of his history, however, revolves around enslavement and colonization. 

In recent years, the Columbus Day holiday has come under heightened scrutiny, with many opting to honor Indigenous Peoples’ Day instead.

PENNSYLVANIA APPEALS COURT REVIVES LEGAL BATTLE OVER PITTSBURGH’S EFFORTS TO REMOVE COLUMBUS STATUE

Protesters surround a statue of Christopher Columbus before marching, eventually returning and pulling it down in Richmond, Virginia, June 9, 2020.  (PARKER MICHELS-BOYCE/AFP via Getty Images)

In fact, several statues of Columbus have been removed, defaced or even dragged and submerged into water over the past few years because of the controversy surrounding the historical figure.

An 8-foot-tall bronze statue of Columbus once housed at the entrance of Byrd Park in Richmond, Virginia, was uprooted by protesters in light of George Floyd’s 2020 death until finding a new home in a New York City suburb last year.

In images from the tumultuous summer, protesters are seen marching near the statue, holding signs that called for removal of imagery that recognizes colonizers to pay respect to indigenous communities.

RHODE ISLAND’S HIGHLY CRITICIZED COLUMBUS STATUE RE-EMERGES IN NEARBY TOWN AFTER BEING REMOVED 3 YEARS AGO

Christopher Columbus is credited with discovering the “New World” in his search for a western passage to the Indies.

Other reports and images show the statue on the ground after being pulled down from its pedestal with ropes, defaced with spray paint and lit on fire.

The protesters then dragged the statue to a nearby pond and submerged it in water. 

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The nearly 100-year-old homage to Columbus was later retrieved and restored before eventually being shipped to its new home at the Rockland Sons of Italy Lodge in the hamlet of Blauvelt, located approximately 20 miles northwest of New York City. 

Fox News Digital’s Taylor Penley contributed to this report.

Trump national security adviser Mike Waltz reiterated the administration’s support for Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth on Sunday, saying they “couldn’t be prouder” of his early months in the role, despite a wave of high-profile controversies and resignations that have embroiled the department in recent weeks.

Speaking to Fox News host Maria Bartiromo on Sunday, Waltz was pressed about the alleged dysfunction inside the Pentagon’s top ranks— and whether, in his view, the current Pentagon is equipped to deliver on lofty foreign policy goals, including helping broker a negotiated settlement in Russia’s war in Ukraine.

“Can you do this in what appears to be a chaotic, weakened Defense Department?” Bartiromo asked Waltz on “Sunday Morning Futures,” citing reports of chaos and dysfunction, including recent firings of Hegseth’s top aides, and reports he has been threatening polygraph tests for some staffers at the department.

“I’ll tell you about a weakened Pentagon,” Waltz fired back. “That was one that had a Defense Secretary that disappeared for two weeks just last year, and nobody knew about it.” 

DEFENSE SECRETARY PETE HEGSETH REBUFFS NEW GROUP CHAT ALLEGATIONS AS ATTEMPT TO ‘SABOTAGE’ TRUMP’S AGENDA 

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is seen at Guantanamo Bay earlier this year. (U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. ShaTyra Cox)

In contrast to his predecessor, Waltz said Hegseth is “leading from the front” at the Defense Department, and praised what he described as Hegseth’s early efforts to reform the Pentagon.

“He is leading the charge, and he has no tolerance for leaking,” Waltz said, dismissing the alleged chaos or dysfunction as a “media narrative,” and one he vowed they “are going to power through.”

Waltz also brushed off a question about the departures of senior aides, including Hegseth’s own chief of staff, Joe Kasper, last week.

The exodus of senior officials and other allegations of chaos from inside the Pentagon have prompted some Democrats to call for an investigation into his leadership.

But Waltz also brushed off these characterizations of dysfunction on Sunday. Asked by Bartiromo how he was going to replace the fired Pentagon officials, Waltz said in response: “Maria, there’s 20,000 people in the Pentagon.”

 “There is a record number of generals,” he said. “And the other piece— there is accountability. We have had several general officers that weren’t getting the job done, and admirals get fired and get replaced… That’s what the Pentagon needs.”

Waltz argued that that is a stark contrast to the longtime culture at the Pentagon, where he said “no one ever gets fired, [and] there’s never a sense of accountability.”

“And now there is,” he told Bartiromo.

“Whether it’s leaks, or not getting the job done, or failures in terms of procurement acquisition, now you have a leader that’s in charge,” Waltz said. “And I couldn’t be prouder of Pete Hegseth.”

HEGSETH SHARED DETAILS OF YEMEN STRIKES IN SECOND SIGNAL CHAT: REPORT

Pete Hegseth, left, President-elect Donald Trump’s choice to be Defense secretary, shakes hands with Chairman Roger Wicker, R-Miss. after his Senate Armed Services Committee for his confirmation hearing. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

Waltz’s remarks come as Hegseth’s role has come under mounting scrutiny in recent weeks — both for his participation in at least one Signal group chat in March where he discussed a planned military strike against the Houthis, and the firing of several senior staffers earlier this month.

Hegseth earlier this month fired three top aides: including his aide, Dan Caldwell, his deputy chief of staff Darin Selnick, and the chief of staff to the deputy defense secretary, Colin Carroll. 

These oustings were described as both “baffling” and alarming by John Ullyot, a former Pentagon communications official who resigned earlier this year.

“The dysfunction is now a major distraction for the president — who deserves better from his senior leadership,” Ullyot wrote in an op-ed for Politico.

The White House, however, has sought to emphasize its support for Hegseth in recent days, with both Vice President JD Vance and White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt vehemently dismissing reports that the administration could be considering a possible replacement. 

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“Let me reiterate: The president stands strongly behind Secretary Hegseth and the change that he is bringing to the Pentagon, and the results that he’s achieved thus far speak for themselves,” Leavitt told reporters at a briefing last week, describing the reports as a “smear campaign.”

President Donald Trump’s 15th week in office will include his 100th day back in the White House, which he will celebrate by hosting a rally in Michigan – the last state he campaigned in before polls opened on Election Day of last year. 

“President Trump is excited to return to the great state of Michigan next Tuesday, where he will rally in Macomb County to celebrate the FIRST 100 DAYS!” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said in an X post announcing the rally. 

Trump’s presidential campaigns in 2016, 2020 and 2024 all ended with rallies in the battleground state of Michigan. Trump’s visit to Macomb County this week follows his final 2024 campaign rally in Grand Rapids, where he joined the crowds just after midnight in the final hours before his victory over then-Vice President Kamala Harris. 

The event is billed as a celebration of Trump’s “LEGENDARY start to his presidency,” according to the Republican National Committee’s website. The rally will be held at Macomb Community College in Warren and will kick off at 6 p.m. ET on Tuesday. 

TRUMP TO HOLD RALLY TUESDAY IN CELEBRATION OF FIRST 100 DAYS, LEAVITT SAYS

President-elect Donald Trump takes the oath of office from U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts during inauguration ceremonies at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 20, 2025. (Kevin Lamarque/AFP via Getty Images)

Trump wraps up his 100th day in office with more executive orders signed than any other president over the same period since President Franklin D. Roosevelt. Trump has signed at least 137 executive orders, ranging from dismantling the Department of Education, establishing the Department of Government Efficiency, and stripping diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives from the fabric of the federal government following the Biden administration. 

‘Very critical week’ for Russia and Ukraine peace talks 

President Donald Trump meets face-to-face with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for the first time since their Oval Office spat in February. (Vatican and Ukraine Ambassador to Holy See)

Trump returned from Rome on Saturday after attending Pope Francis’ funeral mass at the Vatican with first lady Melania Trump. Trump met with Ukrainian President Vlodomyr Zelenskyy during the trip as the war between Russia and Ukraine continues to rage and negotiations for peace stall. 

“There was no reason for Putin to be shooting missiles into civilian areas, cities and towns, over the last few days,” Trump wrote on Truth Social, shortly after he met with Zelenskyy at the Vatican on Saturday. 

TRUMP AND ZELENSKYY HAVE ‘VERY PRODUCTIVE’ TALK AS THEY ATTEND POPE FRANCIS’ FUNERAL

“It makes me think that maybe he doesn’t want to stop the war, he’s just tapping me along, and has to be dealt with differently, through ‘Banking’ or ‘Secondary Sanctions?’ Too many people are dying!!!” he added.

While on the campaign trail, Trump vowed to end the war between Russia and Ukraine in a matter of 24 hours, but negotiations have proven difficult. Trump’s Truth Social post on Saturday followed Russia launching a missile strike on Kyiv that injured dozens and killed at least 12. 

Russian President Vladimir Putin holds a meeting with members of the Security Council via video conference at the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia, Monday, May 13, 2024. (Aleksey Babushkin, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo)

Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Sunday during an appearance on NBC’s “Meet the Press” that the coming week will be “very critical” as the White House weighs whether it wants to continue working towards a peace deal. Rubio warned this month that the U.S. might “move on” from trying to secure a deal between Russia and Ukraine if progress was not made. 

“I think this is going to be a very critical week,” Rubio said on Sunday. “This week is going to be a really important week in which we have to make a determination about whether this is an endeavor that we want to continue to be involved in or if it’s time to sort of focus on some other issues that are equally, if not more, important in some cases. But we want to see it happen. There are reasons to be optimistic, but there are reasons to be realistic, of course, as well. We’re close, but we’re not close enough.”

Trade talks expected to advance following reciprocal tariff pause 

U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent (Kayla Bartkowski/Getty Images)

Trump put a 90-day pause on reciprocal, customized tariffs he had imposed on dozens of nations this month, sparking a trade deal negotiation blitz as dozens of nations began knocking on the proverbial doors of the White House in the hopes of striking more favorable terms. 

TRUMP SAYS HE HAD ‘GREAT CALL’ WITH SOUTH KOREAN LEADER, SUGGESTS DEAL POSSIBLE

The White House has met and spoken with a handful of nations looking to make deals, including South Korea last week. Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent said negotiations with the Asian nation have progressed quickly and that the two countries could reach a trade agreement as early as this week. 

“We had a very successful bilateral meeting with the Republic of South Korea today,” Bessent said from the White House on Thursday. “We may be moving faster than I thought, and we will be talking technical terms as early as next week as we reach an agreement on understanding as soon as next week.”

“So South Koreans came early. They came with their A game, and we will see if they follow through on that,” Bessent continued. 

Congress reconvenes with eyes on passing Trump-backed budget

House Speaker Mike Johnson and President Donald Trump (Getty Images)

Congress will reconvene on Monday following a spring recess, with Republican lawmakers expected to resume talks on a budget plan to advance Trump’s first-year agenda, including extending Trump’s 2017 tax cuts and carving out millions in funds for border security.

SCOOP: REPUBLICANS ROLL OUT $69B FUNDING PLAN FOR NEW CBP AGENTS, BUILDING BORDER WALL IN TRUMP BUDGET BILL

Democrats on Capitol Hill protested on Sunday ahead of Republicans returning to the table for budget plan talks. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker took to the steps of the Capitol on Sunday morning while flanked by supporters to protest the budget plan. 

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., left, Maya Wiley, president of the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, and Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., held a live-streamed conversation focused on “our common values, our faith traditions and the moral moment facing our nation” outside the Capitol on April 27, 2025. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call via Getty Images)

“Republican leaders have made clear their intention to use the coming weeks to advance a reckless budget scheme to President Trump’s desk that seeks to gut Medicaid, food assistance and basic needs programs that help people, all to give tax breaks to billionaires. Given what’s at stake, these could be some of the most consequential weeks for seniors, kids and families in generations,” the two Democrat lawmakers wrote in a statement of the protests. 

Trump has repeatedly called on Republican lawmakers to pass the “big, beautiful” tax and spending package to advance his first-year agenda. 

Trump to deliver University of Alabama’s commencement speech 

The University of Alabama College of Nursing building (Getty Images)

Trump is expected to travel to Tuscaloosa, Alabama, on Thursday where he will deliver a commencement speech to graduating students at the University of Alabama. 

“I have agreed to do the Commencement Address at two really GREAT places, the University of Alabama and, WEST POINT. Stay tuned for times and dates!!!” Trump posted to Truth Social last week. 

Trump is expected to deliver his speech from the school’s Coleman Coliseum arena on Thursday evening. 

“The University of Alabama is honored to have been selected as one of the universities President Donald J. Trump will visit to deliver a spring commencement address,” the university said in a statement this month.

Trump-funded American flags to be installed at White House 

Trump previewed last week that his administration is in the midst of purchasing and installing massive flag poles to feature Ol’ Glory on both the north side lawn and south lawn of the White House. Trump told the media he will personally fund the flags and said they could be ready sometime this week. 

TRUMP UNFURLS PLANS FOR DOUBLE 100-FOOT FLAGPOLES DURING WHITE HOUSE LAWN WALK

“We’re putting up a beautiful, almost 100-foot-tall American flag on this side and another one on the other side, two flags, top of the line,” he told reporters on Wednesday outside the White House, adding they will be “paid for by Trump.”

“They needed flagpoles for 200 years. It was something I’ve often said, you know, they don’t have a flagpole per se. So we’re putting one right where you saw us, and we’re putting another one on the other side, on top of the mounds. It’s going to be two beautiful poles.”

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Trump added on Wednesday that the flags will “arrive in about a week or so.” An American flag is currently only flown from the White House roof. 

Secretary of State Marco Rubio appeared to temper expectations for a major peace agreement between Ukraine and Russia on Sunday.

Rubio made the statement during a Sunday morning appearance on NBC’s “Meet the Press,” telling host Kirsten Welker that a deal is “still not there.”

“We’ve made real progress, but the last couple steps of this journey were always going to be the hardest,” Rubio said. “It needs to happen soon. We cannot continue to, as I said, to dedicate time and resources to this issue if it’s not gonna come to fruition.”

“The last week has been about figuring out how close are these sides really, and are they close enough that this merits a continued investment of our time as a mediator in this regard,” he added.

TRUMP SAYS ‘INFLAMMATORY’ ZELENSKYY STATEMENT ON CRIMEA PROLONGS WAR WITH RUSSIA

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, pictured here with President Donald Trump, says Russia and Ukraine are “still not there” on a peace deal. ( Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

Rubio argued it was “silly” to put a specific date or timeline on when the U.S. might pull out from mediation, but he said this will be “a very critical week.”

ZELENSKYY SPEAKS OUT AFTER PUBLIC SPAT WITH TRUMP, VANCE, SAYS DUSTUP ‘BAD FOR BOTH SIDES’

“This week is going to be a very important week at which we need to make a determination about whether this is an endeavor that we want to continue to be involved in, or if it’s time to sort of focus on some other issues that are equally if not more important in some cases,” he said.

President Donald Trump met face-to-face with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for the first time since their Oval Office spat in February at the Vatican. (Vatican and Ukraine Ambassador to Holy See)

President Donald Trump met face-to-face with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the Vatican this weekend.

Neither Ukrainian nor White House officials gave many details on the meeting; however, White House Communications Director Steven Cheung said the leaders had “a very productive discussion.”

Zelenskyy later tweeted that the meeting was “very symbolic” and could potentially be “historic.”

Steve Witkoff meets with Vladimir Putin in St. Petersburg to discuss peace negotiations with Ukraine. (Reuters )

This meeting comes as peace talks between Russia and Ukraine appear to be at a standstill, with Zelenskyy and Russian President Vladimir Putin making competing demands.

“A good day in talks and meetings with Russia and Ukraine. They are very close to a deal, and the two sides should now meet, at very high levels, to ‘finish it off.’ Most of the major points are agreed to. Stop the bloodshed, NOW. We will be wherever is necessary to help facilitate the END to this cruel and senseless war,” Trump wrote on Truth Social after arriving in Rome on Saturday.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov did not reveal any specifics about potential negotiations during a pre-recorded interview with CBS’ “Face the Nation” that aired Sunday.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Russia will never discuss details about any negotiations in public. (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko, Pool, File)

“We are really polite people, and unlike some others, we never discuss in public what is being discussed in negotiations,” Lavrov told host Margaret Brennan. “Otherwise, negotiations are not serious. To ask for somebody’s opinion regarding the substance, go to Zelenskyy. He is happy to talk to anybody through media, even to President Trump.”

“Russia is always available for a dialogue,” Lavrov added.

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When asked whether there would be a meeting between Trump and Putin, Lavrov said the two presidents are “masters of their own destiny and of their own schedule.”

Fox News’ Rachel Wolf contributed to this report.

Prosecutors in a left-wing Minnesota county attorney’s office will be required to consider defendants’ race when crafting plea deals, according to a local report citing internal documents. 

The office of Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty, which recently let a Democrat-connected alleged Tesla vandal off with a slap on the wrist, issued the internal document “Negotiations Policy for Cases Involving Adult Defendants.” It directs prosecutors to consider “racial identity and age” as they negotiate plea deals, local Minnestota outlet KARE 11 first reported last week. 

“While racial identity and age are not appropriate grounds for departures [from the Minnesota Sentencing Guidelines], proposed resolutions should consider the person charged as a whole person, including their racial identity and age,” the internal document states, according to the outlet.

“While these factors should not be controlling, they should be part of the overall analysis. Racial disparities harm our community, lead to distrust, and have a negative impact on community safety. Prosecutors should be identifying and addressing racial disparities at decision points, as appropriate,” it continues. 

STRING OF PLEA DEALS FROM MINNEAPOLIS DA OUTRAGES FAMILIES OF VICTIMS, DRAWS CONCERN FROM LEGAL EXPERTS

Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty speaks in video address.  (Hennepin County Attorney’s Office/YouTube)

The policy changes are set to take effect on April 28, according to the outlet. Hennepin County encompasses the city of Minneapolis and is the most populous county in the Democrat-run state. 

The “Negotiations Policy for Cases Involving Adult Defendants” began circulating in the county attorney’s office last week, KARE 11 reported.

Fox News Digital reached out to the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office on Sunday morning regarding the policy update, motivation behind the internal document and whether there are any concerns over the constitutionality of the changes, and is awaiting a response. 

The reported plea deal policy comes with constitutionality issues, according to KARE 11, which spoke to local attorneys to weigh in on the change. 

SOROS PROSECUTOR RIPPED FOR FAILING TO CHARGE WALZ STAFFER OVER TESLA VANDALISM: ‘TWO-TIERED JUSTICE SYSTEM’

“It both says, ‘Don’t take race into account,’ presumably because of the constitutional problems with taking race into account in addition to potentially political objections, but it simultaneously says this is something you should consider,” Jill Hasday, a University of Minnesota law professor, told the outlet. “And the problem for the drafters of this policy is, once you take race into account, it doesn’t really matter what else you say. The policy is going to be struck down.”

Another local attorney brushed off constitutionality concerns, saying that county prosecutors are directed to steer clear of racial disparities, not create them. 

A man in handcuffs (Reuters/Lucy Nicholson) (Reuters/Lucy Nicholson)

“I definitely think that some people will get worked up about the issue, but I don’t see a constitutional problem, and that’s specifically because the policy tells prosecutors to avoid racial disparities. Not to create them,” University of St. Thomas law professor Rachel Moran told the outlet. 

The Equal Protection Clause of the Constitution requires states to govern impartially, meaning that states and official government actions cannot discriminate or treat individuals differently based on characteristics such as race. 

WALZ STAFFER ACCUSED OF VANDALIZING TESLAS MIGHT NOT FACE CHARGES: REPORT

“Our sentencing guidelines that criminal justice professionals use every single day in court say that race should not be used in that calculus. This seems to contradict our sentencing guidelines,” former Washington County, Minnesota, prosecutor Imran Ali told the outlet. “It’s inconsistent not only with our sentencing guidelines, but the policy in and of itself is inconsistent.”

Snow is removed from the entrance of the Hennepin County Government Center in Minneapolis on Wednesday, Dec. 8, 2021.  (AP Photo/Christian Monterrosa, File)

The county attorney’s office told KARE 11 that race is an important factor to consider during plea deal negotiations “because we know unaddressed unconscious biases lead to racial disparities.” 

“This policy acknowledges that there are many factors to be considered in negotiations. Each case – and defendant – is unique. Someone’s age may change the likelihood of growth and change. A defendant’s race matters because we know unaddressed unconscious biases lead to racial disparities, which is an unacceptable outcome,” the office told the outlet. 

NUMBER OF TESLA ATTACKS SOARS PAST 50 AS VIOLENCE TARGETING MUSK’S COMPANY ESCALATES

“Our goal with this policy matches the goal of all our work: to achieve safe, equitable, and just outcomes that center the healing of victims while improving public safety,” the office continued. 

Fox News Digital previously reported that Moriarty has been backed by groups tied to money from liberal mega-donor George Soros, who has helped to install scores of soft-on-crime local prosecutors around the nation. She was first elected to the role in 2022 after working for more than two decades as a public defender in the county. 

Moriarty most recently made national headlines last week when her office bucked criminally charging a Minnesota state employee suspected of vandalizing six Tesla vehicles and causing $20,000 in damages. Instead, the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office said it would seek “diversion” over charges against Minnesota Department of Human Services data analyst Dylan Bryan Adams. The diversion approach “helps to ensure the individual keeps their job and can pay restitution,” according to the office. 

Mugshot of suspected Tesla vandal Dylan Byan Adams (Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office)

Teslas around the country have been targeted for vandalism as its CEO Elon Musk heads up President Donald Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency, which has been auditing various federal agencies for government overspending, fraud and mismanagement.

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Moriarty and her office also came under fire in October of 2023, when families of murder victims slammed a string of plea deals that had been offered to murder defendants, sparing them time behind bars, Fox News Digital previously reported. 

Fox News Digital’s Deirdre Heavey and Andrew Mark Miller contributed to this report. 

President Donald Trump shut down all diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) offices across the federal government during his first week in office and signed a number of executive orders to quickly undo former President Joe Biden’s efforts. 

The president, just hours after taking the Oath of Office on Inauguration Day, Jan. 20, signed an executive order to eliminate all DEI programs from the federal government. He also quickly signed an order making it “the official policy of the U.S. government to only recognize two genders: male and female.” 

WHITE HOUSE OPM ORDERS ALL DEI OFFICES TO BEGIN CLOSING BY END OF DAY WEDNESDAY

A day later, the president directed the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) to notify heads of agencies and departments to close all DEI offices and place those government workers in those offices on paid leave. 

President Donald Trump shut down all diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) offices across the federal government during his first week in office.  (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

That move quickly forced those offices to take down all outward facing media — websites, social media accounts, and more — for those DEI offices, and required the withdrawal of any final pending documents, directives, orders, materials and equity plans. 

Trump also canceled current and impending contracts focused on DEI initiatives, with Elon Musk, who heads up the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), saying that move saved the federal government $420 million. 

The president also issued two other executive actions that day targeting DEI. 

One was an executive order to end discrimination in the workplace and higher education through race and sex-based preferences under the guise of DEI. 

The other was a memo to eliminate a Biden administration policy that prioritized DEI hiring at the Federal Aviation Administration. 

In the memo rolling back Biden’s DEI hiring practices at the FAA, Trump ordered the secretary of transportation and FAA administrator to immediately stop Biden’s DEI hiring programs and return to nondiscriminatory, merit-based hiring.

TRUMP VOWS ‘NEW ERA OF NATIONAL SUCCESS,’ SAYS AMERICA’S ‘DECLINE IS OVER’ IN INAUGURAL ADDRESS

Trump also required that the FAA administrator review the past performance and performance standards of all agency employees in critical safety positions and make it clear that anyone who fails to demonstrate adequate capability is replaced by someone who will ensure flight safety and efficiency.

A sign marks the entrance to the FAA headquarters in Washington DC on October 7, 2024.  (J. David Ake/Getty Images)

“Illegal and discriminatory diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) hiring, including on the basis of race, sex, disability, or any other criteria other than the safety of airline passengers and overall job excellence, competency, and qualification, harms all Americans, who deserve to fly with confidence,” the memo read.

The memo stated: “All so-called DEI initiatives, including all dangerous preferencing policies or practices, shall immediately be rescinded in favor of hiring, promoting, and otherwise treating employees on the basis of individual capability, competence, achievement, and dedication.”

Trump also rescinded Biden’s order on diversity initiatives, “Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Through the Federal Government,” which he signed on his first day in office in 2021. 

In February, the Department of Education also warned state education departments that they must remove DEI policies or risk losing federal funding.

That move came after Trump signed executive orders directing agencies to provide a plan to eliminate federal funding for “illegal and discriminatory treatment and indoctrination in K-12 schools, including based on gender ideology and discriminatory equity ideology.”

MAJOR UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER ACCUSED OF HIDING DEI PROGRAMS, INFLUENTIAL SENATOR CALLS THEM OUT 

The president’s efforts to end DEI across the federal government also prompted the cancellation of such programs across the private sector. 

Meta, in January, canceled its DEI programs, as did McDonald’s. And after the 2024 election, Walmart, Ford Motor Co., John Deere, Lowe’s and Toyota also ended DEI programs. 

A new study revealed that nearly half of U.S. college students don’t DEI courses mandated in their schools. (Fox News)

As recently as April, according to Forbes, IBM, Gannett, and Constellation Brands Inc., made changes to DEI policies. Earlier in 2025, UnitedHealth Group, MLB, Victoria’s Secret, Warner Bros. Discovery, Goldman Sachs, Paramount, Bank of America, BlackRock, Citigroup, Pepsi, JPMorgan Chase, Morgan Stanley, Coca-Cola, Deloitte, PBS, Google, Disney, GE, PayPal, Chipotle and more scaled back or canceled their DEI programs. 

Meanwhile, in March, the National Institutes of Health rescinded the agency’s “Scientific Integrity Policy” implemented during the last few weeks of Biden’s term, to peel back any DEI requirements. 

That Biden-era policy said that DEI was an “integral” part of “the entire scientific process,” and pushed NIH’s chief scientist and top scientific integrity official to “promote agency efforts regarding diversity, equity and inclusion.” It also instituted agency-wide policy directives ordering supervisors at the NIH to “support” scientists and researchers who are “asexual” or “intersex,” while imploring NIH leadership to “confer with relevant offices” when additional DEI expertise is needed.  

MULTIPLE FEDERAL AGENCIES END LINKEDIN CONTRACTS OVER DEI

“The Biden administration weaponized NIH’s scientific integrity policy to inject harmful DEI and gender ideology into research,” said Health and Human Services Department spokesperson, Andrew Nixon. “Rescinding this (scientific integrity) policy will allow NIH to restore science to its golden standard and protect the integrity of science.”      

The Biden administration also funded grants related to DEI, such as one for roughly $165,000 that was focused on “queering the curriculum” for family medicine doctors to guide them in their treatment of transgender patients. Those grants have been canceled. 

And earlier this week, multiple federal agencies told Fox News Digital that they have dropped millions of dollars in contracts for LinkedIn services over the business social network’s embrace of DEI. 

The Departments of Treasury, Interior and Veterans Affairs dropped LinkedIn — a move to comply with the president’s executive orders banning federal agencies from contracting with companies that embrace DEI policies. 

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“Every American taxpayer should be angry that the Biden administration wasted so much money on contracts like these,” an Interior Department spokesperson told Fox News Digital. “Under the leadership of President Trump, we have been combing through hundreds of thousands of contracts here at the Department alone and are canceling wasteful, woke, and downright ridiculous contracts that do not align with the will of the American people.” 

LinkedIn DEI services (LinkedIn)

A LinkedIn spokesperson told Fox News Digital, in response, that: “Like every business, the organizations that use our products change, often driven by shifts in their budgets and priorities. We’re keeping our focus on helping our customers achieve the objectives they’ve set.” 

Fox News Digital’s David Spector and Alec Schemmel contributed to this report. 

Indiana Lt. Gov. Micah Beckwith criticized state Senate Democrats for equating a GOP legislative proposal intended to root out diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives in higher education to the Three-Fifths Compromise. 

“They were saying this is a bad bill because it actually encourages discrimination, just like the Three-Fifths Compromise going all the way back to the foundations of our nation. I would like to share with you the Three-Fifths Compromise is not a pro-discrimination compromise,” Beckwith, a Republican, said in a video shared on X after an emotional floor debate. “It was not a pro-discrimination or a slave-driving compromise that the founders made. It was actually just the opposite.”

“Don’t buy into the DEI radical revisionist history that is happening in today’s culture,” he said. “Know your history. Go back and study the documents. Read them for yourself like I have. Go look them up and you will find that the Three-Fifths Compromise and many other things like that were designed to make sure that justice was equal for all people and equality really meant equality for all.” 

INDIANA GOV PULLS PLUG ON DEI IN ‘EXHILARATING’ MOVE FOR STATE

Lt. Gov. Micah Beckwith is seen presiding over the Senate on Thursday, April 24, 2025, during the legislative session at the Indiana State Capitol in Indianapolis. (Grace Hollars/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)

The legislation in question, Senate Bill 289, ultimately passed both chambers of the state legislature last week and heads to Republican Gov. Mike Braun’s desk. The bill restricts DEI programs at K–12 schools, charter schools, state agencies, and public universities and allows people to sue such institutions if they compel students, teachers or administrators to adopt that one race, sex, ethnicity, religion, or national origin “is inherently superior or inferior” to another, that a person’s moral character is determined by one of those characteristics, or that a person should be blamed for actions committed in the past by other members of the same race, sex, ethnicity, religion, or national origin.

The GOP-sponsored bill – titled “unlawful discrimination” – also includes transparency requirements for institutions to post any DEI-related trainings online and repeals provisions concerning university diversity committees, among other reforms. It follows an executive action Braun, a former U.S. senator, issued when he took office as governor in January prioritizing merit over DEI in education and state government. 

Critics of the bill in the state Senate last week said the proposal leaves out of consideration a legacy of discrimination in the U.S., citing the Three-Fifths Compromise, Jim Crow laws and real estate redlining.

As for the Three-Fifths Compromise, Beckwith said it was “a compromise that the North made with the South. At the time, there were basically 13 independent nations.” 

“They had not really created a Constitution. They were sort of a European Union-esque nation, and they were saying to the pro-slave states, ‘Hey, if you want to count your slaves to have representation, more representation in Congress, we’re not going to let you do that,’ because they knew that that would codify things like slavery into our nation and the North stood up to the South,” Beckwith said. 

Indiana Lt. Gov. Micah Beckwith wears a Make America Healthy Again hat on Tuesday, April 15, 2025, after Indiana Gov. Mike Braun announced the Make Indiana Healthy Again initiative at the Indiana State Library. (Mykal McEldowney/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)

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Made during the 1787 Constitutional Convention, the Three-Fifths Compromise set forth that slaves would be counted as three-fifths of a person when counting a state’s population for taxation and congressional representation. While it reduced the influence that slave-holding states initially wanted, it ultimately allowed them more seats in the House of Representatives and more sway in presidential contests in terms of the Electoral College than if free people were only counted.

The Three-Fifths Compromise ended after the Civil War with the adoption of the 13th and 14th Amendments, abolishing slavery and establishing equal protection under the Constitution. 

When the Constitution was being written, Beckwith explained, southern states considered slaves as property but still wanted to count slaves as part of their population in the census to get more members of Congress from the South. The North said if the South wanted it to count its “property,” or its slaves, as whole people in the census, the North would in turn count its tables, chairs and all their belongings in their homes as part of their population as well, according to the lieutenant governor. 

Lt. Gov. Micah Beckwith, right. (Grace Hollars/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)

“They came up with a Three-Fifths Compromise. They said you will only get three-fifths of a vote when it comes to your slave. And what that did, it actually limited the number of pro-slave representatives in Congress by 40%. This was a great move by the North to make sure that slavery would be eradicated in our nation,” Beckwith said. “They knew what they were doing. But now here you have Senate Democrats in today’s American Republic who do not understand that.”

“They think the Three-Fifths Compromise was something that was a scourge on Black people. That’s not what it was. And how did we get to this place? We got to this because of DEI in education. We got here because you have professors at woke schools that will not teach the history of what actually happened back in the foundations of our nation,” Beckwith continued. “Many, many men and leaders in our nation’s history knew how wicked slavery was. They knew that God had created Black people, White people, red people, all people in his image, and they were fighting for equality for all, but they’re not taught that today, and that’s why you had the Senate Democrats who were getting up talking about the Three-Fifths Compromise like it was some sort of terrible thing in our past it was not it actually was the exact opposite that helped to root out slavery and lead us into a more perfect union that we now see.” 

Beckwith said the Three-Fifths Compromise was the beginning of the U.S. later evolving to where all people can have equal representation under the law. 

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The anti-DEI state bill passed the state House by a 64-26 vote and the state Senate by a 34-16 vote. It awaits Braun’s signature. 

President Donald Trump’s administration has signaled there will be no REAL ID exceptions after Kentucky lawmakers requested a deadline extension. 

The Trump administration confirmed in a statement to Fox News Digital that states will need to comply by the May 7 deadline, despite Kentucky’s delay request, as a 20-year standoff between state and federal governments comes to a head with REAL ID’s real deadline.

“Beginning on May 7, passengers will need a REAL ID or another acceptable form of identification to fly, like a passport or military ID. TSA is committed to enforcing the law, as directed by Congress.”

“Non-compliant passengers may expect wait times or additional measures at airports. If you are an illegal alien without a REAL ID, the only way you will be permitted to fly is if you are self-deporting,” a Transportation Security Administration (TSA) spokesperson said when asked if extensions were on the table.

PANDEMIC, PRICE TAGS AND PRIVACY CONCERNS: WHY IT TOOK 20 YEARS TO IMPLEMENT REAL ID

The deadline for REAL ID implementation is May 7.  (Getty Images)

Kentucky lawmakers, including Kentucky’s Senate Transportation Committee Chair Jimmy Higdon and 27 state senate leaders, sent a letter to Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem on April 17 requesting a delay on REAL ID enforcement, citing concerns among Kentuckians “who are still unable to access driver’s licensing services due to limited appointment availability and long lines for walk-ins.”

‘MASS SURVEILLANCE’: CONSERVATIVES SOUND ALARM OVER TRUMP ADMIN’S REAL ID ROLLOUT

“This simple request is to protect Kentuckians from bureaucratic burdens,” Higdon said. “Rural residents, seniors, and families still have hurdles in front of them, and in a lot of cases, may not be aware of their options. Only about 40 percent of our residents have a REAL ID, but I would also like more time to help Kentuckians understand that they may not need a REAL ID. Kentucky has made a good-faith effort, but we just aren’t there yet.”

Passengers line up at a TSA checkpoint. Passengers will be required to travel with a REAL ID, or other compliant identification, in order to travel, starting May 7.  (iStock)

Sen. Jack Reed, D-R.I., sent his own letter to Noem on the same day, asking her to “please describe how you will ensure that there are not delays at TSA security checkpoints and what steps the TSA is taking to process travelers who arrive at airport security checkpoints without REAL ID-compliant identification.”

Reed said it seems like many passengers will not be compliant by May 7, pointing out that “20 percent of air travelers still use a form of identification that is not compliant with REAL ID requirements,” and “millions of Americans still do not have a REAL ID-compliant license or an acceptable alternative form of identification.”

States have long rejected REAL ID implementation. 20 years after it was signed into law, Kentucky is requesting a deadline extension.  (Getty Images)

Since President George W. Bush signed the REAL ID Act into law in 2005, states and advocacy groups have rejected its implementation for a range of reasons, including costs, states’ rights and privacy concerns.

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) – a longtime opponent of REAL ID implementation – called it “discriminatory, expensive, burdensome, invasive, and ultimately counterproductive” in 2007 as disapproval grew nationwide. By 2009, at least 25 states had enacted legislation opposing the REAL ID Act. 

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While deadlines have shifted and implementation plans rolled out, Kentucky’s letter revealed states continue to panic over the REAL ID deadline as Americans line up at their local Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) and make appointments to secure their enhanced identification. 

FIRST ON FOX: House Republicans are carving out $68.8 billion for President Donald Trump’s border wall and to hire more agents in the field amid talks on a massive bill to advance the commander-in-chief’s agenda.

While Trump spent much of his first term focused on a physical barrier between the U.S. and Mexico, the legislation now under consideration seeks to modernize the task with $46.5 billion for an integrated “border barrier system,” according to details first viewed by Fox News Digital. It would incorporate physical fencing along with updated surveillance tools, roads, and lighting.

The bill also aims to pay $5 billion for new facilities and personnel for Customs and Border Protection (CBP), something the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has sought since Trump came back to the White House.

ACLU APPEALS TO SUPREME COURT TO STOP VENEZUELAN DEPORTATIONS; BOASBERG HOLDS EMERGENCY HEARING FRIDAY NIGHT

House Homeland Security Committee Chairman Mark Green will lead his panel through part of Trump’s budget agenda next week (Getty Images)

It would specifically dedicate $4.1 billion to fund new front-line personnel to patrol the border, while also incentivizing new and current CBP staff with retention bonuses, among other measures – for which $2 billion is dedicated.

It would also put $813 million into modernizing CBP’s existing fleet of vehicles, with its current tech falling prey to mechanical issues and high maintenance costs.

The bill also seeks $2.7 billion to fund an array of modern technology that agents could use to crack down on illegal immigration at the border, including ground sensors, drones, radar, and remote surveillance technology, among other items.

For people caught crossing illegally, it would fund $673 million in upgrades to the U.S.’s current biometrics system aimed at tracking those illegal migrants.

Just over $1 billion in funding for new and updated air and maritime platforms is also included.

The legislation also puts millions toward threat-assessment and logistical planning for multiple upcoming international events in the U.S. – $1 billion for the 2028 Summer Olympics, and $625 million for the coming World Cup soccer championships.

Other funding items include $1 million to commemorate American victims of illegal immigrant crime, and $500 million to specifically crack down on cartel drug smuggling at the border.

The Department of Homeland Security, led by Secretary Kristi Noem, is pushing Congress for more border funding (Ken Cedeno/UPI/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

Border security is a core pillar of congressional Republicans’ priorities in the budget reconciliation process. The Homeland Security Committee, which has jurisdiction over significant amounts of U.S.-Mexico border operations, was directed to use up to $90 billion in new spending to achieve those goals.

Trump administration officials, including Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and immigration czar Tom Homan, have emphasized the need for more funding to carry out the president’s agenda.

DHS sent a memo to House and Senate Republicans earlier this month warning that failure to pass the legislation “will undo all the Trump Administration’s Massive Successes.”

DEMOCRAT SENATOR VAN HOLLEN MEETS, SHAKES HANDS WITH ABREGO GARCIA

U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s agents from the Houlton Sector arrest illegal border crosser in March of 2025.  (U.S. Customs and Border Protection – Houlton Sector)

Budget reconciliation lowers the Senate’s passage threshold from 60 votes to 51 for certain items relating to federal spending, taxes, and the national debt. It therefore allows a party controlling the House, Senate and White House to pass sweeping reforms while entirely sidelining the opposing party, in this case Democrats.

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Republicans are aiming to use reconciliation to pass broad swaths of Trump’s agenda.

In addition to border security that includes new commitments to fossil fuel energy, the national defense, and Trump’s tax policies – both extending the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) and fulfilling newer promises to eliminate taxes on tips, overtime pay, and retirees’ social security.

America’s most notorious federal prison, a terrorist detention facility at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, took center stage for a short period in the early days of President Donald Trump’s first 100 days, when the administration began sending some of the “worst of the worst” criminal illegal aliens there.

Also known as “Gitmo,” Guantánamo is a 45-square-mile high-security naval base in Cuba and houses some of America’s most deadly enemies, including the al-Qaeda terrorists responsible for the 9/11 terror attacks.

In one of the first moves of his second term, Trump authorized the detention of illegal immigrants at the facility shortly after taking office on Jan. 20. 

Trump instructed the Pentagon to prepare 30,000 beds at the base to house “criminal illegal aliens” who pose a threat to the American public, adding that putting them there would ensure they would not come back.

PRESIDENT TRUMP BLASTS COURTS FOR GETTING IN THE WAY OF DEPORTATION AGENDA

America’s most notorious prison – Guantánamo Bay – took center stage for a short period during President Donald Trump’s first 100 days when the administration began sending some of the “worst of the worst” criminal illegals to the prison. (U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. ShaTyra Cox)

At the time, Trump explained the decision, saying that some criminal migrants “are so bad that we don’t even trust the countries to hold them, because we don’t want them coming back, so we’re going to send ‘em out to Guantánamo.”

The president said the move would bring the U.S. one step closer to “eradicating the scourge” of migrant crime in communities, once and for all.

Then, shortly after the State Department declared 10 migrant gangs – including the Salvadoran MS-13 and Venezuelan Tren de Aragua as well as several Mexican cartels – “foreign terrorist organizations,” the administration began sending migrants through Gitmo, with several hundred passing through the base.

Among those sent to the base were several “high threat” illegal members of Tren de Aragua, which is an international terrorist and criminal group linked to Venezuelan socialist dictator Nicolás Maduro. Tren de Aragua – also known as “TdA” – has a presence in most major American cities and is linked to the high-profile murder of Georgia nursing student Laken Riley and the seizure of an entire apartment building in Aurora, Colorado.

TRUMP ADMIN FILES FIRST RACKETEERING CHARGES AGAINST MASSIVE MIGRANT TERRORIST GROUP PRESENT IN US

This image shows migrants boarding a military flight to Guantánamo Bay. (Department of Homeland Security)

The Department of Defense stated that the migrant criminals sent to Gitmo were being housed in vacant detention facilities and that the arrangement was only temporary “until they can be transported to their country of origin or other appropriate destination.”

Illustrating Guantánamo’s importance in the administration’s eyes, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth made Gitmo his first naval installation to visit as secretary. In a social media post, Hegseth called Gitmo “the front lines of the war against America’s southern border.”

Speaking of the troops manning Gitmo, Hegseth said, “These warriors are directly supporting the apprehension and deportation of dangerous illegal aliens.”

However, the administration soon began running into snags, making it difficult to ramp up the naval base’s capacity to accommodate the 30,000 beds that Trump had wanted.

SUPREME COURT POISED TO MAKE MAJOR DECISION THAT COULD SET LIMITS ON THE POWER OF DISTRICT JUDGES

President Donald Trump has ordered the Pentagon, led by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, to help establish a migrant facility at Guantánamo Bay. (U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. ShaTyra Cox)

In early March, Fox News Digital reported that none of the 195 tents set up in Guantánamo Bay had been used to house migrants. According to two U.S. defense officials familiar with the matter, this was due to the tents not meeting ICE standards.

The officials said that the U.S. military was told to set up the tents without clear guidance as to what the standards for holding migrants are, and that the military had not received specific guidelines on what the tents need in order to be certified to hold the migrants. The operation to build more tents was halted in February, just several weeks after it started.  

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Despite this, a congressional delegation of Republicans led by House Armed Services Committee Chair Mike Rogers visited Gitmo around the same time these difficulties were surfacing.

After the visit, Rep. Abe Hamadeh, R-Ariz., told Fox News Digital that “it is clear that Guantánamo Bay is operational and equipped to conduct these deportations.”

WHITE HOUSE DEFENDS ICE, SAYS DEMS, MEDIA WANT ‘SICK’ CRIMINAL MIGRANTS LEFT ON STREETS

Migrants board a flight to Guantánamo Bay. (Department of Homeland Security)

On March 14, Fox News Digital reported that the 40 remaining illegal migrants being held at Guantánamo Bay had been sent back to the United States to be held in Louisiana. Of those returned to U.S. soil, 23 were “high-threat illegal aliens.”

It is unclear whether the U.S. will again hold migrants at Guantánamo. Representatives for the White House and DHS did not respond to Fox News Digital’s requests for comment prior to publication deadline.

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Meanwhile, the U.S. has begun partnering with the government of Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele to send illegal gang members to El Salvador’s “Terrorist Confinement Center” (CECOT). The U.S. has sent several hundred Salvadoran and Venezuelan migrants to CECOT. 

Fox News Digital’s Cameron Arcand, Michael Dorgan, Liz Friden, Jennifer Griffin and Louis Casiano contributed to this report. 

FIRST ON FOX: The Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., will host symphony concerts featuring the music and life of American icon Dolly Parton this summer, Fox News Digital has learned. 

“The threads of my life are woven together through my songs. That’s why the project, Threads: My Songs In Symphony, is so special to me,” Parton said in the Kennedy Center’s announcement of the show, which was first exclusively shared with Fox Digital on Sunday. “It’s about sharing my music and my musical journey with audiences in a new way.”

The concert, called “Dolly Parton’s Threads: My Songs in Symphony,” made its premiere last year in Nashville and has since toured the nation from Pittsburgh to Portland, Oregon. The Kennedy Center will host the program on June 26 and 27, with the National Symphony Orchestra performing hits such as “Jolene,” “Coat of Many Colors,” and “I Will Always Love You.”

Parton will not sing during the concerts, but the events will feature “a unique performance that honors her enduring spirit and unparalleled impact on American popular music culture.” The National Symphony Orchestra will perform alongside guest vocalists and musicians to deliver a “fresh symphonic take on the timeless songs of Dolly Parton,” according to the Kennedy Center. 

DOLLY PARTON SUPPORTERS PUSH PETITION TO RENAME NASHVILLE AIRPORT: ‘DEPARTIN’ FROM PARTON!’

Dolly Parton attends Dolly Parton’s Threads: My Songs In Symphony World Premiere at Schermerhorn Symphony Center on March 20, 2025 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Jason Kempin/Getty Images) (Getty Images)

“Bringing Dolly Parton’s music to life through the power of a full symphony orchestra has long been a dream of mine,” National Symphony Orchestra Principal Pops Conductor Steven Reineke said. “Dolly is one of the great storytellers of American music, and I am excited to bring her expansive catalog to the Kennedy Center. Through these unique symphonic charts, her music will be showcased like never before and will surely be an evening no one will want to miss!”

American singer, songwriter and actress Dolly Parton, performs with a guitar, 1976. (Photo by David Redfern/Redferns) (Getty Images)

The concert is billed as “multimedia,” and will include imagery of the Rock and Roll Hall of Famer on screen that will lead “audiences in a visual-musical journey of her songs, her life, and her stories,” according to the Kennedy Center. 

“Dolly Parton is an American icon whose music resonates with people from all walks of life and we are overjoyed to bring her symphony to the Kennedy Center!” Roma Daravi, vice president of public relations at The Kennedy Center, told Fox News Digital. 

Tickets will become available to Kennedy Center members April 29 at 10 a.m., while the general public can begin purchasing tickets on May 1. 

Kennedy Center President Richard Grenell told Fox News Digital back in February that he and his team will help usher in the “Golden Age of the Arts” with shows Americans actually want to see after years of the performing arts center running in the red. 

DOLLY PARTON WARNS SABRINA CARPENTER SHE DOESN’T ‘MAKE FUN OF JESUS,’ USE SWEAR WORDS AHEAD OF COLLABORATION

Dolly Parton speaks onstage at Dolly Parton’s Threads: My Songs In Symphony World Premiere at Schermerhorn Symphony Center on March 20, 2025 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Jason Kempin/Getty Images) (Getty Images)

“This will be the Golden Age of the Arts,” Grenell said. “The Kennedy Center has zero cash on hand and zero dollars in reserves – while taking tens of millions of dollars in public funds. We must have programs that sell tickets. We can’t afford to pay for content that doesn’t at least pay for itself right now. I wish we didn’t have to consider the costs of production, but we do.” 

KENNEDY CENTER SHAKE-UP WILL USHER IN ‘GOLDEN AGE OF THE ARTS’ UNDER TRUMP, RIC GRENELL PREVIEWS

Pedestrians walk up a sidewalk to the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts (Getty Images)

“The good news is that there are plenty of shows that are very popular, and therefore the ticket sales will pay for themselves,” Grenell added. 

Grenell added during remarks at CPAC that the Kennedy Center will now focus on performances “the public want to see,” such as Christmas-focused productions in December. The Kennedy Center under the Biden administration had rolled out drag show performances, which drew the ire of President Donald Trump earlier this year. 

Ric Grenell, former Acting Director of National Intelligence speaks on Day 3 of the Republican National Convention (RNC), at the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, U.S., July 17, 2024.  (REUTERS/Mike Segar)

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“We have to do the big productions that the masses and the public want to see, we want to have really good programming,” Grenell said at CPAC. “So the first thing that we’re doing … you’ve got to be at the Kennedy Center in December, because we are doing a big, huge celebration of the birth of Christ at Christmas. How crazy is it to think that we’re going to celebrate Christ at Christmas with a big traditional production to celebrate what we are all celebrating in the world during Christmastime, which is the birth of Christ.”

In a dramatic move to protect America’s cattle industry, Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins has warned Mexico that the U.S. will halt imports of live animals — including cattle and bison — if Mexico doesn’t step up efforts to combat a dangerous pest creeping northward.

In a letter sent Saturday and obtained by Fox News, Secretary Rollins put the Mexican government on notice to act immediately to fight the spread of the New World screwworm or face serious economic consequences on the border. 

The USDA has set a firm deadline of April 30 for Mexico to address the growing crisis, or U.S. ports of entry will slam the door on key animal commodities.

FEDERAL DIETARY GUIDELINES WILL SOON CHANGE FOR AMERICANS, HHS AND USDA ANNOUNCE

“I must inform you that if these issues are not resolved by Wednesday, April 30, USDA will restrict the importation of animal commodities, which consist of live cattle, bison, and equine originating from or transporting to Mexico to protect the interest of the agriculture industry in the United States,” Rollins wrote.

The New World screwworm, a flesh-eating fly whose larvae can decimate livestock populations, has been spreading rapidly from Central America into southern Mexico. USDA officials have long relied on a sophisticated sterile insect technique (SIT) program — using specially equipped aircraft to release sterile flies — to keep the deadly pest in check. But that strategy is now in jeopardy.

MAINE’S FEDERAL FUNDING FREEZE FROM TRUMP’S USDA REVERSED

Brooke Rollins attends a Senate Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee hearing on her nomination for Secretary of Agriculture Jan. 23, in Washington, D.C. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

At the heart of the conflict is Dynamic Aviation, a U.S. government-contracted carrier tasked with aerial fly dispersals. According to the letter, Mexican aviation authorities are limiting Dynamic’s operations to just six days a week under a temporary 60-day permit, a move the USDA says undermines the urgent, around-the-clock response needed to stop the screwworm’s advance.

Even more troubling, Rollins said Mexican customs officials are imposing hefty import duties on critical supplies like sterile flies, aviation parts and dispersal equipment — all fully funded by U.S. taxpayers to benefit both nations. These delays are expensive and threatening to cripple the campaign just when speed is most vital.

An aerial view of cattle detained in the pens of the Chihuahua Regional Livestock Union at the Jeronimo-Santa Teresa border crossing in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, Nov. 27, 2024. (Christian Torres/Anadolu via Getty Images)

Rollins is demanding immediate action from Mexico, including long-term operational clearance for Dynamic Aviation, full duty waivers on all emergency materials and the appointment of a senior-level liaison to fast-track solutions.

Every day lost, Rollins warned, gives the screwworm a bigger foothold and risks devastating American ranchers and the broader agricultural economy.

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In a bid to salvage cooperation, Rollins also proposed an emergency U.S.-Mexico summit with government leaders, technical experts and operational partners to get back on track.

The message from Washington is clear: Mexico must move — and fast — or face tough new trade restrictions designed to protect America’s food supply and farming communities.