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The White House has reportedly issued a memo that broadly suspends federal grants, loans and other financial assistance programs for executive departments pending an assessment of the funding. 

The Wall Street Journal first reported the memo, saying it was sent out by the Office of Management and Budget around 5 p.m. on Monday. 

The memo, which takes effect Tuesday at 5 p.m., said agencies “must temporarily pause all activities related to obligation or disbursement of all Federal financial assistance, and other relevant agency activities that may be implicated by the executive orders, including, but not limited to, financial assistance for foreign aid, nongovernmental organizations, DEI, woke gender ideology, and the Green New Deal,” according to the Journal. 

The memo reportedly said the federal government spent more than $3 trillion on federal assistance, including grants and loans, in the 2024 fiscal year and that the pause allows “time to review agency programs and determine the best uses of the funding for those programs consistent with the law and the President’s priorities.”

JD VANCE CONDEMNS FEMA’S RESPONSE TO HELENE DEVASTATION IN 1ST TRIP AS VICE PRESIDENT

The White House is seen in Washington D.C., on Jan.22, 2025.  (Celal Gunes/Anadolu via Getty Images)

Each agency must “complete a comprehensive analysis of all their Federal financial assistance programs to identify programs, projects and activities that may be implicated by any of the President’s executive orders,” the memo continued, according to the Journal, adding that the pause must be applied “to the extent permissible under applicable law.” 

Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., holds a news conference to speak out against the nomination of Russell Vought on Jan. 23, 2025. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

AFTER RAUCOUS FIRST WEEK IN OFFICE, DONALD TRUMP TO KEEP HIS FOOT ON THE GAS

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., condemned the memo, telling the Journal that pausing the funding puts “billions upon billions of community grants and financial support that help millions of people across the country” at risk. 

“It will mean missed payrolls and rent payments and everything in between: chaos for everything from universities to non-profit charities, state disaster assistance, local law enforcement, aid to the elderly, and food for those in need,” Schumer said, adding that Congress approved the funding for the federal assistance programs.

President Donald Trump’s nominee for Office of Management and Budget Director Russell Vought testifies during the Senate Banking Committee nomination hearing on Jan. 22, 2025.  (Kayla Bartkowski/Getty Images)

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The memo included a footnote that said Medicare, Social Security benefits and assistance provided directly to individuals were exempt from the pause, but its otherwise broad language caused confusion Monday night among some federal employees, as administrators requested advice from their internal counsel regarding which programs the pause applied to and how the departments should respond, one source told the Journal. 

The memo included a Feb. 10 deadline for agencies to submit a thorough summary of all paused programs, projects and activities to the Office of Management and Budget.

Former Atlanta mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, a Democrat, said she is considering a run to be Georgia’s next governor.

Bottoms, who most recently served in the Biden administration, told Fox 5 Atlanta that she is seriously contemplating running in the Georgia gubernatorial election in 2026 but wants to finish some things she is working on first, including a new book.

She also knocked President Donald Trump, who she believes is already failing to deliver on his campaign promises, as she eyes a return to public office.

BIDEN’S FORMER SENIOR ADVISER KEISHA LANCE BOTTOMS REJOINING WHITE HOUSE IN NEW ROLE

Keisha Lance Bottoms speaks a press briefing at the White House on January 13, 2023, in Washington, D.C. (Getty Images)

The former mayor further criticized the president for mass deporting illegal migrants who have not committed violent crimes.

“I don’t think there are many people who are against people who have violent criminal records being deported if they are in the country illegally,” she said. “When I see the raids, I immediately think of the families that are left behind, and it’s reminiscent of family separation policies that I had to deal with when I was mayor of Atlanta.”

Bottoms resigned earlier this month from the White House, where she served on President Joe Biden’s Export Council. Trump claimed on Truth Social that he fired her after he took office, but she provided a letter from Biden thanking her for her service, according to Fox 5 Atlanta.

Keisha Lance Bottoms attends the Cancer Moonshot event on October 24, 2022, in Washington, D.C. (Getty Images)

“I had already resigned. I sent in my resignation letter the first week of January saying it was effective Jan. 20, and it also was an unpaid position,” Bottoms said.

She also previously served in the Biden administration as senior advisor to the president and director of the White House Office of Public Engagement from July 2022 until April 2023.

KEISHA LANCE BOTTOMS ANNOUNCES DEPARTURE FROM WHITE HOUSE ROLE

Keisha Lance Bottoms during the Bloomberg Equality Summit in New York, on Tuesday, March 22, 2022. (Jeenah Moon/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

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Bottoms also wanted to address critics who say she quit her job as Atlanta’s mayor when she decided not to run for re-election in 2021.

“I think people forget that mayors are elected to a four-year term,” she said. “I finished my term. If we want people to serve as mayor for eight years, we should make sure that they are elected to an eight-year term.”

Rep. Andy Ogles, R-Tenn., and more than a dozen other House Republicans are pushing a proposal to ban the provision of chemical abortion drugs.

The congressman reintroduced the proposal that he previously put forward in 2023, according to a press release, which provides a link to the text of the 2023 version.

“Notwithstanding any other provision of law, whoever prescribes, dispenses, distributes, or sells, any drug, medication, or chemical for the purpose of procuring or performing an abortion on any woman, shall be imprisoned for not more than 25 years, fined under this title, or both,” the text reads.

MANY WOMEN ‘UNPREPARED’ FOR INTENSITY OF PAIN FROM CHEMICAL ABORTION, STUDY FINDS

Rep. Andy Ogles at event about The Ending Chemical Abortion Act in Capitol Hill of Washington D.C., on Sept. 28, 2023 (Celal Gunes/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)

The ban would not apply to the provision “of any contraceptive agent administered before conception or before pregnancy can be confirmed through conventional testing,” or to “treatment of a miscarriage,” or to situations “where a woman suffers from a physical disorder, physical injury, or physical illness, including a life-endangering physical condition caused by or arising from the pregnancy itself, that would, as certified by a physician, place the woman in danger of death.”

The proposal also stipulates that a woman who receives a chemical abortion may not be prosecuted criminally.

ABORTION SURVIVORS SLAM DEMS FOR BLOCKING ‘BORN-ALIVE’ ABORTION BILL: ‘WE ARE NOT TREATED AS HUMAN BEINGS’

“Chemical abortions not only end a human life but pose a serious risk to the lives of the mothers,” Ogles noted, according to both the 2023 and 2025 press releases about the proposal. 

“I’m taking a stand against the irresponsibility of the Democrats and working to protect women and girls across America. I’m taking a stand for life because, born or unborn, every single person is uniquely and wonderfully made. It’s not merely a political issue; it’s a moral duty to uphold the sanctity of life. I am committed to safeguarding the innocent and voiceless in our society,” he noted.

Cosponsors include Republican Reps. Mary Miller of Illinois, Trent Kelly of Mississippi, Mike Bost of Illinois, Ben Cline of Virginia, Josh Brecheen of Oklahoma, Rick Allen of Georgia, Randy Weber of Texas, Dan Crenshaw of Texas, Elijah Crane of Arizona, Mark Green of Tennessee, Andrew Clyde of Georgia, Andy Biggs of Arizona, Doug LaMalfa of California, Paul Gosar of Arizona, Barry Moore of Alabama, Lauren Boebert of Colorado, Glenn Grothman of Wisconsin, and Mike Ezell of Mississippi.

LAWMAKER UNVEILS CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT TO GIVE TRUMP THIRD TERM

Left: Rep.-elect Dan Crenshaw, R-Texas, is seen after the freshman class photo on the East Front of the Capitol on Nov. 14, 2018; Center: Rep. Andy Ogles, R-Tenn., is seen outside the U.S. Capitol during House votes on Friday, April 12, 2022; Right: Rep. Lauren Boebert, R-Colo., arrives to a Republican caucus meeting at the U.S. Capitol Building on Sept. 13, 2023 in Washington, D.C.  (Left: Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call; Center: Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images; Right: Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

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Ogles recently proposed a Constitutional amendment that would alter presidential term limits in a manner that would allow President Donald Trump to seek a third term in office.

The proposal reads, “No person shall be elected to the office of the President more than three times, nor be elected to any additional term after being elected to two consecutive terms, and no person who has held the office of President, or acted as President, for more than two years of a term to which some other person was elected President shall be elected to the office of the President more than twice.”

President Donald Trump claimed Monday night that the military entered California and “turned on the water,” but state water officials contend that the president’s claim is false.

“The United States Military just entered the Great State of California and, under Emergency Powers, TURNED ON THE WATER flowing abundantly from the Pacific Northwest, and beyond,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.

“The days of putting a Fake Environmental argument, over the PEOPLE, are OVER. Enjoy the water, California!!!” he added.

But the California Department of Water Resources responded that the military never entered the Golden State and that the state continues to have plenty of water resources.

CALI REP. CHU SAYS ‘WILDFIRES HAVE NO POLITICAL AFFILIATIONS’ AFTER TRUMP FLOATED CONDITIONS FOR FEDERAL AID

President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump tour a fire-affected area in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, on January 24, 2025.  (MANDEL NGAN/AFP via Getty Images)

“The military did not enter California,” the department said on X. “The federal government restarted federal water pumps after they were offline for maintenance for three days. State water supplies in Southern California remain plentiful.”

State Senate Pro Tem Mike McGuire, a Democrat, also pushed back against Trump’s post.

“First off, shocker, water from the Pacific Northwest doesn’t flow to the Central Valley,” McGuire said on X. “Second, federal water pumps were down for repair and are now back on. Third, rest assured, the military has not invaded the delta. Facts are hard.”

TRUMP MEETS WITH CALIFORNIA RESIDENTS, FIRE AND LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS TO SEE LA WILDFIRE DAMAGE FIRST HAND

President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump walk with California Gov. Gavin Newsom after arriving on Air Force One at Los Angeles International Airport in Los Angeles, Friday, Jan. 24, 2025. (Mark Schiefelbein/AP)

This comes after Trump issued an executive order directing several federal agencies, including the Department of Defense and Department of Homeland Security, to determine how to deliver more water to Southern California and the Central Valley, as the state responds to wildfires that swept through the Los Angeles area this month.

Trump had said on Friday that two conditions must be met in California before the federal government offers disaster relief. He said he wants lawmakers to approve voter identification legislation and that water deliveries need to be increased from Northern California to drier areas further south.

“I want to see two things in Los Angeles. Voter ID, so that the people have a chance to vote, and I want to see the water be released and come down into Los Angeles and throughout the state,” Trump told reporters in North Carolina as he was touring hurricane recovery efforts in that state. “Those are the two things. After that, I will be the greatest president that California has ever seen.”

President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump meet residents as they tour a fire-affected area in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, on January 24, 2025.  (MANDEL NGAN/AFP via Getty Images)

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Trump visited Los Angeles later on Friday to view damage from the wildfires and meet with local officials and residents.

Republicans in Congress have suggested tying wildfire aid to a debt ceiling increase or changes to California’s fire-mitigation policies.

GOP Rep. Abe Hamadeh is praising President Trump’s swift actions on illegal immigration in the first days of his presidency and told Fox News Digital that the president has “learned a lot from 2017” and that he expects more of the same in the future.

“President Trump campaigned on this and he’s delivering it for the American people,” the freshman congressman told Fox News Digital in an interview. “If you look at the polling, even Democrats are in favor of deportations of illegal immigrants. So right now, he’s deporting the most dangerous illegal immigrants and you’re starting to see the raids and it’s quite a sight to see because for too long, the Biden administration, they prioritized illegal immigrants over American citizens.”

“They treated American citizens as second-class citizens and President Trump is about America first. So these deportation raids, it’s happened so fast and that’s exactly his style of leadership. He knows he has no time to waste and delivering the results for the American people as they already voted for these policies back on November 5th. So far, so good.”

Hamadeh told Fox News Digital that Trump “learned a lot from 2017” and this time around knows “exactly what to do” to get his agenda accomplished. 

BORDER ENCOUNTERS DROP SHARPLY AS TRUMP LAUNCHES CRACKDOWN ON ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION

Fox News Digital spoke to GOP Rep. Abe Hamadeh about President Trump’s first few days in office (Fox News Digital/Getty)

Republicans recently successfully pushed the Laken Riley Act through Congress, with 48 Democrat votes, which Hamadeh told Fox News Digital should have been a unanimous vote and doesn’t necessarily mean Democrats are embracing Trump’s agenda. 

“It’s kind of funny because many of the Democrats actually voted against the Laken Riley Act when it was in Congress last session, but now they’re supporting it because they see electorally that it’s beneficial to them.”

“So no we always have to be cognizant of that. A lot of these Democrats don’t have any principles that they’re standing on. They just saw that they got shellacked in the end in the election, November 5th. So they’re trying to moderate themselves or appear to be moderate. But honestly it should have gotten unanimous support.”

TRUMP’S ICE NABS CHILD SEX OFFENDERS AMONG 530+ ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS CAUGHT IN SINGLE DAY

Arizona Republican Rep. Abe Hamadeh with Kayla Mueller’s parents on Jan. 3, 2025. (Kayla Mueller Family)

Hamadeh said Laken Riley’s murder at the hands of an illegal immigrant was a “tragedy” that was “totally preventable” by the Biden administration who “opened the floodgates to millions of illegal immigrants.”

Going forward, House Republicans will have to navigate a razor-thin majority in the House and be in lockstep in order to push through Trump’s agenda which Hamadeh said he is optimistic will happen. 

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This photo shows migrants at the southern border encountered in Arizona. (U.S. Border Patrol)

“I see my colleagues all the time and everybody understands that President Trump delivered the victory for many of them and that’s what’s different about this time around versus 2017,” Hamadeh explained. “Now, a lot of Republicans, you know, they’re on the same page, leadership’s on the same page. We’re all working together, no matter if you’re moderate, no matter if you’re MAGA, it’s a testament to see how Speaker Mike Johnson won his speakership on the first vote versus what happened two years ago, and it’s something to be seen. It’s really beautiful out here.”

Hamadeh continued, “It’s been a lot easier for me being a freshman congressman to see us all united, unlike how it used to be in the past. But these executive orders have been fantastic. Every Republican is all in favor of them. You know, I’m especially happy about the designation of the drug cartels as a foreign terrorist organization and Arizona is as well, because we understand we have to go to war against these cartels. So just seeing the action that President Trump is doing so fast and his team is doing so fast is a testament to his leadership style and something that Congress must emulate and must back him up.”

President Donald Trump signed a handful of executive orders on Monday, including two banning “radical gender ideology” and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives from all branches of the U.S. military.

Trump stated that both orders, titled “Prioritizing Military Excellence and Readiness” and “Restoring America’s Fighting Force,” should be in the process of being implemented by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and the secretary of homeland security within 30 days.

Under “Restoring America’s Fighting Force,” Trump states that DEI programs have undermined “leadership, merit and unit cohesion, thereby eroding lethality and force readiness” and have “violated Americans’ consciences by engaging in invidious race and sex discrimination.”

“No individual or group within our Armed Forces should be preferred or disadvantaged on the basis of sex, race, ethnicity, color or creed,” the order states, adding that no branch should operate on race or sex preference.

DEFENSE SECRETARY PETE HEGSETH SAYS ‘NO MORE DEI AT DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE’: ‘NO EXCEPTIONS’

President Donald Trump signed two executive orders on Monday related to the military that will ban “radical gender ideology” and DEI initiatives from all branches and their academies. (REUTERS/Carlos Barria)

The order includes an internal review conducted by Hegseth within 90 days to document all instances of discrimination or promotion based on race or sex.

It also includes banning all “un-American, divisive, discriminatory, radical, extremist and irrational theories” from being taught in the Armed Forces and educational institutions operated or controlled by the military. Those theories include “gender ideology,” divisive concepts surrounding race or sex stereotyping or scapegoating and the idea that “America’s founding documents are racist or sexist.”

Instructors hired to teach at military academies will also be carefully reviewed to ensure “alignment with this order.”

“In addition, these institutions shall be required to teach that America and its founding documents remain the most powerful force for good in human history,” the order states.

Progress related to this order must be submitted by Hegseth and the homeland security secretary to the Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy within 180 days to track implementation and to find recommendations, if any, to fulfill the order’s objective.

3 IN 10 VOTERS THINK ENDING DEI PROGRAMS IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT, POLL SHOWS, AS FEDERAL DEADLINE LOOMS

The order “Prioritizing Military Excellence and Readiness” states that the U.S. military has one mission – “to protect the American people and our homeland as the world’s most lethal and effective fighting force.”

Trump stated in his executive order that all service members are required to be at peak mental and physical fitness, which eliminates those struggling with gender identity. (iStock)

Trump states in the order that the mission cannot be met if the military is accommodating “political agendas or other ideologies harmful to unit cohesion.” He also said longstanding DoD policy says service members must be free of medical conditions and physical defects that would require excessive treatment or hospitalization.

The “hormonal and surgical medical interventions” involved when an individual claims to be a gender differing from their sex do not meet the “rigorous standards” required of service members, including the commitment to being honorable, truthful and disciplined, the order states.

Fox News Digital previously reported that while exact figures are not publicly available, there are an estimated 9,000 to 14,000 transgender people serving in the military.

CRACKING DOWN ON TRANS TROOPS: TRUMP ORDER NIXES PREFERRED PRONOUNS, RESTRICTS FACILITY USE

“For the sake of our Nation and the patriotic Americans who volunteer to serve it, military service must be reserved for those mentally and physically fit for duty,” the order states. “The Armed Forces must adhere to high mental and physical health standards to ensure our military can deploy, fight, and win, including in austere conditions and without the benefit of routine medical treatment or special provisions.”

The DoD reportedly spent approximately $15 million on surgical and nonsurgical gender-affirming care for 1,892 active duty service members between Jan. 1, 2016, and May 14, 2021, per the Congressional Research Service.

The order also states that males and females are not allowed to use or share sleeping, changing or bathing facilities unless it is absolutely necessary during an operation.

The two executive orders are aimed at returning the focus of all military branches and corresponding academies to “lethality and force readiness.” (iStock)

Hegseth was already ordered to immediately end preferred pronoun usage within the DoD, and within 30 days, he must identify what is needed to implement the above order and submit a report summarizing the steps to the president.

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The orders are two of many things Trump promised to change during his 2024 campaign and fall in line with the hundreds of executive actions issued during his first week in office.

Sean Duffy, the president’s pick to lead the Department of Transportation, has advanced to the final round of the Senate confirmation process that will decide whether he assumes a top Cabinet position in President Donald Trump’s administration.

Duffy was tapped by Trump to head the transportation agency for the next four years, undergoing a confirmation hearing with the Senate Commerce, Science & Transportation Committee, which advanced his candidacy with bipartisan support.

The Senate held a cloture vote for Duffy on Monday, which passed unanimously. 

TULSI GABBARD, RFK JR. EXPECTED TO FACE OPPOSITION IN SENATE CONFIRMATION HEARINGS

Sean Duffy greets senators at his confirmation hearing. (Fox News Digital/Charlie Creitz)

SENATE CONFIRMS KRISTI NOEM AS TRUMP’S DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY SECRETARY

The cloture vote came just minutes after the Senate voted to confirm Scott Bessent to serve as the secretary of the treasury.

Then-Rep. Sean Duffy leaves the House Republican Conference meeting in the Capitol on May 8, 2018. (Bill Clark/CQ Roll Call)

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The Senate’s final vote on whether to confirm Duffy, a former Republican congressman, to the Cabinet post is scheduled for Tuesday afternoon.

President Donald Trump promised House Republicans they would secure the U.S. border through a reconciliation package at a House GOP issues conference Monday at Trump National Doral, his golf course and resort near Miami. 

Trump also said Congress would figure out whether his large policy overhaul will fit into one bill or two bills — an issue splitting Republicans in the House and Senate. 

“In the coming weeks, I’m looking forward to working with Congress on a reconciliation bill that financially takes care of our plan to totally and permanently restore the sovereign border of the United States once and for all,” Trump said. “This should include full funding for a record increase in border security personnel and retention bonuses for ICE and border patrol.” 

TIM SCOTT EMPHASIZES ‘RESULTS’ OVER RECONCILIATION PROCESS AS HE STAYS OUT OF DEBATE

President Donald Trump said Monday that Congress would figure out whether his large policy overhaul will fit into one bill or two bills — an issue splitting Republicans in the House and Senate.  (Melina Mara – Pool/Getty Images)

Trump also vowed to work with members of Congress on the “largest package of tax cuts and reforms in American history.” 

Many of the reforms included in the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act that Trump passed during his first term are set to expire in 2025, and Trump’s new economic plan calls for extending such cuts. 

Meanwhile, Republicans remain divided about how they will move to advance their legislative priorities. While Republicans in the Senate are pushing for two bills under the budget reconciliation process to speed up enacting new policies, Trump and Republicans in the House historically have called for advancing one massive bill instead. 

However, Trump said Monday it doesn’t matter whether the legislative branch pushes one or two bills.

“We don’t want to get hung up on the budget process … whether it’s one bill, two bills, I don’t care,” Trump said. “They’re going to work it out one way or the other. But the bottom line, the end result, is going to be the same.” 

Under the rules of the budget reconciliation process, passage only requires a 51-seat simple majority rather than the usual 60 seats. Even so, the use of the reconciliation process is sparse and must not include anything that could be considered “extraneous provisions.” 

Trump met with House and Senate GOP leaders on Tuesday, and National Republican Senatorial Committee Chairman Tim Scott, R-S.C., told Fox News Digital after the meeting that he remained “agnostic about the process” of employing one bill versus two bills. 

REPUBLICAN LEADERS STILL AT ODDS ON RECONCILIATION DEBATE AFTER TRUMP MEETING

National Republican Senatorial Committee Chairman Tim Scott, R-S.C., said he is “agnostic about the process” of passing President Donald Trump’s legislative priorities in one measure or two measures.  (Reuters)

“I think for us, results are more important than process,” Scott told Fox News Digital in an exclusive interview. 

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“And if that requires us to have border security, tax reform, deportation — whatever we can get into a package or multiple packages — we have to produce results for the people,” he said. 

Trump also unveiled plans to sign several executive orders on Monday centering on reforms to the military, including directing Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth to kick off creating an “Iron Dome” missile defense shield for America, akin to the one Israel has protecting itself. Trump did not disclose any additional details on this system or how it would function.

Likewise, Trump said that he would sign an executive order to eradicate “transgender ideology” from the military. Trump is poised to sign an executive order that would “end the use of invented and identification-based pronouns” within the Department of Defense, according to a White House document reviewed by Fox News Digital.

“Next, to ensure that we have the most lethal fighting force in the world, we will get transgender ideology the hell out of our military,” Trump said. 

Other executive orders Trump mentioned include stopping service members from being “indoctrinated with radical left ideologies such as critical race theory,” and permitting the more than 8,000 service members who were kicked out of the military for refusing to receive the COVID-19 vaccine to join again at their previous rank. 

Trump also urged Republicans to work alongside each other amid slim Republican majorities in the House and the Senate, noting that Democrats do a good job backing one another. 

“We have to stick together,” Trump said. “We have to work together. We have to fight together. We’re going to win together. … We have a chance to win like never before, as long as we stay united.” 

Fox News’ Elizabeth Elkind, Julia Johnson, and Morgan Phillips contributed to this report. 

In about six weeks, there could be another scramble to avert a government shutdown.

One of the biggest untold stories in Washington right now is that bipartisan, bicameral Congressional leaders, plus top appropriators, have yet to forge an agreement on a “topline” spending number for the rest of fiscal year 2025 – which runs until October 1. The House tackled five of the 12 spending bills last year – but none so far this year. The Senate has spent its time burning through confirmations. Floor time is at a premium. Senate Democrats put zero appropriations bills on the floor when they ran the place. And none so far this year with the GOP in majority.

So the new day in Washington is the old day when it comes to Congressional spending.

The new deadline to avoid a government shutdown is March 14. Republicans control the House, the Senate and the White House. It’s unclear precisely what President Trump wants with the spending bills. Of course, it wasn’t clear what he wanted in December – until he made it clear at the last minute.

THE POLITICAL FIRESTORM THAT’S ABOUT TO SINGE CAPITOL HILL

In September, House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., punted the spending battle until Christmas. And then Johnson released a massive, 1,500-page bill which the President, Elon Musk, Vivek Ramaswamy and other conservatives excoriated.

At the last minute, President Trump demanded a debt ceiling increase. He also advocated for a government shutdown along the way.

Johnson had to yank that spending package off the floor just hours before a vote and start all over, finally passing a lean bill just before the December 20 deadline.

And so, here we go again.

Congressional Republicans, led in the House by Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., have yet to move on any major spending-related legislation – which may very well be key in following through on some of President Trump’s top priorities. (Getty Images)

“I think we’re looking at a CR,” lamented one veteran House Republican close to the spending process.

To the uninitiated, a “CR,” is Congress-speak for a “continuing resolution.” It is a stopgap bill to fund the government at present levels – without initiating any new programs or spending.

Former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., got into trouble with conservatives for approving a CR to avert a shutdown in September 2023. Johnson seized the gavel in the fall of 2023, promising to do individual spending bills. But Johnson’s struggled to do that, too.

SPEAKER JOHNSON INVITES TRUMP TO ADDRESS CONGRESS AMID BUSY FIRST 100-DAY SPRINT

Some members of the Freedom Caucus oppose voting for any interim spending bills like a CR. So what are House Republicans to do?

Multiple rank-and-file Republicans observed that the House could have tried to knock out a few bills since Congress returned to session in early January. But that hasn’t happened. This comes as House Republicans huddle at President Trump’s golf club in Doral, Fla. The focus of the meeting is to figure out concrete plans for the GOP’s “big, beautiful bill” to cut taxes and slash government spending. But because of so much attention on that measure, some Republicans fret the appropriations clashes have been all but forgotten.

Until they aren’t.

Whether President Trump’s “big, beautiful bill” is dead on arrival in the way former President Biden’s “Build Back Better” plan was remains to be seen. It’s all a question of whether we’ll have a unified Republican caucus – and if we don’t, whether they can woo enough Democrats to get on board. (Kenny Holston/The New York Times/Pool via Getty Images)

And, as an aside, should the “big, beautiful bill” get a moniker? Should we call it the BBB? Of course, former President Biden’s initial try on a social spending and climate package was called “Build Back Better” in 2021. Official Washington sometimes referred to it as the BBB. That is until former Sen. Joe Manchin, I-W.V., made the BBB DOA.

The 118th Congress – running from January 3, 2023, to January 3, 2025 – was stocked with drama. The House stumbled to elect a Speaker. Then ousted McCarthy a few months later. The House dithered for three weeks before electing Johnson. Former Rep. Jamaal Bowman, D-N.Y., found himself in legal trouble after he yanked a false fire alarm during a vote – ironically enough to avert a government shutdown. There was the expulsion of former Rep. George Santos, R-N.Y. And yes, multiple flirtations with government shutdowns and even a debt ceiling crisis.

But amid all the pandemonium, the only thing that didn’t happen over the previous two years was a shutdown.

Can they keep the streak alive?

USER’S MANUAL: WHY SOME TRUMP NOMINEES COULD BE CONFIRMED WITH A VOICE VOTE – AND WHY SOME COULD NOT

The only reason the government never shuttered during the last Congress was because House Democrats – in the minority – were willing to bail out Republicans – who had the majority.

Democrats were willing to play ball and “do the right thing” in the last Congress to avert a fiscal calamity. But Democratic patience with Republicans has worn thin. It was one thing to help out when Democrats controlled the Senate and former President Biden occupied the White House. House Democrats may not be as charitable under the second administration of President Trump and GOP control of Congress.

Yours truly asked House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., about what pound of flesh they might request from Republicans if they help avoid a government shutdown – or prevent the nation from a collision with the debt ceiling. One possible request: re-upping Obamacare tax credits due to expire next year. A failure to do so would trigger major premium hikes for more than 20 million Americans.

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., has been asked about what his party may press Republicans for if they help avert a shutdown. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)

But Jeffries played it cool.

“Republicans have not opened up any line of communication with us. And they’ve made clear to America that they have a big, massive, beautiful mandate, which presumably means to us that they intend to pass a spending agreement on their own to avoid a government shutdown on their own and to raise the debt ceiling on their own,” said Jeffries. “It’s not hard to find me. They know where I’m at. They know my number. I haven’t received a single call about a single one of these issues.”

The GOP is trained on the BBB and not on government funding. Even some GOP members suggested Republicans should have remained in session in Washington rather than heading to southern Florida for their retreat and a meeting with President Trump.

JOHNSON REVEALS TRUMP’S WISHES ON DELIVERING HUGE POLICY OVERHAUL IN CLOSED-DOOR MEETING

Republicans have blamed Democrats when they’ve had issues advancing spending bills when they’ve controlled the Senate. That’s because it takes 60 votes to overcome a filibuster. Senate Democrats won’t be keen to help on any spending or debt ceiling bill unless they secure major wins.

But when it comes to the blame game, Republicans cannot cast aspersions at Democrats for not helping out this round. The GOP has crowed about its majority and its “mandate” to govern in the House. It’s the responsibility of Republicans to get the votes to fund the government and avoid a debt ceiling crisis. The Republican track record of getting unanimity on their side is virtually unheard of.

That means the GOP likely needs help from Democrats to govern.

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And Democrats could request a king’s ransom.

If they’re ever asked.

DORAL, Fla. — House Republicans brimmed with optimism after President Donald Trump’s speech at their annual retreat on Monday evening, where the new commander in chief detailed his policy goals for a busy first 100 days of the new administration.

Trump’s speech, which ran just over an hour, covered a wide range of issues, from post-election unity to his wishlist for Republicans’ conservative policy overhaul via the budget reconciliation process.

“It was fun, you know? I mean, if you’re a Republican, Trump made politics fun again,” House Appropriations Committee Chair Tom Cole, R-Okla., told Fox News Digital. “I mean, it’s been an extraordinary week. There’s a blizzard of executive orders and actions. It’s actually pushed Congress on some action.”

Rep. Mike Haridopolos, R-Fla., a first-term member of Congress, was buoyant when approached by Fox News Digital on the first night of his first House GOP issues conference, an annual Republican event.

TRUMP’S FEDERAL DEI PURGE PUTS HUNDREDS ON LEAVE, NIXES $420M IN CONTRACTS

President Donald Trump spoke to Republicans for just over an hour on Monday night. (Evan Vucci/AP)

“This is exactly why we ran for office, to turn around this country as quickly as possible. And that the president was in full form tonight. And I’m so excited to be a part of this change,” Haridopolos said. “You could feel the energy in the room, and I think people are very excited to get this agenda through, and more importantly see the results.”

It comes as Republicans negotiate on how to use their razor-thin majorities in the House and Senate to pass massive conservative policy changes through budget reconciliation.

By reducing the threshold for Senate passage from 60 votes to a 51-seat simple majority, reconciliation allows a party in control of both congressional chambers to enact sweeping changes, provided they’re relevant to budgetary and fiscal policy.

There has been some disagreement for weeks over how to package the GOP’s priorities, however. Senate Republicans have pushed for breaking the package up into two bills in order to score early victories on border security and energy policy while leaving the more complex issue of tax reform for a second bill.

House Republican leaders, however, are concerned that the heavy political lift that passing a reconciliation bill entails would mean lawmakers run out of time before they can extend Trump’s 2017 tax cuts, which expire at the end of this year.

Trump, who previously said he favors “one big beautiful bill,” was noncommittal on the strategy during his speech. 

“Whether it’s one bill, two bills, I don’t care,” he said.

House Appropriations Committee Chair Tom Cole said Trump “made politics fun again.” (Getty Images)

He was more specific about what policies he wanted to see passed, however, including more funding for border security, permanently extending his 2017 tax cuts and ending taxation for tips, Social Security benefits and overtime pay. Trump also has vowed to end green energy policies in favor of bolstering the fossil fuel sector.

Cole said he was concerned about the increase in federal spending that some of Trump’s specific policy goals would entail, but he conceded the president was likely speaking in generalities. 

“I think Trump, when he thinks about these things, he’s thinking about just the average person and what a burden it is on them,” Cole said.

Rep. Don Bacon, R-Neb., one of three House Republicans who won in a district that voted for former Vice President Kamala Harris in November, praised Trump’s speech as “unifying” but shared concerns with Trump’s broad-brush approach.

‘NO BETTER DEALMAKER’: TRUMP REPORTEDLY CONSIDERING EXECUTIVE ORDER TO ‘SAVE’ TIKTOK

“I thought that message is pretty unifying. I do. I think sometimes the execution gets all messy,” Bacon said. 

“While I was in there, I had a businessman from Omaha that does wind energy, and he’s worried about what that means. So I think it … could be a little more targeted. Sometimes I think people on the periphery are scared that their business will be impacted.”

But National Republican Congressional Committee Chair Richard Hudson, R-N.C., who is tasked with leading Republicans through the 2026 midterm elections, said leaders would hash out specifics as needed while crediting Trump with bringing the GOP together.

National Republican Congressional Committee Chair Richard Hudson praised Trump’s speech as unifying. (Al Drago/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

“We’ll see how the details shake out in these couple of days. But what I thought was great is he kept coming back to his theme: If all Republicans stick together, we can be successful. And I thought that was a good message for all members,” Hudson said.

Rep. Nicole Malliotakis, R-N.Y., said she was “very happy to hear” Trump call for a lower tax rate for new domestic manufacturing, particularly in relation to pharmaceuticals.

It’s an issue she hopes Republicans will tackle in their reconciliation process.

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“It was important that President Trump stressed unity as we enter the timeframe for drafting and passing reconciliation, extending the tax package,” Malliotakis said. 

And Rep. Nathaniel Moran, R-Texas, also praised Trump’s speech while dismissing concerns about his lack of commitment toward a one- or two-reconciliation bill strategy.

“He’s a results-oriented guy, and we all know that. And what we need to do is whatever is necessary to get the results for the American people and put his policies in place,” Moran said.

President Donald Trump said that the construction of an Iron Dome-like shield for the U.S. is a top priority for him on Monday, calling for “immediate” work to be done on the project before signing an executive order.

Trump made the remarks at a Republican dinner in Florida on Monday, while commending his recently-confirmed Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth. After landing at Joint Base Andrews that night, he confirmed that he signed an executive order regarding the Iron Dome on the plane.

“Pete Hegseth, who’s going to be great, by the way… I think he’s going to be fantastic,” Trump said at the event. “I know him very well. I think he’s going to be fantastic.”

“He’s what we need, to immediately begin the construction of a state-of-the-art Iron Dome missile defense shield, which will be able to protect Americans.”

PETE HEGSETH CONFIRMED TO LEAD PENTAGON AFTER VP VANCE CASTS TIE-BREAKING VOTE

President Trump says that he will sign an EO authorizing an Iron Dome project. (Reuters)

The president added that Americans “protect other countries, but we don’t protect ourselves.” Trump also referenced that President Ronald Reagan was interested in the system during the Cold War, but Americans “didn’t have the technology.”

“And now we have phenomenal technology. You see that with Israel,” Trump continued. “So I think the United States is entitled to that. And everything will be made right here in the USA 100%.”

“We’re going next to ensure that we have the most lethal fighting force in the world.”

On Monday, the State Department said that a future Iron Dome is one of Hegseth’s many priorities.

MCCONNELL VOTED NO ON HEGSETH AS PENTAGON HEAD, FORCING VANCE TO CAST TIEBREAKER

President-elect Donald Trump speaks during a news conference at Mar-a-Lago, Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2025, in Palm Beach, Fla.  (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

“Other areas the secretary will study include reinstating troops that were pushed out because of COVID-19 vaccination mandates and developing an Iron Dome anti-missile system for the United States,” the statement read.

This wasn’t Trump’s first mention of an Iron Dome for the U.S. At the Commander-In-Chief inaugural ball on Jan. 20., Trump said that the project was on his radar.

“We’re also doing the Iron Dome all made in America,” Trump said. “We’re going to have a nice Iron Dome.”

The Republican leader also referenced the plan on the campaign trail in 2024.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth arrives at the Pentagon, Monday, Jan. 27, 2025 in Washington.  (AP Photo/Kevin Wolf)

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“By next term we will build a great Iron Dome over our country,” Trump said during a West Palm Beach event on June 14. “We deserve a dome…it’s a missile defense shield, and it’ll all be made in America.”

House Republicans are calling on sanctuary city mayors to testify next month about the policy’s impact on public safety and the refusal to cooperate with federal immigration enforcement.

U.S. Rep. James Comer, R-Tenn., chair of the GOP-controlled House Committee on Oversight and Reform, said he was launching an investigation into sanctuary cities across the United States to determine whether they have complied with federal immigration enforcement laws. 

In a letter, he asked Michelle Wu, Brandon Johnson, Mike Johnston and Eric Adams, the mayors of Boston, Chicago, Denver and New York City, respectively, to provide documents and information related to the sanctuary policies of each city.

TRUMP’S ICE NABS CHILD SEX OFFENDERS AMONG 530+ ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS CAUGHT IN SINGLE DAY

House Oversight and Accountability committee Chairman James Comer (R-KY) speaks during a hearing with Commissioner of the FDA Dr. Robert Califf in the Rayburn House Office Building on April 11, 2024 in Washington, DC.  (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

They were each asked to testify at a public hearing on the matter on Feb. 11. Fox News Digital has reached out to each mayor. 

“On his first day in office, President Donald Trump took decisive actions to restore the rule of law,” Comer wrote on X. “It is now imperative that our immigration laws are enforced across the country and that criminal aliens are swiftly removed from our communities.”

The letters said 12 states and hundreds of cities and counties across the country have sanctuary policies. However, Comer said the four cities singled out “stand out in their abject failure to comply with federal law.” 

Boston Mayor Michelle Wu speaks during a campaign rally. (AP Photo/Mary Schwalm, File)

Sanctuary cities limit cooperation between local law enforcement and federal immigration authorities. Supporters argue that enforcement of immigration is the job of the federal government. 

Opponents say sanctuary policies harbor criminals, as well as those in the country illegally, and put the public, including illegal immigrants, at risk. 

Adams has spoken out against criminal illegal immigrants, who he said put New Yorkers at risk. In addition, he has said he is willing to work with Trump Border Czar Tom Homan. 

New York City Mayor Eric Adams on Tuesday said his administration has been coordinating with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) with regard to deporting illegal criminal migrants.  (Luiz C. Ribeiro/New York Daily News/Tribune News Service via Getty Images and Selcuk Acar/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)

Meanwhile, Wu, the Boston Mayor, has said her city won’t cooperate with Trump’s mass deportation program, despite the region seeing a number of illegal immigrants with criminal charges released back onto the streets.

“Elections have consequences, and the federal government is responsible for a certain set of actions, and cities, no individual city, can reverse or override some parts of that,” she told WCVB-TV in November. “But what we can do is make sure that we are doing our part to protect our residents in every possible way, that we are not cooperating with those efforts that actually threaten the safety of everyone by causing widespread fear and having large scale economic impact.”

In a statement to Fox News Digital, a spokesperson for the City of Boston said: “We are proud that Boston is the safest major city in the United States. We have received the letter and are reviewing it.”

Chicago Mayor Johnson has doubled down on his support of the city’s sanctuary policies. 

“I find it unconscionable that this administration would attempt to create not just division but fear within our public schools,” Johnson said, referring to potential federal raids. 

Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson responds to a question during a news conference on Oct. 7, 2024, in Chicago.  (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)

He has directed city departments to “stand firm and uphold the local ordinance” in compliance with the Illinois Trust Act, which prohibits local law enforcement from assisting federal immigration enforcement efforts.

Denver Mayor Mike Johnston has also supported sanctuary policies despite the presence of members of Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua in Denver and the suburb of Aurora.

On Sunday, federal agents arrested 50 members of the gang in Colorado and seized drugs, weapons, and cash, authorities said. 

In his first week after returning to the White House, Trump has rescinded multiple directives and has targeted illegal immigrants with criminal records in a series of raids.

Democrat mayor Mike Johnston. Denver is a sanctuary city. (Edward Romero and Getty Images)

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Raids by agents with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) have been reported in Colorado, New York City, Buffalo, N.Y., Boston, California, and Minnesota, with hundreds of illegal immigrants being detained. 

In addition, deportation flights have also begun.

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has placed nearly 60 employees on leave who focused on diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives and had a combined salary of more than $8 million.

The VA said in a press release Monday that it completed its implementation of President Donald Trump’s executive order to end DEI in the federal government.

Part of the VA’s abolishment of DEI within the agency meant placing on paid administrative leave about 60 employees who were solely focused on DEI activities.

The VA said the combined salary of the employees – including base pay, locality pay and additional earnings – exceeds $8 million, with the average pay being about $136,000 per year, per employee.

TRUMP’S FEDERAL DEI PURGE PUTS HUNDREDS ON LEAVE, NIXES $420M IN CONTRACTS

(Robert Alexander/Getty Images/File)

One of the employees had a salary of over $220,000 per year, according to the VA.

In addition to putting the employees on leave, the VA said it identified multiple contracts for DEI-related training, materials and other consulting services that are currently being looked at for cancellation. The combined value of the contracts, the VA said, is more than $6.1 million.

Over the coming weeks and months, the VA said it plans to work on reallocating resources to better support the veterans, families, caregivers and survivors who the agency exists to serve.

ATF ACCUSED OF ‘CIRCUMVENTING’ TRUMP ORDER TO PLACE DEI STAFF ON PAID LEAVE

Diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives have been the subject of heated opinions of praise and rebuke. (Adobe Stock)

The VA is also taking down DEI-related materials from its digital assets.

“Under President Trump, VA is laser-focused on providing the best possible care and benefits to Veterans, their families, caregivers, and survivors,” said Morgan Ackley, the VA’s director of media affairs. “We are proud to have abandoned the divisive DEI policies of the past and pivot back to VA’s core mission. We look forward to reallocating the millions of dollars the department was spending on DEI programs and personnel to better serve the men and women who have bravely served our nation.”

The VA joins many other federal agencies that are executing Trump’s plan to end DEI initiatives.

3 IN 10 VOTERS THINK ENDING DEI PROGRAMS IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT, POLL SHOWS, AS FEDERAL DEADLINE LOOMS

President Donald Trump signed an executive order to end DEI initiatives at the federal level. (Evan Vucci/AP)

Trump’s newly created Department of Government Efficiency temporary organization, headed up by tech billionaire Elon Musk, wrote in a social media post on X that about $420 million in current and impending contracts, mainly focused on DEI initiatives, had been canceled.

On the day of his inauguration, Monday, Jan. 20, Trump signed the executive order, and the federal Office of Personnel Management notified heads of agencies and departments that they must begin taking steps to close all DEI offices by the end of the day on Wednesday, Jan. 22, and place government workers in those offices on paid leave. It is not yet clear when or if they will be terminated.

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

Fox News Digital’s Brie Stimson contributed to this report.

A group of Democratic senators previewed several anti-vaccine arguments during a roundtable discussion, including a claim that vaccines cause autism, several days before Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s scheduled confirmation hearings later this week.

Even though Kennedy’s name was “not supposed” to come up during the hearing, according to at least one of the health experts present at the discussion, his nomination to be the next secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) was invoked frequently by lawmakers seeking answers about how to combat anti-vaccine claims and so-called “misinformation,” including arguments about vaccines that Kennedy has promoted in the past.

One claim the senators asked the public health experts at the roundtable about was whether vaccines cause autism, a claim Kennedy has discussed publicly in interviews.

“This is something that I hear a concern about quite a lot,” Sen. Angela Alsobrooks, D-Md., asked the panel. “What, if any information, can you give us to help us push back against that?” 

RFK IS THE LEAST ‘SCARY’ THING HAPPENING TO THE US HEALTH SYSTEM, DR MAKARY WARNS

Sen. Angela Alsobrooks (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images/File)

The doctors on the panel explained the lack of robust studies proving this link while highlighting the wide breadth of studies that have shown no links between vaccines and autism.

“Academic researchers, pediatricians, scientists took that concern seriously enough to spend tens of millions of dollars to answer the question,” said Dr. Paul Offit, a pediatrician with an expertise in virology and immunology. “The more impactful part of your question is how do you get that information out there, because frankly, once you’ve scared people it’s hard to unscare them.” 

Offitt added that since there is no clear cause of autism, it makes it harder to refute claims from Kennedy and others. Dr. Joshua Sharfstein of Johns Hopkins pointed lawmakers to preeminent medical authorities within the U.S., such as the National Academy of Sciences, as places they could go for evidence that vaccines do not cause autism.

TULSI GABBARD, RFK JR EXPECTED TO FACE OPPOSITION IN SENATE CONFIRMATION HEARINGS

The Democratic group of lawmakers, led by Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., who caucuses with Democrats, asked questions about, and learned ways to refute, other anti-vaccine claims, such as whether vaccine manufacturers are immune from being held accountable for vaccine injuries.

The experts pointed out the presence of a National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program that allows certain vaccine injury victims to receive compensation from the government, but they suggested that if Kennedy upended the current system and opened up more companies to liability, it could potentially put vaccine manufacturers out of business.

TRUMP’S REINSTATEMENT OF TROOPS BOOTED OVER COVID VACCINE HAILED AS WIN FOR FREEDOM: ‘GREAT DAY FOR PATRIOTS’

“Am I right that the HHS secretary has some discretion about removing vaccines from that list [and opening them up to civil litigation] if they were to choose?” asked Sen. Time Kaine, D-Va. “Because if that were the case, I would obviously worry about – that would be one worry I would have and a set of questions I might like to ask people nominated for positions within HHS.”

Sen. Tim Kaine (Getty Images/File)

Other questions from lawmakers that the health experts helped answer included queries about how to distinguish between vaccine side effects versus vaccine complications, how to combat claims that vaccines are not studied enough, questions about how the government monitors the safety of vaccines, questions about how undermining vaccine efficacy can impact public health and more. 

DIET AND NUTRITION EXPERTS WEIGH IN ON HOW RFK JR’S NOMINATION COULD IMPACT HOW WE EAT

Kennedy will face tough questions about his stance on vaccines this week during his confirmation hearings in front of both the Senate Committee on Finance and the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP).

Robert Kennedy Jr. (Jon Cherry/Getty Images/File)

The chair of the Senate’s HELP committee, Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., called Kennedy “wrong” on vaccines during an interview earlier this month. 

Democrats, meanwhile, have been more pointed about their criticism. During the roundtable discussion with public health experts, Sen. Ed Markey, D-Mass., called Kennedy “dangerous” and “unqualified” for the position of HHS secretary. 

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“The bird flu, if it explodes, we’re going to need to have some confidence, especially in those people who should be vaccinated, that they can trust the government when they say that it’s safe, they can trust the medical community, and I’m just very afraid of Robert F. Kennedy’s candidacy,” Markey said. 

“Say goodbye to your smile and say hello to polio,” Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., said after news of Kennedy’s nomination to head HHS. “This is a man who wants to stop kids from getting their polio and measles shots. He’s actually welcoming a return to polio, a disease we nearly eradicated.”

Attorneys general in 19 states are warning Costco “to end all unlawful discrimination imposed by the company through diversity, equity, and inclusion” policies to reflect President Donald Trump’s recent executive order booting DEI out of federal agencies and warning private sectors to do the same.

“Racial discrimination is both immoral and illegal. Race-based employment hiring violates state and federal law, and as the chief law enforcement officer of Kansas, I intend to enforce the law vigorously,” Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach told Fox News Digital in a statement. 

Trump’s executive order, signed during his first week in office, will task the attorneys general with rooting out sectors and organizations that allegedly engage in discriminatory DEI practices. Recommendations will be made for potential lawsuits against violators.

REPUBLICAN STATE AGS AWAIT TRUMP-BROKERED TIKTOK DEAL, REMAIN SKEPTICAL ON APP SAFETY

Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird and 18 other state AGs wrote a letter to Costco’s CEO to urge an end to the DEI policies within the company. (Getty Images)

The order encourages private-sector entities to align with federal civil rights laws and discontinue “discriminatory” practices. Publicly traded companies, large nonprofits, foundations with significant assets, bar and medical associations and higher education institutions with substantial endowments are potential targets for DEI investigations.

Trump also dissolved all DEI within the federal government. While big companies like Target, McDonald’s and Walmart backed off from their DEI policies, Costco shareholders voted last week to reject an anti-DEI proposal brought by activist shareholder group National Center for Public Policy Research. The measure would have required the wholesale grocery chain to issue a report on the risks associated with their DEI policies. 

The Costco board said its “commitment to an enterprise rooted in respect and inclusion is appropriate and necessary. The report requested by this proposal would not provide meaningful additional information,” according to reports.

TRUMP’S CRACKDOWN ON TRANS TROOPS: NEW ORDER NIXES PREFERRED PRONOUNS AND RESTRICTS FACILITY USE

Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth announced he is ending all DEI programs and policies at the Pentagon. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis)

“It’s time to ditch DEI. While other companies right the ship and abandon their illegal, woke policies, Costco has doubled down,” Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird told Fox News Digital in a statement. “I’m putting Costco on notice to do the right thing and eliminate discriminatory DEI. No American should be denied an opportunity because they don’t fit the woke mold.” 

The Rev. Al Sharpton led a “buy in” at the Harlem Costco in support of the company rejecting a bid that challenged their corporate DEI policies. The MSNBC host said that he and 100 members of his National Action Network shopped at the store Sunday.

DEFENSE SECRETARY PETE HEGSETH SAYS ‘NO MORE DEI AT DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE’: ‘NO EXCEPTIONS’

President Donald Trump speaks to reporters after signing a series of executive orders in the Oval Office on Jan. 23, 2025.

“Race-neutral practices, on the other hand, honor the founding ideals of this country,” reads the letter sent to Costco CEO Ron Vachris by the 19 attorneys general. “Now, the federal government is also focusing on ensuring invidious racebased discrimination no longer finds a home in woke corporations.”

The attorneys general want a response within the next 30 days to “either notify us that Costco has repealed its DEI policies or explain why Costco has failed to do so.”

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Attorneys general from Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Idaho, Kentucky, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Louisiana, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska and North Dakota also signed the letter.

Fox News Digital reached out to Costco but did not hear back by the time of publication.

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

Colombia did an about-face at lightning-fast speed on accepting deportation flights in what President Donald Trump hailed as a victory for his “f— around and find out” [FAFO]-style of governing. 

One of the first diplomatic spats of the new administration, Colombia’s stunt put on full display a souring of relations with what was until recently one of the U.S.’ strongest allies in Latin America. 

But the U.S. strong-arming has already had reverberations across the globe: China announced it would be accepting its own nationals who unlawfully crossed into the U.S. and get deported under the new administration, faced with a campaign trail threat of up to 60% tariffs. 

PUTIN REPORTEDLY CONCERNED OVER RUSSIA’S ECONOMY AHEAD OF POSSIBLE TRUMP TARIFFS

After President Gustavo Petro refused two flights full of Colombian migrants deported from the U.S., Trump immediately wrote in a Truth Social post he was imposing 25% tariffs on all goods from Colombia, a travel ban on Colombian government officials and other steep financial sanctions. He said the tariffs would reach as high as 50% by next week. 

At first, Petro retaliated with his own 25% tariffs on U.S. goods coming from Colombia.

But amid intense political pressure from within his own government, the former Marxist guerrilla fighter acquiesced to all U.S. demands.

After the debacle, Trump posted a celebratory AI-generated image of himself dressed as a mobster next to a sign that read “FAFO.” 

Colombia’s President Gustavo Petro initially rejected migrant flights to his country. (AP Photo/Fernando Vergara, File)

Experts say the Colombian leader was taken by surprise at the economic and diplomatic force by the U.S.

“The Biden administration was doing very little to push back on some of the really disruptive actions by the Petro government… including on security cooperation and countering drug trafficking,” said Andres Martinez-Fernandez, Latin America analyst at the Heritage Foundation’s Allison Center. “The Biden White House was giving them carte blanche in terms of not pushing back. That’s important to note for why the Colombian government felt so bold.” 

COLOMBIAN LEADER QUICKLY CAVES AFTER TRUMP THREATS, OFFERS PRESIDENTIAL PLANE FOR DEPORTATION FLIGHTS

“He was taking a shot, probably not expecting the U.S. to come down as hard as it did, when it did, because I imagine he wanted to draw this out,” said Joseph Humire, executive director at the Center for a Secure Free Society, a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit. 

“If Petro was left to his own devices, I think he would have gone through with it. I don’t think he cared about the Colombian economy.”

“His own ministers, other sectors of the government, and obviously the private sector, probably pressured him a lot… and he relented.”

Former President Joe Biden and former Vice President Kamala Harris had often urged migrants not to come to the U.S. – but illegal immigration figures remain stubbornly high. 

“I can say quite clearly: Don’t come,” Biden told ABC in an interview in 2021. But he continued: “We’re in the process of getting set up. Don’t leave your town or city or community.”

Harris told Guatemalans that same year: “I want to be clear to folks in this region who are thinking about making that dangerous trek to the United States-Mexico border: Do not come. Do not come.”

Donald J. Trump was be sworn in as the 47th president on Jan. 20, 2025. (Trump-Vance Transition Team)

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt released this image Friday, writing on X that “deportation flights have begun.” (White House)

But annual net migration – the number of people coming into the U.S. minus the number leaving – reached an all-time record average of 2.4 million population growth between 2021 and 2023. 

Petro took on Trump over the weekend when he insisted he would not accept the return of migrants who were not treated with “dignity and respect” and who had arrived shackled or on military planes. 

But after steep tariff threats “panicked” Colombia’s government and business leaders, the White House later announced Colombia had agreed to all U.S. conditions, including accepting migrants on military planes.

AOC ROASTED OVER POST ABOUT COLOMBIA TARIFFS AND COFFEE PRICES THAT ‘AGED LIKE HOT MILK’

Petro accepted 126 deportation flights last year, often with immigrants in shackles to prevent aviation emergencies, given that there are far more deportees than officers charged with accompanying them.

“It’s not the first time this has happened, and I think that was complete BS on [Petro’s] part,” said Humire.  

“It was a pretty, I would say, poorly conceived effort by the Colombians on this front, and for numerous reasons, but, but in particular, because the Colombian economy and society and its security apparatus, defense apparatus, they’re also deeply integrated with the U.S. and dependent on the U.S.,” said Martinez-Fernandez.

Colombia is one of the top recipients of U.S. aid in the world due to a security partnership. Since 2000, Colombia has received more than $13 billion in foreign assistance from the U.S. Departments of Defense and State and from the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), largely focused on counternarcotics efforts, continued implementation of the government’s 2016 peace accord with the FARC rebel group, integration of Venezuelan migrants and refugees, and environmental programs.

For years, Colombia had grown closer to the U.S., becoming a major non-NATO ally in 2022. But under Petro, relations between the two nations took a turn. 

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Now, Colombia is intent on shrugging off U.S. influence and aligning itself with China, Russia and Iran, and deepening ties with Venezuela, which finds itself at odds with the U.S. under President Nicolas Maduro. 

“Petro’s intent is clear: he is legitimizing the dictatorship in Venezuela and Cuba, taking Colombia into a different geopolitical orbit,” Humire said. 

The spat caused a massive rift between Petro and his foreign minister, Luis Murillo, Colombian media outlets reported. Murillo, who’s reportedly been in contact with Trump special envoy Ric Grenell on the matter, spent the weekend phoning Republican U.S. lawmakers and plans to travel to the U.S. to smooth over relations with Colombia’s biggest trading partner. The U.S. accounts for 34% of Colombia’s total trade. 

Ohio GOP Sen. Bernie Moreno ripped Chicago’s Democratic Mayor Brandon Johnson as the “worst mayor in American history” and called on liberal mayors across the country to focus on making life better for their citizens, as opposed to blocking President Donald Trump’s immigration efforts.

“My message to the mayors of those cities is, why don’t you do this for a change, why don’t you actually advocate for the American citizens that live in your communities, help them with better schools, better housing and better security rather than protecting criminal illegals that shouldn’t even be in this country in the first place,” the freshman senator told Fox News Digital. “And I think when the voters of those cities see what these mayors are doing, they’re going to throw them out.”

“The mayor of Chicago is probably the worst mayor in American history,” Moreno continued. “He’s just going for extra credit. The guy is a total and complete bumbling idiot. So, hopefully, the voters of Chicago take care of that pretty quickly.”

Johnson has been one of the more outspoken mayors calling for resistance to Trump’s immigration and deportation efforts, saying recently that his city is “going to protect undocumented individuals” from ICE raids. 

INDIANA ATTORNEY GENERAL FILES LAWSUIT AGAINST SHERIFF FOR DEFYING FEDS ON ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION

Ohio GOP Sen. Bernie Moreno told Fox News Digital that Democratic mayors should focus on protecting their citizens and not opposing Trump. (Fox News Digital/Getty)

The Chicago mayor’s office acknowledged Fox News Digital’s inquiry by labeling Moreno’s comment “ad hominem criticism,” but did not expand on their response.

Some Chicago residents have voiced frustration with Johnson’s public opposition to Trump, including P Rae Easley, a Chicagoan and host of “Black Excellence Hour,” in an interview with “Fox & Friends First.” 

“We understand that we are in the middle of an invasion,” Easley said. “Every single person who came across that border came with an invoice on their back for the Chicago taxpayer.”

Despite calls from Johnson and other mayors pledging to block Trump’s efforts, ICE agents across the country have deported hundreds of illegal immigrants in the first few days of Trump’s administration.

Moreno praised Trump’s efforts and said he anticipates the flurry of immigration moves from Trump in recent days to continue.  

“It’s amazing,” Moreno told Fox News Digital. “I mean, President Trump knows the urgency that we need to get safety and security back to our cities. Look, these criminal aliens should never have been allowed to be in this country in the first place. Joe Biden put this country in jeopardy for four years and President Trump’s going to clean it up really fast.”

UP TO 250,000 CHILDREN BORN TO ILLEGAL MIGRANTS IN 2023: PRELIMINARY REPORT

Bernie Moreno, then a Senate candidate, addresses the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, July 16, 2024. (Reuters/Mike Segar)

The new administration’s efforts to roll back illegal immigration has gained support from Democrats in certain situations, including the passage of the Laken Riley Act, which had the support of 48 Democrats in the House. 

Moreno, when asked if that vote shows Democrats are becoming increasingly more open to addressing the illegal immigration issue, said, “Absolutely.”

“I mean, look, this should be an American issue, like we want legal immigrants to come here safely, securely in a way that benefits this country, not by breaking into this country, paying drug cartel members who rape them and beat them along the journey,” Moreno said. “It’s the most disgusting way to welcome migrants to this country, especially fake asylum claims. We have a bill that’s going to stop that.”

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Mayor Brandon Johnson responds to a question during a news conference on Oct. 7, 2024, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)

“Look, if you’re a true refugee, we’re going to have a safe process for you to come to this country. If you’re an economic migrant, you got to wait in line. You can’t use asylum as a way to skip a line ahead of millions of people, which is fundamentally unfair. And I think a lot of Democrats will come on board with my bill.”

Moreno recently introduced the Refugees Using Legal Entry Safely (RULES) Act, which aims to reform the way asylum seekers enter the United States.

Democratic New York City Mayor Eric Adams will have a limited public schedule this week, with his office saying that he will be undergoing medical tests. 

“Over the last few days, Mayor Adams hasn’t been feeling his best,” New York City Deputy Mayor for Communications Fabien Levy said in a statement. Levy did not specify a condition or medical concern.  

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“As a result, this week, the mayor will have a number of doctors’ appointments and undergo routine medical tests,” Levy continued. “While Mayor Adams will continue to communicate constantly with staff and ensure city business continues undeterred, during this time, the mayor will have a limited public schedule.”

New York City Mayor Eric Adams speaks during a news conference outside Gracie Mansion, Thursday, Sept. 26, 2024, in New York.  (Rashid Umar Abbasi for Fox News Digital)

Adams’ office said that New Yorkers City Hall would continue its everyday functions as Adams focuses on his health this week.

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“New Yorkers can rest assured that their local government will continue to deliver for them every day as our committed workforce at City Hall, and more than 300,000 employees at dozens of city agencies, continue to show up on the most important issues,” Levy said. “Like every other New Yorker, Mayor Adams has a right to privacy when it comes to personal matters, but we will continue to communicate in the unlikely event he is unable to fully discharge his duties on any particular day.”

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The Air Force has resumed a course on the first Black pilots unit that was temporarily yanked to ensure compliance with President Donald Trump’s executive order banning DEI in the federal government. 

Following backlash from legislators and even the new Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, the Air Force claimed reports it had yanked a course teaching new recruits about the 15,000 Black pilots, mechanics and cooks in the segregated Army of World War II known as the Tuskegee Airmen were “inaccurate.” 

However, Hegseth wrote on X Sunday that the course’s removal had been “immediately reversed.”

Lt. Gen. Brian Robinson, Air Education and Training Command commander, said in a statement that the segment that included videos on the Tuskegee Airmen was temporarily yanked on Jan. 23 because a section of it that included DEI material was directed to be removed.

A video on the Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP), a paramilitary group of female pilots in World War II, was also temporarily removed.

From left to right, Tuskegee Airmen pilots Lt. Colonel Washington Ross, Lt. Col. Harry Stewart, Colonel Charles McGee and Lt. Col. Alexander Jefferson stand next to a Tuskegee Army Airfield AY-6 Texan fighter plane during a ceremony to honor the airmen at Selfridge National Airbase in Harrison Township, Michigan, on June 19, 2012.

“We believe this adjustment to curriculum to be fully aligned with the direction given in the DEI executive order,” he said. “No curriculum or content highlighting the honor and valor of the Tuskegee Airmen or Women Air Force Service Pilots has been removed from Basic Military Training.”

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“No Airmen or Guardians will miss this block of instruction due to the revision, however, one group of trainees had the training delayed. The revised training, which focuses on the documented historic legacy and decorated valor with which these units and airmen fought for our nation in World War II and beyond will continue on 27 January.”

Gen. David Allvin, Air Force chief of staff, explained further, “Allow me to clearly dispel a rumor – while we are currently reviewing all training courses to ensure compliance with the executive orders, no curriculum or content highlighting the honor and valor of the Tuskegee Airmen or Women Air Force Service Pilots has been removed from Basic Military Training.”

Some 14,000 Tuskegee Airmen served in World War II, including hundreds of its now legendary fighter pilots. (Tuskegee University Archives)

“From day one, I directed our Air Force to implement all directives outlined in the Executive Orders issued by the president swiftly and professionally – no equivocation, no slow-rolling, no foot-dragging. When policies change, it is everyone’s responsibility to be diligent and ensure all remnants of the outdated policies are appropriately removed, and the new ones are clearly put in place,” he went on in a statement. 

“Despite some inaccurate opinions expressed in reporting recently, our Air Force is faithfully executing all the president’s executive orders. Adhering to policy includes fully aligning our force with the direction given in the DEI executive order. Disguising and renaming are not compliance, and I’ve made this clear. If there are instances of less-than-full compliance, we will hold those responsible accountable.”

Before the Air Force announced it would resume training on the airmen on Monday, Sen. Katie Britt, R-Ala., had accused it of “malicious compliance.” 

“I have no doubt Secretary Hegseth will correct and get to the bottom of the malicious compliance we’ve seen in recent days. President Trump celebrated and honored the Tuskegee Airmen during his first term,” she said. 

Tuskegee Airmen pictured in 1945. (Tuskegee University Archives)

PETE HEGSETH CONFIRMED TO LEAD PENTAGON AFTER VP VANCE CASTS TIE-BREAKING VOTE

“Amen! We’re all over it, Senator. This will not stand,” Hegseth echoed.

WASP were vital to ferrying warplanes throughout World War II. The Tuskegee Airmen, an active fighter unit from 1940 to 1952, were the first soldiers who flew during World War II. The group destroyed more than 100 German aircraft. 

The nation’s armed forces were not desegregated until 1948, under an executive order from then-President Harry Truman. 

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Trump is expected to issue a new executive order focused on rooting out DEI in the military on Monday, in addition to one restricting accommodations for transgender troops. Another executive order will reinstate service members who were fired over refusing the COVID-19 vaccine. 

Vice President JD Vance’s political team, including two top advisors, are joining Vivek Ramaswamy’s soon-to-be announced 2026 Ohio gubernatorial run, a source with knowledge confirmed to Fox News.

The news follows conversations between Ramaswamy and Vance, who until he stepped down earlier this month to assume the vice presidency was a senator from Ohio, added the operative, who asked to remain anonymous to speak more freely.

Ramaswamy, a multimillionaire biotech entrepreneur and former Republican presidential candidate, for weeks has been putting the pieces together to launch a gubernatorial campaign in the race to succeed GOP Gov. Mike DeWine of Ohio, who is term-limited and cannot seek re-election.

“Expect Vivek to announce his candidacy in mid-February,” the source told Fox News.

RAMASWAMY DONE AT DOGE AS HE HEADS BACK ON CAMPAIGN TRAIL

Vivek Ramaswamy and Kristi Noem applaud during President Donald Trump’s inauguration at the Rotunda of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 20, 2025. (Kevin Lamarque/Reuters/Pool)

Ramaswamy was among the contenders who challenged President Donald Trump for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination before dropping out of the race and becoming a top Trump ally and surrogate.

The two Vance advisors are Andy Surabian and Jai Chabria, who played major roles in Vance’s 2022 Senate race and in his vice presidential campaign last summer and autumn, after Trump named the first-term senator as his running mate.

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The Ohio-based Chabria, a veteran in Buckeye State politics, is expected to serve as the Ramaswamy campaign’s general consultant.

Surabian, who is also a top advisor to Donald Trump Jr., the president’s eldest son and a top figure in the MAGA movement, will steer an outside political group allied with Ramaswamy.

Tony Fabrizio, the veteran Republican pollster who worked on Trump’s 2016 and 2024 campaigns, as well as Vance’s 2022 Senate campaign, is also on board, according to the source, as is Arthur Schwartz, another close ally to Vance and Donald Trump Jr.

Vice President JD Vance speaks prior to swearing in Pete Hegseth as Defense secretary of Defense in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building on the White House campus, Saturday, Jan. 25, 2025. (AP Photo/Rod Lamkey, Jr.)

Vance, who has known Ramaswamy since they both studied at Yale Law School, has put his imprint on Ohio politics since winning his 2022 Senate election in the one-time key battleground state that has shifted to the right over the past decade.

Vance endorsed now-Sen. Bernie Moreno ahead of his 2024 GOP Senate primary victory, and key members of Vance’s political team steered Moreno’s campaign.

“It should not come as a surprise that JD’s top operatives are working with Vivek, given that JD and Vivek have had a longtime friendship,” a source in Vance’s political orbit told Fox News.

A longtime Ohio-based Republican operative, who asked for anonymity to speak more freely, said Vance is “sending a message” with this move.

He added that the advisors joining the Ramaswamy effort are “an all-star caliber campaign team.”

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Also part of that team, according to the source, are three veterans from Ramaswamy’s White House campaign – Ben Yoho, Mike Biundo and Chris Grant.

Ramaswamy, who’s now 39 years old, launched his presidential campaign in February 2023 and quickly saw his stock rise as he went from a long shot to a contender for the Republican nomination.

He campaigned on what he called an “America First 2.0” agenda and was one of Trump’s biggest supporters in the field of rivals, calling Trump the “most successful president in our century.”

Ramaswamy dropped his White House bid a year ago after a distant fourth-place finish in the Iowa caucuses and quickly endorsed Trump, becoming a top surrogate on the campaign trail.

Trump, in the days after his November presidential election victory, named Elon Musk, the world’s richest person, along with Ramaswamy, to steer the Department of Government Efficiency initiative, which is better known by its acronym DOGE.

Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy arrive at the U.S. Capitol to discuss their efforts leading DOGE, in December. (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)

But last Monday, as Trump was inaugurated, the new administration announced that Ramaswamy was no longer serving at DOGE. Ramaswamy’s exit appears to clear the way for Musk, Trump’s top donor and key ally, to steer DOGE without having to share the limelight.

“It was my honor to help support the creation of DOGE. I’m confident that Elon & team will succeed in streamlining government. I’ll have more to say very soon about my future plans in Ohio. Most importantly, we’re all-in to help President Trump make America great again!,” Ramaswamy wrote. 

DeWine announced a week and a half ago that Lt. Gov. Jon Husted would fill the U.S. Senate seat that was held by Vance until he stepped down ahead of the Trump/Vance inauguration.

Before the Senate announcement, Husted had planned to run for governor in 2026 to succeed DeWine. Ramaswamy, for his part, had expressed interest in serving in the Senate. 

Gov. Mike DeWine announces his appointment of Lt. Gov. Jon Husted, right, to fill the U.S. Senate seat formerly held by Vice President-elect JD Vance, on Jan. 17, 2025, in Columbus, Ohio. (AP Photo/Julie Carr Smyth)

DeWine’s decision to choose Husted to fill the vacant Senate seat appeared to accelerate Ramaswamy’s move toward launching a run for governor.

Sen. Rick Scott of Florida, a major Trump ally in the Senate, on Monday endorsed Ramswamy’s all-but-certain gubernatorial bid.

“I’ve had the privilege of working closely with Vivek G. Ramaswamy, and he is totally focused on trying to save our country,” Scott said in a social media post.

The race for the GOP gubernatorial nomination could be competitive. Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost, 68, announced late last week his candidacy for governor.

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Ramaswamy’s move to run for governor also comes a couple of weeks after he and Musk sparked a firestorm among Trump’s hard core MAGA supporters over their support for H-1B temporary worker visas for highly skilled workers from foreign countries.

Ramaswamy’s comments criticizing an American culture that he said “venerated mediocrity over excellence” received plenty of pushback from some leading voices on the right as well as some in Trump’s political circle.

Ohio, which was once a top general election battleground, has shifted red over the past decade as Republicans have dominated statewide elections.