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Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand says she will apply the lessons learned from the 2024 elections and other recent cycles as she works to win back the Senate majority for the Democrats in the 2026 midterm elections.

“If we’ve learned anything in the last few cycles, if you’re not in the field early, talking to voters about what they’re worried about, what’s their kitchen table issues, and then coming up with legislative solutions to help them, they’re not going to feel that you have their back. And so it’s about a relationship with your voters,” the new chair of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee told Fox News Digital in a recent interview.

Gillibrand, the longtime senator from New York who was re-elected in November, was named on Monday by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, a fellow New Yorker, to steer the Senate Democrats’ campaign committee in the 2026 cycle.

“Electing more Democrats to the Senate in 2026 is the most important thing we can do to limit the damage of Donald Trump and Congressional Republicans and do more for working families,” Schumer argued in a statement. “I have worked side by side with Kirsten Gillibrand for nearly two decades and I know she will be an outstanding DSCC Chair. With her hard work, tenacity, and discipline, Sen. Gillibrand is the right person to lead our campaign to victory in 2026.”

MEET THE REPUBLICAN SENATOR TASKED WITH DEFENDING THE GOP’S SENATE MAJORITY IN 2026

Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., leaves the Senate Democrats’ lunch in the Mansfield Room in the Capitol on Wednesday, March 15, 2023. (Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)

Gillibrand pledged in a statement to “work my hardest to support our Democratic incumbents, recruit the strongest possible candidates, and ensure they have every resource needed to win. I am confident that we will protect our Democratic seats, mount strong challenges in our battleground races, and look to expand our efforts into some unexpected states.”

The senator, as she looked ahead to her new mission to win back the Senate majority or at the least, cut into the GOP’s newly won 53-47 control of the chamber, pointed in her Fox News Digital interview to her own re-election and her efforts to help House Democrats flip Republican-controlled seats in the 2024 cycle.

“I made sure that for my race and for the House races in New York that our candidates were in the community talking to voters two years before the election, talking to them about what mattered to them. People were concerned about crime; they were concerned about immigration. They were concerned about fentanyl and gun trafficking. They were also concerned about the economy and the cost of food, the cost of housing,” she said.

GILLIBRAND ARGUES DEMOCRATS SHOULD HAVE PUT IMMIGRATION ON THE TABLE TWO YEARS AGO

Gillibrand emphasized that “we really did the outreach and engagement that you really need to do in this day and age to make sure you’re talking about the things that voters want you to be working on.”

Additionally, she said that Democrats can learn from President-elect Donald Trump’s 2024 White House victory.

“President-elect Trump is a formidable candidate. He showed in this last election that he was able to win over voters in states across this country, not just red states,” Gillibrand noted. “I think it’s important to learn the lessons of last cycle.”

President-elect Donald Trump speaks during a news conference at Mar-a-Lago, on Monday, Dec. 16, 2024 in Palm Beach, Florida. (AP/Evan Vucci)

Senate Democrats faced an extremely difficult map in the 2024 cycle as they lost control of the majority. An early read of the 2026 map shows they will continue to play defense in some states, but also offers opportunities to go on offense.

Among them is the southeastern battleground state of North Carolina.

“There’s a number of places where Democrats can win if they have the right candidate in the community early enough talking about the issues that voters care about. A state like North Carolina might be one where we got very close last time.,” Gillibrand said.

There is plenty of speculation that former Gov. Roy Cooper, who just finished steering the state for two terms, may make a bid for the Senate against Republican incumbent Sen. Thom Tillis.

“There are some really remarkably good candidates in North Carolina, considering the former governor would be one of them. That’s the kind of state I’m going to be looking at around the country, states where Democrats have won in the past, where they might be able to win again if they have a candidate that really resonates and does the hard work of engaging voters early,” Gillibrand said.

FORMER TRUMP AMBASSADOR EYES SENATE RETURN, POTENTIALLY SETTING UP 2026 REMATCH IN KEY SWING STATE

Another potential pickup opportunity for Gillibrand may be blue-leaning Maine, where moderate Republican Susan Collins is up for re-election in 2026.

“Susan is quite tough to beat,” Gillibrand acknowledged. But she added that “if we get a great candidate there, that’s a race where we will be competitive.”

Republican Sen. Susan Collins of Maine. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

The 2026 map also gives Republicans opportunities to flip Democrat-controlled seats.

In swing state New Hampshire, longtime Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, who’s taking over as ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, is up for re-election.

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Sen. Gary Peters, who steered the DSCC in the 2022 and 2024 cycles, is up for re-election in battleground Michigan. So is first-term Sen. Jon Ossoff in swing state Georgia.

“The great thing about Jean Shaheen is she is in her community every week, talking to people about the things she works on, on their behalf. She’s common sense, she’s bipartisan, and so I’m optimistic we will hold her seat,” Gillibrand said. “I’m also optimistic about making sure Gary Peters holds his seat in Michigan. Again, he’s extremely bipartisan. He’s constantly working on behalf of the voters of Michigan to make sure they understand that he fights for them. The same is true, I’d say for Jon Ossoff. He hit the ground running as a new senator last term, and I think he really does resonate with Georgia voters.”

President Biden announced an 11th-hour executive action on Monday that bans new drilling and further oil and natural gas development on more than 625 million acres of U.S. coastal and offshore waters. 

Biden, whose term expires in two weeks, said he is using authority to protect offshore areas along the East and West coasts, the eastern Gulf of Mexico and portions of Alaska’s Northern Bering Sea from future oil and natural gas leasing. He invoked the 1953 Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act, meaning President-elect Trump could be limited in his ability to revoke the action. Congress might need to intervene to grant Trump authority to place federal waters back into development. 

“My decision reflects what coastal communities, businesses, and beachgoers have known for a long time: that drilling off these coasts could cause irreversible damage to places we hold dear and is unnecessary to meet our nation’s energy needs,” Biden said in a statement. “It is not worth the risks. As the climate crisis continues to threaten communities across the country and we are transitioning to a clean energy economy, now is the time to protect these coasts for our children and grandchildren.” 

The move garnered quick condemnation from Trump’s incoming White House press secretary, Karoline Leavitt. 

TRUMP PLANNING TO LIFT BIDEN’S LNG PAUSE, INCREASE OIL DRILLING DURING 1ST DAYS IN OFFICE: REPORT

President Biden speaks at a reception for new Democratic members of Congress in the State Dining Room of the White House, Sunday, Jan. 5, 2025.  (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)

“This is a disgraceful decision designed to exact political revenge on the American people who gave President Trump a mandate to increase drilling and lower gas prices. Rest assured, Joe Biden will fail, and we will drill, baby, drill,” Leavitt wrote on X. 

Biden patted himself on the back for what he categorized as a legacy move in the fight against climate change. 

“From Day One, I have delivered on the most ambitious climate and conservation agenda in our country’s history. And over the last four years, I have conserved more than 670 million acres of America’s lands and waters, more than any other president in history,” Biden said. “Our country’s remarkable conservation and restoration progress has been locally led by Tribes, farmers and ranchers, fishermen, small businesses, and outdoor recreation enthusiasts across the country. Together, our ‘America the Beautiful’ initiative put the United States on track to meet my ambitious goal to conserve at least 30 percent of our Nation’s lands and waters by 2030.”  

Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump speaks at a campaign town hall at the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center & Fairgrounds, Oct. 14, 2024, in Oaks, Pa., as moderator South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem listens.  (AP Photo/Alex Brandon, File)

BIDEN MOVING TO BAN OIL AND GAS LEASES FOR 20 YEARS IN NEVADA REGION, JUST WEEKS BEFORE TRUMP INAUGURATION

“We do not need to choose between protecting the environment and growing our economy, or between keeping our ocean healthy, our coastlines resilient, and the food they produce secure and keeping energy prices low,” the statement added. “Those are false choices. Protecting America’s coasts and ocean is the right thing to do, and will help communities and the economy to flourish for generations to come.” 

Ron Neal, the chairman of the Independent Petroleum Association of America Offshore Committee, also slammed Biden’s last-ditch offshore drilling ban as “significant and catastrophic.” 

“While it may not directly affect the currently active production areas in the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) and adjoining coastal areas, it represents a major attack on the oil and natural gas industry. This should be seen as the ‘elephant’s nose under the tent.’ The ban severely limits potential for exploration and development in new areas therefore chocking the long-term survivability of the industry,” Neal, also the President of Houston Energy LP and CEO of HEQ Deepwater, said in a statement. “This move is a first step towards more extensive restrictions all across our industry in all U.S. basins including the onshore. If the activists come for anything, they are coming for everything. The policy is catastrophic for the development of new areas for oil and natural gas but, the environmentalists will eventually look to also shut down offshore wind farms for most of the same reasons. President Biden and his allies continue to push anti-energy policies that will hurt Americans.” 

Offshore petroleum drilling rig in the Gulf of Mexico.  (Ron Buskirk/UCG/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)

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Trump, during his 2024 campaign, promised to deliver American “energy dominance” on the world stage as he looked toward bolstering U.S. oil and gas drilling, as well as distance from Biden’s prioritization of climate change initiatives.

It is unclear what Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s day one priorities will be if he is confirmed to be the next Health and Human Services Secretary, but diet and nutrition experts suggest Kennedy could effectuate changes on a number of different fronts when it comes to healthy eating. These potential reforms might include overhauling school lunch programs, establishing new standards for seed oils and ultra-processed foods, setting limits on toxins, and more.  

Kennedy, who wants to “Make America Healthy Again,” has been a staunch advocate for reforms to the food industry and President-elect Donald Trump has said he will have permission to “go wild on health” if he is confirmed.

One major opening for Kennedy would be overseeing a revision of the federal government’s “Dietary Guidelines for Americans,” one of the most powerful tools in terms of shaping public perception about what is healthy. The guidelines must be revised every five years and the deadline for the next update arrives in 2025. Kennedy, if confirmed, would ultimately be in charge of hiring the experts who draft the guidelines.

RFK JR ‘NOT KIDDING’ ABOUT AMERICA’S ‘TOXIC SOUP’ DIET, DR. SIEGEL EXPLAINS

RFK Jr. has been a staunch advocate for reforms to the food industry, and President-elect Donald Trump has said he will have permission to “go wild on health” if he is confirmed. (Getty/iStock)

“I know that they really want to focus on kids,” Nina Teicholz, nutrition expert and founder of The Nutrition Coalition, told Fox News Digital. 

Teicholz, who has been in discussions with Kennedy’s team about the new national dietary guidelines, suggested that he could potentially use them to implement changes to school lunches, such as adding a limit on sugar, for which Teicholz said there currently is none, and bringing back whole milk to school cafeterias, which was prohibited under the Obama administration. 

The addition of whole milk to school cafeterias could limit how frequently children consume high-sugar, flavored-milk beverages, Teicholz said. She also pointed out that current recommendations that are keeping whole milk out of schools “is based on the saturated fat content in milk, but there’s really no good evidence to show that saturated fats have any negative effect on children.”

“I think that Kennedy has aimed to stand for evidence-based changes to policy,” Teicholz said. “So, that means not making policy based on weak science.”

Teicholz added that in addition to school lunches, there is other “low-hanging fruit” associated with the guidelines that Kennedy could go after. 

Kennedy could use the guidelines to narrow the definition of ultra-processed foods, she pointed out, which is a sector of the food industry that Kennedy has previously been critical of. Teicholz also said that research on “ultra-processed foods” is scant, and, therefore, you could see Kennedy commissioning more studies on such foods as well.

TEEN SUES FOOD GIANTS OVER ULTRA-PROCESSED FOODS AFTER BEING DIAGNOSED WITH FATTY LIVER DISEASE

A student grabs lunch. (AP Photo/Herald-Times Reporter, Sue Pischke)

Dave Asprey, an author and nutrition advocate who has written several New York Times best-selling books about healthier eating, said he thinks it is likely Kennedy will also add toxin limits within the new dietary guidelines, aimed at pesticides and herbicides that have come under scrutiny. He also said he wouldn’t be surprised if Kennedy and his team were to implement new standards around animal feed.

Asprey added that Kennedy’s experience as a trial lawyer could aid him tremendously in initiating legal proceedings if he wanted to pursue companies that “are continuing to push outdated, unhealthy guidelines.”

“Where can he actually impact real change? The dietary guidelines – because they control how we feed our kids, what we do in hospitals and a lot of our public policy,” Asprey said.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. poses with supporters during his campaign for presidency before dropping out and endorsing Trump. ( Emily Elconin/Getty Images)

Kennedy has recently been courting support for his nomination on Capitol Hill, and, according to GOP Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala., Kennedy told him that he would exercise restraint and use a light touch when seeking to regulate the food and agriculture industries.

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But, according to Mara Fleishman, CEO of the Chef Ann Foundation, a healthy-eating nonprofit, the Trump administration’s desire for a more limited-government approach to governing could clash with Kennedy’s efforts to reform the food industry.

“I think time will tell what – if anything – RFK Jr. can, or will, do,” Fleishman said.

Fox News Digital reached out to representatives for Kennedy but did not receive a response.

As New York’s “congestion pricing” inner-city tolling plan takes effect Sunday, one of its major proponents is questioning whether the timing is right for a policy meant to drive people to an increasingly dangerous mass transit system.

Through a spokesman, former Gov. Andrew Cuomo confirmed that he still backs the system that now tolls drivers $9 to cross below Central Park or enter Lower Manhattan from Brooklyn and New Jersey – but questioned whether now is best to implement it.

“Governor Cuomo believes congestion pricing is ultimately the right policy, which is why he fought and succeeded in passing it after more than a decade of failed attempts,” longtime spokesman Rich Azzopardi told Fox News Digital on Friday.

Azzopardi said that Cuomo’s original plan, which found agreement from then-Mayor Bill de Blasio, was based on a “safe and reliable subway system” and a thriving city core. Prior Mayor Michael Bloomberg had proposed a similar plan in 2007, but it died in Albany.

HOCHUL SPARKS BIPARTISAN OUTRAGE OVER CONGESTION PRICING REBOOT AS DEMS WORRY TRUMP WILL BLOCK

“[G]iven the obvious lack of confidence the public currently has in the subway system – combined with the tenuous state of New York City post-COVID, [Cuomo] called for a data-driven study on the impact of congestion pricing to inform the timing of such a major policy change and to ensure New York was not creating additional obstacles to its comeback.”

Cuomo previously wrote in a March op-ed that congestion pricing’s success hinges on confidence in the MTA and mass transit, which he noted has also statistically still not recovered from COVID levels.

He noted how congestion pricing is meant to “incentivize” subway use – but that that is hard to do when people are getting brutally attacked underground – and noted that it was his father, Gov. Mario Cuomo, who first beefed-up police presence after the “bad old days.”

At the time of a prior column in the Post, Cuomo cited a conductor with 24 years of service to the MTA vowing never to go back underground after he was slashed in the neck and required 34 stitches while operating an A train in Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn.

NEW ‘DRACONIAN’ LAWS TAKING EFFECT IN 2025: FROM SHAMPOO TO IMMIGRANT CARE

MTA Chairman Janno Lieber and Gov. Hochul (Getty)

More recently, an Ocean County, N.J., woman was burned alive in Coney Island, and there have been several near-fatal cases of people being randomly shoved in front of trains, occurring from Morningside Heights to TriBeCa, since Christmas.

“It is undeniable that New York is in a dramatically different place today than it was in 2019, and without a study forecasting its consequences based on facts, not politics, it could do more harm than good to New York City’s recovery,” Cuomo’s spokesman said Friday.

But Cuomo’s onetime deputy, Gov. Kathy Hochul, appeared full-steam-ahead in enacting the policy, which is intended to drive commuters and residents to consider mass transit to head to work or play in Midtown.

FEDERAL JUDGE RULES ON NYC CONGESTION PRICING

In a recent statement lauding her current plan, Hochul’s office said the reduction of the congestion toll from its original $15 will save drivers $1,500 per year, and that commuters will see “new and improved subway services.”

“By getting congestion pricing underway and fully supporting the MTA capital plan, we’ll unclog our streets, reduce pollution and deliver better public transit for millions of New Yorkers,” Hochul said.

MTA Chairman Janno Lieber, who oversees the state-run metro subway, bus and rail network, said that Hochul is “stepping up” for people who want cleaner air, safer streets and less gridlock.

CUOMO JOINS NETANYAHU’S LEGAL DEFENSE TEAM, MULLS 2025 NYC MAYORAL RUN

The FDR Drive on Manhattan’s East Side; one of few roadways exempt from tolling. (Getty)

He also noted that upgrades have already taken place on the 7 subway from Times Square to Flushing, Queens, and the L train from Union Square to Canarsie.

However, Cuomo’s camp maintains that it was he who envisioned and oversaw the upgrades to New York’s transit network without the added tolls in effect – and ripped Hochul and Lieber for claiming that he had gotten cold feet. 

When the New York Post asked Hochul for comment on Cuomo suggesting she “hit the brakes” on congestion pricing, the governor directed comment to a Lieber spokesman, who blasted Cuomo for “flip-flopping.”

“What would really harm New York’s continuing recovery is starving subways of a desperately needed source of funding after decades of underinvestment,” the MTA’s Aaron Donovan said.

“The $15 fee was passed by the MTA under Hochul’s watch, but please gaslight away,” Azzopardi told Fox News Digital. “New Yorkers aren’t stupid.”

Cuomo previously told WNYW that people have the option to work from home, which they didn’t have when he first pushed the plan in 2019 – and that if he were a commuter, he would likely balk at the idea of added costs at a time of “high crime and homelessness.”

Cuomo’s camp also said that Hochul likes to take credit for the achievements of his three-term administration that presaged the new tolls.

“The difference here is that Governor Cuomo built the [new Amtrak/MetroNorth] Moynihan Train Hall and the Second Avenue Subway [extension to East Harlem], as well as fixed the L train and did the hard work to get [Grand Central’s] East Side Access and the LIRR Third-Track done. All Hochul wanted to do was cut the ribbons,” Azzopardi said.

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Cuomo’s calls for a pause were joined by several New York Republicans, yet the former governor and potential 2025 mayoral candidate remains supportive of congestion pricing, while the GOP wants it nixed entirely.

Commuters from New Jersey must still pay Port Authority tolls to cross the Hudson River, and outer-borough commuters the same via the East River – albeit with a slight credit toward their “congestion” fee.

Drivers who remain on the FDR Drive or Joe DiMaggio West Side Highway will not be charged unless they turn onto surface streets.

President Biden took a departing jab at Trump, saying that what the president-elect did was a “genuine threat to democracy.” 

Ahead of the anniversary of the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol, Biden was asked if he still thought Trump was a threat to democracy.

“We’ve got to get back to establishing basic democratic norms,” Biden told reporters in the White House East Room on Sunday. “I think what he did was a genuine threat to democracy. I’m hopeful that we are beyond that.”

Biden made the comments to the press after signing the Social Security Fairness Act.

Biden also discussed his plans to visit New Orleans on Monday to grieve with family members of victims and meet with officials after the terrorist attack in the city on New Year’s Day. 

BIDEN ADMIN RIPPED AFTER JUDGE UPHOLDS PLEA DEALS FOR ALLEGED 9/11 MASTERMINDS: ‘KICK IN THE GUT’

President Biden speaks to the media after signing the Social Security Fairness Act at the White House on Jan. 5, 2025. (CHRIS KLEPONIS/AFP via Getty Images)

“I’ve been there. There’s nothing you can really say to somebody who has had such a tragic loss. And my message is going to be personal to them,” he said. “They just have to hang on to each other and there will come a day when they think of their loved one, and they’ll smile before a tear comes to their eye.”

DID BIDEN DO ENOUGH ON TERROR?

President Biden speaks to the media after signing the Social Security Fairness Act at the White House on Jan. 5, 2025. (CHRIS KLEPONIS/AFP via Getty Images)

The visit comes after 14 people were killed and dozens injured after police said 42-year-old Shamsud-Din Jabbar rammed a rented pickup truck into pedestrians on bustling Bourbon Street early Wednesday morning. Police fatally shot Jabbar after he opened fire on officers.

“We established beyond any reasonable doubt that New Orleans was a single man who acted alone. All the talk about conspiracies with other people, no evidence of that, zero,” Biden said.

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“He had real problems in terms of his own, I think, mental health, going on. And he acted alone in the same way as what went on in Las Vegas,” Biden said. “But there is no evidence, zero evidence of the idea that these are foreigners coming across the border, but they worked here, they remained here.”

Former Speaker Newt Gingrich, who led Republicans to their first House majority in four decades in 1994, said Saturday the House Freedom Caucus should recall how his own caucus led conservatives to power within the party.

Gingrich tweeted that he and other conservatives had developed “positive action principles” in 1983 as part of what they called the Conservative Opportunity Society.

“[Those] led 11 years later to the Contract with America and the first GOP House Majority in 40 years.”

“If the Freedom Caucus would study them, they could be dramatically more effective,” Gingrich said, going on to cite and agree with a sentiment from political reporter Mark Halperin’s “Wide World of News” newsletter.

“[T]he Freedom Caucus is a bunch of rebels with a series of causes but no coherent path to achieving said causes,” Halperin wrote.

In the 1980s, although Ronald Reagan was in the White House, Boston Democratic Speaker Tip O’Neill wielded strong control of the House. O’Neill and Reagan had a notably friendly but ideologically disparate relationship.

Coinciding with the early days of C-SPAN televising live floor proceedings, Gingrich would often take to the well of the House in the late-night hours and address conservatives’ issues to a mostly empty chamber but with a captive audience on the new TV format.

GINGRICH BLASTS HARRIS’ ‘RAMBLING’ SPEECHES

Gingrich biographer Craig Shirley told Fox News Digital on Saturday that the Freedom Caucus should study the work of their comparative predecessor, the Conservative Opportunity Society, as well as the path Gingrich led from a low-profile congressman to speaker.

“I guess the word brilliant is thrown around so, so cavalierly. So let me just say, it was extremely smart politics to make the case for conservative governance,” Shirley said of Gingrich’s work in the 1980s and 1990s.

“Reagan had already blazed that path eight years before Gingrich did.”

While critics say the GOP has shifted hard to the right on some issues and softened on others, Shirley said it’s essentially the same as it was during Gingrich’s rise.

“Less government, more freedom, less taxes, strong national defense, pro-life.”

Former Rep. Vin Weber, R-Minn., another top member of Gingrich’s conservative group, said in a PBS interview that there have not been too many groups like the Conservative Opportunity Society (or the Freedom Caucus, which hadn’t been formed at the time of the interview) and that there was the same issue with apprehension over angering their party leaders.

Weber said there had been a few small intra-caucus conservative groups prior to the Reagan era, including one in the 1960s led by then-Rep. Donald Rumsfeld, R-Ill. – who would go on to serve as Pentagon chief two times.

On the last day of the 1982 session, Gingrich approached Weber and asked, “What are you doing next year and for the next 10 years after that?.” 

“I thought that was interesting and I said, ‘I expect to be back here, but nothing special other than that,’” Weber recalled. 

“What he was saying was that he, as one person, was not being effective…. He identified me in the [GOP] conference as somebody [who] had been supportive of his point of view and maybe had some ability to organize things,” Weber said.

MIKE JOHNSON RE-ELECTED HOUSE SPEAKER

Shirley said the current Freedom Caucus has the rare opportunity to achieve their goals if they play their cards right, with full Republican control of Washington.

“They don’t have a ‘contract,’ but they have the next best thing there. They have a core set of issues and an ideology that they can easily follow,” he said, adding that “no one should ever doubt” Speaker Mike Johnson’s commitment to “Reaganite” principles.

In additional comments to Fox News’ “Hannity,” Gingrich said the one-round vote Friday was a “great victory” for Johnson, R-La.

“[He’s] just a decent, hardworking, intelligent human being.… I could not have been the kind of speaker he is. I don’t have the patience. I don’t have that ability to just keep moving forward. It’s really very extraordinary.”

Meanwhile, Freedom Caucus member Ralph Norman, R-S.C., told Fox News the group met with Johnson earlier and that he “just didn’t come away with the feeling that the ‘umph’ or the willingness to fight for Trump’s agenda was there.”

“And I use as a backdrop what’s happened the last 14 months, we had 1500-page omni-bills that you couldn’t read – where you had no spending cuts to offset $100 billion in new spending.”

“And I know we had a slim majority, but that’s over with now. What we wanted to impress with [Johnson] yesterday was, are you going to fight for these things that we’ve been asking for, like a balanced budget? Like offsets? Like getting behind all of the Trump agenda?”

Norman, along with Rep. Keith Self, R-Texas, initially did not vote for Johnson, which would have set up a second round of speaker votes.

But, Norman told “The Story” that that action was the “only way to let my voice be heard.”

He said Johnson “gave his word” to fight for the things he mentioned to Fox News, and that agreement, plus a message from Trump that Johnson was the only speaker candidate with support in the caucus, guided his decision to ultimately support the Louisianan.

In a “Dear Colleague” letter released Friday, House Freedom Caucus Chairman Andy Harris, R-Md., and his members expressed several policy points that Johnson should commit to in order to “reverse the damage of the Biden-Harris administration,” as well as achieve long-standing conservative goals.

The letter indicated they had voted for Johnson because of their “steadfast support” of Trump and ensuring the Jan. 6 elector certification can run smoothly.

“We did this despite our sincere reservations regarding the Speaker’s track record over the past 15 months.”

The caucus called for Johnson to modify the House calendar so its schedule is as busy as the Senate’s, ensure reconciliation legislation reduces spending and deficits in “real terms,” and halt violations of the “72-hour-rule” for debate on amendments to bills.

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They also demanded Johnson not rely on Democrats to pass legislation that a majority of his own caucus won’t support.

In comments on “The Story,” Norman said he believes Johnson now understands – through the initial silence of several Republicans during the first roll call and his and Self’s initial non-Johnson-vote – that he will have to work to consider the conservative bloc’s demands.

Tech billionaire and Trump ally Elon Musk renewed criticism of the more than 150 House Democrats who voted against deporting illegal immigrants convicted of sex offenses, demanding each of the lawmakers be voted out of office. 

“There is no excuse. Please post the list of people who opposed this law and want to keep illegals who are convicted sex offenders in America,” Musk posted to his X account on Saturday of a September House vote. 

“They all need to be voted out of office. Every one of them.”

The Violence Against Women by Illegal Aliens Act passed the House in September, after all 215 present Republicans voted in favor of the bill, and were joined by 51 Democrat colleagues. A total of 158 Democrats, however, voted against the bill. 

158 DEMS VOTE AGAINST BILL TO DEPORT ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS WHO COMMIT SEX CRIMES

 U.S. President-elect Donald Trump and Elon Musk watch the launch of the sixth test flight of the SpaceX Starship rocket on Nov. 19, 2024 in Brownsville, Texas. (Brandon Bell/Getty Images)

The Democrats who voted against the bill came under scrutiny back in September, and are facing renewed criticisms on social media this month as commenters resurrect the vote ahead of President-elect Donald Trump taking office this month. 

“The bill targeted rapists, pedophiles, domestic abusers, and stalkers, ensuring they couldn’t stay in the U.S. Opponents claimed it ‘demonized immigrants,’ but how does protecting convicted predators help anyone—especially their victims?” X show host Mario Nawfal posted to his account Saturday, sparking Musk to weigh in. 

“Deporting violent offenders isn’t ‘fearmongering’—it’s basic public safety. Why would anyone vote to keep criminals who prey on women and children?” Nawfal added.

EX-BORDER CHIEF WARNS OF ‘SIGNIFICANT THREAT’ AS MIGRANT NUMBERS SKYROCKET: ‘ENTIRE SECTORS’ MISSING AGENTS

The legislation would deport illegal immigrants convicted of sex crimes, and would ​​also deem illegal immigrants who admit to domestic violence or sex-related charges — or are convicted of them —to be inadmissible in the U.S., Fox Digital previously reported. The legislation is currently with the Senate, and was referred to the judiciary committee. 

U.S. Representatives of the 119th Congress are sworn in during the first day of session in the House Chamber of the U.S. Capitol Building on January 03, 2025 in Washington, DC. Rep. Mike Johnson (R-LA) retained his Speakership in the face of opposition within his own party as the 119th Congress holds its first session to vote for a new Speaker of the House.  (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

Notable Democrats who voted against the legislation included, Rep. Jerry Nadler, D-N.Y., former California Rep. Adam Schiff, who now serves in the Senate, and former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. 

Musk’s call for the Democrats to be voted out of Congress over the vote comes after he vowed in December to fund moderate Democrat politicians in deep blue districts, “so that the country can get rid of those who don’t represent them.”

CLYBURN BRUSHES OFF MUSK’S PLAN TO FUND MODERATES IN DEMOCRATIC DISTRICTS

BROWNSVILLE, TEXAS – NOVEMBER 19: U.S. President-elect Donald Trump greets Elon Musk as he arrives to attend a viewing of the launch of the sixth test flight of the SpaceX Starship rocket on November 19, 2024 in Brownsville, Texas. SpaceX’s billionaire owner, Elon Musk, a Trump confidante, has been tapped to lead the new Department of Government Efficiency alongside former presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy. (Photo by Brandon Bell/Getty Images) (Brandon Bell)

Musk is also slated to serve alongside Vivek Ramaswamy to lead an upcoming presidential advisory committee, the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which will work to cut excessive government spending and slash the size of the government under Trump’s second administration.

According to the office of the House clerk, the 158 Democrats who voted against the legislation include:

1. Alma Adams, North Carolina
2. Pete Aguilar, California
3. Gabe Amo, Rhode Island
4. Jake Auchincloss, Massachusetts
5. Becca Balint, Vermont
6. Nanette Barragán, California
7. Joyce Beatty, Ohio
8. Ami Bera, California
9. Donald Beyer, Virginia
10. Sanford D. Bishop Jr., Georgia
11. Earl Blumenauer, Oregon
12. Suzanne Bonamici, Oregon
13. Lisa Blunt Rochester, Delaware
14. Jamaal Bowman, New York
15. Shontel Brown, Ohio
16. Julia Brownley, California
17. Cori Bush, Missouri
18. Salud Carbajal, California
19. Tony Cárdenas, California
20. André Carson, Indiana
21. Troy Carter, Louisiana
22. Greg Casar, Texas
23. Ed Case, Hawaii
24. Sean Casten, Illinois
25. Kathy Castor, Florida
26. Joaquin Castro, Texas
27. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, Florida
28. Judy Chu, California
29. Katherine Clark, Massachusetts
30. Yvette Clarke, New York
31. Emanuel Cleaver, Missouri
32. James Clyburn, South Carolina
33. Steve Cohen, Tennessee
34. Gerald Connolly, Virginia
35. Luis Correa, California
36. Jim Costa, California
37. Jasmine Crockett, Texas
38. Jason Crow, Colorado
39. Danny Davis, Illinois
40. Madeleine Dean, Pennsylvania
41. Diana DeGette, Colorado
42. Rosa DeLauro, Connecticut
43. Suzan DelBene, Washington
44. Mark DeSaulnier, California
45. Debbie Dingell, Michigan
46. Lloyd Doggett, Texas
47. Veronica Escobar, Texas
48. Anna Eshoo, California
49. Adriano Espaillat, New York
50. Lizzie Fletcher, Texas
51. Bill Foster, Illinois
52. Valerie Foushee, North Carolina
53. Lois Frankel, Florida
54. Maxwell Frost, Florida
55. John Garamendi, California
56. Jesús “Chuy” Garcia, Illinois
57. Robert Garcia, California
58. Sylvia Garcia, Texas
59. Dan Goldman, New York
60. Jimmy Gomez, California
61. Al Green, Texas
62. James Himes, Connecticut
63. Steny Hoyer, Maryland
64. Valerie Hoyle, Oregon
65. Jared Huffman, California
66. Glenn Ivey, Maryland
67. Jonathan Jackson, Illinois
68. Sara Jacobs, California
69. Pramila Jayapal, Washington
70. Hakeem Jeffries, New York
71. Henry “Hank” Johnson, Georgia
72. Sydney Kamlager-Dove, California
73. Bill Keating, Massachusetts
74. Robin Kelly, Illinois
75. Ro Khanna, California
76. Dan Kildee, Michigan
77. Derek Kilmer, Washington
78. Andy Kim, New Jersey
79. Raja Krishnamoorthi, Illinois
80. Ann Kuster, New Hampshire
81. Greg Landsman, Ohio
82. Rick Larsen, Washington
83. John Larson, Connecticut
84. Barbara Lee, California
85. Summer Lee, Pennsylvania
86. Teresa Leger Fernandez, New Mexico
87. Ted Lieu, California
88. Zoe Lofgren, California
89. Doris Matsui, California
90. Lucy McBath, Georgia
91. Jennifer McClellan, Virginia
92. Betty McCollum, Minnesota
93. Morgan McGarvey, Kentucky
94. James McGovern, Massachusetts
95. Gregory Meeks, New York
96. Rob Menendez, New Jersey
97. Grace Meng, New York
98. Kweisi Mfume, Maryland
99. Gwen Moore, Wisconsin
100. Joseph Morelle, New York
101. Seth Moulton, Massachusetts
102. Kevin Mullin, California
103. Jerrold Nadler, New York
104. Grace Napolitano, California
105. Richard Neal, Massachusetts
106. Joe Neguse, Colorado
107. Donald Norcross, New Jersey
108. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, New York
109. Ilhan Omar, Minnesota
110. Frank Pallone, New Jersey
111. Nancy Pelosi, California
112. Scott Peters, California
113. Brittany Pettersen, Colorado
114. Dean Phillips, Minnesota
115. Chellie Pingree, Maine
116. Mark Pocan, Wisconsin
117. Katie Porter, California
118. Ayanna Pressley, Massachusetts
119. Mike Quigley, Illinois
120. Delia Ramirez, Illinois
121. Jamie Raskin, Maryland
122. Deborah Ross, North Carolina
123. Raul Ruiz, California
124. C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger, Maryland
125. Linda Sánchez, California
126. John Sarbanes, Maryland
127. Mary Scanlon, Pennsylvania
128. Janice Schakowsky, Illinois
129. Adam Schiff, California
130. Bradley Schneider, Illinois
131. Robert “Bobby” Scott, Virginia
132. David Scott, Georgia
133. Terri Sewell, Alabama
134. Brad Sherman, California
135. Darren Soto, Florida
136. Melanie Stansbury, New Mexico
137. Haley Stevens, Michigan
138. Marilyn Strickland, Washington
139. Mark Takano, California
140. Shri Thanedar, Michigan
141. Mike Thompson, California
142. Bennie Thompson, Mississippi
143. Rashida Tlaib, Michigan
144. Jill Tokuda, Hawaii
145. Paul Tonko, New York
146. Norma Torres, California
147. Ritchie Torres, New York
148. Lori Trahan, Massachusetts
149. David Trone, Maryland
150. Lauren Underwood, Illinois
151. Juan Vargas, California
152. Marc Veasey, Texas
153. Nydia Velázquez, New York
154. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, Florida
155. Maxine Waters, California
156. Bonnie Watson Coleman, New Jersey
157. Nikema Williams, Georgia
158. Frederica Wilson, Florida

The Democrats who voted against the legislation came under fierce scrutiny back in September from conservatives. 

“If you vote against it, you’re sexist against women,” South Carolina Republican Nancy Mace, who introduced the legislation, said in September to Fox Digital. 

JACUMBA HOT SPRINGS, CA – DECEMBER 17: Migrants attempt to cross in to the U.S. from Mexico at the border December 17, 2023 in Jacumba Hot Springs, California. Asylum seekers are stuck in makeshift camps in the extreme climate of the US-Mexico border.  ((Photo by Nick Ut/Getty Images))

ELON MUSK AGREES WITH RON PAUL’S CALL TO ‘ELIMINATE FOREIGN AID’

“I mean, truly, because we’re talking about illegals who are here who are committing domestic violence, rape and murder on women and children – they’ve gotta go. They shouldn’t be allowed into our country.”

“158 Democrats just voted AGAINST deporting migrants for s*x offenses. This is a slap in the face to every victim and their family members.Democrats hate you and your children,” popular conservative X account Libs of TikTok posted at the time. 

Democrats who voted against the bill characterized it as xenophobic and an example of “fearmongering” against immigrants. 

“Here we are again, debating another partisan bill that fear mongers about immigrants, instead of working together to fix the immigration system,” Congressional Progressive Caucus Chair Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., said during debate on the bill.

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“I probably shouldn’t be too surprised. Scapegoating immigrants and attempting to weaponize the crime of domestic violence is appearing to be a time-honored tradition for Republicans.”

Fox News Digital’s Elizabeth Elkind contributed to this report. 

Top GOP senators criticized recent law enforcement failures by the FBI and other groups Sunday, calling on President-elect Trump’s administration to enact reforms.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune told NBC’s “Meet the Press” that Americans have lost trust in the FBI. Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., also told “Fox News Sunday” that there need to be “consequences” for law enforcement failures that allowed incidents like last week’s terrorist attack in New Orleans.

“The FBI is an agency that I think is in need of reform, and it needs a good makeover, so to speak, and probably a good amount of housecleaning when it comes to the perception the American people have of it and these institutions that the American people need to have confidence and trust in,” Thune said Sunday.

He added that Trump’s nominee to lead the FBI, Kash Patel, “understands the mission.”

WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT VICTIMS OF NEW ORLEANS TERRORIST ATTACK

Senate Majority Leader John Thune says the FBI is in need of reform. (Reuters)

Meanwhile, Cassidy reacted to news that New Orleans police had access to 48 barriers that could have prevented last week’s deadly truck attack. The permanent barriers blocking vehicle access to Bourbon Street were being replaced at the time of the attack, but authorities in the city could have deployed archer barriers that are rated to stop a 5,500-pound vehicle going 60 miles-per-hour.

SUSPECT IDENTIFIED AS FBI INVESTIGATES ACT OF TERRORISM AFTER BOURBON STREET ATTACK

“There has to be leadership at the top. And if the leadership failed, as you describe it, then absolutely there has to be consequences. Period. End of story,” Cassidy said.

“Now, I think we’re going to have a kind of complete review of everything from top to bottom. And if that’s the way it ends up shaking out completely, she should be replaced,” he added, referencing New Orleans Police Superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick.

Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., is calling for a review of law enforcement decisions surrounding the New Orleans truck attack. (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)

Thune and Cassidy’s statements come days after Trump’s allies excoriated the FBI for its initial characterization of the truck attack as not terror-related, before the nation’s top federal law enforcement agency backtracked and launched a terrorism investigation allegedly connected to ISIS.

OFFICIALS POSTPONE SUGAR BOWL IN  THE WAKE OF TERROR ATTACK ON BOURBON STREET

“The FBI has a no-fail mission. There is no room for error. When they fail, Americans die. It’s a necessity that Kash Patel gets confirmed ASAP,” a source close to Trump told Fox News Digital on Thursday morning. 

Military personnel walk down Bourbon Street on Thursday, Jan. 2, 2025, in New Orleans.  (AP Photo/George Walker IV)

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Patel is one of many incoming Trump cabinet nominees who will need to go through Senate confirmation after Trump is inaugurated later this month.

Fox News’ Emma Colton contributed to this report.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., on Sunday conceded that Democrats should regard the 2024 election as a loss and reflect on what went wrong for the party after losing both the White House and Senate and failing to flip the House of Representatives.

Schumer appeared on NBC’s “Meet the Press,” where he was asked about Democratic strategist James Carville’s assertion that the reason Democrats lost was because of “the economy, stupid.”

“I told my caucus, and I’ll say it here, too, … certainly it was a loss, but it’s also a challenge,” Schumer said of the election.

Schumer said Democrats faced “severe headwinds” to win four of seven contested Democratic Senate seats, though conceded that “we did some things wrong and we have to look in the mirror and see what we did wrong.”

JAMES CARVILLE CONCEDES HE WAS WRONG ABOUT KAMALA HARRIS’ CHANCES: ‘IT WILL ALWAYS BE THE ECONOMY, STUPID’

Schumer said Democrats have to “look in the mirror” and reflect on what they did wrong following the 2024 election loss. (AP Photo/Mariam Zuhaib, File)

President-elect Trump defeated Vice President Harris to win the White House, while Republicans flipped the Senate and retained a razor-thin majority in the House.

The state of the economy led President-elect Trump to beat Vice President Harris, according to some political strategists. (Getty Images, File)

Shumer said “there are some things we didn’t do that we should have done,” such as focusing on working families in America.

KAMALA HARRIS’ BUNGLED ANSWER ON ‘THE VIEW’ ABOUT BIDEN SEEN AS TURNING POINT FOR CAMPAIGN

Schumer said Democrats talked about the mechanics and details of the legislation, though “didn’t show the kind of empathy or concern, or enough of it, to average working families.”

This failing made working families not “realize how much we have done and how much we care for them,” the minority leader said.

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“What we’re going to do is spend time talking to working families, showing them how much we care for them,” Schumer said. “And not just talk about legislation, but talk about the conditions that have made so many working families worried about their futures.”

President-elect Trump is playing host to Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni at Mar-a-Lago this weekend, suggesting he plans to develop a warmer relationship with one of his closest ideological allies in Europe.

Trump praised Meloni, 47, for having “taken Europe by storm” during a dinner Saturday night. Meloni was elected in 2022 after running on a conservative pro-family and anti-immigration agenda, panned as “far-right” by many in the media.

Meloni is the first female Italian prime minister, and she has served as leader of the Brothers of Italy party since 2014. Both she and her party surged in popularity thanks to backlash against how the Italian government handled the COVID-19 pandemic.

Meloni’s coalition government is likely the closest ideological ally Trump has within the European Union. Meloni has also developed a close relationship with top Trump ally Elon Musk, who has frequented Mar-a-Lago since Election Day.

CONGO BEGINS EXPORTING LIQUIFIED NATURAL GAS UNDER ITALIAN FIRM’S INITIATIVE

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni addresses the media alongside Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky (not pictured) after their meeting at Villa Doria Pamphilj in Rome, Italy, on Oct. 10, 2024. (Massimo Valicchia/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

Similar to the U.S., Italy faces a major illegal immigration problem with migrants crossing the Mediterranean Sea to their shores. Meloni’s “return hubs” policy ensures that migrants are not released into Italy during their asylum process, a program she says has become a “model” for Europe.

“It is a new, courageous, unprecedented path, but one that perfectly reflects the European spirit,” she said of the program in October.

Meloni has also proven to go against the grain on social issues, moving last year to limit parental rights for same-sex couples. The policy ensures that only the biological parent of a child within a same-sex marriage enjoys full parental rights.

FRENCH FAR RIGHT SEEKS ALLIANCE WITH CONSERVATIVES AFTER STUNNING EU PARLIAMENT WINS

Elon Musk, chief executive officer of Tesla Inc and X CEO speaks at the Atreju political convention organized by Fratelli d’Italia (Brothers of Italy), on Dec. 15, 2023, in Rome, Italy. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s right-wing political party organized a four-day political festival in the Italian capital. (Antonio Masiello/Getty Images)

Meloni’s coalition government has also proven uncommonly stable compared to Italy’s recent history. She has avoided in-fighting within her party and opposition leaders have failed to coalesce around any candidate to effectively challenge her.

ITALIAN PM MELONI ALLY FIRES BACK AGAINST CRITICISM SAYS POLICIES THE SAME BUT ‘EUROPE HAS CHANGED’

All this places Meloni in a natural position to serve as a go-between for the Trump administration and the European Union over the next four years.

Giorgia Meloni appeared unannounced at Trump’s residence in Mar-a-Lago this weekend. (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)

Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., Trump’s nominee for secretary of state, was also in attendance when Meloni visited Trump’s Florida residence this weekend.

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President Biden is set to travel later this week to Rome to meet with Meloni and then Pope Francis. The White House said Biden’s meeting with Meloni will “highlight the strength of the U.S.-Italy relationship” and will include the president thanking the prime minister “for her strong leadership of the G7 over the past year.”

Rep. Mikie Sherrill, D-N.J., called out New York as it prepares to implement a controversial new congestion pricing tax for commuters on Saturday.

The congestion pricing program takes effect on Sunday, but Sherrill argues the tax is little more than an attempt to “fund the [Metro Transportation Authority] on the backs of New Jersey commuters.”

“This new tax will raise costs for New Jerseyans, while also worsening traffic and increasing pollution in New Jersey as commuters go out of their way to seek more affordable routes into New York,” Sherrill wrote.

“I refuse to sit back as New York uses New Jersey’s workforce as a meal ticket for the MTA,” she added. “And I will continue to fight to move businesses to the Garden State, to expand office sharing sites, and to make it easier for New Jerseyans to work remotely.”

FEDERAL JUDGE RULES ON NYC CONGESTION PRICING; INTERPRETATION DIFFERS BETWEEN PARTIES

Sherrill is among a long list of Democratic candidates vying in the New Jersey gubernatorial race this year.

The congestion tax took effect Sunday despite efforts by New Jersey officials, who filed a lawsuit seeking to block the implementation on the grounds that New York had not sufficiently investigated environmental impacts.

NYPD MAKES ARREST IN FATAL STABBING OF ON-DUTY POSTAL WORKER

Gordon ruled on Friday that there was no basis to delay the toll.

Traffic moves through downtown Manhattan on April 21, 2023, in New York City. (Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

MTA Chair Janno Lieber praised the ruling, noting the potential benefits of congestion pricing.

“We’ve been studying this issue for five years, but it only takes about five minutes if you’re in midtown Manhattan to see that New York has a real traffic problem,” Lieber said at a news conference. “I recognize there’s been a lot of controversy about this program and there are a lot of people who are concerned about the impact of congestion pricing. To them, I want to say the point is to make the city better for everybody.”

The Empire State Building and Tourist District are seen along the route to New York City on Aug. 17, 2022, in Jersey City, New Jersey. (Eduardo MunozAlvarez/VIEWpress)

Congestion pricing is expected to generate billions in revenue to modernize New York’s transit infrastructure, but it has faced criticism from New Jersey officials and commuters who say it places an unfair burden on people driving in from outside of New York.

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Some commuters could face daily charges of up to $22, which would include existing tolls for Port Authority crossings.

President-elect Donald Trump has repeatedly said he plans to block the plan after he takes office later this month.

Fox News’ Landon Mion contributed to this report.

A new addition to the Democrat side on a key Senate committee could bolster U.S. support for Israel as the country’s war against terror group Hamas continues in Gaza. 

Sen. Jacky Rosen, D-Nev., is assigned to the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations (SFRC) in the new Congress, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., announced Thursday. 

The Nevada Democrat, who was re-elected in November by a narrow margin in the state that President-elect Donald Trump flipped, is notably the third Jewish woman to ever serve in the U.S. Senate. Rosen is also the co-chair and co-founder of the Senate Bipartisan Task Force for Combating Anti-Semitism alongside Sen. James Lankford, R-Okla.

‘LIVES DEPEND ON IT’: REPUBLICANS PUSH FOR PROMPT TRUMP CONFIRMATIONS IN WAKE OF NEW ORLEANS ATTACK

Rosen is joining the key Senate committee. (Tribune News Service via Getty Images)

During her time in federal office, Rosen has supported Israel’s right to self-defense, especially amid the ongoing war against Hamas.

“At a time when America’s adversaries are looking to upend our global leadership and destabilize our alliances, I’m joining the Senate Foreign Relations Committee to be a strong voice supporting our allies and fighting for freedom, democracy, and justice around the globe,” Rosen said in a statement. 

“I’ll continue working with colleagues on both sides of the aisle to strengthen U.S. global partnerships and counter threats from Iran, Russia, and China. As a member of the committee, I’ll also make sure the United States’ commitment to supporting our democratic ally Israel remains unwavering and unconditional.”

MIKE JOHNSON GETS PUBLIC GOP SENATE SUPPORT AHEAD OF TIGHT HOUSE SPEAKER VOTE

Israel is in an ongoing war with Hamas. (Alex Wong/Getty Images/File)

Outgoing SFRC Chair Sen. Ben Cardin, D-Md., has long supported Israel, and his departure from the committee would normally leave the Democrat side somewhat unbalanced as several other members have been more critical of the U.S. ally. 

Current Democrat committee members include Sens. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., Chris Coons, D-Del., Chris Murphy, D-Conn., Tim Kaine, D-Va., Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., Cory Booker, D-N.J., Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii, Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., and Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill.

HEALTHY LIVING, PARTY UNITY, AND ‘TIME TO SMELL THE ROSES’: CONGRESSIONAL REPUBLICANS’ NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTIONS

Shaheen will take on the top Democrat committee role. (Alex Wong/Getty Images/File)

Six of the nine current Democrat members recently voted in favor of resolutions aimed at blocking weapon transfers to Israel. Incoming SFRC ranking member Shaheen, Merkley, Schatz, Van Hollen, Kaine and Murphy were among 19 Democrats who favored some or all of the three measures to do this on the Senate floor in November. 

BERNIE SANDERS PLANS TO SPEARHEAD LEGISLATION ON KEY TRUMP PROPOSAL

Risch was the ranking member of the SFRC in the 118th Congress. (Al Drago-Pool/Getty Images/File)

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With Rosen’s addition, there could be a greater potential for bipartisan action from the committee, particularly as it relates to Israel.

The committee will be chaired by Sen. James Risch, R-Idaho, in the new Congress.

EXCLUSIVE: Amazon Prime has exclusively licensed a documentary film for global theatrical and streaming release that will give viewers an “unprecedented behind-the-scenes look” at First Lady Melania Trump’s life, Fox News Digital has learned. 

Fox News Digital has learned that the project is expected to be released globally in theaters and for streaming use in the second half of 2025. 

Filming for the upcoming documentary began in December 2024. The documentary will be executive produced by First Lady Melania Trump and Fernando Sulichin of New Element Media, with Brett Ratner of RatPac Entertainment serving as director. 

Prime Video is expected to share more details on the project as filming progresses, and will release plans when finalized, Fox News Digital has learned. 

MELANIA TRUMP TO RELEASE ‘COLLECTOR’S EDITION’ OF MEMOIR FEATURING IMAGES PHOTOGRAPHED BY FORMER FIRST LADY

“We are excited to share this truly unique story with our millions of customers around the world,” an Amazon spokesperson said in a statement. 

The announcement comes just weeks before Mrs. Trump will return to the White House as first lady of the United States of America. 

It also comes months after the release of her first-ever book, “Melania.” The memoir presents an intimate portrait of Melania Trump and includes personal stories and family photos she had not previously shared with the public. 

Former First Lady Melania Trump.  (Melania Trump)

“Melania” has been at the top of the New York Times’ best-selling list since its release to the public. 

MELANIA TRUMP LAUNCHES ‘ON THE MOVE’ DIGITAL PHOTO SERIES HIGHLIGHTING HER ‘FAST-MOVING LIFE’

In November, just days after President-elect Trump was elected the 47th President of the United States, Mrs. Trump also rolled out a digital photography series to highlight her life on the 2024 campaign trail and at home. 

Trump told Fox News Digital in an interview last year that if she had the privilege to serve as first lady again — which she will, beginning on Jan. 20, 2025 — she would continue to prioritize initiatives focused on the well-being and development of children to ensure they have the “support and resources they need to reach their full potential.” 

First Lady Melania Trump visits the Children’s Inn at National Institutes of Health on Valentine’s Day on on February 14, 2020 in Bethesda, Maryland. (Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images)

“My focus would continue to be creating a safe and nurturing space for children to learn, grow and thrive,” she said.  

During the first Trump administration, Mrs. Trump hosted virtual roundtables on foster care as part of her “Be Best” initiative and focused on strengthening the child welfare system. She worked with members of Congress on legislation that secured funding for grants awarded to youth and young adults currently or formerly in foster care to help pay for college, career school or training. The bill ultimately was signed by then-President Donald Trump in December 2020.

GET TO KNOW DONALD TRUMP’S CABINET: WHO HAS THE PRESIDENT-ELECT PICKED SO FAR?

Since leaving the White House, the former first lady has also created special edition Non-Fungible Tokens. A portion of those proceeds also went toward her initiative “Fostering the Future” to secure educational opportunities and scholarships for children in the foster care community.

Former President Donald Trump is joined by his wife Melania Trump following his address at the Republican National Convention, on July 18, 2024 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin (Fox News – Paul Steinhauser)

“Fostering the Future” students are currently enrolled in multiple colleges and universities across the country, with areas of focus primarily on technology and computer sciences. 

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“Writing my memoir has been an amazing journey filled with emotional highs and lows,” Mrs. Trump told Fox News Digital last year. “Each story shaped me into who I am today.” 

She said that “although daunting at times, the process has been incredibly rewarding, reminding me of my strength, and the beauty of sharing my truth.” 

President-elect Trump appeared Saturday with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni at his Mar-a-Lago club in Florida.

Trump appeared at a screening of a documentary detailing challenges some conservative lawyers say they face in the legal system.

He entered the grand ballroom around 7 p.m. and returned about two hours later after eating dinner.

JAVIER MILEI FIRST WORLD LEADER TO MEET WITH PRESIDENT-ELECT TRUMP: ‘GREATEST POLITICAL COMEBACK IN HISTORY’

President-elect Donald Trump arrives to speak at a news conference at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport, Friday, Oct. 25, 2024, in Austin, Texas. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

“This is very exciting,” Trump told the crowd of Meloni.

“I’m here with a fantastic woman, the prime minister of Italy,” he continued. “She’s really taken Europe by storm, and everyone else, and we’re just having dinner tonight.”

Other notable people in attendance for the screening of the documentary include his pick for his incoming administration’s Secretary of State, Florida Republican Sen. Marco Rubio, and his selection for national security adviser, Florida Republican Rep. Mike Waltz, as well as his choice for Treasury Secretary, Scott Bessent.

Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni speaks to the media during the closing press conference of the G7 Summit on the final day of the 50th G7 summit at Borgo Egnazia on June 15, 2024 in Fasano, Italy. (Alessandra Benedetti – Corbis/Corbis via Getty Images)

Meloni’s visit to Trump’s resort comes after other world leaders met with the president-elect in Florida. 

Argentina’s President Javier Milei was the first world leader to meet with Trump at Mar-a-Lago after his Election Day victory in November, followed by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán who each traveled to the Sunshine State to meet with Trump.

CANADIAN MINISTERS HEAD TO FLORIDA FOR TALKS WITH INCOMING TRUMP ADMINISTRATION: REPORT

Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni arrives in the courtyard of the Italian government office, Chigi Palace, to meet Kazakhstan President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, in Rome, Thursday, Jan. 18, 2024. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini, File)

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President Biden is set to travel later this week to Rome to meet with Meloni and then Pope Francis. The White House said Biden’s meeting with Meloni will “highlight the strength of the U.S.-Italy relationship” and will include the president thanking the prime minister “for her strong leadership of the G7 over the past year.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

President-elect Trump announced his latest staff picks on Saturday night, naming four additional people to serve in the White House in administrative and advisory capacities.

Trump, who takes office in less than three weeks, began by naming Stanley E. Woodward, Jr., to serve as an assistant to the president and a senior counselor.

Woodward co-founded a law firm called Brand Woodward Law, LP, where he “represented numerous high-profile clients in complex, high-stakes litigation, including multiple federal jury trials,” according to Trump. 

“Previously, he worked at a multinational law firm where his experience included the representation of multiple international corporations in defense of alleged violations of the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act as well as serving as coordinating counsel to companies involved in nationwide federal litigation,” the statement read.

AMB. CARLA SANDS: TRUMP ADMINISTRATION’S FOCUS ON GREENLAND–WHY WE HOPE TO STRENGTHEN OUR RELATIONSHIP

President-elect Donald Trump speaks at AmericaFest, Sunday, Dec. 22, 2024, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)

Next, Trump said that Robert Gabriel, Jr., will work as an assistant to the president for policy.

“Mr. Gabriel has served President Donald J. Trump in various roles since his 2015 campaign for the world’s most powerful office,” the statement read. He started in Trump Tower as a Policy Advisor on Mr. Trump’s historic campaign.”

“Mr. Gabriel served in the West Wing, for the entirety of the first Trump Administration, as Special Assistant to the President.”

Nicholas F. Luna is slated to serve as assistant to the president and deputy chief of staff for strategic implementation, the president-elect said. His role will involve scheduling and managing external White House communications.

JEAN-PIERRE BRISTLES WHEN PRESSED ON PAST ‘DEMOCRACY’ WARNINGS: ‘DO NOT APPRECIATE HAVING MY WORDS TWISTED’

Attorney Stanley Woodward leaves the Alto Lee Adams Sr. U.S. Courthouse in Fort Pierce, Fla.  (Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

Trump called Luna a “highly respected White House veteran and a Trump-Vance campaign warrior.”

“He previously served in the White House as Presidential Trip Director, Personal Aide to the President, Assistant to the President, and Director of Oval Office Operations,” Trump said. “Most recently, he served with great distinction as Director of Operations for Vice President-elect JD Vance.”

Nicholas Luna looks on during a roundtable in the State Dining Room of the White House in 2020. (Doug Mills/Pool/Getty Images)

Finally, Trump said that William “Beau” Harrison will serve as an assistant to the president and deputy chief of staff for operations. The statement called him a “trusted aide to the President and First Family.”

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“During President Trump’s first term, Mr. Harrison served as the liaison between the operational elements of the Executive Office of the President and was charged with the coordination and execution of all presidential travel, including dozens of complex international visits,” Trump’s statement added. “He has participated in and led multiple U.S. delegations across the globe in countries, such as North Korea, Iraq, and Afghanistan, and played a critical role in planning each of the historic summits with DPRK Leader Kim Jong-Un.”

Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., told Republican lawmakers on Saturday that President-elect Trump supports a conservative policy overhaul via a single large bill, three sources told Fox News Digital.

Trump wants both the House and Senate to have such a bill on his desk by May, the sources said. The president-elect’s buy-in will likely end the growing intraparty friction on how to pass Republican goals next year via a process known as “reconciliation,” which lawmakers plan to use to pass conservative policy and budget changes.

House Republicans met behind closed doors in Washington’s Fort McNair on Saturday to discuss the plan.

JOHNSON BLASTS DEM ACCUSATIONS HE VOWED TO END OBAMACARE AS ‘DISHONEST’

Speaker Mike Johnson revealed to Republicans in a closed-door meeting that President-elect Trump wants one reconciliation bill. (AP/Getty)

Reconciliation allows the Senate to bypass its traditional 60-vote threshold in favor of a simple majority, provided the legislation is focused on budgetary and other fiscal matters.

Both parties have traditionally used reconciliation to pass broad policy changes in a single bill. But the legislation also goes through a strict assessment where the Senate parliamentarian is tasked with deciding what is and is not relevant to U.S. fiscal matters. 

Notably, Democrats previously tried to use reconciliation to pass mass amnesty measures, but they were blocked.

Republicans might face similar issues with their push to add border security provisions to the bill. They’re also aiming to use it to extend Trump’s Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) of 2017, as well as to pass measures on energy and defense.

The apparent decision by Johnson on Saturday comes after Congressional Republicans were at odds over whether to pass one or two reconciliation bills.

REPUBLICANS GIVE DETAILS FROM CLOSED-DOOR MEETINGS WITH DOGE’S MUSK, RAMASWAMY

New Senate Majority Leader John Thune said he wanted two reconciliation bills last year. (Reuters)

It is a process normally used once per year, but Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., floated a plan last month to split Republicans’ priorities into two bills – one dealing with the border and defense and a second aimed at preserving Trump’s tax policy. 

The plan was also backed by top Trump adviser Stephen Miller.

But that push angered Republicans on the House Ways and Means Committee, who warned that two reconciliation bills could be too big a lift, and putting taxes second could imperil remaining GOP tax provisions that are set to expire at the end of this year.

House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Jason Smith, R-Mo., pointed out on Fox Business Network’s’ “Mornings With Maria” that Congress has not passed two reconciliation bills into law in one year since 1997.

“I am saying we need a reconciliation bill that has border, energy, permitting and tax. You put all four of those things together, we can deliver on that,” Smith said.

House Ways and Means Chairman Jason Smith advocated for one bill. (Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc. via Getty Images)

The panel put out a memo last month warning that everyday Americans could see their taxes rise by 22% if Trump’s tax policies expire.

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But other lawmakers bristled at the idea that two bills were impossible.

House Freedom Caucus Chairman Andy Harris, R-Md., told Fox News Digital last month, “I think we need to prove to the American people that we can actually defend our borders. The bottom line is, I think they need to be on almost parallel tracks. But I do believe that taxes are much more complicated.”

Fox News Digital reached out to Thune and Smith’s offices for comment. Thune’s office responded and declined to comment, and Smith’s office did not immediately respond.

Social media erupted in anger Saturday morning with news that President Biden will award the Presidential Medal of Freedom to former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and left-wing billionaire George Soros.

The award, the nation’s highest civilian honor, is given to individuals who have made exemplary contributions to the prosperity, values, or security of the United States, world peace, or other significant societal, public or private endeavors, the White House said in a statement.

Tesla founder Elon Musk led the furious outcry, labeling the decision to award Soros the honor as “a travesty.”

Musk shared a video clip of himself on Joe Rogan’s podcast where he said he believed that Soros “fundamentally hates humanity.”

“He’s doing things that erode the fabric of civilization. You know, getting DAs elected who refuse to prosecute crime,” he says in the clip. 

PRESIDENT BIDEN AWARDS MEDAL OF HONOR TO SEVEN ARMY VETERANS

President Biden will on Saturday award the Presidential Medal of Freedom to former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, left-wing billionaire George Soros, and 17 others at a ceremony at the White House.  (Shannon Finney/Getty Images, left, Sergione Infuso/Corbis via Getty Images, borrom right, FABRICE COFFRINI/AFP via Getty Images, top right, Getty, inset. )

Online commentator Blake Habyan wrote, “What a joke — these people have done the exact opposite of what the award is intended for,” while Natalie F Danelishen wrote that the news could be a Babylon Bee story given how unbelievable it is. 

“Seriously, two of the worst people on earth,” she wrote.

Clinton, the White House said, made “history many times over decades in public service” and the first female senator from New York and the first, First Lady to simultaneously hold elected office.

After serving as Secretary of State, she became the first woman nominated for president by a major United States political party. As the Democrat nominee, she lost her bid to be the country’s first female president when she lost to President-elect Trump in the 2016 election.

However, her tenure as Secretary of State came in for much criticism over her handling of the war in Libya and the attack on United States government facilities in Benghazi, Libya on Sept. 11, 2012. Four Americans died in the attack, including Ambassador Christopher Stevens.

She also used a private email server for government business. Although FBI Director James Comey said publicly that Clinton mishandled classified information, he declined to recommend prosecution and the Justice Department refused to move forward with the case.

Tesla founder Elon Musk led the furious outcry, labeling the decision to award Soros the honor as “a travesty.” (Samuel Corum/Getty Images)

Her husband, former President Bill Clinton, was bestowed the same honor by former President Barack Obama. 

Soros, a mega-Democrat donor, runs a web of non-profits that bankroll various candidates around the world who align with his progressive agenda, including his Open Society Foundations. Soros has given over $32 billion to Open Society Foundations since 1984, according to its website. 

The White House said that Soros’ philanthropy across the world has strengthened democracy, human rights, education and social justice.

However, commentators on the right have slammed him for funding progressive district attorneys who have been light on crime, which they say has led to crime waves in Blue cities. 

Actor Denzel Washington will also be awarded the gong.  (Stephane Cardinale – Corbis/Corbis via Getty Images))

Saturday’s ceremony comes just days after Biden awarded former Republican Wyoming Rep. Liz Cheney and Mississippi Democrat Rep. Bennie Thompson with the Presidential Citizens Medal after the pair oversaw the controversial Jan. 6 House Select Committee. The Presidential Citizens Medal is the second-highest civilian medal.

Clinton and Soros are among 17 other prominent figures to be bestowed the award, the nation’s highest civilian honor. Those being presented with the honor represent prominent figures in politics, fashion, sport, entertainment and activism.

Robert Francis Kennedy, the former Attorney General, will be posthumously awarded the gong, while other notable recipients include actors Denzel Washington and Michael J. Fox, U2 frontman Bono, former basketballer Earvin “Magic” Johnson and soccer star Lionel Messi.

“President Biden believes great leaders keep the faith, give everyone a fair shot, and put decency above all else,” a White House statement reads. “These nineteen Americans are great leaders who have made America a better place. They are great leaders because they are good people who have made extraordinary contributions to their country and the world.”

SOROS DAS SUFFER 12 BIG DEFEATS, BILLIONAIRE’S AGENDA FACES UNCERTAIN FUTURE

Kennedy, the father of former Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr., is being recognized for combatting racial segregation and as a United States Senator, “sought to address poverty and inequality in the country.”

His legacy continues to inspire those committed to justice, equality, and public service, the White House said. 

Robert Francis Kennedy (posthumous), former Attorney General and New York Senator, pictured in 1968. (Santi Visalli/Getty Images)

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José Andrés, celebrity chef and founder of the World Central Kitchen charity group.

Bono, frontman for rock band U2 and an activist against AIDS and poverty. 

Ashton Baldwin Carter (posthumous), 25th Secretary of Defense.

Hillary Rodham Clinton, former First Lady and former Secretary of State. 

Michael J. Fox, Grammy Award-winning actor and advocate for Parkinson’s disease research and development.

Tim Gill, entrepreneur, LGBTQ rights advocate. 

Dr. Jane Goodall, world-renowned ethologist and conservationist.

Fannie Lou Hamer (posthumous), civil rights advocate and founder of the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party.

Earvin “Magic” Johnson, legendary retired basketball player and philanthropist who supports underserved communities through his Magic Johnson Foundation.

Robert Francis Kennedy (posthumous), former Attorney General and New York Senator.

Ralph Lauren, world-renowned fashion designer and cancer research advocate 

Lionel Messi, soccer’s most decorated player, UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador who supports healthcare and education programs for children

William Sanford Nye, often referred to as “Bill Nye the Science Guy,” a science educator who advocates for space exploration and environmental stewardship.

George W. Romney (posthumous), businessman and former Governor of Michigan

David M. Rubenstein, co-founder and co-chairman of The Carlyle Group, philanthropist who supports the restoration of historic landmarks and cultural institutions.

George Soros, philanthropist and Open Society Foundations founder.

George Stevens, Jr., author and playright. 

Denzel Washington, actor, director, and producer who has won two Academy Awards. Served as National Spokesman for the Boys & Girls Clubs of America for over 25 years.

Anna Wintour, fashion icon and the editor-in-chief of Vogue.

Speaker-designate Mike Johnson, R-La., was re-elected to lead the House of Representatives on Friday.

The Louisiana Republican won along party lines during the first round of voting, a stark contrast to his predecessor’s drawn-out, 15-round battle in 2023.

Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., was the only Republican to vote against Johnson in the end, after Reps. Keith Self, R-Texas and Ralph Norman, R-S.C., initially voted for someone else but then switched their support to the Republican leader.

It comes despite saber-rattling by some conservatives who threatened to withhold support from Johnson in protest of his handling of government funding and several other issues in the 118th Congress.

TRUMP GIVES JOHNSON ‘COMPLETE AND TOTAL ENDORSEMENT’ AHEAD OF SPEAKERSHIP FIGHT

Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., won re-election to lead the House of Representatives. (Getty Images | AP)

Massie, R-Ky., who was part of an unsuccessful push to oust Johnson last year, was the speaker-designate’s most vocal critic leading up to the Friday vote.

He told former Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., on his new One America News Network program, “You can pull all my fingernails out, you can shove bamboo up in them, you can start cutting off my fingers.”

“I am not voting for Mike Johnson tomorrow, and you can take that to the bank,” Massie said. 

JOHNSON BLASTS DEM ACCUSATIONS HE VOWED TO END OBAMACARE AS ‘DISHONEST’

Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., is seen outside the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., on Dec. 18, 2024. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)

Other detractors included members of the House Freedom Caucus like Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, who has expressed interest in chairing the influential House Rules Committee, the panel that directs terms for House-wide votes on legislation.

Johnson’s allies warned in return that a prolonged House speaker fight could delay Congress’ joint session to certify President-elect Trump’s victory, slated for Monday.

But Roy ended up supporting Johnson, as did the vast majority of GOP lawmakers. 

Johnson’s future appeared uncertain at one point on Friday afternoon when three House Republicans voted for someone other than him for speaker, putting the gavel seemingly out of reach.

But Johnson then huddled with Self and Norman, along with other lawmakers, behind closed doors before the vote was called to an end. Both later emerged and switched their votes to support Johnson.

Two sources told Fox News Digital that Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., helped facilitate phone calls with both holdouts during that time. 

Both confirmed they spoke with Trump but did not give details of the calls.

President-elect Trump backed Johnson for speaker again. (Rebecca Noble/Getty Images)

Trump also emphasized his support for the GOP leader hours before the midday vote.

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“Good luck today for Speaker Mike Johnson, a fine man of great ability, who is very close to having 100% support. A win for Mike today will be a big win for the Republican Party, and yet another acknowledgment of our 129 year most consequential Presidential Election!!” Trump wrote on his Truth Social app.

Johnson wrote on X in response, “Thank you, President Trump! Today is a new day in America. Congressional Republicans must stay united to quickly deliver President Trump’s America First agenda. Let’s get it done.”

His victory marks the start of his first full term as speaker. Johnson won the gavel in October 2023 after three weeks of closed-door talks following the ouster of ex-Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif.

President-elect Trump appears to have helped Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., avoid a messy, drawn-out fight to lead the House of Representatives.

Trump spoke by phone with both Reps. Ralph Norman, R-S.C., and Keith Self, R-Texas, after they had initially voted for people other than Johnson for speaker, two knowledgeable sources told Fox News Digital.

Self and Norman were seen disappearing into a side room with Johnson and others after the roll call vote was complete, but before the vote was formally closed. 

They emerged minutes later and announced they would both vote for Johnson – cementing the Louisiana Republican’s victory.

JOHNSON BLASTS DEM ACCUSATIONS HE VOWED TO END OBAMACARE AS ‘DISHONEST’

Rep Keith Self, left, President-elect Donald Trump, center, and Rep Ralph Norman, right  (Getty)

Self then confirmed to reporters that he had spoken with Trump by phone multiple times on Friday.

“I talked to him a couple of times today,” Self said. “We had a lively discussion.”

Self did not elaborate much further on the contents of the discussion.

But the two people who spoke with Fox News Digital said Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., connected Trump with Self and Norman by phone after they voted against Johnson.

REPUBLICANS GIVE DETAILS FROM CLOSED-DOOR MEETINGS WITH DOGE’S MUSK, RAMASWAMY

Two people said Rep. Nancy Mace connected the holdouts with Trump. (Getty Images)

Mace would not comment, but Fox News Digital saw her and Johnson share a hug on the House floor after they and others were in the side room with the holdouts.

She was also seen in intense talks with Norman off the House floor earlier.

Norman also later confirmed to reporters that he spoke with Trump on Friday.

“He just made his point about how Mike is the only one who could get elected,” Norman said, adding that Trump did not change his vote but rather a “commitment that things are gonna change” from Johnson.

Johnson won the House speakership in the first round of voting, after it initially appeared he was poised to lose.

Rep. Keith Self confirmed he spoke with Trump. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)

Self, Norman and Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., each voted for people other than Johnson, appearing to put the speaker’s gavel out of reach.

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But House leaders did not formally close the vote while figuring out a path forward. Meanwhile, GOP lawmakers were told to be on the House floor immediately in preparation for a second vote.

That second vote did not occur, however, and Johnson was sworn in as speaker on Friday afternoon.

FIRST ON FOX: Newly-minted Arizona Republican Rep. Abe Hamadeh was sworn in to the U.S. House Friday, revealing to Fox News Digital that he honored the life of ISIS victim Kayla Mueller by using her family’s Bible during the ceremony in Washington, D.C.

“This year will mark 10 years since the tragic loss of Kayla Mueller, a beacon of selflessness and courage whose legacy continues to inspire Americans across the nation. Kayla’s parents, Carl and Marsha Mueller, have borne the unimaginable pain of losing their daughter and endured years of uncertainty surrounding her fate,” Hamadeh told Fox News Digital. “Their strength and resilience are the foundation of Kayla’s extraordinary spirit.”

A humanitarian worker from Arizona, Mueller was abducted by terrorists while leaving a Doctors Without Borders hospital in Aleppo, Syria, in 2013. She was held hostage for 18 months, when she was believed to be repeatedly tortured and raped by ISIS militants, including then-ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. 

Mueller was killed in February 2015. 

KAYLA MUELLER’S PARENTS PRAISE TRUMP, SOLDIERS FOR RAID THAT KILLED AL-BAGHDADI

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

Mueller’s parents, Carl and Marsha Mueller, have previously praised President-elect Trump for carrying out a military mission in 2019 that killed al-Baghdadi and spoke at the 2020 Republican National Convention. 

GOP CONGRESSMAN-ELECT REVEALS AMBITIOUS 100-DAY PLAN FOR TRUMP ADMIN: ‘NOT GOING TO GET FOOLED AGAIN’

“The Trump team gave us empathy we never received from the Obama administration. Kayla should be here. If Donald Trump had been president when Kayla was captive, she would be here today,” Carl Mueller said. 

Kayla Mueller was a humanitarian worker from Arizona. (Associated Press, File)

Hamadeh cited the Muellers’ 2020 RNC address in his comment to Fox Digital, reflecting on how the young woman’s mother read a letter her daughter wrote while imprisoned, which stated: “I have been shown in darkness light and have learned that even in prison, one can be free.”

Kayla Mueller’s family’s Bible.  (Fox Digital)

“What a powerful thing to write in the face of such horror. Kayla’s unshakable faith and inner strength were a reflection of the values instilled by her remarkable parents,” Hamadeh said. 

“As I take the oath of office, I am profoundly honored to fulfill my promise to the Muellers and the American people by being sworn into Congress using Kayla’s family Bible. It serves as a testament to her unwavering belief in light over darkness and freedom over oppression.”

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

Hamadeh, 33, is an Army veteran and former Maricopa County prosecutor who won his election to represent Arizona’s 8th Congressional District during the 2024 cycle. The Trump-backed candidate, the son of Syrian immigrants, joined Fox News Digital in November for his first interview since winning the election, celebrated the GOP’s successes nationwide and previewed his top priorities. 

ARIZONA GOVERNOR, NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER UNVEIL PAINTING HONORING KAYLA MUELLER

“I know election integrity is the top of my list as well, because without secure elections, we can’t have a republic. And, so, I know that’s going to be top priorities — election integrity, border security, as well as making sure we increase our energy independence — because that’s going to help reduce inflation rather quickly once we start growing the economy,” Hamadeh told Fox Digital at the time. 

Republican Abe Hamadeh is an Army veteran. (Abe for Arizona)

“[Trump] does have a mandate from the American people,” Hamadeh added. “The last time a Republican won the popular vote and Electoral College was 2004 with an incumbent president, President George W. Bush. You know, the last time it was a non-incumbent, I believe, was 1988 under George H.W. Bush. And he was still at least the VP at the time. So, this was a historic mandate. And President Trump, I’m going to support him all the way in Congress and make sure that we’re going to change our country around very quickly.”

Hamadeh told Fox Digital he will carry Kayla Mueller’s legacy with him as he dives into his work in Congress. 

“Kayla’s memory calls on us to live with purpose and courage, and I will carry her legacy with me as I fight for the freedoms and values she so deeply cherished. I am eternally grateful to Carl and Marsha Mueller for entrusting me with this sacred honor and for their enduring faith in our country’s ability to uphold the principles Kayla embodied,” he said. 

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Hamadeh’s swearing-in ceremony follows a tragic terrorist attack in New Orleans on New Year’s Day that left at least 14 dead and dozens injured when a truck plowed through crowds of people on Bourbon Street. 

Authorities confirmed an ISIS flag was recovered in the suspect’s car and reported that the individual was “inspired” by the terrorist organization. But they believe he acted alone in carrying out the attack. 

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