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Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor criticized the Court’s 2024 presidential immunity case in her first public appearance since the start of the second Trump term, saying it places the Court’s legitimacy on the line. 

Sotomayor made the comments during an appearance in Louisville, Kentucky, during which she was asked a range of questions, including the public’s perception of the high court, according to the Associated Press. Sotomayor’s comments are her first in public since President Donald Trump took office last month. 

“If we as a court go so much further ahead of people, our legitimacy is going to be questioned,” Sotomayor said during the Louisville event. “I think the immunity case is one of those situations. I don’t think that Americans have accepted that anyone should be above the law in America. Our equality as people was the foundation of our society and of our Constitution.”

‘INTEGRITY OF THE COURT’: CRUZ REINTRODUCES AMENDMENT TO COMBAT COURT EXPANSION EFFORTS

In a 6-3 decision in July 2024, the Supreme Court ruled in Trump v. United States that a former president has substantial immunity from prosecution for official acts committed while in office, but not for unofficial acts.

The case stemmed from Special Counsel Jack Smith’s federal election interference case in which he charged Trump with conspiracy to defraud the U.S.; conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding; obstruction of and attempt to obstruct an official proceeding; and conspiracy against rights. 

Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor criticized the Court’s 2024 presidential immunity case in her first public appearance since the start of the second Trump term, saying it places the Court’s legitimacy on the line.  (Jahi Chikwendiu/The Washington Post via Getty Images)

Sotomayor notably wrote the dissent, joined by Justices Elena Kagan and Ketanji Brown Jackson, saying the decision “makes a mockery of the principle, foundational to our Constitution and system of Government, that no man is above the law.”

JUSTICE CLARENCE THOMAS SWEARING IN MULTIPLE TRUMP CABINET OFFICIALS RAISES EYEBROWS AT CNN

“Never in the history of our Republic has a President had reason to believe that he would be immune from criminal prosecution if he used the trappings of his office to violate the criminal law,” the dissent continued. “Moving forward, however, all former Presidents will be cloaked in such immunity. If the occupant of that office misuses official power for personal gain, the criminal law that the rest of us must abide will not provide a backstop. With fear for our democracy, I dissent.”

In a 6-3 decision in July 2024, the Supreme Court ruled in Trump v. United States that a former president has substantial immunity from prosecution for official acts committed while in office, but not for unofficial acts. (Donald Trump: Photo by Peter Zay/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images | Supreme Court: Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

During her Louisville appearance, Sotomayor shared that she “had a hard time with the immunity case,” saying the Constitution contains provisions “not exempting the president from criminal activity after an impeachment.”

Sotomayor warned that if the Court were to continue down the same path, the Court’s legitimacy would ultimately be at risk. 

SUPREME COURT DENIES TRUMP ATTEMPT TO STOP SENTENCING IN NEW YORK V. TRUMP

“And if we continue going in directions that the public is going to find hard to understand, we’re placing the court at risk,” Sotomayor said. 

When asked for comment, a White House spokesperson told Fox News Digital, “This historic 6-3 ruling speaks for itself.”

The justice suggested that one way to resolve the public’s distrust in the Court would be to slow down in overturning precedent. The Court has, in recent years, overturned various landmark decisions, including Roe v. Wade in 2022, and striking down affirmative action in college admissions in 2023 and the Chevron doctrine in 2024. 

The case stemmed from Special Counsel Jack Smith’s federal election interference case in which he charged Trump with conspiracy to defraud the United States; conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding; obstruction of and attempt to obstruct an official proceeding; and conspiracy against rights.  (Probal Rashid/LightRocket via Getty Images)

“I think that creates instability in the society, in people’s perception of law and people’s perception of whether we’re doing things because of legal analysis or because of partisan views,” Sotomayor said. “Whether those views are accurate or not, I don’t accuse my colleagues of being partisan.”

Sotomayor made similar comments in 2023, saying she had a “a sense of despair” about the Court’s direction following the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization decision, which overturned Roe. Sotomayor did not name the case specifically. 

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However, the justice said she did not have the luxury to dwell on those feelings.

“It’s not an option to fall into despair,” Sotomayor said. “I have to get up and keep fighting.”

Fox News Digital’s Ronn Blitzer and the Associated Press contributed to this report. 

President Donald Trump is expected to sign an executive order establishing a White House Faith Office on Friday. 

The new office will “empower faith-based entities, community organizations, and houses of worship to better serve families and communities,” according to a fact sheet obtained by Fox News. 

The office will be housed under the Domestic Policy Council and will consult experts in the faith community on policy changes to “better align with American values.” 

TRUMP ANNOUNCES EXECUTIVE ORDER CREATING TASK FORCE TO ‘ERADICATE ANTI-CHRISTIAN BIAS’

President Donald Trump is expected to sign an executive order establishing a White House Faith Office on Friday (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

The office plans to coordinate with other agencies on training for religious liberty and on elevating grant opportunities for non-profit faith-based entities, community organizations and houses of worship. It will also collaborate with the Department of Justice on identifying constitutional religious liberty protections. 

WHITE HOUSE CALLS DEMOCRAT CRITICISM OF DOGE ‘UNACCEPTABLE’ AND ‘INCREDIBLY ALARMING’

Former President Donald Trump is prayed over with Pastor Paula White during the National Faith Summit at Worship With Wonders Church on Oct. 28, in Powder Springs, Ga.  (AP/Alex Brandon)

The order will come one day after Trump signed an order to create a task force to identify “anti-Christian bias.”

The White House said this “Task Force to End the War on Christians” will comprise members of the president’s Cabinet and key government agencies, and the order seeks to “end the anti-Christian weaponization of government.” 

President Donald Trump speaks at the National Prayer Breakfast, at the Capitol in Washington, Thursday, Feb. 6, 2025.  (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

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It came after nearly two dozen pro-life Christians were charged and sentenced for demonstrating outside abortion facilities during the Biden administration. Trump pardoned 23 pro-life protesters in his first week on the job. 

President Donald Trump may soon meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.  

“He may meet next week, yeah. Whenever he would like. I’m here,” Trump told reporters while hosting Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba on Friday. 

Trump said that the meeting likely would be held in Washington, D.C., because he wouldn’t go to Ukraine. 

Trump also said there was a possibility he would meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin, noting that the two have always had a “very good relationship.” 

TRUMP AND ‘NO ONE ELSE’ CAN END THE UKRAINE-RUSSIA WAR, US ALLY SAYS 

President Donand Trump said he likely would meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Washington, as he wouldn’t be going to Ukraine.  (Efrem Lukatsky/The Associated Press)

“That’s why it is so sad that this happened,” Trump said, appearing to reference Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. “This never would have happened if I were president.” 

Trump, who met with Zelenskyy in New York in September 2024, urged Putin to cease the war — or face sanctions — in a post on Truth Social on Jan. 22. 

“Settle now, and STOP this ridiculous War! IT’S ONLY GOING TO GET WORSE,” Trump said. If we don’t make a ‘deal’, and soon, I have no other choice but to put high levels of Taxes, Tariffs, and Sanctions on anything being sold by Russia to the United States, and various other participating countries.”

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent also said he backed issuing harsher sanctions on Russia during his confirmation hearing Jan. 16 to expedite the end of the war. 

TRUMP’S ‘RARE’ PRICE FOR US MILITARY AID TO UKRAINE CALLED ‘FAIR’ BY ZELENSKYY

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said he backed issuing harsher sanctions on Russia during his confirmation hearing Jan. 16.  (Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP via Getty Images)

According to retired Lt. Gen. Keith Kellogg, Trump’s envoy for Russia and Ukraine, Trump is the only person that could end the conflict. 

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“The only person that Putin will really want to talk to — because he’s kind of denigrated other leaders that are out there — is President Trump, and President Trump’s the only one who can bring this to a conclusion,” Kellogg told “Fox & Friends Weekend” on Sunday. 

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

Fox News’ Rachel Wolf contributed to this report. 

The Justice Department and FBI agents reached an agreement Friday in federal court after the FBI filed a lawsuit seeking to block the Trump administration from releasing information about its agents involved in the Jan. 6 investigation.

According to the text of the deal, the Trump administration cannot release information about the agents who investigated the January 6, 2021, U.S. Capitol riot without giving plaintiffs at least two days’ notice so that the matter can be considered again in federal court.

It does not, however, place such a time limit on the dissemination of agents’ identities to other government agencies or the White House.

The agreement by both parties comes after active FBI agents and the Federal Bureau of Investigation Agents Association, a voluntary agents’ group, sued the Justice Department earlier this week seeking to block the release of any identifying information about FBI agents involved in the January 6 investigations.

The two parties tussled for hours in court on Thursday before U.S. District Judge Jia Cobb, who questioned both parties at length on the nature of DOJ’s questionnaire, the potential for disclosures or retaliation, and how the Justice Department intends to use information divulged in the questionnaires.

FBI AGENTS GROUP TELLS CONGRESS TO TAKE URGENT ACTION TO PROTECT AGAINST POLITICIZATION 

Kash Patel, Trump’s nominee to be FBI director, appears at his confirmation hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee in 2025. (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)

“I do have questions about the survey,” Cobb said Thursday.

She also questioned the Justice Department’s attorney at length about what the questionnaire was being used for. 

Cobb previously granted the two parties a brief administrative stay on Thursday evening, telling lawyers for both parties, saying that if the information was released she believed it “would put FBI agents in immediate danger.”

The agreement comes just days after FBI leadership said it had provided the Justice Department with a list of agents who worked on Jan. 6 investigations and criminal cases, in keeping with an earlier deadline set by U.S. Acting Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove.

Lawyers for the agents argued that any effort to review or discriminate against agents involved in the investigation would be “unlawful and retaliatory,” and a violation of civil service protections under federal law.

They also cited “profound concern” that the list of thousands of FBI agents involved would be leaked to the public, threatening their safety. 

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

The FBI’s interactions with the Council for American-Islamic Relations was restricted due to allegations from the DOJ.  (Getty Images)

“Plaintiffs assert that the purpose for this list is to identify agents to be terminated or to suffer other adverse employment action,” lawyers for the FBI agents said, adding that they “reasonably fear that all or parts of this list might be published by allies of President Trump, thus placing themselves and their families in immediate danger of retribution by the now pardoned and at-large Jan. 6 convicted felons.”

Meanwhile, lawyers for the Justice Department stressed that their intent in issuing the questionnaire was to conduct an “internal review” of activities in the Jan. 6 probe, not to punish individuals for carrying out orders. 

Bove also sought to emphasize this message in an all-staff email to FBI personnel earlier this week. In the email, Bove stressed that the questionnaire was not intended to be a first step to mass layoffs, and stressed it was simply intended for review.

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

The Republican-led House passed legislation to block future administrations from enacting bans on oil and gas drilling without congressional approval. 

In a vote on Friday, lawmakers passed the “Protecting American Energy Production Act” to prohibit the president from “declaring a moratorium on the use of hydraulic fracturing unless Congress authorizes the moratorium.”

There were 118 Democrats who voted against the legislation, while Republican House members unanimously voted in favor of its passage.

Since the campaign trail, President Donald Trump has vowed to unleash American-made energy as part of his ‘drill, baby, drill’ agenda. (Getty Images)

The bill comes after former President Joe Biden enacted several regulations on oil and gas during his term, including banning future oil and gas drilling along 625 million acres of coastal and offshore waters just weeks before he left office. 

HOUSE PASSES BILL TO PERMANENTLY CLASSIFY FENTANYL AS SCHEDULE 1 DRUG

Rep. August Pfluger, R-Texas, introduced the ‘Protecting American Energy Production Act.’ (Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc)

Rep. August Pfluger, R-Texas, the Republican who introduced the bill, said concerns over potential fracking bans during the Biden administration was what prompted the legislation.

ENERGY SEC. WRIGHT ISSUES DAY-1 ORDERS TARGETING OIL RESERVES, APPLIANCE RULES, ‘NUCLEAR RENAISSANCE’

“When President Biden took office, his administration took a ‘whole of government’ approach to wage war on American energy production, pandering to woke environmental extremists and crippling this thriving industry,” Pfluger said in a statement following the bill’s passage.

President Donald Trump speaks in the East Room of the White House, Wednesday, Feb. 5, 2025, in Washington.  (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

“My legislation that passed today is a necessary first step in reversing Biden’s war on energy by preventing the federal government from banning the use of hydraulic fracturing,” he said. 

Since the campaign trail, President Donald Trump has vowed to unleash American-made energy as part of his “drill, baby, drill” agenda.

Work continues at a shale gas well drilling site in St. Mary’s, Pa., March 12, 2020. (Keith Srakocic, File)

The legislation, if signed by the president into law, would prevent future administrations from banning the drilling method.

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On Monday, Secretary of Interior Doug Burgum stripped the energy sector of “coercive” climate policies and oil lease bans enacted under the Biden administration, launching internal investigations into agency actions that “burden” energy development.

Dem. Sen. Chris Murphy was ripped on social media on Thursday morning over a post where he explained how he stayed up most of the night drinking Red Bull because democracy is “on the line” if Democrats do not stop Tesla CEO Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) efforts.

“After taking the 2-5am shift on the Senate floor last night for our overnight protest, got 2 hours of crappy sleep on my office couch and right back at it today,” Murphy posted on X. “We don’t rest. Keep going. Democracy on the line.”

Murphy, whose post was accompanied by a photo of a Red Bull energy drink and video explaining his cause, was on the Senate floor late Wednesday night attempting to block the confirmation of Office of Management and Budget nominee Russ Vought until the “crisis” of Musk’s DOGE crackdown “passes.”

Murphy’s post on social media was widely mocked by conservatives who questioned Murphy’s motives on the Senate floor. 

FEDERAL JUDGE ORDERS LIMITED DOGE ACCESS TO SENSITIVE TREASURY DEPARTMENT PAYMENT SYSTEM RECORDS

Sen. Chris Murphy, left, was mocked on social media over an X post describing his late night in the Senate. (Getty)

“So brave,” Fox News contributor Lisa Boothe sarcastically posted on X.

“Area man has to work overnight one time,” New York Post reporter Jon Levine posted on X.

“Stunning and brave,” the Trump White House rapid response account posted on X.

MEET THE YOUNG TEAM OF SOFTWARE ENGINEERS SLASHING GOVERNMENT WASTE AT DOGE: REPORT

U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy (D-CT) speaks during a press conference following the Democrats’ weekly policy luncheon at the U.S. Capitol building on Jan. 21, 2025 in Washington, D.C. (Samuel Corum/Getty Images)

“Imagine bragging about doing something that basically every college student has done at some point,” conservative journalist John Hasson posted on X.

“Men used to go to war and now they cry about working overnight and post their little sugar free red bulls like they’re battle scars,” conservative commentator Ashley St. Clair posted on X. 

“These clowns are BEYOND pathetic,” video journalist Nick Sortor posted on X. “This is so embarrassing.”

“The purest form of love can be found in the relationship between Chris Murphy and a camera,” former Trump campaign senior adviser Tim Murtaugh posted on X.

SpaceX and Tesla founder Elon Musk speaks during an America PAC town hall on Oct. 26, 2024 in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. ( Samuel Corum/Getty Images)

“Overwhelmed at your level of Heroism for ‘democracy’ while your constituents in CT have $1300 electric bills,” radio host Tony Bruno posted on X. “You’re a worthless clown!”

Despite efforts from Murphy and his fellow Democrats, Vought was confirmed as the new White House budget chief late Thursday night. 

In an Instagram live post, Murphy explained to his followers that he was not playing the hero.

“I’m not trying to plead hardship here, right?” Murphy said. “All I did was stay up late.”

Murphy added, “So yeah, the USAID workers, the domestic violence workers, the teachers, those are my heroes. But you guys are my heroes too. Because I get paid to do this job, I asked. I raised my hand. I said, ‘make me a United States Senator, I want to defend democracy.’ So I volunteered for this job. I get a paycheck. But the people that are showing up at these protests, the people that are going to show up at these protests, you got other stuff going on in your life. You don’t have to stand up and fight for democracy, but you are because you think the moment is important, and you are despite the fact that they are doing things to try to make you stay home, try to make you afraid of speaking up.”

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

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Murphy’s Senate speech amid the Trump administration’s targeting of USAID after Musk’s DOGE efforts have resulted in the agency being effectively shut down over what the administration argues is wasteful spending. 

“For decades, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has been unaccountable to taxpayers as it funnels massive sums of money to the ridiculous — and, in many cases, malicious — pet projects of entrenched bureaucrats, with next-to-no oversight,” the White House said Monday.

House Republican leaders spent nearly five hours at the White House on Thursday – some of it with President Donald Trump – as they tried to finalize the outline of their tax and spending cut package. 

The plan is to release a framework with some numbers in the coming days. 

Fox is told to expect north of $1 trillion in spending cuts. The bill would make permanent the 2017 Trump tax cuts. It is also likely the bill includes a provision to bar taxes on tips. 

‘POWER GRAB’: JEFFRIES UNVEILS DATA PROTECTION BILL AMID DOGE CRACKDOWN

Congress is racing to be ready to execute the recommendations of President Donald Trump’s new DOGE commission. (Getty Images)

House Republicans hoped to have a bill ready to go before the Budget Committee this week after their retreat at Mar-a-Lago. 

But no dice. 

Republicans hope to prep this bill before the House Budget Committee next week. 

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

DOGE TARGETS MEDICARE AGENCY, LOOKING FOR FRAUD

When asked if a plan would be unveiled Friday, Speaker Mike Johnson told Fox News, “nothing today” on paper or details of a budget package.

“There won’t be any details announced until the end of the weekend. Possibly not until Monday,” he said.

He said the committee markup may come Tuesday, but that there are a couple of details to “work out.”

When asked about including the debt ceiling in the bill, Johnson replied, “I think that probably will be part of it, yes.”

House Speaker Mike Johnson, right, discusses President Donald Trump’s agenda during an appearance on “Sunday Morning Futures.” (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images | Photo by Mustafa Yalcin/Anadolu via Getty Images/ Fox News Channel)

Asked if Democrats walked away from talks to avert a March government shutdown, he replied, “It seems that way. From their comments, Leader [Hakeem] Jeffries seemed to be trying to set up some sort of a government shutdown. We have been negotiating in good faith, trying to get a topline number. But so far as I know, they’ve been unresponsive the past two days or so.”

Republicans need a budget framework adopted on the floor so they can use the budget reconciliation tool to bypass a Senate filibuster. No budget? No reconciliation option. 

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House GOPers are feeling pressure from Senate Republicans who are pressing ahead with their own plan. Senate Republicans dine at Mar-a-Lago tonight with President Trump. 

House Republicans are worried if they stumble at moving first, they could get jammed by the Senate. 

Rep. Val Hoyle, D-Ore., said on Thursday that she is leaving the congressional Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) Caucus due to Elon Musk’s cost-cutting measures in the executive branch.

Hoyle made the announcement via a statement and said her intentions on the caucus were to serve as a good steward for her constituents’ tax dollars and to make the government more streamlined and efficient. 

However, she said Musk’s actions, which are separate from the congressional caucus, have made that impossible, and she claimed DOGE’s work is to find funds to give tax breaks to billionaires at the expense of working people.

USAID STAFFERS STUNNED, ANGERED BY TRUMP ADMINISTRATION’S DOGE SHUTDOWN OF $40 BILLION AGENCY

“I joined to be a voice for working people and their interests. But it is impossible to fix the system when Elon Musk is actively breaking it, so I have made the decision to leave,” Hoyle wrote on X late Thursday. 

Rep. Val Hoyle, D-Ore., said on Thursday that she is leaving the Congressional Department of Government Efficiency Caucus because Elon Musk’s role in the agency is “burning down the government and the law.” (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images, left, Andrew Harnik/Getty Images, right.)

“It is impossible for us to do that important work when unelected billionaire Elon Musk and his lackeys [insist] on burning down the government—and the law—to line his own pockets and rip off Americans across the country who depend on government services to live with dignity,” she wrote in an accompanying statement. 

The newly minted agency, a key promise of President Donald Trump‘s re-election campaign, is tasked with slashing government waste and providing increased transparency when it comes to government spending. It was created via executive order and is a temporary organization within the White House that will spend 18 months until July 4, 2026, carrying out its mission.

Hoyle said she was alarmed about Musk’s team accessing sensitive Department of Treasury payment systems. She also accused his team of using intimidation tactics to “terrorize the hard-working public servants” who deliver these services.

DOGE was created via executive order by President Donald Trump, and it is a temporary organization within the White House that will spend 18 months, until July 4, 2026, carrying out its mission. (Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post via Getty Images)

DOGE TARGETS MEDICARE AGENCY, LOOKING FOR FRAUD

A federal judge on Thursday temporarily blocked the DOGE from obtaining access to any payment record or payment system of records maintained within the Treasury’s Bureau of Fiscal Service. On Wednesday, the Justice Department agreed in a proposed court order to limit access to the sensitive records to only two “special government employees” within DOGE, who will have read-only permission. 

Hoyle said that if she thought that she, or Democrats or Republicans on the caucus had any influence, then she would stay. 

“But, fundamentally, I don’t see how we can actually do this work when Elon Musk is blowing things up,” she told NewsNation Thursday. “It’s like trying to replace your roof when someone’s throwing dynamite through the window.

“So I’m leaving the DOGE Caucus, I will continue to do the work to find efficiencies, but right now I just don’t think it’s possible with what’s happening.”

DOGE has riled Democrats, particularly around USAID, and Hoyle’s announcement comes just days after DOGE targeted the agency, leading to the firing of 50 top officials and the organization being folded into the State Department. The actions came after Secretary of State Marco Rubio, acting on Trump’s executive order, paused all U.S. foreign assistance funded by or through the State Department and USAID.

The 90-day pause has halted thousands of U.S.-funded humanitarian, development and security programs worldwide and forced aid organizations to lay off hundreds of employees because they cannot make payroll.

Employees and supporters gather to protest outside the U.S. Agency for International Development headquarters on Feb. 3, 2025 in Washington, D.C. (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)

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DOGE has focused much of its initial work on canceling DEI programs, consulting contracts and lease terminations for federal buildings.

The agency wrote on Tuesday that it canceled 12 contracts with the Government Services Administration and the Department of Education, resulting in a total savings of about $30 million. It also canceled 12 underused leases for savings of $3 million. On Monday, DOGE said it canceled 36 contracts, leading to savings of about $165 million across six agencies.

DOGE posted on Jan. 28 that the group is saving the federal government around $1 billion per day, mostly by stopping the hiring of people into unnecessary positions, deletion of DEI and stopping improper payments to foreign organizations.

Fox News’ Eric Revell, Greg Norman, Anders Hagstrom, Greg Wehner, Chris Pandolfo, The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.

Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., announced that he will vote against confirming Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and former Rep. Tulsi Gabbard to serve in President Donald Trump’s cabinet.

Trump tapped Kennedy to serve as secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, and Gabbard to serve as Director of National Intelligence.

“I have met with most of the cabinet nominees and have carefully watched their confirmation hearings. After considering what’s at stake, I have voted against moving forward to the confirmation of Ms. Gabbard and Mr. Kennedy, and will be voting NO on their confirmations,” Fetterman declared Thursday night in a post on X.

PRO-LIFERS POUNCE ON FETTERMAN FOR OPPOSING ‘BORN-ALIVE ABORTION SURVIVORS PROTECTION ACT’: ‘INFANTICIDE’

Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., talks with West Point cadets in the senate subway on Tuesday, Nov. 19, 2024 (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)

Kennedy announced his candidacy for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2023, before switching to an independent White House bid later that year. In 2024 he dropped out and endorsed Trump.

Kennedy’s former running mate, Nicole Shanahan, replied to Fetterman’s post, calling the lawmaker — who is known for his penchant for wearing shorts and hoodies — a “lazy slob.”

“Fetterman toys with the ideal of being a strong American Man, but he is a lazy slob who can’t get to the gym in spite of wearing gym clothes all day long. I do not expect someone who can’t manage to dress themself to make good decisions, let alone those as important as the health of a nation,” Shanahan declared in a tweet.

SCORCHED-EARTH SHANAHAN: RFK JR’S FORMER RUNNING MATE THREATENS POLITICAL WAR AGAINST CONFIRMATION OPPONENTS

 Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., attends the Inauguration of Donald J. Trump in the U.S. Capitol Rotunda on Jan. 20, 2025 in Washington, D.C. (Kevin Lamarque – Pool/Getty Images)

“I’m not trolling. This is an honest assessment given the outfit he wore to the President of the United State’s Inauguration. What can you realistically expect from someone who treats the American people like this?” she added in another post.

Gabbard, who served in Congress as a Democrat from early 2013 through early 2021, launched a presidential bid in 2019, but dropped out in 2020 and backed Joe Biden. 

In 2022, she announced that she was ditching the Democratic Party. And in 2024, she endorsed Trump and announced that she was joining the GOP.

While Fetterman has thrown his support behind some of Trump’s nominees, he joined the rest of the Senate Democratic Caucus in voting against the confirmation of Russell Vought on Thursday. Despite Democratic opposition, Vought was confirmed in a 53-47 vote. 

Vought served as Office of Management and Budget director during part of the first Trump administration and is taking on the role again.

RUSSELL VOUGHT CONFIRMED TO HEAD GOVERNMENT’S LEADING BUDGET OFFICE AFTER DEMS HOLD 30-HOUR PROTEST

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“Last year, I called out the dangers of Project 2025 and the damage it’d do to our country. Americans were assured the Trump team had no ties to it—then nominated one of its authors to lead OMB. My view has not changed and I will be a hard NO on Mr. Vought,” Fetterman said in a post on Thursday.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio will travel to the Middle East for a few days beginning next week for his second trip at the head of the State Department.

Rubio will visit Israel, United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Saudi Arabia after attending the Munich Security Conference in Germany, Fox News confirmed on Thursday.

While an itinerary has not yet been released, Rubio’s impending visit to the Middle East comes at a pivotal time in foreign policy, as Israel and Hamas are implementing a three-stage ceasefire agreement after 16 months of war in Gaza.

During a joint news conference in the Dominican Republic with President Luis Abinader on Thursday, Rubio said President Donald Trump has offered to be part of the solution to rebuild Gaza.

PANAMA PLEDGES TO END KEY CANAL DEAL WITH CHINA, WORK WITH US AFTER RUBIO VISIT

Secretary of State Marco Rubio will visit four countries in the Middle East next week for his second trip in his new role.  (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein, Pool)

Trump suggested on Wednesday that the U.S. take control of the Gaza Strip in order to rehabilitate the territory to a livable location as most of the area has been decimated and millions are displaced. 

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters Wednesday that under Trump’s proposal, Palestinians would be “temporarily” relocated in order to successfully level and rebuild.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was on board with the proposed plan, describing it as “remarkable” and “the first good idea that [he’s] heard.”

“President Trump is taking it to a much higher level,” Netanyahu said from the White House with Trump on Wednesday. “He sees a different future for that piece of land that has been the focus of so much terrorism, so much, so many attacks against us, so many, so many trials and so many tribulations. He has a different idea, and I think it’s worth paying attention to this.”

President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu answer questions during a joint press conference in the East Room at the White House on Feb. 4, 2025. (REUTERS/Leah Millis)

RUBIO REFUSES TO VISIT SOUTH AFRICA FOR G-20 SUMMIT, ACCUSES GOVERNMENT OF ‘DOING VERY BAD THINGS’

Rubio said “there are a lot of countries in the world that like to express concern about Gaza and the Palestinian people, but very few [were] willing, in the past, to do anything concrete about it.”

Gaza, which is run by Hamas terrorists, is not only uninhabitable because of the destruction from the war with Israel, but because of unexploded munitions, rockets and weapons that plague the land, Rubio said, adding that “it needs to be dealt with.”

“If some other country is willing to step forward and do it themselves, that would be great, but no one seems to be rushing forward to do that and that has to happen,” Rubio said Thursday.

Palestinians continue to return to what is left of their homes in Gaza City, Gaza, after a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas. (Ali Jadallah/Anadolu via Getty Images)

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The secretary of state said he thinks Trump proposed the Gaza takeover idea in hopes of getting a reaction from countries who “have the economic and technological capacity to contribute to a post-conflict region.”

As of Friday morning, no other country has spoken out about a potential plan to rehabilitate Gaza.

A former aide to Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., was once pictured wearing a shirt that depicted a Nazi collaborator in an image that resurfaced after the “Squad” staffer announced a congressional campaign against former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif.

Saikat Chakrabarti managed Ocasio-Cortez’s congressional campaign in 2018, serving as chief of staff to the progressive member before leaving just one year later after publicly criticizing some Democratic lawmakers. 

After Ocasio-Cortez won her first election, Chakrabarti sported a shirt with the face of Nazi sympathizer Subhas Chandra Bose, an Indian nationalist who collaborated with the Nazis during World War II, during an interview to talk about the new congresswoman’s emerging political career.

The video, titled “Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s Chief of Staff on Acting Fast in Congress,” was shared by NowThis Impact, a progressive organization.

FORMER AOC CHIEF OF STAFF ANNOUNCES RUN AGAINST PELOSI, CALLS DEMS ‘PARALYZED AND UNPREPARED’ UNDER TRUMP

Saikat Chakrabarti, left, and Rep Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., center, leave a news conference in the Capitol Visitor Center in Washington, D.C., on July 15, 2019. (Getty Images)

In a separate photo, Chakrabarti was seen wearing the same shirt with the face of the Nazi collaborator.

Bose was known for his support of socialist policies in the late 1930s and early 1940s. During the Second World War, Bose struck an alliance with the “Axis Powers” of Germany, Italy and Japan, and personally met with Adolf Hitler, Benito Mussolini and Hideki Tojo. 

Chakrabarti on Wednesday announced that he plans to run for the House seat currently held by Pelosi, who will be 86 years old when she is up for re-election in the 2026 midterms.

Saikat Chakrabarti, then-chief of staff for Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., attends a news conference in the Capitol Visitor Center on Monday, July 15, 2019.   (Photo By Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call via Getty Images)

“It’s become clear to me that the Democratic Party needs new leadership,” Chakrabarti said in a post on X. “I don’t understand how DC’s Democratic leaders are so paralyzed and unprepared for this moment after living through President Trump’s first term — and after Trump and Elon warned us exactly what they planned to do.”

‘RED LIGHT’ DISTRICT REP. AOC CALLED OUT FOR IGNORING CRIME CLEANUP ON HER TURF

Pelosi filed paperwork to run for a 21st term next cycle, signaling that she intends to seek re-election.

Rep. Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., a former House speaker, has indicated she will seek re-election in 2026. (Getty Images)

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While working for Ocasio-Cortez, Chakrabarti tweeted that Rep. Sharice Davids, D-Kan., one of the first two Native American women to serve in Congress, enabled a racist system after she voted in favor of a Senate border bill not backed by progressives. 

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

More than a dozen Venezuelan criminal illegal migrants are on their way to the U.S.’ most secure prison — the Guantánamo Bay Detention Camp (GITMO) in Cuba — some of whom are members of the violent Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua (TdA), according to Department of Homeland Security (DHS) sources.

TdA is an international criminal group that has been terrorizing U.S. communities from New York to Colorado. As one of his first actions, President Donald Trump issued an executive order on Jan. 20 instructing the State Department and other government agencies to move to designate TdA as a “foreign terrorist organization.”

Fox News learned that along with TdA gang members, the 13 Venezuelans being flown to GITMO include a murder suspect and a man who claims to have escaped from a Venezuelan prison.

The men are expected to be held at the detention center that is being expanded to house tens of thousands of criminal immigrants.

FIRST 10 ‘HIGH THREAT’ ILLEGALS TO ARRIVE TO GUANTANAMO BAY AREA ALL TREN DE ARAGUA MEMBERS

A control tower is seen through the razor wire inside a detention facility at Guantánamo Bay Naval Base in Cuba. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon, File)

The DHS said the immigrants on the plane on Thursday are “highly dangerous” people who were in the U.S. illegally.

Along with a murder suspect and a prison escapee, the others in the group being taken to GITMO include those accused of robbery, intent to commit homicide, weapons trafficking, robbery and assault.

MEXICAN TROOPS BEGIN ARRIVING AT US-MEXICO BORDER FOLLOWING DEAL MADE TO PAUSE TRUMP-APPROVED TARIFFS

Criminal migrants board a military flight to Guantánamo Bay, Cuba. (Department of Homeland Security)

Earlier on Thursday, 10 high-threat migrants arrived at Guantánamo Bay, the Department of Defense (DOD) confirmed.

The DOD said migrant criminals are being housed in vacant detention facilities. The DOD said that is only a temporary arrangement being made to “ensure the safe and secure detention of these individuals until they can be transported to their country of origin or other appropriate destination.”

TRUMP HAS BECOME ‘GAME-CHANGER’ IN CONFRONTING ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION CRISIS: TOM HOMAN

A migrant prepares to board a flight to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. (Department of Homeland Security)

The DHS has clarified that the Guantánamo Bay prison will only be used to house “the worst of the worst” criminals.”

Late last month, Trump announced that he instructed the DOD to prepare Guantánamo Bay to house 30,000 “criminal illegal aliens.”

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He said there are 30,000 beds at Guantánamo Bay to house the detainees who pose a threat to the American public, adding that putting them there will ensure they do not come back to the U.S.

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

Here’s what’s happening…

–Cruz reintroduces amendment to combat court expansion efforts

-Trump DOJ slaps Illinois, Chicago with lawsuit over sanctuary laws

-First shipment of illegal migrant criminals to Guantanamo Bay consists of 10 Tren de Aragua members

Delayed Deadlines 

A federal judge pushed back the deadline for President Donald Trump’s buyout offer for federal workers on Thursday.

Trump’s administration initially told federal workers they needed to decide whether to accept the buyout offer by Thursday. The new ruling delays the deadline to at least Monday, with another hearing on the issue scheduled for that day.

U.S. District Judge George O’Toole Jr. did not express an opinion on the legality of Trump’s buyback program…Read more

President Donald Trump waves after signing an executive order barring transgender female athletes from competing in women’s or girls’ sporting events, in the East Room of the White House, Wednesday, Feb. 5, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

DOGE

‘YOU MAY BE UNFAMILIAR…’: Liz Cheney to Elon Musk regarding her past work at USAID…Read more

‘POWER GRAB’: Jeffries unveils data protection bill amid DOGE crackdown…Read more

‘DAMN RIGHT’: Liz Cheney’s past USAID employment faces backlash after lashing out at Elon Musk…Read more

EYEWITNESS: Former USAID official Mark Moyar says ‘corruption’ at agency ‘subverted’ Trump White House…Read more

USAID official Mark Moyar details his experience dealing with ‘corruption’ and instances of government waste on leftist ideologies during his tenure at the agency from 2018 to 2019. (Getty Images)

DOGE HOUSE: After DOGE crackdown on USAID, Trump’s House allies want this Cabinet agency on chopping block…Read more

LIMITED: Federal judge moves to limit DOGE access to sensitive Treasury Department payment system records…Read more

‘FUNDING INSANITY’: Feds spent millions studying trans menstruation, strengthening gay rights in the Balkans, database reveals…Read more

White House 

NEW TASK FORCE: Trump announces executive order creating task force to ‘eradicate anti-Christian bias’…Read more

‘ADORABLE MOMENT’: Top Arizona lawmaker spotlights ‘adorable moment’ as Trump signed women’s sports executive order…Read more

US President Donald Trump signs the No Men in Women’s Sports Executive Order into law in the East Room of the White House in Washington, DC, on February 5, 2025. President Trump on Wednesday is signing an executive order to ban transgender girls and women from competing on sports teams that match their gender identity, marking his latest move targeting transgender rights.  (ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS / AFP)

‘WORKING TOGETHER’: Newsom praises ‘very productive’ Trump meeting as he seeks more federal wildfire money…Read more

‘AI POWERHOUSE’: White House encourages Americans to provide ideas for artificial intelligence strategy…Read more

OFFER EXTENDED: Federal judge delays Trump deadline for federal worker buyout offer…Read more

World Stage 

‘NO ADJUSTMENT’: Panama denies State Dept claim that it is eliminating fees for US gov vessels using canal…Read more

TITLE SWAP: Arab Americans for Trump group changes name after president’s Gaza takeover proposal…Read more

Pro-Palestine students demonstrate on Columbia University’s campus in New York City on Thursday, April 18, 2024. Multiple students were arrested as officers cleared an encampment on the campus’ lawn. (Peter Gerber for Fox News Digital)

BAD ‘INFLUENCE’: Education bill would require parental notification to ‘TRACE’ foreign funding of curriculum as China looks on…Read more

‘NO TROOPS NEEDED’: Trump’s Gaza ‘takeover’ rankles America First conservatives, allies suggest negotiator-in-chief is at work…Read more

Capitol Hill

NOT SO FAST: Dems delay Patel committee vote, deride Trump FBI pick as danger to US security…Read more

RE-BUDGETING: House Republicans push to reroute frozen USAID funding into deporting illegal immigrants…Read more

A group of House Republicans want to use President Trump’s foreign aid freeze to add more funding toward illegal immigrant deportation efforts (Getty/AP)

‘ENJOY YOUR SPEECHES’: Senate Democrats speak all night against Trump OMB nominee, delaying confirmation vote…Read more

TARIFF CHIEF: Trump’s trade representative pick to appear before Senate Finance Committee…Read more

TARGETING REPUBLICANS: Pro-Democrat outside group targets Republican lawmakers with ‘Hands off Medicaid’ blitz…Read more

Across America 

CAMPUS CROSSFIRE: Civil rights officials probe four U.S. medical schools over antisemitism at 2024 commencement ceremonies…Read more

‘FULFILL THE MANDATE’: New election integrity report calls for critical changes to guarantee secure…Read more

FULL DISCLOSURE: Prince Harry sees court setback on immigration records case in first hearing since Trump took office…Read more

TAKING CHARGE: Rubio named acting director of another US government agency…Read more

‘CAMPAIGN OF VIOLENCE’: SEAL congressman introduces legislation to pull back the veil on threat cartels pose…Read more

CONSEQUENCES IN CALI: House subcommittee holding hearing on how regulatory policy impacts natural disasters following LA fires…Read more

Vehicles and a house burn as powerful winds fueling devastating wildfires in the Los Angeles area force people to evacuate, at the Eaton Fire in Altadena, California, U.S. January 8, 2025.  (REUTERS/David Swanson)

‘NEXT OPPONENT’: UFC heavyweight champ enters the ring for healthcare reform with new price transparency partnership…Read more

‘DEVASTATING’: New York ‘polluters pay’ law backcharging oil, gas companies faces Republican AGs’ lawsuit…Read more

AG ON THE MOVE: Attorney General Pam Bondi to travel to New Orleans to survey Super Bowl LIX security…Read more

‘SANCTUARY’ ABUSE: Massachusetts migrant shelter resident charged with impregnating teen daughter…Read more

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

It’s a new season for Congressional Democrats.

And that’s not always a good thing.

New seasons bring change. New players. New coaches. New approaches.

The problem is finding the right approach.

Especially when you’re on the outside looking in.

SPENDING SHOWDOWN: REPUBLICANS WILL NEED TO CORRAL VOTES – BUT THEY HAVEN’T ASKED, YET

Democrats are now the loyal opposition. Effectively locked out of power in Washington as Republicans control the executive branch and both bodies of Congress.

Democrats have lobbed entire landfills at President Trump since 2015. Some of it worked – a little bit. But certainly not enough to permanently sidetrack Mr. Trump. He executed one of the most extraordinary, improbable comebacks in world political history.

On the TV show “The Office,” secretary Pam Beesly noted that she only got ten vacation days a year.

“I try to hold off taking them for as long as possible,” said Beesly. “This year I got to the third week in January.”

Democrats are effectively stonewalled out of power, with both houses of Congress and the presidency having fallen to GOP leadership. (Reuters)

So far, Democrats are flailing as they try to challenge President Trump in his second term. So, they’re dusting off some old plays from a tired, dog-eared playbook.

Like Beesly, they waited as long as they could.

It took precisely 16 days before a Democrat threatened to impeach the President.

DEMOCRATS CALL FOR ARTICLES OF IMPEACHMENT AGAINST TRUMP AMID GAZA COMMENTS

Rep. Al Green, D-Tex., prepped the first articles of impeachment against President Trump in 2017. He didn’t do so until October of that year. But now, Green is ready to impeach the President.

“I did it before. I laid the foundation for impeachment. And it was done. Nobody knows more about it than I. And I know that it’s time for us to lay the foundation again. On some issues, it is better to stand alone than not stand at all,” said Green.

But two previous impeachments failed to suppress Mr. Trump. If nothing else, the impeachments may have emboldened him. Especially since despite the House impeaching him, he survived two Senate trials.

Rep. Al Green, D-Texas, has once again announced his immediate intent to impeach the President. (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

But Democratic leaders are leery of impeachment freelancing.

“This isn’t a focus of the Democratic Caucus,” said House Democratic Caucus Chairman Pete Aguilar, D-Calif. “We’ve laid out our strategy. Legislative. Litigation. Outreach. Communication. That continues to be the focus.”

Democrats are united in their opposition of President Trump. But finding a unifying, resonant message is another thing.

SOCIAL MEDIA, TEAM TRUMP REACT TO CORY BOOKER’S ‘MELTDOWN’ OVER ELON MUSK’S USAID CRACKDOWN

“In the United States Senate, we will not cooperate!” thundered Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J. “We’ll cooperate with no appointments when it comes to the State Department!”

“There should be hundreds of thousands and millions of people descending on Washington, DC!” declared Sen. Ed Markey, D-Mass.

Rep. John Garamendi, D-Calif., is one of many Democrats amplifying renewed calls to “resist” the new Trump administration. (Bill Clark/Roll Call/Getty Images)

“We must resist. We must be in the streets!” said Rep. John Garamendi, D-Calif.

Democrats used to have only one target. That was President Trump.

“They have no rudder. They have no vision. They have no clear leader,” observed House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La. “The only message they have is anti-President Trump.”

THE SPEAKER’S LOBBY: A PALPABLY UNFAIR ACT

But opponents evolve.

The arch-enemy of Batman was always the Joker. But the Penguin, Riddler and Catwoman were worthy foes, too.

And so Democrats now have a new nemesis: Elon Musk.

The President isn’t the only one in Democrats’ crosshairs this go-round – Elon Musk also shares the dubious honor. (Kenny Holston-Pool/Getty Images)

Democrats are peppering him with inflammatory rhetoric.

“A godless, lawless billionaire. You know who elected Elon? This is the American people. This is not your trashy Cybertruck that you can just dismantle, pick apart, and sell the pieces of,” said squad member Rep. Ayanna Pressley, D-Mass.

“God damn it. Shut down the Senate. We are at war. Any time, any time a person can pay $250 million into a campaign, and they’ve been given access to the Department of Treasury of the United States of America. We are at war,” said Rep. LaMonica McIver, D-N.J. “We will not take this sh*t from Donald Trump and Elon Musk.”

“What we not going to do is stand around while they pull this bullsh*t that they’re trying to pull right now,” excoriated Rep. Jasmine Crockett,. D-Tex., of Musk and DOGE. “You all know he likes to pal around with Putin, right? He’s trying to turn us into Russia.”

MUSK’S DOGE TAKES AIM AT ‘VIPER’S NEST’ FEDERAL AGENCY WITH GLOBAL FOOTPRINT

“He is a low down, dirty, no good person that along with Trump cannot be trusted,” said Rep. Maxine Waters, D-Calif. “We have got to tell Elon Musk, nobody elected your ass.”

White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt blasted Democrats for their incendiary language.

“President Trump was elected with a mandate from the American people to make this government more efficient. He campaigned across this country with Elon Musk vowing that Elon was going to head up the Department of Government Efficiency,” said Leavitt. “For Democrat officials to incite violence and encourage Americans to take to the streets is incredibly alarming. They should be held accountable for that rhetoric.”

Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., is one of very few congressional Democrats – if not the only one – to advise an excess of caution in his party’s expressions of steadfast defiance toward the Trump agenda. (Getty Images)

But at least one Democrat urges discipline for his colleagues when attacking the President – or Musk.

“There’s going to be a lot of balls coming down to the plate. And I’m only waiting for a strike when I’m going to start to swing,” said Sen. John Fetterman, D-Penn.

Democrats executed another gambit Wednesday. They kept the Senate in session all night to postpone the confirmation of Budget Director nominee Russ Vought. The Senate broke a filibuster earlier on Wednesday. But Vought is someone who would have great influence over DOGE and potentially efforts by the administration to withhold or contour spending. Since the Senate voted to end the filibuster around 1 pm et Wednesday, Democrats opted to burn all time available to them just to protest Vought and DOGE.

SENATE DEMOCRATS SPEAK ALL NIGHT AGAINST TRUMP OMB NOMINEE, DELAYING CONFIRMATION VOTE

“Russ Vought represents a very specific view of presidential power, which is essentially unitary executive,” said Sen. Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii, at 1:45 am et Thursday. “It’s this view that once you win, you’re basically a monarch.”

A cavalcade of Democrats seized the floor throughout the night. Sen. Peter Welch, D-Vt., at 5 am et. Sen. Elissa Slotkin, D-Mich., at 6 am et. Booker at 9 am et.

“Whatever the challenges, whatever the fear, is what I want to tell you right now is don’t normalize a president who is violating the separation of powers,” said Booker on the floor just after 10 am et. “Don’t normalize a president who is violating civil service laws. Don’t normalize a president who is ignoring the dictates of Congress and establishing agencies.”

Around the same time, Democrats on the Judiciary Committee requested, and received – under the rules – a one-week delay on the nomination of FBI Director nominee Kash Patel.

“Kash Patel has a goal. It’s to wreck the FBI,” said Welch.

Democrats have managed to negotiate a one-week deal to delay the confirmation of Kash Patel, President Trump’s pick to head the FBI. (AP)

The Democrats’ maneuver chokes off Patel’s nomination from the Senate floor. But only for a week.

“It means that about 168 hours from right now, he’ll be confirmed by our committee,” said Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa.

Democrats can’t do much but delay the inevitable. Republicans can confirm Patel on the floor if they stick together. The same with Vought. Vought is only the second nominee to score a partisan confirmation without Democratic assistance. The other was Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.

“We are out of power. But we are not powerless,” said Schatz.

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But that power is low voltage. Measured in foot candles, not watts.

There are limits to their power. And Democrats are now feeling it.

A high-profile sheriff in Michigan announced his bid to run for governor, replacing Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.

First elected sheriff of Michigan’s Genesee County in 2020, Chris Swanson’s announcement on Thursday marks his full leap into politics after speaking at the Democratic National Convention last August. The race is shaping up to be one of the most fiercely contested political battles of 2026.

Swanson first gained national attention in May 2020, just days after the police custody death of George Floyd in Minneapolis sparked nationwide protests against racial injustice. He famously took off his riot gear and marched alongside demonstrators after telling them: “I want to make this a parade, not a protest.”  

His bid comes as the Democratic Party seeks a new kind of candidate who can address top voter concerns such as immigration and public safety, issues Swanson plans to make central to his campaign.

NEWSOM CHANGES TONE ON TRUMP FROM CAMPAIGN RHETORIC WITH FEDERAL WILDFIRE RECOVERY FUNDS AT STAKE

Genesee County Sheriff Chris Swanson announces his campaign to run for governor of Michigan in the 2026 election on Feb. 6, 2025, at Mott Community College in Flint, Michigan. (Jake May/The Flint Journal via AP)

Swanson formally announced his bid at Mott Community College, his alma mater, in Flint on Thursday night. He was joined by a packed house of more than 400 supporters from across the state. 

“When there’s a challenge, we will solve it. When there’s a crisis, we will bring calm. When there’s an opportunity, we will seize it,” Swanson said. “I believe everyone has value. Michigan has value. It’s why I’ve always tried to find ways to help and bring people together. I believe that together, we are tough enough to win for Michigan.”

OUT OF POWER: DEMOCRATS DISORIENTED IN FIGHT AGAINST TRUMP AGENDA

In entering the race, Swanson joins Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson in the Democratic primary, with Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist II mulling a potential bid. On the Republican side, Aric Nesbitt, the top GOP state Senate leader, has announced his candidacy. U.S. Rep. John James ais lso considered to be a potential contender. Detroit’s once-Democratic Mayor Mike Duggan further shook up the race by entering as an independent.

Swanson has never won a race outside of Genesee County and he will be competing in the primary against Benson, who has won multiple statewide races and raised millions of dollars. Swanson remains largely unknown outside his county, which is about 70 miles northwest of Detroit.

Genesee County Sheriff Chris Swanson talks during a news conference, Jan. 28, 2025 in Flint, Michigan. (Jake May/The Flint Journal via AP)

The sheriff’s appeal as a non-traditional candidate could resonate in a battleground state like Michigan, where winning requires broad, cross-party support. In the 2024 election, Swanson was reelected with 65% of the vote in Genesee County — running nearly 14 percentage points ahead of Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris.

Swanson’s decision to remove his riot gear and march alongside protesters at a demonstration in Flint following Floyd’s May 2020 death sparked national attention and praise from prominent Democrats, including Whitmer and former President Barack Obama. 

He said this month that police had planned for a different response, but “as I was walking up, I thought, there’s got to be a better way.”

TRUMP EXECUTIVE ORDER TO DEPORT HAMAS SYMPATHIZERS ON CAMPUSES PROMPTS STUDENT NEWSPAPER TO DELETE NAMES

It also helped propel him to an appearance at the Democratic National Convention in August, where he wore his sheriff’s uniform and endorsed Harris in a brief speech.

The appearance was a rare show of law enforcement support for the then-vice president. Sheriffs in Michigan and across the country frequently aligned themselves with President Donald Trump during his tough-on-crime, anti-illegal immigration presidential campaign.

Genesee County Sheriff Chris Swanson is embraced as he announces his campaign to run for governor of Michigan in the 2026 election Thursday, Feb. 6, 2025, at Mott Community College in Flint, Mich. (Jake May/The Flint Journal via AP)

Swanson’s background could boost his appeal in a general election, especially as immigration remains a top voter concern. However, he may face challenges in the Democratic primary, where some in the party have made calls to “defund the police” and reform law enforcement.

“It’s time that we have a different type of candidate coming through the system, not just the next one up,” said Swanson. “People, I think, are hungry for something new and fresh. Certainly the party is. And I’m that person.”

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Swanson’s gubernatorial bid was first announced in The Associated Press. 

Fox News’ Paul Steinhauser and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

A House lawmaker Thursday jokingly suggested making therapy dogs a permanent fixture in committee hearings after voicing his concern about the “mental stability” of Democrats a day earlier. 

On Wednesday, as Republicans on the House Committee on Oversight and Reform discussed wasteful government spending, Rep. Eli Crane, R-Ariz., asked about bringing in therapy dogs for his Democratic colleagues amid back-and-forth sparring between both sides. 

Crane asked committee Chair James Comer, R-Ky., about bringing in the animals. 

GOP LAWMAKER SCRAPS WITH DEMOCRAT IN HEARING OVER TRANSGENDER ‘SLUR,’ BATHROOM RIGHTS: ‘NOT GOING TO HAVE IT’

Rep. Eli Crane at a House Committee on Oversight and Reform hearing on Thursday, where he mentioned three beagles in the chamber.  (House Committee on Oversight and Reform)

“I’m worried about their mental stability,” said Crane. 

On Thursday, the committee met to discuss taxpayer money funding “gender-affirming care” for animals. The hearing, “Transgender Lab Rats and Poisoned Puppies: Oversight of Taxpayer Funded Animal Cruelty,” featured a witness from the White Coat Waste Project. 

In attendance were three beagles that were allegedly part of experiments conducted on the watch of Dr. Anthony Fauci, who served as the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID).

WEST POINT DISBANDS GENDER-BASED, RACE CLUBS IN TRUMP’S DEI SWEEP

A beagle sitting on the floor during a House Committee on Oversight and Reform hearing Thursday.  (House Committee on Oversight and Reform)

“It was just yesterday in an Oversight hearing that I asked Chairman Comer if we could get some therapy dogs up here because of some of the meltdowns that were going on,” Crane said. “I had no idea I’d walk into this hearing today and see three beautiful beagle puppies.

“And I have noticed that my mood has already improved. So, thank you guys for bringing them,” he added. “I think we should make it mandatory.”

At Thursday’s hearing, Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., laid out how public funds were being used for animal experiments. 

“Last year, the White Coat Waste Project exposed more than $10 million in taxpayer funds that were spent creating transgender mice, rats and monkeys,” Mace said. “These DEI grants funded painful and deadly transgender experiments that forced lab animals to undergo invasive surgeries and hormone therapies at universities across the country.”

A pair of beagles at a House Committee on Oversight and Reform hearing on Thursday. (House Committee on Oversight and Reform)

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Before yielding to ranking member Shontel Brown, D-Ohio, Mace said wasteful government spending on animal cruelty is a “nonpartisan issue.”

“The U.S. government spends in excess of $20 billion a year conducting experiments on animals,” Mace said. “We spent over $1 million to find out if female rats receiving testosterone therapy were more likely to overdose on a date rape drug. That’s what your taxpayer dollars were being spent on.”

Fox News Digital’s Deirdre Heavey contributed to this report. 

An aircraft used by a state-owned Venezuelan natural gas company to evade U.S. sanctions and export control laws for the benefit of the regime of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro was seized in the Dominican Republic Thursday, authorities said. 

The seizure of the Dassault Falcon 2000EX aircraft used by Petroleos de Venezuela, S.A. (PdVSA), the sanctioned Venezuelan state-owned oil and natural-gas company, came as Secretary of State Marco Rubio visited the Caribbean nation for talks with its president. 

“The seizure of this Venezuelan aircraft, used for evading U.S. sanctions and money laundering, is a powerful example of our resolve to hold the illegitimate Maduro regime accountable for its illegal actions,” Rubio wrote on X. 

“With the Dominican Republic and our regional partners, we will continue to counteract any scheme to evade U.S. sanctions.”

TRUMP OFFICIAL TRAVELS TO VENEZUELA IN PUSH FOR MADURO REGIME TO TAKE BACK TREN DE ARAGUA GANG MEMBERS

Secretary of State Marco Rubio, right, listens to Edwin F. Lopez, the attaché for DHS Homeland Security Investigations, center, next to the Venezuelan government airplane that Rubio announced was being seized by the U.S. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)

The seizure stemmed from a 2019 executive order during President Donald Trump’s first term in office in an effort to prohibit American citizens from engaging in transactions with anyone who worked for or on behalf of PdVSA. In January 2020, the Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) identified 15 aircraft that fell under the order. 

PdVSA bought the plane from the U.S. in July 2017 and exported it to Venezuela, where it was registered under tail number YV-3360, the Justice Department said. 

Despite sanctions being levied on PdVSA, the plane was still serviced and maintained on multiple occasions using parts from the U.S., authorities said. The service included a brake assembly, electronic flight displays and flight management computers, all in violation of U.S. export control and sanctions laws.

A “seized” sign is placed on a Venezuelan government airplane during a press conference where U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, right, announced its seizure at La Isabela International Airport in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, Thursday. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)

“The use of American-made parts to service and maintain aircraft operated by sanctioned entities like PdVSA is intolerable,” said Devin DeBacker, head of the Justice Department’s National Security Division. 

“The Justice Department, along with its federal law enforcement partners, will continue to safeguard our national security by identifying, disrupting and dismantling schemes aimed at procuring American goods in violation of our sanctions and export control laws.” 

DHS SEC. NOEM ANNOUNCES END TO TEMPORARY PROTECTED STATUS FOR VENEZUELAN MIGRANTS

This photo released by Venezuela’s presidential press office shows Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, right, shaking hands with Richard Grenell, President Donald Trump’s special envoy, at Miraflores presidential palace in Caracas, Venezuela, Jan. 31, 2025. (Venezuela’s presidential press office, via AP)

Among its uses, the plane was allegedly used to take Venezuelan Oil Minister Manuel Salvador Quevedo Fernandez, who is also sanctioned, to an OPEC meeting in the United Arab Emirates and has been used to transport senior members of the Maduro regime.

The aircraft was used in a continuation of the regime’s misappropriation of PdVSA assets, the DOJ said. 

In September, a plane owned by Maduro was also seized in the Dominican Republic. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) flew the Dassault Falcon 900EX back to the United States soon after. 

“Asset forfeiture is a powerful law enforcement tool, which we will continue to use aggressively to deter, disrupt and otherwise combat criminal activity,” said U.S. Attorney Hayden O’Byrne.

Maduro’s plane on a Fort Lauderdale, Fla., tarmac, after U.S. authorities seized the aircraft and flew it from the Dominican Republic. That plane was seized in September 2024.   (WFOR)

Maduro began his third six-year term as president last month despite widespread skepticism over the legitimacy of his election victory. 

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International and domestic critics question the fairness of the electoral process. Maduro claimed victory by more than 1 million votes. However, opposition candidate Edmundo González is widely believed to have won by a landslide.

President Donald Trump fired the U.S. Federal Election Commission Commissioner and Chair Ellen Weintraub, sending her a letter regarding her “removal.”

Trump took office Jan. 20, and since then has taken on a massive government makeover, sidelining and firing hundreds of top agency officials and civil servants as he attempts to install more loyalists and downsize the bureaucracy.

Weintraub, like many others, was in Trump’s crosshairs, but she did not appear to be standing down.

“Received a letter from POTUS today purporting to remove me as Commissioner & Chair of [the FEC],” Weintraub wrote Thursday in a post on X. “There’s a legal way to replace FEC commissioners — this isn’t it. I’ve been lucky to serve the American people & stir up some good trouble along the way. That’s not changing anytime soon.”

HOUSE GOP DEMANDS FEC PROBE ‘POTENTIALLY ILLEGAL’ ACTBLUE FUNDRAISING AS DEM PLATFORM HAULS HARRIS MILLIONS

U.S. Federal Election Commission Commissioner Ellen Weintraub Jan. 14, 2020, in Washington, D.C. (Federal Election Commission/Handout via Reuters, File)

Along with her post, Weintraub posted a copy of the letter from the White House.

“Dear Commissioner Weintraub,” the letter states. “You are hereby removed as a Member of the Federal Election Commission, effective immediately. Thank you for your service on the Commission.”

The letter was dated Jan. 31, 2025, and signed by Trump.

FEC CHAIR: TRUMP IS ‘DAMAGING TO OUR DEMOCRACY’ WITH ‘BASELESS’ VOTER FRAUD ALLEGATIONS

Weintraub took aim at President Trump in 2019, when she said his “baseless” claims about voter fraud were “damaging to our democracy.”

She criticized the president during an appearance on CNN and claimed he was spreading information for which he had no proof.

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“I think it is damaging to our democracy,” Weintraub told host John Berman, “to spread information like that if there is no proof.”

Weintraub insisted there was no evidence of rampant voter fraud in 2016, responding to Trump’s repeated claims to the contrary.

Fox News Digital’s Joshua Nelson contributed to this report.

President Donald Trump on Thursday announced a slew of picks for big jobs, including director of the U.S. Marshals Service and three ambassadors.

In a post on Truth Social, Trump announced Gadyaces “Gady” Serralta will serve as the next director of the United States Marshals Service.

“Gady is a lifelong public servant, with 34 years of Law Enforcement experience,” Trump wrote. “I nominated him in my First Term to serve as the U.S. Marshal for the Southern District of Florida, and he has done an incredible job for the past six years.”

Serralta previously served as a major for the Miami-Dade Police Department and as police chief in Palmetto Bay, Florida, Trump said.

‘LIES AND SMEARS’: TULSI GABBARD RAILS AGAINST DEM NARRATIVE SHE’S TRUMP’S AND PUTIN’S ‘PUPPET’

Gadyaces S. Serralta will serve as the next director of the United States Marshals Service. (US Marshals Service)

“Gady will work with our GREAT Attorney General Pam Bondi to make sure that we restore Law and Order, and Make America Safe Again,” Trump wrote.

The president also announced a number of ambassadors, including Thomas Rose, who will serve as the United States ambassador to Poland.

President Donald Trump in the Oval Office of the White House Feb. 4, 2025, in Washington, D.C. (Getty Images)

“Thomas is a highly respected businessman and commentator, who had a successful radio show on Sirius XM for almost a decade, and served as the Publisher and CEO of The Jerusalem Post,” Trump wrote. “He will make sure our interests are represented in Poland, and always put America First.”

The Jerusalem Post reported in 2016 that Rose was former Vice President Mike Pence’s “longtime friend and unofficial surrogate.”

Former Vice President Mike Pence (Siavosh Hosseini/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)

Michael E. Kavoukjian will serve as the next United States ambassador to Norway, Trump announced. 

“Michael is a brilliant attorney, who currently serves as a Senior Partner at White & Case, where he has led complex commercial litigation teams around the World,” Trump wrote.

Kavoukjian previously worked as a CIA operations officer and is a graduate of Stanford University and Harvard Law School, Trump said.

Trump announced Melinda Hildebrand, wife of billionaire businessman Jeffery Hildebrand, will take over as United States ambassador to Costa Rica.

Houston Chronicle Chairman Jack Sweeney, left, shakes hands with Hilcorp Energy Co. founder, Chairman and CEO Jeffery Hildebrand. (Nick de la Torre/Houston Chronicle via Getty Images)

“Melinda is an incredibly successful businesswoman and philanthropist,” Trump wrote. “She will fight tirelessly to protect America’s Interests abroad, especially in Trade and Immigration.”

Hildebrand is the vice chair of the Hildebrand Foundation, vice president of Hilcorp Ventures Inc. and president and owner of River Oaks Donuts.

RFK JR’S CONFIRMATION HEARING GOES OFF RAILS AMID MULTIPLE CLASHES WITH DEM SENATORS: ‘REPEATEDLY DEBUNKED’

Nicholas Merrick will serve as United States Ambassador to the Czech Republic.

“Nicholas is a highly respected businessman and teacher, who leads Kenny and Lisa Troutt’s $1.6 Billion family office,” Trump wrote. 

He was previously the CFO of two publicly traded telecommunications companies and has served on several large pension boards. 

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Merrick received his Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Virginia and an MBA from Harvard University.

As of Wednesday, 11 of Trump’s Cabinet nominees have been successfully confirmed by the Senate.