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EXCLUSIVE: President Donald Trump’s executive order against paper straws that was signed in February is already beginning to “use all levers available” to cut back on them.

Fox News Digital exclusively obtained a domestic policy council report outlining that the White House wants the Food and Drug Administration to look into the PFAS risk of paper straws and “consider restricting their use.” It is also pivoting away from using straws in federal government cafeterias, stopping the purchasing of them in federal contracts across a variety of agencies, and having the United States Department of Agriculture “not promote the development or manufacturing of paper straws in the future.”

“Paper straws are a laughable supposition. They are bad for the environment, they are unhygienic, they are expensive, they contain dangerous forever chemicals, and—as with most things advanced by the previous Administration—they do not work,” the president wrote in a letter included in the report.

SENATE CONFIRMS DR MARTY MAKARY AS TRUMP’S FDA CHIEF

Carbonated soft drink pop soda bottles with plastic straws.  (iStock)

“This is not rocket science—water and other drinks dissolve paper, rendering these straws useless for their sole purpose. A product of a fictitious yet frequently cited statistic, they are inefficient and wasteful. It is ludicrous that anyone saw fit to enforce their use and that these useless implements have infiltrated our marketplaces as much as they have. Among the many things that my Administration is having to roll back, this is among the most absurd,” Trump continued.

The Executive Order came just months after the Biden administration announced plans in July to phase out single-use plastic in the federal government.

HHS AXES MORE THAN $300M IN GENDER, DEI-RELATED HEALTH GRANTS TO CALIFORNIA ALONE

President Donald Trump signs an executive order  (Getty Images)

“The Trump Administration has undone this weaponization of government and will use all available levers to bring back common sense, end the use of paper straws, and restore functional utensils for the American people,” the report’s conclusion states, arguing not only that research does not back up the widespread use of paper straws, but also that it may “pose safety risks to children and people with disabilities.”

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Blue states such as California and New York currently have laws in place limiting the use of single-use plastic straws in full-service restaurants, unless customers request them.

‘BACK TO PLASTIC!’: TRUMP VOWS EXECUTIVE ORDER ENDING ‘RIDICULOUS’ PUSH FOR PAPER STRAWS

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. visits “The Story With Martha MacCallum” at Fox News Channel Studios.  ((Photo by Jason Mendez/Getty Images))

Democratic states have also touted the use of paper straws as a more environmentally friendly alternative. Trump has criticized them for years, writing in a 2019 social media post that “liberal paper straws don’t work.”

Fox News’ Aubrie Spady contributed to this report.

President Donald Trump announced Friday he had nominated former Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich to become the next U.S. ambassador to Serbia.

“Mark is a proud Veteran of the Army National Guard, and previously served as Attorney General for the Great State of Arizona,” Trump wrote in a Truth Social post.

“As the son of refugees who fled communism, Mark will be a strong advocate for Freedom, and always put AMERICA FIRST. Congratulations Mark!”

TRUMP NOMINATES GEORGIA STATE SEN. BRANDON BEACH FOR US TREASURER

Mark Brnovich was nominated to serve as the next U.S. ambassador to Serbia. (Fox News)

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Brnovich served as attorney general of Arizona from 2015 to 2023.

He is married to Susan Brnovich, a U.S. District Court judge in Arizona.

A federal appeals court on Friday granted the Trump administration’s motion to extend a stay allowing the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to continue operating at the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).

Last week, a federal judge in Maryland ruled efforts to halt USAID functions were likely unconstitutional, ordering its reinstatement.

A federal appeals court in Richmond, Virginia, on Tuesday issued a stay, temporarily blocking the judge’s order that prohibited DOGE from working with USAID. It also barred biopharmaceutical executive Jeremy Levin from leading the agency.

Friday’s decision extends the stay until the appeal is resolved.

DOGE protestors outside the Department of Education in Washington, D.C., March 11, 2025.  (Peter Pinedo/Fox News Digital)

‘HYSTERIA’: WHITE HOUSE SHUTS DOWN CONCERNS OVER USAID DOCUMENT PURGE

A group of 26 unidentified current and former USAID employees or contractors alleged the Trump administration unlawfully canceled government contracts, placed USAID personnel on administrative leave, reduced the force of employees and contractors, closed the headquarters and took down the website, violating the U.S. Constitution’s appointments clause because Elon Musk acted as DOGE administrator without being properly appointed. 

They also claimed dismantling USAID infringed on Congress’ responsibilities, according to court documents.

‘FIRED ME ILLEGALLY’: EMOTIONAL EX-USAID EMPLOYEES LEAVE BUILDING WITH BELONGINGS AFTER MASS LAYOFFS

The Trump administration fought the claims, alleging Musk acts as a senior advisor to the president, and actions at USAID were carried out by Secretary of State Marco Rubio as USAID’s acting administrator, who then designated Peter Marocco as deputy administrator. 

USAID subsequently, and in accordance with President Donald Trump’s executive order, established an internal DOGE team led by Lewin, according to court documents.

An American flag and USAID flag fly outside the USAID building in Washington, D.C.  (Reuters/Annabelle Gordon)

Actions the employees and contractors alleged were unconstitutional were within both agency discretion and the president’s authority to direct foreign policy, the administration argued.

The district court granted the employees and contractors’ requested preliminary injunction, blocking DOGE from operating at USAID, finding the administration “likely” violated the Constitution, and the pause was in the public interest. 

It later clarified Lewin, who led the USAID DOGE team prior to the injunction, could no longer do his job as chief operating officer at USAID and declined to grant any modifications. 

Former employees of USAID leave the headquarters building in Washington, D.C. (Leigh Green for Fox News Digital)

The Trump administration appealed the district court’s preliminary injunction and the denial of its motion for clarification or modification. It also filed an emergency motion to stay the injunction pending the appeal.

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U.S. Court of Appeals Circuit judges Arthur Marvin Quattlebaum Jr. and Judge Paul V. Niemeyer found Friday that Musk and DOGE “made a strong showing that they are likely to succeed on the merits of the appeal, that they will be irreparably injured absent the stay,” according to court documents.

Further, Quattlebaum and Niemeyer found the stay “favors the public interest.”

The ruling marked the third temporary win Friday for the Trump administration at the federal appeals court level.

A D.C. federal appeals court on Friday handed the Trump administration a temporary victory, overturning district court rulings that ordered the National Labor Relations Board’s (NLRB) Gwynne Wilcox and the Merit Systems Protection Board’s Cathy Harris to be reinstated.

Earlier this month, U.S. District Judge Beryl Howell ordered NLRB member Gwynne Wilcox to be reinstated after her dismissal by President Donald Trump earlier this year. 

Friday’s ruling halts both reinstatements while the case proceeds.

President Trump and Cathy Harris (Bonnie Cash/UPI/Bloomberg via Getty Images; U.S. Merit Systems Protection Board, right. )

FEDERAL JUDGE RULES TRUMP’S FIRING OF HEAD OF SPECIAL COUNSEL WAS UNLAWFUL, WILL MAINTAIN HIS JOB

Wilcox filed a lawsuit Feb. 5 in D.C. federal court, claiming her Jan. 27 firing violated the congressional statute outlining NLRB appointments and removals. 

Trump told Wilcox in a letter she was being fired because the NLRB had not “been operating in a manner consistent with the objectives of [his] administration.”

He also cited multiple recent board decisions, claiming Wilcox was “unduly disfavoring the interests of employers.”

On Feb. 10, Wilcox requested a summary judgment on an expedited basis, and, after a hearing on March 5, the district court ruled she could remain a member of the NLRB.

President Trump fired National Labor Relations Board member Gwynne Wilcox, left, who told U.S. District Judge Beryl Howell, right, that the president does not have the legal authority to do so. (NLRB; AP Photo; U.S. District Court)

In a similar suit, Harris, a Democrat who led the Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB), argued Trump did not have the authority to terminate her Feb. 10 and that he did not provide a reason for the firing.

However, unlike Wilcox, she did not receive a letter from the president, according to court documents.

She sued Feb. 11, and a district court later granted her a temporary restraining order, reinstating her to the MSPB.

The E. Barrett Prettyman U.S. Courthouse in Washington, D.C. (David Ake/Getty Images)

Howell previously said the case seemed to go beyond his purview, stating, “I realize for both sides this court is merely a speedbump to get to the Supreme Court.”

Concurring opinions by D.C. Circuit Court judges Justin R. Walker and Karen LeCraft Henderson noted the Supreme Court’s precedent that Congress cannot restrict the president’s removal authority over agencies that “wield substantial executive power” weighed heavily in the case.

The NLRB and MSPB are executive branch agencies.

LAWSUIT TRACKER: NEW RESISTANCE BATTLING TRUMP’S SECOND TERM THROUGH ONSLAUGHT OF LAWSUITS TAKING AIM AT EOS

A dissenting opinion by D.C. Circuit Court Judge Patricia A. Millett claimed the two opinions granting the stay “rewrite controlling Supreme Court precedent and ignore the binding rulings of this court, all in favor of putting this court in direct conflict with at least two other circuits.”

The stay decision also marks the first time in history a court of appeals or the Supreme Court allowed the firing of members of multi-member adjudicatory boards “statutorily protected by the very type of removal restriction the Supreme Court has twice unanimously upheld,” Millet said.

A federal appeals court on Friday handed the Trump administration a temporary victory. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)

She called the idea of making a decision Friday “striking,” claiming the decision will leave “hundreds of unresolved legal claims that the Political Branches jointly and deliberately channeled to these expert adjudicatory entities.”

Millet added the majority decisions’ rationale “openly calls into question the constitutionality of dozens of federal statutes conditioning the removal of officials on multi-member decision-making bodies — everything from the Federal Reserve Board and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to the National Transportation Safety Board and the Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims.”

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“That would be an extraordinary decision for a lower federal court to make under any circumstances,” she wrote in the dissenting opinion. “I cannot join a decision that uses a hurried and preliminary first-look ruling by this court to announce a revolution in the law that the Supreme Court has expressly avoided, and to trap in legal limbo millions of employees and employers whom the law says must go to these boards for the resolution of their employment disputes.”

Fox News Digital’s Jake Gibson contributed to this report.

BONITA SPRINGS, FL. – EXCLUSIVE – Republican Rep. Byron Donalds, as he kicked off his 2026 campaign for Florida governor, touted that “this is going to take off.”

Donalds’ prediction came in an exclusive interview with Fox News Digital ahead of his rally in front of a hometown crowd, his first campaign event in his 2026 bid.

The conservative lawmaker, who has represented Florida’s 19th Congressional District in the southwest part of the state for four years, is currently the only major Republican  to date to jump into the race to succeed term-limited GOP Gov. Ron DeSantis.

Donalds, a staunch supporter and ally of President Donald Trump, announced his candidacy during an appearance on Fox News’ “Hannity” late last month, days after landing the president’s endorsement.

“We’re going to campaign hard and we’re going to take this to every part of Florida,” Donalds pledged in his interview.

FIRST ON FOX: LEADING CONSERVATIVE GROUP BACKS DONALDS IN FLORIDA

The crowd at Republican Rep. Byron Donalds of Florida’s 2026 gubernatorial campaign kickoff, ahead of the candidate’s arrival on the podium, in Bonita Springs, Florida on March 28, 2025. (Fox News – Paul Steinhauser)

And pointing to the support from Trump, whose immense grip over the GOP is stronger than ever, he emphasized “having his endorsement, it’s a great thing to have, I’m glad I have it.”

“And when he makes these choices, they tend to turn out well for his candidates,” Donalds noted.

WHAT BYRON DONALDS TOLD FOX NEWS’ LARA TRUMP 

The campaign event, in Bonita Springs, comes as Florida first lady Casey DeSantis has acknowledged she is considering a 2026 Republican gubernatorial run of her own, to succeed her husband in Tallahassee.

DeSantis has repeatedly touted his wife’s accomplishments as Florida first lady and framed her as a worthy successor.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and his wife, first lady Casey DeSantis, celebrate his victory over Democratic gubernatorial nominee Rep. Charlie Crist during an election night watch party at the Tampa Convention Center on Nov. 8, 2022 in Tampa, Florida. (Octavio Jones/Getty Images)

Additionally, Casey DeSantis, late last month, stoked speculation when asked by reporters if she would run.

“To quote the late Yogi Berra,” DeSantis said as she reiterated a famous line from the late baseball legend. “If you see a fork in the road, take it.”

The governor then quipped to reporters that “you guys can read into that what you will.”

RON AND CASEY DESANTIS TEE OFF WITH TRUMP AS FLORIDA GOVERNOR’S RACE HEATS UP

When asked this month at the National Review Institute’s Ideas Summit in National Harbor, Maryland, if she might launch a campaign, Casey DeSantis said “we’ll see.”

Sources last month confirmed to Fox News that the governor has been reaching out to donors on behalf of his wife.

Casey DeSantis, Florida’s first lady, during a campaign event for her husband, Gov. Ron DeSantis, in Atlantic, Iowa, on Saturday, Jan. 13, 2024. (Al Drago/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

Asked about a possible face-off with Casey DeSantis, Donalds said “races take on a shape of their own, so we’ll see what actually happens.”

“My mission is going to be focused on our future and the things that are necessary for Florida to go and to thrive and be prosperous for everybody. So that’s going to be my mission. We’ll see how the race shapes up,” he added.

And Donalds said he aims to convey to voters that “I have a vision for their future and I think that when they hear it, they’re going to choose me.”

The next campaign cash filing deadline in the Florida governor’s race comes at midnight Monday, and a source in the congressman’s political orbit predicted to Fox News that Donalds would “easily eclipse” the $1 million DeSantis raised in his first month as a gubernatorial candidate in his successful 2018 campaign to succeed Scott as governor.

“I think he’s going to show a really strong fundraising number,” added another Florida-based Republican strategist, who asked to remain anonymous to speak more freely.

Demonstrators protest outside of Republican Rep. Byron Donalds 2026 Florida gubernatorial campaign kickoff, in Bonita Springs, Florida on March 28, 2025. (Fox News – Paul Steinhauser)

Outside of the rally, which was held at a restaurant and music venue in downtown Bonita Springs, dozens of demonstrators protested Donalds and the Trump administration’s sweeping and controversial agenda.

TRUMP REVEALS WHY HE PULLED THE STEFANIK AMBASSADOR NOMINATION: ‘CANT’ TAKE A CHANCE’

Donalds’ rally was held amid concerns by the White House and Republicans on Capitol Hill over next week’s special congressional elections in Florida.

Voters in two congressional districts in Florida will head to the polls on Tuesday, as Republicans aim to keep control of both solidly red seats and give themselves slightly more breathing room in the House.

The elections are in Florida’s 1st and 6th Congressional Districts, which Trump carried by 37 and 30 points in last year’s presidential election. 

But the Democratic candidates have vastly outraised the Republican nominees, and polling in recent days suggested that the race in the 6th District was within the margin of error.

The GOP currently holds a 218-213 majority in the House, with two vacant seats where Republicans stepped down and two where Democratic lawmakers died in March.

“When it comes to Florida, you have two races, and they seem to be good,” Trump told reporters on Friday.

But pointing to the massive fundraising advantage by the Democrat candidates over the GOP contenders, Trump raised concerns, saying “You never know what happens in a case like that.”

Donalds, in his Fox News Digital interview, predicted “it would be difficult” for the GOP House majority if the party lost one of Tuesday’s elections.

But he added, “I’m not looking forward to that. I think we’re going to win both those seats on Tuesday. I think Republican voters in those districts are going to turn out because, at the end of the day, the choice is clear.”

Jimmy Patronis, the Florida Chief Financial Officer, is favored over Democrat Gay Valimont in a multi-candidate field in the race to fill the vacant seat in the 1st CD, which is located in the far northwestern corner of Florida in the Panhandle region.

Florida Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis, who is the Republican nominee in Tuesday’s special congressional election in the state’s 1st Congressional District. (Tiffany Tompkins/Bradenton Herald/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)

Republican Matt Gaetz, who won re-election in the district in last November’s elections, resigned from office weeks later after Trump selected him to be his nominee for attorney general in his second administration.

Gaetz later withdrew himself from cabinet consideration amid controversy.

But it’s the race in the 6th CD, which is located on Florida’s Atlantic coast from Daytona Beach to just south of Saint Augustine and inland to the outskirts of Ocala, that is really raising concerns among some in the GOP.

The race is to succeed Republican Michael Waltz, who stepped down from the seat on Jan. 20 after Trump named him his national security adviser.

Republican state Sen. Randy Fine is facing off against teacher Josh Weil, a Democrat, in a multi-candidate field.

Florida state Rep. Randy Fine, a Republican from South Brevard County, who is running in Tuesday’s special House election in the state’s 6th Congressional District. (AP)

Weil grabbed plenty of national attention in recent weeks by topping Fine in the campaign cash battle by roughly a ten-to-one margin.

The cash discrepancy in the 6th CD race spurred GOP-aligned outside groups to make last-minute contributions in support of Fine in the closing days of the campaign, with conservative super PACs launching ads spotlighting Trump’s support of Fine.

“I would have preferred if our candidate had raised money at a faster rate and gotten on TV quicker,” Rep. Richard Hudson of North Carolina, the chair of the National Republican Congressional Committee, told reporters earlier this week.

But Hudson added that Fine is “doing what he needs to do. He’s on TV now.”

And he emphasized, “We’re going to win the seat. I’m not concerned at all.”

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Trump, pointing to Fine, on Friday acknowledged that “our candidate doesn’t have that kind of money.”

In the 1st District, where there is less concern by Republicans about losing the seat, Valimont topped Patronis in fundraising by roughly a five-to-one margin.

One senator’s pooch is digging up “bipawtisan” goodwill on Capitol Hill this week.

Babydog Justice, famous sidekick to West Virginia Republican Sen. Jim Justice, visited the Senate Thursday, and senators across the political spectrum couldn’t hold back their appreciation.

Rolled along in her soft-sided wagon, the English bulldog canine ambassador is a welcome sight in the Senate chambers.

SENATOR-ELECT JIM JUSTICE’S TEAM CLARIFIES REPORT CLAIMING FAMOUS POOCH BABYDOG BANNED FROM SENATE FLOOR

Babydog took to X to share a post meeting four senators who work with her famous dad, saying, “Loved getting some bipawtisan pets by the Senate floor today!”

Babydog Justice brought “bipawtisan” agreement to the Senate Thursday, charming senators on both sides of the political spectrum, including senators Jon Husted, R-Ohio, left, and Corey Booker, D-N.J. (@SenJonHusted and @BabydogJustice via X)

Babydog was photographed with Republican and Democratic senators alike, including Democrats Ruben Gallego of Arizona and John Fetterman of Pennsylvania.

One eager commentator wrote, “The real senate majority leader.”

BABYDOG GOES TO WASHINGTON: WEST VIRGINIA’S JUSTICE FLIPS SENATE SEAT RED

Sen. Jon Hustsed, R-Ohio, also posted a photo of the lovable pooch, writing, “Just another day at work for Ohio’s four-footed neighbor, Baby Dog.”

“Babydog is happy to be pet by anyone that comes along – she shows no political bias, especially if treats are involved,” Justice told Fox News Digital. 

Babydog Justice was the top dog Thursday with senators John Fetterman, D-Pa., and Ruben Gallego, D-Ariz. (@BabydogJustice via X)

“She loves coming with me over to the Senate floor, where senators can walk off and immediately come to visit with her. I think if Babydog moderated spending discussions going on around here, we might get more across the finish line. There is no doubt in my mind that both sides of the aisle agree Babydog as Senator No. 101 is the most popular member in Congress.”

Babydog sparked headlines nationally last year at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, where she took the Fiserv Forum stage with Justice, who was West Virginia’s governor at the time.

“I know that a lot of you want to meet my little buddy. So, if Babydog could come on out here,” Justice said before the crowd erupted in cheers.

Mississippi Republican Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith posted this photo to X with the caption, “Almost Heaven….our Washington DC staff is living the dream with a visit from @BabydogJustice today!” (@SenHydeSmith via X)

The 5-year-old pooch was a fixture on the campaign trail with Justice and has shown no signs of ending her support for her dad now that he’s in the Senate.

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Her official X account bio says, “My favorite things are @JimJustice_WV, Wendy’s nuggets, riding shotgun in dad’s Suburban, and napping.”

Justice successfully flipped his seat for the GOP after longtime Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin announced he would not seek re-election last year.

Justice received 68.8% of the vote after gaining a key endorsement from President Donald Trump.

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz on Friday said a “shadow government” is needed to provide Americans with the truth about the Trump administration’s actions. 

Speaking at a town hall in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, Walz accused the Trump administration of attacking voting rights, which he argued could be remedied through a new form of government.

TIM WALZ SAYS HE WAS JOKING WHEN HE MOCKED TESLA’S FALLING STOCK 

Tim Walz, governor of Minnesota and Democratic vice-presidential nominee, watches as US Vice President Kamala Harris, not pictured, speaks at Howard University in Washington, DC, US, on Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2024. ( Al Drago/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

“We see one of the first things they do is try and restrict the vote,” Walz said of the Trump administration. “This is one of the things, though, that this is going to take power industry to — I don’t know what the answer is on this, but I’m kind of — I’ve been saying this: I think we need a shadow government, so when all these things come up every single day, we’ve got an alternate press conference telling the truth about what things are happening, tell them what’s going on.”

The remark prompted criticism from Republicans. 

TIM WALZ CHEERS TESLA SOCK TUMBLE, BUT MINNESOTA STATE EMPLOYEES’ PENSION OWNS OVER 1M SHARES

President Donald Trump and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz. On Friday Walz called for a “shadow government” to provide Americans with the truth about the Trump administration’s actions.  (Getty Images)

“Unhinged loser @Gov TimWalz wants to form a ‘shadow government’ in protest of requiring proof of citizenship for voter registration and banning foreign nationals from interfering in elections,” President Donald Trump’s social media team said on X. 

“Pls keep this up sir,” U.S. Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., said. 

The term “shadow government,” mirrors a similar term used in the United Kingdom, where a component of the government creates a group of opposition leaders who mirror the actions of the cabinet in power. 

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That group “shadows” the other cabinet by scrutinizing their actions and offering alternative solutions.

In another part of his remarks, Walz admitted to getting dunked on by his 18-year-old son, Gus. “I was having one of those dad talks with him,” Walz said. “I was giving Gus my wisdom on what he had done wrong, you know, because I know these things, right, I’m a dad? And in the middle of it, he gives me the old, ‘Says the guy who got his a** kicked by Donald Trump.’”

The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

President Donald Trump promised that ‘bad things’ would happen to Iran if the regime does not come to the table for nuclear negotiations. 

“My big preference is that we work it out with Iran, but if we don’t work it out, bad things are gonna happen to Iran,” the president said Friday. 

Iran is enriching uranium to 60%, just shy of the 90% weapons-grade. Experts say it could have a nuclear weapon within weeks if it were to take the final steps to building one. 

In response to U.S. sanctions threats, Iran showed off a sprawling underground tunnel system replete with missiles, launchers, engines and other advanced weapons. 

WALTZ TELLS IRAN TO GIVE UP NUCLEAR PROGRAM OR ‘THERE WILL BE CONSEQUENCES’

U.S. President Donald Trump promised that ‘bad things’ would happen to Iran if it won’t engage in nuclear talks. (REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein)

A video released this week by state media shows two Iranian military leaders, Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces Major General Mohammad Hossein Bagheri and IRGC Aerospace Force Commander Amir Ali Hajizadeh, riding in a vehicle through long, weapons-packed tunnels that Tehran has dubbed “Missile City.” 

The 85-second clip, which has not been independently verified, is set to menacing music and suggests that the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps stands ready to respond to threats of an attack from the U.S. and Israel. 

“Iran’s ballistic missile force remains the largest in the Middle East,” said Behnam Taleblu, fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies. “This is all part of the regime’s deterrent strategy to cement the idea of any conflict with Tehran being a costly and protracted one.” 

Trump warned Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei to engage in nuclear talks, or “bad things” would happen.  (Office of the Iranian Supreme Leader/WANA (West Asia News Agency))

The move comes as U.S. is bolstering its forces in the Middle East. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth recently sent a second aircraft carrier, the U.S. Navy’s USS Carl Vinson, to join the USS Harry S. Truman‘s carrier strike group, whose deployment was also extended. 

The U.S. also recently deployed two B-2 stealth bombers to the Diego Garcia base in the Indian Ocean, a warning to Iran and Yemen’s Houthi militia. The planes are capable of carrying 30,000-pound “bunker buster” bombs and are now situated within range of Iran. 

Weeks ago, Trump wrote a letter to Iran urging the regime to engage in talks on its nuclear program. 

Kamal Kharazi, the top foreign policy adviser to Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, said on Thursday that the regime would engage in “indirect” talks, according to local news reports.

IRAN’S LEADER WARNS US COULD RECEIVE ‘SEVERE SLAPS’ FOLLOWING TRUMP’S THREATS TO HOUTHIS

The U.S. also recently deployed two B-2 stealth bombers to the Diego Garcia base in the Indian Ocean, a warning to Iran and Yemen’s Houthi militia. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)

“The Islamic Republic has not closed all the doors and is willing to begin indirect negotiations with the United States.” 

“Our policy is to not negotiate directly while there is maximum pressure policy and threats of military strikes,” foreign minister Abbas Aragchi explained. “But indirect negotiations can take place as they have in the past.”

If talks falter, the U.S. and Israel have floated the possibility of targeted strikes on underground nuclear facilities. 

In recent weeks, the Trump administration launched a series of offensive attacks on the Houthis in Yemen to send a message to Tehran, which supports them. 

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“Let nobody be fooled! The hundreds of attacks being made by Houthi, the sinister mobsters and thugs based in Yemen, who are hated by the Yemeni people, all emanate from, and are created by, IRAN,” Trump wrote on Truth Social at the time. 

“Iran has played ‘the innocent victim’ of rogue terrorists from which they’ve lost control, but they haven’t lost control,” he continued. “They’re dictating every move, giving them the weapons, supplying them with money and highly sophisticated Military equipment, and even, so-called, “Intelligence.'” 

A D.C. federal judge on Friday extended a restraining order against the Alien Enemies Act, a 1798 wartime immigration law the Trump administration enacted to deport Venezuelan nationals who are Tren de Aragua (TdA) gang members in the U.S. illegally.

U.S. District Judge James Boasberg ruled the extension will run through April 12.

Also on Friday, in a separate ruling, a federal judge in Boston blocked the deportation of migrants to countries where they have no existing relationship without a chance to go into court to contest that move.

Last week, Boasberg issued a temporary restraining blocked the president from using the act to deport Venezuelan nationals, stating he needed more time to consider the merits of the case.

WASHINGTON, DC- Judge James E. Boasberg, chief judge of the Federal District Court in DC, stands for a portrait at E. Barrett Prettyman Federal Courthouse in Washington, DC on March 16, 2023. (Photo by Carolyn Van Houten/The Washington Post via Getty Images) (Washington Post via Getty)

TRUMP DOJ HAMMERS JUDGE’S ‘DIGRESSIVE MICROMANAGEMENT,’ SEEKS MORE TIME TO ANSWER 5 QUESTIONS

In a bench ruling, he ordered all planes carrying Venezuelan nationals or other deportees under the Alien Enemies Act be returned.

The administration later filed an emergency request for the U.S. appeals court to intervene. 

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Fox News Digital’s Haley Chi-Sing and Breanne Deppisch contributed to this report.

FIRST ON FOX: The House Judiciary Committee sent a letter Thursday to Tina Ansari, the lead federal prosecutor in a case brought by the Biden Department of Justice, against Dr. Eithan Haim for leaking records that revealed Texas Children’s Hospital was performing medical procedures on minors.

Ansari indicted Haim on federal charges after he exposed the Texas medical system for performing transgender medical procedures on minors.

Ansari was removed from the criminal case, which has since been dismissed by the Trump Justice Department, after information showed that her family was involved extensively in business dealings with the Texas medical hospital system.

Dr. Eithan Haim was indicted for exposing Texas Children’s Hospital’s transgender procedures on minors. The case was dismissed due to the prosecutor’s ties to Texas’ medical system. (Mayra Beltran/Houston Chronicle via Getty Images | Yi-Chin Lee/Houston Chronicle via Getty Images)

NFL LEGEND BRETT FAVRE SLAMS OREGON HS OFFICIALS AFTER TRANS RUNNER BLOWS AWAY FEMALE COMPETITION

Fox News Digital obtained the letter to Ansari, which reads, “You were the lead prosecutor on Dr. Haim’s case. You allegedly were removed from the case for failing to report an enormous conflict of interest stemming from the substantial financial and political ties to your close family members.” 

“This lack of candor and apparent conflict of interest raises further concerns around DOJ’s weaponization against Dr. Haim for blowing the whistle on [Texas Children’s Hospital]. Your testimony will inform the Committee’s legislative reforms aimed at enhancing civil liberties, protecting minors, combatting conflicts of interest, and preventing and prohibiting the weaponization of DOJ to prosecute individuals for holding disfavored viewpoints.”

A source familiar with the hearing told Fox News Digital that Haim and his attorney, Mark Lytle, are expected to testify alongside Ansari.

Dr. Eithan Haim, left, and his defense attorney, Ryan Patrick, speak to the media after appearing for an arraignment hearing on Monday, June 17, 2024 in Houston. (Yi-Chin Lee/Houston Chronicle via Getty Images)

TRUMP ADMIN CUTS ADDITIONAL $1M IN FEDERAL FUNDING FOR ‘TRANSGENDER ANIMAL’ EXPERIMENTS

Marcella Burke, Haim’s attorney at the time President Donald Trump’s Justice Department dismissed the case, told Fox News Digital in January, “The case has been dismissed with prejudice so that the federal government can never again come after him for blowing the whistle on the secret pediatric transgender program at Texas Children’s Hospital.”

During the case, Haim’s lawyers argued that the leaked files contained redacted patient information despite DOJ prosecutors claiming that the records contained the names of children who had been receiving puberty-blocking devices, among other gender transition procedures. 

MAINE HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETE SENDS MESSAGE TO GOVERNOR AMID TRANS-ATHLETE POLICY CONTROVERSY

The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, which protects patients’ private medical history and information, does include exceptions for the relevant release of records if there are public health concerns or instances of patient harm. 

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Haim faced up to 10 years in federal prison and a maximum fine of up to $250,000 if he would have been found guilty in the Biden DOJ-driven indictment. 

FIRST ON FOX: The State Department is absorbing the remaining operations and programs U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) runs, upending its function as an independent agency, according to an internal USAID memo obtained by Fox News Digital.  

While USAID historically has functioned as an independent agency that works to deliver aid to impoverished countries and development assistance, President Donald Trump appointed Secretary of State Marco Rubio to serve as acting administrator of the organization in February amid concerns that USAID did not advance U.S. core interests. 

Now, the State Department is poised to officially take on USAID programs as part of a merger that aims to streamline operations to deliver foreign assistance, the memo said. It also will result in cuts for thousands of USAID employees. 

“By bringing USAID’s core life-saving and strategic aid programs under the umbrella of the State Department, this Administration will significantly enhance the efficiency, accountability, uniformity, and strategic impact of foreign assistance programs — and ensure that our nation and President to speaks with one voice in foreign affairs,” Jeremy Lewin, who is performing the duties of USAID Deputy Administrator for Policy and Programming & Chief Operating Officer, said in a Friday statement to Fox News Digital. 

‘HYSTERIA’: WHITE HOUSE SHUTS DOWN CONCERNS OVER USAID DOCUMENT PURGE

An American flag and USAID flag fly outside the USAID building in Washington, D.C., U.S., February 1, 2025.  (Annabelle Gordon/Reuters)

As a result, the State Department is moving to “retire” USAID as an independent operation and is moving forward with plans for a reduction in force, according to the memo. Altogether, more than 4,650 USAID personnel will be cut from USAID, according to a State Department senior official. Personnel will start to receive notices Friday regarding their status at USAID with separation dates either on July 1 or Sept. 2. 

Between those three months, the State Department will take on responsibility for USAID programming, and will assess staffing requirements to proceed with an independent hiring process. Eligible USAID employees may apply for those positions as remaining USAID personnel move to shut down or transfer USAID operations to the State Department. 

“A separate process will be established for hiring personnel into available roles at the State Department,” the USAID memo said. “While the details are still being finalized, we are committed to sharing additional information as soon as it becomes available, likely in April or May.” 

The announcement comes as the Trump administration has moved to shutter USAID amid widespread government cuts stemming from the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) that SpaceX and Tesla CEO Elon Musk is leading. 

USAID has come under scrutiny amid DOGE’s cuts for wasteful spending that didn’t align with the Trump administration, including funding a $1.5 million program aimed to “advance diversity, equity and inclusion in Serbia’s workplaces and business communities and a $70,000 program for a “DEI musical” in Ireland.

‘FIRED ME ILLEGALLY’: EMOTIONAL EX-USAID EMPLOYEES LEAVE BUILDING WITH BELONGINGS AFTER MASS LAYOFFS

Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced March 11 that the vast majority of USAID programs would be canceled.  (Evelyn Hockstein/Pool/Reuters)

Rubio said March 11 that the State Department had concluded a six-week review and would cancel more than 80% of USAID programs. That translates to an elimination of roughly 5,200 of USAID’s 6,200 programs. 

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“Foreign assistance done right can advance our national interests, protect our borders, and strengthen our partnerships with key allies,” Rubio said in a statement to Fox News Digital Friday. “Unfortunately, USAID strayed from its original mission long ago. As a result, the gains were too few and the costs were too high.” 

“We are reorienting our foreign assistance programs to align directly with what is best for the United States and our citizens,” Rubio said. “We are continuing essential lifesaving programs and making strategic investments that strengthen our partners and our own country.”

President Donald Trump said he held an “extremely productive call” with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney on Friday. 

“I just finished speaking with Prime Minister Mark Carney, of Canada. It was an extremely productive call, we agree on many things, and will be meeting immediately after Canada’s upcoming Election to work on elements of Politics, Business, and all other factors, that will end up being great for both the United States of America and Canada,” Trump wrote on this Truth Social account. 

It was the first time the two leaders have spoken. On Thursday, Carney said the “old relationship” with the United States “is over” while vowing to engage in a renegotiation over a trade agreement.  

Carney, 60, who won the Liberal leadership this month with 86% of the vote after former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau stood down, was speaking in Ottawa after meeting the nation’s provincial premiers. 

CANADIAN PRIME MINISTER MARK CARNEY SAYS ‘OLD RELATIONSHIP’ WITH US ‘IS OVER’ 

Canada Prime Minister Mark Carney speaks with media on Parliament Hill following a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Canada-U.S. Relations and National Security, in Ottawa, on Thursday, March 27.  (Adrian Wyld/The Canadian Press via AP)

“The old relationship we had with the United States, based on deepening integration of our economies and tight security and military cooperations, is over,” he told reporters. “The time will come for a broad renegotiation of our security and trade relationship.” 

CANADA EXPLOITING ‘LOOPHOLE’ HURTING US DAIRY FARMERS AMID TRUMP TARIFFS, SENATORS SAY 

President Donald Trump delivers remarks during a Cabinet meeting at the White House on March 24. (Win McNamee/Getty Images)

“What is clear is that we as Canadians have agency. We have power. We are masters in our own home,” he also said.  

President Trump, left, and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney. (Getty Images)

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“We control our destiny. We can give ourselves much more than any foreign government, including the United States, can ever take away,” Carney added. 

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

The Trump administration asked the Supreme Court on Friday to review a restraining order that temporarily blocks its use of am 18th century wartime immigration law to immediately deport Venezuelan nationals, including alleged members of the gang Tren de Aragua, from U.S. soil. 

The appeal comes shortly after the DC. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled 2-1 Wednesday to uphold a lower court’s decision to temporarily block the administration’s use of the Alien Enemies Act for a 14-day period, to allow the judge time to review the merits of the case.

The Trump administration had vowed to appeal the ruling to the Supreme Court if the three-judge panel in D.C. further blocked them from using the 1798 wartime law to carry out its deportation agenda. 

APPEALS COURT BLOCKS TRUMP ADMIN’S DEPORTATION FLIGHTS IN ALIEN ENEMIES ACT IMMIGRATION SUIT

Trump attempted to use the Alien Enemies Act to deport alleged members of the violent Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua.  (Getty Images)

In the filing, U.S. Acting Solicitor General Sarah Harrmis told the Supreme Court that the lower court’s “flawed” orders “threaten the government’s sensitive negotiations with foreign powers,” and risk “serious and perhaps irreparable harm if not immediately reviewed” by the high court. 

At minimum, the Trump administration said, the Supreme Court should grant an administrative stay to allow them to continue using the Alien Enemies Act to deport Venezuelan nationals while the court considers the government’s orders.

They also sharply criticized the appeals court’s decision handed down Wednesday. Writing for the 2-1 majority in the appeals court decision, U.S. Circuit Court Judges Karen Henderson, a Bush appointee, and Patricia Millett, an Obama appointee, focused heavily on concerns of due process violations, as well as complaints of immediate and irreparable harm cited by the plaintiffs.

Allowing Trump to use the law in the near-term “risks exiling plaintiffs to a land that is not their country of origin,” Henderson said in a concurring opinion siding with the lower court judge..

‘WOEFULLY INSUFFICIENT’: US JUDGE REAMS TRUMP ADMIN FOR DAYS-LATE DEPORTATION INFO

“The equities favor the plaintiffs,” Henderson said. “And the district court entered the TROs for a quintessentially valid purpose: to protect its remedial authority long enough to consider the parties’ arguments.

Millett, for her part, said that siding with the Trump administration would moot the Plaintiffs’ claims by immediately removing them beyond the reach of their lawyers or the court.” 

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The Trump administration continued to rail against the court ruling, which White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt described to Fox News on Wednesday as an “unauthorized infringement” on the president’s authority.

The administration “will act swiftly to seek Supreme Court review to vindicate the president’s authority, defend the Constitution, and Make America Safe Again,” Leavitt added.

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

Fox News Digital’s Haley Chi-Sing contributed to this report.

Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., a member of the powerful Senate Judiciary Committee, is confident his new bill to stop federal judges from making nationwide injunctions will stop them from “provoking a crisis.”

Earlier this week, the Missouri Republican debuted a measure to “stop nationwide injunctions.”

In an interview with Fox News Digital, Hawley explained, “I don’t think these judges have the authority to do that under the Constitution anyway, but they’re trying to and this legislation would make sure they can’t do it.”

REPUBLICANS LOOK TO ABOLISH TSA IN FAVOR OF PRIVATE SECURITY AT AIRPORTS

Sen. Josh Hawley rolled out legislation to end the orders. (CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)

The bill was rolled out in response to the slew of nationwide injunctions by federal district judges halting the actions of President Donald Trump’s administration. 

The number of such orders levied against Trump so far this term exponentially outweighs the number his predecessors saw. 

The courts have hit him with roughly 15 wide-ranging orders since he took office in January, more than former Presidents George W. Bush, Barack Obama and Joe Biden received during their entire tenures. 

SCOOP: TOP REPUBLICAN CHUCK GRASSLEY SETS PROMPT HEARING ON JUDGES BLOCKING TRUMP

President Donald Trump, inset, Judge James Boasberg, left, Amir Ali and Ana Reyes. (Bloomberg via Getty Images/U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia/ SenatorDurbin via YouTube/Bill Pugliano via Getty Images)

Hawley said he has personally urged Senate Republican leadership to take up his bill. However, Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., has not indicated any plans to do so. 

When asked previously by Fox News Digital if he had ideas for policy regarding the injunctions, or whether he believed Congress needed to act, Thune’s office did not provide comment. 

He noted to reporters earlier this week that Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, was examining the issue. “At the end of the day, there is a process, and there’s an appeals process. And, you know, I suspect that’s ultimately how it’s going to be ended,” Thune said. 

SENATE CONFIRMS DR MARTY MAKARY AS TRUMP’S FDA CHIEF

Senate Majority Leader John Thune has not said if he will agree to bring the bill to the floor. (Al Drago/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

Hawley believes it should be brought to the floor even with the risk of not overcoming the legislative filibuster’s 60-vote threshold. “If their views have changed, I’d love to hear the explanation for why they have suddenly changed in the space of four months,” he said of Democrat senators, some of whom were critical of nationwide injunctions during the Biden administration. 

Hawley said he believed Trump would support his bill, given the president’s past public comments calling for ending nationwide injunctions.

GOP SENATOR SAYS DR OZ IGNORED HIS QUESTIONS ON TRANSGENDER ISSUES, ABORTION

President Donald Trump called for nationwide injunctions to be ended. (Photo by Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)

“Unlawful Nationwide Injunctions by Radical Left Judges could very well lead to the destruction of our Country! These people are Lunatics, who do not care, even a little bit, about the repercussions from their very dangerous and incorrect Decisions and Rulings,” Trump recently wrote on Truth Social. 

“STOP NATIONWIDE INJUNCTIONS NOW, BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE,” he added. 

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Hawley slammed the judges for piling on orders, explaining “they’re just liberal judges who are fancy themselves, part of the resistance, who are willing to do whatever it takes to stop Trump.”

A potentially historic deal between the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) could put illegal immigrants in a difficult position, according to one expert.

“It is going to discourage those taxpayers from even filing, so it really does put them between a rock and a hard place,” Adam Brewer, a federal tax expert who works for AB Tax Law, told Fox News Digital. 

The comments come as the IRS and ICE are nearing a deal that would allow ICE to submit the names and addresses of illegal immigrants to the IRS, who could then cross-check those immigrants’ tax records and provide the immigration agency with current address information.

ICE NEARING HISTORIC DEAL WITH IRS TO AID IN DEPORTATIONS: REPORT

President Donald Trump has continued his push to quickly deport illegal immigrants. (Getty Images)

But some longtime IRS employees have expressed concerns about the deal, arguing that the tax agency has long assured the safeguarding of records in exchange for illegal immigrants filing tax returns, something they are required to do by law even though they are not in the country legally.

The draft agreement between the IRS and ICE would authorize verification “subject to criminal investigation” for violating immigration law, stretching the definition of a narrow IRS privacy exemption that allows the use of taxpayer data in the case of criminal investigations.

The deal comes as President Donald Trump has continued to increase efforts to speed up deportations, following through on one of the key promises he set on the campaign trail.

According to Brewer, stretching the definition of criminal investigations to those who entered the country illegally would be an “unprecedented” step for the IRS.

President Donald Trump promised swift deportations of illegal immigrants during the 2024 campaign. (Julia Bonavita/Fox News Digital)

COURT ORDER HALTING DEPORTATION FLIGHTS ‘UNCONSTITUTIONALLY IMPEDES’ EXECUTIVE BRANCH, TRUMP ALLIES ARGUE

“For the IRS to get involved in criminal investigations, that’s not uncommon,” Brewer said. “They have done a lot of information sharing, historically, with DEA to crack down on drug proceeds, those types of things. I guess the way I’m looking at it is, if illegal immigration itself is the crime, if you look at it through that scope, then yes, it’s pretty unprecedented.”

‘This feels like a deviation from what we’ve known for years … that if you share information with the IRS, it stops there,” he added.

Brewer believes that the agreement could also damage the credibility of the IRS, which has built trust by strictly adhering to privacy regulations.

“That would be true of any government agency if they had said, ‘Hey, the DMV is going to start turning over your address to ICE.’ You’re going to get less people who register their vehicles or who renew their driver’s license. That’s just the reality,” Brewer said.

Brewer noted that a lot of illegal immigrants depend on filing their tax returns as a way to help gain their legal status, but the potential for deportation if their records are shared could dissuade them from going through the process.

The IRS has traditionally strictly kept most tax records private. (Samuel Corum/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

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“The IRS knows and ICE knows that these tax returns are required, and now they’ve really put a big disincentive in front of taxpayers from filing,” Brewer said.

But Brewer also acknowledged that in some cases the information the IRS provides could prove to be a critical missing link for immigration authorities, pointing out that the IRS has long assisted other law enforcement agencies on other criminal matters.

“If someone just filed a tax return last month for 2024, that address information would be more recent or more likely to be accurate than some immigration document they filed last year,” Brewer said. “If we have the information in one department, you don’t want ICE spending a ton of time and resources trying to track someone down … just for efficiency’s sake, we do want government agencies sharing information.”

GOP Rep. Byron Donalds formally launches his campaign for Florida governor on Friday with what is being billed as a hometown kickoff rally.

The conservative lawmaker, who has represented Florida’s 19th Congressional District in the southwest part of the state for four years, is currently the only major Republican to jump into the 2026 race to succeed term-limited GOP Gov. Ron DeSantis.

Donalds, a staunch supporter and ally of President Donald Trump, announced his candidacy during an appearance on Fox News’ “Hannity” late last month, days after landing the president’s endorsement.

Additionally, two MAGA world rock-stars – Donald Trump Jr., the president’s eldest son, and Charlie Kirk, the conservative activist and commentator who leads the powerful Turning Point USA youth organization – have recorded videos for Donalds’ campaign kick-off, sources tell Fox News. Conservative commentator Benny Johnson will speak in person at the event.

FIRST ON FOX: LEADING CONSERVATIVE GROUP BACKS DONALDS IN FLORIDA

Rep. Byron Donalds, a Republican from Florida, during the Conservative Political Action Conference in National Harbor, Maryland, on Friday, Feb. 21, 2025. (Aaron Schwartz/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

The campaign event, in Bonita Springs, comes as Florida first lady Casey DeSantis has acknowledged she is considering a 2026 gubernatorial run to succeed her husband in Tallahassee.

“I think what you’ll see is a show of force and I think the support and the momentum that Bryon is generating across the state, whether it’s fundraising or grassroots support, will be evident,” veteran Republican strategist and Florida native Stephen Lawson told Fox News.

WHAT BYRON DONALDS TOLD FOX NEWS’ LARA TRUMP 

Lawson – who served as an adviser to DeSantis as well as his predecessor in Tallahassee, former governor and current Sen. Rick Scott – emphasized that “with President Trump’s backing, Donalds is the person to beat in this race.”

DeSantis has repeatedly touted his wife’s accomplishments as Florida first lady and framed her as a worthy successor.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and his wife, first lady Casey DeSantis, celebrate his victory over Democratic gubernatorial nominee Rep. Charlie Crist during an election night watch party at the Tampa Convention Center on Nov. 8, 2022 in Tampa, Florida. (Octavio Jones/Getty Images)

Additionally, Casey DeSantis, late last month, stoked speculation when asked by reporters if she would run.

“To quote the late Yogi Berra,” DeSantis said as she reiterated a famous line from the late baseball legend. “If you see a fork in the road, take it.”

The governor then quipped to reporters that “you guys can read into that what you will.”

RON AND CASEY DESANTIS TEE OFF WITH TRUMP AS FLORIDA GOVERNOR’S RACE HEATS UP

When asked this month at the National Review Institute’s Ideas Summit in National Harbor, Maryland, if she might launch a campaign, Casey DeSantis said “we’ll see.”

Sources last month confirmed to Fox News that the governor has been reaching out to donors on behalf of his wife.

Casey DeSantis, Florida’s first lady, during a campaign event for her husband, Gov. Ron DeSantis, in Atlantic, Iowa, on Saturday, Jan. 13, 2024. (Al Drago/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

The next campaign cash filing deadline in the Florida governor’s race comes at the end of this weekend, and a source in the congressman’s political orbit predicted to Fox News that Donalds would “easily eclipse” the $1 million DeSantis raised in his first month as a gubernatorial candidate in his successful 2018 campaign to succeed Scott as governor.

“I think he’s going to show a really strong fundraising number,” added another Florida-based Republican strategist, who asked to remain anonymous to speak more freely.

Donalds has been complimentary of Gov. DeSantis.

“We have a great governor,”Donalds said last month in his “Hannity” interview. “Ron DeSantis has done a tremendous job for our state. But now the job is to keep the best state in the country as the best state in the country. And so that’s going to be the mission at hand.”

Rep. Byron Donalds speaks inside the Capital One arena at an event for President Donald Trump’s second inauguration, in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 20, 2025. (REUTERS/Mike Segar)

A GOP strategist who has long worked on Florida races said he thinks Donalds “has been really careful to be kumbaya with the governor and Casey. I think you’ve seen that from his messaging… He wants to build on the conservative record of success in Florida while also forging his own path.”

However, the source added that Donalds will use Friday’s campaign kickoff to “put a marker down to show that this is his race to win.”

An internal poll conducted earlier this month for Donalds’ campaign indicated the congressman edging Casey DeSantis by single digits in a hypothetical GOP primary showdown. However, the survey suggested that Donalds’ lead surged to more than 20 points when respondents were informed that he is supported by Trump, whose sway over the GOP is stronger than ever.

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Florida used to be the nation’s top general election battleground state, but it has dramatically swung to the right in the past couple of election cycles. DeSantis won his 2022 re-election by nearly 20 points, and Trump carried the state last November by 13 points.

With Florida now clearly a red state, the winner of the Republican gubernatorial primary will be considered the favorite in next year’s general election.

The Democratic National Committee (DNC) launched its first-ever ad buy Friday targeting Elon Musk and the millions of dollars he has injected into the Wisconsin Supreme Court race, previewing what could be a broader strategy for the party going forward.

The DNC ad buys, which are slated to run through Tuesday in seven local newspapers across Wisconsin, take aim at the $19 million Musk and his affiliated PACs have spent on behalf of conservative candidate, Brad Schimel, in a high-stakes state Supreme Court election that will determine whether the court retains its current 4-3 liberal majority.

Musk “has threatened Medicare, gutted Social Security services, and now he thinks he can buy himself a seat on the Wisconsin Supreme Court,” DNC Chair Ken Martin said in a statement Friday. “That’s why, today, the DNC is out with our first paid media explicitly calling out Musk for his attempts to meddle in Wisconsin’s elections.”

JUDGES V TRUMP: HERE ARE THE KEY COURT BATTLES HALTING THE WHITE HOUSE AGENDA

A photo of the DNC’s ad, taking aim at Elon Musk ahead of the Wisconsin state Supreme Court race. The ad will run in seven newspapers ahead of the April 1, 2025 election. (Democratic National Committee )

DNC officials told Fox News Digital that the ads will run in seven local newspapers across the state – the Chippewa Herald, the Manitowoc Herald Times Reporter, the Beloit Daily News, the Daily Jefferson County Union, the Janesville Gazette, the Watertown Daily Times and the Oshkosh Northwestern – and highlight the message, “Wisconsin is not for sale.”

“Wisconsinites deserve a Supreme Court justice who looks out for them, not the ultra-wealthy,” Martin said. “Now and forever, Wisconsin is not for sale.”

The closely-watched state Supreme Court in Wisconsin is already the most expensive judicial election in U.S. history, reaching a total of more than $81 million in spending and far eclipsing the $56 million spent on the state Supreme Court race just two years earlier, according to figures compiled by the Brennan Center for Justice. 

Musk’s two super PACs spent more than $17 million on Schimel’s behalf, while Musk personally donated $3 million to the Wisconsin Republican Party earlier this year – funds that in turn can be used for Schimel’s campaign. 

Wisconsin Supreme Court candidates Brad Schimel and Susan Crawford are seen before a televised debate on Wednesday, March 12, 2025 in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)

President Donald Trump and Musk have thrown their weight behind conservative candidate Schimel, with Trump himself stumping for Schimel during a Thursday evening tele-town hall event and billing the race as one that could have an “outsized impact on the future of the country.”

“I know you feel it’s local, but it’s not,” Trump said, adding, “The whole country is watching.”

Meanwhile, former President Barack Obama and other notable Democrats have thrown their weight behind liberal opponent Susan Crawford, the current Dane County circuit judge whose campaign has attracted more than $25 million in funding ahead of the race. 

AFTER STINGING ELECTION DEFEATS, DNC EYES RURAL VOTERS AS KEY TO 2026 MIDTERM SUCCESS

Judge Susan Crawford, candidate for the Wisconsin Supreme Court, greets supporters during a campaign stop at the Racine County Democratic Party headquarters on March 23, 2025 in Racine, Wisconsin. (Scott Olson/Getty Images)

Democrats, for their part, see the race as fertile proving grounds to test their attack against Musk as they look to retain a critical state Supreme Court seat in Wisconsin and gear up for the 2026 midterm elections.

The efficacy of the ad campaign in Wisconsin, a that narrowly elected Trump in both the 2016 and 2024 presidential contests, remains to be seen. 

However, it comes as Democrats have struggled to coalesce around a unifying message in the aftermath of the 2024 elections, which could make Musk, and his Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), more attractive targets. 

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Polling numbers in Wisconsin also bear this out. Fifty-three percent of Wisconsin voters said earlier this month that DOGE is disrupting programs required by law, according to a survey from Marquette University Law School, while a slightly lower 47% said the quasi-agency is carrying out Trump’s agenda. 

A larger 59% majority said Trump’s freezing spending and his closing of federal agencies is beyond his governmental authority.  

Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., fired back after Elon Musk unflinchingly stood behind the decision to label the lawmaker a “traitor.” 

Musk made the accusation earlier this month when replying to a post in which the senator, who is also a Navy veteran and retired astronaut, argued that it is important for the U.S. to “stand with Ukraine.”

When Fox News’ Bret Baier asked Musk why he leveled the accusation, Musk indicated that Americans should care about U.S. interests over those of another nation, adding, “if they don’t, they’re a traitor.”

ELON MUSK TO GIVE TALK IN WISCONSIN AHEAD OF CLOSELY WATCHED STATE SUPREME COURT CONTEST: ‘SUPER IMPORTANT’

Left: White House Senior Advisor to the President and Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk departs the U.S. Capitol Building on March 5, 2025 in Washington, D.C.; Right: Sen. Mark Kelly, a Democrat from Arizona, speaks to members of the media outside the West Wing of the White House in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday, June 4, 2024. (Left: Andrew Harnik/Getty Images; Right: Al Drago/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

“But he’s a decorated veteran, a former astronaut, a sitting U.S. senator,” Baier pressed.

Musk said that does not mean it is “OK” for Kelly to place the interests of another nation over the U.S.

Kelly fired back during an appearance on CNN. 

ELON MUSK, DOGE TEAM OFFER UNPRECEDENTED PEEK BEHIND THE CURTAIN OF TRUMP’S COST-CUTTING DEPARTMENT

“My entire life has been about serving this country,” he declared, asserting that he always supports America’s best interests and “standing with our allies and standing up for democracy is in the best interests of the United States.”

Kelly added that he would categorize Musk as being “much closer to Russia.”

Earlier this month, after Musk called him a “traitor,” the senator announced that he would get rid of his Tesla electric vehicle, saying he did not want to drive a “car built and designed by an a–hole.” 

VETERAN DEM SENATOR DEMANDS HEGSETH RESIGN OVER SIGNAL CHAT LEAK

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“I bought a Tesla because it was fast like a rocket ship. But now every time I drive it, I feel like a rolling billboard for a man dismantling our government and hurting people. So Tesla, you’re fired! New ride coming soon,” he tweeted.

He later announced that his “new ride” is a Chevrolet Tahoe SUV.

Eight inspectors general abruptly fired by President Donald Trump at the start of his second term appeared in federal court Thursday to challenge their dismissals — a long-shot case that nonetheless sparked fireworks during oral arguments.

U.S. District Judge Ana Reyes acknowledged on Thursday that it would be difficult for the court to reinstate the eight ousted inspectors generals, who were part of a broader group of 17 government watchdogs abruptly terminated by Trump in January, just four days into his second White House term. 

In a lawsuit last month, the eight inspectors general challenged their firings as both “unlawful and unjustified” and asked to be reinstated — a remedy that Reyes acknowledged Thursday would be exceedingly difficult, even if she were to find that their firings were unconstitutional.

 “Unless you convince me otherwise,” she told the plaintiffs, “I don’t see how I could reinstate the inspectors general” to their roles.

AXED GOVERNMENT WATCHDOG SAYS TRUMP HAS RIGHT TO FIRE HIM

President Donald Trump signs executive orders in the Oval Office. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

Reyes suggested that the best the court could do would be to order back pay, even as she told both parties, “I don’t think anyone can contest that the removal of these people — the way that they were fired — was a violation of the law.”

The preliminary injunction hearing comes more than a month after the eight fired inspectors general filed a lawsuit challenging their termination as unconstitutional. Plaintiffs asked the judge to restore them to their positions, noting in the filing, “President Trump’s attempt to eliminate a crucial and longstanding source of impartial, non-partisan oversight of his administration is contrary to the rule of law.”  

Still, the remedies are considered a long shot — and Trump supporters have argued that the president was well within his executive branch powers to make such personnel decisions under Article II of the Constitution, Supreme Court precedent and updates to federal policy.

LAWSUIT TRACKER: NEW RESISTANCE BATTLING TRUMP’S SECOND TERM THROUGH ONSLAUGHT OF LAWSUITS TAKING AIM AT EOS

The E. Barrett Prettyman U.S. Court House in Washington, D.C. (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)

In 2022, Congress updated its Inspector General Act of 1978, which formerly required a president to communicate to Congress any “reasons” for terminations 30 days before any decision was made. That notice provision was amended in 2022 to require only a “substantive rationale, including detailed and case-specific reasons” for terminations.

The 30-day period was a major focus of Thursday’s hearing, as the court weighed whether inspectors general can be considered “principal” or inferior officers. 

The White House Director of Presidential Personnel has claimed that the firings are in line with that requirement, which were a reflection of “changing priorities” from within the administration. 

Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, suggested earlier this year that Congress should be given more information as to the reasons for the firings, though more recently he has declined to elaborate on the matter.

Ana Reyes, nominee for district court judge in Washington, testifies before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., on June 22, 2022. (Reuters)

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Reyes, for her part, previously did not appear to be moved by the plaintiffs’ bid for emergency relief.

She declined to grant their earlier request for a temporary restraining order — a tough legal test that requires plaintiffs to prove “irreparable” and immediate harm as a result of the actions — and told both parties during the hearing that, barring new or revelatory information, she is not inclined to rule in favor of plaintiffs at the larger preliminary injunction hearing.

Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) head Elon Musk said late Thursday he will be giving a talk to voters in Wisconsin this weekend ahead of the state’s highly anticipated state Supreme Court election. 

“On Sunday night, I will give a talk in Wisconsin. Entrance is limited to those who have voted in the Supreme Court election,” Musk wrote on his social media platform X. 

The billionaire said he would “personally hand over two checks for a million dollars each in appreciation for you taking the time to vote.” 

“This is super important,” Musk added. 

OBAMA VS TRUMP: POLITICAL GIANTS BACK OPPOSING CANDIDATES IN WIDELY-WATCHED WISCONSIN SUPREME COURT CONTEST

Elon Musk looks on during a Cabinet Meeting in the Cabinet Room of the White House on March 24, 2025 in Washington, DC. (BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP via Getty Images)

Musk announced Wednesday night that a Green Bay man had been awarded $1 million for signing a petition from America PAC – which is funded by Musk – against “activist judges in Wisconsin.” 

Musk said the next million-dollar award would be announced Friday.  

The payment is similar to a lottery that Musk’s political action committee ran last year in Wisconsin and other battleground states before the election in November. 

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America PAC announced last week that it was offering $100 to voters who signed its petition. Musk did not say that there would be $1 million prizes at that time, nor was it clear who determined the winner of the $1 million or how it was done. 

Circuit Court Judge Brad Schimel, candidate for the Wisconsin Supreme Court, speaks to supporters during a campaign stop in Jefferson, Wisconsin.  (Scott Olson/Getty Images)

The upcoming election on Tuesday – filling a seat held by a liberal justice who is retiring – will determine whether Wisconsin’s highest court will remain under 4-3 liberal control or flip to a conservative majority.

The race is being closely watched, becoming a proxy battle over the nation’s politics, with Trump supporters lined up behind the Republican candidate, Brad Schimel. 

Dane County Circuit Court Judge Susan Crawford, candidate for the Wisconsin Supreme Court, speaks to supporters during a campaign stop at the Racine County Democratic Party headquarters. (Scott Olson/Getty Images)

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The campaign for Schimel’s Democratic-supported opponent, Susan Crawford, has blasted Musk’s $1 million payment as a supposed illegal attempt to buy influence on the court in a state where Tesla, Musk’s electric car company, has a lawsuit pending that could end up before the court. 

Fox News Digital’s Alex Nitzberg and The Associated Press contributed to this report.