Happy New Year 2025

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Rep. Jasmine Crockett says Trump’s transgender athlete ban ‘doesn’t protect women,’ faces intense backlash

Most Democrats have opted to remain silent in response to President Donald Trump’s executive order banning transgender athletes from women’s and girls sports.

But one Democrat spoke out against it and was heavily criticized.

Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Texas, spoke out against Trump’s executive order in an X post Wednesday.

“On National Girls & Women in Sports Day, Trump is: – banning trans kids from playing sports – trying to cut Title IX women’s and girls’ athletics grants -removing references to women, female and equality on government websites,” Crockett wrote. “LET ME BE CLEAR This. Doesn’t. Protect. Women.”

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Crockett’s criticism of Trump drew fierce backlash from other X users.

“Nothing in your post is true. Transgender kids are not banned from playing sports – they just have to play on teams and in leagues where their sex matches the other athletes. Or they can form their own leagues. This was done to keep men from dominating women’s sports by pretending to be women. AKA ‘protecting women’s sports.’” one user wrote.

“There were no Title IX grants cut. Any references to ‘women, female & equality’ removed from any .gov website were removed in the context of transgender/gender ideology.”

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Rep. Jasmine Crockett (MSNBC)

One user suggested Crockett’s stance was misogynistic.

“Why do you care more about the feelings of some biological males over the rights and safety of women? There’s a name for it when men are prioritized over women and given more rights. I was taught that’s misogyny,” the user wrote.

Another user pointed out that data suggests most Americans, including Democrats, oppose transgender inclusion in women’s sports, and that factored into the 2024 election results.

“This absolutely protects women, and this is what the majority of the country voted for,” the user wrote.

HOW TRANSGENDERISM IN SPORTS SHIFTED THE 2024 ELECTION AND IGNITED A NATIONAL COUNTERCULTURE

A recent New York Times/Ipsos survey found the vast majority of Americans, including a majority of Democrats, don’t think transgender athletes should be permitted to compete in women’s sports. Of the 2,128 people polled, 79% said biological males who identify as women should not be allowed to participate in women’s sports.

Of the 1,025 people who identified as Democrats or leaning Democrat, 67% said transgender athletes should not be allowed to compete with women.

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Shortly after November’s election, a national exit poll conducted by the Concerned Women for America legislative action committee found that 70% of moderate voters saw the issue of “Donald Trump’s opposition to transgender boys and men playing girls’ and women’s sports and of transgender boys and men using girls’ and women’s bathrooms” as important to them.

And 6% said it was the most important issue of all, while 44% said it was “very important.”

Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett during the first impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden by the House Oversight Committee at Rayburn House Office Building on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., Sept. 28, 2023. (Yasin Ozturk/Anadolu Agency via Getty Image)

Crockett previously called her state and Florida “deplorable” during a December hearing on transgender athletes over conservative legislation by lawmakers in those states. Her comments came during a House Oversight and Accountability Subcommittee on Health Care and Financial Services hearing to discuss proposed changes to Title IX by the Biden administration that would redefine sexual discrimination to include gender identity.

“When lawmakers like this are so far out of touch with what women need, we see states pushing back,” Crockett said of her Republican colleague, U.S. Rep. Glenn Grothman of Wisconsin, who spoke before her. “At least states that will allow you to push back. I’m from the state of Texas, and, of course, they don’t want you to ever have an opportunity to raise your voice in the state of Texas.

“In fact, Ms. Perry, I know your organization, the Heritage Foundation, loves Texas. Oh, they love Texas,” she added. “They always sending us some nonsense bills that somehow set this country on the wrong trajectory. They send them to Texas. They send them to Florida. Every deplorable state that we can think about, they usually coming out of yall’s think tank.”

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Jackson Thompson is a sports writer for Fox News Digital. He previously worked for ESPN and Business Insider. Jackson has covered the Super Bowl and NBA Finals, and has interviewed iconic figures Usain Bolt, Rob Gronkowski, Jerry Rice, Troy Aikman, Mike Trout, David Ortiz and Roger Clemens.

February 7, 2025
‘Damn right’: Liz Cheney’s past USAID employment faces backlash after lashing out at Elon Musk

Former GOP Congresswoman Liz Cheney was ripped by conservatives on social media after she defended her previous work at USAID, which became the most prominent target of DOGE in recent days, in an exchange on X that drew the attention of DOGE’s leader, Elon Musk.

“Damn right, @Elon,” Cheney said on X in response to Musk, tagging an account that does not belong to Musk, on Wednesday. “I’m proud of what America did to win the Cold War, defeat Soviet communism, and defend democracy. Our nation stood for freedom. You may be unfamiliar with that part of our history since you weren’t yet an American citizen.”

Musk had written “interesting” in response to a post from Foundation For Freedom Online Executive Director Mike Benz, who had written that Cheney was “spawned” out of USAID, citing her previous position as an officer for the embattled and now seemingly shuttered agency.

Cheney spent time at USAID working within embassies related to efforts in Poland, Hungary, Russia and Ukraine.

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

Former GOP Rep. Liz Cheney was criticized on social media after responding to Elon Musk regarding the USAID controversy. (Getty Images)

Several conservatives on social media took issue with Cheney’s comment and defended Musk against any implication that he is “unfamiliar” with U.S. history.

“He is an American by choice instead of by birth, which is a weird thing to insult someone over, but more importantly, he didn’t commit so many crimes against the country that he had to be pardoned by Joe Biden, so he’s got that going for him,” Federalist Editor-in-Chief Mollie Hemingway posted on X.

“You care more about illegals coming to this country stealing from this country than @elon giving to this country,” former Georgia state Rep. Vernon Jones posted on X.

“Ya, but he was around when your daddy was making the military industrial complex billions sending me and my buddies to die chasing the ghosts of WMDs in Iraq,” Fox News contributor Joey Jones posted on X.

WHO IS SAMANTHA POWER? MEET THE BIDEN-ERA USAID LEADER FACING BACKLASH AMID MUSK’S DOGE CRACKDOWN

The flag of the U.S. Agency for International Development flies in front of its office in Washington, D.C., Monday, Feb. 3, 2025. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)

“Love the anti-immigrant sentiment from Liz,” Right Turn Strategies President Chris Barron posted on X. “Funny how they always end up being everything they claim their opponents are.”

“The fact Elon said a single word and was able to set you off tells me a lot, Liz,” Twitchy.com editor Samantha Janney posted on X. “What’s also revealing is your connection to USAID. Damn proud of WY for firing you.”

“What a xenophobe,” Breitbart senior editor Joel Pollak posted on X. “Pure bigotry.”

“From Liz Cheney to Barack Obama, a lot of people still don’t appreciate how much of America’s political aristocracy class grew up in USAID families,” Benz posted on X earlier this week.

The online debate about Cheney’s time at USAID comes after Musk’s DOGE efforts have resulted in the agency being effectively shut down over what the Trump 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.

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Vice President Kamala Harris campaigns with former Rep. Liz Cheney on Oct. 21, 2024, in Brookfield, Wisconsin. (Scott Olson/Getty Images)

The future of USAID remains unclear, though the doors to its headquarters were closed Monday, and thousands of employees across the globe sat waiting to hear whether they still had jobs after the apparent Musk takeover.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio has been named the acting director, and he agreed Monday with the White House that the agency needed an overhaul.

“The president made me the acting administrator,” he told Fox News. “I’ve delegated that power to someone who is there full time, and we’re going to go through the same process at USAID as we’re going through now at the State Department.”

Fox News Digital’s Caitlin McFall contributed to this report

Andrew Mark Miller is a reporter at Fox News. Find him on Twitter @andymarkmiller and email tips to [email protected].

February 6, 2025
New York ‘polluters pay’ law backcharging oil, gas companies faces Republican AGs’ lawsuit: ‘Devastating’

FIRST ON FOX: In one of his first major moves, newly-elected West Virginia Attorney General J.B. McCuskey is suing New York over the state’s new “devastating” law that retroactively charges energy companies billions of dollars for pollution from 2000 to 2018.

“This bill is an attempt by New York to step into the shoes of the federal government to regulate something that they have absolutely no business regulating, and we are more than happy to step in and tell the rest of the country, along with our incredible other state partners, that this is unconstitutional and it won’t stand,” McCuskey told Fox News Digital in an interview.

The lawsuit alleges the law signed by Gov. Kathy Hochul, known as the Climate Change Superfund Act, unfairly targets traditional energy producers—regardless of whether they operate in New York—by imposing massive financial liabilities.

“These energy choices—and the benefits that come with them—entail necessary tradeoffs. All energy use, including energy deriving from ‘renewable’ sources, creates some pollution,” the 59-page lawsuit reads. “Traditional energy is no different.”

HOCHUL SIGNS BILL THAT WILL CHARGE OIL AND GAS FIRMS $75B, BUT CRITICS SAY CUSTOMERS WILL REALLY FOOT THE TAB

Recently-elected West Virginia Attorney General J.B. McCuskey is filing a multi-state lawsuit against New York State Gov. Kathy Hochul over its controversial polluter’s pay bill. (Getty Images)

According to the complaint, the burden of these costs won’t fall on New York consumers but will instead be forced onto producers and consumers in other states. The suit also alleges that New York is using these funds to subsidize its own infrastructure projects, such as a new sewer system in New York City, that have been damaged by extreme weather events.

The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of New York Albany Division, cites New York AG Letitia James, Sean Mahar, the Interim Commissioner of the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation and Amanda Hiller, the Acting Tax Commissioner of the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance.

“When you live in the real world, like I do, and you live in a place like West Virginia, where the values of the people indicate that we pay our bills, we’re humble, we’re modest, and we’re respectful of the people around us,” McCuskey said. “These kind of things hit us a lot harder. And so, you know, this is really a fight between the the elites and the people that make this country run on the back end.”

Attorneys general for Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Texas, Utah and Wyoming also joined the lawsuit. The West Virginia Coal Association, the Gas and Oil Association of West Virginia and the Alpha Metallurgical Resources, Inc., are also joining the complaint.

The bill, first introduced under the Biden administration, is a “landmark legislation shifts the cost of climate adaptation from everyday New Yorkers to the fossil fuel companies most responsible for the pollution,” according to the governor’s December 2024 press release.

TRUMP EXECUTIVE ORDER FORCES NEW JERSEY TO CANCEL ITS FIRST OFFSHORE WIND FARM

President Donald Trump enacts major reforms aimed at increasing American energy independence. (Getty Images)

“By ensuring those responsible for historic climate-altering emissions bear the costs of the significant health, environmental, and economic impacts already being passed on to New Yorkers, this law will complement the State’s efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, help communities adapt to the climate-driven impacts experienced today, and leverage the significant investments the Governor is making in climate resilience,” Mahar, the state’s Environmental Conservation Interim Commissioner said in the press release.

The law mandates that fossil fuel companies collectively contribute $75 billion over the next 25 years into a dedicated “superfund” that would then help rebuild climate change-induced infrastructure damage.

“This liability could be devastating to traditional energy producers,” the lawsuit states. “Indeed, the ruinous liability that the Act promises—especially when paired with similar efforts that might arise in other States—could force coal, oil, and natural gas producers to shutter altogether.”

FORMER TRUMP CABINET MEMBERS LAUNCH GROUP TO PROMOTE PRESIDENT’S ENERGY AGENDA

DCOR LLC’s Edith offshore oil and gas platform, right, and Beta Operating Company LLC’s Eureka oil and gas platform stand in the Beta Field off the coast of Long Beach, California, U.S., on Tuesday, May 18, 2010. Photographer: Tim Rue/Bloomberg via Getty Images (Tim Rue)

In total, 38 firms – including American oil giants Exxon and Chevron, the UK’s Shell and BP, and Brazil’s Petrobras – categorized as “carbon polluters” could be on the receiving end of hefty bills, Fox News Digital previously reported.

New York’s effort to hold energy producers accountable comes at a time when the Trump administration is moving in the opposite direction, rolling back climate commitments through a recent executive order.

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Trump signed two executive orders last month dramatically reshaping U.S. energy and environmental policy from the Biden administration’s priorities. The “Unleashing American Energy” order aims to boost domestic fossil fuel production by cutting regulations and expediting permits for oil, gas, and coal projects. Meanwhile, “Putting America First in International Environmental Agreements” withdraws the U.S. from global climate commitments, including the Paris Agreement, and halts funding for international climate initiatives. This is the second time under a Trump presidency that the U.S. has exited the Paris Agreement.

Fox News Digital has reached out to the New York governor’s, attorney general’s, and acting tax commissioner’s offices as well as the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation for comment.

Jamie Joseph is a writer who covers politics. She leads Fox News Digital coverage of the Senate.

February 6, 2025
DC Councilmember Trayon White faces possible expulsion vote over federal bribery charge

Washington, D.C., City Councilmember Trayon White is facing potential expulsion from city leadership amid an ongoing corruption trial on alleged bribery charges.

The FBI arrested White in August 2024, alleging that he took over $150,000 in bribes to influence the city’s contracting. While the trial has yet to begin, the FBI revealed evidence showing White accepting envelopes full of cash from a bureau informant. The city council will vote on White’s expulsion later Tuesday.

“This is quintessential corruption,” Council Chairman Phil Mendelson said in a December statement. “There is only one remedy: to remove the corruption from our body. This incident has damaged the public trust necessary for government to function well.”

Despite the charges and evidence leveled against him, White was re-elected to the city council in November, just three months after his arrest. His federal trial is set to begin in January 2026. He has pleaded not guilty.

DC COUNCILMAN A STEP CLOSER TO FACING EXPULSION AFTER LAW FIRM FINDS HE VIOLATED CODE OF CONDUCT

Councilmember Trayon White speaks to the media following the City Council Ad Hoc Committee voting to recommend him for expulsion amid bribery allegations in Washington, D.C., on Dec. 16, 2024. (Craig Hudson for The Washington Post via Getty Images)

“I feel confident that the people of Ward 8 have spoken. I feel like I’m going to win by a landslide but I’m still humbled and prayerful. I hope [it] sends a loud message to the D.C. Council about keeping the decisions in the hands of the people.” White told WJLA on Election Day after results made it clear he would win.

DC COUNCILMEMBER FACING FEDERAL BRIBERY CHARGES WINS LANDSLIDE RE-ELECTION

White’s expulsion would require a unanimous vote of the 11 other members of the city council, and public statements from councilmembers don’t look good for White.

D.C. Ward 8 Councilmember Trayon White, Sr. speaks at a ribbon cutting ceremony in Washington, D.C., on Nov. 21, 2024. (Craig Hudson for The Washington Post via Getty Images)

“Councilmember White betrayed the trust of his staff, the council, the agencies and, above all, the residents of Ward 8,” Councilmember Kenyan McDuffie, a Democrat, said at a preliminary hearing last week.

Mendelson, also a Democrat, echoed McDuffie’s skepticism in a statement.

“The public [has to] have trust in the government, they have to have trust in the legislature, they have to have trust in those who are elected,” he said.

A photo from court documents shows Trayon White Sr. receiving an envelope containing a payment of $5,000. (US Department of Justice)

Other members expressed hope that White would resign before the council is forced to take action.

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“I wish he would resign,” said Councilmember Robert C. White Jr., also a Democrat, according to the Washington Post. “If you broke the council rules, and you know you broke the council rules, to put the council through this is something to think about.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Anders Hagstrom is a reporter with Fox News Digital covering national politics and major breaking news events. Send tips to [email protected], or on Twitter: @Hagstrom_Anders.

February 4, 2025
Ravens’ Justin Tucker faces sexual misconduct allegations; kicker slams report

Baltimore Ravens star kicker Justin Tucker was accused in a bombshell report Thursday of sexual misconduct by several massage therapists during a period spanning four years, including his rookie season, when he helped the team win a Super Bowl.

Six massage therapists in the Baltimore area accused the NFL kicker of exposing himself during sessions at four different high-end spas and wellness centers, brushing the alleged victims with his genitals and other acts of alleged sexual misconduct from 2012-2016.

Baltimore Ravens kicker Justin Tucker arrives before a game against the Cleveland Browns at M&T Bank Stadium. (Tommy Gilligan/Imagn Images)

The allegations were first revealed in a report by The Baltimore Banner.

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Tucker released a statement through his attorneys Thursday not long after the news broke, calling the allegations “unequivocally false.”

“Throughout my career as a professional athlete, I have always sought to conduct myself with the utmost professionalism. I have never before been accused of misconduct of any kind, and I have never been accused of acting inappropriately in front of a massage therapist or during a massage therapy session or during other bodywork,” Tucker’s statement said.

“I have never received any complaints from a massage therapist, have never been dismissed from a massage therapy or bodywork session and have never been told that I was not welcome at any spa or other place of business.”

Tucker, a seven-time Pro Bowler and five-time All-Pro during his 13-year NFL career, took aim at the outlet’s reporting, calling it “desperate tabloid fodder.”

Baltimore Ravens kicker Justin Tucker (9) kicks the ball during the first quarter against the Cleveland Browns at M&T Bank Stadium. (Tommy Gilligan/Imagn Images)

RAVENS STAR KICKER JUSTIN TUCKER SAYS STEELERS’ FIELD CONDITIONS WEREN’T ‘IDEAL’ AFTER SHAKY PERFORMANCE

“It is no surprise that the paper’s interactions with me were marked by journalistic failures at every turn,” Turner said. “When I first learned that the newspaper was writing this article, they refused to reveal the full claims they were planning to make against me.

“It wasn’t until I was forced to hire the leading defamation law firm in the U.S. to write to the paper that they finally revealed what they were planning on writing. Then, when they did finally provide some of this information, they gave me next to no time to provide a response. It is clear why. They had no interest in what I (or anyone else) had to say.”

Tucker accused the outlet of “deliberately misconstruing events as nefarious” and relying on “third-party speculation.”

“The newspaper had already written this false, salacious profile well before ever attempting to speak to me or any of the bodywork professionals I have worked with closely for the better part of the last decade. The newspaper made no effort to interview these key witnesses until prompted to do so by my defamation attorney because they did not want to hear what they had to say about me.”

Fox News Digital reached out to The Baltimore Banner for a response to Tucker’s remarks.

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According to the report, the accusers said they ended sessions early or refuse to work with Tucker again because of the allegations. The report also says Tucker was banned from returning to two of those spas, a claim Tucker’s legal team denied.

Baltimore Ravens kicker Justin Tucker warms up against the Kansas City Chiefs before a game at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. (Denny Medley/Imagn Images)

Among the allegations leveled in the report, five women claimed the NFL player was erect during sessions with him and that he fully or partially exposed himself, while others made other accusations of egregious acts.

In a statement to Fox News Digital, the NFL said it learned of the accusations from the reporter investigating the story and that allegations were not previously reported to the league.

“We take any allegation seriously and will look into the matter,” the statement continued.

The Ravens told Fox News Digital, “We are aware of The Baltimore Banner’s story regarding Justin Tucker. We take any allegations of this nature seriously and will continue to monitor the situation.”

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January 30, 2025
Lee Zeldin faces vote to lead key environmental agency in Trump administration

The Senate will vote Wednesday on whether to confirm former Rep. Lee Zeldin to head the government’s leading agency on environmental rules and regulations.

President Donald Trump tapped Zeldin, who previously served as a congressman from New York’s 1st Congressional District from 2015 to 2023, to lead the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) under his administration. During his tenure in Congress, Zeldin, an Army Reserve lieutenant colonel, launched a campaign for governor in New York, when he trailed only five percentage points in the largely Democratic state.

Zeldin underwent a confirmation hearing earlier this month, when he was questioned on climate change by members of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee.

The Senate held a cloture vote for Zeldin on Wednesday afternoon, which ended the debate over his nomination. The chamber will now proceed to a final floor vote.

ZELDIN GRILLED BY DEMOCRATS ON CLIMATE CHANGE, TRUMP’S STANCE ON CARBON EMISSIONS DURING EPA HEARING

Former Rep. Lee Zeldin, R-N.Y., President Donald Trump’s pick to head the Environmental Protection Agency, appears before the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee on Capitol Hill, Thursday, Jan. 16, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)

If confirmed on Wednesday, Zeldin will head the agency that surveys environmental issues, provides assistance to wide-ranging environmental projects, and establishes rules that align with the administration’s views on environmental protection and climate change.

During his confirmation hearing, Zeldin pledged that if confirmed, he would “foster a collaborative culture within the agency, supporting career staff who have dedicated themselves to this mission. I strongly believe we have a moral responsibility to be good stewards of our environment for generations to come.”

Lee Zeldin, former New York representative, with athlete Riley Gaines, outside the 2024 Republican National Convention at the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee on July 16, 2024. (J. Conrad Williams, Jr./Newsday RM)

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The latest round of voting comes as Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., continues to advance the confirmation process to push through Trump’s Cabinet nominees.

Aubrie Spady is a Writer for Fox News Digital.

January 29, 2025
DC Councilmember Trayon White faces expulsion hearing over federal bribery charge

The Washington D.C. councilmember accused by federal authorities of accepting $156,000 in bribes is facing an expulsion hearing Tuesday.

The legislative body “will hold a Public Hearing on the following Matter: Expulsion of Councilmember Trayon White, Sr. for Code of Conduct Violations” starting at noon local time, it says on its website.

Last month, Councilmember Kenyan McDuffie said an investigative report found “substantial evidence” that White’s alleged conduct connected to the bribery claims violated several provisions of the D.C. Council’s Code of Official Conduct, FOX 5 DC reported.

The Justice Department, citing a criminal complaint charging White with bribery, alleges that “beginning in June 2024, White corruptly agreed to accept $156,000 in cash payments in exchange for using his position as a D.C. Councilmember to pressure government employees at [the] Office of Neighborhood Safety and Engagement and [the] D.C. Department of Youth Rehabilitation Services to extend several D.C. contracts.”

DC COUNCILMAN A STEP CLOSER TO FACING EXPULSION AFTER LAW FIRM FINDS HE VIOLATED CODE OF CONDUCT

Trayon White Sr. departs the E. Barrett Prettyman Federal Courthouse on Sept. 12, in Washington, D.C. White was arraigned and pleaded not guilty in federal court on federal bribery charges following an arrest by the FBI on Aug. 18. (Michael A. McCoy for The Washington Post via Getty Images)

White, who has pleaded not guilty to those allegations, reportedly faces up to 15 years in prison if he is convicted. A jury trial in that case is set for January 2026.

In November, he easily won re-election to his seat.

“I feel confident that the people of Ward 8 have spoken. I feel like I’m going to win by a landslide but I’m still humbled and prayerful. I hope [it] sends a loud message to the DC Council about keeping the decisions in the hands of the people.” White told WJLA on Election Day.

DC COUNCILMEMBER FACING FEDERAL BRIBERY CHARGES WINS LANDSLIDE RE-ELECTION

A photo from court documents allegedly shows Trayon White Sr. receiving an envelope containing a payment of $5,000. (US Department of Justice)

At today’s hearing, White will hear evidence against him and have an opportunity to defend himself, according to WTOP.

“White may be represented by a person of his choice, whether or not the person is an attorney, and may have that representative speak or question witnesses on his behalf,” the station cited D.C. Council documents as saying.

For White to be expelled, 11 of the council’s 13 members would need to vote in favor of doing so, WTOP added.

DC Ward 8 Councilmember Trayon White is shown speaking in Washington, D.C. in November 2024. (Craig Hudson for The Washington Post via Getty Images)

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The station said that the vote is set for Tuesday, Feb. 4.

Greg Norman is a reporter at Fox News Digital.

January 28, 2025
DeSantis faces GOP resistance to special legislative session on immigration that starts today

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A special legislative session called by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis to take up a series of proposals to help implement President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown gets underway on Monday.

However, with pushback from top Republican lawmakers who call the session “premature,” it is unclear if any measures will be considered.

DeSantis wants lawmakers to pass bills that would support the president’s flurry of immigration and border executive orders, signed since last Monday’s inauguration, and Trump’s plans for mass deportation of illegal immigrants.

‘THANK YOU RON’ – TRUMP PRAISES DESANTIS IMMIGRATION PUSH IN FLORIDA

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, left, speaks as Utah Gov. Spencer Cox, right, listens before President-elect Donald Trump talks at a meeting with Republican governors at Mar-a-Lago on Thursday, Jan. 9, 2025, in Palm Beach, Florida. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

The governor wants to mandate that Florida’s counties and cities participate in the federal deportation program and wants the power to suspend officials who do not comply. He is also proposing to make it a state crime to enter the nation illegally, and he wants to mandate that people show identification and their immigration status before sending money back home.

TRUMP ADMINISTRATION MOVES QUICKLY ON IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT

“We’ve got to make sure that we are working hand-in-hand with the Trump administration,” DeSantis emphasized last week in an interview on Fox News’ “Ingraham Angle.”

He added that the special legislative session would help “to facilitate the Trump administration’s mission.”

The Florida State Capitol Building, as seen in Tallahassee, Florida. (Mark Wallheiser/Getty Images)

Eleven bills were filed on the eve of the special session by Florida lawmakers. Among them are measures to create a state immigration czar and to allow the governor to activate the national and state guards for immigration enforcement.

Under Florida’s constitution, if the governor calls for a special session, lawmakers are obligated to show up at the capitol in Tallahassee. However, the top Republicans in the state House and Senate say that while they support Trump’s immigration efforts, the special session is unnecessary with the regularly scheduled legislative session scheduled for early March.

“It’s not premature,” DeSantis told Fox News. “We’ve been waiting four years to have a partner in Washington, D.C., on this issue. We have a sense of urgency. We have to get the job done. No more dragging your feet.”

DeSantis, who waged a bitter and unsuccessful primary challenge against Trump for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, was praised by the then-president-elect earlier this month.

“Thank you Ron, hopefully other governors will follow!” Trump wrote in a social media post after DeSantis announced the special session.

Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, center, speaks at a campaign stop in Hampton, New Hampshire, on Wednesday, Jan. 17, 2024. (Paul Steinhauser/Fox News)

However, the pushback by GOP state lawmakers over the calling of the special session is a dramatic turn of events for DeSantis, who long enjoyed massive influence over the Florida legislature, especially after his nearly 20-point re-election in 2022.

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Following his unsuccessful 2024 White House bid, the lame duck governor does not appear to have the same clout over lawmakers that he once enjoyed.

Pushing back against opposition to his plans, DeSantis has warned that any lawmaker who stood in his way over the special session would pay a political price.

January 27, 2025
‘Ultra-right’: Trump budget chief pick Russell Vought faces fire from Dem senators

Democratic lawmakers grilled President Donald Trump’s pick to lead the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) on a series of issues Wednesday, ranging from abortion to the constitutionality of the Impoundment Control Act.

While Republicans argue that Russell Vought is qualified for the role because he served as Trump’s OMB director during the president’s first term, Democrats like Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., have labeled Vought an “ultra-right” ideologue.

Vought appeared before the Senate Budget Committee on Wednesday for a confirmation hearing and defended his previous statements that the Impoundment Control Act is unconstitutional — an issue Democrats claim should disqualify him from leading the Office of Management and Budget.

TRUMP’S TREASURY NOMINEE TURNS THE TABLES ON SANDERS IN TESTY EXCHANGE ABOUT BIDEN’S ‘OLIGARCHY’ COMMENTS

Russell Vought served as Trump’s director of the OMB from July 2020 to January 2021. (Al Drago)

The law, adopted in 1974, stipulates that Congress may oversee the executive branch’s withholding of budget authority, and affirmed that Congress holds the power of the purse. Ultimately, the law bars the executive branch from circumventing Congress and withholding appropriated funds.

The first Trump administration and Vought have come under fire after the Office of Management and Budget held up $214 million in military aid for Ukraine in 2019, a decision that ultimately led to Trump’s first impeachment.

“You’re quite comfortable assuming that the law doesn’t matter and that you’ll just treat the money for a program as a ceiling… rather than a required amount,” Senate Budget Committee ranking member Jeff Merkley said. “Well, the courts have found otherwise.”

TRUMP TREASURY PICK: EXTENDING TRUMP TAX CUTS ‘SINGLE MOST IMPORTANT ECONOMIC ISSUE’

Additionally, the Supreme Court also ruled in 1975 that the executive branch cannot impound funds without congressional oversight.

In that case, Train v. City of New York, the Supreme Court determined the Environmental Protection Agency must use full funding included in the Federal Water Pollution Control Act Amendments of 1972, even though then-President Richard Nixon issued orders not to use all the funding.

Lawmakers have pointed to this case in Vought’s confirmation hearings as further evidence that the executive branch cannot tie up funding Congress has approved.

Even so, Vought told lawmakers in multiple exchanges he believes the Impoundment Control Act is unconstitutional, because presidents historically could spend less than what Congress had approved prior to the Impoundment Control Act, and that Trump campaigned on that position.

U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders questions Russell Vought, President Trump’s nominee to be director of the OMB, testifies before a Senate Budget Committee confirmation hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, Jan. 22, 2025. (Kaylee Greenlee Beal/Reuters)

Democrats aren’t the only ones worried about Vought’s views on the Impoundment Control Act. Senate Budget Committee chair Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., said he also shared some concerns and would disclose them at a markup hearing for Vought’s nomination.

Vought also faced questioning on his views regarding abortion, given his connection as an author of Project 2025, a political initiative The Heritage Foundation released in 2023 that called for policy changes, including instituting a national ban on abortion medication.

Other proposals included in Project 2025 include eliminating the Department of Education, cutting DEI programs, and reducing funding for Medicare and Medicaid.

“You have said that you don’t believe in exceptions for rape, for incest, or the life of the mother,” said Democratic Sen. Patty Murray of Washington. “Is that your position?”

“Senator, my views are not important. I’m here on behalf of the president,” Vought said.

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

Trump has repeatedly stated that he backs abortion in certain instances, and stated that “powerful exceptions” for abortion would remain in place under his administration.

Meanwhile, Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., pressed Vought on whether healthcare is a “human right.” Sanders has previously introduced legislation called the Medicare for All Act that would establish a federal, national health insurance program.

“Do you think we should join every other major country on Earth and say, ‘You know what? Whether you’re poor, you’re rich, you’re young, you’re old, healthcare is a human right,’” Sanders said. “We have the richest country in the history of the world. Do you think we should do what every other major country on Earth does?”

Vought declined to disclose specifics, but said that he believed it’s critical to provide “legitimate, evidence-based outcomes for people within the healthcare system, and to make sure that we tailor all of the dollars that are spent toward that.”

Russ Vought, pictured during the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in National Harbor, Maryland, U.S., on Saturday, Feb. 29, 2020. (Stefani Reynolds/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

After serving as director of the Office of Management and Budget under the first Trump administration, Vought founded the Center for Renewing America in 2021. The organization claims its mission is to “renew a consensus of America as a nation under God,” according to its website. Vought also served as the vice president of Heritage Action for America.

Meanwhile, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y. said his meeting with Vought only exacerbated his concerns about the nomination.

“I walked out of the meeting even more deeply troubled,” Schumer said on the Senate floor on Wednesday. “Of all the extremists President Trump could have picked for OMB, he picked the godfather of the ultra-right.”

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Vought has repeatedly told lawmakers that he would uphold the law and that his personal views aren’t important — carrying out Trump’s vision is what matters.

The OMB is responsible for developing and executing the president’s budget, as well as overseeing and coordinating legislative proposals and priorities aligned with the executive branch.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Diana Stancy is a politics reporter with Fox News Digital covering the White House.

January 23, 2025
Trump warns FEMA faces a reckoning after Biden admin: ‘Not done their job’

President Donald Trump warned late Wednesday that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is set to face a reckoning following four years under the Biden administration, arguing the emergency agency has “not done their job.”

“FEMA has not done their job for the last four years. You know, I had FEMA working really well. We had hurricanes in Florida. We had Alabama tornadoes. But unless you have certain types of leadership, it’s really, it gets in the way. And FEMA is going to be a whole big discussion very shortly, because I’d rather see the states take care of their own problems,” Trump said Wednesday in an exclusive interview with Fox News’ Sean Hannity, his first White House interview since his inauguration.

Trump then turned his attention to the state of Oklahoma, touting that he won all 77 of the state’s counties in the 2024 election, and arguing that if the Sooner State is hit by a tornado, state leaders should take the lead on emergency response before the federal government steps in for additional assistance.

“I love Oklahoma, but you know what? If they get hit with a tornado or something, let Oklahoma fix it. … And then the federal government can help them out with the money. FEMA is getting in the way of everything, and the Democrats actually use FEMA not to help North Carolina,” Trump continued.

TRUMP, GOP LEADERS MEET AT WHITE HOUSE AS PRESIDENT PLANS VISIT TO NC, DEFENDS EXECUTIVE ORDERS

President Donald Trump sits for an interview with Fox News. (Fox News / Hannity)

FEMA came under the nation’s microscope last year when Hurricane Helene ripped through North Carolina, devastating residents as it wiped out homes and businesses and killed more than 100 people. FEMA and the Biden administration faced fierce backlash for its handling of the emergency, while Trump accused the agency of obstructing relief efforts in Republican areas.

“The Democrats don’t care about North Carolina. What they’ve done with FEMA is so bad. FEMA is a whole ‘nother discussion, because all it does is complicate everything,” he said.

TRUMP SAYS NEWSOM IS TO ‘BLAME’ FOR ‘APOCALYPTIC’ WILDFIRES

“So I’m stopping on Friday. I’m stopping in North Carolina, first stop, because those people were treated very badly by Democrats. And I’m stopping there. We’re going to get that thing straightened out because they’re still suffering from a hurricane from months ago,” Trump said.

Floodwaters from Hurricane Helene in Western North Carolina. (Melissa Sue Gerrits/Getty Images)

Trump will visit North Carolina on Friday, his first trip as president, where he is expected to tour and meet with residents who were left devastated by the hurricane in September. He will also visit California that same day, where wildfires have ripped through the Los Angeles area this month.

The trip is set to highlight what Trump has described as emergency response failures at the hands of Democratic leaders.

FAST-MOVING HUGHES FIRE ERUPTS IN LOS ANGELES COUNTY AS CALIFORNIA OFFICIALS ORDER EVACUATIONS

A house burns as the Palisades Fire rages on at the Mandeville Canyon, in Los Angeles, California, U.S., January 11, 2025. (REUTERS/Shannon Stapleton )

“And then I’m going to then I’m going to go to California,” he said, before criticizing Gov. Gavin Newsom’s handling of wildfire prevention and response. Trump has long criticized the Democratic governor for prioritizing environmental policies, such as protecting the dwindling smelt and Chinook salmon populations, and not tapping water sources in the northern part of the state that he argued would allow better fire response.

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“There is massive amounts of water, rain water and mountain water, that comes to with the snow, comes down, as it melts, there’s so much water they’re releasing it into the Pacific Ocean,” he said.

January 23, 2025